1839.] DEFEAT OF SANTA CRUZ. 01 



people of the two countries firmly together. But the disaf 

 fected politicians and malcontents of Chili were always wel- 

 comed in Peru, and not only allowed, but encouraged, to 

 concoct their plans, and carry on their intrigues, for the 

 overthrow of the government of their own country. The 

 growing commerce of their neighbors had attracted the at- 

 tention of the Peruvians, and commercial jealousies and 

 rivalships were, doubtless, at the bottom of the inimical 

 feelings which they soon began openly to manifest. The 

 Chilians are resolute, independent, and high-minded, and 

 they took no pains to conceal their displeasure. The ani- 

 mosity thus engendered became more marked and decided, 

 in 1836, when Santa Cruz was elected Supreme Protector 

 of the Peru-Bolivian Republic. 



The Protector not only issued a decree nullifying the treaty 

 with Chili then in existence, but he received the disaffected 

 Chilians with open arms, and even went so far as to arm 

 three men-of-war at Callao, which he placed at their dis- 

 posal in order to effect a revolution. The government of 

 Chili was not idle, however ; an expedition was fitted out, 

 and the vessels captured by a bold and well-executed coup 

 de main, the legality of which Peru was ultimately obliged 

 to acknowledge, before they had left the harbor of Callao. 

 The difficulty between the two governments did not end 

 here ; one act of aggression was followed by another ; and 

 at length Santa Cruz procured the passage of a law forbidding 

 all foreign vessels to visit any place on the Pacific coast of 

 South America, without having first entered a Peruvian 

 port, under the penalty of being required to pay additional 

 entrance duties. Chili promptly resented this insult by a 

 declaration of war ; a large military force was immediately 

 raised, and placed under the command of General Bulnes, 

 who invaded Peru, and occupied Lima and other towns with 

 his forces. In January, 1839, a general engagement took 

 place at Yungay, which resulted in the complete defeat of 

 Santa Cruz The loss of his power followed the loss of his 

 army, and the Protector was subsequently banished to 



