EVENTS SUCCEEDING THE ELECTION. 316 



itched \\iih verbal communications. Overt acts were not needed to secure arrest and 

 imprisonment. ; to .speak openly, or to write in opposition to the government, wan sufficient. 



l\ in Uct. .|MT. tin- Fireily was retaken l.y a party of English sailors, who had been sent 

 on boanl of the inail-Kt. amei for protection of the monthly remittance of silver from Atacama, an 

 amount of treasure which it \\as feared might prove too strong a temptation to the necessitous 

 Coquimbanos. A convention of indemnification ensuing between the British consul at that 

 place and the commander of the Gorgon on one part, and the "self-constituted authorities" on 

 the other, there wan no longer any pretext for continuing a blockade which at least one of the 

 foreign diplomatic corps had shown a determination to disregard. No doubt commercial men 

 were very sorry, as they were at any event favoring the rebels; for so long as the country con- 

 t in i icd unsettled, so long would business be paralyzed. Want of confidence throughout the land 

 stopped trade, and their profits were cut off. With their dividends to guide their sentiments, 

 they very sensibly urged the course that had been adopted by H. B. M. representatives; 

 but, apart from them, and in a point of view strictly international, the act of interference was 

 too unpopular, even with the majority of ministerialists, not to have been a source of regret to 

 the chiefs who took part in it. Although made by subordinates on one side, and "those irreg- 

 ularly constituted authorities" on the other, there is no doubt that they were gratified at being 

 relieved from the responsibility. For Coquimbo, the contracting parties were Jose Miguel 

 Carrera, a relative of those who had borne so conspicuous a part in the earlier revolutionary 

 scenes of Chile, and Colonel Arteaga, whose flight on the preceding 20th of April had lost to his 

 party the victory which cost so many lives. Without military knowledge fitting him to lead, 

 Carrera was known to be valiant and desperate, as all his predecessors of the name had been. 

 On the other hand, Arteaga was undoubtedly an able tactician ; but his previous career was 

 not calculated to inspire confidence. From such a combination of leaders, the government had 

 little cause for apprehension as to the final result in this quarter ; nor did the opposition 

 expect much from Coquimbo alone. 



As fast as they could be collected, men, arms, and ammunition were despatched from the 

 capital, to check the advance of the army mustering in the south. Even the Chacabucos were 

 reassembled and marched away with the rest ; and General Bulnes, appointed to the command, 

 left Santiago early in October, the Minister of War following a few days after, to superintend 

 the campaign in person. The former chose as members of his staff two ex-ministers, whose 

 separation from his cabinet had been brought about by those who supported Mr. Montt as 

 government candidate for the Presidency. With Bulnes and these gentlemen a large sum of 

 money was forwarded. 



Had the two regiments of regulars near Concepcion been of one mind, probably nothing 

 could have resisted them ; but such was not the case. One arrayed itself under the banners of 

 Cruz ; and a large number, if not all of the other, marched to join Bulnes. General Viel was 

 left a prisoner in the hands of the opposition. 



Every disposable man not previously sent to the south, even the President's escort and por- 

 tions of the police from Santiago and Valparaiso, were hurried off in the same direction a part 

 by sea, and the remainder through Aconcagua. 



A day apparently darker for the prospects of the ministerialists was close at hand. Ex- 

 presses arrived on the 14th with the startling intelligence that serious revolts had occurred 

 that day both at San Felipe and San Bernardo. San Felipe in arms against them ; Valparaiso 

 with a mob ready for plunder of the warehouses at any instant ; San Bernardo completely at 

 the mercy of armed men ; and the capital without protection, except such as could be afforded 

 by one company of artillery, a few newly recruited Vijilantes, and a company or two of young 

 gentlemen^ who had enrolled themselves as a night patrol, and were better acquainted with 

 walking-sticks than with muskets! most critical seemed their condition, and highly did they 

 appreciate the encouraging beam which came on the following morning to illumine darkness 

 that had almost become despondency. 



