INTRODUCTION. 



45 



was to remain behind the island of San Lorenzo, to act according to 

 circumstances. But, on the 21st, so thick a fog came on that the 

 ships lost sight of each other : it continued for four days, so that 

 the plan for the 23d was frustrated. On the 26th it cleared a little, 

 and the San Martin took the Victoria, laden with provisions from 

 Chiloe to Lima; but the fogs which are so common on the coast of 

 Peru still rendered it impossible for the squadron to act until the 29th, 

 when a heavy firing was heard, which the admiral imagined was one of 

 his ships engaging the enemy ; he therefore stood towards the bay of 

 Callao. The San Martin, Lautaro, and Chacabuco, who each imagined 

 the admiral in action, steered the same way ; and, just as the fog cleared 

 away for a moment, they discovered one another. That moment of 

 light had also discovered a strange sail among them ; the O'Higgins 

 followed and took her : she was a gun-boat, having on board a lieu- 

 tenant and 20 men, one 24 pounder, and two pedreros. The admi- 

 ral learned from the gun-boat, that the firing heard in the morning- 

 was in honour of the viceroy, who was visiting the forts and ships. 

 Lord Cochrane, sure that some of his ships had been seen, determined 

 to run into Callao, both to try his ship's company, and to endeavour 

 to capture some vessel of war, or at least some of the gun-boats ; 

 the Lautaro followed him closely. They found the enemy's ships 

 arranged in a half-moon of two ranks, the rear rank so disposed as 

 to cover the intervals between the ships of the front rank; the mer 

 chant vessels were stationed in the rear, and the neutrals were 

 anchored on the right. The O'Higgins had neutral colours* : but it 

 was of little consequence. At four o'clock in the afternoon, the 

 Esmeralda began to fire on the two ships; her fire was immediately 

 followed by that of the whole line of Spanish ships, and of the 

 batteries. Unfortunately Captain Guise was severely wounded early, 

 and his ship retired from action. Neither the San Martin nor 



under English colours, was, that they had information that two English ships were 

 expected in Lima. 



» The O'Higgins and Lautaro had both been painted to resemble ships of War of the 

 United States. 



