50 INTRODUCTION. 



been able to procure the following extract : — " He arrives at Callao : 

 " that port is defended by the strongest forts of the Pacific, and 

 " crowned with batteries. Ten ships of war, and a number of gun- 

 " boats present a formidable barrier. The gallant admiral seizes 

 " on the isle of San Lorenzo, anchors his squadron there, undertakes 

 " to force an entrance into the port, and goes forward with the 

 " O'Higgins and Lautaro : 300 pieces of artillery vomit death all 

 " around him. From three sides the shots come to destroy his 

 " ships : but he advances, unalterable, at a steady pace through these 

 " torrents of fire : he strikes terror into the enemy, he spreads 

 " around horror and death, he fires into their ships, and their fear 

 " arises to such a height, that they make use of forbidden means, 

 " firing red-hot shot from all the castles. After having harassed them 

 " severely, he returns, serenely victorious, to the rest of his squa- 

 " dron," &c. 



Meantime, one of the frigates bespoken in New York, had 

 arrived in Chile. * Both had reached Buenos Ayres. It appears 

 that by the terms of a treaty with Spain, America was bound not to 

 furnish the patriots of South America with armed vessels ; there- 

 fore, on the application of the Buenos Ayrian government for two 

 frigates for Chile, two vessels, the Horatii and the Curiatii, were 

 fitted out completely in every thing but arms and ammunition ; 

 which, however, followed the frigates in the ship Sachem, and 

 arrived a few days after them at Buenos Ayres. The scarcity of 

 specie at that city prevented the full purchase money from being paid ; 

 on which the Curiatii alone hoisted the Chilian flag, after receiving 

 her guns and her complement of marines ; and the Horatii sailed for 

 Bio Janeiro, where she was bought by the government f , the part of 

 the purchase money already advanced being thus forfeited. 



On the return of Blanco's division of the squadron, the supreme 

 director came to Valparaiso to receive them, and also to inspect the 



* 23d May, 1819. 



f She is now in the Imperial service, and called Maria da Gloria. 



