g2 INTRODUCTION. 



As soon as Lord Cochrane arrived in Valparaiso, he despatched 

 the Independencia and Araucana with every thing necessary for 

 repairing the O'Higgins, and with orders to return with her to that 

 port as soon as possible. The great expedition, so long looked for- 

 ward to, for the coast of Peru was now to be undertaken. The 

 political temper of the Peruvians, and especially of the people of 

 Lima, was ripe for it. A considerable body of troops had been 

 assembled, and the taking of Valdivia having driven the enemy from 

 his last strong hold in Chile, it only remained to prepare and victual 

 the fleet in order to attack the provincial capital itself; and it was 

 resolved that immediately after the next rainy season the expedition 

 should sail. * 



Meanwhile the ships were employed under Lord Cochrane' s own 

 eye, in surveying the coast in the neighbourhood of Valparaiso ; par- 

 ticularly the bays Concon and Quintero, the former at the mouth of 

 a very large river, and which might be important as a port for em- 

 barking produce brought down the river from the interior ; the 

 latter as being a fine harbour, better defended from the winds than 

 that of Valparaiso, and better situated with regard to the facility of 

 wood, water, and provisions, though more distant from the capital. 

 Some of the ships' crews were also employed in forming piers for 

 the embarkation of the troops, in fitting transports and other pre- 

 parations for the expedition. 



But the short-sighted policy of the financiers of these new govern- 

 ments who will not see that it is more profitable to purchase good- 

 will and faithful service by punctual payment to the soldiers and 

 sailors, than to retain the money in their hands, even if they trade 

 with it, or lend it for usury, which is not uncommon, had nearly 

 unmanned their squadron, and deprived them of half their officers, f 



* The instructions of the Viceroy Pezuela to the governor of Valdivia, found in the 

 public office of the place, urge him strongly to maintain himself there ; not only as pre- 

 serving a footing in Chile, but as preventing the government from making the threatened 

 attack on Peru, by diverting a considerable part of the forces. (See Gazette of the 22d 

 and 29th of April, 1820.) 



f On this occasion it was that Lord Cochrane offered the estate to be sold to pay the 

 people. 



