332 JOURNAL. 



keep up that jealousy which his being a foreigner and a nobleman, 

 and his great talents, have excited. Presented to the government of 

 Santiago while His Lordship was absent, and by envoys whose pri- 

 vate malignity added to every accusation all the force of hints and 

 inuendos, they struck at his honour and his personal safety equally. 

 Happily there were some feelings which prevented the Director from 

 giving credit to some of the charges, and he knew that documents 

 existed which disproved others ; and with this knowledge, and these 

 feelings, he had entreated Lord C. not to answer San Martin imme- 

 diately on his arrival, lest such an answer as he might give should 

 involve the governments in contention or war. Now, however, that 

 San Martin has retired from the government of Peru, and that no 

 evil can arise to the public from a refutation of the atrocious 

 calumnies he has taken pains to spread here and to send into foreign 

 countries, Lord C. has addressed a letter to him, not only excul- 

 pating himself, but exposing the baseness, cruelty, and cowardice of 

 San Martin. * Had the letter nothing to do with Lord Cochrane's 

 justification or San Martin's accusation, the picture it presents of 

 the conduct of the war in Peru would render it one of the most 

 curious documents that has yet appeared before the public concern- 

 ing the affairs of South America. 



Dec. \7th. — Mr. Grenfell arrived from the port to-day, bearing- 

 important news. General Freire has advanced as far as Talca, and 

 a division of the army of Santiago is ordered to be in readiness to 

 meet him. The marines belonging to the squadron, with Major 

 Hyne at their head, marched towards the city last night, by orders 

 from the minister of marine, to reinforce the Director's troops. 

 Many arbitrary orders have also been issued to the squadron, so that 

 the Admiral has resolved to go and resume the command to-night. 

 The Galvarino was ordered to be in readiness for sea ; it is rumoured 

 to take some important personage, perhaps San Martin, on board, 

 and so convey him to Buenos Ayres, or some other place of safety, 



* See the Sketch of the History of Chile prefixed to this part of the journal, particu- 

 larly from p. 83. to the end. 



