416 APPENDIX. 



taking his life in Chile, but did not scruple prolonging his tortures in irons 

 and in a dungeon ; and afterwards sent him to Lima, where his blood flowed 

 to quench the insatiable thirst of the tyrant San Martin. Mendizabal was 

 generous, brave, and disinterested ; faithful to his friends, and rather impla- 

 cable with his enemies : no superstition tainted his mind ; and his resignation 

 md courage in his last moments were worthy his former character. 



Shortly after the dispersion of our men in San Juan, a revolution took place 

 in Mendoza, in which Godoy Cruz succeeded Cruz Vargas ; in consequence 

 of which change, Colonel Aldao and his principal officers became obnoxious 

 to the existing government. These were the officers who had commanded 

 the expedition against our troops in San Juan ; and though they were the 

 inveterate enemies of Carrera, they were now obliged to throw themselves on 

 his clemency. He did not consider them worthy of resentment : their wants 

 were relieved, and they participated the generosity and protection of him 

 whom they had so materially injured. 



Lopez still carried on his private treaty with the deputies of Rodriguez 

 and Bustos in San Nicolas. 



The Indians who were invited by Rodriguez to join in the war against us 

 had an unconquerable hatred to the Portenos ; and at the period in which 

 we expected them every day to fall upon us, a deputation of fourteen captains 

 arrived in Rosario, sent by the principal cacique to treat with Carrera. They 

 told him, in the names of their respective chiefs, of the very great rewards 

 which Rodriguez had offered them for their services ; but declared they 

 could never take part with their insidious enemies the Portenos ; and as to 

 the rewards offered them, that they would sooner fight in company with 

 brave men, independent of emolument, than they would in favour of such 

 cowards as they knew the Portenos to be, notwithstanding any gifts they 

 might offer. They made known to Carrera that their chiefs would be ex- 

 tremely ambitious of his alliance and protection ; and that they were author- 

 ised to grant him any number of Indians he would require. 



The conduct of the Indians, and their unasked assistance, seemed very 

 mysterious, and made us suspect some treachery ; but on minute investigation 



it appeared that Don Guelmo, who had been a captain, and commandant 



of a town on the Indian frontiers in Chile, in the time of Carrera, had preferred 

 living amongst the Indians to suffering the indignation which O'Higgins and 

 San Martin heaped on the officers and friends of the former government in 

 Chile, This Guelmo, though above eighty years old, wished still to make 



