298 NARRATIVE OF A JOURNEY 



sources, without the advice of his government, visited the island 

 of Chiloe in an armed vessel, and laid it under a heavy contribu- 

 tion. The Chilenos considered this a national outrage, and the 

 fire of jealousy and furious animosity, which had been hitherto 

 smothered, burst at once into a flame. A formal declaration of 

 war has been the result, and it appears to be the opinion of the 

 most calculating and discerning foreigners here, that the Chilian 

 forces will be worsted in the conflict. 



As might have been expected, many of the subjects of Chili, 

 and some influential ones too, highly disapproved of the projected 

 enterprise. Among these, were a colonel of the army, and his 

 brother, the commandante of the Rezguardo, named Vidaurre, 

 persons of the first respectability in the government, and of con- 

 siderable influence. These men openly expressed their disappro- 

 bation of the public proceedings, and in a short time induced 

 many other officers in the service, as well as a considerable 

 number of the regular troops, to join in a revolt, for the purpose 

 of putting an immediate and summary end to an attempt which 

 they argued could not fail to produce the most calamitous and 

 fatal consequences. As a commencement of this bold and some- 

 what Quixotic measure, they sent an invitation to a man high in 

 office in Valparaiso, named Don Diego Portales, a person of 

 unbounded influence, and indeed the proposer and prime mover 

 of the contemplated expedition, requesting him to meet the chief 

 of the insurgents at Quillota, about five leagues from the town, on 

 business of importance. Portales, without the slightest suspicion 

 of foul play being intended, or the faintest idea of the meditated 

 resistance to the laws, accepted the invitation unhesitatingly, and 

 repaired to the place appointed, accompanied only by his private 

 secretary. Here he was met by Colonel Vidaurre alone, who 

 received him in a friendly manner, and immediately commenced 

 a conversation relative to the invasion of Peru. The colonel 

 expressed his sentiments freely on the subject, which of course 



