302 NARRATIVE OF A JOURNKY 



the panic of the Insurgent army. Once, and once only, did they 

 ' attempt to rally, and in answer to the deadly shower of bullets 

 which was mowing down their ranks, did they discharge a few 

 of their muskets at irregular and trembling intervals, but they 

 were completely routed ; resistance was utterly vain, and the 

 whole mass fled in the utmost dismay and consternation. Some 

 few effected their escape, but the greater number were taken pri- 

 soners, among whom were the colonel himself, the bloody Florine, 

 and six other officers of distinction, besides about twenty subal- 

 terns. The number of killed and wounded I have not exactly 

 ascertained, but I believe it exceeded a hundred. 



The news of this victory was of course most agreeable to the 

 inhabitants of the town, (a great number of whom witnessed the 

 combat from the heights,) and quiet and security were immedi- 

 ately restored. When I arrived, (which was only ten days 

 after,) matters were in the most tranquil state. One day 

 more had elapsed than is, by common consent, allotted to the 

 recollection of affairs of an unusual character, and the people 

 were beginning to talk of it as an event which had left but little 

 impression upon the memory. 



But the poor otficers of the ill-fated army had not forgotten it- 

 They were languishing on board the Chilian ships of war in the 

 harbor, laden with heavy irons, such as they had caused to be 

 placed upon the limbs of the unfortunate Portales ; they were 

 stowed away in the darkest and most uncomfortable places, and 

 fed upon a miserable allowance of hard bread and water. Add 

 to this, that in consequence of the constant, and sometimes severe 

 motion of the ships in this harbor, they were for weeks dread- 

 fully sea-sick, without medical advice being allowed them, and 

 of course utterly deprived of the power of moving about, 

 and thereby diminishing its pangs, and we can readily believe 

 that they were wretched enough. I felt a sincere commiseration 

 for several of the officers whose history I inquired into, and par- 



