52 INTRODUCTION. 
to a prohibition, did not all nations combine to smuggle it away. In 
countries like these, where there are no manufactures, and little raw 
produce of any kind but the precious metals, the advantage of 
exchanging these for goods of every kind is most apparent. But 
the Spanish habits of thinking still prevail, hence the smuggling 
which elsewhere would be accounted scandalous, is openly practised 
even by British ships of war here, because in no other way, can the 
merchant obtain a return for his goods. Might not this be an article 
to be considered in any treaty entered into for acknowledging the 
independence of South America ? 
The British merchants had been of material use to the independent 
cause, by the large importations of arms and stores, both naval and 
military, which, in spite of every prohibition, they continued to 
furnish. It is true, that sometimes they also supplied the royalists ; 
but in general their cargoes of this nature were for the patriots, be- 
tween whom and themselves, there was a much more cordial inter- 
course than they had ever maintained with the Spaniards. In Chile 
the Protestant worship in private houses was connived at, and the 
Protestants had been permitted to purchase ground for a burial place, 
both in the city and at the port ; and something had been attempted 
as to facilitating marriages between Protestants and Roman Catholics, 
but it was too early as yet to hope for perfect and public toleration : 
yet the officers entering into the service, naval or military, were 
never incommoded on account of their form of worship, or even re- 
quested to change it. 
The rainy season, with strong gales from the northward, was now 
set in, but the equipment of the ships went on with zeal, so that by 
the 11th of September, the squadron was ready to put to sea: a loan 
of 2000 dollars had been requested from the merchants of Valparaiso ; 
they refused, however, any thing like a forced contribution, but in- 
stantly subscribed 4393 dollars, a fourth of which was from the English 
merchants, as a free gift to forward the expedition, which was now 
to adopt more active measures than on the former occasion. Lord 
