82 INTRODUCTION. 
had passed the time since his arrival on the coast of Peru in total 
inactivity, and although the capital had been reduced by famine 
occasioned by the exertions of the squadron, aided by the civil dis- 
sensions naturally arising. from great private distress, yet he takes on 
himself the style and title of a conqueror, and, to read his official 
papers, one might think he had won the city by hard fighting. 
Callao, however, held out, though it was reduced to still greater 
straits by the occupation of Lima. The squadron continued to 
attack the forts and gun-boats on every opportunity; and on the 
24th, Lord Cochrane, having observed an opening in the chain which 
secured the vessels, sent in Captain Crosbie with the small boats of 
the squadron that night, who brought out the San Fernando, Milagro, 
and Resolution, ships of war, besides several boats and launches, and 
burned two other vessels. A few days before, the squadron had 
suffered a severe loss in the San Martin which was wrecked at the 
Chorillas, having gone thither with corn to be sold to the poor at a 
low rate on the 15th July, and was totally lost on the 16th. * 
But the exultation and ferment occasioned by the attainment of the 
grand prize for which all the exertions of Chile had been made, 
occupied all tongues and all eyes. On the 28th the independence of 
Peru was solemnly sworn to; but an incident happened that very 
night, which, like the sitting of Mordecai the Jew in the king’s gate, 
poisoned the enjoyment of San Martin. Being at the theatre with 
Lord Cochrane, the people received them with the loudest acclam- 
ations: they gave San Martin all the epithets and titles that could 
gratify him, except that of Brave, which they constantly coupled 
with Lord Cochrane’s name ; an invidious distinction which he com- 
plained of to His Lordship on leaving the theatre, who generously 
made light of it, and applying the words addressed by Cromwell to 
Lambert, which Lambert afterwards recollected as a prophecy, he 
said, + “ General, they are only old Spaniards, who would shout in the 
re This was prize corn belonging to the squadron, who cheerfully gave it up at the sug- 
gestion of San Martin, who took all the credit of the timely supply, while it was literally 
given by the ships. See the Gazettes and Proclamations of that date. 
+ Bishop Burnet’s history of his own times. 
