INTRODUCTION. OF 
ception, and had been a foot soldier in the first army of the patriots ; 
having been made prisoner by the royalists, he entered their army, 
and was taken soon after by Makenna, who sent him to head-quarters 
on the banks of the Maule, to be tried as a deserter: thence he 
escaped, by setting fire to the hut in which he was confined, and 
returned to the royalists, when he soon distinguished himself by his 
talents, and bore an honourable rank in the army of Osorio at the 
battle of Maypt. There he was again taken prisoner, and was con- 
demned to.death as a deserter, in company with many others: he fell 
among the dead, but did not die as was supposed ; and in a romantic 
way he sent to request an interview with San Martin, who appointed 
to meet him in the placa alone, and the signal of recognition to be three 
sparks from the mechero. * Benevideis struck the signal, San Martin 
presented his pistol in return; Benevideis put it aside, and observing 
him start, assured him, he did not wish to murder, but to serve him, 
which he could do effectually by his local knowledge of the southern 
provinces, and his personal acquaintance with the troops there. San 
Martin accepted his services, but retained the dread of him, which 
his sudden and ghastly appearance before him had excited; and 
therefore, although there was not the slightest ground for supposing 
he meant to betray him, he began to suspect him, and attempted to 
seize his person once more. But the spirit of Benevideis revolted at 
this : being accused of treachery he turned traitor, if it can be called 
so, and openly joined Osorio ; animated by a fierce desire of revenge, 
which, once awaked, never slept in his bosom. Hence arose the 
cruelties, and they are monstrous, with which he is charged. He 
murdered his prisoners in cold blood; and his great delight was to 
invite the captured officers to an elegant entertainment, and after 
they had eaten and drunk, march them into his court-yard, while he 
stood at the window to see them shot. Some to whom he had pro- 
mised safety he delivered over to the Indians, whose cruel customs 
* The mechero is the aparatus for striking fire to light the segars, which every person 
in Chile carries with him. 
O 
