416 APPENDIX. 
taking his life in Chile, but did not scruple prolonging his tortures in irons’ 
and in a dungeon; and afterwards sent him to Lima, where his blood flowed 
to quench the insatiable thirst of the tyrant San Martin. Mendizabal was 
generous, brave, and disinterested ; faithful to his friends, and rather impla- 
cable with his enemies : no superstition tainted his mind ; and his resignation 
and courage in his last moments were worthy his former character. 
Shortly after the dispersion of our men in San Juan, a revolution took place 
in Mendoza, in which Godoy Cruz succeeded Cruz Vargas; in consequence 
of which change, Colonel Aldao and his principal officers became obnoxious 
to the existing government. These were the officers who had commanded 
the expedition against our troops in San Juan; and though they were the 
inveterate enemies of Carrera, they were now obliged to throw themselves on 
his clemency. He did not consider them worthy of resentment: their wants 
were relieved, and they participated the generosity and protection of him 
whom they had so materially injured. 
Lopez still carried on his private treaty with the deputies of Rodriguez 
and Bustos in San Nicolas. 
The Indians who were invited by Rodriguez to join in the war against us 
had an unconquerable hatred to the Porteiios; and at the period in which 
we expected them every day to fall upon us, a deputation of fourteen captains 
arrived in Rosario, sent by the principal cacique to treat with Carrera. They 
told him, in the names of their respective chiefs, of the very great rewards 
which Rodriguez had offered them for their services; but declared they 
could never take part with their insidious enemies the Portefios ; and as to 
the rewards offered them, that they would sooner fight in company with 
brave men, independent of emolument, than they would in favour of such 
cowards as they knew the Portefios to be, notwithstanding any gifts they 
might offer. They made known to Carrera that their chiefs would be ex- 
tremely ambitious of his alliance and protection ; and that they were author- 
ised to grant him any number of Indians he would require. 
The conduct of the Indians, and their unasked assistance, seemed very 
mysterious, and made us suspect some treachery; but on minute investigation 
it appeared that Don Guelmo, who had been a captain, and commandant 
of a town on the Indian frontiers in Chile, in the time of Carrera, had preferred 
living amongst the Indians to suffering the indignation which O’ Higgins and 
San Martin heaped on the officers and friends of the former government in 
Chile. This Guelmo, though above eighty years old, wished still to make 
