238 PER U. 
The burying-ground is the only object of interest here. The 
graves are covered with white shells, and a white board, on which is 
inscribed the name, &c. They appear to be mostly of Englishmen 
and Americans, and it would seem that the mortality had been 
great. But when one comes to consider the large number of men-of- 
war which have been lying in the bay, and the period of time elapsed, 
the number of dead does not seem large. 
It was with much pleasure we greeted the arrival of the Falmouth, 
Captain McKeever, whose kindness in supplying our wants and 
forwarding our operations, we again experienced. The essential and 
timely aid he gave me, in exchanging the launch and first cutter of 
his ship, for materials to build one, which I had brought from Valpa- 
raiso for that purpose, prevented our detention here. 
The Falmouth brought from Valparaiso three deserters from the 
squadron, who had been apprehended by Lieutenant Craven, and 
from whom I received a report stating that two of them, Blake and 
Lester, had been guilty not only of desertion, but that their desertions 
had been attended with very aggravated circumstances. Just about 
this time the stores were delivering from the Relief. Among them 
was a quantity of whiskey for the other vessels. The marines who 
were placed on duty over the spirit-room as guard, with six persons 
employed in moving it, got drunk by stealing the liquor, and her 
whole crew became riotous. The delinquents were ordered on board 
my ship in confinement. These were court-martial offences, but the 
duties of the squadron would not permit me to order a court for their 
trial, without great loss of time and detriment to the service. To let 
such offences pass with the ordinary punishment of twelve lashes 
would have been in the eyes of the crew to have overlooked their 
crime altogether. I was, therefore, compelled, in order to preserve 
order and good discipline, to inflict what I deemed a proper punish- 
ment, and ordered them each to receive twenty-four lashes, excepting 
Blake and Lester, who received thirty-six and forty-one. This was 
awarding to each about one-tenth of what a court-martial would have 
inflicted ; yet it was such an example as thoroughly convinced the men 
that they could not offend with impunity. This was, I am well satis- 
Led, considered at the time as little or no punishment for the crimes 
of which they had been guilty, but I felt satisfied that the prompt 
and decided manner in which it was administered would have the 
desired effect of preserving the proper discipline, and preventing its 
recurrence. In this I was not disappointed. I should not have 
