LORD COCHIIANE's DESPATCH. 



81 



their duty, I immediately gave orders to the Cap- 

 tains of the Independencia and Lautaro to pre- 

 pare their boats ; and acquainted them, that the 

 value of that frigate, together with the reward of- 

 fered in Lima for the capture of any of the ships 

 of Chili, would be the recompence of those who 

 should volunteer to take part in this enterprise. 



" On the following day, a number of volunteers, 

 including Captains Forster, Guise, and Crosbie, 

 with other officers, offered their services ; the 

 whole amounting to a force sufficient for the exe- 

 cution of the project. Every thing being pre- 

 pared, in the night of the 4th inst,, the boats 

 were exercised in the dark, and the night of the 

 5th was chosen for the attack. * 



" Captain Crosbie had charge of the first divi- 

 sion, consisting of the boats of the 0''Higgins, 



* This night was not fixed on accidentally, or, if so. 

 Lord Cochrane knew how to turn even such a trifle to 

 account. He addressed a few words to his people, before 

 setting out in the boats, and concluded by saying, he had 

 purposely chosen the 5th of November — " and now, my 

 lads, we shall give them such a Gunpowder Plot as they 

 will not forget in a hurry 



VOL. I. F 



