92 



from the sufferings of the countries by which she 

 was surrounded. It is true there had been wars 

 of a revolutionary character, in the interior of 

 Peru; but their desolating effect had not till 

 now reached the capital, the inhabitants of which 

 went on in their usual style of splendid luxury, 

 in thoughtless ease and security, till the enemy 

 came and knocked at the " silver gates of the 

 city of the kings,'' as Lima was proudly called in 

 the days of her magnificence. San Martin's ex- 

 pedition took the Limenians quite by surprise ; 

 for they had always held Chili in contempt, as a 

 mere appendage to Peru, from which no attack 

 could be apprehended. The attack, however, 

 was made, by land and by sea ; and, while San 

 Martin was making head steadily with his troops, 

 drawing nearer and nearer to the capital, cutting 

 off its supplies, and gaining over to his cause all 

 the districts through which he passed ; Lord 

 Cochrane swept the sea of Spanish ships ; block- 

 aded the Peruvian ports ; and carried off their 

 finest frigate, from under the very guns of their 

 strongest fort. 



The violent irritation produced in Lima by 



4 



