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CHILI. 



in the first instance, succeeded in entrapping the 

 American whaling ship Hero, which he surprised 

 in the night-time; and, with the boats and arms of 

 his prize, he contrived to capture two other Ame- 

 rican vessels, the Ocean and Herselia, and finally, 

 the English whale- ship Perseverance. 



The history of Benavides is curious. He was 

 a native of Conception, and served, for some 

 time, in the Chilian army, from which he desert- 

 ed to the Royalists, but was retaken at the bat- 

 tle of Maypo in 1818. He was of a ferocious 

 character, and as, in addition to the crime of de- 

 sertion, he had committed several murders, he 

 was sentenced to death, alpng with his brother 

 and other delinquents. Accordingly, the whole 

 party were brought forth in the Plazo of Santia- 

 go and shot. Benavides, who, though terribly 

 wounded, was not killed, had sufficient fortitude 

 to feign himself dead. The bodies being dragged 

 off, were left without burial to be destroyed by 

 the Gallinazos, a species of vulture. The ser- 

 geant who superintended this last part of the ce- 

 remony was personally inimical to Benavides, for 

 murdering some of his relations ; and to gratify 

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