GENERAL SAN MARTIN. 323 



his revenge, drew his sword, and while they were 

 dragging the body of his foe to the pile, gave it 

 a severe gash across the neck. The resolute Be- 

 navides bore this also, without flinching, and lay 

 Uke a dead man amongst the others, until it be- 

 came dark ; he then contrived to extricate him- 

 self from the heap, and in a most miserable plight 

 crawled to a neighbouring cottage, the generous in- 

 habitants of which received and attended him with 

 the greatest care. 



General San Martin, who was at that time 

 planning the expedition to Peru, and was looking 

 about for able and enterprising individuals, heard 

 of Benavides being still alive ; and knowing his 

 talents and courage, considered him a fit person 

 to serve some of his desperate purposes in those 

 trying times, when, to gain the great objects in 

 view, there was little scrupulousness about the 

 means. It is even said that the bold ruffian him- 

 self gave information of his being alive, and in- 

 vited San Martin to hold a secret conference at 

 midnight, in the centre of the great square of 

 Santiago. The appointed signal was to strike 

 fire from their flints three times ; a mark suffi- 



