PIRACIES OF BENAVIDES. 327 



Others not happening to please the fancy of any 

 one, Benavides, after saying he would himself take 

 charge of the captain, gave directions, on pain of 

 instant death, that some persons should hold 

 themselves responsible for the other prisoners. 

 Some days after this they were called together, 

 and required to serve as soldiers in the pirate's 

 army ; an order to which they consented without 

 hesitation, knowing well, by what they had al- 

 ready seen, that the consequences of refusal would 

 be fatal. 



About a month afterwards, Benavides manned 

 the Herselia brig, partly with his own people, and 

 partly with her original crew, and dispatched her 

 on a mission to the Island of Chiloe, to solicit as- 

 sistance from the Spanish authorities there. The 

 brig was placed under the command of the mate, 

 who was given to understand, that, if he betrayed 

 his trust, the captain and his other countrymen 

 would be put to death. This warning had its ef- 

 fect: The brig went and returned as desired; 

 bringing back a twenty-four- pound gun, four six- 

 pounders, and two light field-pieces, with a quan- 

 tity of ammunition ; besides eleven Spanish offi-. 



