332 



CHILT. 



ed in getting so much the start of the people 

 whom Benavides sent after them, that they reach- 

 ed St Mary's Island in safety. Here they caught 

 several seals, upon which they subsisted very mi- 

 serably till they reached Valparaiso. 



It was in consequence of the report of Bena- 

 vides's proceedings made to Sir Thomas Hardy, 

 the Commander-in-chief, by these persons, that 

 he deemed it proper to send a ship, to rescue, if 

 possible, the remaining unfortunate captives at 

 Arauco. I was ordered on this service ; and the 

 senior officer of the squadron of the United States 

 having no ship to spare at that moment, I was di- 

 rected to use equal exertions to liberate the sea- 

 men of that nation. The captain and mate of the 

 Herselia, who had recently escaped, offered me 

 their services as pilots, and I was afterwards much 

 indebted to them for their zeal and local know- 

 ledge. 



It ought to have been mentioned before, that 



Benavides sometimes, when it suited his purpose, 



affected to call himself a Spanish officer, and often 



hoisted a Spanish flag; though, in general, he 



carried colours of his own invention, as chief of 

 11 



