370 



CHILI. 



the anarchists, who was laying waste the pro- 

 vince of Mendoza, and invited him to take a share 

 in these devastations. 



He was at length defeated at Conception on 

 the 27th of November 1820, upon which he pro- 

 posed terms of peace, only for the purpose of be- 

 ing more perfidious. He sent the Presbyter 

 Ferrebii with the despatch containing his propo- 

 sals. His messenger, of course, enjoyed the im- 

 munity which the rights of war gave him, but, at 

 the very same time, the chief who sent him took 

 advantage of the moment, and ordered a squa- 

 dron of horse to continue the hostilities. Event- 

 ually he threw off the mask of the King's autho- 

 rity altogether ; since, when Brigadier Prieto in- 

 formed him of the fall of Lima, upon which Be- 

 navides had formerly declared himself dependent, 

 he displayed his true character in his answer : de- 

 clared that he would make war against Chili to 

 the last soldier, even if its independence were ac- 

 knowledged by the King and the whole Spanish 

 nation. 



" It was natural that one crime should lead to 

 others. He had either been accustomed to pay no 



