position of the Spaniards, and their jealousies respectiiig 

 foreign vessels that enter the ports of their American pos- 

 sessions. From the stand the United States had taken 

 against the aggressions of Great Britain, as well as their 

 conduct with respect to the Floridas, I had not reason to 

 expect from them much amitj ; and only hoped to extort 

 from them, under the plea of distress, permission to take 

 in a few provisions, and to fill our water; and indeed it 

 was not without many restrictions that 1 hoped to ob- 

 tain even this indulgence. Before I had got to an an- 

 chor, however, the captain of the port, accompanied by 

 another officer, and lieutenant Downes, came on board in the 

 governor's barge, with an offer of every civility, assistance, 

 and accommodation that A'^alparaiso could afford. To my 

 astonishment I was informed that they had shaken off their 

 allegiance to Spain ; that the ports of Chili were open to 

 all nations ; that they lodked up to the United States of 

 America for example and protection; that our arrival 

 would be considered the most joyful event, as their com- 

 merce had been much harassed by corsairs from Peru, sent 

 out by the vice-roy of that province, to capture and send 

 in for adjudication all American vessels destined for Chili ; 

 and that five of them had disappeared from before the port 

 only a few days before my arrival, after having captured 

 several American whalers, and sent them for Lima. This 

 unexpected state of affairs, as may naturally be supposed, 

 (considering our existing wants,) was calculated to afford 

 me the utmost pleasure, as it promised us a speedy depart- 

 ure from Valparaiso. 



The affair of the salute was arranged ; and, after anchor - 

 ing, I saluted the town with twenty-one guns, which were 

 punctually returned. Immediately after this I waited on 

 the governor, don Francisco Lastre, who gave me the most 

 friendly, and at the same time unceremonious reception. 

 On my passing the American armed brig Colt, she fired a 

 salute of nine guns, which v/as returned by the Essex with 

 seven. I had not been long v/ith the governor, before I 

 discovered that I had, happily for my purpose, got amon^ 

 staunch republicans, men filled with revolutionary princi- 

 ples, and apparently desirous of establishing a form of go- 

 vernment founded on liberty. But it could not be conceal- 

 ed that some of the leaven of the old Spanish regime was 



