RESIDENCE AT TARAPOTO 79 
they calculated their numbers would be swelled by 
all who were disaffected towards the Government. 
But as soon as they were gone the loyal people of 
Tarapoto sent off a courier who passed them on 
the road, unseen, that very night, and reached 
Moyobamba long before them ; so that the sub- 
prefect of that city, warned of their approach, placed 
an ambush in the way, which poured in a deadly 
fire on the insurgents, killing or wounding all the 
leaders. The rest fled into the forest, but after 
several days' chase were all captured. Among the 
slain was a young lieutenant, Don Domaso Castanon, 
who had been my particular friend at Tarapoto — a 
man of some talent, but of an ardent, impatient 
spirit. I had lent him two numbers of the Illus- 
trated London News, and when he left Tarapoto 
in hot haste, he still found time to make a roll of 
them and write on it, " Esto es de Don Ricardo " 
— the last words he wrote in this world, poor 
fellow ! 
Thus ended this ill-concerted attempt at revolu- 
tion. Its originators proposed to place General 
Vivanco in the presidency, in the room of the 
actual president General Castilla ; and they ex- 
pected that in all the towns on their route to the 
capital they would be joined by numbers who desired 
a change of government, so that by the time they 
reached Lima their forces would exceed anything 
Castilla could bring against them. 
After this, there was an uprising throughout the 
south of Peru with the same object in view, and at 
this moment it has become nearly general in the 
country. Those who adhere to Vivanco are so 
numerous that it is thought Castilla must ultimately 
