e
entreated the Intendant of Conception, that he might be received on
giving himself up along with his partisans. This generous chief accepted
his offer, and informed the supreme government; but in the meantime
Benavides embarked in a launch, at the mouth of the river Lebo, and
fled, with the intention of joining a division of the enemy's army,
which he supposed to be at some one of the ports on the south coast of
Peru. It was indeed absurd to expect any good faith from such an
intriguer; for in his letters at this time, he offered his services to
Chili and promised fidelity, while his real intention was still to
follow the enemy. He finally left the unhappy province of Conception,
the theatre of so many miserable scenes, overwhelmed with the misery
which he had caused, without ever recollecting that it was in that
province that he had first drawn his breath.

His despair in the boat made his conduct insupportable to those who
accompanied him, and they rejoiced when they were obliged to put into
the harbor of Topocalma in search of water of which they had run short.
He was now arrested by some patriotic individuals. From the notorious
nature of his crimes, alone, even the most impartial stranger would have
condemned him to the last punishment; but the supreme government wished
to hear what he had to say for himself, and ordered him to be tried
according to the laws. It appearing on his trial that he had placed
himself beyond the laws of society, such punishment was awarded him as
any one of his crimes deserved. As a pirate, he merited death, and as a
destroyer of whole towns, it became necessary to put him to death in
such a manner as might satisfy outraged humanity, and terrify others who
should dare to imitate him. In pursuance of the sentence passed upon
him, he was dragged from the prison in a pannier tied to the tail of a
mule, and was hanged in the great square; his head and hands were
afterwards cut off, in order to their being placed upon high poles, to
point out the places of his horrid crimes, Santa Juona, Tarpellanca and
Arauca.

[Illustration: _The head of Benavides stuck on a pole._]

[Illustration]

THE LIFE OF CAPTAIN DAVIS

_With an account of his surprising the Fort at Gambia_.

Davis was born in Monmouthshire, and, from a boy, trained to the sea.
His last voyage from England was in the sloop Cadogan from Bristol, in
the character of chief mate. This vessel was captured by the pirate
Eng