sed steam-pressure was soon
observable on the _Blanco_.

At about a quarter to eight there was another change of tactics on the
part of the Peruvians. The corvette _Union_, which up to that time had
been keeping station on the _Huascar's_ port quarter, suddenly slowed
down and passed under her stern, turned to the eastward, and made for
Arica under a full head of steam.

Jim Douglas immediately reported the occurrence to Commodore Riveros,
who, after debating for a minute or two as to whether or not he should
follow the corvette, finally decided in favour of pursuing the
_Huascar_, as she was the more formidable craft of the two; and the
Chilian ironclad accordingly was kept on her previous course. Jim then
returned to his post, and kept his glass fixed upon the flying steamers
in front of him; and hardly had he taken up his position again when he
saw the _Huascar_ put her helm over and head to the northward, steaming
toward the _Cochrane_ and the Chilian flagship.

A second later he saw a brilliant flash of flame leap from the
_Huascar's_ turret; there was a huge cataract of spray as the shot
struck the water midway between herself and the _Cochrane_, and then a
cloud of greyish-green smoke spouted up on board the Chilian vessel,
showing that the shell had exploded on board her, somewhere about her
bows. The _Almirante Cochrane_ did not reply for several minutes, but
silent and grim as death itself, she held steadily on her course toward
the monitor.

Then, when she had approached to within a distance of a little over a
mile, she in turn opened fire with both her forward turret-guns on the
_Huascar_, and the battle of Angamos had begun in real earnest. The
effect of the projectiles on board the Peruvian was terrible; for both
shells struck her on the port bow, penetrated her armour, and exploded
inside her hull, and thus temporarily jammed her turret-tracks, and
covered the deck with debris.

Jim closed up his telescope with a snap, and made his way to the forward
turret of the _Blanco Encalada_ to ascertain how long it would be before
the gun captains thought they might effectively open fire; for he was
most anxious to share in the combat before all was over. At that moment
the officer in the fire-top shouted the news that the range had now
lessened to 3000 yards, and the word was immediately given to fire both
forward turret-guns.

A moment later there was a terrific gush of white flame, a cloud of
fleec