harge d'Affaires_ at Buenos Ayres, with a request
from the Imperial Court at Rio de Janeiro, to the effect that, as by my
exertions the Spaniards had now been driven from the Pacific, I would
accept the command of the Brazilian navy, for the purpose of expelling
the Portuguese, who still maintained their hold upon the greater portion
of that side of the South American Continent. As acquiescence in this
offer would relieve me from the embarrassing situation in which I was
placed in Chili, I began seriously to consider the expediency of
accepting it.

At this juncture Freire commenced his march towards the capital, at the
same time sending Captain Casey to Valparaiso with an armed merchantman,
to ascertain the effect of his last letter to me. Without coming to an
anchor, Captain Casey sent a boat on board the _O'Higgins_ to ascertain
my sentiments, but meeting with a refusal to acquiesce in the
revolution, he again sailed. The ministers, however, judging me by
themselves, and suspecting that I was about to become a party to
General Freire's designs, began to withdraw the ships from my command,
on the pretence of repairs or converting them into store-ships, several
being thus taken from the squadron. I was also ordered to place the
_O'Higgins_ and _Valdivia_ under the charge of the Commandant of Marine,
to be repaired, and to make a store-ship of the _Lautaro_, and being
thus deprived of the slightest authority over them, I was now considered
as a sort of state prisoner; but in pursuing this course, the little
schooner _Montezuma_, which I had rescued from Peru, had been
overlooked, and on board of her I hoisted my flag.

The _Galvarino_ was now sent to sea without my permission, and without
an Englishman in her. The _Lautaro_, the pretended store-ship, was also
being got ready for sea, when I addressed the following note to Captain
Worcester, who commanded her:--

Memo,

Having received directions from the Supreme Government
to cause the _Lautaro_ to be placed as a store-ship, under the command
of the Governor, and observing that the said order is in
process of violation by the preparations making for sea; you are
hereby required and directed to hoist my flag, and obey all such
orders as you shall receive from me on the service of the State.

Given under my hand this 8th day of January, 1823, on board
the _Montezuma_.

COCHRANE.

Tired of this heartless ingratitude, and disgusted wit