round shot and foundered, causing complete failure
in our object. The _San Martin_ and the _Lautaro_ keeping far astern,
there was no alternative but to withdraw from further attack, leaving
the explosion vessel to her fate.

As other attempts, with our want of means, would answer no better
purpose than useless demonstration, and as the ships were now destitute
of water and provisions, we were obliged to fall back upon Huacho,
leaving the _Chacabuco_ to watch the movements of the enemy.

The inhabitants of Huacho, who were well disposed to co-operate in any
effort for the emancipation of Peru, afforded us every assistance in
provisioning and watering the ships, for which the commandant, Cevallos,
shot two influential persons who had been foremost in aiding us, and
severely punished others; at the same time seizing our water casks, and
sending me an insolent letter of defiance, on which a party of seamen
and marines was landed and put the garrison to flight; the officer
commanding the party however withdrew from pursuit at hearing salutes
fired on the arrival of Admiral Blanco with the _Galvarino_ and
_Puyrredon_, mistaking this for an engagement with a newly-arrived
enemy. The whole of the Government property found in the Spanish
custom-house was captured.

The people of Huacho having volunteered information that a quantity of
specie belonging to the Philippine Company had been placed for safety on
board a vessel in the river Barranca, she was forthwith overhauled, and
the treasure transferred to the flag-ship.

Leaving Admiral Blanco at Huacho with the _San Martin_ and _Puyrredon_,
on the 4th of April we sailed for Supe, with the _O'Higgins_ and
_Galvarino_, having previously ascertained that a sum of money destined
for the payment of Spanish troops was on its way from Lima to Guambucho;
on the following day a party of marines being landed at Patavilca,
captured the treasure, amounting to 70,000 dollars, together with a
quantity of military stores. On the 7th, having received further
information that the Philippine Company had placed other treasure on
board the French brig, _Gazelle_, at Guambucho, we sailed for that
place, and, on the 10th, the seamen of the _O'Higgins_ examined her, and
brought off an additional sum of 60,000 dollars.

The secret of our obtaining possession of these and other convoys of
Spanish money along the coast, was, that I paid the inhabitants highly
for information relative to their tran