complete the outfit of his little fleet. This consisted, in addition to
the _O'Higgins_, of the _San Martin_ and _Lautaro_--both of which had been
East Indiamen: the former carried 56 guns, the latter 44--the _Hecate_, now
called the _Galvarino_, of 18 guns; the _Chacabuco_, of 20; the _Aracano_,
of 16; the _Puyrredon_, of 14. The Spanish fleet consisted of three
frigates: the _Esmeralda_, of 44 guns; the _Bengenza_, of 42; and the
_Sebastian_, of 28; and four brigs: one of 22 guns, and three of 18. There
was also a schooner carrying one heavy gun and 20 small ones; the rest
were armed merchantmen: the _Resolution_, of 36 guns; the _Cleopatra_, of
28; the _Fernando_, of 26; the _La Focha_, of 20; and the _Guarmey_ and
_San Antonio_, of 18 each.

On the 16th of January, leaving Admiral Blanco to complete the equipment
of the _Galvarino_, the _Aracano_, and the _Puyrredon_, Lord Cochrane
sailed with the _O'Higgins_, _San Martin_, _Lautaro_, and _Chacabuco_.
From the day the admiral's flag was hoisted to that upon which he sailed,
Stephen's life had undergone a sudden and complete change. From morning
until night he was engaged in rowing from the flagship to the other
vessels, and in carrying orders, ascertaining how certain portions of the
work were getting on, and reporting to the admiral, or going on shore to
the dockyard with urgent requisitions for stores required. Lord Cochrane
himself was equally busy. He went from ship to ship, and stood by the
captains while the crews were put through their exercises in making and
shortening sails, practising the drill and cutlass exercise on the deck,
or working the guns. Hard as was the work imposed upon them by the
constant drills, the enthusiasm and energy of the admiral so communicated
itself to most of the officers and seamen that astonishing progress was
made in the four weeks that elapsed before sailing. Though it could hardly
be said that the smartness of the crews equalled that which would be shown
by British men-of-war's men, the work was very fairly done, and the
admiral felt convinced that his ships would be worked and manoeuvred far
more rapidly than those of the Spaniards.

Stephen had from the first messed with the ship's officers. Lord Cochrane
had said to him on the day when he hoisted his flag: "As my
flag-midshipman, Mr. Embleton, I could very well have you, as well as my
flag lieutenant, at my table, but I think that it would be better for you
to mess with t