op passed under our bowsprit, and fired a volley into the
Chilian boat. Five sailors fell into the sea, either killed or wounded.
Of three men picked up, one was the officer, who had received two wounds
from musket balls. We saved one of the wounded sailors by throwing him a
rope, by which we pulled him up, covering him with the French flag.

The Peruvians had no longer a fleet strong enough to keep at sea; but
soon after their government purchased the "Edmond," and some other
merchantmen, and fitted them up as privateers. The command was given to
M. Blanchet, who had been first pilot of the "Edmond" during our voyage
from Europe. After he had taken the "Arequipena," an old Chilian ship of
war, and burnt several transports, he attacked three Chilian corvettes
in the harbor of Casma. They had already struck their flags, when
Blanchet was shot while boarding one of them. His loss damped the
courage of the Corsairs, and the contest was soon given up. The shock of
Blanchet's death had such an effect on the crew of the "Edmond," that
they all went down between decks in great grief, except the cook, who
fired a gun he had charged to the brim, and killed some men who were on
a bowsprit of one of the hostile vessels. He then sprang to the helm,
and steered the ship safely into one of the inlets of the bay.

The lover of natural history finds in the bay of Callao numerous
opportunities for gratifying his curiosity. The mammalia are not very
numerous. Sea otters and sea dogs are found there, as on all parts of
the South American coast. Two species (the _Otaria aurita_, Humb., and
the _O. Ulloae_, Tsch.) inhabit the southern declivity of the Fronton.
I went to hunt seals on the rock with the officers of a French ship of
war. When we landed, which was difficult on account of the breakers,
we fired at the animals and killed a number of them. A sailor waded
through the breakers and bound the dead seals with a rope, by which he
drew them on board. As we shot a great number of birds, the Chilian
admiral, on hearing the firing, thought that one of his ships must be
engaged with the Peruvian Corsairs; and, therefore, sent out the "San
Lorenzo" brig of war to see what was going on.

The bay abounds in fine water-fowl. Amongst the most remarkable is
Humboldt's penguin (_Spheniscus Humboldti_, Mey.). A few are smaller
than the common grey penguin, and one is somewhat different in color on
the back and breast. The Peruvians call it _Paxaro