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MEMOIRS 


GENERAL    MILLER, 


IK   THE   SERVICE   OK 


THE  REPUBLIC  OF  PERU. 
BY  JOHN  MILLER. 

SECOND  EDITION. 

IN  TWO  VOLUMES. 

VOL.  II. 


LONDON: 
PRINTED  FOR  LONGMAN,  REES,  ORME,  BROWN,  AND  GREEN, 


PATERNOSTER-ROW. 


1829 


LONDON: 

PRINTED   BY  THOMAS 'D^VISON,  WUITEflUAllS. 


.   , 
— .    NJ       ' 


V.   Z, 

CONTENTS 

OF 

VOL.  II. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

Preparations  for  an  expedition  to  Puertos  Intermedios.  —  Captain 
Prescott,  R.  N.,  H.M.S.  Aurora. — Expedition  sails. — Position 
of  the  royalists. — Incidents  at  sea. — Behaviour  of  the  troops. — 
Disembarkation  at  Arica. — Inactivity. — Colonel  Miller  sails  for 
Quilca. — Escape  of  Valdez,  near  Tacna. — General  Alvarado 
advances. — Ameller's  escape  at  Locumba. — Battle  of  Torata. — 
Moquegua. — Remnant  of  the  patriot  army  embarks  at  Ilo. — 
Iquique.— Death  of  La  Rosa  and  Taramona  Page  1 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 

Colonel  Miller  disembarks  at  Quilca. — Camana. — Siguas. — 
Victor. — Advance  of  Carratala. — Murderer  shot. — Carabeli. — 
Atico. — Port  of  Chala. — Colonel  Manzanedo. — Strategy. — 
Palpa. — Barandalla. — Cholera  morbus. — Port  of  Lomas. — 
Dr.  Cordova. — The  brig  Protector  sails  to  Callao  -  24 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

Description  of  the  desert  coast  of  Peru. — Shipwreck  and  suffer- 
ings of  the  Granaderos  a  Caballo  — Local  traditions. — The 
Junta  Gubernativa  deposed. — Riva-Aguero  named  president  of 
the  republic. — Position  of  the  royalists. — Another  expedition 
sails  to  the  Puertos  Intermedios. — Royalists  advance  upon 
Lima. — Patriots  retire  to  Callao. — Canterac  enters  Lima. — 
General  Sucre  invested  with  supreme  command  — Riva-Aguero 
displaced  -  -  53 


iv  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  XX. 

Expedition  of  General  Santa  Cruz. — Lands  at  Arica. — Marches 
to  Upper  Peru. — Royalists  abandon  Lima. —  General  Sucre 
embarks  for  Chala. — Enters  Arequipa. — Affair  of  Zepita. — 
Disasters  of  the  patriots. — Their  re-embarkation. — General 
Miller  retreats  by  land  to  Lima — The  viceroy  makes  a  new 
disposition  of  his  forces  -  Page  69 

CHAPTER  XXI. 

General  Bolivar  arrives  in  Lima. — Marquess  of  Torre- Tagle. — 
Riva-Aguero  dissolves  congress  at  Truxillo. — He  is  made  a 
prisoner. — Mode  of  recruiting  the  Peruvian  army. — Uniform. 
—Pay Rations  -  102 

CHAPTER  XXII. 

Mutiny  at  Callao. — Captain  W.  F.  Martin,  R.N. — Bolivar  named 
Dictator. — The  congress  dissolved.—  Cruelty  of  the  royalists. — 
Miller  returns  to  Peru. — Passage. — Desperate  bravery. — Cap- 
tain Roberton. — Privateer  Quintanilla. — Martilini. — The  Con- 
greso  in  danger  of  shipwreck. — Arrives  at  Callao. — Position 
and  force  of  the  royalist  and  patriot  forces  112 

CHAPTER  XXIII. 

Montoneros. — Measures  preparatory  to  the  campaign  of  1824. — 
Liberating  army  advance  from  Huaras. — Passage  of  the  Cor- 
dilleras.— Salutary  measures  of  the  Dictator  -  137 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 

Position  of  the  royalist  forces. — The  patriots  reviewed. —  Pro- 
clamation.— Scenery  near  Pasco. — Affair  of  Junin. — Death  of 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Sowersby — of  Major  Lisarraga. — Retreat 
of  Canterac. — Advance  of  the  patriots. — General  Bolivar  quits 
the  army. — Reconnoitring  parties. — The  viceroy  advances. — 


CONTENTS.  v 

Colonel  Althaus  taken  prisoner. — Patriots  fall  back. — Valley 
of  Pomacochas  -  -  -  Page  157 

CHAPTER  XXV. 

Matara. — Corpaguayco. — Precautions  taken  by  the  royalists  to 
prevent  desertion. — Patriots  offer  battle  at  Tarn  bo  Cangallo. 
— Continue  their  retreat. — Hostilities  of  the  Indians Roy- 
alists occupy  Guamanguilla. — Critical  position  of  the  inde- 
pendents.— Battle  of  Ayacucho. — Viceroy  taken  prisoner. — 
Royalists  defeated. — Incidents. — Capitulation  -  186 

CHAPTER  XXVI. 

Patriots  enter  Cuzco. — Rejoicings.— Prophecy  recorded  by  Gar- 
cilaso  de  la  Vega.  —  Tradition  of  the  origin  of  the  Incas. 
— Their  form  of  government. — Their  policy. — Population 
previous  to  the  conquest. — City  of  Cuzco. — Ruins. — Temple 
of  the  Sun. — Public  edifices. — Summary  of  the  history  of 
Cuzco. — Compared  with  Rome. — Veneration  in  which  the 
memory  of  the  Incas  is  held. — Dress,  manners,  and  customs 
of  the  Indians. — Description  of  the  Coca  -  213 

CHAPTER  XXVII. 

Events  consequent  on  the  capitulation  of  Ayacucho. — The  ultra 
royalist  Olafaeta  refuses  to  come  to  terms. — Patriot  division 
marches  to  the  south.  — Department  of  Puno.  — Mine  of  Salcedo. 
— Account  of  the  Callavayas,  or  itinerant  physicians. — General 
Miller  leaves  the  prefecture  of  Puno  for  that  of  Potosi. — Naval 
operations. — Callao. — Difficulties  encountered  by  the  army  in 
the  mountain  regions. — Obstacles  which  delayed  the  accom- 
plishment of  emancipation  -  230 

CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

Foreign  merchants  — Nature  of  their  assistance  to  patriots  and 
royalists. — Remarks  upon  the  formation  of  the  Chileno  squa- 
dron.— Revenue  of  Peru. — Receipt  and  expenditure. — Loan 
transactions. — Mistaken  policy. — General  observations  -  253 


vi  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  XXIX. 

Potosi. — Its  mines. — Public  edifices. — Mint. — Bank  of  Rescate.— 
Treasury. — Caxchas. — Departmental  administration. — Police. 
— Government-house. — Society  of  Potosi. — Agents  for  mining 
associations  -  -  -  -  -  L  •  ^  Page  272 

CHAPTER  XXX. 

Upper  Peru.— General  assembly. — Its  proceedings.— Republic 
of  Bolivia. — Aggression  of  the  Brazilians. — General  Bolivar  sets 
out  from  Lima. — His  tour. — Arrival  at  Potosi. — Rejoicings.— 
Mine  transactions. — The  Liberator  proceeds  to  Chuquisaca. — 
General  Miller  sets  out  on  leave  of  absence  for  England  298 

CHAPTER  XXXI. 

Biographical  sketch  of  General  Bolivar. — His  staff. — Dr.  Moore. 
— Colonel  O'Leary. — Lieutenant- Colonel  Ferguson. — Colonel 
Belford  Wilson  -  -  315 

CHAPTER  XXXII. 

General  Bolivar  in  Lima. — Congress  not  permitted  to  be  installed. 
— Code  Boliviano — adopted  in  Upper  Peru. — Conspiracy  in 
Lima. — Discontent. — Punishments. — The  Liberator  prepares 
to  quit  Peru. — Is  prevailed  upon  to  remain. — Code  Boliviano 
approved  of  by  the  electoral  colleges. — Bolivar  named  presi- 
dent for  life. — He  proceeds  to  Colombia. — Grand  federation 
at  Panama. — Revolt  of  the  Colombian  troops  at  Lima — Adop- 
tion of  the  Code  Boliviano  declared  illegal. — Congress  installed. 
— General  La  Mar  elected  president  of  the  republic. — Re- 
trospect of  Chile. — Magnanimity  of  South  Americans  towards 
Spaniards  -  338 

CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

Miguel  Fernandez. — Journey  from  Potosi. — Jujuy. — Salta. — 
The  ladies  of  Salta. — Doctor  Redhead. — General  Arenales. — 


CONTENTS.  vii 

The  province  of  Salta. — General  Miller  presented  with  a  grant 
of  land. — Tucuman. —  Unceremonious  change  of  governors. — 
Santiago  del  Estero. — Cordova. — Marshal  Beresford. — General 
Paroissien. — Arrival  at  Buenos  Ayres  -  -  Page  378 

CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

Retrospect. — BuenosAyres. — Anarchy. — Rodriguez. — Provincial 
junta. — Improvements. — Banda  Oriental. — Lavalleja. — Con- 
gress.— War  with  the  Brazils. — Rivadavia. — Las  Heras. — 
Brown. — Alvear. — Policy  of  the  Emperor. — Garcia. — Dor- 
rego  -----_...  402 

CHAPTER  XXXV. 

BuenosAyres. — Scotch  colony. — Miller  embarks. — Monte  Video. 
— General  Lecor. — Rio  Janeiro. — Dr.  Corhacho. — Don  Lucas 
Cotera.  —  Emperor.  —  Slave  trade. — Bahia. — Pernambuco. — 
Dr.  Don  Tadeo  Garate. — Conclusion  ...  423 

APPENDIX. 

(G).  An  intercepted  Letter  from  General  Canterac       -        443 
(H).  An  intercepted  circular  Letter  addressed  toColonel  Olachea, 
from  Colonel  Carratala  ....         444 

(I).  Letter  from  Manzanedo  to  the  Alcalde  of  Pullo  -  445 
(K).  Letter  from  Colonel  Manzanedo  to  Colonel  Barrandalla  447 
(L).  Letter  from  Colonel  Miller  to  Colonel  Brandsen  -  449 
(M).  Act  of  Installation  of  the  Second  Congress  of  Venezuela  450 
(N).  Project  of  the  Constitution  for  the  Republic  of  Bolivia, 
with  an  Address  of  the  Liberator  ...  483 
(O).  Resignation  of  Bolivar,  addressed  to  the  Senate  -  519 
(P).  Proclamation  of  Bolivar,  dated  19th  June,  1827  •  521 


ERRATA. 

Page  140,  —  16,  —  light,  read  tight. 
148,  —  20,  —  cocoa,  read  coca. 

167,  headline,  for  Captain  Sowersby,  read  Lieut-Colonel  Sowersby. 
215,  line  20,  for  amisione,  read  amissione. 
221,  —     9,  —  Nacari,  read  Nacari. 

230,  lines  19,  20,  and  26,  for  Garrate,  read  Garate. 

231,  line  19,  for  Garrate,  read  Garate. 

344,  —    7,  for  Carhuamayo,  read  Ninicaca. 

399,  from  6th  to  31st  line  to  be  transposed  to  8th  line  of  page  391. 

401,  headline, /or  Hauqui,  read  HuaquL 

427,  last  line  but  one,  for  his,  read  this. 


MEMOIRS, 

&c. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

Preparations  for  an  expedition  to  Puertos  Intermedios. — Captain 
Prescott,  R.N. — H.M.S.  Aurora. — Expedition  sails. — Position 
of  the  royalists. — Incidents  at  sea. — Behaviour  of  the  troops. — 
Disembarkation  at  Arica. — Inactivity. — Colonel  Miller  sails  for 
Quilca. — Escape  of  Valdez,  near  Tacna. — General  Alvarado 
advances. — Ameller's  escape  at  Locumba. — Battle  of  Torata. — 
Moquegua. — Remnant  of  the  patriot  army  embarks  at  Ilo. — 
Iquique. — Death  of  La  Rosa  and  Taramona. 

SEVERAL  months  before  the  resignation  of  the  pro- 
tector, secret  arrangements  had  been  made  for  the 
sailing  of  fifteen  hundred  men,  under  the  orders  of 
Colonel  Miller,  to  the  Puertos  Intermedios.  The 
plan  proposed  was  to  land  at  Iquique,  and  from  thence 
to  march  suddenly  and  rapidly  upon  General  Olaneta, 
whose  division  of  three  or  four  thousand  royalists  was 
so  scattered  in  the  department  of  Potosi,  that  it  was 
supposed  Miller  would  be  able  to  defeat  it  in  detail, 
especially  as  it  was  known  that  the  natives  would 
willingly  co-operate  with  the  patriot  commander, 
who  was  to  take  an  ample  supply  of  spare  arms  to 
facilitate  the  raising  of  new  corps.  In  the  event  of 
success,  Upper  Peru  would  have  been  occupied.  In 
the  case  of  Miller  being  hard  pressed,  a  retreat  to  the 
coast  was  out  of  the  question ;  but  his  division  was  to 
cut  its  way  to  Salta,  which  would  have  been  no  dif- 

VOL.  II.  B 


2  EMBARKATION.  CHAP.  XVII. 

ficult  matter,  and  where  he  would  have  found  ample 
resources  in  the  patriotic  assistance  of  the  gauchos. 
When  the  proposed  time  of  embarkation  approached, 
the  plan  was  communicated,  by  the  protector,  to  the 
general-in-chief,  Alvarado,  who  considered  the  expe- 
dition of  so  much  importance,  that  he  offered  to  pro- 
ceed himself  with  four  thousand  men.  The  protector 
acceded  to  Alvarado's  suggestion,  but  many  months 
elapsed  before  the  increased  number  could  be  got 
ready ;  so  slowly  were  the  preparations  conducted.  In 
the  mean  while  the  deposition  of  the  active  Monte- 
agudo  took  place,  and  the  protector  retired  from 
public  life.  The  junta gubernativa,  which  succeeded, 
agreeing  in  the  propriety  of  removing  the  seat  of  war 
to  the  south,  kept  on  the  transports,  which  San 
Martin  had  already  engaged  and  victualled,  and  con- 
tinued the  preparations  for  the  projected  expedition. 

On  the  25th  of  September,  1822,  the  whole  of  the 
Peruvian  corps  at  Lima  took  the  oath  of  fidelity  and 
obedience  to  congress.  They  formed  on  the  road  to 
Callao,  and  a  feu  dejoie  was  fired  on  the  occasion. 
The  appearance  of  the  men  and  officers  was  excellent ; 
all  were  well  clothed  and  equipped.  The  infantry  of 
the  legion  under  Miller  was  the  only  Peruvian  corps 
destined  to  embark  in  the  expedition  to  Puertos  Inter- 
medios,  and  it  marched,  from  the  reviewing  ground, 
to  Callao  for  that  purpose.  One  hundred  and  fifty 
men,withLieutenant-Colonel  Videla  and  a  few  officers, 
were  left  in  Lima  to  form  the  second  battalion. 

Previous  to  the  embarkation  of  the  legion,  Mr. 
John  Parish  Robertson  gave  a  very  splendid  ball  to 
the  colonel  and  officers  of  the  regiment.  The  party 


CHAP.  xvn.  FORCED  LOAN,  <J 

was  studiously  select,  and  the  most  lovely  of  the  gay 
and  fascinating  fair  of  Lima  were  present.  Mr.  Ro- 
bertson being  a  bachelor,  the  company  was  received 
by  the  Senora  Dona  Rosita  de  Panizo,  who,  a  few 
years  before,  was  the  pride  of  the  viceregal  court  of 
Abascal,  and  then  as  much  celebrated  for  the  spirit 
and  taste  with  which  she  dispensed  her  riches,  as 
she  is  still  for  her  amiable,  generous-hearted,  and 
lady-like  manners :  and,  although  a  beautiful  daughter 
of  seventeen  years  gives  to  the  mother  a  matronly 
air,  Doiia  Rosita  still  preserves  her  beauty. 

The  junta  gubernativa,  finding  much  difficulty  in 
procuring  the  necessary  funds  to  send  off  the  expe- 
dition, and  to  supply  the  military  chest,  as  required 
by  Alvarado,  ordered  a  forced  contribution  of  four 
hundred  thousand  dollars  upon  the  commerce  of 
Lima,  nearly  one  half  of  which  was  attempted  to  be 
levied  upon  the  British  merchants,  who  refused  to 
contribute,  on  the  plea  that  foreigners  residing  in  the 
different  independent  states  of  South  America  had 
hitherto  been  exempted  from  similar  exactions.  They 
set  forth,  at  the  same  time,  the  arbitrary  manner  in 
which  the  loan  had  been  apportioned ;  many  English 
merchants  being  required  to  contribute  very  large 
sums,  while  natives,  known  to  be  extremely  wealthy, 
were  put  down  for  very  trifling  amounts.  The  go- 
vernment, however,  insisted  upon  compliance,  and 
severe  measures  were  taken  to  enforce  it.  The 
merchants  appealed  to  Captain  Prescott,  of  H.  M.  S, 
Aurora,  then  commanding  the  British  naval  forces 
in  the  Pacific.  They  complained  of  the  hardship 
and  injustice  of  the  case,  and  expressed  their  deter- 


4  CAPTAIN  PRESCOTT.  CHAP.  xvn. 

mination  to  leave  the  country  rather  than  submit  to 
such  an  imposition.  This  officer  accordingly  addressed 
an  official  note  to  the  minister  of  marine,  who,  in  reply, 
notified  to  Captain  Prescott  the  acquiescence  of  the 
government  to  the  proposed  departure  of  his  country- 
men ;  but  he  was  subsequently  addressed  by  the 
minister  for  foreign  affairs,  in  explanation,  as  was 
stated,  ^of  the  former  communication;  and  Prescott 
was  then  given  to  understand  that  the  English  mer- 
chants would  receive  no  passports  until  their  just 
debts  should  be  paid,  in  which  it  was  pretended  to 
include  their  proportion  of  the  contribution.  The 
injustice  of  this  proceeding  was  combated  by  Captain 
Prescott,  who,  finding  that  redress  was  not  to  be  ob- 
tained by  a  further  correspondence,  got  the  Aurora 
under  weigh  on  the  9th  of  October,  182*2,  and, 
taking  his  station  off  the  port,  prevented  the  ingress 
of  any  British  vessel.  The  executive,  much  perplexed 
by  this  decided  step,  but  unwilling  to  undergo  the 
mortification  of  rescinding  their  former  order,  re- 
ferred the  correspondence  with  Captain  Prescott  to 
the  congress,  which,  anxious  to  prevent  any  mis- 
understanding with  the  British  naval  commander, 
issued  a  decree  on  the  10th,  authorizing  the  executive 
to  withdraw  the  claim.  On  the  llth,  the  Aurora 
returned  into  port,  and  all  hostile  feelings  subsided. 
The  English  merchants  then  agreed  to  supply  the 
government  with  a  small  loan,  bearing  no  interest,  to 
be  repaid  by  specified  instalments.  They  also  voted 
fifteen  hundred  dollars  for  the  purchase  of  a  piece  of 
plate,  to  be  presented  to  Captain  Prescott,  in  testi- 
mony of  his  valuable  services  during  the  critical  pe- 
riod he  was  the  senior  British  naval  officer  on  the 


CHAP.  xvil.  THE  EXPEDITION.  5 

station.  The  firmness,  temper,  and  perfect  know- 
ledge of  international  rights,  which  the  gallant  officer 
displayed,  whenever  he  was  obliged  to  interfere  in 
questions  of  delicacy  and  difficulty,  acquired  for  him 
the  respect  and  deference  of  contending  Spaniards 
and  Peruvians,  as  well  as  the  grateful  esteem  of  his 
•own  countrymen.  The  very  high  state  of  discipline 
and  fine  condition  of  the  Aurora,  the  good  conduct 
of  the  ship's  company,  and  the  harmony  which  pre- 
vailed amongst  them,  reflected  equal  credit  upon  the 
commander  and  upon  his  officers. 

The  Junta  gubernativa  now  directed  their  sole  at- 
tention to  the  sailing  of  the  long  talked  of  expedition 
to  the  Puertos  Intermedios.  After  much  further 
delay,  and  some  altercation  between  the  general  and 
the  executive,  the  troops  embarked  on  board  the 
transports  in  the  bay  of  Callao.  They  consisted  of 
the  following  corps : 

1st  Battalion  of  Peruvian  legion,  Col.  Miller. 

No.  4.     ^         Lieutenant-Colonel  Sanchez. 

No.  5.     ?  of  Chile.   - 

Artillery  3        - 

No.  11.  "J    Lieutenant-Colonel  Deza. 

Reg.  of  the  Rio 

de  la  Plata*, 
t  Regiment  of 

granaderos  & 

caballo. 

In  the  whole     3859 

Don  Rudesindo  Alvarado,  general-in-chief. 
Col.  Don  Fran.  Antonio  Pinto,  chief  of  the  staff. 

*  Composed  of  the  battalions  formerly  denominated  Nos.  7  and  8. 

t  A  squadron  of  this  regiment,  under  Lieutenant-Colonel  Lavalle,  which  had 
been  present  at  the  battle  of  Pinchincha,  did  not  join  the  army  until  it  had  dis- 
embarked at  Arica. 


Colonel  Correa.       -        -     1100 


Buenos  Ayres. 


509 


6  ROYALIST   POSITIONS.  CHAP.  XVII. 

The  first  battalion  of  the  legion,  the  battalions 
Nos.  5  and  11,  with  three  hundred  and  fifty  grana- 
deros  a  caballoy  and  a  company  of  No.  4,  in  all  about 
two  thousand  men,  under  the  command  of  Miller, 
sailed  on  the  10th  of  October  from  Callao,  in  the 
transports  O'Higgins,  Independencia,  Perla,  Mac- 
kenna,  Olive  Branch,  Dardo,  and  Nancy.  The  rest 
of  the  expedition,  with  the  general-in-chief  and  staff, 
followed  a  few  days  afterwards,  together  with  the 
frigate  O'Higgins,  Rear- Admiral  Blanco.  The  first 
place  of  rendezvous  was  to  be  off  Iquique,  and  the 
second  thirty  miles  S.  W.  of  Arica. 

About  four  thousand  troops,  including  twelve  hun- 
dred Colombians,  remained  in  the  department  of 
Lima,  under  the  orders  of  General  Arenales,  who  was 
to  advance  upon  Xauxa,  and  threaten  the  royalists 
in  that  valley,  so  as  to  prevent  them  from  detaching 
troops  to  the  southward  against  Alvarado,  who,  it 
was  thought,  would  have  no  difficulty  in  taking  pos- 
session of  the  important  provinces  of  Upper  Peru. 

The  royalists  had  at  this  time  about  five  thousand 
troops  in  the  valley  of  Xauxa,  under  Canterac ;  about 
three  thousand  with  Valdez,  on  or  near  the  coast  of 
the  Puertos  Intermedios;  and  three  thousand  or 
thereabouts  with  Olaileta,  in  the  vicinity  of  Potosi ; 
besides  a  few  detachments  and  skeletons  of  battalions 
in  Cuzco,  La  Paz,  and  other  garrisons. 

The  plan  of  operations  of  the  independents  for  the 
ensuing  campaign  was  considered  good.  The  royalist 
divisions  were  very  distant  from  each  other,  and  so 
separated  in  one  of  the  most  mountainous  countries 
in  the  world,  that  it  appeared  to  be  an  easy  matter 
to  attack  them  separately.  The  hopes  of  the  patriots 


CHAP.  XVII.      INTEBCEPTED  CORRESPONDENCE.  7 

brightened,  and  every  thing  seemed  to  promise  a 
speedy  termination  of  the  struggle  in  Peru.  The 
royalists  became  alarmed  by  the  threatening  aspect  of 
affairs.  The  viceroy  La  Serna  wrote  from  Cuzco  to 
the  minister  of  war  in  Spain,  that  unless  he  were 
speedily  reinforced  from  the  Peninsula,  it  would  be 
impossible  to  continue  much  longer  the  unequal  con- 
test; for  whilst  his  troops  were  harassed  by  being 
obliged  to  march  almost  incredible  distances,  the 
patriots,  possessing  the  dominion  of  the  Pacific, 
could  easily  transport  their  armies  from  one  point  to 
another,  either  to  attack  his  forces,  necessarily  scat- 
tered over  a  vast  extent  of  territory,  in  detail,  or  to 
retire  opportunely  whenever  they  found  themselves 
too  much  pressed.  His  excellency  complained  bit- 
terly of  the  neglect  which  his  repeated  applications 
for  assistance  had  hitherto  met  with  at  the  court  of 
Madrid,  and  concluded  by  stating  that  his  health 
had  suffered  so  severely  under  such  trying  and  harass- 
ing circumstances,  that  he  found  himself  unable  to 
fulfil  the  arduous  duties  of  viceroy,  and  therefore 
tendered  his  resignation  for  a  second  time,  begging 
that  his  majesty  would  be  pleased  to  name  his  suc- 
cessor *. 

But  notwithstanding  it  was  evident  that  the  roy- 
alist generals  were  often  divided  in  council,  and  that 
much  enmity  existed  amongst  some  of  them,  they  all 
made  every  exertion  to  overcome  the  disadvantages 
of  their  position.  Canterac  and  Loriga  were  inde- 
fatigable in  the  north  ;  Valdez,  on  the  coast  of  the 
Intermedios,  was  the  soul  of  the  Spanish  army :  his 

*  These  communications  were  intercepted  by  Miller,  on  his  landing  at  Quilca. 


8  ACCIDENT  CHAP.  xvn. 

activity,  self-denial  of  every  comfort,  and  the  exem- 
plary manner  in  which  he  shared  the  fatigues  and 
privations  of  his  soldiers,  combined  with  his  uncom- 
promising severity  towards  all  delinquents,  produced 
the  most  beneficial  effects  amongst  his  followers,  and 
obtained  for  him  the  love  of  his  soldiers,  and  the  re- 
spect and  admiration  of  even  those  opposed  to  him. 
Olaiieta  spared  no  means  in  Potosi  to  augment  his 
forces.  He  was  a  general  of  the  old  school,  and  had 
been  the  companion  of  Pezuela  :  he  was  consequently 
unfriendly  to  La  Serna,  Canterac,  Valdez,  and  other 
chiefs  who  had  served  in  the  peninsular  war.  The 
mass  of  the  population,  however,  was  decidedly 
against  the  royalists;  so  that,  in  spite  of  their  efforts, 
the  aspect  of  affairs  seemed  to  indicate  their  speedy 
downfall. 

In  the  mean  time  the  junta  gubernativa  had  issued 
orders  to  enforce  levies. of  recruits  in  the  department 
of  Truxillo  and  the  northern  provinces,  to  augment 
the  division  of  Arenales :  but  such  was  the  apathy 
pervading  every  department  of  the  government,  that 
the  casualties  caused  by  sickness  and  desertion  were 
scarcely  filled  up. 

Eight-and-forty  hours  after  the  first  division  of 
patriots  had  sailed  from  Callao  under  Miller,  one  of 
the  largest  transports,  the  Independencia,  having 
four  hundred  of  his  own  battalion  on  board,  sprang 
a  leak,  and  was  soon  reported  to  have  six  feet  water 
in  the  hold.  Boats  were  despatched  from  the  other 
transports,  and  in  less  than  six  hours,  notwithstanding 
a  rough  sea,  the  men  were  removed  from  the  leaky 
ship.  One  hundred  of  them  were  received  by  Miller 


CHAP.  XVII.  AT  SEA.  9 

on  board  his  own  vessel,  the  O'Higgins,  of  three 
hundred  and  forty  tons,  which  increased  the  number, 
embarked  in  that  transport,  to  four  hundred  and  ten. 
The  rest  were  sent  back  to  Callao  in  two  small  trans- 
ports, accompanied  by  the  Independencia.  The 
convoy  then  proceeded  on  its  voyage. 

On  the  night  of  the  30th,  when  sailing  on  a  wind 
at  the  rate  of  five  knots,  with  a  stiff  breeze,  the  Mac- 
kenna,  of  four  hundred  tons,  through  the  neglect  of 
the  mate  of  the  watch,  ran  athwart  the  O'Higgins. 
The  concussion  was  severe.  The  mainmast  of  the 
latter  ship  was  carried  away  close  by  the  board.  The 
Mackenna  lost  her  jib-boom,  and  both  vessels  were 
otherwise  materially  injured  in  their  rigging.  They 
got  clear  of  each  other  more  by  good  fortune  than 
skill,  as  the  decks  were  crowded  with  soldiers,  and 
all  was,  of  course,  uproar  and  confusion.  When 
daylight  appeared,  the  O'Higgins  looked  like  a 
floating  wreck;  but  fortunately  the  weather  was  mo- 
derate, and  in  the  course  of  two  days  a  jury-mast 
was  rigged.  The  damages  of  the  Mackenna  were 
also  repaired,  and  the  convoy  again  continued  its 
course. 

The  crews  of  the  transports  were  a  medley  of  En- 
glish, North  Americans,  French,  Dutch,  and  Creoles. 
Many  of  the  masters  were  natives,  who  could  with 
difficulty  make  themselves  understood  by  the  majority 
of  their  crew.  The  vessels  had  been  well  provisioned, 
and  watered  for  fifty  days,  and  it  was  supposed  that 
the  voyage  would  hardly  last  half  that  time. 

The  soldiers  behaved  exceedingly  well  on  the 
passage,  and  an  air  of  contentment  pervaded  the 


10  BEHAVIOUR  OF  THE  TROOPS.        CHAP.  xvll. 

performance  of  all  their  duties.  They  were  de- 
votedly attached  to  their  officers;  extremely  subor- 
dinate; cleanly  in  their  persons  and  berths;  and 
sensibly  alive  to  the  smallest  act  of  kindness  or 
attention.  Three-fourths  of  the  legion  were  abori- 
gines, and  many  of  them,  when  they  joined  the  corps, 
could  not  speak  any  language  but  their  own,  the 
Quichua ;  but  they  soon  learned  the  words  of  com- 
mand in  Spanish,  and  their  duty  as  soldiers,  all  of 
which  was  taught  agreeably  to  the  Spanish  regu- 
lations. They  are  generally  of  rather  low  stature, 
robust,  and  beardless,  with  a  bright  brown  com- 
plexion. The  rest  of  the  men  were  mulattos,  some 
blacks,  and  a  few  white  Creoles,  who  were  generally 
non-commissioned  officers.  The  band  was  excellent, 
and  consisted  of  twenty-two  musicians:  twelve  of  them 
played  by  note.  The  salary  of  the  master  of  the  band 
was  fifty-four  dollars  per  month.  The  music  beguiled 
many  a  tedious  hour,  and  in  the  evenings  and  the 
moonlight  nights  the  Indians  would  chant  their 
yarams  (plaintive  melodies),  while  the  loquacious 
mulattos  related  stories,  or,  with  the  whites,  sang 
the  favourite  airs  of  Lima,  for  which  dissipated  city 
the  natives  cherish  an  enthusiastic  attachment.  The 
officers  on  the  quarter-deck  sang  patriotic  and  na- 
tional songs ;  most  of  them  having  good  voices,  and 
great  taste  for  music.  That  stern  distance  and 
reserve  maintained,  perhaps  usefully,  towards  the 
men  in  some  European  armies,  did  not  exist  amongst 
the  patriots.  They  would  often  converse  with  their 
officers,  and  speak  of  their  native  villages  and  the 
pleasures  they  had  left  behind ;  yet  on  this  account 


CHAP.  xvil.  WANT  OF  WATER.  11 

no  undue  freedom  was  ever  taken.  On  the  contrary, 
the  condescending  familiarity  of  the  officers  height- 
ened the  affection  of  the  soldiers,  without  decreasing 
their  respect.  These  ties  of  regard  between  officers 
and  men  are  often  found  to  be,  in  time  of  peril,  more 
strong  and  effective  than  the  deference  produced  by 
cold  severity,  which,  if  once  allowed  to  relax,  is  not 
replaced  by  any  equivalent  resulting  from  mere  re- 
spect and  habits  of  obedience. 

Light  and  contrary  winds  prevailed  ;  the  transports 
were  dull  sailers,  and  there  was  every  appearance  of 
a  protracted  voyage.  The  allowance  of  water  was 
decreased  to  three  pints  a  day  per  man,  and  thoughts 
of  deep  anxiety  began  to  intrude.  There  was  no 
skilful  navigator,  or  practical  naval  officer,  in  the  con- 
voy to  give  professional  advice.  On  the  23d  of  November 
each  vessel  was  ordered  to  make  the  best  of  its  way 
to  the  first  rendezvous.  The  commanding  officers  of 
the  troops,  in  two  of  the  transports,  came  on  board 
the  head-quarter  ship,  to  beg  some  water;  but  the 
number  of  men  in  the  O'Higgins  having  been  aug- 
mented, not  a  drop  of  that  invaluable  liquid  could 
be  spared. 

On  the  last  day  of  November,  the  O'Higgins  and 
two  of  the  smaller  transports  which  were  still  in  com- 
pany were  two  hundred  miles  from  their  destination. 
The  allowance  of  water  was  further  reduced  to  a 
quart  per  day,  and  Miller  always  superintended  the 
serving  it  out.  He  had  fortunately  taken  this  pre- 
caution from  the  commencement  of  the  voyage,  to 
prevent  waste.  The  soldiers  continued  to  display  the 
greatest  good  conduct  under  the  torment  of  thirst. 


12  PATRIOTS  LAND  CHAP.  xvn. 

When  the  bung  of  the  cask  was  taken  out,  it  was 
eagerly  caught  at,  and  the  man  who  could  get  hold 
of  the  rag  round  it  considered  the  moisture  he  ex- 
tracted from  it  as  no  unimportant  addition  to  his 
scanty  allowance.  Upon  drinking  it  at  the  gangway, 
the  poor  fellows  sometimes  lifted  up  their  clasped 
hands,  and  exclaimed  with  fervency,  gracias  a  Dios  ! 
(thank  God!)  Such  was  their  desperate  situation, 
when  a  breeze  sprang  up,  which  infused  hope  and 
consolation.  All  thoughts  of  attempting  to  reach 
the  first,  but  the  most  distant,  rendezvous  at  Iquique, 
were  abandoned,  and  the  vessels  were  steered  towards 
Arica,  which  enabled  them  to  sail  with  the  wind  two 
points  free.  On  the  2nd  of  December  land  was  hap- 
pily discovered ;  and  on  the  3d,  vessels  were  seen  in 
the  port  of  Arica,  where  the  O'Higgins  anchored  at 
noon  on  the  same  day,  having  less  than  two  casks  of 
water  remaining.  Of  four  hundred  and  ten  men, 
not  one  had  died  during  the  passage,  and  there  were 
only  seventeen  on  the  sick  list.  The  feelings  and 
rejoicings  of  all,  on  finding  themselves  again  on  shore 
in  the  midst  of  their  former  comrades,  can  be  more 
easily  conceived  than  described. 

Part  of  the  expedition  had  landed  at  Arica  on  the 
27th  of  November,  and  the  remainder  arrived  in  suc- 
cession, with  the  exception  of  one  hundred  and  fifty 
men  landed  at  Iquique,  and  sent  to  Tarrapaca,  to 
operate  in  the  adjoining  provinces,  and  to  observe 
the  movements  of  Olaileta  in  Upper  Peru. 

The  patriots  formed  about  three  thousand  five  hun- 
dred effective  men ;  but  as  they  remained  inactive, 
the  royalists  had  ample  time  to  withdraw  all  supplies 


CHAP.  xvn.  AT  ARICA.  13 

from  Tacna  and  the  adjoining  country,  except  such 
as  were  concealed  by  the  patriotic  natives.  Four 
or  five  patriot  soldiers  were  made  prisoners  within 
a  mile  of  Arica  by  a  party  of  the  royalists,  which  had 
the  temerity  to  advance  to  almost  within  pistol  shot 
of  the  whole  independent  army:  the  others  retired 
unmolested.  Pinto  commanded  at  Arica  until  Al- 
varado  arrived  there  from  Iquique. 

On  the  9th  of  December,  the  legion,  the  regiment 
of  Rio  de  la  Plata,  and  the  granaderos  &  cdballo,  ad- 
vanced three  leagues  in  front  to  the  valley  of  Lluta, 
a  position  in  every  point  of  view  preferable  to  Arica. 
From  Lluta  to  Tacna  the  distance  is  eleven  leagues, 
over  a  sandy  desert.  On  the  14th,  a  report  having 
reached  the  patriot  general  that  Valdez  was  in  the 
vicinity  of  Sama,  anfi  about  to  advance,  the  patriot 
forces  were  concentrated  at  Chacalluta,  which  is  at  the 
mouth  of  the  valley  of  Lluta  next  the  sea.  Although 
no  enemy  appeared,  Alvarado  thought  it  prudent  to 
withdraw  his  troops  to  Asapa,  a  wide  and  open  valley 
a  league  east  of  Arica.  From  these  cautious  measures, 
if  indeed  they  could  be  termed  merely  cautious,  the 
royalists  began  to  acquire  confidence,  and  to  cherish 
a  hope  of  being  enabled  to  resist  the  timid  liberators. 
Some  of  the  directing  men  of  the  latter  entertained, 
it  would  appear,  the  most  awful  respect  for  Valdez, 
who  was  at  first  believed  to  have  at  least  four  thou- 
sand men  with  him,  whereas  he  had  only  the  battalions 
Gerona,  Centre,  five  squadrons  of  cavalry,  four  field- 
pieces,  and  a  company  of  sappers,  being  one  thousand 
seven  hundred  and  sixty-five  infantry,  and  seven  hun- 


14       INDECISION  AND  PKOCRASTINATING     CHAP.  XVII. 

dred  and  fifty-seven  cavalry,  making  a  total  of  two 
thousand  five  hundred  and  twenty-two  men.  These 
troops  occupied  en  echellon  the  valleys  of  Moquegua, 
Locumba,  and  Sama,  having  an  advanced  piquet  at 
Tacna.  But  what  mainly  contributed  to  imbolden 
the  royalists  was  the  knowledge  that  Canterac  was 
on  the  march  from  Huancayo  to  succour  Valdez  with 
one  battalion  of  Cantabria,  and  one  of  Infante,  each 
eight  hundred  strong,  and  eight  hundred  cavalry; 
and  that  Carratala  with  the  battalion  Partidarios, 
eight  hundred  and  seventy-one  strong,  and  Burgos, 
five  hundred  and  forty-eight,  was  also  in  the  vicinity 
of  Puno,  and  marching  to  the  same  point.  Thus,  by 
further  procrastination,  Alvarado  would  have  to  con- 
tend with  the  united  divisions  of  these  three  gene- 
rals,  amounting  to  four  thousand  eight  hundred  and 
seventy-four  infantry,  and  one  thousand  five  hundred 
and  fifty-seven  cavalry;  but  even  yet  there  was  a 
good  opportunity  of  attacking  Valdez  or  Olaiieta  in 
isolated  positions. 

On  the  arrival  of  the  independent  troops  upon  the 
coast,  the  natives  came  forward  voluntarily  with 
their  mules,  having  with  difficulty  and  risk  escaped 
through  the  country  held  by  the  royalists.  But  their 
enthusiasm  cooled  upon  perceiving  the  extraordinary 
inactivity  of  the  patriots,  many  of  whom  now  fell 
sick  from  the  effects  of  the  climate.  Murmurs  also 
began  to  break  out  amongst  the  chiefs. 

During  this  state  of  unfortunate  listlessness,  the 
discipline  of  the  army  was  most  wofully  deteriorating. 
Acts  of  extortion  were  practised  upon  the  country 


CHAP.  XVII.  SYSTEM  OF  ALVARADO.  15 

people,  whose  commodities,  which  they  brought  to 
the  camp  market,  were  frequently  taken  from  them 
without  payment. 

The  patriot  troops  had  already  remained  inactive 
three  weeks,  and  the  general-in-chief  was  still  unde- 
cided as  to  his  future  movements.  He  consulted 
many  of  the  chiefs,  but  followed  the  opinion  of  none. 
Miller  was  called  to  hold  a  conference  with  him, 
and  in  order  that  it  might  be  undisturbed,  it  took 
place  at  midnight  in  the  general's  apartments.  He 
requested  Miller's  opinion  as  to  the  best  plan  of 
operations.  The  latter  had  up  to  this  time  care- 
fully abstained  from  making  known  his  sentiments ; 
but  now  that  his  advice  was  formally  asked,  he  un- 
hesitatingly gave  it.  He  stated  his  opinion  to  be, 
that  the  enemy's  divisions  being  so  widely  scattered, 
and  the  situation  of  the  patriots  so  favourable  in 
every  point  of  view,  any  plan  the  general  chose 
to  adopt  would  ensure  success,  provided  it  was  an 
offensive  one,  either  in  the  direction  of  Arequipa, 
La  Paz,  or  Potosi ;  that  no  more  time  ought  to  be 
lost,  and  that,  having  once  determined  upon  a  plan, 
nothing  should  divert  him  from  his  purpose.  The 
general  acquiesced ;  but,  unfortunately,  he  appeared 
to  be  too  sensitively  alive  to  every  species  of  re- 
sponsibility, excepting  the  greatest  of  all,  which  was 
inaction  on  an  unhealthy  coast. 

Valdez,  with  less  than  three  thousand  men,  was  in 
front  of  Alvarado,  whilst  Canterac  and  Olaneta  were 
separated  from  him  on  either  side,  each  at  the  di- 
stance of  upwards  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  leagues. 


16  DIFFERENCES  OF  OPINION.          CHAP.  XVII. 

The  course  which  should  have  been  adopted  was  most 
obvious.  Even  to  secure  supplies  it  was  evidently 
necessary  to  advance. 

The  general-in-chief,  vexed  at  the  importunities 
of  Miller,  and  of  other  commanding  officers  of  corps, 
to  advance,  and  which  importunities  were  perhaps  im- 
properly urged,  told  the  former  that  if  he  were  not 
satisfied  he  might  return  to  Lima.  Miller  took  him 
at  his  word,  and  re-embarked  j  but  before  he  could  ob- 
tain his  passport  the  general  sent  repeated  messages 
by  Rear- Admiral  Blanco  and  others,  requesting  him 
to  come  on  shore.  An  interview  again  took  place, 
and  it  was  finally  arranged  that  Miller  should  be 
employed  on  a  detached  service. 

General  Alvarado,  a  native  of  Salta,  is  an  amiable, 
well-informed  gentleman,  of  highly  polished  and  pre- 
possessing address,  who,  from  the  commencement  of 
the  revolution,  has  always  been  employed,  but  although 
animated  with  the  purest  patriotism,  this  really  worthy 
man  has  been  singularly  unfortunate  as  a  soldier. 

Miller  embarked  on  the  evening  of  the  21st  with 
the  light  company  of  his  battalion,  and  sailed  to  the 
northward,  with  orders  to  disembark  on  the  coast  of 
Camana,  and  to  divert  the  attention  of  Canterac  and 
Carratala,  or  at  all  events,  to  draw  off  a  division  of 
their  forces.  The  natives  were  warmly  patriotic,  and 
much  was  expected  from  them,  especially  as  Miller's 
name,  owing  to  his  previous  operations  on  the  coast, 
was  well  known. 

At  length,  on  the  23d,  the  regiment  of  the  Rio 
de  la  Plata  and  that  of  the  granaderos  a  caballo 


CHAP.  XVII.      GENERAL  VALDEZ  ADVANCES.  17 

marched,  under  the  orders  of  Colonel   Correa,  to 
Tacna,  where  he  arrived  on  the  following  day. 

The  active  Valdez  was  in  the  valley  of  Sama  with 
four  hundred  cavalry,  four  hundred  infantry  mounted 
on  mules,  and  two  field-pieces.     His  men  were  de- 
voted to  him,  and  he  knew  he  could  rely  upon  their 
valour  under  any  circumstance.     His  object  was  to 
watch  for  a  favourable  opportunity  to  make  a  coup- 
de-main.     He  was  positively  assured  that  the  patriots 
in  Tacna  did  not  exceed  one  thousand  men.     With 
his  flying  division  he  therefore  set  out  from  Sama,  at 
four  P.  M.  on  the  31st,  in  order  that  night  to  sur- 
prise the  independents  in  Tacna.     The  royalists  lost 
their  way  for  upwards  of  five  hours  in  the  desert,  and 
having  wandered  about  and  marched  nearly  double 
the   necessary  distance,  did  not  arrive  in   sight  of 
Tacna  until  broad  daylight  on  the  1st  of  January, 
1823.     Instead  of  finding  the  town  occupied  by  one 
thousand  patriots,  as  he  anticipated,  Valdez  saw  not 
only  the  brigade  of  Correa  drawn  up  to  receive  him, 
but  also  the  battalion  of  the  legion,  and  of  No.  1 1 , 
advancing  within  a  league  of  the  town  on  the  Arica 
side.     With  the  patriot  reinforcement  came  General 
Don  Enrique  Martinez  (who  had  followed  the  ex- 
pedition  from  Truxillo),  and,  on  joining  Correa's 
brigade,  had  taken  the  command.     The  situation  of 
Valdez  was  most  critical.     His  men  and  horses  were 
too  much  fatigued  to  re-cross  the  desert ;  he  was  too 
weak  to  venture  upon  an  attack,  and  he  could  not 
remain  on  the  burning  sjand.     He  therefore  adopted 
the  only  alternative  left  him,  of  obliquing  to  his  left, 
and  posted  himself  in  Calana,  a  hamlet  two  leagues 

VOL.  II.  c   > 


18  VALDEZ  ESCAPES.  CHAP.  xvn. 

east  of  Tacna,  and  in  the  valley.  At  ten  A.  M. 
Martinez  with  his  troops  marched  up  the  valley  to- 
wards Calana.  Valdez  at  first  did  not  show  any 
disposition  to  retreat,  and  some  skirmishing  took 
place.  Martinez  detached  a  battalion  and  some 
cavalry  to  the  heights,  on  the  right  of  the  enemy. 
Upon  perceiving  this  movement,  Valdez  retired  two 
leagues  higher  up  the  valley,  to  Pachia,  almost  un- 
molested by  the  slowly  pursuing  patriots.  It  appears 
that  Martinez  made  so  sure  of  capturing  Valdez, 
that  he  did  not  think  it  necessary  to  make  a  serious 
attack  upon  -the  exhausted  enemies,  who  halted  eight 
hours  to  recover  from  their  fatigues,  and  then  con- 
tinued their  march  to  Tarrata,  fourteen  leagues  from 
Tacna.  The  General-in-Chief  Alvarado  had  not, 
up  to  this  time,  moved  from  Arica.  Valdez,  who 
afterwards  acknowledged  that  he  considered  all  was 
lost,  stated  that  his  casualties  amounted  to  only 
thirteen  killed,  wounded,  and  missing. 

Alvarado  at  last  united  the  whole  of  his  forces  in 
Tacna,  and,  placing  himself  at  their  head,  advanced 
on  the  road  leading  to  Arequipa,  and  on  the  evening 
of  the  13th  of  January  reached  the  valley  of  Locumba. 
Colonel  Ameller,  commanding  the  advance  of  the 
royalists  near  Moquegua,  having  reason  to  suppose 
that  Locumba  was  occupied  by  merely  two  or  three 
hundred  patriots,  advanced  with  four  hundred  roy- 
alists, in  the  hope  of  taking  them  by  surprise.  In 
order  to  effect  this  the  more  completely,  he  crossed 
the  valley,  and  placed  himself  on  the  Tacna  side  of 
Locumba,  in  the  rear  of  the  patriots.  At  daybreak 
on  the  14th,  to  his  great  surprise,  Ameller  found 


CHAP.  xvn.  COLONEL  AMELLER.  19 

himself  within  cannon-shot,  not  of  two  or  three  hun- 
dred men  only,  as  he  expected,  but  of  the  whole  of 
Alvarado's  army.  He  immediately  made  the  best  of 
his  way  to  the  heights  of  Candarave.  A  battalion 
of  infantry  and  a  squadron  of  cavalry  were  sent  in 
pursuit  by  Alvarado,  but  they  did  no  serious  mischief, 
for  Ameller  made  good  his  retreat  by  a  circuitous 
route  to  Moquegua.  He  behaved  with  the  utmost 
firmness  and  sangfroid,  and  his  escape  was  equally 
honourable  to  his  talents  and  to  his  courage.  It  is 
singular  that  he  should  have  made  a  false  and  rash 
movement  upon  Locumba,  precisely  similar  to  that 
of  Valdez  upon  Tacna.  Both  originated  from  want 
of  correct  information,  and  nothing  can  more  clearly 
prove  the  incorruptible  patriotism  of  the  inhabitants 
of  these  districts.  It  is  not  less  singular  that  both 
should  have  been  so  strangely  permitted  to  escape, 
for  although  they  might  be  called,  with  great  justice, 
the  two  best  and  most  enterprising  officers  in  the 
royalist  service,  the  odds  were  so  much  against  them, 
that  nothing  but  the  inertness  and  irresolution  of 
Martinez  and  Alvarado  could  have  saved  them. 

The  army  under  Alvarado  arrived  in  the  vicinity 
of  Moquegua  on  the  18th,  and  halted  almost  within 
range  of  the  division  of  Valdez,  which  had  re-united, 
and  was  bivouacked  on  some  adjoining  heights.  On 
the  morning  of  the  19th,  the  patriots  advanced* 
Valdez  fell  back,  disputing  every  inch  of  rising 
ground,  to  the  heights  of  Torata.  There  he  was 
joined  at  half  past  three  P.  M.  by  General  Canterac, 
who  had  that  moment  arrived,  having  made  forced 
marches  from  Puno.  Canterac  was  accompanied 


20  BATTLE  OF  TORATA.       CHAP.  XVII. 

only  by  a  small  detachment  of  cavalry,  the  rest  of 
his  division  being  a  few  miles  in  the  rear. 

Valdez   had    chosen  his   position  with  so  much 
judgment,  that  every  attempt  made  by  Alvarado  to 
dislodge  him  proved  unavailing,  and  Valdez,  or  rather 
Canterac,  part  of  whose  division  had  now  come  up, 
became  in  turn  the  assailant.     The  action  was  sharp. 
The  regiment  of  the  Rio  de  la  Plata  showed  a  great 
want  of  discipline  ;  No.  4<  of  Chile,  and  the  legion, 
behaved  well.     The  conduct  of  the   latter,   which 
Miller  had  left  under  the  command  of  the  gallant 
Lieutenant-Colonel  de  la  Rosa,  drew   forth  praise 
from  the  enemy  in  their  official   report.     But  the 
patriots  were  worsted,  and  Alvarado  fell  back  upon 
Moquegua  (five  leagues)  in  the  course  of  the  night. 
He  halted  there  in  a  state  of  great  indecision  until 
the  21st,  when  the  battalions  Cantabria  and  Burgos, 
the  cavalry  and  artillery  of  Canterac,  united  with  the 
divisions  of  Valdez,    and  advanced  to '  Moquegua, 
where  they  found  Alvarado  strongly  posted.     A  se- 
cond action  ensued.     The  patriots  had  the  advantage 
of  position,  and  were  not  perhaps  inferior  in  numbers 
to  the  royalists ;  but  unhappily  dissensions  had  broken 
out  amongst  the  chiefs;   the  soldiers  had  become 
dispirited ;  and  insubordination   prevailed  in   every 
grade.     A  total  defeat  was  the  consequence.     The 
royalist  official  accounts  state  their  own  losses  in  the 
affairs  of  Torata  and  Moquegua  at  one  hundred  and 
fifty  killed,   and  two  hundred  and  fifty  wounded  ; 
which  statement  is  considered  underrated.     Valdez 
was  wounded,  and  had  two  horses  shot  under  him. 
He,  as  well  as  the  brave  Ameller,  was  continually 


CHAP.  xvii.          BATTLE  OF  MOQUEGUA.  21 

seen  in  the  front  *.  Alvarado,  Martinez,  Correa, 
and  Pinto,  fled  to  Ilo,  and  embarked  with  something 
short  of  one  thousand  fugitives.  Alvarado  could 
only  prevail  upon  about  three  hundred  of  these  men 
to  accompany  him  to  Iquique  (sixty  leagues  south  of 
Arica),  where  the  skeleton  battalion  No.  2  had  been 
left,  and  whither  some  dispersed  soldiers  had  directed 
their  course.  Upon  arriving  at  Iquique,  Alvarado 
discovered  that  the  battalion  had  been  compelled  to 
embark  on  the  13th  of  February,  by  the  royalists 
under  Olaneta,  who  had  marched  from  Potosi  to  the 
coast.  Alvarado  sent  the  greater  part  of  his  men  on 
shore,  in  the  supposition  that  Olaneta  had  retired 
from  Iquique,  but  who,  it  turned  out,  had  concealed 
his  men  in  the  village.  Upon  the  patriots  arriving, 
they  rushed  from  their  ambuscade,  and  killed  or  made 
prisoners  the  entire  party.  Alvarado,  unsuccessful 
at  all  points,  made  sail  for  Lima. 

Miller,  on  learning  the  fate  of  his  legion,  wrote 
the  following  letter  to  the  author  of  these  memoirs : 

"  My  first  battalion,  which  cost  me  so  much  pains 
to  form,  and  which  occupied  all  my  thoughts  for  a 
year,  was  cut  to  pieces  at  the  affair  of  Torata.  But 
it  fought  nobly  ;  is  spoken  of  by  the  rest  of  the  army 
in  terms  of  admiration  of  its  conduct,  and  of  sorrow 
for  its  loss  ;  for  all  agreed  that  the  corps  had  acquired 
fame  in  the  midst  of  misfortune.  The  firmness  with 
which  two  cavalry  charges  were  repulsed,  after  the 
rest  of  our  army  had  given  way,  and  the  accuracy 


*  Ensign  Rivero,  of  the  legion,  was  amongst  the  killed  at  Torata.  His  body 
was  found  on  the  field  of  battle  by  his  brother  Lieutenant-Colonel  Rivero,  who 
commanded  a  royalist  battalion. 


22  THE  PERUVIAN  LEGION.  CHAP.  XVII. 

and  sangfroid  with  which  the  battalion  manoeuvred 
under  a  heavy  fire,  drew  forth  expressions  of  applause 
from  Canterac  ;  and  yet  my  brave  fellows  were  almost 
all  recruits  :  but  there  was  so  much  esprit  de  corps, 
and  such  a  bond  of  union  between  officers  and  men, 
that  I  always  anticipated  they  would  do  something 
brilliant  whenever  they  met  the  enemy.  The  high- 
souled  ambition  of  its  youthful  commandant,  Don 
Pedro  de  la  Rosa,  did  not  a  little  tend  to  raise  my 
expectations.  He  and  Captains  Tarramona  (who 
acted  as  major)  and  Escobar  and  six  subalterns  were 
killed.  They  were  all  from  seventeen  to  twenty-four 
years  of  age,  my  very  best  officers,  and  would  have 
done  honour  to  any  European  service.  Besides 
these,  two  captains  and  seven  subalterns  were  taken 
prisoners,  all  excepting  three  severely  wounded. 
Only  one  hundred  and  thirty  rank  and  file  escaped, 
exclusive  of  the  light  company  detached  with  me. 

"  I  mourn  with  a  feeling  beyond  the  power  of 
expression  for  the  loss  of  so  many  fine,  brave,  and 
promising  young  men  who  have  fallen  during  this 
short  campaign.  My  first  visits  of  condolence  to 
the  families  of  my  departed  friends  have  been  inde- 
scribably distressing." 

Lieutenant-Colonel  de  la  Rosa  and  Major  Tarra- 
mona had  served  together  as  cadets  in  the  same  roy- 
alist corps.  They  both  transferred  their  services  to 
their  country  at  the  same  time,  and  both  received 
captaincies  in  the  Peruvian  legion  of  the  guard,  soon 
after  it  was  formed.  At  the  theatre,  at  the  bull- 
fight, at  the  ball,  at  the  promenade,  or  in  the  field, 
they  were  inseparable.  Their  conduct  at  the  battle 


CHAP.  XVII.      DE  LA  ROSA  AND  TARRAMONA.  23 

of  Torata  was  equally  heroic.  They  advanced  several 
yards  in  front  of  their  battalion,  to  within  musket- 
shot  of  the  enemy's  line,  when  La  Rosa  called  out, 
"  Here  are  La  Rosa  and  Tarramona,  once  cadets  of 
the  royal  army,  but  now  of  the  Peruvian  legion,  and 
who  desire  nothing  more  eagerly  than  to  fight  for 
their  country.  Come  on,  then,  Spaniards,  and  try 
the  courage  of  the  legion."  La  Rosa  and  Tarra- 
mona retired  unhurt  amidst  a  shower  of  musket-balls. 
Their  contempt  of  danger  inspired  their  soldiers 
with  enthusiastic  valour.  The  battalion  repulsed 
several  successive  charges,  and  did  not  retire  until  it 
was  reduced  to  one-fourth  of  its  original  number. 
La  Rosa  conducted  the  retreat  with  as  much  cool- 
ness as  skill,  but  unhappily  both  he  and  his  friend 
Tarramona  were  killed  at  the  same  time  at  Iquique, 
each  at  the  early  age  of  twenty-two  years,  and  both 
were  buried  in  one  grave. 

The  Peruvian  government  decreed  that  the  name 
of  the  Lieutenant-Colonel  de  la  Rosa  should  be  re- 
tained on  the  muster-roll  of  the  legion,  and  that 
when  called  over  by  the  commissary,  the  battalion 
should  reverse  arms,  and  the  adjutant  answer,  "  Died 
gloriously  on  the  field  of  battle."  A  pension  was 
granted  to  the  sister  of  La  Rosa  ;  but  it  is  much  to 
be  feared  that  the  posthumous  honours  j  the  family 
pension ;  and  the  worth  and  valour  which  found  a 


24  DETACHMENT   LANDS   AT    QUILCA.     CHAP.  XVIII. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

Colonel  Miller  disembarks  at  Quilca. — Camana. — Siguas. — 
Victor. — Advance  of  Carratala. — Murderer  shot. — Carabeli. — 
Atico. — Port  of  Chala. — Colonel  Manzanedo. — Strategy.—; 
Palpa. — Barandalla. — Cholera  morbus. — Port  of  Lomas. — 
Dr.  Cordova. — The  brig  Protector  sails  to  Callao. 

IT  will  be  recollected  that  Miller  sailed  from  Arica 
on  the  21st  of  December,  with  the  light  company  of 
the  legion,  and  some  spare  arms  to  distribute  amongst 
the  natives.     The  brig  Protector,  which  conveyed 
them,  brought  up  in  the  roadstead  of  Quilca,  at  noon, 
on  Christmas  day,  close  to  H.  M.  S.  Aurora  ;  but  no 
communication  between  the  two  vessels  took  place. 
The  only  place  of  landing  was  at  the  head  of  a  caleta, 
or  small  inlet,  which  was  examined,  and  found  so 
narrow,  and  the  sides  so  bold  and  rugged,  that  a  few 
men  might,  with  perfect  safety,  prevent  the  disem- 
barkation of  very  superior  numbers.   At  sunset  about 
fifty  royalists  were  perceived  on  the  hills.     No  in- 
formation could  be  procured  from  the  neutral  frigate, 
and  the  silence  of  many  old  friends  on  board  was, 
although    perfectly   proper,    extremely   mortifying. 
Miller's  object  was  to  cause  a  diversion  to  the  north- 
ward of  Arequipa;    but  the  reinforcements  which 
were  to  have  followed  were  never  sent.     Notwith- 
standing this  unfavourable  circumstance,  he   com- 
menced offensive  operations  with  one  hundred  and 
twenty  men. 


CHAP,  xvill.          MARCHES  TO  CAMANA.  25 

At  midnight  on  the  25th,  Miller  pushed  off  in  a 
jolly-boat,  accompanied  by  an  officer,  three  soldiers, 
and  a  bugleman.     An  officer  and  twenty-five  men 
followed  in  the  launch,  with  orders  to  put  back  in 
case  of  resistance  to  the  landing  of  those  in  the  jolly- 
boat.     The  surf  broke  furiously,  and  tracks  of  foam 
across  the  entrance  whitened  the  foot  of  the  rocks  on 
each  side  of  the  mouth  of  the  inlet,  and  formed  eddies 
difficult  to  row  through  in  the  dark.     The  adven- 
turous party,  however,  landed  without  opposition, 
for  the  royalist  detachment  had  already  fled  to  Ca- 
mana.     The  patriots  entered  the  village  of  Quilca 
at  two  A.M.,  and  surprised  in  his  bed  the  curate,  a 
stanch  royalist,  who  was  till  then  uninformed  of  the 
sudden  retreat  of  his  friends.     At  daybreak  a  patriot 
advanced  guard,  posted  on  the  road  leading  to  Are- 
quipa,  made  prisoner  Don  N.  Aramburu,  a  native  of 
Spain,  who  had  been  despatched  by  the  merchants 
of  Arequipa,  to  arrange  with  the  commanding  officer 
of  the  Aurora  for  the  shipment  of  treasure.    He  was 
also  the  bearer  of  important  despatches  from  the  vice- 
roy La  Serna  to  the  minister  of  war  at  Madrid,  one 
of  which,  containing  his  excellency's  resignation,  we 
have  given  in   the  last  chapter.     The  intercepted 
correspondence  and  other  information  were  sent  to 
Alvarado  on  the  26th. 

Soon  after  sunset,  on  that  evening,  the  patriot 
party  marched,  and  arrived  at  Camana  by  daybreak 
on  the  27th.  They  were  well  received  by  the  in- 
habitants, who  stated  that  the  sub-delegate  Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel Piiiera  had,  about  three  hours  before, 
fled  with  eighty  men  across  the  river,  which  runs  a 


26  MAJES.  CHAP.  XVIII. 

mile  north  of  the  town,  and  that  he  had  destroyed 
the  balsas  to  impede  pursuit.  The  river  flows  in 
several  streams  through  a  very  wide  bed,  the  inter- 
vening banks  being  covered  with  tall  shrubs  ;  but 
although  fords  are  always  to  be  found,  excepting 
during  the  season  in  which  the  snow  melts  upon  the 
mountains,  yet  they  are  not  easily  hit  upon ;  the  height 
of  the  river  being  seldom  the  same  for  two  days  to- 
gether ;  and  the  mode  of  ferrying  across  by  balsas 
renders  fordable  places  of  less  importance.  Upon  a 
reward  being  offered  to  any  person  who  should  dis- 
cover one,  some  peasants  galloped  off.  Their  zeal 
was  further  stimulated  by  a  promise  that  their  cattle, 
carried  off  by  the  royalists,  should  be  restored  upon 
overtaking  the  runaways.  At  ten  A.M.  a  peasant 
returned  with  the  agreeable  intelligence  that  he  had 
been  successful.  Thirty  soldiers  and  as  many  pea- 
sants, all  well  mounted,  instantly  went  in  pursuit. 
They  found  the  royalists  sleeping  in  a  field  eight 
leagues  from  Camana,  on  the  road  to  Majes.  Twenty- 
five  of  them  were  made  prisoners,  together  with  the 
sub-delegate,  and  the  rest  dispersed.  Seventy  head 
of  oxen,  some  mules,  horses,  and  arms  were  taken. 

Miller  re-entered  Camana  on  a  Sunday  morning. 
Before  going  to  the  apartments  prepared  for  him  he 
attended  mass.  The  inhabitants,  upon  his  first  ar- 
rival, were  anxious  to  know  what  was  his  religion, 
and  this  little  circumstance  not  only  satisfied  their 
curiosity,  but  stamped  him  throughout  that  line  of 
country  as  "  a  good  Christian,"  which  important  dis- 
covery spread  rapidly  through  the  district. 

Camana  is  situated  in   a  semicircular  savannah, 


CHAP.  XVIII.  CAMANA.  27 

nearly  two  leagues  in  length  from  north  to  south, 
and  about  half  that  extent  at  its  widest  part  from  the 
sea-shore;  the  back  ground  being  formed  by  the 
lomas  or  downs,  which  produce  herbage  for  cattle  in 
consequence  of  being  moistened  by  the  garuas,  or 
heavy  mists,  that  prevail  during  the  greater  part  of 
the  year.  The  town  is  half  a  league  from  the  sea. 
There  is  a  tremendous  surf  on  the  bar  at  the  river's 
mouth,  and  no  nearer  place  of  embarkation  than  the 
caleta  of  Quilca. 

Camana  is  a  remarkable  instance  of  what  can  be 
effected  by  the  application  of  capital  in  the  hands  of 
an  individual  of  talent  and  perseverance.  Fifty-six 
years  before,  it  contained  only  half  a  dozen  huts, 
and  about  thirty  inhabitants,  who  drew  their  chief 
support  from  ferrying  travellers  and  goods  across  the 
river  on  balsas.  A  Spanish  gentleman,  named  Flores, 
who  had  lived  rather  extravagantly  in  Arequipa,  de- 
voted twenty  thousand  dollars,  being  part  of  the 
remnant  of  a  shattered  fortune,  to  the  digging  of 
large  azequias,  or  channels,  which  diverted  from  the 
river  a  quantity  of  water,  sufficient  to  give  fertility  to 
ground  that  now  supports  a  population  of  five  thou- 
sand souls,  and  which  might  be  made  capable  of  sup- 
porting ten  times  that  number.  Whoever  chose  to 
build  a  house  on  this  property  received  the  uncon- 
ditional present  of  a  moderate  portion  of  land. 

Flores  continued  to  live  in  an  expensive  style,  and 
when  he  died  bequeathed  ninety  thousand  dollars  to 
each  of  his  three  children  by  a  first  marriage,  and 
thirty  thousand  dollars  to  each  of  a  numerous  family 
by  a  second  wife,  who  is  still  alive,  and  in  the  enjoy- 


28  ANECDOTES.  CHAP.  XVIII. 

ment  of  a  very  fine  sugar  estate.  Another  estate, 
equally  valuable,  is  the  property  of  the  heir,  Colonel 
Don  Jose  Maria  Flores,  who  is  as  much  distinguished 
by  gentlemanly  manners,  liberal  sentiments,  and  use- 
ful talent,  as  he  is  for  opulence  and  hospitality.  A 
third  estate  is  occupied  by  a  junior  branch. 

Colonel  Flores  has  a  sister  who  is  so  very  deaf  as 
not  to  be  able  to  hear  the  loudest  thunder.  She 
understands  all  that  is  said  by  watching  the  motion  of 
the  lips  of  the  speaker.  In  addressing  her  it  is  not 
necessary  to  articulate  sounds,  and  this  was  proved  in 
the  presence  of  Miller,  upon  questions  which  he  pro- 
posed, and  to  which  she  gave  the  readiest  answers. 
The  family  affirm  that  she  can,  with  almost  equal 
facility,  understand  what  is  said  by  watching  the 
shadow  of  the  lips  on  a  wall.  She  is  married  to  a 
French  gentleman,  who,  from  his  not  speaking  the 
Spanish  language  fluently,  she  does  not  so  readily 
understand.  Their  children,  therefore,  often  perform 
the  office  of  interpreters,  although  none  appeared  to 
have  been  necessary  previous  to  their  tying  the  matri- 
monial knot. 

This  French  gentleman  had,  during  a  residence 
of  twenty-three  years  in  Peru,  forgotten  his  native 
language,  of  which  he  was  not  aware  until  he  visited 
a  French  ship  of  war,  which  anchored  off  Quilca  in 
1823.  Feeling  a  desire  to  become  acquainted  with 
his  countrymen,  he  loaded  a  boat  with  fresh  meat, 
poultry,  fruit,  and  vegetables,  and  went  offto  pay  his 
respects  to  the  commander.  On  arriving  on  board, 
he  unexpectedly  found  himself  at  a  loss  for  words, 
and,  although  he  understood  all  that  was  said  to  him, 


CHAP,  xvili.  ANECDOTES.  29 

he  was  unable  to  answer  in  French.  He  described  the 
effect  upon  his  own  mind  as  distressingly  mortifying  ; 
but  the  difficulty  lasted  no  longer  than  the  second  day. 

The  following  anecdote  does  not  belong  to  this 
place,  but  it  will  show  the  possibility  of  a  man  losing 
his  native  language  without  acquiring  any  other. 

A  lad  left  Milan  to  seek  his  fortune,  and  resided 
two  or  three  years  in  Paris.  He  passed  three  or  four 
years  in  England,  and  then  proceeded  to  Chile.  He 
expresses  himself  imperfectly  in  French,  English,  and 
Spanish,  but  says  he  has  altogether  lost  the  knowledge 
of  Italian.  He  is  an  honest,  obliging,  pains-taking 
man,  and  at  one  time  had  accumulated  several  thou- 
sand dollars,  which  he  subsequently  lost  at  play.  At 
the  time  he  related  his  story  he  was  owner  and  navi- 
gator of  a  coasting  vessel  of  fifty  tons  burden.  On 
beins;  asked  what  he  intended  to  do  if  he  made  a  se- 

o 

cond  fortune,  he  answered :  "  If  I  make  five  hundred 
pounds  a-year,  I  will  go  to  London,  and  live  like  a 
gentleman.  If  I  make  only  one  hundred  pounds  a- 
year,  I  must  go  to  my  own  country,  where  with  that 
I  can  live  like  an  Italian  prince." 

A  new  governor  was  named  for  the  province  of 
Camana,  and  the  patriot  commander  placed  himself 
in  communication  with  some  inhabitants  of  Arequipa, 
known  to  be  favourable  to  the  cause.  From  these 
sources  were  obtained  copies  of  official  returns  of  the 
disposable  force  of  Valdez,  and  information  that  Can- 
terac  had  detached  from  Puno,  ninety  leagues  north- 
east of  Camana,  to  oppose  Miller's  advance,  the  bat- 
talion of  Partidarios,  above  nine  hundred  strong, 
commanded  by  Lieutenant-Colonel  Cobos ;  a  squadron 


30  ROYALISTS  ADVANCE.          CHAP.  xvm. 

of  cavalry,  one  hundred  and  eighty  strong,  Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel Ferraz ;  and  two  field-pieces,  Colonel 
Cacho;  all  under  the  orders  of  General  Carratala. 
The  battalion  of  Cazadores,  six  hundred  strong, 
Colonel  Manzanedo,  was  at  the  same  time  ordered 
to  march  against  Miller  from  the  province  of  Pari- 
nacochas.  Thus  the  projected  diversion  completely 
succeeded;  for  nearly  two  thousand  royalists  were 
drawn  from  distant  points,  and  prevented  from  acting 
against  Alvarado  at  Torata  and  Moquegua. 

Miller  left  Camana  on  the  30th  of  December, 
accompanied  by  fourteen  soldiers,  and  crossed  the 
desert  of  Siguas,  a  valley  eighteen  leagues  on  the  road 
to  Arequipa,  to  reconnoitre.  At  Siguas,  the  royalist 
Captain  Urdiminea,  who  had  been  sent  from  Are- 
quipa to  learn  what  troops  had  landed  at  Quilca,  was 
made  prisoner  by  the  inhabitants,  instigated  by  the 
distinguished  patriot  Colonel  Romero,  a  highly  re- 
spectable proprietor  in  the  valley,  and  who  now  joined 
Miller  with  heart  and  hand.  Urdiminea  confirmed 
the  intelligence  of  Carratala's  advance,  and  gave 
reason  to  suppose  that  the  general  was  already  at 
Arequipa,  through  which  city  he  was  described  as 
likely  to  pass  without  halting,  that  he  might  the 
sooner  pay  his  respects  to  the  patriots. 

Miller's  force  being  so  inferior  in  numbers,  he  had 
recourse  to  stratagem.  He  wrote  to  the  governor  of 
Arequipa,  intimating  that  the  independent  troops 
were  advancing,  and  would,  shortly  after  his  excel- 
lency received  that  communication,  enter  the  city; 
that  he  considered  it  a  duty,  as  it  was  hoped  the  go- 
vernor of  Arequipa  would  consider  it  his,  to  prevent 


CHAP,  xvill.  HUSE  DE  GUERRE.  31 

any  popular  commotion  on  the  sudden  change  of 
authorities;  and  that  if  the  latter  chose  to  leave  a 
piquet  for  the  protection  of  private  property,  and  the 
maintenance  of  order,  that  that  piquet  should  be 
allowed  to  depart  unmolested  in  any  direction  the 
governor  might  be  pleased  to  point  out.  This  ruse 
de  guerre  succeeded,  for  the  royalists  were  fully  per- 
suaded that  Miller's  force  was  very  considerable. 
The  bishop  and  other  adherents  to  the  king  began  to 
pack  up  their  valuables  preparatory  to  flight.  The 
hire  of  a  baggage-mule  to  Cuzco  rose  suddenly  from 
six  to  sixty  dollars.  The  summons  was  sent  by  a 
peasant,  who  had  served  as  guide  to  the  prisoner 
Urdiminea,  and  who,  upon  being  taken,  had  been 
ordered  to  prepare  for  the  punishment  due  to  a  spy. 
It  was  contrived  that  this  peasant  should  be  confined 
where  he  could  overhear  orders  given  for  the  en- 
campment of  troops  reported  every  half  hour  to  have 
arrived.  When  the  desired  impression  was  made,  a 
pardon  was  offered  to  him,  on  condition  that  he  should 
deliver  a  letter  to  the  governor  of  Arequipa,  to  which 
he  readily  consented.  He  was  charged  to  tell  the 
royalists  that  the  independents  were  only  few  in 
number,  and  to  say  that  he  was  not  at  liberty  to 
divulge,  even  to  the  best  patriots,  that  Miller  had 
a  force  exceeding  four  hundred  men,  because  his 
secret  object  was  to  take  the  royalists  by  surprise. 
The  soldiers,  together  with  some  natives  of  the  valley, 
were  placed  in  conspicuous  situations,  keeping  up 
blazing  fires.  The  liberated  guide  placed  the  packet 
in  his  hat,  and  galloped  off.  At  dusk  of  the  same 
evening  Miller  set  out  for  the  valley  of  Vitor,  eight 


VITOR.  CHAP.  XVIII. 


leagues  in  advance,  accompanied  by  two  chosen  soldiers, 
a  bugleman,  three  peasants,  and  an  old  black  servant, 
each  individual  leading  a  spare  horse.  They  galloped 
across  the  sandy  desert,  guided  by  the  wind,  which 
always  blows  in  the  same  direction.     Miller's  object 
was  to  pick  up  a  prisoner  or  two  from  the  Spanish 
advanced  post  of  seventeen  men  at  Vitor  j  but  the 
terrified  bearer  of  the  summons,  on  his  way  to  Are- 
quipa  in  the  morning,  having  declared  to  the  com- 
manding officer  (Captain  Reyes)  that  he  had  seen 
with  his  own  eyes  eight  hundred  mounted  patriots  at 
Siguas,  the  prudent  officer  retired  with  his  men.  Upon 
Miller's  arriving  at  midnight  at  the  bold  line  of  sand- 
hills which  overlooks  and  encloses  the  long  valley  of 
Vitor,  an  advanced  party  of  unarmed  Indians  were 
taken  half  way  down  the  descent.     They  informed 
Miller  that  the  party  of  Reyes  had  decamped,  but 
that  another  royalist  officer  and  ten  dragoons  had 
just  descended  the  hill,  and  might  be  then  crossing 
the  river,  to  which  they  immediately  became  guides  ; 
but  the  flood  had  so  increased,  that  it  was  found  to 
be  impassable. 

The  patriot  party  then  directed  its  course  up  the 
valley,  and  looked  about  among  the  straggling  cot- 
tages. On  entering  one  that  had  a  patio,  or  inner 
court,  Miller  saw  a  negress,  and  asked  her  if  the 
royalists  were  there.  Misunderstanding  the  question, 
she  answered  "  Si,  seilor,"  and  pointed  to  a  room. 
He  gave  a  whistle,  and  his  men  in  the  rear  rushed 
in.  Miller's  black  servant  caught  hold  of  a  man  in 
bed  by  the  throat,  and  flourished  a  long  knife  over 
his  head.  This  was  the  alcalde  of  the  valley,  who, 


CHAP.  XVIII. 


VIT01J.  33 


awaking  from  his  sleep,  thought  himself  assailed  by 
banditti,  and  roared  lustily  for  mercy.  Upon  being 
apprised  of  their  intentions,  the  affrighted  alcalde 
dressed  himself;  got  upon  one  of  his  own  horses, 
and  acted  as  guide  in  the  further  search.  On  pro- 
ceeding up  the  valley,  the  party  came  suddenly  upon 
a  mounted  sentinel.  He  was  immediately  secured  j 
arid,  upon  entering  a  hut,  they  found  the  royalist 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Vidal  drying  his  clothes  by  a 
fire,  having  been  completely  soaked  in  an  attempt  to 
ford  the  river.  Five  of  his  men  were  taken,  but 
afterwards  permitted  to  escape,  as  the  others  had 
been.  Their  horses  and  arms  were  however  secured. 

The  alcalde  was  ordered  to  provide  forage  for  five 
hundred  horses,  and  he  was  compelled  to  write  a 
letter,  dictated  by  Miller,  apprising  the  governor 
of  Arequipa  of  the  unexpected  appearance  of  the 
"  insurgents.  "Lieutenant-Colonel  Vidal  was  allowed 
to  profit  by  the  same  opportunity  to  send  to  his 
friends  for  supplies  of  clothing  and  money.  He  con- 
firmed the  report  made  by  the  alcalde.  Both  be- 
lieved the  patriots  were  in  considerable  numbers,  for 
the  bugleman  was  kept  on  the  alert  all  night  sound- 
ing in  different  parts  of  the  valley. 

Vidal  and  Miller  lay  down  together  on  the  floor, 
and  rested  their  heads  on  the  same  pillow  (*.  e.  a 
saddle)  till  daybreak. 

The  forage  cut  in  the  course  of  the  night  was 
ordered  to  be  conveyed  up  to  the  sand-hills,  on  the 
Siguas  side  of  the  valley,  where  the  alcalde  was  made 
to  believe  the  patriots  were  placed  in  ambuscade. 

VOL.  II.  D 


34  COLONEL  FLORES.  CHAP.  XVIII. 

% 

At  ten  A.  M.  Miller  retired  to  Quilca,  where  he 
arrived  on  the  4th. 

Carratala,  on  the  night  of  the  2d,  entered  Arequipa, 
where  he  halted  for  an  hour  only.  Upon  arriving  at 
Vitor,  he  was  some  time  before  he  could  be  induced 
to  venture  into  the  valley ;  because,  from  the  confused 
information  acquired  from  the  alcalde,  he  was  fearful 
of  falling  into  an  ambuscade. 

In  the  meantime  Miller  proceeded  to  Ocona, 
where  he  arrived  on  the  6'th  of  January.  The  balsas 
in  use  on  the  river  Camana,  as  far  up  as  Majes,  and 
those  at  Chorungas  were  destroyed.  The  bull-hides 
belonging  to  the  balsas  of  Camana  were  taken  away, 
after  being  rendered  portable  by  letting  out  the 
wind.  By  these  measures  Carratala  was  deprived 
of  the  means  of  passing  the  river.  Colonel  Flores 
had  agreed  with  Miller  that  he  would  volunteer  to 
Carratalil  to  make  new  balsas,  but  promised  that  he 
would  delay  the  completion  of  the  operation  for 
two  days,  which  he  lengthened  out  to  three,  during 
which  time  he  gave  Miller  daily  advices  by  means 
of  his  major  domo,  who  swam  his  horse  across  the 
river  every  night.  Flores  was  a  sincere  patriot ;  and, 
like  many  others  on  the  coast  of  the  Puertos  Inter- 
medios,  rendered  Miller  important  services,  which 
were  frequently  attended  with  considerable  risk.  But 
being  never  encouraged  to  compromise  themselves 
unnecessarily,  they,  in  most  cases,  made  their  peace 
with  the  royalists  when  Miller  could  no  longer  afford 
them  protection. 

Miller  despatched   communications  from  Ocona 


CHAP,  xviil.  OCONA.  35 

over-land  to  Lima  on  the  6th,  it  being  easy  for  a 
messenger  to  avoid  lea,  the  only  royalist  garrison 
between  Ocona  and  the  capital. 

Miller  calculated  that  the  cautious  Carratal&  could 
not  reach  Ocona  in  less  than  four  days,  on  account 
of  the  length  and  difficulties  of  intervening  deserts. 
He  therefore  determined  upon  reconnoitring  Cara- 
beli,  a  town  thirty  leagues  north-east  of  Ocona,  to 
ascertain  the  truth  or  falsehood  of  reports  that 
Colonel  Manzanedo  intended  to  advance  from  Pa- 
rinacochas. 

At  ten  P.  M.  on  the  6th  of  January,  Miller,  ac- 
companied by  fifteen  men,  and  half  a  dozen  peasants 
as  guides,  set  out.  Major  Lyra,  left  in  command  at 
Ocoiia,  was  somewhat  prone  to  believe  in  alarming 
reports  j  and  no  sooner  was  he  left  by  himself  than 
he  was  made  uneasy.  Miller  had  not  proceeded 
more  than  four  leagues  over  a  very  rugged  road, 
when  an  express,  from  Lyra,  overtook  him,  to  beg 
that  he  would  immediately  return,  as  the  enemy  had 
crossed  the  river  of  Camana,  and  were  fast  ap- 
proaching Ocona.  He  disbelieved  the  information, 
and  would  not  allow  his  party  to  halt,  but  rode  back 
himself  to  prevent  Lyra  retiring  to  the  little  port 
called  the  Planchada,  five  leagues  north  of  Ocona, 
and  where  the  Protector  had  been  ordered  to  come 
to  an  anchor.  When  Miller  got  within  a  mile  of 
Ocona  he  received  a  second  report,  stating  that  the 
first  originated  in  a  false  alarm.  It  seems  that  a  black 
vagabond,  influenced  by  the  hope  of  some  reward, 
imposed  upon  Lyra.  Miller,  having  ascertained  that  all 
was  safe,  turned,  without  entering  Ocoiia ;  but,  before 


36  MURDERER  SHOT.  CHAP.  xvm. 

he  resumed  his  journey,  he  wrote  on  a  slip  of  paper  that 
the  black,  whose  bad  character  was  well  known,  should 
be  summarily  examined,  and,  if  found  guilty,  be  imme- 
diately shot.  The  sentence  was  carried  into  execution 
the  next  morning;  an  act  of  severity  which  gave  uni- 
versal satisfaction  to  the  inhabitants  of  an  extensive 
district.  This  wretch  had  killed  a  priest,  and  was 
said  to  have  committed  six  other  murders.  He  had 
escaped  twice  from  capilla  (the  condemned  cell). 
The  assassin  had  secured  a  frightful  impunity  by 
murdering,  or  threatening  to  murder,  those  who  had, 
in  the  early  part  of  his  career,  appeared  to  bear  wit- 
ness to  his  guilt.  To  offend  him  was  considered  as 
courting  destruction,  and  nobody  of  late  had  been 
bold  enough  to  give  evidence  against  him.  Besides 
this,  so  defective  and  corrupt  was  the  administration 
of  justice  under  the  Spanish  rule,  that  the  vilest  cri- 
minal, with  money,  found  few  difficulties  in  evading 
punishment.  One  of  the  guides,  at  that  time  with 
Miller,  had  concealed  himself  for  several  weeks 
in  the  valley  of  Majes,  to  avoid  the  poniard  of  the 
murderer.  His  death  was,  therefore,  spoken  of  as 
a  public  benefit,  and  produced  for  the  patriots  many 
advantages,  besides  discouraging  others  from  giving 
false  intelligence. 

At  midnight,  on  the  7th,  Miller  entered  Carabeli. 
The  Spanish  authorities  were  displaced,  and  patriot 
successors  named ;  decrees  were  published ;  despatches 
sent  off'  to  Lima,  and  various  arrangements  made. 
About  noon  of  the  8th,  Miller,  nearly  overcome  by 
the  fatigues  of  a  long  ride,  and  from  continual  mental 
exertion,  threw  himself  on  a  bench  covered  with  a 


CHAP,  xvili.  OCONA.  37 

rug,  to  snatch  a  few  hours*  rest.  But  before  he  could 
close  his  eyes,  which  were  swollen  and  inflamed  by 
the  effects  of  a  scorching  sun,  want  of  sleep,  and  ex- 
treme bodily  exhaustion,  a  third  unwelcome  express 
arrived,  with  information  that  the  royalists  were  ad- 
vancing, that  Lyra  had  determined  to  retire  to  the 
Planchada,  and  that  he  recommended  the  colonel  to 
make  the  best  of  his  way  to  the  same  place,  by  the 
nearest  road,  and  without  re-entering  Ocona.  The 
anxiety  which  this  new  alarm  created  induced  Miller 
to  order  his  escort  to  proceed  direct  to  the  Planchada, 
and,  at  the  same  time,  to  shape  his  own  course,  con- 
trary to  Lyra's  advice,  straight  to  Ocona.  In  his 
exhausted  state,  it  was  not  without  some  difficulty 
that  he  again  got  on  horseback.  The  reflections 
which  obtruded  on  his  mind  did  not  diminish  the 
perplexities  of  this  harassing  ride.  Besides  the  com- 
mon chances  of  having  his  retreat  cut  off,  there  were 
other  feelings  which  incited  him  to  press  on,  in  spite 
of  the  intimations  of  wearied  nature.  He  had  sepa- 
rated from  General  Alvarado  in  an  uncordial  manner. 
He  had  not  been  allowed  to  proceed  from  Arica  to 
Tarapaca,  and  operate  according  to  his  own  plans; 
but  was  sent  where  the  probabilities  of  success  were 
but  few.  He  was  well  aware  that  slender  allowances 
would  be  made  for  the  failure  of  a  junior  officer,  and 
a  reverse,  from  whatever  cause,  might  seriously  affect 
his  reputation.  Miller,  however,  was  determined  not 
to  shrink  from  responsibility,  but  to  act  with  a  de- 
cision proportioned  to  the  emergency.  He  felt  his 
spirits  rise  as  his  difficulties  increased ;  yet  unpleasing 
apprehensions  would  now  and  then  intrude.  He  was 

<D   4  <J  3  •* 


38  OCONA.  CHAP,  xvill. 

afraid  that  the  party  left  at  Ocona  might  be  attacked 
by  a  superior  force,  and  be  not  only  beaten,  but  an- 
nihilated. With  a  mind  thus  occupied  by  restless 
forebodings,  Miller  pursued  his  way  across  the  desert, 
nearly  one  hundred  miles  in  breadth,  sleep  not  having 
visited  his  weary  eyelids  since  he  left  Ocona.  He 
however  observed,  with  much  satisfaction,  that  a 
storm  was  breaking  upon  the  lofty  summits  of  the 
Andes.  The  lightning  played  vividly  upon  their 
towering  pinnacles;  he  heard  the  distant  thunder 
rumbling  and  re-echoing ;  and  though  upon  the  spot 
he  was  then  standing  rain  had  never  fallen,  he  ob- 
served it  descending  in  torrents  on  the  mountain 
sides.  This  inspired  the  hope  that  the  river  of  Ocona 
would  become  swollen,  and  impassable  to  the  royal- 
ists. For  several  leagues  he  kept  himself  awake  by 
lashing  his  back  with  the  bridle  reins,  and  by  rub- 
bing his  eyes  with  his  own  saliva;  but  at  length 
nature  gave  way  to  an  overpowering  drowsiness, 
which  caused  him  to  drop  from  his  saddle  on  the 
sand.  Twisting  the  bridle  round  his  arm,  he  fell 
into  a  sleep  which  kings  might  envy.  At  dawn  he 
was  roused  by  his  guide,  and,  resuming  his  journey, 
reached  the  vicinity  of  Ocona  on  the  9th. 

He  now  found  two  of  his  men  perched  upon  an 
eminence,  to  watch  the  approach  of  the  expected 
enemy,  and  that  Major  Lyra  had  retired  with  the 
remainder  of  the  detachment  to  the  port.  Miller 
ordered  six  soldiers  and  two  bugles  to  return  to 
Ocona.  He  laid  himself  down  on  a  high  hill  over- 
looking the  valley,  to  await  their  arrival;  but  he 
could  not  go  to  sleep.  All  danger  was  over,  and  the 


CHAP,  xvill.  PLANCHADA.  39 

excitement  had  ceased ;  but,  although  his  mind  was 
now  at  ease,  his  nerves  remained  in  a  state  of  agi- 
tation that  effectually  prevented  repose.  When  the 
party  arrived  from  the  Planchada,  Miller  descended 
to  the  village,  and  having  placed  his  men  on  the  right 
bank  of  the  river,  he  returned  to  Ocoila.  The  in- 
habitants had  been  kindly  treated  by  the  soldiery, 
and  were  stanch  supporters.  The  ferrymen  had 
been  punctually  paid  for  previous  services,  and  were 
particularly  enthusiastic  :  they  even  applied  for  arms, 
and  implored  the  patriot  commander  not  to  abandon 
them  to  their  vindictive  and  implacable  oppressors ; 
but  the  royalists  were  coming  on,  greatly  superior  in 
numbers,  with  artillery  as  well  as  cavalry,  and  it 
would  have  been  sacrificing  his  men  uselessly  to  have 
made  a  stand.  In  refusing  their  request,  the  in- 
habitants were  counselled  to  bend  like  the  reed  to 
the  storm.  Having  made  every  arrangement,  Miller 
took  up  his  quarters  in  the  house  of  the  family  of 
the  Salazars,  who,  although  attached  to  the  royalist 
cause,  were  personally  his  firm  friends.  They 
had  no  spare  bed,  but  they  spread  a  rug  on  a  long 
table,  upon  which  Miller  lay  down.  The  interesting 
daughters  brought  him  pillows,  handed  him  mate 
and  other  refreshments,  till  at  length  he  sunk  into 
a  profound  sleep,  from  which  he  did  not  awake  until 
the  following  morning,  when  he  was  aroused  by  in- 
telligence that  the  royalists  had  appeared.  The 
patriot  videttes,  placed  at  distances  behind  mounds 
of  earth  covered  with  brushwood,  kept  up  a  brisk 
fire  whenever  the  enemy  approached  the  river  to 
discover  a  ford.  The  patriot  bugles  were  not  idle, 


40  CARRATALA  RETIRES.  CHAP.  XVIII. 

and  Carratala  supposing  his  opponents  to  be  in  force, 
did  not  effect  his  passage  until  the  following  morning, 
by  which  time  the  independents  were  all  safe  on 
board  ship.  In  the  evening  of  the  llth,  a  detach- 
ment commanded  by  the  royalist  Colonel  San  Juan- 
geno  appeared  at  the  Planchada.  The  Protector 
transport  made  sail  for  the  caleta  of  Atico,  twenty- 
five  leagues  to  the  north.  Miller  landed  there  on 
the  12th  of  January.  On  the  loth  he  ascertained 
that  Carratala  had  received  orders  to  countermarch 
with  all  possible  speed,  to  re-incorporate  his  division 
with  Canterac's  army,  then  advancing  from  Puno 
against  Alvarado.  A  few  men  were  immediately  sent 
over-land  from  Atico  to  retake  possession  of  Ocoiia, 
and  to  act  in  concert  with  the  patriotic  inhabitants 
of  that  valley. 

Carratala,  who  had  marched  from  Puno  with  up- 
wards of  1000  men,  entered  Ocona  with  only  600. 
Many  of  his  men  had  died,  and  many  more,  being 
incapacitated  by  sickness  from  continuing  their  most 
harassing  march,  were  left  at  Camana,  Siguas,  &c. 
The  grapes  and  other  fruits  being  ripe,  were  greedily 
devoured  by  the  mountaineers,  and  produced  very 
fatal  effects. 

On  the  16th  January  a  small  detachment  was  sent 
to  Carabeli  from  Atico,  and  on  the  18th  Miller  sailed 
in  the  brig  for  the  port  of  Chala,  in  consequence  of 
communications  received  from  Don  Mariano  Bejer- 
rano,  the  curate  of  that  place,  informing  him  of  the 
movements  of  Colonel  Manzanedo,  whom,  from  his 
apparent  timidity,  it  was  supposed  an  easy  matter  to 
frighten  into  the  interior,  or,  at  all  events,  to  prevent 


CHAP.  xvin.  THE  PORT  OF  CHALA.  41 

his  undertaking  offensive  operations  until  Miller 
should  receive  reinforcements. 

The  schooner  Olmedo,  which  had  joined  Miller 
with  spare  arms,  remained  at  Atico  in  attendance 
upon  the  parties  sent  to  Carabeli  and  Ocona.  It 
was  not  judged  prudent  to  distribute  the  arms  to  the 
inhabitants,  as  the  royalists  were  so  near  at  hand, 
and  in  such  superior  force. 

At  midnight  on  the  19th,  the  brig  Protector  en- 
tered Chala.  She  was  the  first  vessel  ever  known  to 
have  anchored  there.  This  small  port  is  thirty  leagues 
north  of  Atico.  The  curate,  in  the  description  he 
had  given  of  it,  had  forgotten  to  point  out  some 
dangerous  sunken  rocks.  The  night  being  very  dark, 
the  brig  anchored  so  near  to  them  that  it  was  in  great 
danger,  until,  daylight  appearing,  the  transport  was 
warped  to  a  safer  berth.  Miller,  with  an  officer  and 
two  or  three  men,  then  landed.  They  were  met  on 
the  beach  by  the  patriotic  and  worthy  curate.  Two 
soldiers,  and  half  a  dozen  villagers  well  mounted, 
were  immediately  sent  in  pursuit  of  a  well  known 
royalist,  living  at  Yauca,  nine  leagues  north  of  the 
port.  They  succeeded  in  getting  hold  of  him,  and 
brought  him  back  to  Chala. 

Manzanedo  was  in  the  vicinity  of  Chumpi,  two  days' 
march  from  Chala,  with  his  battalion.  The  sub- 
delegate  of  San  Juan  de  Lucanas,  with  a  detachment 
of  sixty  men,  was  advancing  upon  Acari.  Both  had 
orders  to  drive  the  troublesome  insurgents  into  the 
sea.  Miller's  object  was  to  retain  possession  of  as 
much  of  the  coast  as  he  could,  until  he  should  learn 
the  result  of  the  battle  which  had  become  inevitable 


42  STRATEGY.  CHAP,  xvill. 

between  Canterac  and  Alvarado.  To  effect  this,  many 
stratagems  were  employed.  The  royalist  brought 
from  Yauca  was  made  to  write  a  letter  to  Manzanedo, 
reporting  that  the  black  battalion  of  Chile,  No.  4, 
had  landed  on  the  coast,  and  giving  the  communi- 
cation an  air  of  genuineness  by  speaking  of"  el  Ingles 
Miller"  in  about  the  same  manner  as  the  royalists 
were  accustomed  to  do.  This  was  sent  in  a  manner 
so  as  not  to  leave  the  least  doubt  in  Manzanedo's 
mind  as  to  the  accuracy  of  the  information. 

Reports  were  constantly  circulated  of  reinforce- 
ments having  landed  on  some  part  or  another  of  the 
coast.  Every  vessel  that  appeared  in  sight,  or  was 
pretended  to  have  been  seen,  at  the  setting  of  the 
sun,  produced  an  ostentatious  order  to  light  fires  on 
the  hills ;  to  place  peasantry  on  the  shore  ;  and  to 
take  other  bustling  measures,  until  not  the  shadow 
of  a  doubt  remained  on  the  public  mind  that  the 
patriot  detachment  was  perfectly  at  ease,  and  upon 
the  point  of  making  a  serious  attack.  The  patriot 
soldiers  themselves  were  almost  equally  deceived, 
and  spoke  with  the  utmost  sincerity  of  expected 
succours,  which  existed  only  in  the  imagination  of 
their  commander.  Communications  from  Canterac 
to  Manzanedo  had  been  intercepted  by  the  party  at 
Ocoila.  The  originals  were  kept,  and  others  coun- 
terfeited, and  sent  in  their  stead.  Other  letters  were 
written  in  cipher,  or  in  a  mysterious  style,  for  the 
express  purpose  of  being  intercepted,  and  which  made 
Manzanedo  doubt  the  fidelity  of  his  own  officers. 
Cordova  and  Rodriguez,  two  distinguished  and  in- 
fluential priests,  were  particularly  useful  in  the  exe- 


CHAP,  xvill.  STRATEGY.  43 

cution  of  these  stratagems.  Cordova  willingly  acted 
as  secretary.  He  accompanied  Miller  in  his  excur- 
sions, and  from  his  acquaintance  with  all  parties,  and 
the  high  estimation  in  which  he  was  held,  was  enabled 
to  render  essential  services.  He  was  of  a  jovial  turn ; 
and  often,  when  half  the  night  had  been  consumed 
in  despatching  letters  in  various  directions,  he  and 
Miller  would  pass  the  remainder  in  hearty  laughs  at 
the  strangeness  of  their  productions,  and  in  specu- 
lating with  great  glee  upon  the  probable  results. 
Daylight  sometimes  warned  them  to  throw  aside  the 
cigar,  and  to  seek  their  hammocks  for  a  few  hours' 
repose.  A  flag  of  truce  was,  on  some  frivolous  pre- 
tence, sent  to  Maiizanedo.  An  officer  and  three 
negro  soldiers  upon  this  occasion  wore  the  cockade 
of  Chile.  Miller  availed  himself  of  the  opportunity 
to  send  an  open  letter  to  his  friend  Loriga.  He 
wrote  a  great  deal  of  nonsense,  and  told  the  royalist 
general  that  he  knew  the  road  to  Cuzco,  and  hoped 
shortly  to  meet  him  there.  The  compliments  of 
Colonel  Sanchez  were  added  in  a  postscript,  whom 
Loriga  knew  no  more  of  than  that  he  commanded 
the  battalion,  No.  4,  of  Chile.  When  Manzanedo's 
answer  arrived,  it  was  managed  that  the  bearer 
should  be  received  where  the  little  band  of  patriots 
appeared  to  be  an  advanced  guard.  Fires  were 
kindled  at  night ;  and,  by  the  bustle,  it  might  easily 
be  imagined  that  the  troops  were  numerous.  Amongst 
other  tricks,  a  soldier  was  sent  in  great  haste  to  the 
house  where  the  royalist  officer  was  quartered,  to 
borrow  a  xeringa  for  Colonel  Sanchez,  who  it  was 
pretended  had  been  taken  with  a  surfeit,  but  who  in 


44  STRATEGY.  CHAP,  xvill. 

reality  was  with  Alvarado,  seventy  leagues  off.  A 
great  bustle  was  made  in  rousing  the  hostess.  Miller 
entered  the  house  soon  afterwards,  and  expressed,  in 
a  conversational  tone,  his  fears  that  the  remedy  would 
not  be  administered  in  time  to  preserve  the  life  of 
poor  Sanchez. 

The  royalist  officer  was  civilly  dismissed  on  the  next 
morning,  when  it  was  contrived  that  the  blacks  who 
had  accompanied  the  flag  of  truce  should  be  placed 
in  his  way.  Some  other  negroes  in  the  fatigue  dress 
of  the  legion  were  dispersed  about  in  a  manner  to 
make  him  believe  they  belonged  to  another  regiment. 
The  royalist  officer  said,  upon  going  away,  to  his 
hostess,  "It  is  all  very  well  for  Miller  to  have  a 
couple  of  battalions ;  but  we  have  a  couple,  as  well 
as  he."  Half  a  mile  on  his  road,  he  saw  officers 
galloping  about,  and  bawling  after  men  purposely 
scattered  about,  ordering  them  to  their  encampment 
in  the  rear.  Manzanedo  retreated  from  Chumpi  to 
Pausa,  a  distance  of  fourteen  leagues  :  he  afterwards 
advanced  three  times  upon  the  patriots,  but  as  often 
retreated.  Half  a  dozen  veterans,  and  a  montonero 
party,  several  of  which  had  been  lately  organized, 
were  quite  sufficient  to  make  him  retrograde,  because 
he  thought  them  the  advance  of  a  larger  force. 

In  these  operations  he  lost  so  many  men,  by  deser- 
tion and  sickness,  that  his  battalion  was  soon  reduced 
from  six  hundred  to  three  hundred  and  fifty  men. 

The  inhabitants  became,  like  those  more  to  the 
south,  stanch  partisans  of  Miller.  By  their  fidelity 
he  was  enabled  to  conceal  the  smallness  of  his  force, 
and  it  appears  that  the  enemy  seldom  calculated  it 


CHAP.  XVIII.  STRATEGY.  45 

below  two  thousand.  By  the  cheerful  assistance  of 
the  natives  in  furnishing  means  to  mount  his  party, 
he  was  enabled  to  move  with  such  rapidity,  that 
when  the  royalists  heard  of  him,  it  was  often  by  some 
sudden  attack  in  a  quarter  wholly  unforeseen  or  un- 
expected. 

Miller  had  never  occasion  to  adopt  measures  of 
severity  ;  yet,  in  an  extensive  population,  there  would 
necessarily  be  a  few  with  a  bias  towards  the  old 
regime.  The  curate  of  Carabeli  and  another  active 
partisan  of  the  royalists  were  sent  on  board  the  Pro- 
tector, with  orders  to  the  master,  Captain  Nesen,  to 
set  them  on  shore  again  the  moment  they  began  to 
recover  from  sea-sickness.  The  constant  swell  on 
that  coast  rendered  the  brig  a  perfect  purgatory  to 
these  timid  landsmen,  who  ever  after  spoke  of  the 
punishment  as  worse  than  a  thousand  deaths.  The 
mere  threat  of  sending  any  body  afloat  was  enough 
to  make  a  whole  village  tremble. 

The  brave  and  persevering  montonero  chiefs,  Ca- 
staiieda  and  Abarca,  with  their  followers,  were  very 
useful  to  Miller,  under  whose  orders  they  placed 
themselves.  Both  were  afterwards  killed  fighting 
against  the  oppressors  of  their  country. 

At  length  positive  information  reached  Miller  of 
the  defeat  of  General  Alvarado  at  Torata  and  Mo- 
quegua  ;  upon  which  he  determined  to  collect  several 
hundred  head  of  oxen,  horses,  and  mules,  from  the 
many  thousands  which  were  grazing  upon  the  Lomas 
of  Atiquipa,  and  to  make  good  his  retreat  to  Lima. 
He  therefore  sent  a  messenger  to  Colonel  Brandsen, 
then  at  Caiiete  with  eight  hundred  cavalry,  to  request 


46  THE  PORT  OF  LOMAS.  CHAP.  XVIII. 

him  to  advance  against  the  royalist  Colonel  Barran- 
dalla,  who  with  about  four  hundred  men  occupied  lea, 
the  only  intervening  royalist  station  between  them. 

In  order  to  co-operate  with  Brandsen,  Miller  de- 
tached a  small  party  under  Captain  Valdivia  to  Palpa, 
where  the  royalist  Colonel  Olachea,  with  a  few  re- 
gulars and  fifty  militia,  were  put  to  flight,  with  some 
loss  in  prisoners,  who  were  sent  to  Acari.  Ensign 
Quiroga,  a  lad  of  fourteen,  was  remarkable  for  his 
steady  and  soldier-like  conduct. 

Valdivia's  advance  caused  Barrandalla  to  march 
with  his  division  to  Palpa  :  but  the  patriots  having 
retired  to  Acari,  he  returned  to  his  former  canton- 
ments, being  also  apprehensive  of  an  attack  from 
Colonel  Brandsen.  Miller  remained  at  Acari  for  some 
time,  in  the  expectation  that  Brandsen  would  effect 
the  desired  movement.  The  latter,  however,  did  not 
advance  beyond  Pisco,  although  the  minister  of  war 
had  assured  Miller  that  Brandsen  should  be  positively 
ordered  to  occupy  lea.  The  reverses  of  Alvarado 
seemed  to  have  paralyzed  the  junta  gubernativa  in 
Lima.  The  army  under  Arenales  had  not  moved 
twenty  leagues  from  the  capital,  and  was  diminishing 
daily,  in  consequence  of  having  been  so  long  kept 
inactive. 

At  this  juncture  Miller  was  disabled  by  an  attack 
of  mal  de  ansias,  a  species  of  cholera  morbus.  He 
was  carried,  in  a  litter,  across  the  desert  seven  leagues, 
to  the  port  of  Lomas,  where  the  zealous  Captain 
Nesen  was  waiting  with  the  Protector.  He  was 
hoisted  on  board  more  dead  than  alive.  The  dread- 
ful disorder  came  on  every  other  day,  and  continued 


CHAP.  XVIII.  INSUBORDINATION.  47 

in  paroxysms  of  fourteen  or  fifteen  hours,  for  the 
space  of  ten  days.  Cold  water  was  the  only  remedy 
administered.  The  complaint  is  common  on  that 
part  of  the  coast ;  but,  although  excruciatingly  vio- 
lent, not  more  than  one  out  of  three  or  four  fall 
victims  to  it.  The  invalid  was  soon  so  much  reduced 
that  he  spoke  with  difficulty.  His  friend  Dr.  Cor- 
dova (now  dean  of  Arequipa)  lay  ill  of  the  ague. 
Both  were  cooped  up  in  the  state  cabin  (if  so  it  might 
be  called)  of  the  brig,  and  neither  could  move  from 
his  berth. 

After  having  been  on  board  a  week,  and  there 
being  no  longer  any  hope  of  receiving  reinforce- 
ments, or  of  the  few  Spaniards  at  lea  being  driven 
to  the  interior,  Miller  gave  an  order  for  his  company 
to  embark.  In  the  execution  of  this  a  difficulty 
occurred,  which  it  may  be  worth  while  to  describe,  as 
it  will  illustrate  the  character  of  his  soldiers.  The 
captain,  an  intelligent  officer,  was  unpopular  from 
peevishness  of  manners,  and  the  order,  conveyed 
through  him,  was  disbelieved.  There  had  been  so 
much  of  adventure  in  this  little  service,  that  a  spirit 
of  enterprise  animated  every  man  ;  and  their  excellent 
behaviour  had  secured  such  kind  treatment  from  the 
inhabitants,  that  the  men  were  unwilling  to  quit  a 
place  where  they  had  enjoyed  so  much  comfort. 
Seven  stole  away  to  Nasca,  to  levy  contributions  upon 
the  wealthy  royalist  inhabitants.  Captain  Valdivia, 
a  brave  officer,  and  much  beloved,  was  sent  to  bring 
them  back.  A  ride  of  fourteen  hours  brought  him 
to  Nasca,  shortly  after  the  arrival  of  the  runaways, 
who  had  already  begun  to  collect  contributions. 


48  RINGLEADER  EXECUTED.          CHAP.  xvin. 

When  Valdivia  approached,  one  of  them  levelled  his 
musket  at  him.  Valdivia  coolly  said,  "  Fire  away  ; 
but  it  is  of  no  use :  you  are  all  my  prisoners,  and 
must  go  with  me,  by  order  of  the  colonel."  He  had 
the  address  to  gain  over  five,  and  to  handcuff  the 
ringleader  and  another.  In  the  meanwhile,  Captain 
Allende  with  some  difficulty  persuaded  the  rest  of 
the  company  to  follow  him  from  Acari  to  the  place 
of  embarkation  ;  but  they,  still  disbelieving  that  the 
order  had  emanated  from  the  colonel,  displayed  a 
mutinous  spirit,  grounded  their  arms,  and  refused  to 
step  into  the  boats,  until  they  saw  their  colonel,  who 
caused  himself  to  be  put  on  shore.  Upon  landing, 
he  ordered  Allende  to  point  out  the  most  refractory. 
Two  were  named,  and  they  were  instantly  ordered 
into  the  boat,  with  an  admonition  to  prepare  for 
death.  The  rest  of  the  company  was  then  formed 
in  a  circle,  and  the  colonel  reprimanded  them  until 
he  sunk  to  the  ground  from  exhaustion.  The  mis- 
guided men  were  all  much  affected;  many  of  them 
shed  tears.  The  ringleader  brought  back  by  Valdivia 
from  Nasca  was  the  only  man  executed. 

The  whole  of  the  men  now  being  safe  on  board, 
Millar  ordered  the  master  of  the  Protector  to  weigh, 
and  steer  for  Iquique,  intending  to  operate  upon 
Tarapaca,  and  to  endeavour  to  form  guerrilla  parties 
to  annoy  the  royalists  in  the  south,  trusting  to  obtain 
in  the  meanwhile  reinforcements  either  from  Lima 
or  Chile.  But  in  getting  under  weigh  the  fluke  of 
the  only  remaining  anchor  broke,  and  no  alternative 
was  then  left  but  to  run  before  the  wind  for  Callao. 
The  schooner  had  been  previously  sent  from  Chala 


CHAP.  XVIII.  ARRIVAL  AT   CALLAO.  49 

to  Lima  with  despatches,  and  the  prisoners  Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel Vidal  and  Captain  Urdiminea,  who 
both  refused  to  accept  unconditional  liberty,  assign- 
ing as  a  reason,  that  they  dared  not  show  their  faces 
after  having  been  taken  under  such  singular  circum- 
stances. They  even  entertained  apprehensions  that 
the  victors  of  Torata  and  Moquegua  might  suspect 
they  had  been  bribed:  The  Protector  arrived  at 
Callao  on  the  12th  of  March,  1823. 

Extract  of  a  letter  from  Colonel  Miller. — "  After 
wandering  for  ten  weeks  on  the  coast  between  Quilca 
and  Palpa,  I  arrived  in  perfect  safety  at  Callao  on  the 
12th.  I  have  recovered  from  the  effects  of  cholera 
morbus;  but  being  too  weak  to  proceed  to  Lima,  I 
gladly  accepted  the  invitation  of  Captain  Prescott  to 
remain  with  him  until  I  recovered  strength.  From 
this  highly-gifted  and  kind  commander  down  to  the 
junior  officer  on  board,  I  have  been  the  object  of  that 
gratifying  reception  which  makes  me  look  upon  the 
Aurora  as  my  home  afloat.  The  sight  of  her  pendant 
gladdens  my  eyesight  almost  as  much  as  would  the 
vane  upon  Wingham  church  steeple.  Even  the  ship's 
company  welcomed  me  with  looks  that  seemed  to  claim 
me  as  an  old  acquaintance.  The  fact  is,  there  was 
enough  of  harlequinade,  in  my  late  scamperings,  to 
tickle  the  fancies  of  all ;  and  I  believe  I  was  considered 
less  as  a  visiter  than  as  one  who,  sojnehow  or  othei, 
belonged  to  the  frigate." 

"  The  attentions  from  my  countrymen  are  ex- 
cessive. I  have  again  taken  up  my  quarters  at  the 
hospitable  mansion  of  my  excellent  friend  Mr.  Begg. 
The  conduct  of  the  foreign  merchants  resident  in 

VOL.  II.  E 


50  OFFICIAL  PARAGRAPH.  OHAP.  xvm. 

Lima  is  more  than  friendly.  I  can  never  forget  the 
numberless  personal  kind  offices  I  receive  from  the 
commanders  and  officers  of  the  French  and  North 
American  ships  of  war.  But  the  warm  welcome  of 
the  military  and  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  capital 
crowns  all.  One  would  think  that  I  had  returned 
victorious,  instead  of  having  been  obliged  to  cut  and 
run." 

Extract  from  the  Lima  Gazette,  dated  15th  March, 
1823. — "  On  the  12th  instant  arrived  in  the  port  of 
Callao  the  colonel  of  the  Peruvian  Legion,  Don  Guil- 
lermo  Miller,  after  having  filled  the  enemy  with 
terror  on  every  occasion  on  which  he  had  the  good 
fortune  to  meet  with  him.     This  praiseworthy  chief, 
who  separated  from  the  head-quarters  with  only  a 
company  of  cazadores,  has  performed  prodigies  of 
valour  and  military  skill.     He  advanced  with  only 
three  soldiers  and  three  peasants  to  the  valley  of  Vitor, 
twelve  leagues  from  Arequipa,  where,  after  a  most 
painful  journey  through  high  and  broken  ground,  he 
completely  overcame  a  party  of  the  enemy,  taking 
the  Lieutenant- Colonel  Vidal,  who  commanded  it, 
and  ten  dragoons,  prisoners.     With  his  small  force 
he  passed  through  numerous  places,  without  the  hos- 
tile division,  consisting  of  more  than  one  thousand 
men,  which  was  always  in  front  of  him,  daring  to 
attack  him;  on  the  contrary,  it  repeatedly  retreated, 
dreading  to  be  destroyed  by  our  valiant  troops.     In 
the  vicinity  of  Nasca,  he  pursued  a  party  of  fifty-six 
men,  commanded  by  Colonel  Olachea :  with  a  very 
small  number  of  soldiers  he  overtook  him,  and  cap- 
tured eighteen  prisoners  and  a  considerable  quantity 


CHAP.  XVIII.          OFFICIAL  PARAGRAPH.  51 

of  arms  of  every  kind.  The  coward  Olachea  succeeded 
in  escaping  in  company  with  the  sub-delegate,  Rivero, 
by  means  of  their  good  horses,  but  all  their  baggage 
remained  in  our  hands*.  At  last,  being  obliged  to 
embark  by  a  serious  illness  that  attacked  him,  and 
the  brig  which  attended  his  movements  having  lost 
her  last  anchor  in  the  port  of  Acari,  and  the  vessel 
as  well  as  the  boats  being  in  very  bad  condition,  he 
proceeded  towards  the  port  of  Callao. 

"  In  this  campaign  he  has  not  only  manifested  sin- 
gular courage,  but  he  has  also  given  proofs  of  un- 
common skill.  He  traversed  the  country  in  the  midst 
of  a  numerous  enemy,  astonishing  them  by  the  cele- 
rity of  his  well-concerted  movements.  But  the  most 
admirable  part  of  all  this  is,  that  during  the  whole 
time  he  was  near  them,  he  succeeded  in  concealing 
the  number  of  his  forces  in  such  a  manner  that  it  was 
thought  they  amounted  to  two  battalions.  Without 
considering  the  actions  which  he  bravely  maintained, 
his  march  alone  has  been  of  great  importance.  An 
opportune  movement  is  sometimes  worth  more  than 
great  triumphs.  The  glory  which  the  retreat  from 
Asia  gave  to  Xenophon  was  as  great  as  that  which 
Themistocles  acquired  by  the  victory  of  Salamis. 

"  Not  less  worthy  of  eulogium  is  the  conduct  of 
this  honourable  and  valorous  chieftain  towards  the 
inhabitants  of  the  places  occupied  by  his  troops.  Not 
the  least  extortion  was  practised  on  them;  and  he 
succeeded  in  securing  the  love  of  all,  by  the  rigorous 
discipline  he  maintained:  thus  consolidating  more 

*  In  the  Gaceta  de  Lima,  dated  18th  March,  Colonel  Miller  gives  the  merit 
of  the  affair  with  Olachea  to  Captain  Valdivia  exclusively. 

E2 


52  OFFICIAL  PARAGRAPH.  CHAP.  XVIII. 

and  more  the  opinion  in  favour  of  independence,  he 
has  practically  shown  the  difference  between  mer- 
cenary troops  and  free  men.  The  first,  having  no 
other  motive  than  lucre,  apply  themselves  solely  to 
desolation  and  pillage.  The  second,  who  combat 
only  for  liberty,  employ  all  their  force  and  victories 
in  favour  of  the  people.  The  former  conquer  to  de- 
stroy and  oppress  humanity;  the  latter  to  dispense 
their  favours  wherever  they  direct  their  steps." 


CHAP.  XIX.  COAST  OF  PERU.     ,  53 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

Description  of  the  desert  coast  of  Peru. — Shipwreck  and  suffer- 
ings of  the  Granaderos  a  Caballo  — Local  traditions. — The 
Junta  Gubernativa  deposed. — Riva-Aguero  named  president  of 
the  republic. — Position  of  the  royalists. — Another  expedition 
sails  to  the  Puertos  Intermedios. — Royalists  advance  upon 
Lima. — Patriots  retire  to  Callao. — Canterac  enters  Lima. — 
General  Sucre  invested  with  supreme  command. — Riva-Aguero 
displaced. 

As  the  operations  which  have  been  so  minutely 
described  were  performed  in  a  country  little  known, 
and  very  different  from  any  part  of  Europe,  it  may 
not  be  out  of  place  to  give  a  sketch  of  its  features, 
and  of  some  of  its  peculiarities. 

The  coast  of  Peru  consists  of  a  line  of  sandy  desert, 
five  hundred  leagues  in  length,  the  breadth  varying 
from  seven  to  above  fifty  miles,  as  the  several  branches 
of  the  Andes  approach  to,  or  recede  from,  the  shores 
of  the  Pacific  Ocean,  Nothing  can  exceed  its  dreary, 
arid  aspect,  or  equal  the  comfortless  effect  produced 
on  the  mind  of  the  mariner  when  he  first  catches 
sight  of  this  apparently  dismal  country.  The  de- 
sert's breadth  presents  great  inequalities  of  surface, 
and  has  the  appearance  of  having  once  formed  a  part 
of  the  bed  of  the  adjoining  ocean.  Were  it  not  for 
the  stupendous  back  ground,  which  gives  to  every 
other  object  a  comparatively  diminutive  outline,  the 
sand  hills  might  sometimes  be  called  mountains.  The 
Jong  line  of  desert  is  intersected  by  rivers  and  streams, 


54  DESCRIPTION  OF  CHAP.  XIX. 

which  are  seldom  less  than  twenty,  or  more  than 
eighty  or  ninety  miles  apart.  The  narrow  strips  on 
each  bank  of  every  stream  are  peopled  in  proportion 
to  the  supply  of  water.  During  the  rainy  season  in 
the  interior,  or  from  the  melting  of  the  snows  upon 
the  Andes,  the  great  rivers  upon  the  coast  swell  pro- 
digiously, and  can  be  crossed  only  by  means  of  a 
balsa,  which  is  a  raft  or  frame-work,  fastened  upon 
four  bull-hides  sewed  up,  made  air-tight,  and  filled 
with  wind.  A  few  of  the  large  rivers  reach  the  sea, 
but  most  of  those  of  the  second  order  are  consumed 
in  irrigating  the  cultivated  patches,  or  are  absorbed 
by  the  encompassing  desert,  where  it  never  rains  j 
where  neither  birds,  beasts,  nor  reptiles,  are  ever 
seen,  and  where  a  blade  of  vegetation  never  grew. 
Sometimes  a  rill  of  water  bubbles  up,  and  is  lost 
within  the  space  of  a  hundred  yards.  Very  often  the 
banks  of  rivers  are  too  steep  and  rugged  to  admit  of 
the  water  being  applied  to  the  purposes  of  irrigation ; 
consequently  the  surrounding  country  cannot  be  cul- 
tivated. No  stranger  can  travel  from  valley  to  valley, 
as  the  inhabited  strips  are  inappropriately  called, 
without  a  guide;  for  the  only  indication  that  the 
desert  has  been  trodden  before  is  an  occasional  cluster 
of  bones,  the  remains  of  beasts  of  burden  that  have 
perished.  The  sand  is  frequently  raised  into  im- 
mense clouds  by  the  wind,  to  the  great  annoyance  of 
the  traveller,  who  generally  rides  with  his  face  muf- 
fled up.  When  he  becomes  fatigued,  or  his  animal 
jaded,  he  dismounts,  and,  if  the  sun  shines,  he  spreads 
his  poncho  between  the  fore  and  hind  legs  of  his 
horse  or  mule,  and  lies  down  under  the  only  shade 


CHAP.  XIX.  THE  COAST  OF  PERU.  55 

to  be  obtained  in  the  shrubless  waste.  It  is  a  very 
curious  sight  to  behold  a  regiment  of  cavalry  re- 
posing in  this  manner.  On  approaching  Arequipa 
from  the  coast,  the  desert  is  thickly  sprinkled  with 
m&danos,  which  are  mounds  of  sand  raised  by  ed- 
dying winds,  that  extend  their  influence  several 
leagues  from  the  mountain  ridges.  The  medanos 
are  in  the  shape  of  a  crescent,  the  interior  face  of 
which  is  six  or  eight  feet  high,  and  nearly  perpen- 
dicular, the  outer  front  sloping  like  a  glacis,  and 
the  horns  diminishing  to  a  very  fine  point.  Whatever 
maybe  the  dimensions  of  a  medano,  it  always  assumes 
this  form,  until,  upon  approaching  nearer  to  the 
line  of  mountains,  it  gradually  loses  its  symmetry. 
In  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  Cordillera  these 
formations  cease.  The  medanos  create  an  ex- 
tremely irksome  labyrinth  to  the  vaquianos,  who, 
from  their  repeated  shiftings,  have  no  species  of 
clue  by  which  to  direct  their  course.  Between  Payta 
and  Piura,  about  a  league  or  two  from  the  latter 
place,  there  is  also  an  extent  of  desert  covered 
with  medanos,  which  are  situated  at  the  same 
distance  from  the  range  of  the  Cordillera  as  those 
near  Arequipa.  On  the  road  from  Arequipa  to  Ya- 
rabamba  columns  of  dust,  from  fifty  to  two  hundred 
feet  in  height,  are  raised  by  whirlwinds.  Let  the 
traveller  turn  which  way  he  will,  some  of  these  co- 
lumns are  constantly  before  him.  He  is  sometimes 
caught  in  one  ;  but  as  they  last  only  a  minute  or  two, 
and  as  it  is  an  easy  matter  to  gallop  out  of  them,  no 
inconvenience  arises. 

The  obstacles  to  moving  a  body  of  troops  from 


50  COAST  OF  PERU.       CHAP.  xix. 

one  point  to  another  in  this  country  can  only  be 
appreciated  by  military  men  who  have  had  to  con- 
tend against  them.  But  description,  unaccompanied 
by  a  statement  of  facts,  will  fall  short  of  conveying 
even  a  faint  idea  of  the  horrors  of  the  desert,  where 
a  puff  of  wind  obliterates,  in  a  moment,  the  footmarks 
of  a  column  of  soldiers. 

It  is  not  a  rare  circumstance  for  the  most  ex- 
perienced vaquianos,  or  guides,  to  lose  themselves. 
In  that  case,  terror  instantly  reduces  them  to  a 
state  of  positive  insanity,  and  unless  they  recover  the 
path  by  chance,  or  are  fortunate  enough  to  see  other 
travellers  loom  above  the  horizon,  they  inevitably 
perish,  and  their  fate  is  no  more  known  than  that  of 
a  ship  which  founders  unseen  in  the  distant  ocean. 
They  are  nevertheless  very  expert,  and  regulate 
their  course  by  circumstances  unobservable  to  the 
casual  traveller.  When  Miller  galloped  across  the 
desert  of  Siguas,  ten  leagues  in  breadth,  he  expressed 
some  doubts  to  the  guides,  as  to  whether  they  were 
in  the  proper  direction.  They  told  him  that,  so 
long  as  a  bright  star  which  they  pointed  out  was  in 
sight,  there  was  no  danger  of  their  losing  themselves, 
and  remarked  that,  as  the  wind  always  blew  from  the 
same  quarter,  they  had  only  to  keep  the  breeze  in 
their  left  eye,  to  make  the  valley  of  Vitor.  Howr 
ever,  detachments,  and  even  entire  corps  of  the 
army,  have  often  been  known  to  lose  themselves  for 
a  considerable  time. 

When  the  remains  of  Alvarado's  army  were 
on  the  passage  from  the  Puertos  Intermedios  to 
•Lima,  in  1823,  a  transport  conveying  above  three 


CHAP.  XIX.      SUFFERINGS   IN   THE   DESERT.  57 

hundred  cavalry  grounded,  and  went  to  pieces  twelve 
leagues  south  of  Pisco,  and  fourteen  leagues  west 
of  lea.  All  hands  escaped  on  shore ;  but,  in 
attempting  to  find  their  way  to  Pisco,  they  lost 
themselves  for  thirty-six  hours,  and  became  bewil- 
dered by  despair.  On  the  wreck  being  known  at 
Pisco,  a  regiment  of  cavalry  was  ordered  out  with  a 
supply  of  water,  to  pick  up  the  wanderers.  The 
commanding  officer  of  the  wrecked  soldiers,  Colonel 
Lavalle,  was  one  of  the  survivors,  and  has  recounted 
the  sufferings  of  the  party  in  that  dreadful  calamity. 
He  had  with  him  an  orderly  who  had  fought  by 
his  side  at  Chacabuco,  Maypo,  Nasca,  Rio-Bamba, 
Pasco,  and  Pinchincha,  and  who  had  on  one  occasion 
saved  the  colonel's  life  at  the  risk  of  his  own,  but 
who  was  now  as  insensible  to  the  distresses  of  his 
master  as  to  those  of  his  comrades.  Overcome  by 
fatigue,  the  unfortunate  men  would  sometimes  drop 
upon  the  burning  surface,  and  tear  up  the  sand  in 
search  of  water  with  agonizing  fury.  After  proceeding 
some  leagues,  a  few  date-trees  were  discovered  at  a 
distance,  near  the  roots  of  which  water  is  always  to 
be  found.  A^  feeble  cry  of  joy  issued  from  the 
parched  tongues  of  the  foremost.  It  was  not  given 
to  encourage  those  in  the  rear,  but  was  an  involun- 
tary expression  of  internal  feelings,  animated  by  a 
glimpse  of  the  palms  towering  in  the  distance.  All 
in  sight  immediately  quickened  their  pace,  but  num- 
bers fell  lifeless  before  they  could  reach  the  much- 
desired  place.  Those  who  had  strength  enough  left 
to  arrive  there  began  to  excavate,  and  found  water, 
which  however  was  scarce  and  muddy.  The  rush  of  the 
almost  breathless  throng  rendered  it  at  first  inipos- 


58  SUFFERINGS  IN   THE  DESERT.      CHAP.  XIX. 

sible  for  any  to  satisfy  the  cravings  of  their  thirst. 
Beyond  the  friendly  palms  none  had  the  courage  to 
advance,  but  dropped*  or  spread  themselves  around 
in  fixed  and  mute  despair,  no  one  thinking  more  of 
his  fellow-sufferers  than  if  he  alone  lay  panting  in 
the  desert.  Even  those  thoughts  of  home,  of  family, 
and  of  friends,  which  are  the  last  to  quit  their  hold 
upon  the  memory  at  the  hour  of  death  in  a  foreign 
land;  even  those  tender  recollections  appeared  to 
have  vanished  from  every  mind.  At  length  the 
hussars  sent  from  Pisco  appeared  in  sight.  Inde- 
scribable emotions  of  joy  were  felt,  rather  than  ex- 
pressed; for  all  had  by  this  time  become  nearly 
speechless.  Their  first  joyful  emotions  were  chilled 
by  unutterable  anxieties,  lest  their  hoped-for  de- 
liverers should  not  shape  their  course  towards  the 
date-trees,  and  all  were  too  weak  for  even  one  to 
stand  up  and  make  a  signal.  They  could  turn  their 
glazed  eyes  upon  the  horsemen,  and  form  a  silent  hope, 
but  that  was  all,  for  not  a  word  was  spoken.  They 
were,  however,  at  last  delivered  from  a  state  of  fright- 
ful suspense  by  the  arrival  of  the  hussars,  who  poured 
water  down  the  burning  throats  of  the  men  as  they 
lay  extended  on  the  ground,  unable  to  stir,  or  to  ask 
for  the  delicious  draught,  or  to  give  thanks  for  it,  ex- 
cepting by  an  expression  of  delight  which  faintly 
beamed  on  their  features.  Many  drew  their  last 
breath  before  relief  could  be  administered,  and  nearly 
one  hundred  unburied  corpses,  which  strewed  the 
dreary  waste,  will,  for  ages,  mark  the  calamitous  route. 
It  is  not  an  unusual  circumstance  for  soldiers  to 
drop  down  dead,  or  to  see  the  blood  gush  out  from 
their  ears  and  nostrils  as  they  inarch,  sometimes, 


CHAP.  XIX.  LOCAL  TRADITIONS.  59 

ankle  deep  in  sand.  On  one  occasion,  six  hundred 
men  marched  from  Arica  to  the  valley  of  Lluta,  only 
four  leagues  distant :  six  men  died  on  the  way,  and 
forty  more  would  have  perished,  had  they  not  been 
immediately  relieved  by  copious  bleeding. 

Perhaps  nothing  will  more  clearly  convey  an  idea 
of  the  distance  between  one  habitable  spot  and  an- 
other, or  the  stupendous  inequalities  of  the  inter- 
vening ground,  than  quotations  from  local  traditions, 
which  state  that  between  Atico  and  Chaparra  there 
is  a  valley  inhabited,  as  is  supposed,  by  descendants 
of  the  ancient  Peruvians,  and  which  was  unexpectedly 
fallen  in  with  by  one  Navarro,  of  Chaparra,  who, 
having  lost  his  way,  came  upon  it  in  the  night. 
He  saw  lights,  and  heard  voices,  but  was  afraid  to 
descend  into  the  valley.  He  reported  the  circum- 
stance when  he  arrived  home,  and  several  parties 
afterwards  set  out  upon  a  journey  of  discovery,  but 
without  success.  This  was  related  by  Don  Juan 
de  Neira  y  Caravajal,  living  at  Chaparra  in  1822, 
who  remembered  Navarro,  and  had  often  heard  him 
mention  the  circumstance. 

It  is  also  asserted,  that  there  is  another  unknown 
valley  between  Chorunga  and  Majes,  which,  like  the 
first  mentioned,  was  once  seen  by  chance,  and  which 
has  also  baffled  every  attempt  to  discover  it  a  second 
time  with  sufficient  force  to  ensure  egress  ;  it  being 
supposed  that  any  person  entering  singly  would  be 
immediately  slain,  or  detained  for  life. 

These  accounts  are  not  generally  believed  by  those 
dwelling  in  the  neighbourhood,  and  best  qualified  to 
form  a  correct  opinion  j  but  the  bare  admission,  by 
people  accustomed  to  explore  the  most  uninviting 


60  INACTIVITY   AND   DISCONTENT.      CHAP.  XIX. 

regions  in  search  of  mines,  of  the  possibility  of  the 
existence  of  such  valleys,  may  give  some  notion  of  this 
extraordinary  country,  where  the  works  of  nature  are 
upon  a  scale  equally  grand,  terrific,  and  sublime. 

Reverting  to  the  narrative,  it  is  now  necessary  to 
state  the  occurrences  which  had  taken  place  at  Lima 
and  its  vicinity.  It  has  already  been  mentioned, 
that  the  plan  of  the  campaign  of  1822  was,  for  the 
army  under  Arenales  to  threaten  the  royalists  in  the 
valley  of  Xauxa,  and  thereby  prevent  any  reinforce- 
ments being  sent  from  thence  to  the  south,  to  the 
support  of  Valdez ;  or  if  succours  were  sent,  then 
Arenales  was  to  push  forward,  and  act  boldly  on  the 
offensive.  He,  however,  did  not  advance  beyond  a 
few  leagues  from  Lima,  notwithstanding  he  was  well 
aware  that  Canterac  had  withdrawn  great  part  of  his 
forces  from  Huancayo,  for  the  express  purpose  of 
forming  a  junction  with  Valdez,  leaving  General 
Loriga  with  less  than  three  thousand  royalists  in  the 
valley  of  Xauxa. 

The  inactivity  of  the  army  of  observation,  for  so 
that  under  Arenales  was  called,  produced  the  effect 
of  exciting  clamorous  discontent  against  the  go- 
verning junta.  Arenales  alleged  that  he  could  ob- 
tain neither  shoes  nor  great  coats,  which  he  deemed 
indispensable  to  cross  the  Andes.  The  extreme 
apathy  and  indecision  of  the  junta,  and  the  per- 
nicious consequences  of  their  lukewarm  measures, 
some  became  evident,  and  wrought  the  downfall  of 
the  triumvirate  soon  after  the  reverses  of  Alvarado 
were  known  at  Lima. 

On  the  26th  of  February,  1823,  the  chiefs  and 
officers  of  the  army  of  observation,  headed  by  Ge- 


CHAP.  xlx.  JUNTA  GUBEHNATIVA.  61 

neral  Santa  Cruz,  second  in  command,  set  forth,  in 
an  animated  and  forcible  remonstrance  to  congress, 

D  * 

the  cause  to  which  they  attributed  the  reverses  of 
the  state,  and  significantly  recommended  the  legis- 
lative body  to  nominate  Colonel  Don  Jose*  de  la 
Riva-Aguero  to  be  president  of  the  republic.  Con- 
gress demurred.  On  the  following  day  the  army 
was  formed  at  Balconcillo,  outside  the  walls  of  Lima, 
from  whence  Santa  Cruz  sent  a  second  recommenda- 
tion, to  proclaim  his  friend,  Riva-Aguero,  without 
further  procrastination :  a  request  so  forcibly  backed 
was  immediately  complied  with.  The  second  batta- 
lion of  the  Legion  did  not  form  with  the  rest  of 
the  army.  The  manly,  judicious,  and  proper  conduct 
of  Lieutenant-Colonel  Videla  was  not  approved  of; 
and  when  the  desired  change  had  been  effected,  he 
was  removed  from  the  command  of  his  battalion, 
which  fell  into  disfavour  for  the  very  reason  which 
ought  to  have  raised  it  in  esteem. 

Arenales  having  suddenly  withdrawn  and  sailed  for 
Chile,  Santa  Cruz  assumed  the  chief  command  of 
the  Peruvian  army.  Colonel  Gamarra  was  appointed 
chief  of  the  staff,  and  Colonel  Don  Ramon  Herrera 
was  named  minister  of  war  by  Riva-Aguero.  It  is 
remarkable  that  these  four  persons,  occupying 
the  highest  offices  in  the  state,  should  have  held 
commissions  from  the  king  of  Spain  for  some  time 
after  San  Martin  had  made  good  his  footing  in  Peru, 
and  at  a  period  eleven  years  subsequent  to  the  com- 
mencement of  the  revolution;  thus  verifying  the 
parable,  that  those  who  come  at  the  eleventh  hour 
receive  as  much  as  those  who  "  have  borne  the  bur- 
den and  heat  of  the  day." 


60  POSITION  OF  THE  ROYALISTS.         CHAP.  XIX. 

These  changes,  however,  produced  general  satis- 
faction. Riva-Aguero  displayed  great  activity.  Santa 
Cruz  succeeded  in  bringing  the  army  to  a  high  state 
of  efficiency,  both  in  numbers  and  discipline.  For 
the  first  time,  the  Peruvian  soldiers  were  commanded 
by  a  Peruvian,  and  this  produced  a  feeling  of  nation- 
ality highly  favourable  to  their  cause.  Santa  Cruz  is 
a  native  of  Guarina  (near  La  Paz),  and  son  of  the 
C«cz'c«Caluamani,  a  noble  Indian  lady. 

The  Buenos  Ayrean  general,  Don  Enrique  Mar- 
tinez, who  joined  in  the  intrigue  to  remove  the  junta 
gubernativa,  paid  the  penalty  of  his  officiousness. 
He  had  been  influenced  by  the  hope  of  still  holding 
the  office  of  commander-in-chief,  but  he  now  saw  his 
authority  limited  to  the  control  of  the  few  Buenos 
Ayreans  who  had  escaped  with  him  from  Ilo,  although 
he  still  retained  the  pompous  title  of  general-in-chief 
of  the  united  army. 

On  the  8th  of  April,  1823,  Santa  Cruz  was  pro- 
moted to  the  rank  of  general  of  division,  and  Colonels 
Gamarra,  Pinto,  Miller,  and  Herrera,  to  that  of  ge- 
nerals of  brigade.  Miller  retained,  at  his  own  re- 
quest, the  command  of  the  Legion  j  the  men  who 
returned  with  him  to  Lima  being  incorporated  in  the 
second  battalion,  which  now  mustered  nearly  eight 
hundred  strong. 

After  the  expulsion  of  the  patriots  from  the  Puerto  s 
Intermedios,  the  royalists  concentrated  about  nine 
thousand  effective  men  in  the  valley  of  Xauxa,  under 
Canterac;  fifteen  hundred  were  left  in  the  depart- 
ment of  Arequipa;  about  the  same  number  were 
in  garrison  at  Puno,  La  Paz,  &c.  The  division  of 
Olaneta,  from  two  to  three  thousand  strong,  was  in 


CHAr.  xix.  LIBERATING  ARMY.  63 

Upper  Peru.  Cuzco  continued  to  be  the  seat  of  the 
vice-regal  government,  whence  the  royalist  army  re- 
ceived recruits  and  resources  in  abundance. 

The  gloom  which  had  darkened  the  prospects  of 
the  patriots,  by  the  defeats  of  Torata  and  Moquegua ; 
--by  the  unsettled  state  of  Chile; — by  the  anarchy 
which  prevailed  in  the  provinces  of  Rio  de  la  Plata ; 
— by  the  differences  between  Peru  and  Colombia,  ori- 
ginating in  the  annexation  of  Guayaquil  to  the  latter 
state;  and  by  the  party  spirit  which  existed  in  congress ; 
all  encouraged  Canterac  to  move  upon  the  capital. 

The  president  Riva-Aguero  demanded  the  opinion 
in  writing  of  the  general  officers  as  to  the  military 
operations  it  was  expedient  to  adopt,  and  convened  a 
council  of  war.  It  was  decided  that  Santa  Cruz, 
who  had  now  five  thousand  regulars  of  Peru,  should 
embark  and  make  another  effort  in  the  Puertos  In- 
termedios.  The  occasion  appeared  favourable,  be- 
cause the  royalists,  disbelieving  the  possibility  of  the 
patriots  making  any  other  attempt  in  that  quarter, 
had  directed  all  their  views  towards  Lima,  by  the 
capture  of  which  Canterac  expected  to  strike  a  de- 
cisive blow.  In  the  mean  time  about  three  thousand 
Colombian  troops  arrived  at  Lima  from  Guayaquil. 

The  exertions  of  Riva-Aguero  were  indefatigable. 
He  obtained  the  valuable  assistance  of  the  most 
powerful  and  influential  foreign  merchants,  and  of 
those  of  the  country.  Measures  were  taken  to  ren- 
der the  ill-fated  loan,  which  had  been  partly  raised  in 
London,  available  ;  contracts  were  entered  into  ;  the 
fitting  out  of  transports  for  the  intended  expedition 
went  on  night  and  day ;  and  General  Bolivar  was 
invited  to  Peru,  where  General  Sucre  had  already 


64  LIBERATING  ARMY.  CHAP.  xix. 

arrived  as  a  diplomatic  agent  from  the  government 
of  Colombia. 

Santa  Cruz  having,  by  extraordinary  exertions  and 
activity,  completed  his  preparations  for  the  projected 
expedition,  the  troops  destined  for  that  service  em- 
barked at  Callao,  and  sailed  between  the  14th  and 
25th  of  May.  This  liberating  army  of  the  south 
consisted  of 

1st  battalion  of)  T  •  ,  ^  i       -,  ^     -,  ~ 

[•  Lieutenant-Colonel  Cerdena. 

the  Legion,  ) 

[•  Lieutenant-Colonel  Alegre  *. 
Cazadores,  3 

No.  1,  Colonel  Elespuru. 

2,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Gar9on. 

4,  Colonel  Pardo  Zela. 

6,  Col.  the  Marquess  of  San  Miguel. 

Regiment  of  1 

Hussars  of  the  >  Colonel  Brandsen. 

Legion,  ) 

Two  squadrons)  ^  , 

r  Colonel  Placencia. 
of  Lanzeros, 

Eight  field-pieces,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Morla. 
Amounting  in  all  to  rather  more  than  five  thousand 
Peruvians.     The  convoy,  after  an  unusually  short 
passage,  rendezvoused  off  Iquique  on  the  15th  of 
June,  1823. 

Although  it  had  been  currently  rumoured,  for 
some  time,  that  the  royalists  assembled  in  the  valley 
of  Xauxa  were  positively  to  march  upon  Lima,  and 
although  these  reports  were  confirmed  by  information 
which  the  government  received  through  trustworthy 

•Killed  (1827)  at  his  native  place,  Maldonado,  a  part  of  the  Banda  Oriental, 
affair  with  the  Brazilians. 


CHAP.  xix.  ROYALISTS  TAKE  LIMA.  65 

agents,  yet  it  could  scarcely  be  believed  that  Canterac 
would  commit  the  error  of  descending  to  the  capital 
whilst  the  important  provinces  of  the  south,  left 
almost  unprotected,  were  threatened  by  the  expedition 
under  Santa  Cruz.  But  the  truth  is,  Canterac, 
still  conceiving  it  impossible  for  the  patriots  to  have 
embarked  more  than  a  few  hundred  recruits  at  Callao, 
and  that  merely  to  divert  his  attention  from  Lima, 
determined  not  to  deviate  from  his  plan  of  marching 
upon  that  capital,  many  residents  of  which,  attached 
to  the  Spanish  cause,  had  involuntarily  contributed 
to  deceive  him  by  false  accounts.  Indeed  so  well  and 
expeditiously  had  the  embarkation  of  the  troops  under 
Santa  Cruz  been  conducted,  that  few  Limenos  knew 
what  corps,  or  how  many  men,  had  proceeded  to  the 
south.  Canterac  broke  up  from  his  cantonments  on 
the  2d  of  June,  and  traversed  the  Andes. 

Notwithstanding  this  movement  had  been  fore- 
seen, yet  upon  its  being  carried  into  execution,  the 
greatest  consternation  and  alarm  prevailed  at  Lima. 
The  government  and  members  of  congress  who 
had  protested  that  they  would  defend  the  city,  or 
be  buried  in  its  ruins,  now  only  thought  how  to 
escape  the  impending  danger. 

A  council  of  war,  composed  of  general  officers,  at 
which  Riva-Aguero  presided,  was  held  at  the  palace. 
Sucre,  the  Colombian  envoy,  was  elected  commander- 
in-chief  of  the  forces,  and  it  was  determined  that,  on 
account  of  disparity  of  numbers,  Lima  should  be 
abandoned.  Miller  was  sent  with  a  squadron  of 
cavalry  and  some  montoneros  to  reconnoitre  the 
royalists.  He  returned  on  the  third  day. 

VOL.  II.  F 


66  RECONNOISSANCE  CHAP.  XIX. 

On  the  18th  of  June,  Canterac  entered  Lima  with 
nine  battalions,  nine  squadrons,  and  fourteen  pieces 
of  artillery ;  in  all  nine  thousand  men,  well  equipped, 
well  disciplined,  and  extremely  fine  troops. 

Sucre  retired  under  the  protection  of  the  guns  of 
Callao.  His  force  consisted  of  about  three  thousand 
Colombians,  one  thousand  Buenos  Ayreans  (the  rem- 
nant of  the  army  of  the  Andes),  and  one  thousand 
militia  of  Peru.  Colonel  Lavalle,  with  the  regiment 
of  Granaderos  a  Caballo,  was  ordered  to  Chancay. 
He  was  accompanied  by  many  emigrants  and  some 
guerrilla  parties. 

Riva-Aguero  retired  with  the  congress  to  Callao, 
now  closely  invested,  and  where  the  deputies  con- 
tinued their  sittings,  in  a  small  church.  After  much 
boisterous  discussion,  Sucre  was  named  supreme 
military  chief,  with  powers  little  short  of  a  dictator- 
ship, a  step  imperiously  demanded  by  the  critical 
situation  of  the  patriots. 

On  the  20th  of  June,  Canterac  made  a  recon- 
noissance  of  the  fortress,  forming  the  whole  of  his 
troops  in  line  within  range  of  the  castles.  Whilst  the 
light  troops  on  both  sides  were  briskly  skirmishing, 
Miller,  who  was  reconnoitring,  was  called  to  by  a 
Spanish  officer,  Colonel  Ameller,  whom  he  had  often 
seen  at  the  outposts  of  the  royalist  army:  after  passing 
the  usual  salutations,  he  said,  "  Your  friend  Loriga 
is  close  at  hand :"  he  called  to  him,  and  Loriga  im- 
mediately galloped  down.  The  two  friends,  who  had 
both  become  generals  since  their  last  meeting,  held 
a  conversation  for  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  in  advance 
of  the  respective  outposts,  which  continued  their  fire, 


CHAP.  xix.  OF  CALLAO.  67 

as  did  the  artillerymen  in  the  castles,  without  mo- 
lesting them.  Loriga,  on  taking  leave,  laughingly 
inquired  after  his  friend  Sanchez  of  No.  4  of  Chile. 

Two  companies  of  the  battalion  Voltigeros  dis- 
played great  valour  and  discipline  during  the  skir- 
mishing. They  were  opposed  in  extended  files  and 
within  pistol-shot  to  two  battalions  of  royalists.  A 
little  before  sunset,  Canterac  retired  to  his  former 
position  at  Mirones,  half  way  between  Callao  and  Lima. 

It  often  occurred  that  members  of  the  same  family 
fought  on  different  sides,  and  they  frequently  saluted 
or  upbraided  each  other  during  a  temporary  cessa- 
tion of  firing.  On  the  present  occasion,  Captain 
Negreiros,  of  the  independent  service,  approached 
the  royalist  line,  and  placing  himself  behind  a  mud 
wall,  called  out  to  the  Spaniards,  "  Where  is  old 
Negreiros,  one  of  your  rascally  lieutenant-colonels  ? 
Tell  him  that  his  son  Manuel  is  here,  and  that  if  I 
lay  hold  of  him,  I  shall  be  happy  to  hang  him  up  to 
the  first  tree,  as  a  worthless  Saracen.'*  A  volley  from 
a  Spanish  piquet  was  the  reply,  and  Negreiros, 
being  rather  nearer  to  them  than  he  expected,  crawled 
away.  The  father  had  before  saluted  the  son  in  a 
similar  manner,  for  they  never  came  within  hail  with- 
out exchanging  torrents  of  abuse.  The  father  after- 
wards became  prisoner  of  war,  and  was  treated  by 
the  son  with  the  greatest  kindness,  Indeed,  not- 
withstanding his  hatred  of  the  royalists,  he  always 
devoted  a  part  of  his  pay  to  the  maintenance  of  his 
mother  and  sister,  who  were  zealous  adherents  to  the 
king. 

Callao  was  crowded  with  emigrant  merchants  and 


68  GENERAL  SUCRE.        CHAP.  XIX. 

families,  and,  notwithstanding  the  enemy's  being 
so  near,  the  time  was  spent  very  gaily.  The  amiable 
and  accomplished  lady  of  Commodore  Stewart,  of  the 
United  States  ship  Franklin,  gave  pleasant  evening 
parties  on  board  ship. 

On  the  22d  of  June,  congress  divested  Riva- Aguero 
of  his  authority,  and  decreed  that  a  passport  should 
be  furnished  to  enable  him  to  retire  from  the  terri- 
tory of  the  republic.  He  was  permitted,  however, 
by  Sucre,  to  go  to  Truxillo,  whither  the  members 
of  congress  were  ordered  to  repair.  Sucre  was  there- 
fore left  in  undisturbed  command. 

This  officer,  who  has  since  performed  so  conspicu- 
ous a  part  in  the  termination  of  the  war  of  indepen- 
dence, was  born  in  1793,  at  Cumana  in  Venezuela. 
His  stature  is  rather  below  the  middle  size.  His 
countenance,  though  not  handsome,  is  vivacious,  and 
his  manners  are  refined  and  pleasing.  He  was  edu- 
cated at  Caracas,  and  entered  the  army  in  1811,  and 
served  with  credit  under  the  orders  of  the  celebrated 
Miranda.  He  afterwards  became  favourably  known 
for  activity,  intelligence,  and  valour,  under  the  brave 
Piar.  From  1814  to  1817  Sucre  served  in  the  staff 
of  the  Colombian  army,  and  displayed  the  zeal  and 
talent  which  characterize  him.  Sucre  was  afterwards 
appointed  to  the  command  of  a  division  sent  to 
assist  the  province  of  Guayaquil.  He  met  with  a 
severe  check  at  Huachi,  but  succeeded  in  obtaining 
an  armistice,  which  was  in  effect  a  victory.  It  enabled 
the  Peruvian  division,  under  Santa  Cruz,  to  form  a 
junction,  and,  both  united,  achieved  the  decisive 
victory  of  Pinchincha. 


CHAP.  XX.  EXPEDITION  OF  SANTA  CllUZ.  GO 


CHAPTER  XX. 

Expedition  of  General  Santa  Cruz. — Lands  at  Arica. — Marches 
to  Upper  Peru. — Royalists  abandon  Lima. — General  Sucre 
embarks  for  Chala. — Enters  Arequipa. — Affair  of  Zepita. — 

Disasters    of  the   patriots. — Their  re-embarkation General 

Miller  retreats  by  land  to  Lima — The  viceroy  makes  a  new 
disposition  of  his  forces. 

IT  has  been  stated  that  the  expedition  under  Santa 
Cruz  united  off  Iquique  on  the  15th  of  June,  1823. 
The  general  caused  a  detachment  of  four  hundred 
men  to  sail  to  Arica,  to  surprise  two  troops  of 
royalist  cavalry  stationed  in  the  valley  of  Asapa, 
a  league  inland.  The  patriot  commanding  officer, 
Colonel  Elespuru,  acted  with  such  promptitude  and 
boldness  that,  in  the  night  of  the  16th,  he  succeeded 
in  making  the  whole  royalist  party  prisoners  j  two 
hundred  and  thirty-nine  horses  and  two  hundred 
and  twenty-three  mules  also  fell  into  his  hands. 

On  the  17th,  Santa  Cruz  himself  arrived  at  Arica, 
and  on  the  following  day  all  the  troops  were  on  shore. 
Some  cavalry  immediately  took  possession  of  Tacna. 
Colonel  Pardo  de  Zela  sailed  with  two  companies  to 
Quilca,  to  cause  a  diversion,  by  preventing  the  gar- 
rison of  Arequipa  from  annoying  the  left  flank  of 
Santa  Cruz  on  his  march  to  the  interior.  The  general, 
with  commendable  activity,  lost  not  a  moment  in  ad- 
vancing to  Moquegua,  where  he  made  the  necessary 


70  EXPEDITION  OF  SANTA  CRUZ.          CHAP.  xx. 

dispositions   to  carry  into  effect  his  plan  of  opera- 
tions. 

Having  formed  his  army  into  two  divisions,  one 
of  which  was  placed  under  the  orders  of  General 
Gamarra,  second  in  command,  the  general-in-chief 
marched  from  Torata  with  the  first,  on  the  23rd  of 
July,  by  the  Cordillera  of  Iscuchaca,  towards  the 
Desaguadero.  Gamarra  set  out  on  the  same  day 
from  Tacna,  with  the  second  division,  towards  Oruro, 
by  the  route  of  Tacora  and  San  Andres  de  Machaca. 
These  long  marches  were  effected  without  any  other 
sufferings  than  those  arising  from  the  severity  of  the 
cold,  and  the  nature  of  the  route  over  mountainous 
deserts.  Santa  Cruz  obtained  possession  of  the 
bridge  of  the  Inca,  across  the  Desaguadero,  on  the 
29th  of  July,  and  occupied  the  city  of  La  Paz  on  the 
7th  of  August.  The  small  garrison  retired,  aban- 
doning all  their  military  stores.  The  division  of  Ga- 
marra arrived  at  Calamarca  on  the  10th  of  August, 
where  his  advance  drove  back  General  Olaneta, 
who,  with  fifteen  hundred  men,  was  marching  from 
Potost,  unapprised  of  the  movements  of  the  patriots. 
Gamarra  contented  himself  with  proceeding  to  Oruro, 
where  he  found  several  pieces  of  artillery,  and  a  quan- 
tity of  military  stores,  and  Olaneta  was  permitted  to 
escape  to  Potosi. 

Previous  to  Gamarra's  entering  Oruro,  he  was 
joined  by  the  active  guerrilla  leader  Colonel  Lanza, 
with  six  hundred  men,  who  had  maintained  himself 
six  years  with  admirable  constancy  against  every 
effort  of  the  Spaniards  to  expel  him  from  the  valleys 
cast  of  La  Paz. 


CHAP.  XX,  EXPEDITION  OF  SUCRE.  71 

To  the  unceasing  exertions  and  decision  of  Santa 
Cruz  the  promising  prospects  before  him  must  be 
attributed.  To  use  his  own  expression,  "  Fortune 
preceded  his  steps."  Indeed,  she  favoured  him  on 
every  side.  Activity,  boldness,  and  enterprise  are 
generally  favoured  by  Fortune ;  whilst  she  abandons 
sloth,  timidity,  and  indecision.  Colonel  Urdiminea, 
with  a  thousand  men,  was  a  few  leagues  north  of 
Jujuy,  ready  to  make  a  diversion  upon  Potosi ;  and 
Arenales,  who  had  a  few  months  before  left  Peru, 
and  now  become  governor  of  Salta,  was  making  every 
effort  to  move  forward  with  a  body  ofgauchos  for 
the  same  purpose.  Three  squadrons  of  the  royalists 
had  been  defeated  at  Pisco  by  the  Peruvian  monto- 
neros,  assisted  by  a  detachment  of  granaderos  & 
caballo,  commanded  by  Lieutenant- Colonel  Bogado. 
In  short,  every  thing  seemed  to  concur  in  crowning 
Santa  Cruz's  undertaking  with  success.  But  it  is 
now  necessary  to  return  to  the  royalist  army  under 
Canterac,  which  we  left  investing  Callao. 

That  general  having  learnt  the  rapid  progress  of 
Santa  Cruz  in  Upper  Peru,  and  that  his  army,  instead 
of  consisting  of  a  few  hundreds,  actually  amounted 
to  several  thousand  efficient  troops,  despatched, 
on  the  30th  of  June,  General  Valdez,  with  the 
battalions  Gerona,,  Centre,  Cantabria,  four  hundred 
cavalry,  and  two  field-pieces,  to  co-operate  with  the 
viceroy,  Carratala,  and  Olaneta. 

General  Sucre  being  unfettered  by  the  recent  poli- 
tical changes,  exerted  himself  to  send  from  Callao  three 
thousand  men  to  act  against  Cuzco  or  Arequipa,  or  to 
co-operate  with  Santa  Cruz,  as  circumstances  might 


72  EXPEDITION  OF  SUCRE.  CHAP.  xx. 

render  most  expedient.     This  expedition  consisted 
of  the  following  corps  : 
Peruvians.  120  cavalry. 

T    Battalion  No.  4  (skeleton). 
Chilenos.  <    1  company  of  artillery. 

180  cavalry. 

Battalion  Pinchincha. 

Vencedores. 


Colombians. 


Voltieeros 


(formerly  Numancia). 
50  cavalry. 


The  cavalry  and  artillery  with  General  Miller 
sailed  from  Callao,  on  the  4th  of  July  :  the  remainder 
of  the  troops  followed  with  Generals  Lara,  Alvarado, 
and  Pinto.  The  place  of  disembarkation  was  Chala. 

Canterac  finding  he  could  effect  nothing  decisive 
against  the  castles  of  Callao,  and  perceiving  that 
Sucre  had  sent  transports  with  the  troops  to  the 
south,  evacuated  Lima  on  the  17th  of  July,  and 
marched  for  Huancavelica,  General  Martinez,  with 
the  remains  of  the  army  of  the  Andes,  was  directed 
to  follow  him  up ;  but  Canterac  retired  unmolested. 

The  capital  being  once  more  in  the  hands  of  the 
patriots,  and  Sucre  determining  to  place  himself  at 
the  head  of  the  expedition  which  had  sailed  for 
Chala,  delegated  his  powers  to  the  Marquess  of  Torre 
Tagle,  and  sailed  on  the  £0th  of  July.  The  congress, 
previous  to  its  proceeding  to  Truxillo,  had  directed 
that  Santa  Cruz  should  obey  the  orders  of  Sucre. 

The  royalists,  flushed  with  their  former  successes, 
had  latterly  conducted  themselves  with  great  arro- 
gance, and  Canterac  assumed  a  tone  which  even  the 


CHAP.  XX.        CONDUCT  OF  THE  ROYALISTS.  73 

viceroy  himself  had  never  adopted.  "  Insurgents,'* 
"  rebels,"  "  traitors,"  were  the  epithets  used  when 
alluding  to  the  patriots  j  and  scurrilous  public  papers 
teemed  with  sanguinary  threats.  On  the  preceding 
23rd  of  March,  General  Canterac,  being  then  at 
Huancayo,  had  addressed  an  official  communication 
to  the  republican  government  at  Lima,  intimating 
that  for  the  future  he  should  be  under  the  necessity 
of  carrying  into  execution  the  decree  of  his  most 
catholic  majesty,  which  peremptorily  ordered  that  no 
quarter  should  be  given  to  foreigners  in  the  service 
of  the  insurgents  !  Strange  to  say,  the  then  presi- 
dent, Riva- Aguero,  took  no  notice  of  this  threat  in 
his  spiritless  reply  of  the  15th  of  April :  but  he  per- 
mitted some  foreign  officers  to  insert  an  article  in 
the  Lima  Gazette  of  the  1st  of  May,  announcing  their 
willingness  to  accede  to  the  terms  of  future  hostilities 
as  proposed  by  Canterac,  and  promising  to  treat  with 
reciprocity  any  subjects  of  his  most  catholic  majesty 
whom  the  chances  of  war  might  place  within  their 
power,  not  excepting  even  Canterac  himself.  The 
following  translation  of  a  letter  written  by  Canterac, 
whilst  investing  Callao,  to  Rodil,  the  governor  of 
Lima,  and  of  a  decree  issued  by  the  viceroy,  will  show 
the  line  of  policy  by  which  the  royalists  were  guided 
at  that  time. 

"  My  esteemed  Rodil, — It  is  not  advisable  that 
the  decrees  published  at  Lima  should  be  current  in 
Europe,  as  will  necessarily  be  the  case  if  the  first 
printed  copies  are  circulated ;  and  for  this  reason 
Camba  goes  to  see  how  he  can  fill  up  the  first  number. 
I  therefore  repeat,  that  in  public  papers  we  must  not 


74  CONDUCT  OF  THE  ROYALISTS.        CHAP.  XX. 

mention  such  decrees,  as  manifest  violent  measures, 
and  which  are  in  contradiction  to  what  is  said  of  the 
adhesion  of  the  people.  The  dragoons  from  Lima 
have  not  yet  made  their  appearance  here,  where 
waits  their  arrival, 

"  Your  most  affectionate  friend, 

(Signed)  "  CANTERAC." 

"  This  government  being  desirous  of  providing 
against  every  possible  evil,  not  only  to  the  inhabitants 
in  general  of  these  provinces,  but  even  to  those  quar- 
ters unfortunately  now  occupied  by  the  invaders, 
notifies,  that  all  foreign  goods  and  effects,  found  in 
such  places  on  the  entry  of  the  national  forces,  shall 
be  irrevocably  confiscated  for  the  benefit  of  the  public, 
according  to  the  laws  which  regulate  us  in  such  cases  j 
and  that  this  notice  may  be  made  known  to  all,  it  is 
hereby  ordered  to  be  printed  and  circulated  in  the 
government  gazette. 

"  Cuzco,  20th  January,  1822. 

(Signed)  "  JOSE  DE  LA  SERNA." 

Until  the  battle  of  Moquegua,  the  royalists  had 
limited  their  views  to  the  preservation  of  Peru.  From 
the  date  of  that  victory,  their  hopes  became  more 
comprehensive.  They  thenceforward  reckoned  upon 
eventually  reducing  the  whole  of  South  America  to 
submission.  They  had  gone  so  far  as  to  settle 
amongst  themselves  who  had  the  fairest  chance  of 
being  nominated  viceroys  of  Peru,  Buenos  Ayres, 
New  Granada,  and  captains-general  of  Chile,  &c. 
Even  an  expedition  to  Mexico  was  contemplated ; 


CHAP.  xx.  EXPEDITION  OF  SUCRE.  75 

nor  did  they,  it  seems,  relinquish  such  pleasing 
speculations  until  they  were  dispelled  by  the  battle 
of  Ayacucho. 

On  the  21st  of  July,  General  Miller  landed  at 
Chala,  and  immediately  sent  piquets  to  Atico,  Cha- 
parra,  Chaipi,  and  Acari,  to  collect  horses  and  mules. 
On  the  28th,  a  montonero  party,  with  a  few  regulars, 
advanced  to  Pausa,  and  surprised  the  sub-delegate  of 
that  province,  with  an  escort  of  sixty  men,  who,  being 
forty  leagues  inland,  hardly  knew  that  an  enemy  was 
upon  the  coast ;  so  that  the  whole  party  was  actually 
taken  or  dispersed  whilst  assisting  at  a  bull-fight 
given  by  the  municipality,  in  compliment  to  the  sub- 
delegate's  wife,  who  had  lately  arrived  there. 

On  theyth  of  August,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Raulet, 
who  had  been  sent  to  Chumpi,  skirmished  with  the 
rear-guard  of  Valdez,  then  passing  through  San  Juan 
de  Lucanas,  and  in  full  march  to  Upper  Peru:  but 
Valdez  would  not  be  diverted  from  his  object,  and 
proceeded  on  his  march. 

Sucre  touched  at  Chala  on  the  1st  of  August. 
Miller  rode  back  from  Coracora  to  consult  with  him. 
It  was  arranged  that  the  infantry  should  continue  the 
voyage  to  Quilca,  where  Colonel  Pardo  de  Zela  had 
previously  disembarked,  and  defeated  a  party  sent 
against  him  from  Arequipa ;  whilst  the  cavalry  and 
a  small  detachment  of  infantry,  with  Miller,  should 
proceed  by  land  for  the  purpose  of  collecting  supplies. 
Notwithstanding  the  devastated  condition  of  the 
provinces  of  Parinacochas,  Carabeli,  Camand,  and 
Condesuyos,  such  was  the  undiminished  enthusiasm 
of  the  inhabitants,  that  little  difficulty  was  experi. 


76  MOVEMENTS.  CHAP.  xx. 

enced  in  obtaining  horses,  mules,  and  other  resources, 
to  facilitate  the  movements  of  the  infantry.  So 
fatiguing  was  this  service  that  Miller,  upon  arriving 
at  Carabeli,  was  attacked  by  ague  and  fever,  which 
confined  him  to  his  bed  for  three  days.  Being  some- 
what recovered,  and  anxious  .to  surprise  a  royalist 
detachment  stationed  at  Chuquibamba,  he  set  out  in 
a  state  of  considerable  debility,  but  rapidly  regained 
his  strength  as  he  rode  along.  After  an  almost  con- 
tinued march  of  about  thirty-four  leagues,  he  entered 
Chuquibamba  on  the  second  morning  after  his  de- 
parture from  Carabeli ;  but  the  royalists  were  warned 
of  his  advance,  and  saved  themselves  by  flight.  In 
the  course  of  the  march  of  the  patriots  they  halted 
for  three  hours  at  Apillon,  near  the  Rio  Grande.  As 
they  unsaddled,  the  rumbling  noise  of  a  distant  earth- 
quake was  heard.  Some  shocks  were  felt  by  the 
peasantry  half  an  hour  afterwards,  but  the  soldiers 
were  by  this  time  so  fast  asleep  that  they  were  not  to 
be  disturbed  by  shocks  or  noises  of  earthquakes.  On 
the  24th  of  August,  Miller  reached  the  valley  of 
Majes,  which  contains  many  large  villages,  in  some 
of  which  he  had  the  satisfaction  of  making  the  per- 
sonal acquaintance  of  many  respectable  persons  with 
whom  he  had  been  in  epistolary  communication, 
and  from  whom  he  had,  on  former  campaigns,  re- 
ceived much  valuable  information.  Miller  entered 
Aplao  about  ten  at  night,  and  went  to  the  house  of 
Don  N.  Garcia,  where  he  found  a  large  party  debating 
upon  the  formalities  necessary  to  be  observed  in  their 
reception  of  the  patriot  chief.  Some  alarm,  however, 
existed  lest  the  royalists,  who  had  fled  from  Chu- 


CHAP.  xx.  MOVEMENTS.  77 

quibamba,  should  have  taken  the  direction  of  Aplao. 
As  Miller's  person  was  unknown  to  the  company  as- 
sembled, he  was  supposed  to  be  an  aide-de-camp,  and 
as  such  invited  to  assist  in  the  deliberations,  which  he 
did  with  becoming  gravity,  and  it  was  nearly  a  quarter 
of  an  hour  before  they  entertained  a  suspicion  that 
their  expected  guest  was  already  amongst  them.  Mes- 
sengers were  immediately  despatched  to  all  then  eigh- 
bours,  and  the  party  kept  up  till  a  late  hour.  After 
breakfast,  on  the  following  morning,  a  young  lady,Doiia 
Juana  de  Cuello,  sang  a  song  which  she  had  composed 
in  the  course  of  the  night.  On  the  26th  of  August, 
Miller  reached  the  valley  of  Siguas,  where  he  found 
Sucre,  who  had  disembarked  atQuilca  with  the  infantry. 
On  the  28th  of  August,  General  Sucre,  with  his 
division,  moved  on  to  the  valley  of  Vitor,  where  he 
halted  for  that  night  and  the  following  day.  On  the 
29th,  Miller,  with  one  hundred  and  fifty  cavalry,  and 
a  few  mounted  infantry,  was  sent  on  in  front,  and 
entered  Arequipa  on  the  30th.  Colonel  Ramirez, 
with  six  hundred  infantry  and  two  hundred  cavalry, 
retired,  after  exchanging  a  few  shots  with  an  advanced 
party  under  Lieutenant-Colonel  Don  Isidore  Suares, 
supported  by  Lieutenant-Colonel  Raulet.  Ramirez 
supposed  the  patriot  infantry  to  be  at  hand,  while, 
in  fact,  it  was  twelve  leagues  in  the  rear,  and  did 
not  enter  Arequipa  until  the  following  day,  with 
Sucre.  Arequipa  is  a  fine  city,  between  the  16° 
and  17°  south  latitude,  and  in  72°  of  west  longitude. 
It  is  about  thirty  leagues  from  the  coast,  and 
has  about  thirty  thousand  inhabitants.  The  valley 
is  broad,  and  contains  the  large  and  populous  villages 
of  Paucarpata,  Sabandia  (famous  for  its  baths),  Cha- 


78  MOVEMENTS.  CHAP.  xx. 

carato,  Mollevaya,  Pocci,  Quinqueiia  (or  the  verdant), 
Yara-bamba,  Tiovaya,  and  others.  The  warm  baths 
of  Jesus  are  about  two  leagues  to  the  south.  Wheat 
is  produced  in  great  plenty,  and  of  a  good  quality. 
Strawberries,  and  other  fruits  of  the  temperate  zone, 
are  common.  The  surrounding  desert  is  limited  by 
the  Cordillera.  At  the  distance  of  six  or  eight  miles 
east  of  Arequipa  is  a  conical  mountain,  the  base  of 
which  may  be  about  five  leagues  in  circumference: 
on  the  summit  is  a  crater  which  throws  out  smoke, 
unaccompanied  by  flame  or  cinders.  A  column  of  thin 
vapour  was  issuing  from  the  volcano  during  the  whole 
time  the  patriots  occupied  Arequipa;  this  had  con- 
tinued for  some  time.  The  mountain,  being  part 
of  the  fore-ground  of  the  Andes,  does  not  appear 
very  lofty  to  the  eye  j  but  some  Englishmen  who 
climbed  it  spent  two  days  in  making  an  excursion  to 
the  summit,  a  task  which  has  seldom  been  accom- 
plished, owing  to  the  difficulties  of  the  ascent. 

The  river  Chile  flows  through  the  city,  and  is 
crossed  by  a  handsome  stone  bridge.  The  walls  of 
the  cathedral,  of  the  convents,  churches,  and  even  of 
the  houses,  are  of  stone,  and  of  great  thickness,  in 
order  to  provide  against  earthquakes,  which  are  very 
frequent,  and  sometimes  very  destructive. 

Sucre  received  a  communication  from  Santa  Cruz, 
from  which  it  appeared  that  the  latter  was  so  confident 
of  success,  that  he  evaded  the  acceptance  of  offers  of 
co-operation  which  Sucre  had  transmitted  to  him 
from  Chala. 

In  the  meanwhile  the  indefatigable  royalist  General 
Valdez  continued  his  route  by  Andahuaylas  and  Si- 
cuani  to  Puno;  having,  upon  an  average,  marched 


CHAP.  XX.  AFFAIR  OF  ZEPITA.  79 

seven  leagues  a  day  for  fifty-seven  successive  days. 
Santa  Cruz  had  remained  in  quiet  possession  of  that 
part  of  Upper  Peru  extending  from  the  bridge  of  the 
Inca  to  Oruro ;  his  own  head-quarters  being  in  his 
native  town,  La  Paz.  Gamarra  was  at  Oruro  ;  so 
that  the  two  divisions  of  the  army  were  at  the  distance 
of  fifty  leagues  from  each  other.  But,  when  he  learnt 
the  approach  of  Valdez,  Santa  Cruz  marched  from 
La  Paz  to  the  bridge  of  the  Inca,  twenty  leagues 
north  of  La  Paz,  and  seventy  of  Oruro,  in  order  to 
defend  the  passage  of  the  Desaguadero,  which  he 
passed,  leaving  a  detachment  of  each  corps  at  the 
bridge,  and  continued  his  march  to  Zepita.  Valdez 
left  his  own  fatigued  division  at  Sicuani,  and,  conti- 
nuing his  route  to  Puno,  took  with  him  from  that 
place  the  division  of  Carratala,  and  pushed  on  until 
he  came  in  front  of  Santa  Cruz's  division  at  Zepita. 
The  force  with  Valdez  was  as  follows  : 

Battalion       .       Vitoria, 

Partidarios, 

Detachment  of  1st  regiment  of  infantry, 
700  cavalry, 
4  field-pieces,       .      •",•'",  .""•',  J 

Santa  Cruz  had  with  him, 
Battalion       .       Legion, 

Cazadores, 

No  2 

Total,  about  1000. 

400  cavalry, 
2  field-pieces, 

An  action  took   place.     Colonel  Cerdeiia,  while 


80  AFFAIR   OF   ZEPITA.  CHAP.  XX. 

leading  on  his  battalion  of  the  Legion,  received  a  dan- 
gerous wound.  On  seeing  their  commander  fall,  the 
soldiers  vacillated,  and  then  fell  back  in  disorder. 
The  battalions,  Cazadores,  and  No.  2,  were  com- 
pletely repulsed,  and  fled  in  confusion.  Fortune 
seemed  to  have  decided  for  the  royalists,  when  a 
brilliant  charge  was  made  by  Commandants  Soulange 
and  Aramburu,  at  the  head  of  two  squadrons  of 
hussars  of  the  Legion.  The  colonel  and  principal 
officers  were  foreigners ;  and,  in  conformity  to  the 
spirit  of  their  declaration,  addressed  to  Canterac,  in 
the  Lima  Gazette,  they  gave  no  quarter.  Actuated 
by  the  same  sentiments  as  their  officers,  the  men 
fought  with  desperate  bravery,  and  turned  the  scale 
of  victory*.  Valdez  was  obliged  to  retrace  his 
steps  to  Pomata.  Santa  Cruz  re-crossed  the  Desa- 
guadero  by  the  bridge,  in  order  to  be  nearer  to 
Gamarra,  still  at  Oruro. 

Upon  learning  the  disembarkation  and  progress  of 
Santa  Cruz,  the  viceroy  had  marched  from  Cuzco, 
and  collected  all  his  disposable  force  at  Sicuani, 
where  he  waited  the  arrival  of  Valdez.  His  division 
having  united  with  that  left  by  Valdez,  his  excellency 
continued  his  march  with  them  to  Puno,  where  he 
arrived  on  the  25th  of  August,  and  on  the  28th  came 
up  with  Valdez  at  Pomata,  three  days  after  the  in- 
decisive affair  of  Zepita. 


*  Shortly  after  the  action,  the  viceroy  sent  a  flag  of  truce,  with  a  disavowal 
of  the  principle  laid  down  by  Canterac,  and  to  adjust  the  differences  out  of  what 
his  excellency  termed  a  misunderstanding.  With  characteristic  generosity,  La 
Serna  released  Colonel  Cerdena  (a  Spaniard  by  birth),  who  was  left  behind 
by  the  patriots  on  account  of  severe  wounds,  and  who,  after  a  protracted 
illness,  resumed  his  post  in  the  republican  Peruvian  army,  where  he  served 
again  with  high  distinction. 


CHAP.  xx.  MILITARY  MOVEMENTS.  81 

The  royalist  infantry  was  formed  into  two  divisions, 
the  first  under  Carratala,  the  second  under  Villalobos; 
the  cavalry  was  placed  under  the  orders  %  of  Colonel 
Ferras.  The  viceroy  assumed  the  chief  command  : 
Valdez  was  named  chief  of  the  staff,  and  second  in 
command.  The  royalist  force  amounted  to  about 
four  thousand  five  hundred  men.  The  patriot  divi- 
sions of  Gamarra  and  Santa  Cruz,  including  Lanza's 
montoneros,  and  some  other  guerrilla  parties  that  had 
been  formed,  did  not  in  the  whole  fall  short  of  seven 
thousand ;  but  they  were  at  a  considerable  distance 
from  each  other.  Santa  Cruz,  however,  began  to 
fall  back  upon  Oruro. 

Unable  to  follow  Santa  Cruz  over  the  Desaguadero 
by  the  bridge  of  the  Inca,  which  was  strongly  de- 
fended by  a  tete-de-pont,  the  viceroy  made  a  detour 
on  the  right  bank,  by  Guallicani,  Fasacomo,  Santiago 
de  Machaca,  to  the  ford  of  Calacota,  where,  on  the  3rd 
of  September,  the  royal  army  crossed  the  Desaguadero 
on  balsas.  On  the  4th,  it  advanced  to  the  Hacienda 
del  Marques  ;  on  the  5th,  to  the  Pampas  of  Viacha, 
where  they  took  some  patriot  stragglers :  the  troops 
of  Santa  Cruz,  on  their  march  to  join  Gamarra, 
having  passed  this  place  only  twenty-four  hours  pre- 
viously. On  the  6th  the  viceroy  advanced  to  Cala- 
marca  ;  on  the  7th  to  Molinos  ;  on  the  8th  to  Sica- 
Sica  ;  on  the  9th  to  Panduro;  on  the  10th  to  Quere- 
rani  j  on  the  llth  to  Sepulturas  ;  having  performed 
a  march  of  sixty-four  leagues  in  eight  days.  This 
place  is  situated  a  little  to  the  east  of  the  road  run- 
ning north  and  south  from  La  Paz  to  Oruro,  and 
two  leagues  from  the  latter  place.  The  viceroy  took 

VOL.  II.  G 


82  SANTA  CRUZ  CHAP.  XX. 

up  a  strong  position,  for  the  purpose  of  waiting  the 
arrival  of  Olaneta  with  about  two  thousand  five  hun- 
dred men  from  Potosi. 

Santa  Cruz  formed  a  junction  with  Gamarra  on 
the  8th,  near  Oruro.  The  patriot  commander  states 
that  he  attempted  to  bring  the  viceroy  to  action, 
but  that  the  latter  manreuvred  until  he  united 
his  forces  with  those  of  Olaiieta,  at  Sora-Sora, 
six  leagues  south-east  of  Oruro,  on  the  14th  of  Sep- 
tember. 

If  Santa  Cruz,  instead  of  going  to  Oruro,  had  or- 
dered Gamarra  to  form  a  junction  with  himself  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  Viacha,  it  would  have  given  them 
the  advantage  of  a  safe  retreat  to  Puno  by  the  bridge 
of  the  Inca,  which,  defended  by  a  small  force,  would 
have  compelled  the  royalists  to  make  another  long 
detour,  and  have  given  Santa  Cruz  time  to  unite  with 
Sucre  from  Arequipa.  Or,  if  Santa  Cruz  had  pre- 
ferred it,  he  might  have  retired  to  Potosi,  and  opened 
a  communication  with  Urdiminea  and  Arenales,  in 
the  province  of  Salta.  In  either  case  he  would  have 
fallen  back  upon  reinforcements  and  resources. 
Unfortunately  he  did  not  decide  upon  any  plan  until 
a  retreat  to  the  coast  became  the  only  alternative. 

On  the  same  day  on  which  the  viceroy  effected 
a  junction  with  Olaneta,  Santa  Cruz  began  his  re- 
treat towards  the  bridge  of  the  Inca,  in  the  hope  of 
meeting  Sucre's  division,  the  co-operation  of  which 
he  had  a  few  weeks  previously  declined.  The  roy- 
alists lost  no  time  in  following ;  and  they  came  in 
sight  of  the  retreating  patriots  on  the  morning  of  the 
i,  at  Sica-Sica,  as  the  latter  were  leaving  the  place. 


CHAP.  XX.  RETREATS.  83 

Colonel  Brandsen,  at  the  head  of  the  cavalry,  which 
had  so  much  distinguished  itself  at  Zepita,  covered 
the  retreat  to  Ayo-Ayo  (nine  leagues  distant),  and 
kept  the  enemy  in  check  ;  notwithstanding  which, 
the  loss  of  the  patriots  on  this  day's  march  was  very 
great,  in  baggage,  and  by  desertion.     After  a  halt  of 
a  few  hours  at  Ayo-Ayo,  Santa  Cruz  would  have 
complied  with  the  wishes  of  his  troops,  and  the  ardent 
entreaties  of  many  of  his  officers,  and  given  battle ; 
but,  by  some  mismanagement,  the  artillery  had  taken 
the  wrong  road.    This  was  particularly  unfortunate ; 
for  the  royalist  pursuers  were  so  much  dispersed,  in 
consequence  of  having  marched  thirty -nine  leagues 
in  three  days,  that  had  Santa  Cruz  made  a  stand,  it 
was  the  intention  of  the  viceroy  to  fall  back  again 
upon  Sica-Sica,  until  he  could  re-advance  with  all  his 
forces.     This  would  have  given  Santa  Cruz  some 
days  to  halt,  or  to  retire  in  good  order,  as  well  as  to 
regain  his  artillery ;  and  the  dispirited  soldiers  would 
have  recovered  their  lost  confidence :  but  Santa  Cruz 
continued  his  precipitate  flight;   the  panic  became 
general ;  insubordination  followed ;  the  artillery  was 
abandoned,  and  a  general  dispersion  took  place. 

At  Ayo-Ayo  they  experienced  a  dreadful  snow 
storm,  and  many  of  the  numerous  stragglers  of  both 
sides  perished  from  the  inclemency  of  the  weather. 
Such  was  the  inability  of  the  royalists  to  continue 
the  pursuit,  that  the  viceroy  was  compelled  to  re- 
main at  Ayo-Ayo,  from  whence  he  detached  Valdez 
with  such  of  the  cavalry  as  were  in  a  state  to  be  sent 
forward,  together  with  about  eight  hundred  infantry. 


84  MISFORTUNES  OF   SANTA  CRUZ.       CHAP.  xx. 

On  the  night  of  the  18th,  two  wounded  lancers  were 
surprised,  by  an  inferior  force  of  royalists,  and  anni- 
hilated at  Viacha.  The  commanding  officer,  Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel Navajas,  and  a  few  men,  only  escaped. 
To  complete  the  misfortune  of  the  patriots,  the 
officer  left  in  charge  of  the  tite-de-pont  at  the  Des- 
aguadero  surrendered  without  making  the  slightest 
resistance,  and  thus  left  the  passage  of  that  river 
perfectly  free,  by  the  best  and  shortest  road.  The 
fugitives  of  Santa  Cruz  took  the  road  to  Ilo  by  Santa 
Rosa  and  Moquegua,  committing  great  depredations 
on  the  way.  About  one  thousand  three  hundred  men 
got  on  board  the  transports;  three  hundred  of  the 
hussars  of  the  Legion,  who  embarked  in  one  of  these 
vessels,  were  captured  by  a  Spanish  privateer,  and 
sent  to  Chiloe.  On  the  passage,  nearly  thirty  officers 
of  different  corps  were  separated  from  the  men,  and 
transshipped  to  the  privateer,  which  soon  afterwards 
foundered  at  sea.  The  brave  Soulange,  Correa,  and 
many  other  meritorious  officers,  amongst  whom  was 
the  Marquess  of  San  Miguel,  perished,  with  every 
other  soul  on  board.  Thus,  out  of  seven  thousand 
men,  to  which  number  Santa  Cruz  had  augmented 
his  force,  less  than  one  thousand  returned  to  Lima. 
Santa  Cruz  himself  went  on  board  the  O'Higgins, 
where  the  noble-minded  Guise  received  his  friend  in 
adversity  with  redoubled  attention.  It  is  a  pleasure 
to  record,  that,  when  political  jealousy  occasioned 
a  long  and  unjust  imprisonment  of  the  admiral  at 
Lima,  Santa  Cruz  manfully  interceded  with  Bolivar 
at  Potosi,  at  a  time  when  to  plead  the  cause  of 


CHAP.  xx.  SUCHE  RETIRES.  85 

Guise  was  not  the  shortest  way  to  the  favour  of  the 
Liberator.  This  trait  reflects  the  highest  credit  upon 
the  feelings  of  Santa  Cruz. 

Colonel  Lanza  had  been  detached  from  the  re- 
treating army  of  Santa  Cruz  so  soon  as  it  reached  the 
vicinity  of  Sica-Sica.  Lanza's  party,  increased  by 
the  accession  of  convalescents  and  stragglers  to  up- 
wards of  one  thousand  men,  directed  its  course  to 
the  mountains  of  Cochabamba.  Olaiieta  having  taken 
possession  of  La  Paz  on  the  24th  of  September,  left 
that  city,  and  coming  up  with  Lanza  near  Alzuri  on 
the  16th  of  October,  completely  defeated  him.  A 
very  small  number  escaped  with  Lanza  to  the  moun- 
tains. 

After  the  destruction  of  the  army  of  Santa  Cruz, 
the  royalists  directed  their  sole  attention  to  the  ex- 
pulsion of  Sucre  j  who,  notwithstanding  the  disin- 
clination of  Santa  Cruz  to  admit  of  co-operation,  was 
advancing  towards  Puno  with  the  double  object  of 
supporting  him  in  the  event  of  a  disaster,  or  of  giving 
fuller  effect  to  his  successes.  Upon  arriving  at  Apo 
(twelve  leagues  from  Arequipa),  Sucre  learned  the 
total  dispersion  of  the  army  of  Santa  Cruz,  and  the 
approach  of  the  royalists.  The  viceroy  and  Valdez 
were  advancing  from  Puno,  whilst  Canterac,  who  had 
reached  Cuzco  with  five  thousand  men,  was  con- 
tinuing his  march  to  Arequipa  by  the  Despoblado. 
Sucre  was  therefore  obliged  to  countermarch,  to  avoid 
coming  in  contact  with  so  superior  a  force  in  his 
front,  his  retreat  to  the  coast  being,  at  the  same  time, 
endangered  by  the  advance  of  Canterac.  At  the 
time  that  Sucre  retired  from  Apo,  Miller,  with  a 


86  MILITARY  MOVEMENTS.  CHAP.  XX. 

small  escort,  set  out  from  the  same  place  for  the  front, 
in  order  to  obtain  more  positive  intelligence  of  the 
movements  of  the  royalists.  His  course  lay  over 
bleak  table  land,  upon  which  was  here  and  there  an 
Indian  hut ;  at  some  of  which  he  left  a  man  or  two, 
as  their  horses  tired.  About  midnight  he  arrived, 
with  only  three  followers,  at  the  post-house  of  Pati 
(eight  leagues  from  Apo),  which  had  been  deserted 
by  its  inhabitants.  He  learned  from  an  Indian, 
casually  passing,  that  the  army  ofValdez  was  still  at 
a  considerable  distance ;  but  that  a  party  of  sixty  or 
eighty  royalists  were  near  at  hand.  Miller  waited 
until  daybreak  in  this  cold  uncomfortable  spot,  where 
nothing  edible  for  man  or  beast  was  to  be  found. 
One  soldier  was  appointed  to  take  charge  of  the 
horses,  while  the  other  two  stood  sentry,  in  turn,  a 
little  in  advance.  They  had  strict  orders  to  listen 
attentively,  and  to  report  if  they  heard  footsteps  or 
the  smallest  noise.  A  small  fire  was  made  in  one 
corner  of  the  post-house;  but  with  as  little  blaze 
as  possible,  lest  it  might  serve  as  a  beacon  to 
the  enemy.  Having  spent  a  very  dreary  night, 
Miller  set  out  with  one  of  the  soldiers,  leaving  the 

'  O 

other  two  to  follow  him  at  sunset.  As  he  had  left  a 
relay  at  Apo,  he  changed  horses  there  on  his  way 
back,  and  after  having  rode  twenty  leagues,  he 
reached  Arequipa  before  night  set  in.  This  fa^ 
tiguing  journey  brought  on  a  fever  that  confined 
him  to  his  bed. 

On  the  next  day  Sucre  set  out  for  Moquegua, 
where  he  had  an  interview  with  Santa  Cruz  and  Ga- 
marra,  then  on  their  way  to  get  on  board  of  ship  at 


CHAP.  xx.  MILITARY  MOVEMENTS.  87 

Ilo.  Sucre  returned  to  Arequipa  on  the  6th  of  Oc- 
tober. The  patriot  infantry  commenced  their  march 
for  Quilca,  but  most  of  the  cavalry  remained  in  the 
city;  a  piquet  being  stationed  at  Cangallo,  four 
leagues  on  the  Apo  road.  Half  way  between  Can- 
gallo and  Apo  there  is  a  track  called  el  Botadero, 
which  branches  off  to  Arequipa,  and  reunites  with 
the  high  road  two  miles  from  the  town.  The  Bota- 
dero  is  the  shortest  way,  but  so  difficult  that  it  is 
seldom  used  excepting  by  pedestrians.  Miller  had 
strongly  urged  the  propriety  of  a  piquet  being  placed 
on  this  path,  in  addition  to  that  at  Cangallo ;  and 
repeated  orders  were  given  to  one  of  the  local  au- 
thorities to  send  some  mounted  peasants  there,  but 
these  orders  were  not  obeyed. 

In  the  meantime  the  entrance  of  the  royalists  be- 
came every  hour  more  and  more  certain,  although 
they  were  not  expected  for  three  or  four  days.  The 
partisans  of  royalty,  in  Arequipa,  became  imboldened 
in  proportion  to  the  closer  proximity  of  their  friends; 
while  those  addicted  to  the  patriot  cause  were  filled 
with  dismay.  Miller  continued  so  ill  that  it  was 
considered  impossible  for  him  to  accompany  the 
retreating  patriots.  In  this  situation  the  personal 
attentions  of  the  royalist,  as  well  as  of  the  patriot, 
party  redoubled  with  increasing  danger.  The  Spanish 
lady,  at  whose  house  he  was  billeted,  offered  to  se- 
crete him  for  a  month,  if  necessary,  and  then  to 
facilitate  his  escape  by  the  assistance  of  her  husband, 
a  Spaniard,  who  was  then  with  the  royal  army,  and 
being  at  the  head  of  the  custom-house,  possessed  con- 
siderable influence.  Other  royalist  friends  provided 


88  ROYALISTS  ENTER  AREQUIPA.          CHAP.  xx. 

a  litter,  and  mules  were  kept  in  attendance  at  his 
door,  to  move  him  off  at  a  moment's  warning,  in  case 
he  should  decline  the  friendly  offers  of  his  hostess. 

By  this  time  the  viceroy  and  Valdez,  with  their 
forces,  had  reached  Pati,  whence  they  detached 
Colonel  Ferras,  at  the  head  of  one  hundred  and  fifty 
cavalry  and  two  hundred  and  fifty  well-mounted  in- 
fantry, to  advance  with  all  possible  speed  to  surprise 
the  patriots  remaining  in  Arequipa.  Having  passed 
Apo,  Ferras  took  the  path  of  el  Botadero;  but, 
losing  his  way  from  the  darkness  of  the  night,  some 
of  his  men  wandered  to  Cangallo,  which  gave  the 
alarm  to  the  patriot  piquet  stationed  there.  But  for 
this  circumstance,  Ferras  would  have  entered  Are- 
quipa before  daybreak,  and,  in  all  probability,  would 
have  succeeded  in  completely  effecting  his  object: 
but  an  hour  after  daylight,  on  the  8th,  Sucre  heard 
of  his  approach.  Miller,  who  had  by  this  time  sud- 
denly recovered,  mounted  his  horse,  and  rode  out 
to  reconnoitre.  Soon  after  passing  the  suburbs,  he 
discovered  a  few  royalist  infantry  posted  upon  a  knoll 
in  the  desert  south-east  of  Arequipa.  They  fired 
several  shots,  but  all  went  over  his  head.  He  saw 
the  main  body,  under  Ferras,  rapidly  advancing,  upon 
which  he  rode  back  into  the  town  to  make  his  report 
to  Sucre.  Lieutenant-Colonel  Raulet  and  his  squadron 
with  much  valour  disputed  the  entrance  of  the  enemy; 
but  they  were  repulsed  with  considerable  loss,  and 
driven  into  the  city.  The  patriots  made  some  gal- 
lant charges  in  the  streets,  but  were  finally  expelled. 
Sucre  was  in  the  great  square  when  the  royalists 
entered  it.  Before  he  quitted  it,  some  of  the  clergy 


CHAP.  XX.        ROYALISTS  ENTEll  AREQUIPA.  89 

and  one  or  two  of  the  municipality,  who  had  made 
loud  professions  of  patriotism,  caused  the  church 
bells  to  ring  a  welcome  to  the  entering  royalists.  At 
the  same  time  these  worthies  displayed,  from  a 
balcony,  the  portrait  of  King  Ferdinand.  Sucre 
directed  Miller  to  place  himself  at  the  head  of  the 
rear-guard  of  the  retreating  patriots,  now  reduced  to 
one  hundred  and  forty  cavalry.  With  these  he  took 
the  route  which  led  to  Uchumayo,  across  an  open 
desert  four  leagues  in  breadth.  The  headmost  of 
the  Spanish  cavalry  followed  and  lanced  the  patriots 
as  they  scampered,  pell-mell,  over  the  rough  pave- 
ment, and  across  the  bridge,  in  order  to  clear  the 
town,  and  form  again  in  the  open  desert,  four  leagues 
in  breadth,  to  Uchumayo.  In  crossing  the  plain, 
Miller  saw  a  favourable  opportunity  to  wheel  about 
and  charge  about  a  hundred  of  his  pursuers.  He 
had  done  all  he  could  to  animate  the  drooping  spirits 
of  his  men :  they  cheered,  and,  having  now  the  ad- 
vantage of  numbers,  seemed  willing  to  make  a  last 
effort.  They  charged,  but  failed ;  and  were  again 
completely  routed.  The  men  did  not  display  their 
wonted  courage  ;  they  had  been  dispirited  by  events 
which,  on  the  other  hand,  had  flushed  the  royalists 
with  more  than  usual  valour.  Such  of  the  patriots 
as  escaped  the  first  onset  fled  with  renewed  speed. 
Several  of  the  royalist  dragoons,  who  had  perhaps 
served  previously  in  the  patriot  army,  and  had  been 
made  prisoners,  recognised  Miller,  and,  saluting  him 
very  civilly  by  name,  invited  him  to  surrender.  They 
made  several  detours  to  cut  him  off  whenever  he 
slackened  his  speed:  but  as  he  was  well  mounted, 
and  the  pursuit  being  on  an  open  sandy  plain,  he 


90  INTERESTING  INCIDENT.  CHAP.  xx. 

baffled  their  attempts.  It  is  singular  that  they  did 
not  discharge  a  single  carbine  at  him,  although  he 
kept  at  no  great  distance  ahead.  The  royalists  were 
too  fatigued  to  follow  farther  than  to  the  neighbour- 
hood of  Uchumayo,  where  Miller  remained,  with  an 
officer  and  two  or  three  orderlies,  till  dark,  to  ascer- 
tain whether  the  enemy  intended  approaching  the 
coast  immediately,  or  remaining  in  Arequipa. 

Generals  Sucre,  Lara,  and  Alvarado  chief  of  the 
staff,  embarked  at  Quilca,  and  sailed  for  Callao  : 
whilst  Miller,  with  the  dispersed  cavalry,  and  a  com- 
pany of  infantry,  was  ordered  to  effect  his  retreat  by 
land  to  Lima  by  the  way  of  Camana,  Ocona,  Cara- 
beli,  Sondor,  Chala,  Nasca,  and  lea,  a  distance  of 
more  than  two  hundred  leagues.  At  Camana  Miller 
had  the  pleasure  of  passing  twenty-four  hours  at  the 
hospitable  residence  of  his  friend  Colonel  Flores,  around 
whose  table  were  assembled  the  numerous  branches 
of  the  Flores  family.  On  the  next  day  Miller,  leaving 
a  well  mounted  detachment  to  bring  him  intelligence, 
forded  the  river,  and  remained  with  Colonel  Esco- 
vedo  and  a  couple  of  orderlies,  on  the  northern  bank, 
while  the  rest  of  his  troops  continued  their  march  to 
Ocona.  The  river  sides  are  broad  and  thickly  covered 
with  trees  and  underwood,  amongst  which  are  hidden 
several  widely  scattered  cottages.  On  approaching 
one  of  these  sylvan  retreats,  a  very  handsome  woman, 
about  twenty-five  years  of  age,  came  out  to  receive 
them.  She  had  light  hair,  blue  eyes,  and  a  fair  clear 
complexion.  The  carnation  of  her  cheeks  had  almost 
entirely  yielded  to  the  encroachments  of  the  lily,  and 
there  was  an  air  of  pensiveness,  joined  to  attractive 
manners,  which  heightened,  while  it  softened,  the 


CHAP.  XX.  RUSE  DE  GUERRE.  91 

expression  of  an   always  interesting  and  beautiful 
countenance.     This  lady  *  was  no  other  than  the  fair 
object   of  the   poet   Melgar's  vehement   adoration. 
Unrequited  love  inspired   those   sweetly  sorrowing 
strains  in  which  he  diffuses   his   impassioned   har- 
mony over  the  tender  melancholy  of  hopeless  affec- 
tion.    The  young  lady  having  refused  Melgar,  and 
married    another,    she    was  some    time  afterwards 
obliged  to  flee,  with  her  husband,  to  escape  from  the 
persecution  of  the  royalists,  and  found  an  asylum  in 
the  labyrinthian  banks  of  the  river  Camana.    In  the 
evening  of  the  day  now  spoken  of,  she  played  on  the 
guitar  and  sang  some  popular  songs  with  great  taste  and 
execution.    Escovedo,  who  was  a  native  of  Arequipa 
and  almost  brought  up  with  her,  now  besought  his  fair 
townswoman  to  favour  the  company  with  one  of  those 
yaravis  which  enchant  the  ear  while  they  sadden  the 
imagination   of  every  Peruvian.     But  this  entreaty 
touched  a  delicate  chord  ;  a  thousand  soul-subduing 
ideas  were  associated  with  the  melody  called  for  ;  the 
songstress  sighed  bitterly,  and  at  last  burst  into  a 
flood  of  tears.     This  unexpected  sight  of  grief,  and 
the  recollections  of  the  hapless  Melgar,   produced 
sensations  of  deep  regret  in  the  mind  of  every  one 
present. 

At  Ocoiia  the  patriots  gained  three  or  four  days 
upon  their  pursuers  by  a  ruse  de  guerre,  by  causing 
it  to  be  believed  that  a  reinforcement  expected  from 
Chile  had  arrived  at  the  Planchadaj  in  consequence 
of  which  the  royalist  Colonel  Ameller,  who  had  been 
sent  in  pursuit,  retired  from  Camana  towards  Are- 

*  Her  excellent  father,  Paredes,  who  is  still  living  at  Arequipa,  was  one  of 
Miller's  secret  correspondents  previous  to  entering  that  city.  Miller  afterwards 
received  much  attention  and  civility  from  him  and  his  family. 


92  MOVEMENTS  OF  THE   PATRIOTS.      CHAP.  XX. 

quipa,  and  did  not  resume  the  chase.  Thus  Miller 
was  enabled  to  halt  for  five  days  at  Carabeli,  where  he 
bivouacked  in  some  rich  lucern  fields.  The  horses 
were  got  into  working  condition,  and  properly  shod ; 
and  discipline  was  again  established  in  the  division. 

Miller  had  received,  at  Quilca,  a  written  order 
from  Sucre,  to  inflict  the  punishment  of  death  upon 
all  depredators  during  the  retreat.  A  patriot  soldier, 
named  Santos  Colinas,  was  shot  for  plundering  at 
Carabeli,  almost  in  sight  of  the  Spanish  advance,  as 
it  descended  into  the  spacious  valley. 

From  Carabeli  are  two  roads  to  Chala,  one  through 
Chaparra,  the  other  by  Sondor  and  Chaipi.  A  league 
or  two  beyond  Sondor  the  last-named  road  divides ; 
the  right  branches  off  to  Chumpi,  San  Juan  de  Lu- 
canas,  Cordova,  and  lea;  the  second  branch  leads 
direct  to  Chaipi.  Although  Miller  had  got  his  troops 
into  good  marching  order,  it  was  important  to  mis- 
lead Canterac,  whose  advance  entered  the  valley  as 
Miller  quitted  the  town  of  Carabeli  in  the  aftenioon  of 
the  23rd  of  October.  The  patriot  infantry  had  marched 
on  the  morning  of  that  day.  Some  hours  after  the 
cavalry  ascended  a  steep  hill,  for  above  an  hour,  and 
proceeding  along  table  land,  marched  for  above  two 
hours  after  sunset.  The  party  then  halted ;  fires 
were  made ;  and  the  men,  suffering  from  a  freezing 
temperature,  slept  among  rocks  and  heath  until  mid- 
night, when  the  moon  having  arisen,  the  party  again 
proceeded,  and  reached  Sondor  soon  after  sunrise  on 
the  24th.  The  men  were  so  benumbed  that  it  was 
with  difficulty  that  heath  could  be  collected  and  fires 
made,  and  some  time  elapsed  before  they  could  at- 
tend to  their  horses.  Lieutenant-Colonel  Suares  and 


CHAP.  XX.  SONDOR.  93 

several  of  the  soldiers,  who  took  off  their  boots,  were 
unable  to  put  them  on  again  for  several  hours,  on 
account  of  swollen  feet.  Sondor  is  situated  at  the 
extremity  of  a  valley  formed  on  the  table  land,  and  cir- 
cumscribed by  ridges  which  gradually  meet  and  form 
an  obtuse  angle.  •  Water  is  scarce,  and  the  ele- 
vated plain  seems  to  offer  but  indifferent  pasturage 
and  few  capabilities  for  cultivation.  The  hamlet 
consists  of  ten  or  a  dozen  scattered  huts,  each 
having  its  surrounding  patches  for  lucern,  potatoes, 
or  barley.  The  inhabitants  fled  when  the  patriots 
appeared  in  sight ;  but,  in  the  course  of  a  few 
hours,  they  returned.  Their  timidity  is  easily  ac- 
counted for ;  for  they  had  been  seized,  tied  up, 
beaten,  and  had  their  houses  sacked,  more  than  once. 
Every  military  detachment  that  halted  there  un- 
avoidably destroyed  the  crops  of  lucern,  and  often 
stole  away  their  oxen,  sheep,  goats,  or  poultry,  when- 
ever they  could  lay  hands  upon  them.  In  this  way 
hundreds  of  villages  and  thousands  of  individuals 
have  been  robbed  of  their  little  all ;  but  they  were 
poor  oppressed  Indians,  and  humble  misery  seldom 
arrests  the  attention  or  engages  the  sympathies  of 
the  world.  The  patriot  infantry  under  Colonel 
Videla  did  not  reach  Sondor  until  close  of  day  on 
the  24th :  having  neglected  taking  the  precaution  of 
halting  on  the  night  before  until  the  moon  arose, 
they  lost  their  way.  This  mischance  occasioned 
the  loss  of  a  day,  besides  much  uneasiness  of  mind 
previous  to  the  infantry  coming  up.  Some  hours 
were  allowed  for  repose,  but  this  interval  was 
passed  in  the  midst  of  serious  apprehensions  of  being 


94  CHAIPI.  CHAP.  XX. 

attacked,  and  cavalry  piquets  were  patrolling  until 
one  o'clock  on  the  following  morning,  when  Miller 
continued  his  retreat.  It  was  given  out  that  his  day's 
march  was  for  Chumpi ;  but  previous  to  reaching  the 
spot  where  the  road  forks  off,  he  permitted  the  guides 
brought  from  Carabeli  to  escape,  and  then  took  the 
Chaipi  road ;  but  before  doing  this,  he  despatched  an 
aide-de-camp,  Major  Sowersby,  forward  to  Chumpi, 
with  orders  to  prepare  for  the  reception  of  the  division 
on  the  next  day.  Successive  messengers  were  after- 
wards sent  after  Sowersby,  ordering  him  to  Chaipi,  but 
not  until  after  he  had  made  arrangements  at  Chumpi, 
and  without  informing  him  that  his  comrades  were  di- 
recting their  steps  to  Chaipi.  Thus  Canterac  received, 
as  was  intended,  from  his  emissaries  at  Chumpi,  a 
confirmation  of  the  report  made  by  Miller's  guides. 
The  Spanish  general  accordingly  set  out  from  Cara- 
beli, and  took  the  road  to  Pararca,  in  the  hope  of 
cutting  off,  at  Chumpi,  the  further  retreat  of  the 
patriots. 

Miller  arrived  at  Chaipi  on  the  25th.  Before  he 
entered  the  village  he  saw  the  inhabitants  on  some 
adjoining  hills.  He  found  they  had  deserted  their 
huts  on  account  of  what  they  thought  were  royalist 
plunderers ;  but  these  proved  to  be  a  few  dispersed  pa- 
triots under  one  George  Mead,  a  North  American,  who 
.was  setting  a  shameful  example.  He  was  pursued,  but 
escaped.  Having  restored  some  degree  of  confidence 
at  Chaipi,  Miller  rode  on  himself  to  Matarani,  where 
he  slept.  Being  anxious  to  ascertain  if  Canterac  had 
taken  the  Chaparra  or  coast  road,  he  set  out  early 
next  morning  from  Matarani,  and  arrived  at  Chala 


CHAP.  xx.  ANECDOTE.  95 

about  sunrise.  He  took  up  his  quarters  once  more  in 
the  parsonage  of  his  faithful  friend  the  cura,  Doctor 
Don  Mariano  de  Bejerano,  whose  well-furnished 
table  and  conversational  talents  were  alike  calculated 
to  refresh  the  body  and  enliven  the  mind  of  the 
wayfaring  guest.  Among  other  anecdotes  told  in 
the  course  of  the  evening  he  related  the  following, 
which  is  translated  as  closely  as  can  be  done  from 
memory.  "  Some  forty  years  ago,  an  Irish  boy,  about 
eighteen  years  of  age,  appeared  at  the  door  of  a  re- 
spectable house  in  the  valley  of  Majes,  and  asked  for 
a  supper  and  a  hammock  for  the  night,  with  an  air 
of  confidence  not  commonly  shown  on  a  self-intro- 
duction. He  was,  however,  readily  admitted,  and 
in  the  course  of  the  evening  told  his  adventures, 
from  which  it  appeared  that  he  had  been  sent  to  sea 
two  or  three  years  before,  but,  disliking  the  confine- 
ment of  a  ship,  ran  away  from  some  merchant  vessel 
trading  in  contraband  on  the  coast  of  Peru,  and  that 
he  had  wandered  about  the  country  ever  since,  al- 
ways receiving  succour  and  protection,  but,  being  of 
a  roving  disposition,  he  continued  to  go  farther  with- 
out faring  worse. 

"  On  the  following  morning,  instead  of  taking  his 
departure,  he  told  the  good  people  of  the  house  that 
he  liked  the  looks  of  them  all,  and  that  he  would 
willingly  remain  and  make  himself  useful,  if  they 
would  find  him  in  victuals.  No  objection  was  made, 
and  he  speedily  became  one  of  the  family.  In  a  very 
few  days  he  extended  his  acquaintance  to  the  village 
shoemaker,  and  then  persuaded  his  patrons  that  he 
should  prefer  going  to  hear  mass  in  a  new  pair  of 


96  ANECDOTE.  CHAP.  XX. 

shoes.  When  these  were  brought  home,  he  discovered 
that  he  could  not  very  well  wear  new  shoes  without 
new  stockings,  nor  both  without  new  something  else. 
He  never  asked  for  any  thing  as  a  matter  of  favour, 
but  demanded  it  with  an  easy  boldness  of  manner,  so 
tempered  by  broad  humour,  that  he  never  met  with 
a  refusal.  Within  the  first  two  months,  he  had  found 
out  every  little  shop  in  the  valley,  and  had  waylaid 
every  passing  pedler,  until  he  collected  rather  an  ex- 
tensive wardrobe.  Soon  after  this  the  young  spark 
became  tired  of  inactivity,  or  perhaps  he  panted  to 
display  his  outfit  beyond  the  boundaries  of  the  valley. 
Be  that  as  it  may,  he  took  an  early  opportunity  to 
say  to  his  friends,  '  You  have  no  work  to  employ  me, 
and  I  shall  be  a  constant  expense  to  you  if  I  remain ; 
give  me  therefore  twenty  dollars,  and  I  will  go  seek 
my  fortune  elsewhere.'  A  family  consultation  was 
held,  and,  not  twenty,  but  fifty  dollars  were  put  into 
his  hands.  An  affectionate  parting  ensued,  and 
years  rolled  away  without  bringing  any  tidings  of 
the  oft-remembered  wanderer.  In  the  meanwhile, 
one  of  the  sons  (Don  Mariano  Bejerano,  the  original 
narrator  of  this  tale),  grew  up  and  became  a  priest. 
He  was  accustomed  to  go  to  Arequipa  once  in  two 
or  three  years.  As  he  came  out  of  the  bishop's  palace, 
at  one  of  these  visits,  he  felt  himself  almost  lifted 
off  the  ground  by  a  man  who,  with  open  arms,  had 
darted  across  the  street  to  him,  and  exclaimed,  'Don't 
you  know  me?  I  am  that  stranger  lad  who  found  so 
kind  a  shelter  in  your  father's  house :  come  to  mine. 
I  have  a  shop  full  of  goods:  I  have  no  debts:  I  have 
four  thousand  dollars  in  my  strong  box :  I  have  a 


CHAP.  xx.  NASCA.  97 

wife  and  four  children :  come,  then,  and  receive  that 
welcome  which  we  shall  be  delighted  to  give.*" 

From  the  active  Bejerano,  as  well  as  from  his 
parishioners,  Miller  received  satisfactory  proofs  of 
their  undiminished  patriotism.  Four  or  five  welU 
mounted  trusty  peasants  were  sent  to  various  points 
towards  Carabeli,  in  order  to  bring  timely  notice  if 
the  royalists  were  seen  advancing  towards  the  coast. 
Early  in  the  following  morning  (the  27th)  an  alarm 
was .  given.  The  spirited  priest  was  the  first  on 
horseback,  and  accompanied  Miller  to  the  front, 
when  it  was  discovered  that  the  supposed  enemies 
were  Major  Sowersby  and  his  escort,  who  had  lost 
their  way  in  the  night-march.  In  the  evening,  Miller 
proceeded  to  Atiquipa,  attended  by  the  worthy 
curate,  who,  on  taking  leave  on  the  28th,  expressed 
his  determination  to  conceal  himself  in  the  moun- 
tains if  the  royalists  should  enter  Chala,  which, 
however,  they  did  not  do. 

Miller  having,  on  the  1st  of  November,  rode  on 
ahead  of  his  party  from  Acari  to  Nasca,  was  near 
falling  into  the  hands  of  some  royalists  who  had 
been  sent  from  Cordova,  a  town  in  the  interior,  to 
ascertain  his  movements.  The  general  was  in  bed 
at  the  house  of  his  friend,  Don  Jose  Manuel  Mesa, 
half  a  league  from  the  town.  It  was  the  first  time 
for  more  than  a  week  that  he  had  undressed.  He  had 
not  long  retired  before  a  messenger  from  a  patriot  in 
the  town  announced  the  entrance  of  the  Spanish  de- 
tachment. But  it  was  not  until  receiving  another 
friendly  warning  from  a  royalist  family  that  he  rose 
and  retired  to  the  woods,  where  he  lay  concealed 

VOL.  n.  H 


98  NASCA.  CHAP.  XX. 

until  his  own  little  division  came  up  next  day,  and 
expelled  the  royalist  soldiers.  Don  Jose"  Manuel 
Mesa  is  a  rich  hacendado,  from  whom  Miller  had 
received  valuable  information  and  important  aid  in 
his  former  excursions.  He  is  a  most  worthy  man, 
an  enlightened  citizen,  and  an  ardent  lover  of  his 
country.  He  was  at  this  time  a  widower,  with  a  large 
family.  In  order  to  occupy  the  minds  of  his  elder 
sons,  who  were  fine  promising  youths,  Mesa  taught 
them  the  French  language,  which  he  himself  had 
learned  by  means  of  books  alone.  None  of  them 
read  with  a  good  accent;  but  all  were  sufficiently 
well  versed  in  it  to  translate  a  page  of  Telema- 
chus  off  hand.  The  easy  manners  and  the  perfect 
good  breeding  of  this  family  would  be  admired  even 
in  the  high  circles  of  England  or  France.  Nasca  is 
an  oasis  nearly  one  hundred  miles  from  the  nearest 
inhabited  valley  on  the  south,  and  almost  half  that 
distance  from  the  nearest  on  the  north.  The  same 
well-bred  courtesy  is  sometimes  to  be  met  with  in 
other  spots  equally  isolated,  and  strikes  the  ima- 
gination of  the  traveller  with  equal  pleasure  and 
astonishment. 

Miller  succeeded  in  effecting  his  retreat  to  Lima: 
he  conducted  with  him  six  hundred  spare  horses  and 
mules,  and  four  hundred  head  of  oxen  for  the  service 
of  the  army  in  the  capital.  He  was  followed  up  by 
the  royalists  one  hundred  and  ten  leagues,  as  far  as 
Lucanas. 

In  the  course  of  this  pursuit,  the  royalist  generals 
had  recourse  to  stratagem  to  raise  supplies  from  the 
purses  of  wealthy  patriots.  Amongst  other  instances, 


CHAP.  xx.  ROYALIST   DECEPTION.  99 

Canterac  alighted  at  the  house  of  Dr.  Saens,  the 
cura  of  Chumpi,  and  announced  himself  as  a  patriot 
officer.  An  excellent  dinner  was  prepared  for  the 
new  guest,  and  his  five  or  six  brother  officers.  In  the 
course  of  conversation,  Canterac  managed  to  extract 
the  priest's  opinion  of  the  different  royalist  generals. 
When  the  animated  clergyman  drew  Canterac's  own 
picture,  he  could  hold  out  no  longer,  but  making 
himself  known,  fined  the  incautious  ecclesiastic  five 
thousand  dollars,  and  marched  him  off  a  prisoner 
until  the  sum  was  paid.  At  Coracora  the  same  ge- 
neral played  a  similar  trick  on  the  priest  of  that  place, 
and  punished,  with  equal  severity,  his  unguarded  lo- 
quacity. The  aggrieved  parties  some  time  afterwards 
wrote  to  Miller,  giving  an  account  of  the  snare  into 
which  they  had  fallen.  After  the  capitulation  of 
Ayacucho,  General  Bedoya,  who  had  accompanied 
Canterac  on  these  occasions,  related  the  same  ad- 
ventures to  Miller,  and  spoke  of  them  as  exceedingly 
good  jokes. 

At  the  time  the  infantry  of  Sucre  were  re-embark- 
ing at  Quilca,  two  thousand  Chilenos,  under  the  gal- 
lant and  distinguished  Colonel  Benevente,  arrived  at 
Arica  from  Valparaiso.  This  officer  was  superseded 
in  the  command  by  the  Chileno  general  Pinto,  who, 
upon  Sucre's  leaving  Quilca,  had  agreed  that  the 
Chilenos  should  occupy  Iquique.  or  move  by  means 
of  shipping  to  other  points  in  the  Puertos  Inter- 
medios,  for  the  purpose  of  preserving  a  footing  in 
those  provinces,  until  reinforcements  could  be  sent 
from  Lima.  Pinto  is  an  amiable,  gentlemanly  man ; 
but  the  events  of  the  last  campaigns  seemed  to  have 

H  2 


100  POSITION  OF  ROYALIST  ARMY.      CHAP.  xx. 

depressed  his  spirits,  and  to  have  deprived  him  of  all 
sort  of  energy.  Without  orders,  and  contrary  to  the 
arrangement  with  Sucre,  Pinto  took  upon  himself  to 
command  the  destruction  of  the  horses,  and  to  sail 
back  to  Chile. 

The  schooner  in  which  Pinto  was  embarked  was 
attacked  in  the  course  of  the  voyage  by  a  privateer, 
but  was  preserved  from  capture  by  the  gallantry  of  the 
commanding  officer,  Captain  Winter,  who  worked  the 
only  gun  (a  traversing  twenty-four  pounder),  until 
a  shot  having  luckily  carried  away  the  mainyard  of 
the  privateer,  the  schooner  escaped  to  Coquimbo,  of 
which  province  Pinto  became  governor. 

The  provinces  of  the  Puertos  Intermedios  being 
once  more  cleared  of  patriot  troops,  the  viceroy  made, 
at  Arequipa,  a  new  distribution  of  the  royalist  army, 
by  dividing  it  into  two  separate  commands. 

Canterac  marched  with  his  division,  now  called  the 
Army  of  the  North,  to  occupy  his  old  position  in  the 
valley  of  Xauxa,  and  to  threaten,  or  operate  against, 
Lima.  Valdez,  with  the  other  division,  called  the 
Army  of  the  South,  was  to  remain  in  the  provinces 
of  Arequipa,  Puno,  &c.  The  viceroy  returned  to  the 
seat  of  his  government  at  Cuzco,  a  convenient  and 
central  situation. 

The  object  of  these  dispositions  was  not  only  to 
provide  against  attacks  from  the  patriots  who  had 
the  means  of  conveying  troops  by  sea,  but  also  to 
observe  the  movements,  and  counteract  the  influence, 
of  the  ultra-royalist  General  Olaneta,  who  now  com- 
manded five  thousand  royalist  troops  in  Upper  Peru, 
and  had  become  an  object  of  distrust  to  Canterac 


CHAP.  XX.       POSITION  OF  ROYALIST  ARMY.  101 

and  other  generals  supposed  to  possess  liberal  senti- 
ments, who  had  taken  with  enthusiasm  the  oath  of 
fidelity  to  the  Spanish  constitution  of  1820.  On  the 
downfall  of  the  constitution  in  1823,  the  same  ge- 
nerals acknowledged,  with  the  same  formalities,  and 
apparently  with  equal  readiness,  the  restoration  of 
absolutism  in  Spain.  Olaneta,  however,  placed  no 
confidence  in  the  political  sincerity  of  La  Serna, 
Canterac,  and  others.  He  denounced  them  in  his 
proclamations  as  freemasons ;  refused  to  obey  orders 
from  the  viceroy;  and  despatched  a  messenger  to 
Madrid  by  the  way  of  Buenos  Ayres,  to  inform  the 
king  of  his  proceedings,  in  full  confidence  of  obtaining 
the  royal  sanction.  In  the  mean  while  Upper  Peru  was 
avowedly  independent  of  the  viceroy,  who  was  obliged 
to  detach  the  Army  of  the  South  under  Valdez  to 
prevent  the  consummation  of  Olaneta's  grand  scheme. 
But  notwithstanding  these  dissensions,  the  forces 
of  the  royalists  were  augmented  by  recruits,  and  by 
prisoners  of  war  compelled  to  serve.  They  were,  at 
this  period,  calculated  at  twenty  thousand  men,  and 
there  appeared  very  slender  hopes  that  the  patriots 
would  be  able  to  make  an  effectual  resistance  to 
victorious  and  overwhelming  numbers.  Indeed  the 
cause  of  independence  in  Peru  seemed  to  hang  by  a 
single  thread.  But  Colombia  could  not  behold  un- 
moved the  declining  fortunes  of  her  neighbour  and 
ally.  Colombia  recollected  the  assistance  she  had 
received  from  the  Peruvian  division  at  Pinchincha, 
and  she  wisely  and  generously  resolved  to  pay  the 
debt  tenfold,  by  sending  her  best  troops,  and  with 
them  her  own  Liberator. 


102     ARRIVAL  OF  GENERAL  BOLIVAR.  CHAP.  XXI. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

General  Bolivar  arrives  in  Lima. — Marquess  of  Torre-Tagle. — 
Riva-Aguero  dissolves  congress  at  Truxillo. — He  is  made  a 
prisoner. — Mode  of  recruiting  the  Peruvian  army. — Uniform. 
— Pay. — Rations. 

THE  president,  liberator  of  Colombia,  G  eneral  Bo- 
livar, having  obtained  permission  from  the  congress 
of  that  republic  to  proceed  to  Peru,  left  the  vice- 
president  Santander  at  the  head  of  the  government 
in  Bogota ;  embarked  at  Guayaquil ;  landed  atCallao ; 
and,  on  the  1st  of  September,  1823,  made  his  public 
entry  into  Lima,  where  he  was  received  with  the 
greatest  enthusiasm.  His  excellency  was  immediately 
invested  with  supreme  authority  in  military  and  po- 
litical affairs.  The  Marquess  of  Torre-Tagle,  who 
had  been  previously  nominated  by  the  congress  pre- 
sident of  Peru,  still  retained  the  title;  but  such  was 
his  professed  admiration  of  Bolivar,  and  so  great  his 
fears  of  Riva-Aguero,  that,  with  his  own  concur- 
rence, the  powers  of  president  were  reduced  to  a 
mere  shadow  of  authority. 

The  country  suffered  nothing  by  the  virtual  retire- 
ment of  Torre-Tagle,  for  his  administration  had  been 
barefacedly  venal.  He  gave  large  sums  to  indivi- 
duals for  the  promise  of  their  support  against  Riva- 
Aguero;  several  of  which  transactions  being  made 
known  to  Bolivar,  he  removed  some  of  the  receivers 
from  important  posts. 


CHAP.  xxi.  RIVA-AGUERO.  103 

The  patriot  forces  now  at  Lima  and  its  vicinity 
might  amount  to  seven  thousand  men,  of  which  two- 
thirds  were  Colombians;  and  reinforcements  were 
daily  expected  from  Guayaquil  and  Panamd. 

The  following  is  the  translation  of  a  letter  from 
the  Liberator  to  Miller: — 

"  Lima,  26th  October,  1823. 

"  My  dear  General, — For  a  long  time  I  have  de- 
sired to  know  you  personally,  for  your  services  have 
assured  to  you  the  gratitude  of  every  American  who 
is  a  lover  of  liberty  and  of  merit.  Receive  this  now 
in  testimony  of  my  esteem,  and  believe  that  I  have 
the  greatest  desire  to  manifest  to  you  that  consider- 
ation to  which  you  are  entitled  from  your  noble  con- 
duct in  the  army  of  Peru. — I  am, 

"  With  the  most  distinguished  consideration, 
"  Your  attentive  servant,       "  BOLIVAR." 

It  has  been  mentioned,  that  the  ex-president  Riva- 
Aguero  had  retired  to  Truxillo.  On  his  arrival  in 
that  city,  however,  he  thought  proper  to  call  in  ques- 
tion the  validity  of  his  dismissal;  to  re-assemble  such 
members  of  the  congress  as  had  accompanied  or  fol- 
lowed him  from  Callao;  and,  notwithstanding  that 
the  deputies  had  prorogued  their  sittings  sine  die, 
they  resumed  their  sessions  under  the  auspices  of  the 
self-appointed  president.  One  of  his  first  measures 
was  to  raise  troops ;  and,  in  a  short  time,  upwards  of 
three  thousand  recruits  from  the  northern  provinces 
were  armed  and  equipped  in  the  department  of 
Truxillo.  His  next  measure  was  to  dissolve  con- 
gress, and  to  banish  its  refractory  members.  Those 
who  in  Truxillo  had  been  the  most  eloquent  eulogists 
of  Riva-Aguero  became  his  most  noisy  detractors 


104  RIVA-AGUERO.  CHAP,  xxi- 

upon  their  return  to  Lima,  where  most  of  them  re- 
united. Peru  had  at  this  period  two  presidents  and 
a  dictator.  The  royalists  in  the  south  were,  soon 
afterwards,  almost  equally  divided,  and  may  be  said 
to  have  been  governed  by  two  viceroys. 

On  the  13th  of  November,  1823,  the  congress 
gave  to  the  republic  a  constitution  which  was,  a  few 
days  after,  proclaimed  and  sworn  to  with  the  cus- 
tomary ceremonies.  This  seems  to  have  been  rather 
out  of  season ;  the  royalists  being  so  near  at  hand, 
and  the  capital  in  so  much  danger. 

Bolivar  marched  from  Lima  in  the  second  week  of 
November,  1823,  and  arrived  at  Pativilca  on  the  lyth 
of  the  same  month.     His  excellency  entered  into  a 
correspondence  with  Riva-Aguero,  in  order  to  in- 
duce him  to  acknowledge  the  government  of  which 
Torre-Tagle  was  the  nominal  head.     Riva-Aguero 
refused  to  agree  to  the  terms  proposed ;  and  it  is 
said  that  Bolivar  felt  so  much  discouraged  that  he 
thought  seriously  of  abandoning  Peru  to  its  fate ; 
but  that  which  the  liberator  could  not  effect  by  ne- 
gotiation was  brought  about  by  Riva-Aguero's  own 
troops,  who,  headed  by  one  of  his  most  confidential 
officers,  Colonel  La  Fuente,  made  the  soi-disant  pre* 
sident  prisoner  on  the  25th  of  November.     Torre- 
Tagle,  with  the  concurrence  of  congress,  sentenced 
him  to  be  shot  as  a  traitor ;  it  being  alleged,  that 
Riva-Aguero  had  agreed  to  join  the  royalists ;  but 
which  charge  has  never  been  clearly  proved,  although 
it  is  believed  that  he  had  held  communications  of  an 
equivocal  nature  with  the  royalists.     The  sentence 
of  death  was  commuted  into  banishment ;  and  Riva- 
Aguero  sailed  for  Europe  by  the  way  of  Guayaquil* 


CHAP.  xxi.  MODE  OF  RECRUITING.  105 

The  troops  which  he  had  raised,  or  which  had  joined 
his  standard,  now  submitted  to  Bolivar;  and  La 
Fuente  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  general  of  bri- 
gade for  his  services  in  deposing  Riva-Aguero. 

On  the  arrival  of  Miller  at  Lima,  in  the  beginning 
of  November,  he  was  appointed  chief  of  the  staff  of 
the  Peruvian  army ;  the  command  of  which  also  de- 
volved upon  him,  ad  interim,  until  a  commander-in- 
chief  should  be  nominated.  The  troops  of  Peru 
consisted  merely  of  the  relics  of  the  corps  scattered 
in  the  disastrous  campaigns  of  the  south ;  whilst  the 
troops  raised  at  Truxillo  were  still  hostile  to  Torre- 
Tagle,  as  well  as  to  the  Colombian  auxiliaries,  and, 
above  all,  to  the  liberator. 

Measures  were  taken  to  fill  up  the  vacancies  which 
had  occurred  in  the  Peruvian  corps,  and  levies  were 
ordered  to  be  made  in  the  different  provinces  occu- 
pied by  the  patriots.  The  system  for  recruiting  was 
in  general  extremely  arbitrary,  and  barely  justified 
by  the  emergency  of  the  case. 

In  virtue  of  an  order  from  the  executive,  or  from 
the  general-in-chief,  the  prefect  of  a  department  di- 
rected his  sub-delegates  of  provinces  to  press,  and 
send  to  the  capital  of  the  department,  the  provincial 
quotas.  Thence  they  were  marched  to  head-quarters, 
where  they  were  told  off  to  different  corps  by  the 
chief  of  the  staff.  It  has  often  happened,  that  the 
father  and  the  son,  the  industrious  and  the  vaga- 
bond, were  indiscriminately  included  in  those  cruel 
levies,  which  were  usually  made  in  the  most  unfeel- 
ing manner;  for,  during  the  war,  the  provincial  go- 
vernments might  be  considered  beyond  the  reach  of 
wholesome  control ;  indeed  they  might  be  called  ab- 


106  CLOTHING.  CHAP.  xxi. 

solute.  It  may  therefore  easily  be  conceived,  that 
sub-governors  and  their  inferior  officers  could,  when 
of  exceptionable  character,  convert  their  power  into 
means  of  extortion ;  but  these  abuses  arising  out  of 
the  unsettled  state  of  affairs  will  naturally  disappear 
as  the  new  governments  acquire  stability. 

It  may  not  be  uninteresting  to  some  readers  to  be 
informed  as  to  the  manner  in  which  the  liberating 
army  was  clothed,  paid,  and  provisioned.     The  uni- 
form of  the  troops  of  Buenos  Ayres,  Chile,  and  Peru, 
was  generally  blue,  with  scarlet,  crimson,  or  green 
cuffs  and  collars,  with  or  without  a  white  edging, 
and  sometimes  red  or  white  lace.    But  these  uniforms 
were  frequently  departed  from  in  consequence  of  the 
quantities  of  military  clothing  purchased  at  auctions 
in  Europe,  and  sent  out  by  speculators  to  Peru.    The 
latter,  though  expensive,  could  be  obtained  at  a  much 
lower  rate  than  the  clothing  made  up  in  the  country; 
and  on  this  account  the  regiments  frequently  offered 
a  bizarre  appearance.     Although  stocks  and  gaiters 
were  served  out  whenever  they  could  be  procured, 
both  might  be  advantageously  dispensed  with  in  the 
warm  climates  on  the  coast.     Shoes  were  not  com- 
monly worn  during  a  campaign.     Ojotas,  or  sandals, 
were  used.     A  company,  a  regiment,  or  even  an 
army,  can  re-sandal  itself  in  half  an  hour,  if  a  proper 
quantity  of  green  hides  be  given  out ;  and  of  this 
material  there  is  always  an  abundance.     Each  man 
makes  his  own  ofotas,  which  are  pierced  with  holes, 
#nd  drawn  tight  by  laces  of  the  same  material.    Arms 
and  accoutrements  were  generally  of  English  manu- 
facture. 

Whenever   the  patriot  troops  were  dispersed  in 


CHAP.  XXI.  DISTINCTIONS  OF   RANK.  107 

small  detachments  on  the  coast,  they  became  slovenly; 
but  whenever  the  army  united,  discipline  was  re- 
established, and  the  men  became  excellent,  even  in 
appearance,  in  spite  of  uncovered  ankles. 

The  South  Americans  make  admirable  soldiers. 
They  are  naturally  brave,  docile,  quick  at  learning 
their  duties,  supple  in  limbs,  sober,  hardy,  and  cheer- 
fully subordinate  under  fatigue  and  privations.  But 
perhaps  it  is  only  the  Chilenos  who  are  almost  equally 
good  as  cavalry,  infantry,  or  sailors. 

The  distinctions,  indicating  the  rank  of  the  officer, 
were  as  follows : 

Ensign  or  cornet. — One  narrow  stripe  of  lace 
round  each  cuff. 

Second  lieutenant. — Two  stripes. 

First  lieutenant. — Two  stripes. 

Captain. — Three  stripes. 

Major. — Two  epaulettes. 

Lieutenant-colonel. — Two  epaulettes.  When  the 
bullion  is  of  gold  the  strap  is  of  silver,  and  vice  versa. 

Colonel. — Two  epaulettes.  Blue  cloth  strap,  em- 
broidered with  gold  or  silver  laurel  leaf. 

General  officers  of  Peru  *. 

General  of  brigade. — Two  gold  epaulettes,  red 
cloth  strap,  embroidered  with  one  star  and  laurel 
leaf.  Sash,  sky-blue. 

General  of  division. — The  same,  with  two  stars  on 
each  epaulette.  Scarlet  sash. 

Gran  mariscal. — The  same,  with  three  stars  on 
each  epaulette.  Sash  bicolor,  red  and  white. 

*  The  uniform  of  the  general  officers  in  the  service  of  Chile  and  Buenos 
Ayres  differs  from  that  of  Peru. 


108  PAY.  CHAP.  XXI. 

The  coat  of  a  general  officer. — Blue  with  scarlet 
cuffs  and  collars,  and  blue  facing,  all  embroidered. 
Trowsers,  scarlet  and  embroidered.  Gold-laced 
cocked  hat,  with  feathers,  as  in  the  French  service. 

The  monthly  pay  in  the  Peruvian  service  is  as 
follows : 

Spanish  dollars. 

Gran  mariscal      p.,         .         ,v  666 

General  of  division           .      ..jv,.  500 

brigade         >,$,     .,  w  333 

Colonel  of  infantry           .         .  240  -~ 

Lieutenant-colonel         -. .       ;  160  ct 

Major   ....      ;.„>  110  J 

Adjutant        .         v;       .         .-  60  ^ 

Abanderado  (colour  bearer)     .  40  ^ 

Chaplain        .       -y^  -^  .  ./>-J  30 

Surgeon          .         .         ^  +>•-  75 

Drum-major            .,-:-.•  22 

Captain         .,-,:    .?:*..-     rwl  -xi,  75  90 

First  lieutenant       .         .         .  50  6O 

Second  lieutenant   .         .         .  45     .    50 

Ensign            ....  40  45 

First  Serjeant           .         .         .  18  20 

Second  ditto            ,         .         .  15  17 

Private           .         .         .         .  10  11 

The  pay  of  the  artillery  and  cavalry  is  a  little  more 
than  that  of  the  infantry. 

The  pay  in  the  Chileno  and  Buenos  Ayrean  ser- 
vice is  Jess  than  in  that  of  Peru,  where  the  necessa- 
ries and  luxuries  of  life  are  much  dearer  than  in  the 
two  first  named  republics. 


CHAP.  XXI.  PROVISIONS.  109 

The  mode  of  provisioning  the  army  was  as  follows: 
rations  issued  to  the  troops,  during  a  campaign,  con- 
sisted generally  of  meat  alone  •,  bread  or  spirits  being 
very  rarely  served  out,  and  then  as  a  special  favour. 
Occasionally  Indian  corn  was  given,  which,  when 
roasted  in  an  earthen  dish,  makes  an  excellent  sub- 
stitute for  bread,  and  it  is  a  sort  of  food  of  which  the 
Indians   are   particularly  fond.     When  oxen  were 
abundant,  one  bullock  was  given,  for  one  day's  rations, 
for  every  hundred  men ;  and  when,  on  the  contrary, 
cattle  were  scarce,  the  same  quantity  was  made  to 
serve  for  two  hundred  men,  which,  in  South  Ame- 
rica, is  looked  upon  as  short  allowance.    The  inferior 
parts  are  not  eaten,  excepting  in  cases  of  extreme 
hunger;   consequently  the  waste   of  meat  is  pro- 
digious.    The  vicinity  of  an  encampment  presents 
a  disgusting  assemblage  of  bones,  putrid  flesh,  and 
filth,  unless  great  care  be  taken  to  have  all  burnt 
every  day. 

It  sometimes  happened  that  both  royalists  and 
patriots  were  reduced  to  feed  upon  the  llama,  but 
the  flesh  is  coarse  and  almost  tasteless.  In  a  country 
abounding  with  the  necessaries  of  life,  a  scarcity  of 
provisions  cannot  occur,  excepting  through  want  of 
foresight,  or  proper  management. 

The  soldiers  roast,  or  rather  toast,  their  meat,  and 
often  eat  it  without  salt.  Four  or  six  club  together, 
and  cut  from  the  same  joint.  In  times  of  plenty 
they  selected  only  the  choice  morsels,  and  threw  the 
rest  on  one  side.  It  was  not  an  uncommon  thing, 
at  the  commencement  of  the  revolution,  to  kill  oxen 
merely  for  the  sake  of  their  tongues. 


110  PROVISIONS.  CHAP.  xxi. 

In  garrison  or  in  cantonments  each  corps  was 
victualled  by  its  respective  commanding  officer,  on 
account  of  which  he  was  allowed  to  stop  four  dollars 
a  month  from  the  pay  of  each  soldier,  a  sum  always 
more  than  sufficient  to  defray  the  expenses  of  the 
messes.  The  surplus  went  into  the  regimental  chest. 
An  officer  (generally  a  captain)  was  appointed  by 
the  colonel  to  superintend  the  purchasing  of  provi- 
sions. His  accounts  were  audited  by  the  major, 
and  certified  by  the  commanding  officer,  before  they 
could  be  received  as  vouchers  by  the  paymaster,  who 
was  always  an  officer  of  the  regiment,  elected  by  a 
plurality  of  votes  of  the  officers,  and  who,  with  the 
colonel,  was  held  responsible  for  any  fraud  or  misap- 
plication of  the  mess  fund.  Rice,  vegetables,  grasa 
(a  sort  of  lard),  with  or  without  fresh  meat,  or  charqui 
(jerked  beef),  boiled  up  together  in  a  large  copper 
kettle,  make  an  excellent  mess,  and  was  what  the 
troops  principally  lived  upon  when  in  Lima,  or  in 
cantonments  at  any  place  upon  the  coast  of  Peru. 
There  was  hardly  any  difference  in  the  ingredients 
of  the  dish  cooked  for  breakfast  and  that  for  dinner. 
The  first  meal  was  usually  about  1 1  A.  M.,  the  latter 
at  sunset.  Each  squad  of  twenty-five  men  received 
a  kid-full,  which  was  placed  upon  a  high  three-legged 
stool ;  the  men  formed  a  circle,  and  every  other  man 
alternately  stepped  forward  to  take  a  spoonful.  Should 
any  victuals  be  left,  which  was  generally  the  case,  it 
was  mixed  up  with  that  to  be  prepared  on  the  fol- 
lowing day. 

Some  corps  were  well  fed,  and  with  attention  to 
cleanliness  j  but  the  defect  of  the  plan,  in  spite  of  many 


CHAP.  xxi.  PROVISIONS.  Ill 

salutary  regulations,  consisted  in  leaving  it  too  much 
to  the  caprice  of  the  commanding  officer.  If  he  was 
destitute  of  either  zeal,  honesty,  or  ability,  great  em- 
bezzlement took  place  by  those  connected  with  the 
expenditure  of  the  monthly  stoppages,  and  the  poor 
soldier  being  the  eventual  sufferer  for  every  act  of 
negligence  or  injustice,  naturally  became  dissatisfied, 
and  desertion  followed. 

During  a  hard  contested  warfare,  it  was  imperative 
to  promote  officers  who  had  signalised  themselves 
by  bravery,  and  frequently  to  intrust  those  with  im- 
portant commands  who  were  inefficient  in  many 
respects.  It  often  occurred  that  those  most  distin- 
guished for  intrepidity  were  not  competent  to  establish 
discipline ;  and,  on  the  other  hand,  that  the  ablest 
parade  officers  were  not  the  most  useful  in  a  cam- 
paign. Taking  all  these  circumstances  into  consi- 
deration, together  with  the  cruel  mode  of  recruiting 
the  army,  and  the  disheartening  reflection,  that  merit 
was  not  always  the  only  path  to  command,  it  is  not 
surprising  that  failures  should  frequently  have  oc- 
curred. It  is  rather  a  matter  of  astonishment  that 
the  military  duties  should  have  been  so  generally 
well  performed ;  and  that  so  high  a  degree  of  per- 
fection should  have  been  attained,  by  the  South 
American  armies,  at  the  glorious  close  of  a  revolution 
which  had  proceeded  under  such  innumerable  dis- 
advantages ! 


112      GENERAL  MILLER  SAILS  TO  CHILE.      CHAP.  XXII. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

Mutiny  at  Callao. — Captain  W.  F.  Martin,  R.  N. — Bolivar  named 
dictator. — The  congress  dissolved.—  Cruelty  of  the  royalists. — 
Miller  returns  to  Peru. — Passage. — Desperate  bravery. — Cap- 
tain Roberton. — Privateer  Quintanilla. — Martelini. — The  Con- 
gress in  danger  of  shipwreck. — Arrives  at  Callao. — Position 
and  force  of  the  royalist  and  patriot  forces. 

THE  arduous  service,  upon  the  unhealthy  coast, 
in  which  General  Miller  had  been  engaged,  again 
brought  on  a  serious  attack  of  ague  and  fever.  This 
disease  was  rendered  worse  by  the  breaking  out  of 
an  old  wound  in  the  thigh,  which  occasioned  violent 
and  unceasing  pain ;  insomuch  that  he  was  eventually 
compelled  to  seek  the  restoration  of  health  in  cooler 
latitudes,  and  sailed  from  Callao  on  the  24th  of 
January,  in  H.  M.  S.  Tartar.  The  kind  hospitality 
and  cheerful  manners  of  Captain  Brown,  the  assiduous 
attentions  of  every  officer  on  board,  combined  with 
the  best  care  of  a  skilful  surgeon,  left  very  few  re- 
mains of  indisposition  upon  Miller's  arrival  at  Val- 
paraiso on  the  22d  of  February. 

Upon  reaching  Santiago  he  once  more  took  up  his 
abode  at  the  house  of  his  old  and  steadfast  friend 
Mr.  Richard  Price,  and  received  anew  those  kind 
offices  which  commenced  on  Miller's  first  arrival  in 
Chile.  Mr.  Price  had  since  allied  himself  to  a  hand- 
some Chilena  ladyj  and  as  something  has  been  said 
of  the  unmarried  beauty  of  that  country,  it  would  be 


CHAP.  XXII.  SANTIAGO.  113 

unjust  to  omit  the  mention  of  Mrs.  Price  as  an  ex- 
ample of  all  that  is  excellent  in  a  wife,  and  affectionate 
in  a  mother.  Miller  had  also  the  satisfaction  to  find 
that  his  early  friends  Doctor  Cox  and  Mr.  Barnard 
had  been  equally  fortunate  in  their  matrimonial  con- 
nexions. The  devotion  to  Hymen  seemed  to  have 
been  very  general  in  this  quarter,  for  many  other 
Englishmen  and  Frenchmen  had  tied  the  indissoluble 
knot  with  the  fair  daughters  of  Chile. 

The  Peruvian  government  and  General  Bolivar 
availed  themselves  of  the  opportunity  to  urge,  through 
Miller,  the  speedy  co-operation  of  the  Chileno  forces 
which  had  been  promised  to  be  sent  back  to  Peru, 
but  which  promise  was  evaded  by  the  most  provoking 
duplicity,  and  by  the  unworthy  conduct  of  the  then 
Chileno  government.  The  lowering  aspect  of  affairs 
in  Peru  next  demands  attention. 

On  the  7th  of  February,  the  troops  stationed  in 
the  castles  of  Callao,  headed  by  a  mulatto  serjeant, 
named  Moyano,  rose  and  imprisoned  the  governor, 
General  Alvarado,  and  the  officers  of  the  garrison. 
The  mutineers  declared  that  they  had  no  other 
object  in  view  than  to  obtain  their  arrears  of  pay, 
and  to  be  provided  with  a  passage  to  their  native 
countries,  Chile  and  Buenos  Ayres. 

The  Buenos  Ayrean  General  Correa  had  an  in- 
terview with  the  mutineers  in  the  castles.  The  mo- 
derate proposals  transmitted  through  the  general 
were  so  equivocally  received  by  the  congress,  and 
the  efforts  of  Correa  were  so  feebly  seconded  by  the 
executive,  that  every  attempt  to  Adjust  the  matter 
failed.  The  payment  of  50,000  dollars  would  have 

VOL.  II.  I 


114  MUTINY  AT  CALLAO.  CHAP.  XXII. 

averted  the  catastrophe  j  but  the  treasury  had  not 
this  sum  at  its  disposal,  and  the  members  of  govern- 
ment had  not  the  patriotism  to  advance  it,  or  the 
energy  to  enforce  its  collection  by  a  general  con- 
tribution. 

Treachery  towards  the  cause  of  independence  never 
formed  a  part  of  the  original  plan  of  the  conspiracy. 
The  mutineers  conducted  themselves  with  more  mo- 
deration than  is  usual  in  similar  cases;  but  such  was 
the  want  of  tact  in  the  Peruvian  government  and 
congress,  that,  in  the  end,  the  conspirators  had  no 
other  alternative  than  to  forego  their  claims,  or,  from 
motives  of  self-preservation,  to  invite  the  royalists  to 
come  in,  and  hoist  the  standard  of  Spain. 

In  the  absence  of  Captain  Brown,  the  commanding 
British  naval  officer  in  the  Pacific,  Captain  William 
Fanshawe  Martin,  whose  spirited  and  judicious  con- 
duct saved  the  British  property  from  pillage,  cour- 
teously offered  H.  M.  S.  Fly,  as  a  neutral  place  of 
meeting,  for  the  opposing  parties,  to  adjust  their 
differences,  distinctly  declining  to  take  part  with 
either.  But  congress  did  nothing,  and  the  executive 
did  worse  than  nothing.  Instead  of  attempting  to 
bring  the  mutineers  to  their  duty,  the  president  and 
minister  of  war  began  secretly  to  contrive  how  they 
should  make  their  peace  with  the  royalists. 

For  the  first  few  days  of  the  revolt,  serious  appre- 
hensions were  entertained  by  the  merchants  that 
their  warehouses  in  the  town  of  Callao  would  be 
plundered:  their  property  was  at  the  mercy  of  an  in- 
furiated soldiery,  whose  successful  mutiny  rendered 
them  regardless  of  consequences.  The  merchants 


CHAP.  XXII.  CAPTAIN  MARTIN,  11.  N.  115 

could  expect  little  consideration  at  their  hands.  They 
hoisted  no  flag;  acknowledged  no  government;  and 
at  that  time  were  undetermined  to  what  party  they 
should  adhere:  so  that  no  satisfaction  could  have 
afterwards  been  claimed  for  violence,  nor  compensa- 
tion for  losses.  The  leader  Moyano  having  signified 
his  inability  to  restrain  his  men  unless  he  could  pro- 
cure a  certain  sum  of  money,  the  English  merchants 
prudently  advanced  it. 

It  is  to  be  lamented  that  many  whose  rank  and 
influence  should  have  been  exerted  to  obtain  the  re- 
dress of  grievances  for  the  mutineers  remained  pas- 
sive spectators.  The  consequence  was  that  Colonel 
Casariego,  a  royalist  prisoner  of  war,  was  released 
from  the  casemates  on  the  10th,  and  invested  with 
the  command  of  the  fortress.  Notwithstanding  his 
assumption  of  power,  the  Spanish  colours  were  not 
hoisted  until  the  18th,  when  a  letter  was  sent  to  Ge- 
neral Canterac,  then  in  the  valley  of  Xauxa,  inviting 
him  to  take  possession  of  the  castles  in  the  name  of 
the  king.  This  delay  serves  to  prove  that  if  the 
government  of  Lima  had  only  possessed  the  slightest 
degree  of  energy,  the  castles  might  have  been  pre- 
served. General  Monet  at  the  head  of  a  royalist 
division  entered  Callao  on  the  3rd  of  March. 

Captain  Martin's  situation  was  delicate  and  em- 
barrassing, but  he  acquitted  himself  with  great  firm- 
ness and  address.  It  was  intimated  to  him  that  he 
would  be  expected  to  salute  the  Spanish  flag,  upon 
an  official  notification  of  its  being  hoisted ;  but  he 
declined  compromising  his  pendant,  until  Casariego 


116  CAPTAIN  MARTIN,  R.  N.  CHAP.  XXII. 

could  show  that  he  was  invested  with  the  command, 
by  some  one  of  the  known  authorities  in  Peru. 

Captain  Martin  demanded  and  received  from  the 
custom-house  all  the  original  papers  belonging  to 
British  ships  in  the  bay.  He  also  obtained  leave  to 
send  a  party  of  marines  on  shore,  for  the  protection 
of  British  property  j  a  measure  called  for  by  the  cir- 
cumstance just  alluded  to,  that  the  mutineers  did  not 
consider  themselves  accountable  for  any  excesses  they 
might  commit,  and  their  abstaining  from  any  such  is 
to  be  ascribed  more  to  the  natural  moderation  of  the 
South  American  character  than  to  the  restraining 
influence  of  their  leaders.  Such,  however,  was  the 
general  state  of  alarm,  that  several  masters  of  vessels, 
not  considering  their  cargoes  safe,  slipped  cable  and 
stood  out  to  sea,  the  castles  firing  upon  them  as  they 
stole  away. 

Captain  Martin  next  wrote  to  the  governor  that 
several  British  merchants  having  expressed  a  desire 
to  embark  their  merchandize,  he  demanded,  in  con- 
formity with  undoubted  right,  permission  for  its  re- 
moval on  their  paying  only  the  usual  transit  duties. 
The  request  was  acceded  to,  but  difficulties  were  sub- 
sequently thrown  in  the  way  of  its  execution,  as  well 
as  to  the  proposal  of  removing  all  the  British  shipping 
to  an  anchorage  out  of  range  of  the  castle  guns.  No 
disposition  being  shown  to  comply  with  this  request, 
and  as  there  could  be  no  reason  for  detaining  the 
shipping,  except  for  pillage,  or  for  the  purpose  of 
extortion,  and  as  a  considerable  quantity  of  specie 
had  been  sent  on  board  the  Fly,  previous  to  the 


CHAP.  XXII.  ADMIHAL  GUISE.  117 

mutiny,  Captain  Martin  deemed  it  prudent  to  change 
his  own  anchorage,  not  only  to  place  his  freight  in 
perfect  safety,  but  also  to  warn  off  British  vessels 
from  entering  the  port.  The  governor  strongly  ob- 
jected to  the  Fly  going  to  the  roadstead  of  San  Lo- 
renzo, and  to  her  remaining  there  with  the  merchant 
vessels;  but  it  was  urged  by  Captain  Martin,  with 
so  much  reason  and  resolution  that  Casariego  at  last 
acquiesced.  But,  notwithstanding  this  arrangement, 
when  the  Fly  got  under  weigh,  the  batteries  com- 
menced firing  upon  her.  This  was  afterwards  satis- 
factorily explained,  as  sufficient  time  had  not  elapsed 
after  the  receipt  of  the  captain's  official"  notification, 
of  his  design  to  change  his  berth,  to  admit  of  Casa- 
riego's  sending  the  requisite  order  to  his  artillerymen. 
When  General  Rodil  became  governor,  he  requested 
that  the  Fly  would  re-enter  with  her  convoy ;  but  this 
invitation  was  not  complied  with. 

In  the  meantime,  the  Peruvian  ship  Protector 
(formerly  the  Spanish  frigate  Prueba)  arrived  off 
Callao  from  Pisco,  and  the  gallant  Vice- Admiral 
Guise  made  several  attacks  on  the  shipping  under 
the  protection  of  the  castles.  On  the  night  of  the 
25th  of  February,  a  dismantled  frigate  (the  Ven- 
ganza)  and  a  brig  of  war  were  burned  by  a  party  in 
the  boats  of  the  Protector. 

Guise  proclaimed  the  coast  between  Callao  and 
Cobija  in  the  desert  of  Atacama  in  a  state  of  block- 
ade, which  Captain  Martin  refused  to  acknowledge, 
on  account  of  the  blockading  squadron  being  insuf- 
ficient to  enforce  the  decree. 

About  this  period  the  congress  named  Bolivar  die- 


118  CONGRESS  DISSOLVES  ITSELF.         CHAP.  XXII. 

tator,  and  dissolved  itself.  Thus,  at  least,  closing 
its  political  existence  by  an  act  of  unquestionable 
wisdom.  As  we  have  more  than  once  spoken  in 
terms  of  disapprobation  of  some  of  the  proceedings 
of  congress,  we  cannot  take  leave  of  the  subject 
without  assigning  to  it  the  merit  to  which  it  was 
entitled.  With  the  exception  of  several  members 
secretly,  or  almost  avowedly,  hostile  to  the  cause  of 
independence,  the  rest  were  men  of  good  intention^, 
and  capable  of  legislating  for  the  benefit  of  the  state 
in  more  peaceful  times.  The  decorum  with  which 
business  was  conducted,  and  the  dignified  eloquence 
of  their  debates,  would  have  done  honour  to  the 
British  House  of  Commons.  The  names  of  the 
highly  talented  Luna-Pizarro,  Alvarez,  Otero,  Ol- 
medo,  and  many  others,  will  be  always  held  in  ad- 
miration for  their  public  spirit,  consistency,  and  im- 
portant services. 

The  great  defect  of.  this  congress  seems  to  have 
been  in  its  assumption  of  a  share  of  the  executive 
power.  This,  at  all  times  impolitic,  was  dangerous 
when  an  enemy  was  at  the  gate  of  the  capital ;  and 
it  became  evident,  that  an  unqualified  military  dic- 
tatorship could  alone  save  the  country.  Congress, 
therefore,  displayed  its  wisdom  in  abolishing  a  system 
which,  preserving  only  the  forms  of  liberty,  could 
not  prevent  the  exercise  of  tyranny. 

Lima  was  again  abandoned  by  the  patriots  on  the 
royalists  repossessing  themselves  of  the  castles  of 
Callao. 

The  Liberator  was  at  that  time  in  the  vicinity  of 
Pativilca  and  Huaras,  with  a  force  which  was  aug- 


CHAP.  XXII.  GIROUETTES.  119 

merited  to  almost  six  thousand  Colombians,  and  four 
thousand  Peruvians. 

Two  or  three  squadrons  of  cavalry  at  Can'ete,  and 
another  squadron  at  Huacho,  with  its  commanding 
officer,  Navajas,  passed  over  to  the  service  of  the 
royalists.  This  Navajas  changed  sides  no  fewer  than 
four  times  during  the  war  of  independence.  About 
the  same  time  the  president,  Marquess  of  Torre- 
Tagle,  the  minister  of  war,  General  Count  San 
Donas,  General  Portocarrero,  and  many  officers  of 
all  grades,  also  passed  over  to  the  royalists  *. 

With  one  or  two  exceptions,  these  men  previously 
passed  from  the  royalists  to  the  independents ;  and  so 
far  from  their  last  defection  being  injurious  to  the 
good  cause,  it  was  of  great  benefit,  inasmuch  as  it 
weeded  the  patriot  service  of  its  most  worthless  cha- 
racters. The  highest  offices  in  the  state  had  been 
most  shamefully  confided  to  several  of  them,  without 
discriminating  between  honourable  men  espousing 
the  cause  of  independence  upon  principle,  and  those 
who  veered  about  for  no  other  reason  than  their 
anxiety  to  be  always  on  the  strongest  side. 

The  royalists,  many  of  whom  boasted  of  liberal 
and  constitutional  principles,  elated  by  the  recent 
events,  were  not  satisfied  with  pouring  forth  the  most 
vulgar  scurrility  upon  their  opponents,  but  sullied 
the  fame  which  they  had  lately  acquired  from  their 


*  Torre-Tagle,  with  his  beautiful,  amiable,  and  accomplished  wife  and  infant 
family,  perished  in  want  of  die  common  necessaries  of  life  during  the  subsequent 
investment  of  Callao  by  the  patriots.  San  Donas  expected  to  obtain  pardon  by 
once  more  deserting  to  the  patriots,  which  he  effected  a  few  days  previous  to  the 
surrender  of  the  castles;  but  he  reaped  the  reward  of  his  double  treachery,  and 
suffered  death  by  the  hands  of  the  executioner  at  Lima.  Portocarrero  hid  him- 
self in  the  woods  of  his  native  valley. 


120  ROYALIST  CRUELTIES.  CHAP.  XXII 

activity  and  perseverance,  by  acts  of  unjustifiable 
cruelty. 

Monet  having  received  possession  of  Callao  from 
the  mutineers,  left  General  Rodil  as  governor.' 
Monet  returned  to  the  valley  of  Xauxa,  taking  the 
patriot  officers  with  him.  On  crossing  the  pass  of 
San  Mateo,  two  eluded  the  vigilance  of  the  escort, 
and  effected  their  escape.  Monet,  instigated  by  his 
adjutant-general,  Garcia  Camba,  most  basely  ordered 
two  officers  to  be  shot,  to  atone,  as  he  said,  for  their 
comrades'  escape  !  As  all  were  equally  innocent  of 
crime,  the  prisoners  were  made  to  draw  lots,  which 
fell  upon  two  very  distinguished  officers.  One  of 

them,  Captain *,  drew  from  the  lining  of  his 

coat  the  medals  with  which  he  had  been  decorated 
for  his  conduct  at  the  battles  of  Tucuman  and  Salta, 
in  the  years  1812  and  1813,  and  holding  them  up  to 
his  breast,  declared  that  he  preferred  death  in  any 
shape  to  the  horrors  of  a  Spanish  prison.  The  last 
words  of  both  were  "  Viva  la  patria !"  This  atrocious, 
wanton,  and  unjustifiable  act  of  barbarity  is  the  more 
surprising,  when  it  is  considered  that  General  Monet 
had  always  been  deemed  the  most  humane  character 
amongst  the  royalist  officers,  and  that  Garcia  Camba 
was  a  liberal  constitutionalist.  The  Spanish  colonial 
system  sometimes  made  good  men  bad,  and  it  always 
rendered  bad  men  worse,  as  is  fully  illustrated  in  the 
above  instance. 

The  rest  of  the  prisoners,  with  others  that  had 
previously  been  made  by  the  royalists,  were  sent  to 

*  This  officer,  whose  name  we  cannot  recollect,  had'becn  confined  in  the  case- 
mates  of  Callao,  and  was  one  of  those  exchanged  and  sent  to  Supe. 


CHAP.  xxn.     GENERAL  MILLER  SAILS  TO  PERU.        121 

the  uninhabited  island  called  Chucuito,  situated  in 
the  celebrated  lake  of  Titicaca  near  Puno.  By  the 
governor  of  this  place,  Don  Tadeo  Garate,  they  were 
treated  with  great  inhumanity.  He  once  refused  a 
pass  to  a  mother  to  see  her  son,  although  she  had 
travelled  from  Arequipa,  a  distance  of  one  hundred 
and  twenty  miles,  for  that  purpose  *.  At  another 
time,  the  commandant  of  the  island-depot  had  the 
cowardly  barbarity  to  fire  several  rounds  from  two 
pieces  of  artillery  upon  the  prisoners  merely  because, 
in  amusing  themselves,  they  made  too  loud  and  too 
mirthful  a  noise  for  his  delicate  ears. 

Bolivar  perhaps  is  entitled  to  more  credit  for  his 
conduct  at  the  critical  time  which  succeeded  to  the 
mutiny  of  Callao,  than  for  any  thing  else  he  ever  did 
in  Peru.  By  his  firmness,  activity,  and  seasonable 
severities,  he  checked  further  defections,  and  ob- 
tained the  respect  and  entire  confidence  of  every 
faithful  patriot.  There  was  a  charm  in  the  name  of 
Bolivar,  and  he  was  looked  up  to  as  the  only  man 
capable  of  saving  the  republic  :  he  did  not  disappoint 
general  expectation,  for,  in  less  than  a  year  from 
that  time,  South  American  independence  was  finally 
established. 

Miller  was  at  the  warm  baths  of  Colina,  in  the 
Chileno  Andes,  when  he  heard  of  the  occurrences  in 
Peru.  He  immediately  set  out  for  Valparaiso,  and 
embarked  on  the  llth  of  April,  in  the  Peruvian  brig 
of  war,  El  Congreso,  Captain  Young. 

Previous  to  leaving  Valparaiso  he  felt  it  his  duty 

*  This  unfortunate  lady  was  the  wife  of  Colonel  Romero,  who  had  rendered 
important  assistance  to  Miller  at  Siguas,  and  at  different  places  on  the  coast. 
Romero  died  after  the  termination  of  the  war,  ill  requited  for  his  services. 


CORPORAL  TRIM.       y\       CHAP.  xxil. 

to  establish,  in  a  small  comfortable  way,  a  valuable 
servant.  As  examples  which  present  the  bright  side 
of  human  nature  never  fatigue  the  philanthropic 
reader,  the  following  particulars  of  fidelity  in  do- 
mestics are  given. 

Juan  Ortega  is  a  Chileno,  above  fifty  years  of  age, 
of  a  short  sturdy  figure,  and  open  broad  countenance- 
His  manners  were  quiet,  good  tempered,  and  so 
kindly  disposed,  that  wherever  he  went  he  became  a 
favourite,  and  generally  the  confident  of  the  family 
upon  whom  his  master  happened  to  be  billeted.  He 
was  known  by  the  name  of  Corporal  Trim,  which 
had  been  given  him  by  Lord  Cochrane.  On  board 
a  British,  as  well  as  a  patriot,  ship  of  war  Trim  en- 
joyed unusual  privileges.  The  officers  would  shake 
hands  with,  and  occasionally  invite  him  to  take  a  glass 
of  wine,  which  he  drank  off  in  as  upright  an  attitude 
as  would  the  original  Corporal  Trim  himself.  With 
the  captain's  steward,  the  officers'  servants,  and  ship's 
company  in  general,  Ortega  was  a  person  of  no  in- 
considerable importance. 

The  unwearied  attachment  of  this  faithful  follower 
is  beyond  all  praise.  He  never  left  the  side  of  his 
master's  cot,  day  nor  night,  for  six  weeks,  after  Miller 
was  so  severely  burned  by  the  explosion  of  powder 
on  the  island  of  San  Lorenzo.  At  other  times,  when 
he  was  suffering  from  painful  wounds  and  sickness, 
the  calm  endurance  of  Corporal  Trim  to  the  peevish- 
ness of  his  master  was  as  remarkable  as  his  watch- 
fulness ;  and  when  he  was  unable  to  speak,  Trim 
understood  him  by  signs,  and  anticipated  his  wishes 
with  the  utmost  exactness.  On  the  occasion  of  Miller 


CHAP.  XXII.  COHPORAL  TRIM. 

being  carried  wounded,  from  Pisco,  on  board  the 
Lautaro,  Captain  Guise  appointed  six  seamen  to  at- 
tend, two  at  a  time  in  turn,  upon  him ;  but  Corporal 
Trim  took  upon  himself  to  dismiss  them  very  un- 
ceremoniously, and  afterwards  performed  the  office  of 
nurse  himself  better  than  all  the  six  could  have  done. 
He  was  his  master's  purse-bearer,  and  sometimes  went 
so  far  as  to  frown  most  intelligibly  if  ordered  to  hand 
out  money  which  he  thought  paid  or  given  away  too 
freely.  Old  soldiers  who  used  to  call  upon  the  ge- 
neral had  little  chance  of  an  interview  or  assistance 
if  Trim  thought  them  undeserving,  or  that  demands 
of  this  nature  became  too  frequent. 

In  1820  Corporal  Trim's  mother  travelled  forty 
leagues,  on  a  mule,  to  visit  her  son  previous  to  his 
embarkation  with   the   liberating   expedition.     She 
produced  a  document  from  the  alcalde  of  Ligua, 
Trim's  native  place,  certifying  that  Juan  Ortega  had 
volunteered  to  serve  his  country,  the  moment  that 
the  disastrous  news  of  the  defeat  of  Cancharayada 
reached  that  village.     The  document  also  certified 
that  the  conduct  of  Ortega  had  always  been  so  ex- 
emplary, that  he  had  "  never  been  put  in  the  stocks." 
This  sort  of  punishment   must  have   been   pretty 
general,  when  a  petty  tyrant  in  a  remote  village 
could  be  brought  to  state,  under  his  own  hand,  that 
to  have  escaped  this  punishment  was  a  proof  of  merit. 
Ortega's  mother  presented  Miller  with  a  small  carpet 
of  her  own  manufacture.   Upon  receiving  in  exchange 
a  Manchester  print,  she  said  she  would  have  it  made 
into  a  gown,  which  she  would  wear  only  on  the  an- 
niversary of  the  day  upon  which  she  received  it. 
Miller  was  occasionally  lodged  in  splendid  apart- 


ATACAMA.  CHAP.  XXII. 

merits,  but  such  was  Corporal  Trim's  filial  piety,  that 
the  carpet  was  invariably  placed,  with  due  care,  by 
the  bedside  of  his  master. 

The  sudden  departure  of  Miller  from  Chile  in  1824 
gave  Ortega  no  opportunity  of  visiting  his  mother. 
The  idea  of  again  quitting  his  country  without  em- 
bracing her,  depressed  his  spirits.  He  was  himself 
•  grown  gray,  and  there  was  every  appearance  of  a 
prolonged  contest  in  Peru.  Miller,  in  consequence, 
decided  upon  leaving  him  behind.  As  he  parted 
from  him  to  step  into  the  boat,  Ortega  was  completely 
overpowered  by  grief.  His  regrets  were  mingled 
with  gratitude  at  being  left  with  the  means  of  esta- 
blishing apulperia,  or  small  shop,  at  Valparaiso.  He 
appeared  to  think  himself  more  than  compensated ; 
but  his  master,  equally  affected  at  parting  from  so 
valuable  a  servant,  thought  no  reward  could  be  too 
great  for  so  much  fidelity.  In  truth,  such  attach- 
ment is  often  of  greater  value  than  the  applause  and 
sometimes  heartless  protestations  of  the  great  and 
powerful. 

Captain  Young  having  learned  that  some  royalist 
privateers  had  been  fitted  out  at  Chiloe,  and  were 
cruising  off  the  Intermedios,  determined  to  look  into 
every  port  between  Copiapo  and  Callao.  The  first 
met  with  was  Cobija,  the  only  safe  and  frequented 
one  of  Atacama,  which  is  a  line  of  desert  above  100 
leagues  in  length,  running  north  and  south ;  its  ex- 
treme breadth  is  about  thirty  leagues.  This  cheer- 
less track  separates  Chile  from  Peru,  and  is  traversed 
with  infinite  toil  even  by  small  parties,  who  are 
obliged  to  carry  water,  provisions,  and  forage  with 
them  j  but  travellers  seldom  take  this  route.  A  line 


CHAP.  xxii.  ATACAMA.  125 

of  paved  road,  about  two  feet  wide,  constructed  in 
the  time  of  the  incas,  ran  along  the  foot  of  the 
Andes ;  and  some  vestiges  of  it  were  discovered  in 
1823.  It  was  by  this  route  that  Valdivia  invaded 
Chile  from  Peru.  The  northern  border  of  this  track 
is  thinly  peopled,  and  is  called  the  province  of  Ata- 
cama.  During  the  war  it  was  occasionally  held 
either  by  the  patriots  or  by  the  royalists  of  Upper 
Peru,  but  the  governor  was  more  frequently  left 
independent,  he  taking  special  care  to  lean  to  the 
strongest  side.  Aware  that  his  letters  would  be 
opened,  Miller  wrote  a  flourishing  despatch  to  Ge- 
neral Arenales,  governor  of  Salta,  informing  him 
that  the  expedition  from  Talcahuano  having  suc- 
ceeded in  capturing  Chiloe,  was  on  its  way  to  Puertos 
Intermedios;  that  he  was  sent  forward  to  choose  the 
point  of  disembarkation,  and  to  request  the  co-opera- 
tion of  the  gauchos  of  Salta  on  the  side  of  Potosi. 
He  added,  that  advices  from  Spain  had  brought  in- 
formation that  La  Serna  had  fallen  under  the  dis- 
pleasure of  Ferdinand,  and  that  Olaiieta  would  pro- 
bably succeed  to  the  viceroyalty.  The  governor  of 
Atacama  kindly  took  charge  of  the  communication, 
and  made  noisy  promises  of  forwarding  it  immediately 
with  the  utmost  secrecy ;  but  it  was  afterwards  dis- 
covered that  the  worthy  governor  broke  open  the 
despatch,  and  sent  a  copy  of  it  to  Olaiieta  before  he 
parted  with  the  original.  Olaneta  had  long  been  in 
opposition  to  La  Serna,  and  it  was  supposed  that 
this  pretended  approval  of  his  conduct  by  Ferdinand 
strengthened  his  obstinacy  towards  the  viceroy.  Are- 
nales received  the  despatch  in  due  time,  and  not  sus- 


126  LA   VIGIE.  CHAP.  XXH. 

pecting  it  was  written  to  answer  a  particular  purpose, 
after  keeping  it  secret  for  two  days,  convened  the 
provincial  junta,  and  confided  to  a  select  few  the 
subject  of  the  communication.  Valdez,  who  had 
arrived  in  the  department  of  Puno,  also  received  a 
duplicate  copy  of  the  despatch,  and  was  induced  to 
suspend  the  march  of  his  division  against  Olaneta  for 
a  few  days,  in  order  to  act  against  the  supposed 
equipment  from  Chiloe.  No  disembarkation  having 
been  heard  of  at  any  point,  Valdez  began  to  suspect 
the  report  was  a  ruse  de  guerre.  He  was  shortly 
after  confirmed  in  this  opinion  by  the  arrival  of  the 
news  that  General  Freyre  had  failed  in  the  attempt 
upon  Chiloe. 

On  approaching  Arica,  a  brig  called  "  La  Vigie," 
which  had  been  taken,  armed  and  fitted  out  by  the 
captain  of  the  Spanish  privateer  Quintanilla,  was 
observed  to  be  standing  out  of  the  bay,  but  returned 
to  her  anchorage  on  perceiving  the  Congreso.  The 
latter  stood  towards  her,  in  the  expectation  that  she 
would  strike  without  making  the  slightest  resistance ; 
but  the  captain  of  the  Vigie  brought  his  four  small 
guns  to  bear,  and  after  expending  every  shot  in  the 
locker,  fired  away  the  marline  spikes,  nails,  and  bits 
of  old  iron.  The  Congreso  drifted  to  leeward,  but 
Captain  Young  being  unwilling  to  damage  the  hull, 
or  to  cut  up  the  rigging  of  the  Vigie,  abstained  from 
giving  a  broadside,  and  stood  out  to  make  a  tack,  in 
order  to  run  alongside  and  carry  the  Vigie  by  board- 
ing. It  was  not  until  the  Congreso  was  within  half- 
cable's  length,  that  the  captain  of  the  Vigie  ceased 
firing,  and  jumped  into  a  boat  with  his  crew.  In 


CHAP.  xxir.  LA  VIGIE.  127 

rowing  towards  the  land,  they  passed  within  half 
pistol-shot  of  the  bows  of  the  Congreso,  and  lay  upon 
their  oars  as  if  to  deliver  themselves  up;  but  upon 
perceiving  the  Congreso  carried  away  by  the  current, 
they  suddenly  resumed  their  oars,  and  pulled  away. 
The  marines,  who  till  this  moment  had  been  ordered 
not  to  fire,  gave  them  a  volley:  the  whole  of  the  boat's 
crew  immediately  dropped,  with  the  exception  of  the 
captain,  who  stood  up  with  the  greatest  imaginable 
coolness,  and  skulled  the  boat  out  of  musket  range, 
when  the  sailors  again  got  up  and  rowed  ashore.  The 
Congreso  having  secured  her  prize,  sent  a  party  to 
Arica,  to  seize  the  crew.  A  marine  officer,  with  three 
men,  found  the  captain  concealed  in  a  house,  and 
seized  him  by  the  collar.  He  not  only  knocked  down 
the  officer,  but  also  two  of  the  marines,  and  rushed 
out  of  the  house,  the  third  marine  giving  him  a  severe 
bayonet  wound  as  he  passed.  The  officer  returned 
on  board  with  black  eyes  and  a  swollen  face.  On  the 
following  morning,  it  was  ascertained  that  the  captain 
of  the  Vigie  passed  the  night  under  a  shed  in  the 
outskirts  of  the  town,  and  where  it  was  evident  he 
had  lost  a  considerable  quantity  of  blood.  It  is  not 
known  what  became  of  him.  He  was  a  Scotchman, 
who  had  sustained  severe  losses  by  the  patriots,  and 
he  entered  the  royalist  service  for  the  express  purpose 
of  avenging  himself.  His  resolute  bravery  could  not 
be  surpassed.  The  Congreso,  the  Vigie,  and  a  French 
brig  of  war,  came  to  an  anchor  nearly  at  the  same 
time,  off  Arica.  The  French  captain  demanded  the 
Vigie,  but  Captain  Young  refused  to  give  up  a  lawful 
capture,  and  referred  the  French  commander  to  the 


128  CAPTAIN  ROBEHTON.  CHAP.  xxn. 

Peruvian  government.  During  the  time  that  some 
messages  and  notes  were  passing  between  the  two 
commanders,  the  ship's  company  of  each  vessel  was 
kept  at  quarters  ready  for  action:  Captain  Young 
having  very  properly  made  up  his  mind  to  oppose 
force  to  force  rather  than  relinquish  his  prize.  It  is 
a  singular  coincidence,  that  the  Congreso,  the  Vigie, 
and  the  brig  of  war,  should  have  been  all  three  launched 
from  the  same  slip,  at  St.  Maloes  in  France. 

Proceeding  towards  Quilca,  the  Congreso  fell  in 
with  the  pirate  Quintanilla,  and  a  second  -prize  she 
had  taken,  called  the  Emprendadora,  which  was  run 
on  shore  an(d  burned  by  her  own  crew.  The  Quin- 
tanilla kept  up  a  running  fire  during  a  short  chase, 
and  escaped  into  the  caleta,  or  creek  of  Quilca. 

Miller  having  gone  for  information  to  some  vessels 
at  anchor  in  the  roadstead,  and  the  Congreso  having 
drifted  to  leeward  of  the  caleta,  his  return  was  cut 
off  by  five  armed  launches,  sent  from  the  Quintanilla, 
lying  in  the  caleta;  but  the  launches,  upon  per- 
ceiving a  boat  with  marines,  lowered  from  the  Con- 
greso, relinquished  the  chase  at  a  moment  when 
the  patriot  party  was  within  their  grasp.  Amongst 
those  who  accompanied  Miller  in  the  jolly-boat  of 
the  Congreso  was  Captain  Roberton,  a  very  gallant 
Scotchman,  and  an  able  officer,  whose  adventures 
are  extremely  singular.  He  came  from  England  as 
an  officer  in  the  Galvarino,  with  Captain  Guise.  He 
served  in  the  patriot  squadron,  and  gave  many  proofs 
of  intrepidity.  When  in  command  of  a  patriot  brig 
of  war,  in  1822,  he  landed  at  the  head  of  his  marines 
and  seamen,  at  Arauco,  and  surprised,  during  the 


CHAP.  XXII.  CAPTAIN  EOBKRTON.  129 

night,  Benavides  and  his  party.  Benavides  escaped. 
His  next  in  command,  an  Italian  desperado,  named 
Martilini,  who  had  formerly  been  a  boatswain  in  a 
patriot  vessel,  with  which,  heading  a  mutiny,  he  ran 
away  from  Guayaquil,  was  wounded  by  Roberton  with 
a  lance,  but  made  his  escape  also.  In  retaliation  for 
the  atrocities  of  Benavides  and  his  gang,  Roberton 
hung  all  his  prisoners,  fifty  or  sixty  in  number. 

Some  time  after,  Roberton  was  permitted  by  the 
Chileno  government  to  take  possession  of  the  unin- 
habited island  of  La  Mocha,  thirty  leagues  south  of 
Concepcion,  and  became  known  by  the  name  of  Ro- 
binson Crusoe.  He  engaged  a  Chileno  servant  as  his 
man  Friday,  and  each  took  a  Chilena  wife,  a  la  main 
gauche.  It  happened  that  Martilini,  the  Italian 
desperado,  was  subsequently  put  in  command  of  the 
Quintanilla.  Sailing  from  Chiloe,  he  landed  with  a 
party  at  Mocha,  and  took  off  Roberton,  who  was 
instantly  put  into  irons,  and  reserved  for  torture. 
Martilini.  frequently  threatened  him  with  some  ter- 
rible death,  and  accompanied  his  threats  by  blows.  In 
a  gale  of  wind,  Roberton  was  released,  and,  on  ac- 
count of  his  superior  seamanship,  requested  to  take 
the  command.  The  ship  weathered  the  storm,  and 
Roberton  was  permitted  to  walk  the  deck.  He  was 
taken  to  Quilca,  whence  he  made  his  escape,  in  a 
neutral  vessel,  to  Chile.  He  left  behind  a  note,  sig- 
nifying to  Martilini  that,  as  he  (Roberton)  did  not 
owe  his  life  to  the  other's  generosity,  but  to  his  fears, 
he  was  under  no  obligation ;  and  he  gave  warning, 
that,  in  the  event  of  their  meeting  again,  one  of  the 
two  must  fall.  Roberton  took  a  passage  from  Val- 

VOL.  II.  K 


130  CONGRESO  IN  DANGER  CHAP.  xxn. 

paraiso  in  the  Congreso,  and  by  a  curious  coin- 
cidence, the  pirate  driven  into  the  caleta,  or  cove 
of  Quilca,  was  the  Quintanilla.  When  the  armed 
launches  were  seen  issuing  from  the  cove,  Ro- 
berton  expressed  his  determination  not  to  be  taken 
alive. 

The  Congreso,  upon  her  arrival,  pursued  the  Quin- 
tanilla so  close  into  the  mouth  of  the  caleta,  that, 
upon  the  wind  dying  away  in  the  afternoon,  she 
was  obliged  to  let  go  her  anchor  to  leeward,  at  no 
great  distance  from  the  rocks,  upon  which  the  surf 
broke,  with  tremendous  roar.  During  the  night,  an 
officer  was  sent  to  request  assistance  from  a  French 
brig  of  war  at  anchor  to  windward  of  the  caleta. 
When  daylight  appeared,  the  French  boats  approached 
to  within  hail.  The  officer,  with  a  speaking  trumpet, 
offered  to  receive  the  people,  but  refused  to  give  any 
assistance  to  the  vessel,  on  the  plea  that  to  do  so 
would  be  an  infraction  of  neutrality. 

By  this  time  the  Congreso  had  drifted  so  near  to 
the  outward  wake  of  the  breakers,  that  the  officers 
and  crew  got  into  their  boats,  and  were  on  the  point 
of  leaving  her  to  her  fate.  Roberton  was  about  to 
push  off  from  the  side,  when  he  perceived  a  light 
air,  and  hopes  of  saving  the  brig  darted  across  his 
mind.  He  jumped  on  board  again,  calling  out  to 
the  seamen,  that  volunteers  might  follow.  Captain 
Young  was  also  instantly  upon  deck,  followed  by  his 
ship's  company.  At  this  critical  moment,  the  pirate 
launches  were  again  seen  pulling  out  of  the  creek. 
The  only  chance  of  escaping  with  life  was  to  save  the 
brig,  because  the  pirates  paid  no  respect  to  any  flag  j 


CHAP.  XXII.  OF  SHIPWRECK.  131 

and  a  retreat  to  the  boats  of  the  French  vessel  would 
have  been  no  protection. 

The  cable  of  the  Congreso  was  cut ;  but  she  made 
so  little  way  for  the  first  hour,  that,  whether  she  was 
to  be  dashed  on  the  rocks  by  the  swell,  or  to  get  out 
to  sea,  appeared  to  be  an  even  chance ;  but  the  breeze 
freshened,  and  enabled  them  to  clear  the  shore,  and 
the  brig  stood  off  and  on  all  day. 

Roberton,  being  more  than  ever  anxious  to  settle 
the  reckoning  with  his  Italian  acquaintance,  planned 
the  cutting  out  of  the  privateer.  Eleven  at  night  was 
the  time  appointed  for  his  adventurous  supporters  to 
hold  themselves  in  readiness.  As  the  bell  struck  the 
hour,  Roberton's  voice  was  heard  throughout  the 
brig,  summoning  to  their  post  the  boarding  party,  of 
about  forty  volunteers.  The  men  came  on  deck  with 
an  air  of  steady  resolution,  but  without  any  appear- 
ance of  eager  alacrity  ;  for  they  had  scarcely  shaken 
off  their  drowsiness,  and  the  elements  seemed  to  con- 
spire against  them.  The  night  was  very  dark  ;  the 
sea  ran  high ;  and  the  wind  whistled  through  the 
rigging  with  dreary  cadence  to  the  sullen  roar  of  the 
surge  upon  the  strand.  The  flitting  light  of  lan- 
terns rather  increased,  than  dissipated,  the  gloom 
which  overhung  the  commencement  of  this  desperate 
undertaking.  Roberton  bade  good  bye  to  a  younger 
brother,  lately  arrived  from  Scotland,  and  then  shook 
hands  with  Miller  and  Captain  Young,  saying,  as  he 
left  them,  "  The  weather  is  against  us ;  but,  if  we 
can  only  make  the  caleta,  and  if  my  men  stick  by 
me,  we'll  have  the  Quintanilla  before  daybreak." 
He  and  his  followers  then  stepped  into  the  launch, 

K  2 


MARTILINI.  CHAP.  XXII. 

but  not  without  difficulty  and  danger,  on  account  of 
the  roughness  of  the  sea.  The  launch  shoved  off; 
but  the  night  continued  so  dark  and  windy,  that  Ro- 
berton  was  unable  to  find  the  mouth  of  the  inlet. 
The  launch  was  blown  considerably  to  leeward,  but 
was  picked  up,  next  day,  by  the  Congreso,  which 
immediately  made  sail  to  the  northward. 

Two  days  afterwards  the  Quintanilla  left  the  Cove 
of  Quilca,  and,  on  passing  near  the  French  brig  of 
war,  anchored  in  the  roadstead,  fired  three  or  four 
shots  at  her,  by  way  of  bravado.  The  weather 
changing  to  a  calm,  the  boats  of  the  French  brig 
carried  the  privateer  by  boarding.  Martilini  was 
conveyed  to  France  *. 

Roberton  distinguished  himself  in  1824  and  1825 
before  the  castles  of  Callao.  After  they  surrendered 
he  was  immured  in  the  casemates,  by  order  of  Bolivar, 
for  some  political  offence.  He,  however,  made  his 
escape  from  these  horrid  dungeons  in  an  extraordi- 
nary manner.  He  knocked  down  two  or  three  sen- 
tries he  had  occasion  to  pass ;  ran  through  the  gate, 
in  the  presence  of  the  main  guard ;  threw  himself 
into  the  sea ;  and  swam  off  to  a  merchant  vessel. 
He  has,  it  seems,  since  returned  to  his  island  of 
Mocha. 

On  arriving,  on  the  llth  of  May,  off  Callao, 
Miller  left  the  Congreso,  which  remained  cruising 
off  the  bay,  and  went  on  board  of  her  prize,  the 
Vigie.  He  continued  at  anchor  in  the  roads  for 
twenty-four  hours,  and  made  an  appointment  to  meet 

*  He  again  (1828)  commands  a  Spanish  privateer  in  the  Pacific,  and  has  made 
prizes  on  the  Chileno  and  Peruvian  coasts. 


CHAP.  xxn.  INCIDENT   AT   SEA.  133 

the  royalist  General  Loriga  on  board  the  British 
frigate  Tartar,  to  dine  with  Captain  Brown  ;  but  an 
open  smack  from  Truxillo,  bringing  a  report  that 
Bolivar  had  actually  commenced  his  march  for  the 
interior,  induced  Miller  not  to  delay  his  departure ; 
and  the  meeting  of  the  two  friends,  so  much  desired 
by  both,  did  not  take  place*. 

On  arriving  off  Supe,  at  night,  on  the  14th  of  May, 
Miller  was  obliged  to  take  upon  himself  the  office  of 
pilot,  as  no  one  else  on  board  had  seen  that  part  of  the 
coast  before.  He  committed  some  mistake  in  making 
the  land,  and  the  vessel  was  brought  up  where,  if  the 
anchor  had  been  dropped,  she  must  have  gone  ashore 
in  a  surf,  which  nothing  could  have  withstood.  For- 
tunately the  error  was  discovered  in  time.  He  did 
not  recollect  much  about  the  headlands  ;  but  feeling 
very  anxious  to  get  ashore,  and  having  only  a  very 
young  midshipman,  with  eight  or  ten  indifferent 
sailors,  the  Vigie  was  steered  at  dusk  towards  a  small 
bay,  which  fortunately  turned  out  to  be  the  port  of 
Supe.  The  night  was  beautifully  clear,  and  the  stars 
twinkled  with  unusual  brilliancy.  At  eleven  P.M. 
the  Vigie  was  brought  to  an  anchor  under  the  lee  of 
some  high  land,  and  just  without  the  broad  line  of 
surf,  which  breaks  upon  the  strand  with  ceaseless 
foam.  The  holding  ground  proved  very  bad,  and 
the  anchor  drove,  upon  which  a  second  was  let  go. 
A  suspicious-looking  schooner  was  then  discovered 
lying  within  a  cable's  length  from  the  Vigie.  She 


*  General  Loriga,  who  had  served  the  cause  of  the  king  with  great  talent  and 
fidelity,  sailed  shortly  afterwards  to  his  native  country.  He  now  holds  an  im- 
portant command  in  the  Havannah. 


134  PICTURESQUE  VILLAGE  CHAP.  XXII. 

was  hailed ;  but,  although  a  light  had  been  seen  on 
board,  no  answer  was  returned,  and  some  apprehen- 
sions arose  that  the  stranger  might  prove  a  royalist 
vessel  of  war,  sent  from  Callao  to  intercept  the  Vigie. 
Miller  seized  the  speaking  trumpet,  hailed  them  in 
English  and  in  Spanish,  and  threatened  that  a  broad- 
side would  be  fired  from  the  Peruvian  brig  of  war 
Congreso,   unless  an  immediate  answer  was  given. 
The  cry  of  Viva  la  Patria  was  then  heard,  and  a 
boat  was  immediately  sent  from  the  Vigie.      Two 
fishermen  were  found  on  board  the  schooner,  which 
had  arrived  with  some  fugitive  patriot  soldiers  from 
the  Puertos  Intermedios.     The  fishermen  had  been 
sent  on  board,  by  the  patriot  governor  of  the  pro- 
vince, to  take  charge  of  the  vessel.     They  could  not 
state  positively  which  party  held  possession  of  the 
town  of  Supe,  although  they  were  certain  that  the 
landing-place  was  clear  of  royalists.      Miller  imme- 
diately stepped  into  a  canoe,  but  did  not  get  on  shore 
without   being  thoroughly   wet   by  the  surf.      He 
walked  to  Supe,  two  leagues  distant,  and  found  the 
town  nearly  deserted.   He,  however,  procured  horses 
from   a  montonero  party,  which,  on  the  preceding 
morning,  had  had  an  affair  with  the  royalist  advanced 
post,  and  on  the  next  day  he  set  out  to  join  Bolivar. 
At  the  picturesque  village  of  Marca,   two  days' 
march   from    Supe,    commences   an   ascent   of  two 
leagues,  that  terminates  at  the  apex  of  a  lofty  moun- 
tain, which,  on  a  clear  day,  is  visible  to  the  mariner 
fifty  leagues  from  land.     From  this  aerial  platform, 
one  of  the  noblest  and  most  enchanting  prospects  in 
the  world  bursts  suddenly  upon  the  eye.     Towards 


CHAP.  xxil.  OF  MAIICA.  135 

the  coast  lies  a  frightful  waste,  a  lifeless  breadth  of 
barrenness,  a  sea  of  sandy  billows,  bounded  by  the 
Pacific  Ocean.  Looking  to  the  eastward,  the  Andes 
rear  their  summits  to  the  clouds,  and  form  a  barrier 
of  unparalleled  grandeur.  A  basin,  of  one  hundred 
miles  in  circumference,  appears  to  be  scooped  out 
amidst  the  highest  Andes,  and,  containing  moun- 
tains within  its  hollow,  is  bounded  by  ridges,  which, 
rising  in  endless  succession,  are  streaked  with  mid- 
way clouds,  and  the  most  distant  mantled  with  snows 
coeval  with  the  creation  of  the  world.  Standing  on 
the  mountain  cupola  of  Marca,  the  village  of  Requay 
appears  to  be  immediately  beneath  the  feet  of  the 
wondering  traveller,  although  from  the  tortuous  de- 
scent it  is  at  a  distance  of  more  than  four  leagues. 
To  the  north  of  Requay  stretches  the  romantic  vale 
of  Huaras,  where  numerous  hamlets  enliven  the  moun- 
tain hollows,  while  single  houses  at  every  elevation 
stud  the  ravines,  and  contrast  their  whiteness  with 
the  luxuriant  foliage  which  half  conceals  them.  The 
happy  valley  imagined  by  Doctor  Johnson  may  be 
called  a  miniature  sketch  of  this  unequalled  pano- 
rama, and  from  which  it  might  be  thought  the  Abys- 
sinian prince  would  scarcely  have  wished  to  roam, 
were  it  not  that,  on  approaching  the  dwellings,  that 
look  so  beautiful  at  a  distance,  the  traveller  is  dis- 
gusted with  their  filth  and  wretchedness.  It  is  only 
the  daring  pencil  which  pictured  Belshazzar's  Feast, 
the  Fall  of  Nineveh,  and  the  Deluge,  that  could, 
with  commensurate  grandeur  and  fidelity,  transfer 
to  canvas  such  a  scene  as  this.  Placed  on  that  ma- 
jestic eminence,  a  Martin  would  acknowledge,  that 


1^6        POSITION   OF   CONTENDING   FORCES.   CHAP.  XXII. 

even  his  own  lofty  conceptions  fell  far  short  of  the 
towering  sublimity  and  incomparable  beauty  which 
nature  has  here  combined. 

On  the  19th  of  May,  Miller  reached  the  head 
quarters  of  General  Bolivar  at  Huaras,  in  the  vicinity 
of  which  place  the  liberating  army  had  begun  to  con- 
centrate from  its  cantonments  of  Caxamarca,  Gua- 
machuco,  and  Caxatambo,  in  order  to  commence 
offensive  operations.  Its  number  of  effective  men 
did  not  fall  short  of  ten  thousand. 

The  distribution  of  the  royalist  army  was  as  follows : 
About  nine  thousand  men  with  Canterac  in  the 
valley  of  Xauxa ;  about  five  thousand  with  Valdez ; 
and  about  five  thousand  with  Olaiieta.  The  two 
latter  generals  were  in  Upper  Peru;  but  the  Spa- 
niards considered  the  forces  under  Canterac  to  be 
more  than  a  match  for  Bolivar,  and  consequently 
thought  the  aid  of  the  Army  of  the  South  might 
be  dispensed  with. 


CHAP.  xxin.  ROAD  TO  PASCO.  137 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

Montoneros. — Measures  preparatory  to  the  campaign  of  1824 

Liberating  army  advance  from  Huaras. — Passage  of  the  Cor- 
dilleras.— Salutary  measures  of  the  Dictator. 

GENERAL  MILLER,  upon  his  arrival  at  Huaras, 
had  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  General  Bolivar  for 
the  first  time,  and  on  the  following  day  was  named 
commandante-general  of  the  Peruvian  cavalry. 

The  beautiful,  extensive,  and  thickly  peopled  valley 
of  Huaras  had  become  the  scene  of  active  prepara- 
tions for  the  ensuing  campaign,  which  was  expected 
to  commence,  by  the  march  of  the  army,  in  about 
six  weeks. 

In  the  meanwhile,  Miller  was  ordered  to  cross  the 
Andes  j  and,  on  the  13th  of  June,  he  set  out  to  take 
the  command  of  fifteen  hundred  montoneros  occu- 
pying the  country  round  Pasco. 

The  road,  of  continuous  ascent  and  descent,  was 
through  a  part  of  the  country  which  abounds  in 
scenery  of  inconceivable  boldness  and  magnificence. 
Straggling  habitations  were  frequently  seen  perched 
on  elevations,  or  sequestered  in  the  recesses  of  ra- 
vines, and  added  greatly  to  the  beauty  of  the  land- 
scape ;  but  ignorance,  poverty,  filth,  and  apparent 
wretchedness,  were  the  lot  of  the  Indian  cottagers. 
To  these  may  be  added,  the  despotism  of  the  priest, 
who  is  usually  the  only  person,  in  rather  extensive 
villages,  who  can  read  and  write.     He  has  not  at  all 


MONTONEROS.  CHAP.  xxm. 

times  the  inclination,  but  he  has  always  the  power,  to 
lord  it  over  his  parishioners  with  the  authority  of  a 
Turkish  bashaw.  On  the  sixth  day  of  a  most  fa- 
tiguing journey,  Miller  arrived  at  Huanuco,  a  plea- 
sant town,  occupying  half  a  league  square  of  ground, 
and  containing  about  four  thousand  inhabitants.  The 
streets  are  rectilinear,  and  each  house  has  a  garden, 
in  which  are  grown  pine  apples  and  other  tropical 
fruits  in  abundance.  The  climate  is  agreeable.  Mil- 
ler remained  three  days  at  Huanuco,  where  he  in- 
spected two  squadrons  of  Peruvian  cavalry  in  quar- 
ters there.  On  the  fourth  morning  he  set  out  for 
Pasco,  which  was  held  by  the  patriot  montoneros. 

The  montoneros  in  Peru,  like  the  guerrillas  in  the 
Peninsular  war,  were  of  incalculable  service  as  an 
auxiliary  force.  They  were  principally  composed  of 
men  of  some  respectability,  whose  habitations  had 
been  razed  by  the  unrelenting  vindictiveness  of  the 
royal  party,  which  had  often  turned  into  wilder- 
nesses spots  where  towns  and  villages  formerly  stood. 
Every  montonero  had  to  avenge  parents,  children, 
relatives,  or  neighbours,  who  had  been  butchered  by 
the  Spaniards.  To  the  above  class  of  once  substan- 
tial yeomen  were  added  many  idle  and  profligate  cha- 
racters, which  are  always  to  be  met  with  in  turbulent 
times.  The  montoneros  were  cruel  and  unrelenting 
towards  their  foes;  but,  although  they  served  with- 
out pay,  they  generally  conducted  themselves  well 
towards  the  unoffending  inhabitants :  from  this  praise, 
however,  must  be  excepted  those  parties  which  were 
formed  principally  from  the  dregs  of  the  populace  of 
Lima.  But  even  the  latter  frequently  behaved  with 


CHAP.  xxni.  MONTONKROS.  139 

more  forbearance  than  might  have  been  expected  from 
men  of  their  previous  habits ;  and  their  lighter  irre- 
gularities were  counterbalanced  by  the  important  ser- 
vices they  rendered. 

In  the  year  1821,  the  town  of  Reyes  contained  a 
population  of  four  thousand  souls.  It  was  pillaged 
and  burnt  by  the  Spaniards,  and  many  of  the  inha- 
bitants cruelly  put  to  death.  Three  hundred  men 
survived,  to  avenge  the  fate  of  their  slaughtered  fami- 
lies: they  formed  themselves  into  montonero  parties, 
and  performed  prodigies  of  valour  against  the  royal- 
ists, neither  giving  nor  taking  quarter.  When  over- 
powered by  the  enemy,  they  were  accustomed  to  flee 
to  some  small  islands,  which  they  kept  provisioned  for 
the  purpose,  upon  the  lake  near  which  Reyes  was 
situated.  This  magnificent  lake,  one  of  the  sources 
of  the  river  of  the  Amazons,  thirty  leagues  in  cir- 
cumference, is  skirted  by  a  broad  border  of  morass, 
through  which  the  montoneros  could  penetrate  by 
devious  tracks,  winding  amongst  quagmires,  and 
known  only  to  themselves.  At  every  favourable  op- 
portunity they  would  sally  forth  from  their  islet  fast- 
nesses; and,  vanquishers  or  vanquished,  they  always 
inflicted  tremendous  losses  on  their  enemies.  Tor- 
rents of  blood  were  shed  in  this  exterminating  system 
of  warfare. 

Miller  having  at  various  periods  had  the  command 
of  montoneros,  had  become  personally  known  to  many 
of  them.  They  hailed  his  new  appointment  with  re- 
joicings. These  guerrillas  were  divided  into  parties 
of  from  fifty  to  a  hundred  men  each.  Of  all  these 
parties,  that  composed  of  the  yeomanry  of  Reyes  was 


110  DRESS  OF  MONTONEROS.        CHAP.  XXIII. 

the  most  daring  and  efficient.  After  remaining  two 
days  at  Pasco,  the  pivot  of  the  guerrilla  operations, 
Miller  rode  to  Reyes.  The  montoneros  of  that  place, 
as  well  as  those  of  Ninicaca  and  Carhuamayo,  anxious 
to  pay  their  new  leader  a  compliment,  had  assembled 
to  receive  him.  They  were  drawn  up  in  line,  and 
their  appearance  was  most  grotesque.  Some  mounted 
on  mules,  others  on  horses,  some  wearing  bearskin 
caps,  others  helmets,  others  chacos,  and  many  with 
broad-brimmed  vicuna  beaver  hats.  Some  wore  fea- 
thers, but  this  finery  was  not  general.  Their  gar- 
ments were  not  less  diversified.  Hussar  jackets,  in- 
fantry coats,  and  scarlet  pelisses  stripped  from  slain 
royalists,  were  mingled  with  patriot  uniforms.  Their 
lower  garments  consisted  of  Mamaluke  trousers, 
light  overalls,  or  knee  breeches.  Some  had  boots, 
others  sandals,  and  many  were  barefoot.  But  in  one 
particular  there  was  uniformity.  Every  man  had  a 
poncho,  which  he  either  wore  in  the  usual  manner, 
or  tied  round  the  waist  like  a  sash,  or  dangling  fan- 
tastically from  the  shoulder.  Neither  was  there  one 
amongst  them  without  his  lasso.  Their  arms  were 
not  less  multiform  than  their  clothing.  Muskets, 
carbines,  pistols,  swords,  bayonets,  sabres,  long  knives, 
and  lances  or  pikes,  were  the  weapons  with  which 
chance  had  furnished  them ;  but  in  such  hands  they 
were  wielded  in  battle  with  tremendous  effect. 
The  commander,  Captain* ,  had  been  ele- 
vated on  account  of  his  superior  prowess.  He  was 


*  When  Miller  became  prefect  of  Puno  he  sent  many  papers  and  documents 
to  an  English  friend  at  Arequipa  to  forward  to  England ;  but  as  they  have  never 
been  received,  the  names  of  persons  and  places  have  been  occasionally  forgotten. 


CHAP.  XXIII.  INCIDENT   AT  CACAS.  141 

armed  with  a  pistol,  a  carbine,  and  a  long  straight 
sword,  taken  from  a  Spanish  colonel  whom  he  had 
killed  in  single  combat.  He  wore  a  gaudy  trum- 
peter's jacket  and  an  officer's  pouch-box.  As  Miller 
approached,  the  captain  advanced  to  meet  and  wel- 
come him  with  a  flourish  of  his  Toledo.  Miller  then 
rode  along  the  front  of  the  line,  and,  after  passing 
the  last  file,  was  surprised  to  hear  a  whizzing  feu 
dejoie  from  such  of  the  men  as  had  fire-arms;  for, 
having  no  blank  cartridges,  they  did  not  scruple  to 
waste  balls  and  bullets  in  this  irregular  salute. 

On  the  following  day,  Miller  took  an  escort  from 
the  Reyes  montoneros,  and  rode  forward,  intending 
to  reconnoitre  the  Spanish  advanced  post,  four  leagues 
in  front  on  the  Tarma  road;  but  finding  himself  at 
nightfall  still  a  mile  from  the  royalist  videttes,  he 
took  up  his  quarters  in  a  hut  situated  on  a  hill  at 
the  entrance  of  Cacas.  Thinking  it  important  to 
impress  upon  his  new  followers,  that  he  was  as  much 
at  ease  close  to  the  enemy  as  at  a  distance,  Miller 
took  off  his  coat,  and  lay  down  to  sleep,  leaving  the 
guerrilla  captain  to  take  the  necessary  precautions  in 
his  own  way.  Miller,  however,  took  care  to  keep 
his  own  orderly  on  the  alert  with  saddled  horses. 
He  had  not  dozed  above  an  hour,  when  the  mon- 
tonero  chief,  shaking  Miller  by  the  shoulder,  said, 
it  had  just  occurred  to  him  that  on  that  very  day 
a  year  before  he  had  been  surprised  near  the  same 
spot;  and  that,  as  a  scout  who  had  been  sent  down 
the  hill  had  not  returned,  prudence  dictated  that 
they  should  remove  to  the  plain  in  their  rear.  In  the 
morning  it  was  ascertained  that  a  royalist  party  had 
approached,  during  the  night,  within  a  short  distance 


142    MILLER  CROSSES  THE  RIO  GRANDE.   CHAP.  XXIII. 

of  Reyes,  which  place  was  occupied  by  the  monto- 
neros  who  were  left  there.  The  royalist  party  must 
have  passed  very  close  to  the  reconnoitring  patriots 
at  Cacas.  Soon  after  daybreak,  Miller  rode  to  within 
a  short  distance  of  the  Spanish  advanced  posts ;  and 
having  reconnoitred  the  adjoining  country,  he  re- 
tired, having  accomplished  the  object  of  the  move- 
ment in  that  direction.  The  guerrilla  captain,  pre- 
vious to  withdrawing,  insisted  upon  firing  a  few  long 
shots  at  the  enemy,  as  he  said  he  made  it  a  rule  never 
to  see  a  Godo  without  pulling  a  trigger. 

Passing  one  more  night  at  Reyes,  in  the  only 
house  that  had  a  roof,  Miller  proceeded  towards 
Yaule,  leaving  the  circular  line  of  Spanish  outposts 
(placed  in  front  and  round  Tarma)  on  his  left ;  and, 
after  a  ride  of  six  leagues,  he  arrived,  towards  mid- 
night, at  the  ruined  village  of ,  on  the  left 

bank  of  the  Rio  Grande.  This  river  was  not  ford- 
able,  and  the  royalists  had  destroyed  the  lasso  bridge ; 
but  a  few  montoneros  had  had  prior  orders  to  fasten 
a  rope  from  one  steep  bank  to  the  other,  which  was 
drawn  tight,  and  to  which  was  fastened  a  sort  of 
sliding  seat  made  of  cords.  To  this  was  then  tied 
a  strong  suspending  noose,  and  by  this  fragile  con- 
veyance, Miller  and  his  escort  were  drawn  over  one 
by  one.  As  a  royalist  outpost  was  stationed  on  a 
hill,  at  no  great  distance  from  the  river,  the  mon- 
toneros considered  the  operation  rather  hazardous, 
and  assured  Miller  .that  he  was  the  first  officer  in  a 
cocked  hat  who  had  ventured  to  cross  in  that  way. 
These  incidents  may  be  deemed  too  trivial  to  de- 
serve to  be  recorded;  but  as  Miller  always  received 
unflinching  support  from  the  montoneros  in  the  most 


CHAP.  XXIiF.        DON  GUILLERMO  BE  VAN.  143 

perilous  enterprises,  it  is  thought  advisable  to  describe 
the  measures  he  adopted  j  which  show  not  only  the 
nature  of  the  service,  but  also  the  manner  in  which 
he  obtained  the  confidence  of  these  uncouth  moun- 
tain warriors. 

On  the  following  day  Miller  continued  his  inarch 
to  Yaule,  five  leagues  in  a  circular  line  to  his  left. 
On  the  way  he  passed  Pachachaca,  a  village  over 
which  the  stately  condors  were  seen  to  hover,  and 
the  household  dogs  still  to  keep  watch  round  t,he 
dismantled  huts  once  occupied  by  their  murdered 
masters.  Amongst  the  ruins,  a  brick  chimney  at- 
tracted Miller's  attention.  His  eyes  were  instantly 
riveted  upon  it,  and  the  first  idea  that  rushed  upon 
his  mind  was,  that  an  Englishman  must  have  resided 
in  that  picturesque  hamlet.  A  thousand  fireside 
associations,  a  thousand  kindling  emotions,  were  na- 
turally awakened.  In  the  midst  of  Andean  solitudes, 
he  fancied  himself  for  a  moment  almost  at  home. 
Upon  inquiry,  he  was  told  it  had  been  built 
by  Don  Guillermo  Bevan,  an  Englishman,  and  a 
good  patriot.  It  was  not  long  before  Mr.  Bevan 
made  his  appearance  upon  one  of  the  adjoining 
heights.  No  letter  of  introduction  was  necessary 
to  make  the  two  countrymen  acquainted.  Bevan 
embraced  Miller  with  tears  of  joy.  It  appears  that 
he  had  been  a  respectable  Cornish  miner,  and,  with 
others,  had  gone  out  to  Peru  in  the  employment  of 
Don  Pedro  Abadia,  an  eminent  Spanish  merchant 
of  Lima.  The  Cornish  party  constructed  a  furnace 
for  smelting  ore  at  Pachachaca,  by  which  means 
great  quantities  of  excellent  lead,  formerly  lost,  was 


144  DON    PEDRO  ABADIA.  CHAP.  XXII I. 

obtained.     The  establishment  continued  in  a  very 
flourishing  state  until  that  part  of  the  country  be- 
came the  theatre  of  war.      In  consequence  of  the 
attendant  devastations,  all  the  Englishmen  retired 
to  Lima,  with  the  exception  of  Bevan,  who  deter- 
mined to  remain;  but  having  indiscreetly  declared 
himself  a  friend  to  the  patriots,  his  hut  was  repeatedly 
unroofed,  and  the  doors  burned  by  successive  royalist 
marauders.    What  he  seemed  most  to  regret  was  the 
wanton  destruction  of  an  extensive  and  curious  col- 
lection of  birds  and  quadrupeds,  which  he  had  taken 
infinite  pains  to  stuff  and  preserve  in  cases,  intending 
to  transmit  them  to  England.    He  at  last  took  shelter 
in  the  higher  mountains,  and  lived  there  as  he  could. 
He  was  an  intelligent  and  industrious  character,  and 
he  was  subsequently  of  great  assistance  to  'Miller, 
who  soon  had  the  satisfaction  of  doing  him  a  trifling 
service.     A  government  mine  near  Yaule  was  put 
up  to  auction.     Bevan  became  the  renter,  and  was 
furnished  with  the  means  of  carrying  on  the  works. 
Miller  also  procured  for  him  a  partner  possessing 
capital,  Captain  Sanchez,  one  of  the  principal  miners 
of  Pasco.      The  speculation  turned  out  well,  and 
Bevan  was  realizing  his  most  sanguine  expectations, 
but  unfortunately  died,  two  years  after,  when  fortune 
had  begun  to  throw  her  encouraging  gleams  over  his 
often  blighted  prospects. 

As  Don  Pedro  Abadia  has  been  mentioned,  we 
may  be  permitted  to  digress  for  a  short  time  from 
the  narrative.  The  compiler  of  these  pages  was,  in 
1825,  entertained  by  him  in  the  island  of  Puerto 
Ricoj  how  hospitably,  or  how  kindly,  need  not  be 


CHAP.  XXIII.  ABADIA.  145 

related,  as  Abadia  acknowledged  that  he  owed  his 
life  to  General  Miller,  who  happened  to  be  pre- 
sident of  a  military  tribunal  before  which  he  was 
arraigned,  and  it  was  generally  expected,  in  Lima, 
that  he  would  have  been  sentenced  to  death,  which 
would  have  been  followed  by  the  confiscation  of 
his  property.  Abadia  was,  however,  honourably  ac- 
quitted. But  this  is  not  the  object  of  the  digression. 
One  of  the  phases  of  Abadia's  fortune  discovers  a 
bright  trait  of  human  virtue  which  ought  not  to 
be  lost  sight  of.  He  was  once  a  man  of  boundless 
wealth.  At  that  time  he  purchased  a  fine  estate 
in  the  island  of  Puerto  Rico,  with  an  intention  of 
giving  it  to  a  nephew.  He  placed  a  steward  there, 
and,  occupied  by  more  important  pursuits,  he  almost 
forgot  his  West  Indian  property.  Several  years 
elapsed,  and  civil  wars  cut  off  his  resources;  he  was 
robbed  by  villanous  confidents;  his  life  was  placed 
in  jeopardy;  he  was  obliged  to  fly  from  Peru,  and 
the  estate  in  Puerto  Rico  was  almost  the  only  rem- 
nant of  his  former  riches.  To  that  island  he  bent 
his  steps,  uncertain  of  the  value  of  his  property  there 
or  even  of  his  own  reception.  But  when  misfortune 
lowered  on  every  other  side,  he  found  relief  where  he 
had  hardly  dared  to  look  for  it.  His  steward,  an  honour- 
able Frenchman,  hailed  his  master  with  the  warmth 
which  conscious  integrity  inspires,  and  soon  rendered, 
unasked- for,  a  faithful  account  of  income  and  expendi- 
ture during  his  long  stewardship,  the  result  of  which 
placed  a  handsome  balance  at  the  disposal  of  Abadia. 
That  grateful  master,  returning  the  books,  exclaimed, 
"  Well  done,  thou  good  and  faithful  servant!  hence- 

VOL.  II.  L 


146  MONTONEROS.  CHAP,  xxill. 

forth  we  arc  partners  in  this  property;  half  of  this 
estate  is  yours."  The  writer  of  this  had  the  singular 
pleasure  of  sitting  at  table  with  these  rare  specimens 
of  fidelity  and  gratitude.  Abadia  is  now  living  at 
Antwerp,  in  very  straitened  circumstances. 

The  montoneros  almost  encircled  the  royalist  army 
under  Canterac,  then  in  cantonments  in  the  valley  of 
Xauxa,  so  as  to  enable  Miller  not  only  to  reconnoitre 
the  country  sixty  leagues  in  advance  of  the  liberating 
army,  but  also  to  cover  its  operations  preparatory  to 
crossing  the  Andes.  By  these  means  the  royalists 
were  kept  continually  on  the  alert.  Miller  was  often 
closely  pursued,  but  he  invariably  succeeded  in 
eluding  the  vigilance  of  the  enemy,  though  not  always 
without  experiencing  some  loss.  By  persevering  in 
this  system  of  warfare,  he  effectually  protected  the 
mining  district  of  Pasco.  The  mines  were  kept  con- 
tinually at  work,  although  the  advanced  posts  of  the 
enemy  were  within  sixteen  leagues.  The  royalists 
occasionally  approached  much  nearer;  but  it  was  not 
often  that  they  ventured  to  advance  beyond  the  lake 
of  Reyes,  lest  their  parties  might  ^be  cut  off'  by  the 
montoneros  issuing  from  their  island,  or  numerous 
mountain,  holds.  If  the  royalists  continued  inactive 
for  a  time,  the  patriot  parties  would  advance  to  some 
point,  to  induce  the  royalists  to  send  a  superior  force 
to  rid  themselves  of  the  annoyance.  The  monto- 
neros then  dispersed,  but  before  their  pursuers  could 
regain  the  main  body,  the  pursued  would  re-form, 
and,  turning  round  upon  the  enemy,  would  cut  off 
a  number  of  stragglers.  The  communication  be- 
tween the  Spanish  stations  was  often  interrupted,  and 


CHAP,  xxill.        FORMATION  OF  DEPOTS.  147 

they  were  most  fatally  harassed  without  being  able 
to  come  to  close  quarters  with  their  tormentors. 

The  distance  from  Huaras  to  Pasco  is  more  than 
fifty  leagues  of  mountain  passes.  Reyes  is  fourteen 
leagues  farther  in  advance.  The  last  two  places,  as 
well  as  the  intervening  country,  are  totally  destitute 
of  wood.  Champas,  or  peat,  was  cut  as  a  substitute  j 
but  instead  of  being  piled  up  in  stacks,  it  was  scat- 
tered over  the  country  to  dry,  so  that  if  the  royalists 
attempted  to  burn  it,  the  destruction  would  be  a  work 
of  time  and  difficulty.  The  champas  are  not  fit  for 
fuel  until  they  have  been  cut  fifteen  days. 

Provisions  and  forage  were  secreted  in  mountain 
caverns  formed  by  the  galleries  of  exhausted  mines. 
Some  of  these  depots  were  established  within  the 
line  of  country  nominally  held  by  the  royalists. 
That  near  Pachia,  and  on  the  same  bank  of  the  Rio 
Grande,  was  only  eight  leagues  from  Tarma.  The 
entrance  of  the  cave  was  in  the  perpendicular  side  of 
a  cliff  fifty  or  sixty  feet  from  the  ground,  and  as 
many  from  the  top.  The  only  way  to  get  up  was 
by  the  assistance  of  a  rope  fixed  in  the  cave,  and  by 
notches  cut  in  the  rock  to  give  foot-hold.  Indian 
corn,  salt,  charqui  (jerked  beef),  potatoes,  and  barley, 
were  hoisted  up  by  means  of  the  rope.  A  few  men 
were  sufficient  to  defend  these  cavern-depots  against 
any  numbers.  It  often  happened  that  when  the 
montoneros  retired,  the  depots  were  left  exposed; 
but  the  royalists  were  not  always  aware  of  the  exact 
situation,  and  entertained  no  suspicion  that  supplies 
had  been  accumulated  in  that  way  to  any  consider, 
able  extent. 


148        STAFF  OF  THE  LIBERATING  ARMY.   CHAP,  xxill 

The  liberating  army,  commanded  by  Bolivar  in 
person,  after  having  concentrated  in  the  vicinity  of 
Huaras,  advanced  towards  Pasco  in  the  month  of 
July,  1824.  It  was  tolerably  well  clothed  and  armed, 
and  was  formed  into  three  divisions  of  infantry.  Two 
of  these,  being  Colombian  troops,  were  commanded 
by  Generals  Lara  and  Cordova.  The  third,  Peru- 
vian, by  General  La  Mar.  The  cavalry  of  Peru  by 
General  Miller,  that  of  Colombia  by  Colonel  Cara- 
vajal,  the  granaderos  a  cabal!  o  of  Buenos  Ay  res  by 
Colonel  Bruiz.  General  Necochea,  as  the  senior 
officer,  commanded  the  united  cavalry  forces.  Each 
division  had  its  chief  of  the  staff.  General  Sucre  was 
chief  of  the  staff  of  the  whole  army,  and  Dr.  Sanchez 
Carrion,  as  minister  general  for  the  affairs  of  Peru, 
accompanied  the  Dictator. 

Each  division  had  its  field  depot  of  small  arm  am- 
munition. The  grand  reserve  depot  of  the  army  was 
conveyed  by  three  hundred  mules.  The  commis- 
sariat had  its  depdt  of  rice,  tobacco,  salt,  and  cocoa, 
which  articles  were  only  occasionally  issued.  To  each 
depot  was  attached  a  number  of  spare  mules  to  re- 
place those  that  strayed,  or  became  unserviceable. 

Previous  to  the  commencement  of  the  campaign, 
Sucre  displayed  the  greatest  skill  and  judgment  in 
his  preparatory  dispositions  to  facilitate  the  passage 
of  the  army  to  Pasco;  a  distance  not  far  short  of  two 
hundred  leagues  from  Caxamarca,  over  the  most 
rugged  districts,  of  the  most  mountainous  country 
in  the  world,  presenting  at  every  step  difficulties 
which  in  Europe  would  be  considered  perfectly  in- 
surmountable. It  was  on  these  terrible  marches  that 


CHAP.  XXIIT.  PAY.  149 

the  inherent  subordination  of  the  South  American 
soldiery  was  fully  and  signally  displayed.  No  hard- 
ships or  privations  can  diminish  their  respect  for 
their  officers;  and  the  few  instances  which  occurred 
of  manifest  discontent,  at  Callao,  &c.  originated  in  a 
suspicion  of  treachery  or  cowardice,  or  in  the  expe- 
rience of  unprincipled  treatment  relative  to  pay. 

Although  the  Peruvian  government  had  expended 
enormous  sums  in  the  army  department,  such  was  the 
mismanagement  and  want  of  system  that,  until  1824, 
the  soldiers  were  generally  irregularly  paid.  There 
was  no  sufficient  check,  no  real  responsibility  attaching 
to  any  one.  The  small  pittance  they  did  actually  re- 
ceive from  time  to  time  depended  more  upon  the  per- 
sonal character  of  the  commanding  officer  than  upon 
adherence  to  any  fixed  regulations. 

To  remedy  this  abuse,  Bolivar  ordered  that  the 
paymasters  should  pay  the  men  personally,  that  is  to 
say,  actually  put  into  the  hands  of  the  soldier  once 
a  week,  the  net  pay  due  to  such  soldier ;  and  that 
this  should  be  done  in  the  presence  of  the  general  of 
division,  and  commanding  officer  of  the  regiment. 
The  full  pay  of  a  soldier  was  ten  dollars  per  month. 
Four  dollars  were  deducted  on  account  of  rations,  and 
two  dollars  on  account  of  clothing,  &c.,  so  that  he 
was  entitled  to  receive  one  dollar  weekly.  So  scarce, 
however,  was  money  in  the  military  chest  in  1824, 
that  the  soldier  was  paid  only  half  a  dollar  per  week; 
but  as  he  regularly  received  that  sum,  he  became 
better  satisfied  with  the  punctuality  of  reduced  al- 
lowance, than  with  the  previous  uncertainty  and 
chicanery  of  nominal  full  pay. 

The  officers  were  placed  upon  one-fourth  of  their 


150  PATRIOT  AHMY   WEEDED.        CHAP.  XXIII. 

pay ;  and  the  subaltern  found  it  very  difficult  to  sub- 
sist upon  such  scanty  means.  He  was  reduced  to  the 
necessity  of  living  upon  his  rations :  the  eight  or  ten 
dollars  he  received  monthly  were  barely  sufficient  for 
the  purchase  of  his  cigars,  and  such  articles  of  wearing 
apparel  as  were  absolutely  indispensable. 

The  expenditure  of  the  army  was  therefore  greatly 
diminished;  and,  at  the  same  time,  the  soldiers,  in- 
stead of  murmuring,  on  account  of  part  of  their  pay 
being  withheld,  became  happy  and  contented.  It  also 
gave  an  effective  lesson  to  many  officers  who  had  pre- 
viously been  too  inattentive  to  the  welfare  of  their 
brave  soldiers. 

The  many  excellent  regulations  enforced  by  the 
Dictator  produced  also  the  additional  benefit  of  weed- 
ing the  liberating  army  of  many  officers,  who  felt  as 
much  disinclination  to  conform  to  severe  discipline, 
as  they  did  to  cross  the  Andes,  for  the  purpose  of 
assisting  to  carry  on  the  war  in  earnest.  Under 
various  pretexts  they  remained  behind,  or  quitted  on 
the  march.  Some  of  these  worthies  obtained  com- 
mands in  the  provinces,  where  they  issued  bombastic 
proclamations,  in  which  they  spoke  of  shedding  the 
last  drop  of  their  blood,  and  threatened  the  royalists 
with  vengeance  in  terms  truly  ridiculous ;  yet  several 
of  these  noisy  and  bustling  gentlemen  were  actually 
promoted  in  consequence  of  the  battle  ofAyacucho, 
before  others  who  took  a  conspicuous  part  in  the  action. 

The  labour  of  rendering  roads,  or  rather  tracks, 
passable  over  such  abrupt  ridges,  and  along  such  tre- 
mendous precipices,  can  only  be  estimated  by  those 
who  have  traversed  the  more  than  majestic  Andes. 
The  erection  of  sheds  at  intervals  in  the  long,  barren, 


CHAP,  xxill.        PASSAGE  OF  THE  ANDES.  151 

and  uninhabited  tracts  of  country,  with  the  collection 
and  transport  of  the  materials  for  their  construction, 
besides  wood  for  fuel,  and  the  formation  of  magazines 
of  barley  and  Indian  corn  for  the  cavalry,  required 
the  exertion  of  all  Sucre's  talent  and  activity. 

The  divisions,  of  the  liberating  army  crossed  the 
Cordillera  generally  at  the  intervening  distance  of 
one  day's  march  from  each  other.  But  the  cavalry, 
and  indeed  many  of  the  battalions,  often  diverged 
from  the  general  line  of  march.  The  shelving  ledges, 
which  afforded  the  only  foot-hold  on  the  rugged  sides 
of  the  Andes,  are  so  narrow,  as  to  render  the  passage 
indescribably  harassing.  The  troops  could  advance 
only  one  by  one.  The  single  file  was  sometimes 
lengthened  out  to  an  amazing  extent  by  the  mal 
pasos  formed  by  deep  gullies  or  breaks  in  the  tracks ; 
by  projecting  rocks ;  or  by  numerous  waterfalls ;  all 
of  which  required  great  caution,  and  much  time  to 
pass  in  safety.  To  the  cavalry,  such  obstructions 
were  particularly  formidable,  as  each  man  had,  be- 
sides the  mule  on  which  he  rode,  a  led  horse,  to  be 
mounted  only  in  sight  of  the  enemy.  The  agility 
and  dexterity,  with  which  they  managed  to  drag  their 
animals  after  them,  were  astonishing.  The  lasso  was 
used,  as  upon  every  other  occasion,  with  great  adroit- 
ness. Fastened  round  the  neck  of  the  led  horse,  it 
was  lengthened  or  shortened  as  the  tortuous  windings 
of  the  ascent  or  descent  required.  The  men  were 
frequently  obliged  to  dismount  at  the  mal  pasos, 
and  on  such  occasions  their  sabres  and  lances  added 
greatly  to  their  embarrassments. 

It  often  occurred  during  the  campaign  of 


152*  PASSAGE  OF  CHAP.  xxm. 

that  the  cavalry  being  in  the  rear,  were,  by  a  suc- 
cession of  various  obstructions,  prevented  from  ac- 
complishing the  day's  march  before  nightfall.  It 
then  became  necessary  for  every  man  to  dismount, 
and  to  lead  the  two  animals  in  his  charge,  to  avoid 
going  astray,  or  tumbling  headlong  down  frightful 
precipices.  But  the  utmost  precaution  did  not  always 
prevent  corps  from  losing  their  way.  Sometimes  men, 
at  the  head  of  a  battalion,  would  continue  to  follow 
the  windings  of  a  deafening  torrent,  instead  of  turning 
abruptly  to  the  right  or  left,  up  some  rocky  acclivity, 
over  which  lay  their  true  course;  whilst  others,  who 
chanced  to  be  right,  would  pursue  the  proper  track. 
The  line  was  so  drawn  out,  that  there  were  unavoid- 
ably many  intervals,  and  it  was  easy  for  such  mistakes 
to  occur,  although  trumpeters  were  placed  at  regular 
distances,  expressly  to  prevent  separation.  One  party 
was  frequently  heard  hallooing  from  an  apparently 
fathomless  ravine,  to  their  comrades  passing  over  some 
high  projecting  summit,  to  know  if  they  were  going 
right.  These  would  answer  with  their  trumpets;  but 
it  often  occurred  that  both  parties  had  lost  their  road. 
The  frequent  sound  of  trumpets  along  the  broken 
line;  the  scouting  of  officers  to  their  men  at  a  di- 
stance ;  the  neighing  of  horses,  and  the  braying  of 
mules,  both  men  and  animals  being  alike  anxious  to 
reach  a  place  of  rest,  produced  a  strange  and  fearful 
concert,  echoed,  in  the  darkness  of  the  night,  from 
the  horrid  solitudes  of  the  Andes.  After  many  fruit- 
less attempts  to  discover  the  proper  route,  a  halt 
until  daybreak  was  usually  the  last  resource.  The 
sufferings  of  the  men  and  animals  on  those  occasions 


CHAP.  XXIIT.  THE   ANDES. 

were  extreme.  The  thermometer  was  generally  below 
the  freezing  point,  added  to  which  they  were  some- 
times overtaken  by  terrific  snow  storms. 

These  difficulties  and  hardships  were  not  so  severely 
felt  by  the  infantry,  for,  unincumbered  with  the 
charge  of  horses,  it  was  an  easy  matter  for  them 
when  they  mistook  their  road,  to  face  about ;  whereas 
it  was  often  impossible  for  the  cavalry  to  do  so,  the 
path  on  the  mountain  side  being  generally  too  nar- 
row to  admit  of  horses  turning  round.  It  happened 
more  than  once,  that  the  squadron  in  front,  having 
ascertained  that  it  had  taken  a  wrong  direction,  was 
nevertheless  compelled  to  advance  until  it  reached 
some  open  spot,  where  the  men  were  enabled  to 
assemble,  wait  for  the  hindmost  of  their  comrades,  and 
then  retrace  their  steps.  In  effecting  this,  the  troops 
have  sometimes  met  another  squadron  following  the 
same  track;  and,  under  such  circumstances,  it  has  re- 
quired hours  for  either  to  effect  a  countermarch.  In 
this  complicated  operation  many  an  animal  was  hurled 
down  the  precipice  and  dashed  to  pieces,  nor  did 
their  riders  always  escape  a  similar  fate. 

The  sheds  erected  at  the  pascanas,  or  halting 
places,  in  the  vast  unpeopled  tracks  of  the  bleak 
mountain  districts,  and  on  the  table-lands,  were  in- 
adequate to  afford  shelter  to  more  than  a  small  num- 
ber; so  that  the  greater  part  of  the  troops  were  obliged 
to  bivouac  sometimes  in  places  where  the  thermometer 
falls  every  night  considerably  below  the  freezing  point, 
and  this  throughout  the  year,  whereas  it  often  rises 
at  noon,  in  the  same  place,  to  90°.  It  may  be  readily 
imagined  what  must  have  been  the  sufferings  of  men, 


PASSAGE  OF  CHAP.  XXIII. 

born  in,  or  accustomed  to,  the  sultry  temperature  of 

•  Truxillo,  Guayaquil,  Panama,  or  Cartagena.     The 
difficulty  of  respiration,  called  in  some  places  la  puna, 
and  in  others  el  soroche,  experienced  in  those  parts 

-  of  the  Andes  which  most  abound  in  metals,  was  so 
great  at  times,  that,  whilst  on  the  march,  whole  bat- 
talions would  sink  down  as  if  by  magic,  and  it  would 
have  been  inflicting  death  to  have  attempted  to  oblige 
them  to  proceed  until  they  had  rested  and  recovered 
themselves.  In  many  cases  life  was  solely  preserved  by 
opening  the  temporal  artery.    This  sudden  difficulty 
of  respiration  is  supposed  to  be  caused  by  occasional 
exhalations  of  metaliferous  vapour,  which,  being  in- 
haled, causes  a  strong  feeling  of  suffocation. 

The  little  care  taken  of  the  horses  having  proved, 
on  previous  occasions,  a  severe  drawback  upon  the 
successes  of  the  patriots,  the  Dictator  determined 
to  remedy  the  evil,  and,  accordingly,  previous  to  the 
breaking  up  from  cantonments,  issued  strong  orders, 
making  commanding  officers  of  cavalry  regiments  re- 
sponsible for  the  slightest  inattention,  and  enforced 
thoste  orders  by  the  dismissal  or  suspension  of  several 
chiefs  for  neglect  of  duty  or  want  of  zeal.  Such 
examples  produced  a  salutary  effect,  and  Bolivar 
established  a  branch  of  discipline  before  unobserved 
in  the  patriot  service. 

Each  horseman  was  armed  with  a  sword,  a  lance, 
and  sometimes  with  a  carbine,  or  a  brace  of  pistols ; 
but  such  was  the  scarcity  of  iron,  that  most  of  their 
fire-arms  had  been  converted  into  nails  and  horse- 
shoes  in  the  course  of  the  campaign.  The  horses 
were  shod  on  all  fours  (not  commonly  done  in  South 


CHAP.  xxin.  THE  ANDES.  155 

America),  and  were  kept  well  clothed  in  blankets, 

during  the  nights  passed  in  the  Cordillera,  by  which 

means  they  effected  the  passage  without  serious  loss. 

In  fact,  they  were  found  scarcely  inferior  to  the  horses 

of  the  Spanish  cavalry,  which  had  been,  for  more 

than  a  year,  fed  upon  the  lucern  and  Indian  corn  in 

the  rich  valley  of  Xauxa,  with  all  the  care  bestowed 

upon  the  best  horses  in  England.     Most  of  them 

were  of  the  Chileno  breed,  and  had  been  taken  by 

\>  royalists  in  the  victories  they  had  gained;  few 

v?  worth  less  than  a  hundred  and  fifty  Spanish 

rs  each  in  Peru,  and  many  were  more  valuable. 

reat  number  of  horses  are  annually  sent  from 

3  to  Peru. 

he  patriot  cavalry  was  composed  of  perhaps  the 

horsemen  in  the  world.     The  gauchos  of  the 

pas,  the  guasos  of  Chile,  and  the  llaneros  of 

>mbia  are  all  accustomed  to  ride  from  early  child- 

l  j  and  such  is  their  habitual  command  over  their 

es,  and  such  their  dexterity,  that  a  description  of 

•  equestrian  feats  would  not  meet  with  ready  be- 

The  gaucho  who  could  not  pick  up  a  dollar  from 

ground  at  full  gallop  would  be  considered  an  in- 

^ent  horseman.    The  way  they  do  this,  is  to  stick 

spur  into  the  padding  of  the  saddle,  and  throw 

iselves  (rather  forward)  down  on  the  opposite 

;  after  having  picked  up  the  dollar,  they  recover 

meir  seat  with  the  grace  and  agility  of  a  rope-dancer. 

They  often  guide  their  horses  without  using  the  reins, 

and  if  one  should  fall,  even  when  at  full  speed,  such 

is  the  position  of  the  rider,  that  he  comes  down  on 

his  feet,  and  seldom   sustains  the  slightest  injury. 

The  Peruvians  on  the  coast,  and  on  the  mountain 


Io6  PASSAGE  OF  THE  ANDES.        CHAP,  xxiir. 

plain,  are  scarcely  less  skilful.  It  is  surprising  to  see 
them  gallop  down  steep  rugged  hills  with  as  much 
nonchalance  and  apparent  ease  as  if  they  were  can- 
tering upon  a  race-course.  The  llaneros,  born  in 
the  plains  of  Colombia,  are  perhaps  not  less  skilful 
in  the  management  of  the  horse,  but  they  are  not 
such  graceful  riders  as  the  gauchos  of  Buenos  Ayres 
or  the  guasos  of  Chile.  The  llanero  seldom  holds 
himself  erect ;  indeed  he  considers  it  the  height  of 
perfection,  in  riding,  to  sit  on  one  side,  or  in  a  lolling 
attitude. 

The  manner  in  which  the  liberating  army  was 
provisioned  in  the  campaign  of  1824  was  this:  about 
six  thousand  head  of  horned  cattle,  collected  from 
Caxamarca  and  adjoining  provinces,  followed  the 
army  at  the  distance  of  two  or  three  days'  inarch,  in 
charge  of  a  commissary,  who  supplied  the  division 
whenever  provisions  could  not  be  procured  where 
they  halted. 

The  cattle  required  for  an  army  during  a  campaign 
was  generally  taken  from  large  grazing  estates,  ac- 
cording to  the  means  of  each.  Receipts  were  given 
to  the  proprietors,  but,  during  the  war,  they  were 
very  irregularly  paid,  if  at  all.  Very  little  ceremony 
was  observed  in  taking  cattle  found  upon  estates  which 
had  been  abandoned  by  the  owners,  who  emigrated 
with  the  royalists  to  serve  in  a  civil  or  military  ca- 
pacity. It  frequently  occurred  that  wealthy  patriots 
came  forward  with  one  or  two  hundred  head  of  cattle 
as  a  donation;  so  that,  in  general,  the  difficulty  of 
procuring  provisions  was  not  great  in  proportion  to 
other  obstacles. 


CHAP.  xxiv.  FINE  STATE  OF  CANTKRAC'S  ARMY.         157 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

Position  of  the  royalist  forces.— The  patriots  reviewed. —  Pro- 
clamation.— Scenery  near  Pasco. — Affair  of  Junin. — Death  of 
Lieutenant- Colonel  Sowersby — of  Major  Lisarraga. — Retreat 
ofCanterac. — Advance  of  the  patriots. — General  Bolivar  quits 
the  army. — Reconnoitring  parties. — The  viceroy  advances. — 
Colonel  Althaus  taken  prisoner. — Patriots  fall  back. — Valley 
of  Pomacochas. 

MISLED  by  the  facility  with  which  they  conquered 
at  lea,  Torata,  Moquegua,  and  on  the  Desaguadero, 
the  royalist  chiefs  erroneously  attributed  their  suc- 
cesses solely  to  consummate  skill  on  their  own  part ; 
and,  undervaluing  the  capabilities  of  the  liberating 
army,  they  not  only  neglected  assembling  the  whole 
of  their  disposable  forces  in  the  north,  but  unwisely 
detached  the  troops  under  Valdez  to  Potosi,  to  act 
against  Olaneta;  whose  hostility  to  the  viceroy  be- 
came every  day  more  rancorous.  Canterac  considered 
himself  quite  adequate  to  repel  every  attack  from  the 
patriots ;  nor  indeed  was  this  opinion  formed  upon 
slight  grounds.  His  army  was  efficient  in  every  re- 
spect. It  was  in  the  highest  state  of  discipline,  and 
went  through  every  evolution  with  admirable  ac- 
curacy. Its  equipments  were  superior  and  complete ; 
the  artillery  and  cavalry  particularly  well  appointed : 
and  the  whole  of  the  troops  were  paid  with  the 
greatest  regularity. 

It  appears  inexplicable  how  Canterac  could  remain 


158          REVIEW  OF  THE  PATRIOT  ARMY.     CHAP.  xxiv. 

inactive  in  his  cantonments  of  Xauxa,  whilst  the  pa- 
triot commissaries,  protected  only  by  the  montoneros, 
were  spread  over  an  immense  extent  of  country,  and 
constantly  employed  in  collecting  provisions,  forage, 
and  fuel.  Why  Canterac  did  not  prevent  the  forma- 
tion of  these  depots  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  Andes, 
and  why  he  afterwards  allowed  the  patriot  army  to 
pass  unmolested  through  the  horrible  defiles  of  the 
mountains,  is  not  easily  accounted  for,  unless  it  be 
ascribed  to  self-confidence,  and  a  wrong  estimate  of 
the  strength  of  his  enemy.  In  the  opinion  of  the 
royalists,  Bolivar  was  far  inferior  in  military  skill  to 
San  Martin.  The  advanced  post  of  the  Spaniards 
was  at  Cacas,  a  village  three  leagues  from  Reyes. 

On  the  2d  of  August,  Bolivar  reviewed  his  forces, 
nine  thousand  strong,  on  the  plain  between  Rancas 
and  Pasco.  The  troops  were  well  appointed,  and 
made  a  really  brilliant  appearance.  The  following 
energetic  address,  from  the  Liberator,  was  read  to 
each  corps  at  the  same  moment,  and  produced  in- 
describable enthusiasm. 

"Soldiers! 

"  You  are  about  to  finish  the  greatest  undertaking 
Heaven  has  confided  to  men — that  of  saving  an  entire 
world  from  slavery. 

"  Soldiers ! — The  enemies  you  have  to  overthrow 
boast  of  fourteen  years  of  triumphs;  they  are  there- 
fore worthy  to  measure  their  swords  with  ours,  which 
have  glittered  in  a  thousand  combats. 

"  Soldiers!— Peru  and  America  expect  from  you 
Peace,  the  daughter  of  Victory,  Even  liberal  Europe 


CHAP.  XXIV.  SCENERY  NEAR  PASCO.  159 

beholds  you  with  delight,  because  the  freedom  of  the 
new  world  is  the  hope  of  the  universe.  Will  you 
disappoint  it  ?  No !  No !  No !  you  are  invincible. 

(Signed)  "  BOLIVAR." 

Nothing  could  exceed  the  excitement  felt  upon 
this  occasion.  Every  circumstance  tended  to  impart 
a  most  romantic  interest  to  the  scene.  Near  the 
same  spot,  four  years  before,  the  royalists  had  been 
defeated  by  General  Arenales.  The  view  from  the 
table-land,  upon  which  the  troops  were  reviewed,  and 
which  is  at  an  elevation  of  more  than  twelve  thousand 
feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea,  is  one  of  the  most  mag- 
nificent in  the  world.  On  the  west  arose  the  Andes, 
which  had  been  just  surmounted  with  so  much  toil. 
On  the  east  were  enormous  ramifications  of  the  Cor- 
dillera stretching  towards  the  Brazils.  North  and 
south,  the  view  was  bounded  by  mountains  whose 
tops  were  hidden  in  the  clouds.  On  that  plain,  sur- 
rounded by  such  sublime  scenery,  and  on  the  margin 
of  the  magnificent  lake  of  Reyes,  the  principal  source 
of  the  Amazon,  the  mightiest  of  rivers,  were  now 
assembled  men  from  Caracas,  Panama,  Quito,  Lima, 
Chile,  and  Buenos  Ayres;  men  who  had  fought  at 
Maypo  in  Chile;  at  San  Lorenzo  on  the  banks  of 
the  Parana;  at  Carabobo  in  Venezuela;  and  at  Pin- 
chincha  at  the  foot  of  the  Chimborazo.  Amidst 
those  devoted  Americans  were  a  few  foreigners,  still 
firm  and  faithful  to  the  cause,  in  support  of  which 
so  many  of  their  countrymen  had  fallen.  Amongst 
those  few  survivors  were  men  who  had  fought  on  the 
banks  of  the  Guadiana,  and  of  the  Rhine ;  who  had 


160  GENERAL  CANTERAC   MARCHES.      CHAP.  xxiv. 

witnessed  the  conflagration  of  Moscow,  and  the  ca- 
pitulation of  Paris.  Such  were  the  men  assembled 
at,  what  might  be  considered,  a  fresh  starting  point 
in  the  career  of  glory.  American  or  European,  they 
were  all  animated  by  one  sole  spirit,  that  of  assuring 
the  political  existence  of  a  vast  continent,  and  to 
ascertain  whether  or  not  the  period  had  arrived  when 
the  influence  of  South  America  upon  the  rest  of  the 
world,  should  be  rendered  commensurate  with  its  ex- 
tent, its  riches,  and  its  situation.  The  exhilirating 
vivas  of  the  troops  filled  every  breast  with  ardour 
and  prophetic  hope. 

Awakening  at  length  from  his  slumber,  Canterac 
determined  to  attack  the  patriot  army,  which  it  would 
appear  he  hoped  to  effect  in  detail,  by  falling  upon 
the  several  divisions,  as  they  debouched  in  succession 
upon  the  table-land.  With  this  view  he  united  his 
forces  at  Xauxa,  and  marched  on  the  1st  of  August 
for  Reyes,  where  he  arrived  on  the  evening  of  the  4th. 

On  the  3d,  seven  hundred  montoneros,  from  the 
western  side  of  the  Andes,  were  added  to  those  under 
the  command  of  Miller.  On  the  4th,  he  was  with 
some  of  his  parties  at  the  Oroya,  a  few  leagues  west 
of  Xauxa.  He  despatched  reports  to  Bolivar,  ad- 
vising his  excellency  of  Canterac's  advance.  Upon 
learning  the  movements  of  the  royalists,  the  Dictator 
quickened  his  march  from  Rancas,  along  the  western 
bank  of  the  great  lake,  to  Conacancha,  where  Miller 
met  the  liberating  army  on  the  night  of  the  5th, 
and  was  ordered  to  place  himself  at  the  head  of  the 
Peruvian  cavalry. 

On  the  morning  of  the  5th,  Canterac  had  advanced 


CHAP.  xxiv.  ENEMY   IN   SIGHT.  16*1 

to  Carlmamayo,  and  pushed  on  with  his  cavalry  to 
Pasco.  Instead  of  meeting  with  an  isolated  division 

O 

on  those  great  plains,  as  he  probably  expected,  he 
learned  that  the  liberating  army  was  in  full  march 
on  the  opposite  side  of  the  great  lake.  Canterac  fell 
back  that  night  upon  his  infantry.  On  the  6th,  he 
continued  his  retreat,  whilst  the  independents  pur- 
sued their  march  along  the  southern  extremity  of  the 
lake,  in  order  to  intercept  the  royalists.  After  a  march 
of  five  leagues,  through  a  mountainous  district,  at  2 
P.M.,  the  patriots,  from  the  elevated  ground,  obtained 
a  sudden  view  of  the  enemy,  who,  at  the  distance  of 
two  leagues,  was  marching  over  the  plains  of  Junin, 
a  little  to  the  southward  of  Reyes.  An  enthusiastic 
and  simultaneous  viva  was  heard  throughout  the  line. 
It  is  impossible  to  convey  an  adequate  idea  of  the 
effect  which  the  sudden  appearance  of  the  enemy 
produced.  The  countenances  of  the  patriots  were 
animated  with  a  wild  ferocious  expression,  and  they 
gazed  with  eyes  full  of  fire  upon  the  hostile  columns, 
moving  majestically  beneath  their  feet.  The  predo- 
minant feeling  was  a  fear  that  the  royalists  would 
escape.  The  cavalry,  in  particular,  quivered  with 
impatience.  They  always  considered  themselves  su- 
perior to  the  royalist  cavalry;  the  opportunity  for 
proving  it  had  now  arrived,  for  the  nature  of  the 
ground  below  ensured  their  taking  an  active  part  in 
the  impending  fight.  It  was  the  work  of  a  moment 
to  remove  the  saddle  from  the  mules,  on  which 
they  rode,  to  their  led  horses. 

At  4  P.  M.,  nine  hundred  of  the  patriot  cavalry, 
having  left  the  infantry,  with  two  squadrons,  a  league 

VOL.  TI.  M 


AFFAIR  OF  CHAP.  XXIV. 

in  the  rear,  came  up  to  within  a  short  distance  of  the 
whole  royalist  forces,  consisting  of  eight  thousand 
infantry,  twelve  hundred  cavalry,  and  a  proportion  of 
field  artillery.  Canterac,  finding  his  further  retreat 
in  danger,  put  himself  at  the  head  of  his  cavalry, 
formed  them  in  line,  with  a  squadron  in  column 
in  the  immediate  rear  of  each  flank,  and  ordered 
a  charge.  The  royalist  infantry  continued  their 
retreat. 

It  is  but  justice  to  say,  that  Canterac  not  only 
made  a  masterly  charge,  but  succeeded  in  attacking 
under  circumstances  very  unfavourable  to  the  pa- 
triots, whose  enthusiasm  had  impelled  them  perhaps 
too  near  the  main  body  of  the  enemy,  and  too  far 
across  a  defile,  formed  by  a  rivulet  and  swampy 
ground  on  one  side,  and  an  abrupt  line  of  hills  on  the 
other,  which  prevented  their  deploying  so  quickly  as 
circumstances  required.  The  squadron  forming  the 
head  of  the  column  was  the  only  one  that  was  able  to 
deploy. 

Miller,  with  two  hundred  and  fifty  of  the  Peruvian 
cavalry,  was  ordered,  by  Bolivar,  to  outflank  the  right 
of  the  advancing  royalists ;  but  as  the  latter  came 
on  at  a  gallop,  this  manoeuvre  could  not  be  car- 
ried into  effect,  and  he  was  compelled  to  wheel  to 
his  right,  and  attack  in  front.  His  men,  together 
with  the  right  of  the  patriots  under  General  Ne- 
cochea,  were  charged  at  the  same  instant.  The 
shock  was  tremendous,  and  the  natural  consequence, 
under  the  disadvantages  just  mentioned,  was  a  total 
rout,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  granaderos  &  ca- 
ballo,  of  Colombia,  under  the  brave  Major  Braun, 


CHAP.  XXIV.  JUNIN.  1G3 

a  German,  who  cut  his  way  through  the  assailants ; 
and  excepting  a  Peruvian  squadron,  which  being  at 
the  first  onset  a  few  hundred  yards  in  the  rear,  for- 
tunately escaped  the  effects  of  the  first  concussion. 

With  the  first  movement,  all  praise  of  the  Spanish 
cavalry  must  terminate,  because,  instead  of  preserving 
their  original  order,  or  maintaining  a  reserve,  they 
divided  and  dispersed.  One  party  pursued  the  pa- 
triot cavalry,  sent  to  outflank  the  royalist  right, 
under  Miller,  who  attempted  to  gain  the  road  lead- 
ing to  Cacas.  The  other  royalist  party  pursued  the 
rest  of  the  patriots  to  the  defile. 

Lieutenant-Colonel  Don  Isidro  Suares,  who  com- 
manded the  unbroken  Peruvian  squadron,  had  in  the 
meantime  advanced  unopposed,  in  the  wide  interval 
left  by  the  pursuing  royalists,  and,  getting  completely 
into  their  rear,  began  to  charge  those  who  were  pur- 
suing the  left  of  the  patriots,  under  Miller,  who,  em- 
barrassed by  the  swampy  nature  of  the  ground,  faced 
about.  The  royalists,  now  in  an  extended  and  dis- 
orderly state,  perceiving  themselves  threatened  in 
front  and  rear,  began  to  waver,  and  fled  in  their  turn. 
The  seasonable  succour  of  Suares  enabled  the  routed 
patriot  squadrons  on  the  right  as  well  as  those  on  the 
left  to  rally.  General  Miller,  Colonels  Caravajal, 
Silva,  and  Bruiz,  and  Major  Braun,  with  as  many  of 
their  men  as  it  was  possible  to  collect  together,  sup- 
ported Suares.  The  patriots  now  used  their  lances 
with  such  effect,  that  the  boasted  cavalry  of  the 
Spaniards  were  soon  in  a  state  of  total  and  disgrace- 
ful flight,  and  pursued  to  the  very  bayonets  of  their 
infantry  by,  comparatively,  a  handful  of  their  oppo- 

M  <2 


164  NECOCHEA  RESCUED.  CHAP.  XXIV. 

nents.  General  Necochea  received,  early  in  the  ac- 
tion, seven  wounds,  and  was  made  a  prisoner.  His 
life  was  spared  at  the  intercession  of  a  royalist  sol- 
dier, who  had  formerly  served  under  Necochea  in 
the  army  of  the  Andes.  He  had  the  general  placed 
on  horseback  behind  him,  but,  as  he  was  carrying 
him  off  the  field,  a  Colombian  party,  under  the  gal- 
lant Captain  Sandoval,  rescued  Necochea.  It  is, 
with  regret,  to  be  stated,  that  the  humane  preserver 
of  the  general  was  killed  before  the  patriots  were 
aware  of  the  service  he  had  performed.  Upon  Ne- 
cochea's  being  wounded,  the  command  of  the  whole  of 
the  cavalry  devolved  upon  Miller. 

The  action  lasted  about  three  quarters  of  an 
hour.  The  Spaniards  lost  nineteen  officers,  and 
three  hundred  and  forty-five  rank  and  file  in  killed, 
and  eighty  prisoners.  The  patriots  had  three  officers 
and  forty-two  rank  and  file  killed,  and  eight  officers 
and  ninety-one  rank  and  file  wounded.  Not  a  shot 
was  fired ;  the  lance  and  the  sabre  alone  were  used. 
The  Colombian  lance,  twelve  or  fourteen  feet  long, 
is  formed  of  a  strong  tough  sapling,  headed  in  the 
usual  manner.  The  lancers  fix  the  reins  of  their 
bridles  above  the  knee,  so  as  to  be  able  to  guide  their 
horses,  and,  at  the  same  time,  leave  both  hands  at 
liberty  to  wield  the  lance.  They  frequently  struck 
their  opponents  with  such  force,  when  at  a  gallop,  as 
to  lift  them  two  or  three  feet  above  the  saddle.  The 
pole  of  the  Peruvian  lance  is,  like  that  of  the  En- 
glish, heavier,  and  not  so  tough  as  the  Colombian; 
but  the  Peruvians  also  used  theirs  with  great  dex- 
terity and  effect.  From  the  great  elevation  of  the 


CHAP.  xxiv.  SCENE  AT  REYES.  165 

plain  of  Jiniin  the  cold  at  night  was  so  intense,  that 
nearly  all  the  wounded  on  both  sides  perished. 

The  officers  who  most  distinguished  themselves, 
and  who  principally  contributed  to  the  successes  of 
the  day,  were  Lieutenant-Colonel  Don  Isidro  Suares 
and  Major  Braun.  The  hussars  of  the  Peruvian 
legion  were  ordered  by  Bolivar  to  assume  the  title 
of  Usares  de  Junin,  in  testimony  of  his  approbation 
of  their  gallant  conduct. 

Bolivar  had  passed  the  defile,  and  himself  directed 
the  first  movements  of  the  cavalry ;  but  so  soon  as 
he  perceived  the  dispersion,  he  very  properly  galloped 
back  to  the  infantry,  which  he  posted  on  a  very  high 
hill,  about  a  league  in  the  rear,  and  where  he  re- 
mained urftil  he  received  the  first  report  of  the  pa- 
triot successes  from  Miller,  who,  with  a  few  grana- 
deros  a  caballo  de  los  Andes,  commanded  by  the 
gallant  Captain  Pringuel,  followed  up  the  main  body 
of  the  royalists  until  dark.  Miller  had  given  orders 
for  the  cavalry  left  behind  to  form  on  the  field, 
and  wait  there  for  further  instructions ;  but,  on  his 
return,  he  found  that  all  had  been  ordered  to  retire 
upon  the  infantry. 

Notwithstanding  the  total  rout  of  the  royalist  ca- 
valry, and  the  precipitate  retreat  of  their  infantry, 
Bolivar  thought  proper  to  order  the  whole  liberating 
forces  to  fall  back  upon  Reyes,  which  is  precisely  the 
same  distance,  in  the  rear,  as  Cacas  is  in  the  front  of 
the  field  of  battle.  They  accordingly  inarched  to 
Reyes  on  the  morning  of  the,7th. 

The  town  presented,  on  trie  following  day,  an  in- 
teresting spectacle.  The  troops  bivouacked  amidst  the 


166  DEATH  OF  CHAP.  XXIV. 

bare  walls  of  roofless  houses,  congratulating  each 
other  on  their  success,  while  the  owners,  or  former 
tenants  of  those  ruins,  flocked  into  Reyes,  accompa- 
nied by  the  inhabitants  of  surrounding  villages,  who 
had  also  hidden  themselves,  but  who  now  came  for- 
ward to  embrace  their  liberators,  and  to  bring  them 
small  presents.  Groups  were  seen  interspersed  with 
the  troops,  assisting  them,  in  erecting  sheds  for  the 
night,  in  cooking,  and  in  other  kind  offices,  and  also 
in  cleaning  the  lances  of  the  cavalry,  still  covered 
with  the  blood  of  the  Spaniards. 

Bolivar  occupied  a  dwelling  that  had  still  a  sort  of 
roof.  This  dismantled  hut  was  surrounded  by  In- 
dians, who  suspended  silver  ornaments  on  the  door- 
way, as  a  substitute  for  wreaths  of  laurel,  or  garlands 
of  flowers.  At  sunset,  Miller  called  to  pay  his 
respects  to  the  dictator.  As  he  entered  the  hut  he 
perceived  his  old  companion  in  arms,  the  .gallant 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Sowersby,  leaning  against  the 
wall.  He  had  received  two  lance  wounds,  neither  of 
which  were  then  thought  dangerous  ;  yet  his  counte- 
nance was  marked  with  a  melancholy  thoughtfulness, 
and  tinged  with  a  wild  or  wandering  expression,  that 
bespoke  approaching  death.  At  first  he  hardly  no- 
ticed his  friend,  but,  after  a  short  pause,  he  grasped 
his  hand,  and  said,  with  a  faltering  voice,  "  My  dear 
Miller,  we  took  arms  in  this  cause  almost  on  the  same 
day.  We  have  often  fought  side  by  side.  You  have 
witnessed  my  conduct.  You  are  my  oldest  and  best 
friend  in  this  service.  I  am  too  feeble  to  say  much. 
You  see  what  is  likely  to  happen.  Write  to  my  good 
old  father  and  mother,  and  tell  them  that  I  fell  in  a 


CHAP.  xxiv.  CAPTAIN  SOWERSBY.  167 

glorious  cause."  Poor  Sowersby,  who  had  fought 
under  the  banners  of  Napoleon  at  Borodino,  and 
who  had  survived  the  horrors  of  the  Russian  cam- 
paign, died  on  the  following  day  at  Carhuamayo,  in  his 
twenty-ninth  year.  Miller  sent  an  inscription*  to  the 
governor  of  the  province  of  Pasco,  and  desired  him 

*  A  DIGS  GLORIFICADOR. 

Aqui 
Yacen  las  cenizas 

De 

Don  Carlos  Sowersby, 
Teniente  Coronel  del  Exercito  del  Peru, 

y  comandante 

del  segundo  Esquadron  del  Regimiento 
de  Usares  de  Junin ; 

A  cuya  cabeca 

recibio  dos  mortales  heridas, 

animando  a  sus  camaradas 

el  6  de  Agosto, 

contra  una  fuerza  cuadrupla 

en  los  llanos  de  Junin 

de  la  cavalleria  espanola 

donde 

la  victoria 

corono  los  esfuerzos  de  los  soldados 

de  la  Patria, 

despues  de  una  renida  y  sangrienta  accion. 
Este  valiente  Jefe 

exalo 

su  ultimo  aliento 

el  dia  8  de  Agosto 

en  este  pueblo  de  Carhuamayo, 

tiernamente  llorado 

por  todos  sus  companeros  de  annas. 

Maypo,  Riobamba,  Pinchincha, 

y  otros  campos 

presenciaron 

su  valor 
por  la  causa  de  Sud- America 

Nacio 

de  Padres  Britanicos 

en  la  cuidad  de  Bremen  en  Alemania 

en  1795. 

Este  sencillo  monumento 

consagra 
a  su  memoria 

en  testimonio  del  aprecio  y  respeto, 
que  por  sus  calidades  amables 

le  profesaba 

su  companero  y  fiel  amigo 

el  General  de  la  Republica  del  Peru 

Guillermo  Miller 

a  no  1824. 


168  LIZARRAGA.  CHAP.  XXIV. 

to  have  it  engraved  on  a  slab,  to  mark  the  spot  which 
contained  the  relics  of  the  lamented  Sowersby. 

Amongst  the  slain  at  Junin  was  Major  Lizarraga, 
a  brave  Peruvian,  who  fell  pierced  with  lances  by  the 
side  of  Miller,  to  whom  he  was  aide-de-camp.  On 
the  7th,  Miller  sent  the  major's  servant  and  a  few 
Indians,  to  find  the  body  of  Lizarraga,  and  bring  it 
to  Reyes  for  interment.  On  the  8th,  the  liberating 
army  set  out  from  Reyes  for  Cacas,  and  as  the  line  of 
march  ran  within  a  short  distance  of  the  field  of 
battle,  Miller  left  the  column  to  revisit  it.  One  of 
the  first  objects  which  struck  his  attention  was  Li- 
zarraga's  servant  weeping  over  the  remains  of  his 
master,  and  so  lost  in  grief,  as  to  have  forgotten  the 
object  for  which  he  was  sent,  until  reminded  of  it. 

Lizarraga  served  on  the  staff,  at  Lima,  in  1823, 
where  he  brought  himself  into  notice  by  his  zealous 
attention,  and  the  intelligent  performance  of  the 
duties  of  his  situation,  as  well  as  by  his  excellent 
general  conduct.  At  Miller's  solicitation,  Lizarraga 
was  appointed  his  aide-de-camp;  and,  during  the  ar- 
duous service  of  the  campaign,  he  signalized  himself 
by  unremitting  zeal  and  cool  intrepidity.  His  pri- 
vate worth  was  evinced  in  his  great  solicitude  for  the 
welfare  of  his  wife  and  young  family,  for  whose  support 
he  set  apart  two-thirds  of  his  pay.  He  had  formerly  re- 
sided at  Pasco,  and  having  acquired  a  practical  know- 
ledge of  mining,  the  great  object  of  his  ambition  was 
to  obtain  possession,  at  the  end  of  the  war,  of  a  silver 
mine,  in  the  hope  of  becoming  rich  enough  to  send 
all  his  sons  to  England  for  education.  To  the  dis- 
honour of  the  dictatorial  government  be  it  stated, 


CHAP.  xxiv.     INGRATITUDE  OF  GOVERNMENT.  169 

that  the  widow  and  children  of  this  brave  officer  were 
neglected,  and  suffered  to  sink  into  the  deepest  dis- 
tress. While  the  government  sent  forth  grandilo- 
quent decrees,  and  lavished  away  thousands  upon 
thousands  of  dollars  in  weekly  balls  and  banquets, 
—while  they  were  feasting,  and  drinking  bombastic 
toasts  at  the  public  expense, — they  suffered  the  appli- 
cations of  this  poor  widow,  and  of  many  others  in 
similar  situations,  to  be  unheard  or  unattended  to. 
Those  arrogant  purseholders  of  the  public  may  pro- 
bably flatter  themselves  that  their  heartless  conduct 
will  pass  uncensured ;  but  the  cry  of  the  widow  and 
the  orphan  will  consign  their  names  to  deserved  and 
lasting  infamy. 

At  no  great  distance  from  the  affectionate  servant 
of  the  unfortunate  Lizarraga,  was  seen  a  dog,  howling 
piteously  over  the  corpse  of  a  Spanish  officer.  This 
dog  had  been  remarked  as  having  been  ridden  over 
by  both  parties,  in  several  charges  and  rencontres, 
but  he  never  lost  sight  of  his  master.  Miller  endea- 
voured to  get  the  dog  away,  but  he  was  not  then  to 
be  coaxed  or  forced  from  the  spot.  A  party  of  the 
hussars  of  Junin,  who  passed  a  few  hours  afterwards, 
with  much  difficulty,  tore  him  away,  and  he  became 
the  "  dog  of  the  regiment/* 

After  halting  at  Reyes  thirty-six  hours,  the  army 
again  advanced,  and  on  the  9th  occupied  Tarma  ;  on 
the  llth,  Xauxa;  on  the  14th,  Huancayo  ;  on  the 
22nd,  Guanta  ;  and  on  the  24th,  Guamanga. 

Although  the  retiring  royalists  were  not  very 
closely  pursued,  or  very  seriously  molested,  their 
loss  by  desertion  was  great,  and  Canterac  reached 


]  70  COUNCIL  OF  WAR.  CHAP.  xxiv. 

the  vicinity  of  Cuzco  with  less  than  five  thousand 
men. 

When  the  viceroy  learned  the  disastrous  affair  of 
Junin,  his  excellency  recalled  Valdez,  who  had  ad- 
vanced as  far  as  Lava  (three  hundred  and  eighty 
leagues  south  of  Junin,  and  ten  south  of  Potosi), 
where  he  had  an  indecisive  action  on  the  17th 
August,  eleven  days  after  the  affair  of  Junin,  with 
the  ultra-royalist  general,  Olaneta,  in  which  was 
killed  the  gallant  Brigadier  Ameller,  one  of  the  best 
officers  in  the  royal  service. 

The  liberating  army  halted  at  Guamanga  nearly  a 
month.  The  rear  division  left  it  on  the  18th  of  Sep- 
tember. The  whole  again  halted  at  Challuanca  and 
in  the  vicinity.  The  montoneros,  under  the  brave 
Colonel  Carreno,  occupied  Abancay,  and  other  points 
on  the  left  bank  of  the  Apurimac.  The  dictator  re- 
connoitred this  river;  and  in  the  first  week  of  Oc- 
tober quitted  the  army  to  go  to  Lima,  to  attend  to 
affairs  on  the  coast,  and  to  hasten  reinforcements 
expected  from  Colombia.  His  excellency  left  instruc- 
tions with  Sucre  to  go  into  cantonments  at  An- 
dahuaylas  and  Abancay ;  not  supposing  that  the 
royalists  would  think  of  immediately  commencing 
offensive  operations,  especially  as  the  rainy  season 
was  about  to  commence. 

Two  or  three  days  after  the  departure  of  Bolivar, 
Sucre  assembled  a  council  of  war  at  Challuanca,  to 
consider  the  plan  of  operations  which  it  would  be 
most  advisable  to  adopt;  for  although  he  had  re- 
ceived instructions  from  the  dictator  to  go  into  can- 
tonments, the  commander-in-chief  conceived  that  his 


CHAP.  xxiv.  COUNCIL  OF  WAR.  171 

situation  would  become  very  critical,  should  the 
enemy  advance  with  superior  forces,  which  there  was 
some  reason  to  expect.  The  council  was  attended 
by  Generals  La  Mar,  Lara,  and  Miller.  The  two 
former  had  had  a  conference  with  Sucre  previous  to 
Miller's  arrival.  They  all  concurred  in  opinion  that 
the  liberating  army  was  in  a  situation  not  entirely 
free  from  danger,  and  that  it  was  clear  that  the 
enemy  would  augment  his  forces  if  allowed  to  remain 
unmolested,  in  the  vicinity  of  Cuzco,  the  centre  of  his 
resources  ;  but  that  it  was  a  delicate  point  to  operate 
in  opposition  to  the  instructions  of  the  dictator. 
Miller,  notwithstanding,  expressed  an  opinion  that 
not  a  moment  ought  to  be  lost  in  advancing  to 
attack  the  enemy,  before  he  had  sufficient  time  to 
augment  his  numbers  to  any  considerable  extent,  and 
before  Valdez  could  arrive  at  Cuzco  from  Potosi,  and 
in  short  that  the  most  prudent  plan  was  to  act  boldly 
on  the  offensive.  La  Mar  and  Lara  admitted  the 
correctness  of  Miller's  conclusions,  but  they  likewise 
agreed  with  Sucre  that  the  army  could  not  with  pro- 
priety advance.  From  these  nicely-balanced  opinions 
nothing  decisive  was  agreed  upon,  but  the  general- 
in-chief  determined  to  proceed  to  Mamara  and  Oro- 
pesa,  taking  with  him  Miller,  to  reconnoitre  the  roy- 
alist position  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Apurimac, 
and  ascertain  the  truth  or  falsehood  of  a  report  that 
the  division  Valdez  was  about  to  enter  Cuzco  from 
Potosi.  The  battalion  No.  1,  the  regiment  of 
hussars  of  Junin,  and  a  squadron  of  granaderos  a 
caballo,  moved  to  the  front  in  consequence  *. 

*  It  was  during  this  period  that  a  coolness  arose  between  Sucre  and  Miller, 
in  consequence  of  the  latter  having  indiscreetly  let  fall  highly  objectionable  ex- 
pressions. Other  expressions  equally  offensive  escaped  at  various  times ;  and 


172          CANTER  AC  AND  VALDEZ     CHAP.  xxiv. 

In  the  mean  time  Valdez,  by  one  of  those  extra- 
ordinary marches  for  which  he  was  celebrated,  formed 
a  junction  with  Canterac  in  the  province  of  Cuzco. 
The  viceroy  then  placed  himself  at  the  head  of  the 
united  forces,  which,  by  indefatigable  activity,  were 
soon  augmented  to  between  twelve  and  thirteen  thou- 
sand men,  and  distributed  as  follows  : 

fist  battalion  of  Burgos. 

Division  Mo-     I  2d of  1st  regiment. 

net  ^|        of  Guias. 

of  Vitoria. 

f  1  st  and  2d  battalion  of  Gerona. 

Division  Villa-  I  1st of  1st  regiment. 

lobos  |  gd of  Imperial. 

of  Fernandinos. 

C  1st  battalion  of  Imperial. 

Division  Val-     I of  Cantabria. 

dez  j of  Centre. 

i of  Castro. 

!Granaderos  de  la  Guardia, 
Usares  de  Fernando  7°- 
T\  J       1       TT     ' 
Dragones  de  la  Union. 
Esquadron  de  San  Carlos. 
de  Alabarderos. 

General  Cacho — Twenty-four  pieces  of  artillery. 
General  Canterac. — Chief  of  the  staff' and  second 
in  command. 

General  Carratala. — 1st  adjutant  general. 

This  important  junction  restored  confidence  to  the 
royalist  troops,  and  the  assumption  of  the  command 

although  Miller  continued  to  be  actively  employed  in  front  of  the  army,  and  on 
the  most  dangerous  services,  the  coolness  continued  to  exist  for  more  than  a 
year. 


CHAP.  xxiv.  FORM  A  JUNCTION. 

in  chief  by  the  viceroy  inspired  them  with  the  loftiest 
expectations,  which  the  absence  of  Bolivar  tended  to 
strengthen.  There  was  an  ample  and  well  regulated 
arsenal  in  Cuzco,  to  which  were  attached  five  hundred 
artificers  and  labourers. 

General  Miller,  with  a  squadron  of  granaderos  a 
caballo,  and  some  parties,  of  montoneros,  occupied 
Oropesa  and  other  villages  in  that  direction,  situated 
from  twenty  to  thirty  leagues  in  advance  of  the  can- 
tonments of  the  liberating  army.  At  this  time 
General  Sucre  despatched  General  Gamarra  from 
head-quarters,  to  place  himself  in  communication 
with  his  compatriots,  the  inhabitants  of  Cuzco.  He 
took  Oropesa  in  his  way,  and  Miller,  at  Gamarra's 
own  request,  provided  him  with  a  strong  escort  of 
cavalry,  with  which  he  proceeded  to  a  small  vil- 
lage where  Miller  had  placed  an  advanced  post, 
six  leagues  in  front  of  Oropesa,  and  about  three  from 
Haquira.  On  the  following  morning  Miller  was 
surprised  to  learn  that  Gamarra  had  precipitately  re- 
tired, taking  with  him,  not  only  the  whole  of  his 
escort,  but  also  the  patriot  piquet,  and  had  taken 
the  shortest  route  towards  Sucre's  head-quarters, 
without  Miller's  being  apprized  of  this  movement.  It 
appears  that  a  few  royalists  had  been  seen,  and  that 
Gamarra  had  given  hasty  and  implicit  credence  to  a 
false  report  of  a  hostile  column  being  in  advance. 
Upon  accidentally  hearing  this,  Miller,  with  an 
officer  and  three  dragoons,  rode  to  the  village  to  as- 
certain the  true  state  of  affairs  ;  and  on  galloping  into 
it,  found  himself  on  a  sudden  close  to  a  dismounted 
Spanish  officer,  two  dragoons,  and  a  trumpeter,  who 


174         SURPRISE  OF  A  ROYALIST  PARTY.      CHAP.  XXIV. 

were  resting  in  the  court-yard  of  a  house.  Miller, 
looking  over  a  low  front  wall,  called  upon  the  Spa- 
niards to  surrender,  telling  them,  at  the  same  time, 
that  they  were  surrounded,  and  Miller's  officer  rode 
back  as  if  to  give  orders  to  troops  in  the  rear.  Miller 
soon  ascertained  that  the  royalist  officer  was  the  bearer 
of  a  flag  of  truce,  and  that  it  was  the  sight  of  his 
party  on  the  Agcha  road  which  had  given  rise'  to 
Gamarra's  unnecessary  alarm.  Miller  dismounted 
to  receive  a  letter  from  Valdez,  and  the  bearer  was 
allowed  to  remain  two  hours,  during  which  he  was 
made  to  believe  that  two  or  three  patriot  battalions, 
and  a  regiment  of  cavalry,  were  posted  in  the  vici- 
nity. Miller  happened  to  be  chewing  the  coca  leaf, 
and  upon  the  royalist  officer  remarking  it,  he  was 
told  that  cigars  were  a  luxury  not  within  the  reach 
of  the  patriot  army.  On  his  return,  the  Spaniard 
mentioned  the  circumstance  to  General  Valdez,  who, 
never  wanting  in  courtesy,  had  the  politeness  to  send 
Miller  a  box  of  Havannah  cigars.  On  the  day  fol- 
lowing the  departure  of  the  flag  of  truce,  Miller 
occupied  Haquira  and  other  villages  situated  on  the 
left  bank  of  the  river  Santo  Tomas.  The  royalist 
Brigadier-General  Bedoya  was  stationed  on  the 
right  bank  of  the  same  river.  Colonel  Althaus,  a 
distinguished  German  officer,  moved  on  to  Col- 
quemarca,  where  a  few  royalists  had  been  left  by 
Bedoya  to  report  the  movements  of  the  patriots. 
Althaus  concealed  his  party  behind  a  hill  not  far 
from  the  village.  At  this  time  the  royalist  lieutenant- 
colonel  was  at  mass,  having  placed  one  man  on  the 
look  out  from  the  church  tower.  The  sentry  saw 


CHAP.  XXIV.  RECONNOITRING  PARTIES.  175 

Althaus  and  a  montonero  ride  into  the  village,  but 
as  they  wore  ponchos  and  slouched  straw  hats,  he 
did  not  suspect  they  were  military  men,  and  there- 
fore gave  no  alarm  until  they  approached  the  church. 
Althaus  got  close  to  the  church  door  before  the  sentry 
discovered  that'  he  was  a  patriot  officer.  The  per- 
formance of  mass  ceased  on  the  first  cry  of  "  ene- 
migos"  The  congregation  rushed  out,  and  the 
royalist  commander,  unable  to  obtain  shelter  from 
the  inhabitants,  was  taken  prisoner.  His  party  fell 
into  the  hands  of  the  montoneros  in  ambuscade. 

On  the  evening  of  the  same  day  Cornet  Olmos 
with  another  small  party  was  sent  towards  Capaz- 
marca.  At  sunset  he  forded  the  river  of  Haquira 
with  much  difficulty.  The  night  became  so  dark 
that  he  was  obliged  to  march  for  two  leagues  with 
lighted  torches.  On  approaching  a  royalist  outpost 
on  the  top  of  the  mountain,  the  lights  were  put  out, 
and  the  royalist  piquet  commanded  by  a  subaltern  was 
taken.  On  the  following  day  Miller  set  out  himself  for 
Capazmarca,  with  an  intention  of  proceeding  onwards 
until  he  saw  an  enemy.  Half  way  up  the  ascent  he 
was  met  by  Indian  emissaries,  who  reported  that  the 
Spaniards  were  approaching.  Miller  however  con- 
tinued his  march  to  Capazmarca,  situated  upon  the 
summit  of  the  mountain,  whence  he  saw  about  three 
hundred  Spaniards  at  some  distance,  and  which,  it 
appeared,  Valdez  had  detached  for  the  purpose  of 
expelling  the  patriot  reconnoitring  parties.  A  dread- 
ful storm  now  came  on.  The  rain  fell  in  torrents; 
the  thunder  pealed  on  every  side,  and  frequently  below 
them  ;  at  times  it  burst  so  near  that  it  was  with  dif- 


176  RECONNOITRING  PARTIES.  CHAP.  XXIV, 

ficulty  the  horses  and  mules  could  be  made  to  stir  a 
step.  The  same  evening  Valdez  was  struck  off  his 
horse  at  Agcha  by  the  electric  fluid,  and  several  lives 
were  lost.  Having  ascertained  the  advance  of  the 
royalists,  Miller  descended  the  mountain,  in  the  hope 
of  reaching  the  river  before  the  rain  should  have  ren- 
dered it  impassable ;  but  it  had  already  swelled  to  such 
a  degree,  that  he  began  to  consider  how  he  could  hide 
his  party  in  the  woods  on  the  arrival  of  the  Spaniards : 
the  latter,  however,  considering  that  the  mountain 
side  was  an  unsafe  descent,  in  its  then  slippery  state, 
did  not  pursue  far  beyond  Capazmarca.  The  patriot 
party  took  shelter  in  a  few  miserable  Indian  huts,  in 
one  of  which  lived  a  daughter  of  the  celebrated 
Pumacagua.  The  rain  having  ceased  in  the  night,  and 
the  water  having  subsided,  the  patriot  party  recrossed 
the  torrent  on  the  following  morning,  and  again 
reached  Haquira.  Miller  remained  in  the  vicinity 
of  the  enemy's  outposts  for  about  a  fortnight;  his 
parties  occupying  Tambo-Bambo,  Haquira,  and  Col- 
quemarca.  During  these  operations  Doctor  Torres, 
priest  of  one  of  the  neighbouring  villages,  and  distin- 
guished for  patriotism  and  talent,  rendered  important 
services  to  Miller. 

'  The  viceroy  concentrated  his  forces  in  the  vicinity  of 
Agcha,  whilst  Sucre,  with  the  liberating  army,  occupied 
an  extended  position,  having  Lambrama  for  its  centre. 
It  now  appeared  evident,  that  the  viceroy  was 
about  to  commence  offensive  operations.  Miller 
continuing  in  observation  proceeded  from  Haquira 
towards  Santo  Tomas.  It  happened  at  the  same 
time,  that  the  whole  royalist  army  had  advanced  to 


CHAP.  XXIV.          RECONNOITRING  PARTIES.  177 

Colquemarca,  and  had  pushed  on  detached  parties 
to  Quinota,  which  place  they  entered,  at  night, 
soon  after  Miller  left  it.  The  commanding  officer, 
thinking  himself  sure  of  making  a  prisoner,  sur- 
rounded the  curate's  house  with  his  party,  and  sent 
an  Indian  lad  to  say  that  his  mother  being  taken  sud- 
denly ill,  required  the  immediate  attendance  of  a 
confessor.  The  priest,  suspecting,  from  the  manner  of 
the  boy,  that  some  trick  was  intended,  refused  to  go. 
The  officer  then  ordered  the  door  to  be  broken  open, 
and  a  strict  search  was  made.  It  was  some  time 
before  they  could  persuade  themselves  that  the  bird 
had  flown.  The  priest  was  kept  a  prisoner  for  some 
little  time.  Another  royalist  party  then  advanced 
to  Llagua,  by  which  movement  they  more  completely 
cut  off  the  retreat  of  Miller  by  the  high  road,  and 
his  situation  became  exceedingly  embarrassing,  be- 
cause Sucre  at  Lambrama  was  in  total  ignorance  of 
the  viceroy's  decided  movements,  and  it  was  impos- 
sible for  Miller  to  communicate  with  him  on  the 
subject. 

On  Miller's  arrival  at  Santo  Tomas,  the  inhabitants 
received  him  with  marks  of  satisfaction ;  but  before 
the  bells  had  ceased  to  ring,  information  arrived  of 
the  entrance  of  the  royalists  into  Quinota.  Rejoicing 
was  turned  into  consternation,  and  this  was  soon  af- 
terwards increased  by  the  appearance  of  a  party  ap- 
proaching the  village  at  the  distance  of  a  league.  The 
inhabitants  began  to  pack  up,  and  the  patriots  pre- 
pared to  retreat ;  but,  before  commencing  it,  some 
well  mounted  scouts  were  sent  to  reconnoitre  the 
approaching  party,  which  also  took  the  same  precau- 

VOL.  II.  N 


ITS  RECONNOITRING.  CHAP.  XXIV. 

tions,  both  supposing  each  other  to  be  enemies.  But 
it  was  soon  discovered  to  be  Colonel  Althaus  and  his 
escort  retiring  from  Uelille.  Thus  this  false  alarm 
was  converted  into  a  source  of  mutual  gratification, 
for  Althaus  was  not  only  a  very  intelligent  and  en- 
terprising officer,  but  a  jovial  companion,  possessed 
of  an  inexhaustible  fund  of  humour,  which  flowed 
upon  every  occasion  to  the  great  amusement  of  his 
companions. 

Halting  a  few  hours  at  Santo  Tomas  to  refresh 
the  horses,  Miller  and  Althaus  set  out  for  Oropesa. 
The  least  difficult  and  shortest  road  ran  for  a  league 
towards  Quinota;  where  it  branched  off  at  a  ford,  the 
gaining  of  which  would  have  saved  eight  or  ten 
leagues.  Althaus  enlivened  the  night  march  by  re- 
counting some  adventures  in  his  usual  droll  manner, 
which  made  every  body  laugh  immoderately.  Just 
before  the  party  reached  the  desired  spot  for  crossing 
the  river,  while  Althaus  was  in  the  middle  of  a  good 
story,  about  a  milk-white  mule,  which  he  then  rode, 
and  which  the  day  before  had  carried  the  host  in  pro- 
cession at  Uelille,  the  party  stumbled,  about  mid- 
night, upon  a  royalist  detachment  sent  from  Quiiiota 
to  intercept  it.  A  few  shots  were  exchanged  in  the 
dark,  and  the  patriots  dispersed.  They  reunited 
partially  at  Santo  Tomas,  and  from  thence  took 
another  track.  In  making  the  detour  to  Oropesa, 
they  perceived  signs  of  an  approaching  storm,  and 
directed  their  steps,  from  a  ridge  of  the  Cordillera, 
towards  a  hut,  seen  at  a  great  distance  below.  Com- 
mencing their  descent  at  2  P.  M.  they  led  their1 
horses,  for  two  leagues,  down  the  craggy  slope  of: 


CHAP.  xxiv.  RECONNOITRING.  179 

a  mountain.  On  arriving,  just  before  sunset,  at  the 
bottom  of  the  valley,  they  discovered  that  the  supposed 
hut  was  only  a  ruin,  and  on  the  opposite  side  of  a  rapid 
river.  Knowing  that  the  river  flowed  close  to  Oro- 
pesa,  and  that  they  could  not  be  more  than  seven  or 
eight  leagues  from  that  village,  they  preferred  fol- 
lowing the  windings  of  the  stream  to  endeavouring 
to  reclimb  the  mountain ;  indeed,  so  fatigued  were 
both  men  and  animals,  that  it  would  have  been  in  vain 
to  attempt  it.  There  was  no  road  leading  through 
the  valley,  which  was  so  rugged  and  narrow  as  to 
make  it  necessary  to  ford  the  torrent  six  or  eight 
times;  a  work  of  danger  and  great  difficulty:  more 
than  an  hour  was  occupied  each  time  they  crossed. 
Men  were  placed  on  rocks  a  little  below  the  ford,  in 
readiness  to  throw  the  lasso,  to  save  those  who  might 
be  carried  off  their  legs  by  the  stream.  Two  days 
were  occupied  in  making  a  march  of  a  few  leagues. 
The  party  reached  Oropesa  very  much  exhausted, 
having  subsisted  upon  a  very  scanty  allowance  of 
roasted  Indian  corn.  The  inhabitants  of  Oropesa 
were  in  great  consternation.  Some  had  fled,  and 
others  were  preparing  to  follow. 

On  the  ensuing  day  Miller  set  out  with  fresh 
horses  towards  Guaillate,  to  ascertain  if  the  viceroy 
was  proceeding  in  that  direction,  as  had  been  reported. 
He  had  not  ascended  more  than  two  leagues,  when, 
upon  abruptly  reaching  a  summit,  he  discovered  the 
whole  royalist  army  in  full  march  for  Mamara,  a 
village  situated  in  the  same  valley  as  Oropesa,  and 
at  the  distance  of  two  leagues.  Miller  had  scarcely 
time  to  have  his  saddle  removed  from  a  mule  to  a 

22  2 


180  RECONNOITRING.  CHAP.  XXIV. 

horse,  to  avoid  falling  into  the  hands  of  a  detachment 
of  hussars  sent  in  pursuit.  He  lost  two  horses,  and 
also  his  ponchos,  and  a  valise;  articles  of  little  intrinsic 
value,  but  a  heavy  loss  under  such  circumstances. 
He  returned  to  Oropesa,  as  fast  as  the  rough  track 
down  the  steep  hill  would  permit.  The  horse  of  one 
of  the  escort  stumbled,  and  precipitated  its  rider  to 
the  bottom  of  a  frightful  ravine.  The  unfortunate 
man  was  never  heard  of  again ;  he  had  served  in  the 
regiment  of  granaderos  a  caballo  from  its  formation, 
and  had  been  present  at  the  affair  of  San  Lorenzo  on 
the  Parana;  at  Laja,  in  the  province  of  Concepcion  in 
Chile;  at  Pinchincha,  under  the  line  near  Quito;  and 
at  various  other  affairs.  He  was  orderly  serjeant  to 
Miller  nearly  the  whole  of  the  campaign.  He  was 
a  brave  man,  and  his  loss  was  sincerely  regretted. 

Miller  continued  his  retreat  by  the  opposite  side 
of  the  valley  of  Oropesa,  and  passed  within  half  a 
league  of  Mamara,  on  the  heights  of  which  he 
could  plainly  count  the  royalist  columns  in  bivouac. 
The  patriot  party  having  lost  the  proper  direction, 
wandered  about  precipitous  ravines,  until  three  o'clock 
on  the  following  morning,  when  it  fortunately  came 
to  a  cluster  of  huts.  Here  it  halted,  with  the  inten- 
tion of  going  on  again  at  day-break ;  but  both  men 
and  horses  were  so  worn  out  with  fatigue,  that  neither 
were  able  to  proceed  until  10  A.  M.  In  half  an  hour 
afterwards,  the  viceroy  occupied  the  hut  in  which  the 
patriots  had  rested  themselves. 

At  sunset,  Miller  reached  Chuquibamba,  where 
he  found  Althaus,  who  separated  from  him  in  the 
dark  at  Santo  Tomas,  and  had  taken  a  different  road. 


xxiv.  RECONNOITRING.  181 

Althaus  was  directed  to  retire  a  league  or  two  to  the 
rear,  with  the  escorts ;  Miller  remaining  in  the  town 
with  Captain  Melendez,  and  two  or  three  men. 
Large  fires  were  lighted  to  keep  up  the  appearance 
of  the  place  being  occupied  by  a  force. 

The  priest  of  the  village  promised  to  give  timely 
warning  of  the  approach  of  an  enemy,  which  could 
easily  be  done,  because  the  only  entrance,  from  the 
Mamara  side,  was  by  a  bridge,  over  an  unfordable 
torrent.  As  an  additional  security,  Miller  sent,  un- 
known to  the  priest,  a  couple  of  Indians  to  keep  watch 
also :  under  an  impression  of  confidence,  he  took  off 
his  clothes  for  the  first  time  for  a  fortnight,  and 
retired  to  rest.  The  royalist  General  Valdez,  who  had 
a  few  days  before  sent  Miller  a  box  of  cigars,  now  de- 
spatched a  company  of  infantry  to  procure  himself  the 
society  of  his  antagonist.  In  the  course  of  the  night 
some  Indians,  employed  by  the  Spaniards,  entered 
the  village,  and  were  suffered  to  return  j  of  this  Miller 
was  informed  by  his  own  scouts,  and  contrary,  as  it 
afterwards  appeared,  to  the  wishes  of  the  priest,  who 
reckoned  upon  making  his  peace  with  the  royalists, 
by  betraying  his  guest.  On  the  first  alarm  Miller 
rode  to  an  eminence,  on  the  way  to  Lambrama,  over- 
looking Chuquibamba.  The  royalists,  who  had  been 
deterred,  by  the  blaze  of  the  fires,  from  advancing, 
ran  into  the  town  at  day-break.  At  this  moment  the 
Indians,  instigated  by  the  priest,  rose  en  masse.  They 
perched  themselves  on  the  hills,  and  hurled  down 
stones  upon  the  patriots  without  mercy.  Miller's 
charger,  considered  the  finest  horse  in  the  army,  and 
the  one  on  which  he  rode  at  the  battle  of  Junin,  fell, 


182  RECONNOITRING.  CHAP.  xxiv. 

with  an  orderly,  into  their  hands.  Miller  continued 
to  retreat,  followed  by  the  yelling  Indians,  increasing 
in  numbers  at  every  hut  near  which  they  passed. 
Althaus,  who  had  taken  up  his  quarters  at  a  little 
distance  from  the  road,  had  sent  his  party  on  towards 
Lambrama,  and  remained  behind  with  a  few  attend- 
ants. On  hearing  the  shouts  of  the  Indians,  Althaus 
retired ;  but  finding  they  gained  upon  him,  he  dis- 
mounted, to  remove  the  saddle,  from  his  milk-white 
mule,  to  his  best  horse.  The  horse  took  fright  and 
broke  loose,  while  the  attendants  being  in  advance, 
galloped  off  without  looking  behind  them.  The 
colonel  was  thus  left  on  foot  and  alone.  So  long  as 
the  road  was  tolerably  open,  he  kept  the  Indians  at 
bay  with  his  sword ;  but  when  he  came  to  a  narrow 
pass,  they  closed  upon  him,  bound  his  arms,  and  con- 
ducted him  to  Chuquibamba.  It  is  probable  they 
would  have  taken  his  life,  but  that  his  clerical  figure 
led  them  to  imagine  that  he  was  a  regimental  chaplain, 
an  illusion  which  Althaus  took  no  pains  to  dispel. 

On  the  6th  of  November,  Miller  rejoined  at  Lam- 
brama the  liberating  army.  Sucre  was  on  the  extreme 
left  of  the  line,  and  Generals  La  Mar  and  Lara,  with 
their  respective  divisions  at  Lambrama,  were  in  igno- 
rance of  the  approach  of  the  enemy  until  the  party 
which  Althaus  had  sent  forward  arrived.  They 
reported  that  Althaus  and  Miller  were  prisoners. 
When  the  latter  unexpectedly  appeared  at  a  pass 
descending  into  the  valley,  he  was  instantly  recog- 
nised, and  upon  his  passing  the  different  corps,  a 
cordial  feeling  of  satisfaction  was  manifested  by  all. 
Although  every  one  in  the  bivouac,  excepting  Ge- 


CHAP.  xxiv.     LIBE11ATING  ARMY  FALLS  BACK.  183 

neral  Lara,  had  firmly  believed  in  the  report  of 
Miller  having  been  captured,  yet  many  contrived  to 
make  themselves  overheard  in  saying,  that  they  had 
foretold  the  contrary;  and  Lara's  observation,  that 
"  Millercould  scent  the  enemy  too  well  to  be  caught," 
was  repeated  by  several  as  their  own. 

The  most  harassing  services  are  sometimes  marked 
by  incidents  which  more  than  compensate  for  fatigues 
and  anxiety  of  mind.  A  thousand  unstudied  demon- 
strations of  personal  regard,  and  a  thousand  un- 
affected indications  of  community  of  feeling,  became 
legible  in  the  veteran  countenances  of  officers  and 
men,  when  they  grouped  themselves  spontaneously 
to  welcome  the  unhoped-for  return  of  their  old  com- 
panion in  arms,  whose  re-appearance  was  hailed  with 
feelings  of  personal  attachment,  rather  than  of  con- 
sideration for  his  rank.  Insensible  must  be  the  mind 
which  could  fail  to  appreciate  such  honourable  tes- 
timonials, and  cold  the  heart  which  would  not  bound 
with  honest  pride,  and  look  upon  the  humblest  soldier 
with  affectionate  regard.  A  fortunate  commander 
may  indeed  feel  highly  gratified  by  the  incense 
offered  at  the  gorgeous  banquet;  but  nothing  can 
be  compared  with  the  unalloyed  pleasure  with  which 
he  exchanges  .the  welcoming  smile  of  his  comrades 
in  campaign. 

Sucre  arrived  at  Lambrama  on  the  7th.  On  that 
day  the  liberating  forces  fell  back  towards  Casin- 
chigua,  where  they  arrived  on  the  9th,  and  where 
Sucre  established  his  head-quarters.  A  division  of 
infantry,  and  all  the  cavalry,  were  cantoned  on  that 
estate;  a  division  was  at  Pinchigua,  and  the  other  at 


184  VALLEY  OF  CASINCHIGUA.       CHAP.  xxiv. 

Chaljuani,  all  within  a  league  of  each  other.  Miller 
remained  at  Lambrama  eight-and-forty  hours  after 
the  troops  left  it;  but  the  royalist  army,  contrary  to 
expectation,  discontinued  its  march  by  that  route. 
It  remained  posted  between  Sabaino  and  Mollepata, 
having  advanced  posts  near  Ancabamba  and  Soraya, 
seven  leagues  from  Casinchigua.  It  appeared  that 
the  viceroy  was  fearful  of  risking  an  attack  upon  the 
patriots,  occupying  a  country  abounding  in  positions 
of  uncommon  natural  advantages.  The  sides  of  the 
valley  of  Casinchigua,  as  was  the  case  with  many 
others  throughout  the  country,  were  bold,  like  the 
banks  of  a  river  flowing  between  mountains ;  and  a 
numerous  army,  defiling  down  their  zigzag  tracks, 
might  be  destroyed  by  the  musketry  of  a  few  enemies 
posted  behind  crags  on  the  opposite  acclivity.  The 
viceroy  therefore  decided  upon  making  a  detour,  to 
get  into  the  rear  of  the  patriots,  and  cut  off  their 
communications  with  Lima,  and  thus  oblige  them  to 
abandon  their  strong  holds.  Accordingly  his  excel- 
lency took  the  route  of  Pampachira,  and  reached 
Guamanga  on  the  16th  of  November,  whence  he 
made  a  counter  movement  by  taking  the  high  road 
leading  to  Cuzco.  In  the  meanwhile  Sucre  fell  back 
upon  Andahuaylas,  where  he  halted  a  few  days,  and 
then  continued  his  march  towards  Guamanga.  The 
opposing  forces,  marching  thus  on  the  same  road 
towards  each  other,  soon  came  in  contact.  To  clearly 
understand  these  movements,  the  reader  is  requested 
to  throw  open  the  plan  of  Ayacucho,  and  refer  to  the 
sketch  of  its  environs. 

The  advanced  guard  of  each  army  met  on  the 


CHAJP.  XXIV.  MAJOR  LA  TAPIA.  185 

20th  of  November  on  the  heights  of  Bombon,  near 
Chineheros.  The  royalists  were  driven  down  into 
the  valley  of  Pomacochas,*  and  across  the  river  of 
Pampas,  by  the  bridge  of  Bejucos,  which  they  de- 
stroyed. The  river  is  at  all  times  difficult  and  dan- 
gerous to  ford. 

The  royalists  bivouacked  on  the  heights  of  Con- 
cepcion,  and  the  patriots  upon  those  of  Bombon. 
The  deep  and  rugged  valley  of  Pomacochas  being 
between  them,  rendered  each  position  alike  unas- 
sailable. The  hostile  forces  were  within  two  miles 
of  each  other,  as  the  bird  flies;  but  the  distance  to 
descend  and  ascend  by  the  tortuous  track  was  at  least 
ten.  Videttes  occupied  each  bank  of  the  river.  The 
valley  is  thickly  wooded,  and  the  soil  particularly 
rich.  The  atmosphere  swarms  with  musquitoes  to  a 
degree  that  renders  it  uninhabitable.  The  Jesuits 
failed  in  three  several  attempts  to  settle  there,  and 
the  ruins  of  an  extensive  establishment  are  still  visible. 
The  men  placed  on  piquet  returned  to  the  encamp- 
ment with  their  hands  and  faces  swollen,  and  in  a 
high  degree  of  fever,  from  the  bites  of  the  large 
musquitoes,  against  which  gloves  and  handkerchiefs 
were  not  a  sufficient  protection. 

On  the  24th,  the  tents  and  huts  of  the  royalists 
had  disappeared.  Miller  forded  the  river  to  ascertain 
if  the  army  had  withdrawn  itself.  Four  of  his  men, 
whilst  ascending  the  opposite  side  of  the  valley,  were 
suddenly  attacked  by  a  party  in  ambuscade.  Two  of 
them  were  made  prisoners ;  and  Major  La  Tapia,  who 
accompanied  the  general,  narrowly  escaped  by  rolling 
himself  down  a  precipice. 


186  MOVEMENTS.  CHAP.  xxv. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

Matara. — Corpaguayco. — Precautions  taken  by  the  royalists  to 
prevent  desertion. — Patriots  offer  battle  at  Tambo  Cangallo. 
— Continue  their  retreat. — Hostilities  of  the  Indians — Roy- 
alists occupy  Guamanguilla. — Critical  position  of  the  inde- 
pendents.— Battle  of  Ayacucho. — Viceroy  taken  prisoner. — 
Royalists  defeated. — Incidents. — Capitulation. 

ON  the  25th  of  November,  it  was  ascertained  that 
the  royalists  had  made  a  lateral  movement  to  their 
right  towards  Vilcasguaman,  and  that  the  division 
Valdez  had  crossed  the  river  near  Guancaray,  in 
order,  it  was  supposed,  to  decoy  the  independents 
into  the  valley  of  Pomacochas,  and  to  attack  them 
there,  should  they  be  induced  to  resume  their  retreat 
towards  Guamanga.  Sucre,  however,  anxious  to  re- 
store his  communication  with  Lima,  crossed  the  valley, 
without  being  caught  in  the  defiles.  In  fording  the 
river  Pampas,  the  infantry  were  up  to  the  breast 
in  water;  many  were  carried  down  by  the  stream, 
but  such  were  the  precautions  taken  that  only  two 
lives  were  lost.  This  operation  was  so  tedious,  and 
the  roads  so  bad,  that  it  took  an  entire  day  to  march 
three  leagues.  The  army  bivouacked  on  the  night 
of  the  30th  beneath  trees  of  enormous  dimensions, 
which  clothed  the  sides  of  the  valley,  but  the  mus- 
quitoes  effectually  prevented  repose;  and  although 
excessively  fatigued,  the  order  to  march  was  looked 


CHAP.  xxv.          PATRIOTS  OFFER  BATTLE.  187 

forward  to,  by  all,  with  extreme  anxiety :  it  was  not, 
however,  given  until  day-break,  it  being  necessary  to 
allow  time  for  the  baggage  and  stores  to  join.  A 
farther  ascent  of  two  leagues  and  a  half,  through 
Ocros,  brought  the  patriots  to  the  table  land,  and  in 
another  half  league  they  arrived  at  the  descent  which 
conducted  them  to  the  hamlet  of  Matara,  where  they 
bivouacked  on  the  1st  of  December.  The  rain  had 
fallen  in  torrents  during  the  whole  of  the  day,  and 
it  still  continued  through  the  night.  Matara  is  situ- 
ated in  a  hollow,  surrounded  by  gentle  acclivities, 
which  ascend  to  a  considerable  height. 

On  the  2d,  the  royalists  appeared,  and  bivouacked 
on  the  edge  of  that  part  of  the  table  land  from  which 
the  patriots  had  descended  the  preceding  day.  The 
patriots  occupied  a  position  with  a  small  grassy  ravine 
in  front,  but  in  other  respects  objectionable.  The 
viceroy,  as  if  determined  to  play  a  sure  game,  and 
persuaded  that  he  could  annihilate  his  opponents 
without  risking  a  general  action,  declined  to  attack 
them. 

On  the  afternoon  of  the  3rd,  the  royalists  moved  to 
their  left,  along  the  crest  of  the  ridge,  but  far  enough 
below  it  to  conceal  their  line  from  observation.  Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel Bustamante,  sent  to  reconnoitre,  was 
taken  prisoner  on  reaching  the  top  of  the  hills.  The 
object  of  the  enemy  was  to  gain  the  high  road  in  the 
rear,  which  General  Sucre  perceiving,  recommenced 
his  retreat  j  but  whilst  defiling  into  the  valley  of 
Corpaguayco  (a  league  from  Matara),  he  was  briskly 
attacked  by  the  division  Valdez,  which  had  advanced 
in  the  morning  unperceived.  The  Colombian  bat- 


188  ATTACKED  AT  CORPAGUAYCO.      CHAP.  XXV. 

talion  of  rifles*,  commanded  by  Colonel  Sands, 
forming  the  rear-guard,  was,  after  some  resistance, 
overpowered  and  dispersed. 

The  battalion  Bargas  also  dispersed,  but  was  rallied 
by  Miller,  and  made  to  protect  the  cavalry  as  it  crossed 
the  valley  at  Chonta  by  a  pass  and  ford  which  he  had 
fortunately  discovered  when  examining  the  quebrada 
on  the  preceding  day.  Having  gained  the  opposite 
side  of  the  valley,  the  patriots  formed,  and  drove 
back  a  royalist  battalion  which  attempted  to  cross. 

Major  Duckbury,  of  the  battalion  Rifles,  an  En- 
glishman, and  one  of  the  best  and  most  indefatigable 
officers  in  the  Colombian  army,  and  two  hundred 
patriots,  were  killed.  Their  field-train  depot;  their 
spare  horses  and  mules;  and  one  of  their  two  re- 
maining field-pieces,  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy. 
The  casualties  of  the  royalists  did  not  exceed  thirty. 

Notwithstanding  this  severe  reverse,  the  patriots 
retreated  at  11  A.  M.  on  the  14th,  in  the  best  pos- 
sible order,  to  Tambo-Cangallo,  three  leagues  north 
of  Corpaguayco,  and  seven  south  of  Guamanga.  They 
were  followed  by  the  royalists,  but  with  great  caution. 

Fifteen  soldiers  passed  over  from  the  royalists  on 


•  This  regiment  was  originally  composed  of  British  subjects,  who  greatly 
distinguished  themselves  in  Colombia.  The  European  soldiers  having  almost 
every  one  died  or  been  killed  off,  the  corps  was  next  completed  by  twelve 
hundred  Indians,  who  spoke  nothing  but  their  native  dialect :  the  officers,  being 
British,  gave  the  word  of  command  in  English.  As  the  Indians  were  expended 
in  the  course  of  service,  their  places  were  supplied  by  Creoles,  mulattos,  &c.  On 
the  arrival  of  the  battalion  in  Peru,  only  ten  British  officers  remained  with  it. 
Colonel  (now  General)  Sands,  a  native  of  Dublin,  and  formerly  an  officer  in  the 
British  army,  had  risen  by  merit  and  services  to  the  command  of  it.  This  gallant 
officer  had  been  engaged  in  almost  every  action  fought  in  Colombia.  Captain 
Miller  Hallowes,  a  native  of  Ashford,  in  Kent,  Captain  Ferguson,  a  gallant 
Irishman,  and  Captain  Whittle,  were  also  distinguished  officers  in  the  same  corps. 
The  Utter  commanded  the  battalion  Bargas,  which  saved  Bolivar's  life  by  de- 
feating the  revolted  regiment  of  artillery,  and  by  suppressing  the  conspiracy 
which  took  place  at  Bogota  in  September  1828. 


CHAP.  xxv.  DESERTIONS.  189 

the  morning  of  the  4th,  a  few  hours  after  the  affair 
of  Corpaguayco.  These  men  had  served  in  the 
montoneros  of  Colonel  Lanza,  and  had  been  taken 
prisoners  near  Cochabamba.  Most  of  them  brought 
their  arms,  and  all  requested  to  be  attached  to  a  corps. 
On  the  same  morning,  fourteen  men  of  the  liberating 
army  deserted  to  the  royalists.  They  had  been  made 
prisoners,  and  obliged  to  serve  by  the  independents 
during  the  campaign. 

The  royalists  avoided  entering  villages,  and  kept 
as  much  as  possible  along  the  ridges  of  the  mountains, 
so  that  their  march  from  Cuzco,  to  near  Guamanga, 
was  a  perfect  steeple  chase.  Their  sufferings  and  dif- 
ficulties may  be  conceived  from  what  has  been  said 
relative  to  those  of  the  patriots,  in  traversing  the 
Andes  on  their  advance  from  Huaras.  The  road  from 
Guamanga  to  Cuzco  may  be  considered  in  the  very 
centre  of  the  Andes,  and  winds  up  and  down  moun- 
tains encircling  almost  fathomless  valleys.  Many  of 
the  ascents  are  four  and  five  leagues  at  a  stretch, 
amidst  scenery  of  the  wildest  grandeur  imaginable. 

The  precautions  taken  by  the  royalist  officers  to 
prevent  desertion  also  tended  considerably  to  increase 
the  privations  of  their  men.  Whenever  they  halted, 
the  corps  were  bivouacked  in  column,  round  which  a 
circle  of  sentinels,  of  the  most  trustworthy  soldiers, 
was  formed,  and  without  that  circle  a  great  number 
of  officers  were  constantly  kept  on  duty.  The  soldiers 
were  not  permitted,  on  any  plea,  to  pass  the  sen- 
tinels. 

The  vice-king,  for  the  same  reason,  was  averse  to 
sending  detachments  in  search  of  cattle,  for,  on  such 


190  PATRIOTS  RETREAT.  CHAP.  XXV. 

occasions,  a  number  of  the  men  were  sure  to  desert. 
The  consequence  of  this  system  was,  that,  during  the 
rapid  advance  of  the  royalists,  they  suffered  more 
than  the  patriots  from  want  of  provisions  ;  so  that, 
on  the  3rd,  they  were  reduced  to  eat  the  flesh  of 
horses,  mules,  and  asses. 

The  independents  took  up  a  position  in  the  even- 
ing, and  again  offered  battle,  which  the  royalists  again 
declined.  At  midnight  the  independents  left  the 
high-road,  leading  to  Guamanga,  obliqued  to  the 
right,  and  crossed  the  deep  rugged  quebrada  of 
Acroco,  two  leagues  in  descent,  and  as  much  in  the 
ascent  on  the  opposite  side.  At  eight  A.  M.  on  the 
5th,  they  reached  the  village  of  Guanchao,  and  in 
the  afternoon  of  the  same  day,  they  continued  their 
march  to  Acos-Vinchos.  The  royalists  moved  in  a 
parallel  line  towards  Guamanga,  at  the  distance  of 
two  leagues,  and  always  in  sight.  A  deep  valley  lay 
between  them. 

On  the  6th,  the  patriots  reached  the  village  of 
Quinua.  The  royalists  continued  their  parallel  move- 
ment to  the  heights  of  Pacaycasa.  In  consequence 
of  the  road  between  this  place  and  Guamanga  being 
intersected  by  two  deep  quebradas  and  many  ravines, 
and  the  paths  being,  inmost  places,  extremely  narrow, 
their  line  of  march  extended  over  a  distance  of  from 
two  to  three  leagues.  The  patriots,  already  in  Quinua, 
upon  perceiving  this,  formed  for  the  purpose  of  at- 
tacking their  opponents,  the  foremost  of  whom  were 
only  three  miles  distant  from  them  ;  the  intervening 
space  being  an  open  country  with  a  gradual  descent, 
seemed  to  afford  them  a  favourable  opportunity  of 


CHAP.  xxv.  PATRIOTS  RETREAT.  191 

avenging  the  losses  they  had  sustained  at  Corpa- 
guayco.  Previous  to  ordering  the  intended  advance, 
Sucre  and  La  Mar  rode  forward  to  reconnoitre.  But 
this  operation  occupied  so  much  of  their  time,  that 
they  considered  it  was  too  late  to  attack  the  royalists 
that  evening.  On  the  next  morning,  the  latter  en- 
tered Guamanguilla,  and  thus  once  more  cut  off  the 
farther  retreat  of  the  independents,  whose  situation 
then  became  extremely  critical. 

Sucre  conducted  the  retreat  with  skill,  but  his 
numbers  were  so  alarmingly  reduced,  that  nothing 
but  some  desperate  effort  was  likely  to  save  his  army 
from  destruction.  The  viceroy  sent  detachments  to 
Marca,  Mayoc,  and  other  defiles,  to  render  them 
impassable,  and  to  destroy  the  bridges. 

The  Indians  of  Guanta,  Huancavelica,  Chincheros, 
Huando,  and  the  adjacent  villages,  had  been  induced 
to  rise  against  the  liberating  army.  They  had  as- 
sassinated upwards  of  one  hundred  sick  with  their 
escorts,  together  with  the  escorts  of  some  of  the  bag- 
gage. An  aide-de-camp  of  Miller,  Captain  Smith, 
was  taken  by  those  of  Guanta,  but  after  receiving  a 
severe  beating,  and  three  days'  imprisonment,  he 
escaped  to  the  coast.  His  life  was  spared  only  on  the 
intercession  of  an  inhabitant  at  whose  house  Miller 
had  been  billeted.  The  hills  which  overlook  the 
village  of  Quinua  were  occupied  by  hostile  Indians, 
who  had  the  boldness  to  approach  within  half  a  mile 
of  the  patriot  encampment,  and  succeeded  in  captur- 
ing several  head  of  oxen  from  a  party  of  dragoons. 
During  the  preceding  fortnight,  the  casualties  of 
the  liberating  army  had  not  been  less  than  twelve 


192  CONDORKANKI.  CHAP.  XXV. 

hundred,  so  that  at  Quinua  it  amounted  to  less  than 
six  thousand  effective  men.  The  cavalry,  having 
lost  their  mules  at  Corpaguayco,  were  obliged  to  walk 
and  lead  their  horses,  many  of  which  became  disabled 
in  consequence  of  having  cast  their  shoes. 

A  patriot  battalion,  and  some  detachments  of  con- 
valescents, on  their  way  from  Xauxa  to  join  the 
liberating  army,  were  attacked  in  the  dark  by  the 
Indians  of  Huando,  and  obliged  to  retreat  with 
loss.  Every  circumstance  concurred  to  increase  the 
gloom  which  overhung  the  prospects  of  the  patriots. 
They  could  not  retreat ;  they  could  not  attack  the 
royalists,  on  account  of  the  abrupt  ravine,  two  hun- 
dred yards  deep,  between  the  two  armies ;  and  want 
of  provisions  would  have  rendered  their  remaining  in 
that  position,  five  days  longer,  impossible.  All  was 
now  ominous  and  fearful,  but  the  spirits  and  courage 
of  the  republicans  appeared  to  rise  in  proportion  as 
their  affairs  became  more  desperate ;  and  it  will  soon 
be  seen  what  brave  men,  ably  led  on,  can  effect  in 
the  cause  of  liberty. 

In  the  afternoon  of  the  8th,  the  viceroy  moved 
from  Guamanguilla,  and  occupied,  with  his  whole 
forces,  the  heights  of  Condorkanki  *,  just  without 
gun-shot  of  the  encampment  of  the  independents. 
Two  hours  before  sunset,  a  royalist  battalion  of  light- 
infantry  descended  the  hill,  and  extended  itself  at  the 
foot.  It  was  opposed  by  a  light-infantry  battalion  of 
the  patriots ;  and  some  sharp  skinnishing,  in  extended 
files,  took  place.  The  evolutions  were  performed  at 

*  Condorkanki,  or  Condorcanqui,  is  a  Quichua  term,  which  means  "  worthy 
of  the  condor." 


CHAP.  XXV.  INCIDENTS.  193 

the  sound  of  the  bugle,  and  nothing  could  exceed  the 
coolness  and  good  conduct  of  the  men  engaged  on 
both  sides. 

The   general    effect  of  the   skirmishing  was   ex- 
tremely fine.     The  interest  of  the  scene  was  much 
varied  and  enhanced  by  occasional  cessations  of  firing 
by  tacit  consent.     During  which  intervals,  several 
officers  of  the  opposite  parties  approached  each  other 
and  conversed.     In  one  of  these  parleys,  Brigadier- 
General  Tur,  of  the  Spanish  service,  sent  a  message  to 
his  brother,  who,  having  married  a  beautiful  woman 
of  Lima,  had  become  virtually  an  American,  and  was 
now  a  lieutenant-colonel  in  the  independent  army. 
The  two  brothers  met.     The  elder  began  the  con- 
versation by  expressing  his  regret  that  a  Spaniard 
should  be  seen  in  the  ranks  of  the  insurgents,  but 
added   that,    notwithstanding    his    sorrow  on   that 
account,  he  felt  impelled  by  the  recollections  and 
feelings  of  other  times  to  assure  his  brother,  that  he 
might  reckon  upon  his  protection  when  the  coming 
battle  should  place  him  in  the  power  of  the  royal- 
ists, who  otherwise  might  not   deal  lightly  with  a 
Spaniard  taken  in  such  company.     The  lieutenant- 
colonel  observed,  in  reply,  that  if  he  had  sent  for 
him  for  the  purpose  of  offering  an  insult,   it  were 
better  they  had  never  met,  and  then  turned  round 
to  walk  away.     Upon  this,  the  royalist  general  rushed 
forward,  made  an  apology,  and,  in  view  of  the  two 
armies,  the  brothers  embraced  in  the  most  affectionate 
manner.     In  a  few  hours  afterwards  General  Tur 
was  a  prisoner  of  war,  and  the  welcome  guest  of  his 
brother,  the  lieutenant-colonel. 

VOL.  ir.  o 


194  POSITION  OF  THE  PATRIOTS.          CHAP.  XXV. 

Quinua,  an  Indian  village,  is  on  the  western  ex- 
tremity of  the  plain  of  Ayacucho,  the  shape  of  which 
is  nearly  square,  about  a  league  in  circumference,  and 
flanked  right  and  left  by  deep,  rugged,  ravines.  In 
the  rear  of  the  plain,  or  towards  the  west,  is  a  gra- 
dual descent  of  two  leagues  to  the  main  road  from 
Guamanga  to  Guanta,  which  runs  along  the  base  of 
a  mountain  range,  that  rises  like  a  wall  with  no  ap- 
parent outlet.  The  eastern  boundary  of  the  plain  is 
formed  by  the  abrupt  and  rugged  ridge  of  Condor- 
kanki ;  which  gigantic  bulwark,  running  north  and 
south,  overlooks  the  field  of  Ayacucho.  A  little " 
below  the  summit  of  this  ridge  was  perched  the 
royalist  army. 

The  liberating  army  was  drawn  up  on  the  plain, 
in  front  of  the  Spaniards,  at  an  interval  of  about  a 
mile,  having  Quinua  in  the  rear,  each  corps  being 
formed  in  close  column,  to  await  the  attack  of 
the  royalists.  It  was  disposed  in  the  following 
order : 

f  Bogota. 

Division  Cordova    I  Caracas, 
(on  the  right).       j  Voltigeros. 
^  Pinchincha. 
f  Hussars  of  Junin. 

Cavalry,  Miller      I  Granaderos  of  Colombia, 
(in  the  centre),      j  Hussars  of  Colombia. 

^Granaderos  of  Buenos  Ayres. 
f  Legion 

Division  La  Mar     j  No.  1. 

(on  the  left).  2. 

[No.  3. 


CHAP.  xxv.       POSITION  OF  THE  ROYALISTS.  195 

C  Bargas. 
Division  Lara       I  Vencedorcs. 

(in  reserve).       |R;fles 

Commandant  La  Fuente  ) 

r    c      ,>.  V  One  four-pounder, 

(m  front).  J 

General  Gamarra,      Chief  of  the  staff*. 

t  Colonel  O'Connor,  Second  to  Gamarra  on  the  staff. 

During  the  night  of  the  8th,  a  brisk  fire  was  main- 
tained between  the  royalist  and  patriot  outposts.  It 
was  the  object  of  Sucre  to  prevent  the  royalists  de- 
scending in  the  night.  For  this  purpose  the  bands 
of  two  battalions  were  sent  with  a  company  near  to 
the  foot  of  the  ridge,  and  continued  playing  for  some 
time  whilst  a  sharp  fire  was  kept  up.  This  feint  had 
the  desired  effect,  for  the  royalists  did  not  stir  from 
their  lines. 

The  viceroy's  position  in  the  night  of  the  8th  was 
very  much  exposed :  his  infantry,  occupying  the  front 
of  the  ridge  of  Condorkanki,  was  within  musket- 
range  of  the  foot  of  the  hill.  The  fire  from  two 
or  three  battalions,  deployed  into  line,  might  have 
obliged  the  royalists  to  abandon  their  position.  As 
it  was,  a  lieutenant-colonel  and  two  or  three  men, 
within  the  Spanish  encampment,  were  killed,  as 


*  General  Santa  Cruz  had  marched  from  Huaras  with  the  liberating  army. 
He  was,  at  the  commencement  of  the  campaign,  attached  to  the  Peruvian  divi- 
sion, afterwards  chief  of  the  staff  of  the  Dictator,  and  ultimately  he  remained  at 
Guamanga,  as  prefect  of  that  department.  General  Correa  was  also  attached  to 
the  division  Lara,  but  he  quitted  the  army,  for  the  coast,  at  Challuanca, 

•f  The  indefatigable  O'Connor  performed  the  duties  of  chief  of  the  staff  from 
the  time  the  liberating  army  left  Guamanga  until  two  or  three  days  previous  to 
the  battle  of  Ayacucho.  Colonel  O'Connor  is  the  son  of  Roger  O'Connor,  and 
godson  of  Sir  Francis  Burdett  He  has  adhered  to  the  cause  of  South  American 
independence  with  persevering  enthusiasm.  Having  raised  a  very  fine  regiment 
at  Panama,  he  came  to  Peru  in  command  of  it.  He  has  often  distinguished  him- 
self  in  the  field,  and  is  universally  esteemed  for  his  bravery,  disinterestedness,  and 
gentlemanly  deportment. 


196  BATTLE  OF 


CHAP.  XXV. 


they  sat  round  their  fires,  by  chance  balls  from  the 
patriot  company  at  the  foot  of  the  hill. 

The  night  of  the  8th  was  one  of  deep  and  anxious 
interest.  A  battle  was  inevitable  on  the  following 
day,  and  that  battle  was  to  decide  the  destinies  of 
South  America.  The  patriots  were  aware  that  they 
had  to  contend  with  twice  their  own  numbers  ;  and 
that  nothing  but  a  decisive  victory  could  save  them 
and  their  country  from  ignominious  servitude.  The 
patriot  soldier  might  indeed  expect  to  escape  with 
life,  reduced  to  the  condition  of  a  slave;  but  with 
the  patriot  generals  and  officers,  it  was  only  a  choice 
between  death  and  victory.  They  knew  full  well 
what  would  be  the  cruel  policy  of  the  Spaniards  if 
they  proved  victorious.  The  viceroy  was,  it  is  true, 
a  man  of  humane  disposition,  but  the  individual  who 
counselled  Monet  to  shoot  two  patriot  officers  in  the 
pass  of  San  Mateo,  and  the  other  man  (if  such  he  may 
be  called)  who  ran  his  sword  through  the  wounded 
and  defenceless  Major  Gumer,  on  the  field  at  lea, 
were,  with  others,  of  a  character  equally  sanguinary, 
amongst  the  advisers  of  La  Serna ;  and  it  is  extremely 
probable  that  unsparing  executions  would  have  been 
resorted  to  in  the  hope  of  destroying  the  very  germ 
of  future  insurrection.  Every  one  felt  that  the  ap- 
proaching battle  was  to  have  no  common  result. 

The  morning  of  the  9th  dawned  particularly  fine. 
At  first  there  was  a  chilness  in  the  air  which  seemed 
to  influence  the  minds  of  the  men,  but  when  the  sun 
rose  above  the  mountain,  the  effects  of  its  genial 
warmth  became  manifest  in  the  renovated  spirits  of 
the  soldiers.  The  men  on  both  sides  were  observed 


CHAP.  xxv.  AYACUCHO.  197 

rubbing  their  hands,  and  exhibiting  every  token  of 
content  and  satisfaction.  At  nine  A.  M.  the  division 
Villalobos  began  to  descend.  The  viceroy,  on  foot, 
placed  himself  at  its  head ;  and  the  files  wound  down 
the  craggy  side  of  Condorkanki,  obliquing  a  little  to 
their  left.  The  division  Monet,  forming  the  royalist 
right,  commenced  at  the  same  time  to  defile  directly 
into  the  plain.  The  cavalry,  leading  their  horses,  made 
the  same  movement,  though  with  greater  difficulty, 
between  the  infantry  of  each  division.  As  the  files 
arrived  on  the  plain,  they  formed  into  column. 
This  was  a  moment  of  extraordinary  interest.  It 
appeared  as  though  respiration  were  suspended  by 
feelings  of  anxiety,  mingled  with  doubts  and  hope. 

It  was  during  this  operation,  which  had  an  im- 
posing effect,  that  Sucre  rode  along  his  own  line,  and, 
addressing  a  few  emphatic  words  to  each  corps,  re- 
called to  memory  its  former  achievements.  He  then 
placed  himself  in  a  central  point,  and,  in  an  inspiring 
tone  of  voice,  said,  "  that  upon  the  efforts  of  that 
day  depended  the  fate  of  South  America ;"  then 
pointing  to  the  descending  columns,  he  assured  his 
men,  "  that  another  day  of  glory  was  about  to  crown 
their  admirable  constancy."  This  animating  address 
of  the  general  produced  an  electric  effect,  and  was 
answered  by  enthusiastic  "  vivas." 

By  the  time  that  rather  more  than  half  the  royalist 
divisions,  Monet  and  Villalobos,  had  reached  and 
formed  upon  the  arena,  Sucre  ordered  the  division 
Cordova  and  two  regiments  of  cavalry  to  advance  to 
the  charge.  The  gallant  Cordova  placed  himself 


198  BATTLE  OF  CHAP.  XXV. 

about  fifteen  yards  in  front  of  his  division,  formed 
into  four  parallel  columns  with  the  cavalry  in  the 
intervals.  Having  dismounted,  he  plunged  his  sword 
into  the  heart  of  his  charger,  and  turning  to  the 
troops,  exclaimed,  "  There  lies  my  last  horse  ;  I  have 
now  no  means  of  escape,  and  we  must  fight  it  out 
together  I"  Then  waving  his  hat  above  his  head, 
he  continued,  "  Adelante,  con  paso  de  vencedores" 
(onwards  with  the  step  of  conquerors).  These 
words  were  heard  distinctly  throughout  the  co- 
lumns, which,  inspired  by  the  gallant  bearing  of 
their  leader,  moved  to  the  attack  in  the  finest  pos- 
sible order.  The  Spaniards  stood  firmly  and  full  of 
apparent  confidence.  The  viceroy  was  seen,  as  were 
also  Monet  and  Villalobos,  at  the  head  of  their  divi- 
sions, superintending  the  formation  of  their  columns 
as  they  reached  the  plain.  The  hostile  bayonets 
crossed,  and  for  three  or  four  minutes  the  two 
parties  struggled  together,  so  as  to  leave  it  doubtful 
which  would  give  way.  At  this  moment  the  Colom- 
bian cavalry,  headed  by  Colonel  Silva,  charged.  This 
brave  officer  fell  covered  with  wounds,  but  the  intre- 
pidity of  the  onset  was  irresistible.  The  royalists  lost 
ground,  and  were  driven  back  with  great  slaughter. 
The  vice-king  was  wounded  and  taken  prisoner.  As 
the  fugitives  climbed  the  sides  of  Condorkanki,  the 
patriots,  who  had  deployed,  kept  up  a  well-directed 
fire,  and  numbers  of  the  enemy  were  seen  to  drop 
and  roll  down,  till  their  progress  was  arrested  by  the 
brush-wood,  or  some  jutting  crag. 

Miller,  who  had  followed  up  Cordova's  division, 


CHAP.  XXV.  AYACUCHO.  199 

perceiving  its  complete  success,  returned  to  the  regi- 
ment of  Usares  de  Juniu,  which  fortunately  had  been 
left  in  reserve. 

At  dawn  of  day,  the  royalist  division  Valdez  com- 
menced a  detour  of  nearly  a  league.  Descending  the 
sides  of  Condorkanki  on  the  north,  Valdez  had  placed 
himself  on  the  left  of  the  patriots  at  musket-shot 
distance,  separated  by  a  ravine.  At  the  important 
moment  of  the  battle,  just  described,  he  opened  a 
heavy  fire  from  four  field-pieces  and  a  battalion  in 
extended  files.  By  this,  he  obliged  two  battalions 
of  the  Peruvian  division  La  Mar  to  fall  back.  The 
Colombian  battalion  Bargas,  sent  to  support  the  Pe- 
ruvian division,  also  began  to  give  way.  Two  royalist 
battalions  crossed  the  deep  ravine,  already  spoken  of, 
on  the  left,  and  advanced  in  double  quick  time  in  pur- 
suit of  the  retiring  patriots.  At  this  critical  juncture, 
Miller  took  upon  himself  to  lead  the  hussars  of  Junin 
against  the  victorious  Spaniards,  and  by  a  timely 
charge  drove  them  back,  and  followed  them  across 
the  ravine,  by  which  time  he  was  supported  by  the 
granaderos  a  cabal lo  and  by  the  division  La  Mar, 
which  had  rallied.  The  brave  Colonel  Plaza  crossed 
the  ravine  at  the  head  of  the  legion  on  the  left.  Lieu- 
t^nant-Colonel  Moran,  at  the  head  of  the  battalion 
Bargas,  made  a  similar  movement  on  the  right  of  the 
cavalry.  These  two  battalions  and  the  cavalry,  mu- 
tually supporting  and  rivalling  each  other  in  valour, 
repeated  their  charges  with  such  resolution,  that  the 
division  Valdez  was  broken  ;  its  artillery  taken  ;  its 
cavalry  obliged  to  fly  in  disorder;  and  its  infantry 
dispersed. 


BATTLE  OF  CHAP.  xxv. 

The  royalists  had  now  lost  the  battle,  and  fled  to 
the  ridge  from  which  they  had  descended,  in  the 
morning,  with  so  much  confidence. 

The  action  lasted  an  hour.  Fourteen  hundred 
royalists  were  killed,  and  seven  hundred  wounded, 
and  they  lost  fifteen  pieces  of  artillery. 

The  loss  on  the  part  of  the  patriots  was  three 
hundred  and  seventy  killed,  and  six  hundred  and 
nine  wounded  *. 

The  single  piece  of  artillery  belonging  to  the 
patriots  did  considerable  execution  on  the  royalist 
columns,  and  was  of  service  also  in  attracting  a 
heavy  fire  from  their  artillery,  which  if  it  had  been 
directed  upon  the  patriot  columns,  would  have  occa- 
sioned the  loss  to  be  more  considerable. 

The  plan  of  the  royalists  was  to  wait  until  Valdez 
had  outflanked  the  left  of  Sucre's  position,  from 
which  having  driven  him,  the  whole  army  was  to  ad- 

*  Names  of  officers  killed.  Colonel  Carreno,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Medina  -f-, 
Captain  Urquiola ;  Lieutenants,  Oliva,  Colmenares,  Ramirez,  Bonilla,  Sevilla, 
Prieto,  Ramonet. 

Wounded.  Colonels,  Silva,  Luque,  Leal;  Lieutenant-Colonels,  Leon,  Blanco, 
Castillo,  Gerardino ;  Majors,  Torres,  Sornoza ;  Captains,  Ximenes,  Coquis, 
Dorronzoro,  Brown,  Gil,  Cordova,  Urena,  Dorronsoro,  Landacta,  Troyano, 
Alcala,  Grenados,  Miro ;  Lieutenants,  Infantes,  Silva,  Suares,  Vallarino,  Otarola, 
French,  Pedrahita,  Pazaga,  Ariscum,  Otarola,  J.  Suares,  Ornas,  Posadas, 
Miranda,  Montoya,  Morena ;  Ensigns,  Galindo,  Chabur,  Rodriguez,  Malabe, 
Jeran,  Perez,  Calles,  Marquina,  Paredes,  Sabino,  Isa,  Alvarado. 

ABSTRACT. 

killed.  wounded. 

Colonels        .         .  1  3 


Lieutenant-Colonels 

Majors 

Captains 

Lieutenants  .         . 

Ensigns 


Rank  and  file        360 


4 

2 

13 

16 

12 

559 


Total      370  609 


*  Killed  by  the  Indians  of  Huando  on  his  way  to  Lima  with  General  Sucre's  despatch  of  the 
battle.  Lieutenant-Colonel  Medina  was  one  of  the  bravest  officers  in  the  Colombian  army. 
He  had  greatly  distinguished  himself  at  the  affair  of  Juniii. 


CHAP.  XXV.  AYACUCHO.  201 

vance  and  complete  the  victory.  The  mistake  of  the 
viceroy  in  attacking  at  all,  originated  in  suffering 
himself  to  be  impelled  to  it  by  the  eagerness  of  his 
troops.  Their  patience  had  been  worn  out,  by  the 
terrible  marches,  which  appeared  to  them  to  be  end- 
less. At  Guamanguilla,  a  system  of  pasquinading 
had  been  adopted.  The  tents  of  La  Serna,  Canterac, 
and  others,  had  various  lampoons  pasted  on  them, 
and  it  may  be  fairly  said  that  they  were  goaded  by 
their  own  soldiers  into  a  general  action  contrary  to 
their  own  judgment. 

The  royalists,  upon  regaining  the  heights  of  Con- 
dorkanki,  rallied  as  many  of  their  defeated  troops  as 
they  possibly  could.  The  patriot  divisions  La  Mar 
and  Lara  gained  the  summit  of  the  heights  at  about 
1  P.  M.  Before  sunset  Canterac  sued  for  terms,  and 
an  hour  afterward  rode  down  to  the  tent  of  Sucre, 
where  a  capitulation  was  agreed  upon.  The  Vice- 
roy La  Serna,  Generals  Canterac,  Valdez,  Carratala, 
Monet,  Villalobos,  Ferras,  Bedoya,  Somocursio  *, 
Cacho,  Atero,  Landazuri,  Garcia- Camba,  Pardo, 
Vigil,  and  Tur  j  16  colonels,  68  lieutenant-colonels, 
484  officers,  3200  rank  and  file,  became  prisoners  of 
war.  The  rest  had  dispersed. 

The  battle  of  Ayacucho  was  the  most  brilliant 
ever  fought  in  South  America.  The  troops  on  both 
sides  were  in  a  state  of  discipline  which  would  have 
been  creditable  to  the  best  European  armies.  The 
ablest  generals  and  chiefs  of  either  party  were  pre- 
sent, and  it  is  difficult  to  say  which  army  most 

*  Struck  dead  by  lightning  on  his  way  from  Guamanga  to  Arequipa. 


202  BATTLE  OF  CHAP.  xxv. 

panted  for  an  appeal  to  the  sword,  as  every  man 
fought  with  undaunted  bravery.  What  the  patriots 
wanted  in  numbers  was  made  up  by  enthusiasm,  and 
by  a  perfect  knowledge  that,  if  beaten,  retreat  was 
utterly  impracticable.  It  was  not  a  victory  of  mere 
chance,  but  the  result  of  the  most  determined  valour, 
and  of  an  irresistible  onset,  conceived  and  executed 
at  the  proper  moment. 

Sucre  exposed  himself  during  the  action  wherever 
his  presence  was  required  with  the  utmost  sangfroid^ 
and  his  example  produced  its  full  effect.  La  Mar 
displayed  the  same  qualities,  and  with  energetic  elo- 
quence he  rallied  some  corps  that  had  given  way,  and 
reconducted  them  to  the  attack. 

The  heroism  of  General  Cordova  was  the  admira- 
tion of  every  one,  and  they  beheld  with  satisfaction 
his  promotion  upon  the  field  of  battle  to  the  rank  of 
general  of  division,  at  the  age  of  twenty-five  years. 
General  Lara  was  conspicuous  for  activity  and  ex- 
ertion. General  Gamarra  displayed  his  usual  tact. 
Colonel  O'Connor,  adjutant-general,  Colonel  Plaza, 
the  commanding  officers  of  corps,  and  indeed  the 
officers  and  men,  with  hardly  an  exception,  behaved 
with  a  valour  and  zeal  as  if  each  imagined  that  the 
issue  of  the  battle  depended  upon  his  own  individual 
exertion.  Colonels  Caravajal  and  Silva,  Lieutenant- 
Colonels  Suares,  Blanco,  Braun,  Medina,  and  Ola- 
varria,  who  displayed  so  much  valour  at  Junin,  again 
distinguished  themselves  at  Ayacucho.  Captain  Don 
Juan  Alarcon,  aide-de-camp  to  General  Miller,  be- 
haved extremely  well  upon  this  occasion,  as  he  had 
done  on  many  others.  He  was  of  aboriginal  descent, 


CHAP.  XXV.  AYACUCHO.  203 

but  very  well  educated.     He  was  unassuming,  meri- 
torious, and  hard-working. 

So  many  horses  had  been  left  dead  or  dying  on  the 
road  during  the  retreat  from  Lambrama,  that  twenty- 
five  hussars  of  the  regiment  of  Junin  were  mounted 
on  baggage  mules,  merely  to  make  a  display.  When 
the  regiment  charged  they  were  ordered  to  remain  in 
the  rear,  but  they  answered,  "  No,  we  will  conquer  or 
die  with  our  comrades."  In  fact,  they  very  speedily 
exchanged  their  jaded  mules,  for  horses  taken  from 
the  enemy. 

In  the  course  of  this  charge,  the  hussars  caught 
sight  of  the  horse  which  Miller  had  lost  at  Chuqui- 
bamba.  The  rider,  an  orderly  of  Valdez,  was  cut 
down,  and  the  charger  restored  to  its  former  master. 

About  the  same  moment  a  royalist  officer  called 
out  to  Miller,  "  Seiior,  Senor,  I  surrender  to  you. 
Don't  you  remember  me  ?"  He  was  immediately 
recognised  as  Captain  Frias  of  the  Cantabria  regi- 
ment, whom  Commodore  Blanco  sent  on  shore  six 
years  before,  as  a  matter  of  courtesy,  in  exchange  for 
Miller  when  he  returned  on  board  the  San  Martin, 
as  described  in  the  account  of  the  capture  of  the 
Maria  Isabel,  off  Talcahuano.  Miller  was  unable  to 
stop  at  that  moment,  and  not  having  had  the  satis- 
faction of  seeing  Captain  Frias  afterwards,  it  is  pro- 
bable he  was  among  the  slain. 

The  men,  of  one  squadron,  and  all  the  officers  of  a 
royalist  cavalry  regiment,  wore  silver  helmets.  These 
became  the  objects  of  the  particular  attention  of  the 
patriot  soldiers,  during  the  pursuit.  Some  had  the 
presence  of  mind  to  save  themselves,  by  throwing  off 


204-  ANECDOTES.  CHAP.  xxv. 

these  gorgeous  casques,  which,  like  the  golden  apples 
of  Hippomenes,  did  not  fail  to  arrest  the  progress  of 
their  pursuers.  These  silver  baits  proved  as  irresistible 
to  the  patriot  soldiers,  as  the  apples  to  Atalanta.  In 
a  few  hours  every  silver  helmet  had  changed,  not  ex- 
actly heads,  but  owners ;  for  all  were  broken  up  and 
stowed  away  in  the  valises  of  the  captors. 

As  Miller  returned  from  the  pursuit  of  Valdez,  to 
the  field  of  Ayacucho,  he  passed  several  groups  of 
royalist  prisoners.  Many  of  them  called  out  to  him, 
"  Do  you  not  know  us,  mi  mayor,  mi  comandante, 
mi  coronel?"  according  to  the  rank  which  he  had 
held,  when  those  men  happened  to  serve  under  him 
in  the  patriot  ranks,  previously  to  their  becoming 
prisoners,  and  compelled  to  fight  on  the  opposite 
side. 

On  one  part  of  the  field  lay  upwards  of  thirty 
royalist  grenadiers.  From  the  regular  mariner  in 
which  the  bodies  were  grouped,  it  was  evident  that 
they  must  have  made  a  noble  stand,  and  fallen,  at 
nearly  the  same  moment,  in  their  original  formation 
at  the  head  of  a  column.  Near  this  place  Miller 
overtook  his  friend,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Prieto,  of 
the  legion,  who  had  just  succeeded  in  finding,  and 
was  carrying  off,  the  stripped  and  lifeless  body  of  his 
brother,  a  remarkably  fine  lad,  only  nineteen  years  of 
age.  Poor  Prieto  was  deeply  affected  by  his  brother's 
death,  but  said  that  he  felt  some  consolation  in  the 
reflection  that  he  had  fallen  gloriously;  for  "  see 
here,"  said  he,  pointing  to  the  breast  where  the  fatal 
ball  entered;  "  and  look  at  this  other,"  pointing  to 
a  deep  bayonet  wound:  "  my  poor  brother  must  have 


CHAP.  xxv.  ANECDOTES.  205 

been  close  to  his  enemies,  and  both  his  wounds  were 
received  in  front."  This  young  man,  a  native  of 
Guayaquil,  was  a  lieutenant  in  the  Colombian  bat- 
talion Pinchincha.  Miller  perceiving  indications  of 
military  talent,  united  to  the  most  patriotic  enthu- 
siasm, had,  in  the  year  1822,  invited  him  to  accept  a 
commission  in  the  legion,  of  which  his  elder  brother 
was  already  a  captain,  and  who  warmly  seconded  the 
invitation;  but  he  was  so  much  a  Colombian,  that 
nothing  could  induce  him  to  wear  the  cockade  of 
Peru,  although  engaged  in  the  same  common  cause. 
Miller  continued  to  be  occupied  on  various  duties 
till  a  very  late  hour.  About  midnight  he  visited  the 
captive  viceroy,  La  Serna,  who  had  been  placed  in 
one  of  the  best  of  the  miserable  habitations  of  Quinua. 
When  Miller  entered,  he  found  the  viceroy  sitting 
on  a  bench,  and  leaning  against  the  mud  wall  of  the 
hut.  A  glimmering  from  the  wick  of  a  small  earthen 
lamp  threw  enough  of  glare  around  to  render  visible 
his  features,  which  were  shaded  by  his  white  hair, 
still  partially  clotted  with  blood  from  the  wound  he 
had  received.  His  person,  tall  and  at  all  times  dig- 
nified, now  appeared  most  venerable  and  interesting. 
The  attitude,  the  situation,  and  the  scene  altogether, 
was  precisely  that  which  an  historical  painter  would 
have  chosen  to  represent  the  dignity  of  fallen  great- 
ness. Reflecting  on  the  vicissitudes  of  fortune,  it 
may  be  imagined  with  what  feelings  Miller  advanced 
towards  the  man,  who,  but  a  few  hours  previously, 
had  exercised  a  kingly  power.  The  viceroy  was  the 
first  to  speak,  and  holding  out  his  hand,  said,  "  You, 
general,  we  all  know  full  well :  we  have  always  con- 


206  ANECDOTES.  CHAP.  xxv. 

sidered  you  as  a  personal  friend,  notwithstanding  all 
the  mischief  you  have  done,  and  the  state  of  alarm  in 
which  you  have  so  repeatedly  kept  us.  In  spite  of 
my  misfortunes,  I  rejoice  to  see  you."  The  viceroy 
afterwards  observed,  that  a  sentry  had  been  placed, 
as  he  supposed  by  some  mistake,  in  the  same  room 
with  him,  and  that,  in  the  confusion  and  hurry  of  the 
time,  his  own  wound  had  not  been  even  washed. 
Miller  immediately  ordered  the  guard  outside,  and 
sent  for  a  surgeon.  When  the  wound  was  dressed, 
Miller,  in  tendering  his  farther  services,  told  the  vice- 
roy, that  the  only  refreshment  he-had  it  in  his  power 
to  offer  was  a  little  tea,  which  he  happened  to  have 
in  his  canteen,  and  which  he  believed  no  other  person 
in  the  army  could  supply.  The  viceroy,  enfeebled 
by  loss  of  blood,  appeared  to  revive  at  the  very  men- 
tion of  this  beverage.  He  said,  "  it  is  indeed  the 
only  thing  I  could  now  take.  One  cup  of  it  would 
reanimate  me,  and  keep  me  from  sinking."  When  the 
tea  was  brought,  the  venerable  viceroy  drank  it  with 
eagerness,  and  was  perhaps  more  grateful  for  this 
seasonable  relief  than  for  any  kindness  or  favour  he 
had  ever  received.  He  expressed  his  acknowledg- 
ments in  the  warmest  terms  to  Miller,  who  felt  pe- 
culiar gratification  in  having  it  in  his  power  to  pay 
this  small  attention  to  the  distinguished  prisoner. 
He  had  been  long  before  informed  that  the  viceroy 
had  declared,  that  in  the  event  of  his  (Miller's)  being 
taken  prisoner,  he  should  be  treated  as  a  brother,  and 
furnished  with  means  to  return  to  his  own  country. 
This  condition,  however,  Miller  certainly  would  not 
have  consented  to  unless  he  had  been  left  free  to 


CHAP.  xxv.  ANECDOTES.  207 

rejoin  the  Peruvian  army  after  residing  a  given  time 
in  England. 

La  Serna  commenced  his  career  in  the  artillery, 
and,  when  lieutenant-colonel,  served  under  Palafox, 
at  Saragoza,  in  1809.  La  Serna,  created  Conde  de 
los  Andes  on  the  very  day  of  the  battle  of  Ayacucho, 
has  withdrawn  from  public  life,  and  resides  in  his 
native  town  of  Xeres  de  la  Frontera  in  Andalusia. 

After  taking  leave  of  the  viceroy,  Miller  called 
upon   Sucre,  where   he   found  Canterac  and    some 
Spanish  officers  who  had  accompanied  him  to  Qui- 
nua,   to    arrange    the    terms    of  the    capitulation. 
They  took  up  their  quarters  in  Miller's  hut  for  the 
remainder  of  the  night.     Amongst  these  was  Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel Bobadilla,  who  has  been  mentioned 
in  the  account  of  the  capture  of  Valdivia.     He  is 
a  lively,  entertaining  man,   and  of  very  good  ad- 
dress.    The  guests  laid  themselves  down  upon  the 
earthen  floor,  where  it  was  difficult  to  find  a  diy 
spot,  as  the  rain  pelted  through  several  parts  of  the 
roof;  notwithstanding  which,  they  all  soon  fell  asleep, 
with  the  exception  of  Canterac  and  Miller,  who  con- 
versed for  some  time  on  the  varying  events  of  this 
last  campaign.     The  former  was  in  a  state  of  great 
excitement,   and   repeatedly   exclaimed,    "  General 
Miller — General  Miller — all  this  appears  to  be  a 
dream !     How  strange  is  the  fortune  of  war !     Who 
would  have  said  twenty-four  hours  ago,  that  I  should 
have  been  your  guest  ?  but  it  cannot  be  helped :  the 
harassing  war  is  now  over,  and,  to  tell  you  the  truth, 
we  were  all  heartily  tired  of  it." 

General  Canterac  is  a  Frenchman,  whose  parents 


ANECDOTES.  CHAP.  XXV. 

emigrated  to  Spain  in  1792.  He  first  served  in  the 
Spanish  artillery,  and  then  in  the  cavalry.  When  a 
subaltern  he  was  a  good  deal  employed  in  active  par- 
tisan warfare,  and  signalized  himself  by  his  intelli- 
gence and  bravery.  On  one  occasion,  when  General 
Sir  Charles  Doyle  went  to  take  Bagur  by  a  coup-de- 
main,  in  order  to  draw  off  the  attention  of  the  French 
from  O'Donnell,  Canterac  proceeded,  with  a  few 
dragoons  for  the  same  purpose,  with  extraordinary 
rapidity  and  secrecy,  to  Gerona.  He  penetrated  to 
the  very  gates  of  the  town,  alarmed  the  garrison  and 
neighbourhood  by  firing  a  number  of  shots,  and  suc- 
ceeded in  carrying  off  two  French  sentries.  The  at- 
tention of  the  French  was  arrested  for  half  a  day  by 
the  daring  exploit  of  Canterac,  and  drawn  off  for 
twenty-four  hours  by  the  successful  enterprise  of 
the  gallant  Doyle.  Canterac  served  on  the  staff  of 
O'Donnell,  and  would  not  have  been  selected  by 
that  brave  general  had  he  not  possessed  great  valour 
and  intelligence.  Canterac  is  a  disciplinarian,  an 
excellent  tactician,  and  possesses  a  fine  address.  He 
is  turned  of  forty,  is  unemployed  at  present,  and  re- 
sides at  Valladolid,  where  he  has  lately  married. 

The  next  morning  (the  10th  of  December)  Colonel 
Althaus,  whom  we  have  not  long  ago  seen  taken 
prisoner  with  his  milk-white  mule,  made  his  appear- 
ance. He  had  been  conducted  from  Chuquibamba 
to  the  royalists'  head-quarters,  and  had  accompanied 
them  in  all  their  movements.  He  had  witnessed 
from  the  heights  of  Condorkanki  the  animating  scene 
that  had  taken  place  below,  and  was  as  happy  to 
rejoin  his  patriot  comrades  as  they  were  to  receive 


CHAP.  xxv.  ANECDOTES.  209 

him,  and  to  listen  to  an  entertaining  budget  of  new 
adventures.  Althaus  had  been  treated  with  kindness 
by  the  royalist  chiefs,  who  had  been  as  much  amused, 
as  they  were  provoked,  by  the  dry  humour  with  which 
he  met,  and  evaded,  every  question  intended  to 
elicit  information  as  to  the  actual  strength  of  the 

C5 

patriots.  This  meritorious  officer  has  since  married 
a  Peruvian  lady  of  rank  and  fortune,  and  has  settled 
in  Arequipa. 

On  the  same  morning  (of  the  10th)  Miller  saw  a 
Spanish  officer  approaching  his  quarters,  in  company 
with   Sucre.     The  royalist,   a  small    spare   person, 
with  a  slight  inclination  to  stoop,  wore  a  broad-brim- 
med hat,  of  vicuna  beaver,  a  coarse  gray  surtout,  and 
long  brown  worsted  leggings.     When  he  came  near, 
his  sparkling  keen  eyes  enlivened  a  sunburnt,  wea- 
ther-beaten, but  highly  interesting  countenance.   Be- 
fore Sucre  had  time  to  introduce  him,  he  ran  forward 
a  few  paces,  and  embraced  Miller,  saying,  "  I  know 
who  you  are — I  am  Valdez  : — you  and  I  cannot  but 
be   friends."     Then,  turning  to  Sucre,  he  added, 
"  This  Miller  has  often  kept  us  upon  the   move. 
They  called  me  active ;   but  he  was  like  a  wizard 
(bruxo),  here,  there,  and  every  where,  without  our 
ever  being  able  to  penetrate  his  designs,  ascertain 
his  numbers,  or  find  out  what  he  was  about,  until  he 
had  dealt  out  some  sly  blow  (hasta  que  nos  habia 
pegado  algun  chasco\" 

General  Valdez,  born  (1?86)  at  Placentia,  in 
Estremadura,  was  educated  for  the  bar,  but  took 
arms  on  the  French  invasion  of  the  Peninsula,  and 
was  a  lieutenant  in  the  army  of  General  Cuesta  in 

VOL.  II.  P 


210  ANECDOTES.  CHAP.  xxv. 

1810.     In  the  following  year  he  was  a  captain  and 
aide-de-camp  to  General  Ballesteros.     He  was  the 
adviser,  and  supposed  to  be  the  writer,  of  Ballasteros' 
remonstrance  to  the  regency,  upon  their  nominating 
Lord  Wellington  generalissimo.     This  opposition  to 
the    British   general   gained   him    popularity   with 
many,  but  he  incurred  the  displeasure  of  his  govern- 
ment, and  retired  with  Ballesteros  on  his  removal 
from  command.     In  1813,  Valdez  was   again  em- 
ployed, and  served  with  distinction.    On  the  restora- 
tion   of  Ferdinand,  he   retired    to  his   native  pro- 
vince.    In  1815  he  accompanied  General  La  Serna 
to  Peru  as  chief  of  the  staff.     His  military  genius  is 
apparent  from  what  has  been  stated  in  these  me-* 
moirs.     His  disinterestedness  is  a  trait  which  ought 
not  to  be  passed  over  in  silence.     Latterly  he  never 
would  receive  pay.    When  he  wanted  money,  he  was 
accustomed  to  apply  to  the  friend  who  was  nearest  at 
hand,  and  able  to  supply  his  immediate  wants.     On 
one  occasion,  when  he  was  in  the  south,  he  sent  to 
a  merchant  in  Arequipa  for  three  hundred  dollars : 
five  hundred  were  sent ;  but  as  Valdez  did  not  want 
more  than  he  had  asked  for,  he  returned  the  surplus 
by  the  bearer.     He  was  so  negligent  of  personal  ap- 
pearance,   that   he  was  generally  indebted   to    his 
friends  for   the  renovation  of  his  wardrobe.     The 
dress  he  wore,  on  the  morning  referred  to,  had  been 
presented  to  him,  the  year  before,  by  his  own  sol- 
diers.    His  table  was  never  supplied  with  any  thing 
beyond  his  rations.     He  slept  on  a  poncho  or  two, 
in  the  open  air,  at  the  head  of  his  division,  whenever 
it  was  on  the  march.     The  Spanish  soldiers  used  to 


CHAP.  XXV.  ANECDOTES. 

say  of  him,  that  "  en  campana  el  tio  siempre  esta  en 
casa."  The  humour  of  this  phrase  cannot  be  pre- 
served in  a  translation.  The  literal  meaning  is,  that 
this  uncle  of  ours  is  always  at  home,  or  at  hand,  when 
campaigning. 

As  a  public  character,  Valdez  was  considered  vio- 
lent, abrupt,  overbearing,  and  uncourteous.  He  was 
feared  by  his  officers,  but  idolized  by  his  men.  He 
is  certainly  a  man  of  very  superior  mind,  and  pos- 
sesses a  degree  of  nerve  that  might  have  rendered 
him  a  worthy  companion  for  a  Charles  the  Twelfth, 
or  a  Suwarrow.  Valdez  is  now  second  in  command 
of  the  province  of  Arragon. 

Miller  had  also  the  satisfaction  of  making  the  per- 
sonal acquaintance  of  other  distinguished  royalists, 
to  most  of  whom  he  had  been  opposed  in  the  course 
of  the  war. 

Many  Spanish  officers,  availing  themselves  of  the 
terms  of  the  capitulation,  received  their  passports, 
and  set  out  for  Spain  by  the  way  of  Lima,  Arequipa, 
or  Buenos  Ayres.  A  few  remained  to  settle  their 
own  private  affairs.  Of  the  royalist  soldiers,  some 
entered  the  patriot  battalions ;  but  the  greater  part 
dispersed  and  returned  to  their  homes. 

From  the  important  result  of  the  battle  of  Aya- 
cucho,  it  may  be  imagined  that,  had  victory  decided 
for  the  Spaniards,  their  triumph  would  have  been  as 
complete  and  conclusive  as  that  of  the  patriots.  But 
this  supposition  would  be  altogether  erroneous.  The 
liberating  army  might  have  been  annihilated  ;  all  the 
chiefs  commanding  it  might  have  been  destroyed ; 
and  although,  in  that  case,  the  Spaniards  would,  for 

p  2 


212  ANECDOTES.  CHAP.  XXV. 

a  time,  have  carried  every  thing  before  them,  yet 
they  must  have  succumbed  in  the  end.  There  was 
little  chance  of  their  receiving  succours  or  supplies 
from  Spain ;  and  the  repeated  and  daring  efforts  of 
other  chiefs,  and  other  armies,  which  would  suc- 
sessively  or  simultaneously  have  sprung  up,  would 
have  perpetually  harassed  and  worn  them  out ;  and 
though  the  country  might  have  been  desolated,  and 
misery  have  spread  to  its  remotest  corners,  the  cause 
of  independence  must  have  eventually  proved  tri- 
umphant. 

The  expiring  effort  of  Olaneta  in  the  south,  and 
the  gallant  defence  of  Callao  by  Rodil,  were  merely 
additional  evidence  of  the  extraordinary  perseverance 
with  which  the  Spaniards  endeavoured  to  retain,  and 
the  unwillingness  with  which  they  finally  relin- 
quished, their  pertinacious  grasp  on  the  LAND  OF 

THE      SUN,      the     ONCE    GLORIOUS     EMPIRE     OF     THE 

INCAS. 


CHAP.  XXVI.  LIEUTENANT  WYMAN.  213 


CHAPTER   XXVI. 

Patriots  enter  Cuzco. — Rejoicings. — Prophecy  recorded  by  Gar- 
cilaso  de  la  Vega.  —  Tradition  of  the  origin  of  the  Incas. 
— Their  form  of  government. — Their  policy. — Population 
previous  to  the  conquest. — City  of  Cuzco. — Ruins. — Temple 
of  the  Sun. — Public  edifices. — Summary  of  the  history  of 
Cuzco. — Compared  with  Rome. — Veneration  in  which  the 
memory  of  the  Incas  is  held. — Dress,  manners,  and  customs 
of  the  Indians. — Description  of  the  Coca. 

GENERAL  SUCRE,  determining  to  lose  no  time  or 
advantage  after  the  victory  of  Ayacucho,  ordered 
General  Gamarra  to  inarch  with  a  Peruvian  battalion 
from  Guamanga  for  Cuzco,  on  the  12th  of  Decem- 
ber. General  Miller  followed  on  the  16th. 

On  the  march,  many  patriot  soldiers,  who,  from 
wounds  or  sickness,  had  been  unable  to  keep  up  with 
the  army,  and  had  managed  to  conceal  themselves 
during  the  advance  of  the  royalists,  now  came  forth, 
and  were  re-attached  to  their  respective  corps. 
Amongst  those  who  had  been  wounded  and  taken 
was  Lieutenant  Wyman,  of  the  usares  de  Junin, 
whose  gallantry  and  good  conduct  entitle  him  to 
notice. 

Having  failed  in  a  desperate  attempt  to  escape 
from  his  escort,  he  was  treated  with  great  severity. 
Not  being  able  to  sit  upright  on  horseback,  the 
Spaniards  slung  him  across  a  raw-boned  mule,  and 
conducted  him  in  this  manner  almost  senseless  for 


214  CUZCO.  CHAP.  xxvi. 

two  days.  On  arriving  at  Abancay,  he  was  supposed 
to  be  so  near  his  end,  that  he  was  thrown  upon  a  heap 
of  rubbish  at  the  door  of  a  hut,  and  left  to  die.  A 
poor  Indian  woman,  under  cover  of  the  night,  with 
the  assistance  of  her  son,  removed  the  almost  lifeless 
body,  and  concealed  it  until  the  royalists  marched 
away,  after  which  she  watched  over  the  unfortunate 
Wyman  with  the  greatest  care  and  solicitude,  admi- 
nistering all  the  aid  her  scanty  means  would  allow. 

Upon  Miller's  entering  Abancay,  about  ten  days 
afterwards,  he  was  told  that  an  Englishman  was 
lying  in  a  hovel,  in  the  most  deplorable  condition. 
He  hastened  to  visit  him,  and  found  Lieutenant 
Wyman  stretched  out  upon  a  rug,  which  was  satu- 
rated with  his  blood,  and  sticking  fast  to  his  fester- 
ing wounds.  The  unfortunate  youth  was  quite  de- 
lirious, and  so  emaciated,  that  it  was  with  difficulty 
the  general  could  recognise  the  features  of  his  young 
friend.  He  immediately  supplied  him  with  some 
linen  and  clothes,  and  left  what  money  he  had  with 
him  for  the  Indian  Samaritan.  Wyman  recovered 
under  her  care,  and  is  now  a  promising  officer  in  the 
Peruvian  service. 

Gamarra  entered  Cuzco  on  Christmas-day,  1824, 
and  was  received  with  acclamations.  Miller  arrived 
a  few  hours  after.  The  Peruvian  division  La  Mar 
joined  on  the  30th,  and  those  of  Colombia,  Cordova, 
and  Lara,  arrived  a  few  days  subsequently.  Sucre 
attempted  to  enter  the  city  incognito,  but  was  re- 
cognised, and  hailed  with  ardent  vivas. 

A  complete  jubilee  followed,  and  many  splendid 
entertainments  were  got  up  in  compliment  to  the 


CHAP.  xxvi.  CUZCO.  215 

patriots.  The  balls  were  well  attended  by  ladies,  who 
were  principally  of  the  royalist  party.  They  were 
accompanied  by  their  husbands  or  brothers,  who  had 
held  civil  or  military  employment  under  the  king. 
Amongst  the  military  were  several  general  and  other 
officers,  who  had  capitulated  after  the  battle  of  Aya- 
cucho.  At  a  grand  dinner,  given  by  the  clergy 
of  San  Antonio,  to  the  Peruvian  generals  La  Mar, 
Gamarra,  and  Miller,  the  proposal  to  drink  the 
health  of  the  last  was  prefaced  by  a  complimentary 
interpretation  of  a  tradition,  construing  his  arrival  at 
the  ancient  capital  of  the  Incas  into  a  partial  verifi- 
cation of  the  prophecy  recorded  by  Garcilaso  de  la 
Vega  (born  at  Cuzco  eight  years  after  the  conquest), 
as  well  as  by  Calandra,  author  of  the  Chronicles  of 
Saint  Augustine,  and  by  Herrera  in  his  Decades. 
"  Deum  ego  tester,  mihi  a  Don  Antonio  de  Berreo 
affirmatum,  quemadmodum  etiam  ab  aliis  cognovi, 
quod  in  praecipuo  ipsorum  templo,  inter  alia  vati- 
cinia  quae  de  amisione  regni  loquuntur,  hoc  enim  sit, 
quod  dicitur  fore  ut  Ingae  sive  imperatores  et  reges 
Peruviae,  ab  aliquo  populo  qui  ex  regione  quadam 
quae  Inclaterra  vocetur,  in  regnum  suum  rursus 
introducantur  *." 

The  city  of  Cuzco  is  situated  one  hundred  leagues 
from  the  coast,  and,  in  1825,  contained  above  forty 
thousand  inhabitants.  It  was  founded  by  Manco 
Capac,  the  first  Inca  of  Peru,  about  the  tenth  or 
eleventh  century. 

*  "  I  declare,  before  God,  that  it  was  affirmed  to  me  by  Don  Antonio  de 
Berreo,  as  well  as  by  others  whom  I  knew,  that,  amongst  other  prophecies,  in 
their  chief  temple,  which  spoke  of  the  loss  of  the  empire,  there  was  one  which 
declared  that  it  would  come  to  pass,  that  the  incas,  or  emperors,  or  kings,  of 
Peru,  would  be  restored  to  their  throne  by  a  certain  people  from  a  country 
called  Inglaterra"  (England). 


216  TRADITION.  CHAP.   XX VI. 

But  before  attempting  to  describe  some  of  the 
most  remarkable  features  of  that  interesting  capital, 
we  shall  recount  one  of  the  traditional  fables  as 
to  the  origin  of  the  incarial  race,  and  draw  a 
brief  outline  of  their  ancient  policy  and  laws.  In 
conformity  with  the  general  rule  by  which  most 
nations  and  heroes  claim  a  supernatural  origin,  the 
Peruvians  pretend,  that  their  Incas  descended  from 
the  sun.  The  source  of  their  belief  is  thus  ex- 
plained. It  is  said  that  a  white  man  was  cast 
away  upon  the  coast  of  Peru,  and  was  received  and 
adopted  by  a  cacique,  whose  daughter,  although 
blind  from  her  birth,  the  stranger  married,  and  by 
her  had  a  son -and  a  daughter.  It  is  supposed  that 
he  taught  his  children  something  of  agriculture, 
architecture,  and,  perhaps,  some  other  arts,  until 
then  unknown  in  Peru.  The  white  man  and  his 
Peruvian  wife  both  dying,  the  cacique  took  his 
grandchildren  to  a  mountain  overlooking  the  thickly- 
peopled  valley  of  Cuzco  * :  he  then  descended,  and 
assembled  the  inhabitants,  to  whom  he  declared 
that  their  god,  the  sun,  had  taken  pity  upon  them, 
and  sent  two  of  his  own  children  to  instruct  and 
govern  them  :  that  they  would  find  them  upon  the 
mountain,  and  that  the  truth  of  his  assertion  would 
be  proved  by  the  hair  of  the  young  man  and  woman 
being  actually  of  the  colour  of  the  sun's  beams.  But 
the  Cuxquenos,  however,  imagining  that  the  light 
hair  and  fair  complexion  had  been  produced  by  witch- 
craft, banished  the  brother  and  sister  to  the  valley  of 
Rimac.  Thence  the  cacique  afterwards  removed 
his  golden-haired  grandchildren  to  an  island  in  the 

*  Cuzco  is  the  corruption  of  Ccozccoo,  which  means  navel,  or  centrical. 


CHAP.  XXVI.  TRADITION.  217 

lake  of  Titicaca,  where  he  luckily  found  the  inhabitants 
more  easy  of  belief.  Persevering  in  his  original  in- 
tention of  aggrandizing  and  deifying  his  family,  the 
cacique  counselled  his  grandson  to  assemble  the  whole 
population  of  the  island,  and  to  return  at  their  head  to 
Cuzco.  The  inhabitants  of  the  latter,  seeing  the 
fair-haired  strangers  return,  followed  by  a  powerful 
multitude,  quietly  submitted;  acknowledged  them  as 
children  of  the  sun;  and  proclaimed  them  Incas. 
The  city  of  Cuzco  then  gradually  arose. 

We  will  leave  it  to  antiquarians  to  decide  upon  the 
probability  of  an  Englishman's  having  been  thrown 
upon  the  coast  of  Peru  800  years  ago.  Quichuan 
etymologists  affirm  that  the  cacique,  on  asking  the 
shipwrecked  stranger  who  he  was,  received  for  answer, 
"  Englishman."  This  was  pronounced  in  the  Quickua 
language  Ingasman.  To  this  was  added  Cocopac  (or 
blooming),  which  united  would  make  Ingasman-co- 
copac,  which,  say  the  Peruvians,  is  the  derivation  of 
Inca  Manco-Capac,  the  founder  of  the  incarial  race. 

The  government  of  the  Incas  was  a  pure  despotism, 
but  so  modified,  by  patriarchal  customs  and  institu- 
tions, that  Peru  advanced  rapidly  in  the  arts  as  well 
of  peace  as  of  war,  and  flourished  during  the  unble- 
mished lives  of  eleven  successive  sovereigns.  The 
destructive  civil  war,  which  brought  about  the  mur- 
der of  Huascar,  by  his  yet  more  unfortunate  half- 
brother  Atahualpa,  cast  the  first  stain  upon  their, 
until  then,  blameless  annals. 

The  happiness  of  the  people  appears  to  have  been 
the  main  object  of  the  policy  and  solicitude  of  the 
Incas.  Even  their  conquests  would  seem  to  have 


218  POLICY  OF  THE  INCAS.          CHAP.  xxvi. 

been  undertaken  with  no  other  view.  Gold  and  silver 
were  used  for  ornamental  purposes  alone,  and  were 
not  known  as  a  circulating  medium.     The  produce 
of  the  earth  was  enjoyed  in  common.     The  whole 
was  divided  by  proper  officers,  into  four  portions, 
The  first  was  destined  to  the  support  of  the  widow, 
the  orphan,  and  the  helpless.  The  second  to  the  main- 
tenance of  the  priests  and  virgins  of  the  sun,   the 
construction  or  adorning  of  temples,  and  to  provide 
for  whatever  else  appertained  to,  the  most  innocent  of 
all  idolatries,  the  worship  of  the  refulgent  orb  of  day. 
The  third  quarter  was  appropriated  to  the  community. 
The  fourth  maintained,  in  more  than  regal  splendour, 
the  Inca  and  the  incarial  family,  which,  in  the  course 
of  ages,  became  exceedingly  numerous  :  polygamy  be- 
ing permitted  to  the  Incas,  their  progeny  soon  spread 
in  endless  ramifications  over  the  provinces.    So  nume- 
rous indeed  was  the  incarial  race,  that  the  virgins  of 
the  sun  were,  for  the  most  part,  daughters  of  the  blood 
royal.     The  Incas  spoke  a  language  which  was  not 
permitted  to  be  taught  even  to  the  nobles,  much  less 
the  people  :   and,  what  is  very  remarkable,  messages 
in  the  family  language  were  transmitted  viva  voee 
from  one  end  of  the  empire  to  the  other,  by  means  of 
chasquis,  or  messengers  on  foot,  stationed  at  certain 
intervals,  not  one  of  these  understanding  the  import 
of  this  sort  of  telegraphic  communication,  which  some- 
times passed  through  above  ahundred  mouths,  and  over 
many  hundred  leagues.  The  language  of  the  Incas  was 
lost  in  a  generation  or  two  after  the  conquest.     That 
now  spoken  by  the  aborigines  is  the   Quichua,  or 
general  language  of  the  ancient  Peruvians. 


CHAP.  xxvi.  ANCIENT  PERU.  219 

In  the  reign  of  Huaina  Capac  (tenth  Inca),  the 
empire  extended  from  the  northern  confines  of  Quito 
to  the  river  Maule  in  Chile,  a  distance  from  north  to 
south  of  nearly  forty  degrees,  and  from  the  shores  of 
the  Pacific  to  the  pampas  of  Tucuman.     Its  popula- 
tion is  supposed  to  have  exceeded  ten  millions.  Hum- 
boldt,  misled  by  the  authority  of  Father  Cisneros, 
states  that,  in  1575,  it  amounted  to  only  1,500,000. 
This  could  only  have  related  to  the  number  of  males 
between  the  ages  of  eighteen  andjifty,  subject  to  tri- 
bute ;  for,  according  to  the  general  census  made  in 
that  year,  by  Archbishop  Loaiza,  by  order  of  Philip 
the  Second,  the  grand  total  of  the  population  amounted 
to  8,280,000. 

On  the  invasion  of  Pizarro,   the  Peruvians  were 
found  to  have  attained  a  high  degree  of  civilization, 
much  higher,  indeed,  than  any  other  nation  was  ever 
known  to  have  reached  prior  to  the  use  of  letters,  or 
graphic  records.  Wonderful  remains  of  works  of  uti- 
lity prove  their  knowledge,  skill,  and  extraordinary 
industry.  In  many  of  the  provinces,  the  sides  of  lofty 
hills,  or  rather  mountains,  are  cased  round  with  ter- 
races, or  hanging  gardens,  as  they  have  elsewhere  been 
called,  which  rise  one  above  another  to  a  surprising 
elevation.   The  terraces  are  faced  with  rough  irregu- 
lar stone,  and,  although  of  inconsiderable  width,  cover 
the  sides  of  such  high  and  extensive  mountains,  that 
they  alone  must  have  produced  subsistence  for  a  very 
considerable  population.     Those  terraced   strips  of 
land  were  by  the  Peruvians  called  Andenes,  which 
probably  induced  the  conquerors  to  give  the  name  of 
Andes  to  the  entire  mighty  ridge  of  mountains,  or 


220  ANCIENT  PERU.  CHAP.  xxvi. 

cordillera,  which  stretches  from  the  straits  of  Magel- 
lan to  the  isthmus  of  Panama.  The  Andenes  are  often 
to  be  seen  in  districts  where  rain  never  falls,  and  how 
they  could  have  been  irrigated  is  now  unknown. 

In  the  lower  ground,  what  are  now  desert  levels  of 
many  leagues  square  were  once  irrigated  by  immense 
azequias,  which  conveyed  abundance  of  water,  giving 
fertility  to  tracts  at  present  condemned  to  absolute 
barrenness.  In  several  places  may  be  seen  the  ruins 
of  well-built  cities,  which  cover  more  ground  than 
modern  Lima  or  Madrid.  Some  of  them  are  up- 
wards of  twenty  miles  from  the  nearest  supply  of 
water. 

The  crumbling  remains  of  numerous  fishing  vil- 
lages on  the  border  of  the  Pacific,  prove,  that  the 
ocean  was  made  to  contribute  extensively  to  the 
wants  or  luxuries  of  the  people.  By  means  of  the 
messengers  before  described,  the  tables  of  the  incarial 
family  at  Cuzco  were  regularly  supplied  with  sea  fish. 
The  subterraneous  azequias  of  Nasca  are  worthy  of 
investigation.  How  far  they  extend  is  not  known, 
but  it  is  supposed  that  the  Peruvians  drove  an  adit 
horizontally  until  they  met  with  a  perennial  spring. 
The  valley  of  Nasca  depends  exclusively  upon  water 
thus  obtained.  The  desert  north  and  south  of  it 
is  nearly  a  hundred  miles  in  breadth.  The  under- 
ground aqueducts  are  lined  with  uncemented  ma- 
sonry. From  the  bottom  of  the  channel  to  the  crown 
of  the  arch  is  about  four  or  five  feet,  and  about  three 
feet  in  width.  Many  of  them  are  now  choked  up ;  but 
a  sufficient  number  remain  to  give  amazing  fer- 
tility to  the  valley  of  Nasca,  where  the  vine,  which 


CHAP.  xxvi.  ANCIENT  PERUVIANS.  221 

is  extensively  cultivated,  is  often  equal  in  girth  to  an 
elm  of  thirty  years'  growth. 

The  valley  of  Santa  once  contained  a  population  of 
seven  hundred  thousand  souls  :  it  now  numbers  only 
seven  hundred,  according  to  the  account  given  by  the 
governor  in  1824..  Acari  once  reckoned  sixty  thou- 
sand inhabitants:  it  now  contains  but  six  thousand, 
the  greatest  part  of  which  are  negro  slaves.  Acari 
is  a  corruption  of  Nacari,  which  signifies  tribulation, 
and  is  the  spot  to  which  offenders  and  criminals  were 
formerly  exiled. 

It  appears  that  the  Peruvians  never  built  a  town  on, 
or  suffered  a  single  house  to  occupy,  a  spot  that  was 
susceptible  of  cultivation. 

The  monuments  which  in  Cuzco  still  survive  the 
destructive  barbarity  of  its  conquerors  attest,  more 
strongly  than  the  concurring  accounts  of  early  Spanish 
authors,  the  power,  the  splendour,  and  the  civilization 
of  the  people  by  whom  they  were  erected.  The  ex- 
tent and  magnificence  of  this  city  arose,  in  a  great 
measure,  from  one  singular  and  striking  trait  in  the 
policy  of  the  Incas.  Every  tribe  or  nation  of  which 
their  vast  empire  was  composed  was  allowed  (on  being 
conquered)  to  add  a  new  division  to  the  city.  Those 
who,  from  commercial,  political,  or  other  views,  chose 
to  reside  or  settle  in  the  capital,  were  permitted  to 
do  so,  in  the  full  enjoyment  of  their  own  language, 
usages,  and  costume.  These  aggregations  were  ren- 
dered the  more  numerous  by  a  regulation  which 
obliged  the  youth  of  certain  superior  classes  to  be 
sent  from  all  parts  of  the  empire  to  be  educated  in 
the  capital.  The  administration  of  distant  provinces, 


ANCIENT  PERUVIANS.  CHAP.  xxvi. 

inhabited  by  warlike  tribes,  could  thus  be  intrusted 
with  safety  to  men  regularly  initiated  into  the  science 
of  government,  under  the  immediate  superintendence 
of  the  reigning  Inca,  whom  they  were  taught  both  to 
love  and  fear.  Moreover,  these  sons  of  noble  families 
became  hostages  for  the  good  conduct  of  their  pa- 
rents, whose  rank  and  influence  might  occasionally 
dispose  them  to  treasonable  or  ambitious  views. 

In  the  education  of  the  Peruvians,  the  blended 
code  of  morality  and  of  legislation  was  no  less  simple 
than  beneficial  to  the  greater  number.  Three  concise 
precepts  formed  the  foundation  of  the  whole  system, 

AMA     SUA AMA      QUALLA AMA     LLULLA.         TllOU 

shalt  not  steal,  thou  shalt  not  lie,  thou  shalt  not  be 
idle.  Upon  these  first  principles  was  founded  the 
code  of  civil  laws,  which  embraced  the  whole  wants 
and  relations  of  civil  society,  and  extended  from  the 
partitionary  laws,  which  divided  the  lands  with  the 
most  exact  proportions  and  impartiality,  to  the  sump- 
tuary edicts,  which  graduated  the  expenditure,  not  only 
of  the  lower  and  middle  classes,  but  of  the  highest 

o 

orders  in  the  state.  Children  were  compelled  to  fol- 
low the  calling  of  their  fathers,  unless  otherwise  au- 
thorized by  the  local  governors.  Peruvians  were  not 
allowed  to  remove  permanently  from  their  native  di- 
stricts, unless  the  government  thought  it  expedient 
to  order  unpeopled  tracts  within  the  empire  to  be 
colonized,  for  the  purpose  of  thinning  other  provinces 
where  the  population  had  become  too  dense. 

The  same  code  also  contained,  what  were  deno- 
minated, laws  of  brotherhood,  to  provide  mutual  as- 
sistance in  the  common  wants  of  life;  laws  ofhu- 


CHAP.  XXVI.  ANCIENT  PERUVIANS.  223 

manity,  to  succour  the  sick,  the  aged,  the  weakly,  the 
maimed,  and  the  unfortunate;  and  laws  of  hospitality, 
which  provided,  at  the  public  expense,  for  the  neces- 
sities of  the  stranger  and  the  traveller. 

Magistrates  were  appointed  solely  for  the  purpose 
of  inspecting  domestic  economy,  and  were  armed  with 
powers  not  only  to  remedy  any  deficiency  in  regard 
to  dress,  cleanliness,  or  education,  on  the  part  of  the 
parents  towards  their  children ;  but  also  to  enforce 
obedience,  respect,  and  support  from  children  towards 
their  parents. 

These  evidently  were  laws  which  waged  perpetual 
war  against  idleness  and  vice.  They  provided  even 
for  the  employment  of  children,  from  five  years  old 
and  upwards,  in  occupations  adapted  to  their  age  and 
station  in  the  community:  thus  endeavouring  to 
make  their  infantine  labours  beneficial  to  the  public 
which  maintained  them. 

The  city  of  Cuzco  is  built  upon  uneven  ground,  in 
the  midst  of  a  fertile  and  very  extensive  valley.  The 
numerous  ravines  in  its  neighbourhood  are  highly 
cultivated,  and  by  means  of  irrigation  preserve  an 
aspect  of  luxuriant  verdure  throughout  the  year. 
Twenty  leagues  to  the  eastward  commence  the  terri- 
tories inhabited  by  unsubdued  tribes,  who  allow  no 
stranger  to  penetrate  into  their  country. 

Of  the  temple  of  the  sun  at  Cuzco,  there  only 
remain  some  walls  of  singular  construction,  upon 
which  is  raised  the  convent  of  Santo  Domingo,  a 
most  magnificent  structure. 

The  royal  gardens  formerly  belonging  to  the  tem- 
ple of  the  sun,  and  once  the  repository  of  the  favourite 


TEMPLE   OF   THE   SUN.  CHAP.  XXVI. 

animals  and  birds  of  the  Incas,  who  delighted  in  ex- 
tensive menageries,  were  crowded  with  massive  orna- 
ments in  gold  and  silver,  many  of  them  representing 
gigantic  shrubs  and  flowers.  Where  these  gardens 
stood  are  now  enclosures  oflucern  and  corn-fields. 
The  chambers,  formerly  the  residence  of  the  virgins 
of  the  sun,  are  now  occupied  by  holy  friars. 

Not  far  from  the  temple  is  the  spot  where  the  first 
Spaniards  formed  their  quartet  or  intrenched  encamp- 
ment, in  which,  whenever  overpowered  by  numbers, 
they  took  refuge,  and  sustained  a  siege.  According 
to  monastic  tradition,  the  Peruvians  on  one  occasion 
set  fire  to  the  defences,  but  at  the  moment  the  be- 
sieged were  on  the  point  of  perishing,  the  Virgin 
Mary  descended  in  a  cloud  to  their  succour  ;  extin- 
guished the  flames,  and  gave  a  decisive  victory  to  the 
exterminating  propagators  of  the  holy  catholic  faith. 
The  cathedral  erected  near  this  spot  exists  in  pristine 
splendour,  and  contains  a  chapel,  called  Nuestra 
Senora  del  triunfo,  built  to  commemorate  this 
miracle. 

Upon  a  lofty  hill,  a  little  to  the  north  of  the  city, 
stands  the  ruins  of  a  mighty  fortress,  many  parts  of 
the  walls  of  which  are  still  in  perfect  preservation. 
They  are  built  of  stones  of  extraordinary  magnitude  j 
of  polyangular*  shapes  j  and  of  different  dimensions, 

*  This  polyangular  construction,  without  cement,  is  by  European  antiquarians 
denominated  the  Cyclopean  ;  they  supposing  it  to  be  very  much  antecedent  to 
the  authentic  records  of  Grecian  history,  and  that  the  Cyclops,  the  fabled  first 
inhabitants  of  SicDy,  were  the  authors  of  it.  The  most  perfect  and  complete 
Cyclopean  polyangular  fabric  is  to  be  found  at  Arpinum  in  the  Abruzzi 
(Samnia),  the  birth-place  of  Cicero  and  Caius  Marius  ;  the  walls,  citadel, 
and  gates  of  which  town  are  in  this  style  of  building,  and  in  as  perfect  preser- 
vation as  if  the  architect  had  just  finished  his  work.  The  gateways,  instead  of 
being  arched,  are  formed  by  huge  stones  of  from  ten  to  fifteen  tons  each,  being 
overlaid  about  two  feet  in  succession,  until  they  meet  at  the  apex,  over  which  is 


CHAP.  xxvr.  CUZCO.  225 

placed  one  upon  another  without  any  sort  of  cement, 
but  fitted  with  such  nicety  as  not  to  admit  the  inser- 
tion of  a  needle  between  them.  It  is  surprising,  and 
still  unexplained,  how  or  by  what  machinery  the 
Peruvians  could  have  conveyed  and  raised  these 
enormous  masses  to  such  heights;  and  it  is  equally 
extraordinary  how  the  diversified  angles  of  the  blocks 
could  have  been  fitted  with  such  minute  precision. 

The  cathedral,  the  convents  of  St.  Augustine 
and  of  La  Merced,  are  stupendous  buildings,  inferior 
in  architecture  and  magnificence  to  few  ecclesiastical 
structures  in  the  old  world. 

The  walls  of  many  of  the  houses  have  remained  un- 
altered for  centuries.  The  great  size  of  the  stones, 
the  variety  of  their  shapes,  and  the  inimitable  work- 
manship they  display,  give  to  the  city  that  interesting 
air  of  antiquity  and  romance,  which  fills  the  mind 
with  pleasing  though  painful  veneration,  and  excite 
feelings  of  abhorrence  and  regret  that  any  portion  of 
such  admirable  specimens  of  the  arts,  which  in  days 
so  far  remote  flourished  among  the  subjects  of  the 
children  of  the  sun,  should  have  been  defaced  or  de- 
stroyed by  the  wanton  barbarity  of  Europeans. 

Perhaps  the  history  of  Cuzco  could  not  be  com- 
prised in  a  more  brief  and  interesting  summary  than 
is  contained  in  a  letter  written  by  Colonel  O'Leary, 
in  1825,  of  which  the  following  is  an  extract : 

"  Cuzco  interests  me  highly.   Its  history,  its  fables, 


laid  a  block  of  enormous  dimensions.  The  ancient  Roman  paved  roads,  such 
as  the  Via  Appia,  &c.  &c.  are  precisely  of  a  similar  construction,  except  that 
we  may  call  them  horizontal  instead  of  vertical  Cyclopean  walls.  The  stones  of 
the  walls  of  Cuzco  have  seldom  fewer  than  from  six  to  nine  angles ;  sometimes 
more. 

VOL.  II.  Q 


CUZCO.  CHAP.  XXVT. 

its  ruins,  are  enchanting.  This  city  may  with  truth 
be  called  the  Rome  of  America.  The  immense  for- 
tress on  the  north  is  the  Capitol.  The  temple  of  the 
sun  is  its  Coliseum.  Manco  Capac  was  its  Romulus, 
Viracocha  its  Augustus,  Huascar  its  Pompey,  and 
Atahualpa  its  Ca3sar.  The  Pizarros,  Almagros,  Val- 
divias,  and  Toledos,  are  the  Huns,  Goths,  and  Chris- 
tians who  have  destroyed  it.  Tupac  Amaru  is  its 
Belisarius,  who  gave  it  a  day  of  hope.  Pumacagua 
is  its  Rienzi  and  last  patriot." 

Such  is  the  veneration  in  which  the  Indians  hold 
the  memory  of  their  Incas,  that  in  many  provinces 
they  wear  mourning  for  them  to  the  present  time. 

The  dress  of  an  aboriginal  Peruvian  female  is  a 
loose  garment  of  dark  coarse  woollen  cloth,  extending 
from  the  neck  to  the  ankle,  and  confined  at  the  waist 
by  a  broad,  coloured  belt.  A  small  cloth  mantle  is 
folded  and  laid  flat  upon  the  crown  of  the  head,  so 
as  to  leave  a  part  of  it  dropping  down  to  the  shoulders 
behind,  something  like  that  which  is  still  common  to 
the  female  peasantry  of  the  neighbourhood  of  Rome. 
The  drapery  worn  as  mourning  is  the  anaco,  a  narrow 
black  scarf,  which  is  tacked  to  the  right  shoulder, 
and,  passing  across  the  bosom,  is  fastened  below 
the  left  v  arm,  and  reaches  to  the  extremity  of  the 
garment. 

The  dress  of  the  men  is  a  dark  woollen  jacket, 
with  breeches  open  at  the  knees ;  a  woollen  cap,  em- 
broidered with  various-coloured  cotton ;  a  cotton  belt, 
two  or  three  inches  broad  j  woollen  stockings  without 
feet,  and  sandals  made  of  goatskin.  A  small  poncho 
is  either  worn  in  the  usual  manner,  or  tied  round  the 


CHAP.  xxvi.        ABORIGINAL   PERUVIANS.  227 

waist  as  a  sash,  or  thrown  so  as  to  dangle  over  the 
shoulder  like  the  hussar  pelisse. 

The  Peruvians  retain  some  of  the  customs  of  their 
forefathers.  If  a  hut  is  to  be  built,  or  at  any  other 
undertaking  of  more  than  usual  importance,  the  whole 
neighbourhood  will  work  for  the  man  requiring  as- 
sistance. But  these  calls  upon  mutual  benevolence 
were  latterly  of  rare  occurrence,  because  the  Spanish 
laws  restricted  their  actions  and  their  possessions 
to  limits  which  effectually  prevented  their  ever 
enjoying  more  than  a  bare  subsistence.  They  are 
become  negligent  in  their  persons,  and  the  lower 
class  seldom  take  off  their  clothes  to  sleep.  They 
have  a  common  saying  that  "  El  agua  es  indigno,  y 
el  jabon  traidor."  That  is,  water  is  unworthy  of 
hands  and  face,  and  soap  is  a  betrayer.  An  appear- 
ance of  comfort  might  invite  extortion;  or  perhaps 
the  extreme  aridity  of  the  climate  in  the  interior  may 
be  one  of  the  causes  of  this  antipathy  to  cleanliness. 
The  skin  of  the  face  of  a  newly  arrived  European 
peels  off,  and  the  lips  swell,  and  become  chapped  to 
a  very  painful  degree.  Ablution  is  supposed  to  in- 
crease it.  Very  few  of  the  royalist  officers  shaved, 
and  many  of  them  were  adorned  with  beards  as  bushy 
and  as  long  as  those  worn  by  the  crusaders  of  old,  or 
by  the  Turks  of  modern  days. 

The  aborigines  manifested  their  satisfaction  on  the 
entry  of  the  patriots  into  Cuzco  by  the  performance 
of  solemn  fetes,  most  of  which  had  been  strictly  for- 
bidden by  the  Spaniards,  as  they  all  had  some  refer- 
ence to  their  ancient  Incas.  They  got  up  processions 
almost  daily,  in  which  their  masks,  their  grotesque 


ABORIGINAL  PERUVIANS.        CHAP.  xxvi. 

party-coloured  dresses,  and  their  lofty  ostrich  plumes, 
contrasting  with  the  sad  plaintive  style  of  their  music, 
formed  a  most  interesting  and  illustrative  exhibition. 
Their  musical  instruments  consist  of  something  like 
bagpipes,  tambourines,  drums,  covvhorns,  and  a  kind 
of  Pandean  pipe.  They  sang  their  yaravis,  or 
plaintive  ditties,  while  their  mild  dejected  expression 
of  countenance  corresponded  well  with  the  mournful 
tune.  Their  very  dances  partook  of  the  melancholy 
character  which  ages  of  misery  have  imparted  to  them. 
One  of  them  is  a  sort  of  quadrille,  in  which  eighteen 
or  twenty  persons  gently  glide  through  the  figure  with 
an  air  of  innate  placidity. 

The  Indians  are  very  strong-limbed,  and  capable 
of  enduring  great  fatigue.  Their  every-day  pedestrian 
feats  are  truly  astonishing.  Guides  perform  a  long 
journey  at  the  rate  of  twenty  or  twenty-five  leagues  a 
day.  Their  usual  pace  is  a  jog  trot.  They  take  short 
steps,  and  carry  their  feet  close  to  the  ground.  They 
go  up  and  down  mountain-sides  quicker  than  a  mule  ; 
and  horsemen,  whom  they  accompany  as  guides,  have 
frequently  occasion  to  call  after  them,  to  request  them 
to  slacken  their  pace.  A  battalion,  eight  hundred 
strong,  has  been  known  to  march  thirteen  or  fourteen 
leagues  in  one  day,  without  leaving  more  than  ten  or 
a  dozen  stragglers  on  the  road.  The  Indian  subsists 
on  a  very  small  quantity  of  the  simplest  food.  A 
leathern  pouch  containing  coca,  suspended  from  his 
neck,  is  worn  next  the  breast.  A  handful  or  two  of 
roasted  maize  is  tied  up  in  one  corner  of  his  poncho, 
and,  in  general,  these  are  the  only  provisions  for  a 
very  lojng  day's  journey. 


CHAP.  XXVI.  COCA.  229 

The  coca  (erythroxylon  Peruvianum)  is  a  plant 
not  unlike  the  vine,  and  grows  to  the  height  of  six 
or  eight  feet.  The  leaves  are  aromatic  and  of  a  bitter 

O 

flavour.  They  act  as  a  sudorific  ;  are  a  preservative 
to  the  teeth  ;  and  drive  away  sleep.  They  are  ga- 
thered leaf  by  leaf  with  great  care  ;  and  when  used, 
the  flavour  is  corrected  by  a  very  small  addition  of  an 
alkali  called  llipta.  To  those  unaccustomed  to  the 
use  of  the  coca,  it  produces  slight  inflammation  of  the 
tongue.  But  it  is  the  first  thing  which  an  Indian 
puts  into  his  mouth  upon  waking  in  the  morning. 
He  swallows  the  saliva,  and  as  mastication  goes  on, 
he  replenishes  the  quid,  which  is  never  taken  out, 
excepting  at  meal  times,  until  he  goes  to  bed.  No- 
thing obtains  the  good  will  of  an  Indian  sooner  than 
his  being  requested  to  spare  a  little  coca.  He  pulls 
out  his  pouch  with  an  air  of  the  utmost  satisfaction, 
and  seems  anxious  to  have  it  supposed  he  feels  the 
honour  most  sensibly.  Miller  often  chewed  it  during 
the  campaign  of  1824 ;  and  this  circumstance  pro- 
duced so  favourable  an  impression  amongst  the  ab- 
origines that  it  procured  him  many  volunteers.  An 
English  merchant  travelling  in  the  interior,  found  it 
convenient  to  announce  himself  as  "  the  countryman 
of  Miller,"  because  the  usual  answer  was,  "  a  country- 
man of  Miller's  must  have  the  best  house  and  the  best 
fare  that  an  Indian  village  can  afford." 


230  MILITARY  EVENTS.  CHAl'.  xxvii. 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

Events  consequent  on  the  capitulation  of  Ayacucho. — The  ultra 
royalist  Olaneta  refuses  to  come  to  terms. — Patriot  division 
marches  to  the  south.  — Department  of  Puno.  — Mine  of  Salcedo. 
— Account  of  the  Callavayas,  or  itinerant  physicians. — General 
Miller  leaves  the  prefecture  of  Puno  for  that  of  Potosi. — Naval 
operations — Callao. — Difficulties  encountered  by  the  army  in 
the  mountain  regions. — Obstacles  which  delayed  the  accom- 
plishment of  emancipation. 

RETURNING  to   the   narrative  of  the  campaign  : 
about  one  thousand  royalist  troops,  forming  the  gar- 
rison of  Cuzco,  under  General  Alvarez,  a  native  of 
Buenos  Ay  res,  surrendered  on  the  £5th  December, 
1824,  in  conformity  to  the  capitulation  of  Ayacucho. 
Upon  La  Serna's  being  taken  prisoner,  the  royalist 
General  Don  Pio  Tristan  assumed  the  title  of  viceroy, 
and  made  some  efforts  to  maintain  himself  in  that 
character ;  but,  disappointed  in  his  hopes  of  support 
from  Don  Tadeo  Garrate,  he  submitted  to  his  coun- 
trymen, of  whom  he  and  Garrate  had  been  for  so 
many  years  the  unnatural  and  unrelenting  oppressors. 
Tristan,  who  shamefully  broke  his  parole  in  1813, 
surrendered  with  a  small  garrison  at  Arequipa  to 
Colonel  Ot^ro,  sent  from  Guamanga  to  that  city,  of 
which  department  the  latter  was  then  named  prefect. 
Garrate  fled  from  his  government  of  Puno,  to  avoid 
being  torn  to  pieces  by  the  justly  enraged  populace. 
As  soon  as  the  prisoners  of  war  confined  in  the 


tHAP.  XXVII.  MILITARY  EVENTS.  231 

island  of  Chucuito  heard  of  the  victory  of  Ayacucho, 
they  rose  upon  and  overpowered  the  royalist  garrison ; 
and  General  Alvarado,  who  was  a  prisoner  in  the 
town  of  Puno,  placing  himself  at  their  head,  took 
possession  of  the  country  to  the  southward  as  far  as 
the  bridge  of  the  Incas. 

The  ultra  royalist  General  Olaileta,  with  about  four 
thousand  troops  in  the  provinces  of  Upper  Peru,  still 
refusing  to  come  to  terms,  General  Sucre  wrote  to 
him  on  the  1st  of  January,  apprising  him  of  the 
battle  and  capitulation  of  Ayacucho,  and  of  the  in- 
tended advance  of  the  patriots.  He  informed  him 
that  Bolivar  wished  the  troops  of  Olaileta  to  be  con- 
sidered as  forming  a  part  of  the  liberating  army,  and 
that  those  who  had  rendered  services  to  Peru  by  their 
late  opposition  to  the  authority  of  La  Serna  should 
be  liberally  recompensed:  but  Olaneta,  aspiring  to 
the  viceroyalty,  and  calculating  upon  the  cordial 
assistance  of  Tristan  andGarrate,  refused  to  listen  to 
any  proposals. 

Sucre  having  allowed  his  troops  to  rest  a  fortnight 
in  Cuzco,  and  having  re-clothed  them  as  well  as  so 
short  a  period  would  permit,  determined  npon  anni- 
hilating, without  further  delay,  the  few  remaining 
enemies  of  independence.  Accordingly,  in  the  third 
week  of  January,  the  division  of  Peru  continued  its 
march  upon  Puno.  The  cavalry  and  Colombian  di- 
vision Cordova  followed  some  days  afterwards.  That 
of  Lara  remained  a  few  weeks  at  Cuzco,  and  then 
marched  to  Arequipa.  Sucre  entered  Puno  on  the 
1st  of  February.  He  soon  afterwards  learnt  that 
the  royalist  garrisons  of  Cochabamba,  Chuquisaca, 


232  MILITARY  EVENTS.  CHAP.  XXVII. 

and  Santa  Cruz  de  la  Sierra,  had  declared  for  the 
patriots.  He  also  learnt  that  the  indefatigable  Co- 
lonel Lanza,  who,  during  nearly  the  whole  struggle 
for  independence,  held  possession  of  the  valleys  of 
Yungas,  had  entered  La  Paz. 

The  persevering  and  obstinate  Olaneta,  ably  sup- 
ported by  his  second  in  command,  Colonel  Valdez, 
surnamed  Barbarucho  (red  beard),  made  every  effort 
in  the  department  of  Potosi  to  hold  out  to  the  last. 
Reverses  and  desertions  seemed  but  to  increase  their 
devotion  to  King  Ferdinand. 

General  La  Mar  obtained  leave  of  absence  to  pro- 
ceed to  Guayaquil.  It  is  painful  to  add,  that  he  left 
Peru  without  obtaining  for  the  Peruvian  officers,  who 
had  served  under  his  command  during  the  campaign, 
the  promotion  to  which  so  very  many  of  them  were 
justly  entitled,  and  which  had  been  promised  in  long 
and  almost  daily  harangues  previous  to  the  battle  of 
Ayacucho.  This  neglect  was  the  more  mortifying, 
as  a  very  general,  and  well-merited,  promotion  took 
place  in  the  Colombian  army.  It  was  the  bounden 
duty  of  the  general  commanding  the  Peruvian  troops, 
not  only  to  have  claimed  the  promotion  due  to  his 
officers,  but  to  have  manfully  insisted  upon  this  un- 
questionable right ;  and  if  refused,  to  have  made  it 
clear  and  manifest  that  he  had  fearlessly  performed 
so  sacred  a  duty.  His  promises  to  the  soldiers  had 
been  equally  profuse,  and  were  equally  unfulfilled. 
No  deference  to  Colombian  supremacy  ought  to  have 
deterred  him  from  asserting  his  claims,  nor  should 
any  contingent  promises  have  induced  him  to  relax 
in  his  endeavours. 


CHAP,  xxvii.          DEPARTMENT  OF  PUNO.  233 

Gamarra  was  appointed  prefect  and  commandant- 
general  of  Cuzco,  his  native  city.  The  division  of 
Peru  continued  its  inarch  for  Potosi,  that  of  Cordova 
followed  to  La  Paz.  Miller  was  appointed  prefect 
and  commandant-general  of  the  department  of  Puno, 
where  he  arrived  on  the  4th  of  February. 

The  department  of  Puno  is  composed  of  the  five  pro- 
vinces of  Guancarii,  Lampa,  Asangaro,  Caravaya,  and 
Chucuito.  It  contains  about  three  hundred  thousand 
souls,  five-sixths  of  whom  are  aborigines.  Puno,  the 
capital,  has  about  seven  thousand  inhabitants.  The 
surface  of  the  country  is  nearly  all  table  land,  and  in 
few  places  less  than  ten  thousand  feet  above  the  level 
of  the  sea.  The  climate  is  cold,  as  compared  with 
the  coast,  and  very  healthy.  Its  productions  are 
cattle,  in  great  abundance,  barley,  always  cut  green 
for  horses,  and  potatoes.  It  has  also  some  manufac- 
tories of  woollens,  and  supplies  Arequipa  and  Lima 
with  these  articles.  The  llama,  the  vicuna,  the  gu- 
anaco,  and  the  alpaca,  are  very  numerous  in  this 
district.  The  llama  is  peculiar  to  the  Peruvian 
Andes,  and  of  great  use,  particularly  on  roads  im- 
passable for  mules,  or  in  places  where  forage  is  scarce. 
It  is  said  to  be  a  link  in  the  animal  kingdom  between 
the  camel  and  the  sheep.  It  is  woolly,  and  of  vari- 
ous colours.  It  is  employed  in  carrying  ores  from 
the  mines,  charcoal,  corn,  &c.  If  the  load  exceed 
eighty  pounds,  or  if  the  llama  be  made  to  perform 
more  than  three  or  four  leagues  a  day,  it  becomes 
sulky  and  dejected,  and  lies  down,  and  dies.  One  of 
the  great  advantages  of  using  the  llama  is,  that  two 
or  three  pounds  of  straw  will  suffice  it  for  twenty- 


234  MINE  OF  SALCEDO.  CHAP.  XXVII. 

four  hours.  It  will  not  travel  at  night.  It  is  re- 
markable that,  if  offended,  it  will  spit  at  its  keeper 
or  driver,  and  the  person  who  feeds  it,  as  well  as  at 
a  stranger.  The  llama  is  subject  to  attacks  of  ague 
when  driven  to  the  sultry  districts  on  the  coast. 
Alpacas  are  kept  in  flocks  for  the  sake  of  their 
wool.  The  vacuna,  more  elegant  and  more  graceful, 
perhaps,  than  the  antelope,  runs  wild  upon  the  An- 
des. Some  attempts  have  been  made  to  bring  them 
to  Great  Britain,  for  the  purpose  of  naturalizing  them 
in  the  coldest  districts  of  Scotland  ;  but  the  animals 
put  on  board  ship  have  never  weathered  the  heat  of 
the  tropics,  and  seldom  lived  to  reach  so  far  north  as 
the  line*. 

Puno  has  many  mines  of  silver.  The  most  noted 
is  that  of  Laycacota,  or  of  Salcedo,  as  it  is  now  called, 
from  the  name  of  its  first  proprietor.  In  17^0,  Ulloa 
gave  the  following  account  of  it : 

"  The  silver  extracted  from  this  rich  mine  was  so 
pure,  that  it  was  most  commonly  cut  out  of  the  lode 
with  a  chisel.  Jose  de  Salcedo  was  liberal  and  cha- 
ritable in  proportion  to  his  good  fortune,  and  the 
great  riches  he  drew  from  the  mine;  for  which  reason 
many  persons  repaired  to  that  place,  in  order  to  enjoy 
the  benefits  of  his  generosity,  and  they  became  in  a 
short  time  so  numerous  as  to  people  that  mine  ter- 
ritory. But  as  they  were  not  all  inclined  to  work, 
they  disagreed,  and  formed  two  parties,  so  numerous 
that  they  became  armies,  and  fought  several  battles ; 


*  There  is  a  llama  and  an  alpaca  in  the  zoological  garden  in  the  Regent's  Park. 
The  former  is  not  a  handsome  specimen.  Mr.  Barclay,  of  Bury  Hill,  has  a 
much  finer  one.  There  is  a  guanaco  at  Exeter  Change. 


CHAP,  xxvii.  MINE  OF  SALCEDO.  235 

the  most  famous  of  which  took  place  on  the  plain  of 
Laycacota,  in  which  a  considerable  number  was  slain 
on  both  sides.  But  neither  this  loss  nor  the  fear  of 
the  consequences  sufficed  to  quiet  these  disturbances, 
which  continued  until  serious  and  proper  steps  were 
taken  to  put  a  stop  to  them." 

The  Count  de  Lemus  being  appointed  viceroy, 
made  his  entry  into  Lima  in  1667,  at  the  time  in 
which  the  riots  of  Puno  were  at  their  greatest  height. 
"  Being  unable,"  continues  Ulloa,  "  to  appease  the 
sedition  by  the  orders  he  gave,  he  resolved  to  proceed 
in  person  in  order  to  quell  it.  Having  arrived  at  Puno 
in  1669,  he  took  many  prisoners,  and  ordered  the 
most  guilty  to  be  executed.  He  sent  Jose  de  Sal- 
cedo,  the  owner  of  the  rich  mine  just  mentioned, 
prisoner  to  los  Reyes  (Lima),  where  he  was  tried, 
condemned  to  die,  and  executed.  On  this  condemna- 
tion there  were  different  opinions  j  but  the  most 
impartial  were  persuaded  that  jealousy  and  the  envy 
of  his  riches  occasioned  his  death.  For  although  the 
fante  of  his  mine  and  liberality  had  induced  so  many 
people  to  assemble  in  that  place,  yet  he  had  taken  no 
part  in  the  contest,  nor  was  he  observed  to  be  more 
inclined  to  one  party  than  to  the  other.  But  many, 
desirous  of  stripping  him  of  the  treasure  which  his 
good  fortune  had  procured  for  him,  preferred  such 
charges  against  him  that  he  appeared  at  his  trial  to 
be  the  most  guilty  of  all,  and  therefore  he  could  not 
escape  the  punishment  arising  from  the  evidence. 

"  So  great  was  the  liberality  of  Salcedo  that  the 
memory  of  it  has  been  preserved  among  the  Peru- 
vians as  most  extraordinary.  Among  the  many  in- 


MINK  OF  CHAP.  xxvn. 

stances  of  his  generosity,  it  is  recorded  that  whenever 
any  needy  Spaniard,  without  any  trade  or  employ- 
ment, arrived  in  the  kingdom,  and  asked  Salcedo  for 
relief,  he  gave  him  permission  to  enter  into  the  mine, 
and  to  retain  whatever  silver  he  could  extract,  during 
the  time  he  was  allowed  to  stay  there  ;  thus  limiting 
the  amount  of  the  donation  to  the  extent  of  his  own 
good  fortune.  If  the  Spaniard  was  lucky  in  hitting 
upon  a  rich  vein,  and  a  place  where  he  could  manage 
to  cut,  he  derived  considerable  advantage ;  but  even 
if  otherwise,  his  prize  was  never  so  trivial  as  to  give 
him  any  reason  to  be  unthankful.  This  munificent 
generosity,  carried  to  such  a  pitch,  had  attracted  so 
many  people  to  that  place  as  to  cause  Salcedo's  good 
intention  to  be  misrepresented,  to  occasion  his  death, 
and  put  an  end  to  the  assistance  which  the  neces- 
sitous received  from  him. 

*' After  the  execution  of  Salcedo,  the  viceroy  wished 
the  working  of  the  mine  to  be  resumed;  but  he  was 
much  surprised  when  he  was  informed  that  it  was  so 
full  of  water  as  to  render  it  incapable  of  being  worked. 
It  is  a  common  idea  in  that  country  that,  as  soon  as 
the  owner  of  the  mine  was  deprived  of  life,  a  consi- 
derable spring  issued  forth  and  overflowed  it;  by 
which  the  people  were  persuaded  that  it  was  a  judg- 
ment from  Heaven  for  the  unjust  sentence  which  had 
been  inflicted  on  him,  for  the  purpose  of  dispossessing 
him  of  his  property.  But  without  going  beyond  the 
bounds  of  nature,  it  is  easy  to  account  for  the  in- 
crease of  water.  It  had  previously  flowed  more  or  less 
into  the  mine,  and  the  discontinuance  of  drawing  it 
off  produced  an  accumulation,  and  some  disruption 


CHAP.  XXVII.  SALCKDO.  237 

might  have  given  rise  to  a  considerable  spring. 
Though  some  attempts  were  at  that  time  made  to 
carry  off  the  water,  they  proved  unsuccessful,  from  a 
proper  adit  not  having  been  attempted  to  be  opened, 
from  a  fear  of  the  great  difficulties  which  were  to  be 
surmounted,  and  of  the  necessity  of  cutting  through 
many  rocky  strata  to  effect  it." 

A  socabon  or  adit  was  at  last,  however,  driven  at 
the  expense  of  the  Marquess  de  Villa  Rica^  son  of 
the  first  proprietor,  above  700  varas,  or  nearly  as 
many  yards,  and  to  within  60  varas  of  the  perpen- 
dicular of  the  mine ;  but  it  was  not  finished,  for  want 
of  sufficient  funds. 

In  1740,  a  company  of  native  mine  proprietors 
attempted  to  finish  the  socabon;  but  meeting  with  a 
mass  of  porphyry,  they  were  unable  to  cut  through 
it,  and  the  socabon  was  abandoned  a  second  time, 
after  a  million  of  dollars  had  been  laid  out  upon  it. 
Down  to  the  commencement  of  the  revolution  in 
1810,  several  other  attempts  were  made  to  finish  the 
socabon;  but  after  driving  the  adit  some  additional 
length,  every  attempt  ultimately  failed  from  the  want 
of  money  to  prosecute  the  work. 

This  rich  mine  lay  neglected  until  1826,  when  it 
was  granted  to  Colonel  O'Brien*,  and  the  work  of 
the  socabon  has  been  resumed.  The  bed  of  porphyry 
was  pierced  at  the  rate  of  only  about  fifteen  inches  a 
week,  but  this  obstruction  having  been  overcome,  the 
socabon  is  said  to  be  advancing  at  a  vara  a  week,  and 

*  This  ojKcer,  by  birth  an  Irishman,  has  displayed  a  noble  and  disinterested 
enthusiasm,  during  ten  years  of  active  service,  in  the  cause  of  South  American 
independence,  equalled  only  by  his  courage  and  humanity,  which  have  acquired 
for  him  universal  esteem. 


MINES  OF  CHAP.  XXVII. 

hopes  are  entertained,  by  the  proprietor,  that  the 
riches  of  the  Salcedo  mine  will  be  made  once  more 
available. 

During  the  insurrection  of  Tupac  Amaru,  the 
Cacique  Ninacatari  took  the  city  of  Chucuito,  and 
destroyed  the  greater  part  of  the  archives.  From 
three  books  which  escaped  the  flames  it  appears  that 
tKe  ore  extracted  in  one  year  (1663)  from  the  mines 
of  Salcedo  called  Laycacota,  Caucharani,  and  Esqui- 
lachi,  produced  upwards  of  a  million  and  a  half  of 
dollars,  as  proved  by  the  amount  of  duties  paid  to 
the  king,  and  exclusive  of  what  might  have  been 
taken  away  without  paying  those  duties. 

Sixty  or  seventy  years  ago,  a  lady  made  a  vow  that 
she  would  build  a  church  proportioned  to  the  pro- 
duce of  her  mines  near  Puno.  The  Iglesia  Matrix, 
or  principal  church,  built  of  stone,  in  a  good  style  of 
architecture,  is  a  magnificent  monument  of  her  piety 
and  wealth. 

San  Jose'  Coronella,  San  Antonio,  and  Guayco, 
are  also  very  rich  mines  on  the  slope  of  the  same 
mountain  which  contains  the  Salcedo  mines;  but 
they  have  been  flooded  for  many  years.  A  socabon 
was  driven  at  a  great  expense ;  however  upon  reaching 
the  perpendicular  of  the  mine  of  San  Jose"  it  was 
found  to  be  above  the  level  of  the  water,  and  conse- 
quently of  no  use.  Another  socabon  was  begun 
lower  down,  and  driven  three  hundred  varas,  when 
want  of  funds  put  a  stop  to  the  work,  which  had 
reached  three-fourths  of  the  required  length. 

The  mines  of  Puno  possess  the  advantage  of  being 
situated  in  a  department  where  labourers  are  nu- 


CHAP.  XXVII.  PUNO.  239 

merous,  and  where  the  necessaries  of  life  are  compa- 
ratively cheap. 

On  the  1 2th  of  March,  Sucre  wrote  from  La  Paz 
to  Miller,  ordering  him  to  place  himself  at  the  head 
of  the  Peruvian  division,  which  was  on  its  march,  to 
attack  Olaneta,  who,  it  appeared,  was  determined  to 
hazard  an  action,  notwithstanding  that  his  forces 
had  dwindled  away  to  two  thousand  men.  Miller 
was  at  this  time  confined  to  his  bed,  in  consequence 
of  an  inflammation  of  an  old  wound  in  the  side, 
brought  on  by  over  riding  when  visiting  some  of  the 
provinces  of  the  department  he  governed.  Fortu- 
nately at  La  Paz  (a  distance  of  fifty-four  leagues) 
an  English  surgeon,  Dr.  Nichol,  resided.  He  was 
sent  for,  and  upon  his  arrival  at  Puno  made  an  in- 
cision in  Miller's  side  which  stopped  an  incipient  mor- 
tification, and  he  recovered.  It  is  a  curious  fact,  that 
in  all  the  provinces  of  the  department  of  Puno  not 
one  regular  medical  man  is  known  to  exist.  The 
aboriginal  tribe  of  Callavayas,  or  Yungerios,  are  the 
only  practitioners  throughout  a  great  portion  of 
South  America.  The  healing  art  has  been  trans- 
mitted in  that  tribe  from  father  to  son  for  ages  im- 
memorial. They  are  inhabitants  of  Charasani,  Con- 
sata,  and  Quirbe,  three  places  situated  in  the  valleys 
and  amongst  the  ravines  of  Larecaja,  a  district  north 
of  La  Paz,  on  the  slope  of  the  most  eastern  of  the 
five  great  ridges  of  the  Andes.  The  Callavayas  as- 
semble periodically  in  great  numbers,  and  scale  the 
mountains,  north-east  of  La  Paz,  which  being  clothed 
with  immense  forests,  growing  from  the  base  to  the 
summits,  possess  every  variety  of  temperature,  from 


240  CALLAVAYAS.  CHAP.  xxvil. 

the  torrid  to  the  frigid  zone.  The  vegetable  king- 
dom is  there  inconceivably  varied  and  rich,  and  there 
the  Callavayas  collect  their  stock  of  barks,  gums, 
balsams,  resins,  and  other  simples,  possessing  power- 
ful medicinal  virtues.  Having  stored  their  wallets, 
which  they  carry  slung  across  their  shoulders,  with 
these  drugs,  the  Callavayas  set  out  on  foot  in  parties 
of  two  or  three,  and  traverse  the  mountains  of  Peru, 
Quito,  and  Chile,  and  the  Pampas  of  Buenos  Ayres, 
to  the  distance  of  five  or  six  hundred  leagues,  exer- 
cising their  vocation  wherever  their  assistance  is  re- 
quired. Two  or  three  years  are  frequently  taken  up 
in  making  a  single  tour.  Their  approach  to  a  house 
is  often  announced  by  the  aromatic  fragrance  of  their 
loads,  before  they  themselves  are  seen.  They  are 
gifted  with  the  loquaciousness  of  European  charlatans, 
and,  like  them,  extol  the  virtues  of  their  remedies, 
and  relate  marvellous  stories  of  their  wonderful 
effects. 

The  Callavayas  frequently  perform  remarkable 
cures,  though  the  diseases  they  contend  against  are, 
from  the  simple  habits  of  the  patients,  not  of  so  com- 
plicated a  nature  as  those  entailed  by  luxury,  and  the 
excesses  of  more  civilized  society.  The  Callavayas 
observe  an  orthodox  degree  of  mystery  in  the  exercise 
of  their  profession,  and,  like  the  exorcists  of  old,  avail 
themselves  of  the  superstitions  of  the  people,  and  at- 
tribute to  witchcraft  complaints  of  easy  cure,  in  order 
to  enhance  the  value  of  their  own  services,  and  to 
secure  a  proportionate  fee.  In  travelling,  they  do 
not  keep  to  the  beaten  track,  but  steer  their  course 
from  place  to  place  in  the  straightest  possible  line, 


CHAP.  XXVII.     GENERAL  OLANETA  KILLED.  241 

over  the  summits  of  snow-covered  ridges,  across  un- 
peopled table  lands,  pampas,  and  sandy  or  stony 
deserts.  This  sort  of  route  is  called  haque  tuppu, 
which  means,  path  of  the  Indian ;  but  perhaps,  "  as 
the  crow  flies,"  would  be  a  more  appropriate  transla- 
tion. These  extraordinary  people  never  sleep  under 
cover,  but  stretch  themselves  on  the  bare  ground, 
whether  they  halt  for  the  night  on  the  bleakest  ele- 
vations, or  in  the  sultry  regions  below.  Although 
they  do  not  carry  any  other  clothes  than  those  they 
wear,  they  do  not  suffer  from  the  changes  to  which 
they  are  exposed.  A  robust  constitution  and  con- 
stant health  is  usually  the  reward  of  their  abste- 
miousness and  actively  regular  habits.  Longevity 
is  indeed  so  common  amongst  them,  that  a  person  at 
thirty  is  considered  a  lad,  at  forty  or  fifty  only  he  is 
called  a  man. 

Miller  set  out  from  Puno  on  the  29th  of  March, 
having  named  Dr.  Reyes  his  successor  ad  interim ; 
but  he  was  so  weak,  from  the  wound  above  spoken  of 
not  being  closed,  that  he  was  obliged  to  be  carried  in 
a  litter  on  the  shoulders  of  Indians.  From  La  Paz, 
being  somewhat  stronger,  he  proceeded  on  horseback, 
and  entered  Potosi  on  the  25th  of  April,  1825.  Sucre 
was  then  at  Chuquisaca,  twenty-eight  leagues  north- 
east of  Potosi.  Miller  now  learnt  that  Olaneta  had 
been  mortally  wounded  at  Tumusla,  sixteen  leagues 
south  of  the  latter  place,  in  an  affray  with  a  body  of  his 
own  troops,  who,  headed  by  Colonel  Medina  Celi,  had 
risen  against  their  general.  The  few  remaining  ad- 
herents of  Olaneta  were  speedily  obliged  to  surrender ; 

VOL.  II.  R 


242  COLONEL  BAMIRES.  CHAP,  xxvil. 

and  thus  the  whole  of  Peru  was  liberated  from  her 
enemies,  excepting  the  garrison  of  Callao,  which  still 
held  out,  under  the  heroic  Rodil.  This  general  had 
refused  to  be  included  in  the  capitulation  of  Ayacu- 
cho,  on  the  plea  that  the  command  of  Callao  had 
always  exclusively  depended  upon  the  King  of  Spain, 
and  that  Canterac  had  no  authority  to  stipulate  for 
its  surrender. 

It  has  been  stated  that  Bolivar  quitted  the  libe- 
rating army  two  months  previous  to  the  battle  of  Aya- . 
eucho.  His  Excellency  took  up  his  residence  at 
Chancay.  Lima  was  permanently  held  by  neither 
party,  but  was  alternately  in  the  possession  of  both  ; 
the  royalists  however  retained  it  longer  than  the  pa- 
triots, who  generally  confined  their  attempts  to  send- 
ing in  a  few  montoneros,  who  seldom  remained  there 
for  any  considerable  time. 

The  royalist  colonel  Don  Mateo  Ramires,  the 
cowardly  assassin  of  the  wounded  Major  Gumer  on 
the  field  near  lea,  exercised  his  capriciously  cruel 
propensities,  whenever  he  happened  to  be  the  senior 
officer,  during  the  intervals  the  royalists  held  Lima. 
He  was  accustomed  to  place  himself  in  one  of  the 
balconies  of  his  quarters,  in  the  convent  of  La  Merced, 
and  it  was  a  source  of  amusement  to  him,  to  order  up 
any  well-dressed  persons  who  happened  to  be  passing, 
and  make  his  soldiers  crop  their  hair  very  close,  be- 
cause, as  he  said,  that  it  appeared  to  him  to  have  been 
arranged  a  la  republicain,  which  he  pretended  to 
know  they  were  at  heart.  He  once  sent  a  file  of 
soldiers  for  a  respectable  citizen  named  Besanilla, 


CHAP.  XXVH.  GENERAL   RODIL.  243 

who  had  told  a  neighbour  that  he  had  heard  the 
patriots  were  about  to  enter  the  city.  At  sunset 
Besanilla  was  tied  up  with  his  arms  extended  to  a 
stone  cross  in  one  of  the  Plazuelas,  or  small  squares. 
A  lantern  was  placed  above  his  head  to  enable  passers- 
by  to  read  the  inscription,  "  Here  hangs  Besanilla 
until  the  insurgents  enter." 

The  royalist  officers  felt  more  than  an  usual  degree 
of  rancour  towards  the  Buenos  Ayreans.  It  happened 
that  Major  Crespo  was  made  prisoner,  and  on  being 
questioned  as  to  what  country  he  was  a  native  of,  he 
replied,  with  some  hesitation,  Buenos  Ayres.  Ra- 
mires  was  dastard  enough  to  beat  the  major  with  the 
hilt  of  his  sword,  to  such  a  degree,  that  it  was  neces- 
sary to  send  for  surgical  assistance. 

General  Rodil  unquestionably  possesses  the  quali- 
ties of  bravery,  activity,  perseverance,  and  a  mind 
fruitful  in  resource,  to  an  uncommon  degree.  His 
manners,  when  he  so  pleases,  are  gentlemanly  and 
agreeable ;  but  Rodil  has  sullied  his  fair  fame  by 
acts  of  great  cruelty.  A  Limerio  gentleman  named 
Castaiieda,  who  had  remained  enthusiastically  faithful 
to  the  cause  of  the  king,  presented  a  memorial,  re- 
questing to  be  allowed  to  become  surety  for  the  ap- 
pearance of  the  Colombian  colonel  Ortega,  who  had 
been  made  a  prisoner,  and  who  wished  for  temporary 
liberty  to  recover  his  health.  Rodil  tore  the  me- 
morial in  pieces,  and,  forgetful  of  his  own  rank,  of 
propriety,  and  good  feeling,  beat  Castaneda  until 
exhausted.  He  then  imposed  a  heavy  fine  upon 
the  unfortunate  Limerio,  and  sentenced  him  to  two 


£44  NAVAL  CHAP.  XXVIf. 

months'  hard  labour  for  presuming  to  intercede  for 
a  patriot. 

Dr.  Pezet,  an  eminent  physician  of  Lima,  and  who 
had  been  a  deputy  in  congress,  fell  into  the  hands  of 
Rodil.  His  life  was  spared  upon  condition  that  he 
should  write  against  the  patriot  cause  in  a  newspaper 
published  in  the  castles.  Pezet  accepted  the  terms, 
but  the  shame  of  acting  the  part  of  an  apostate  broke 
his  spirit,  and  he  shortly  afterwards  died. 

Monsieur  Rantier,  a  respectable  Frenchman,  having 
obtained  from  the  royalist  commandant  in  Lima  a 
passport  to  quit  the  country,  proceeded  to  Callao  to 
take  shipping.  He  was  there  detained  by  Rodil,  and 
obliged  to  work  like  a  convict,  until  the  surrender  of 
the  castles.  Monsieur  Rantier  still  retains  on  his 
shoulders  the  marks  caused  by  the  heavy  loads  he 
was  obliged  to  carry. 

Referring  now  to  maritime  affairs.  When  the  libe- 
rating army  marched  from  Huaras  in  July,  1824, 
Admiral  Guise  was  directed  to  blockade  Callao.  The 
Spanish  ship  Asia  of  seventy-four  guns,  and  the  brig 
Aquiles,  entered  that  port  on  the  24th  of  September 
following.  Guise  in  the  Protector  frigate,  with  two 
or  three  small  vessels  of  war,  could  not  effectually 
prevent  the  entrance  of  so  superior  a  force  j  but  he 
did  them  all  the  damage  he  could,  by  following  them 
close  into  the  port,  and  keeping  up  a  running  fight 
for  upwards  of  an  hour. 

On  the  7th  of  October,  the  Peruvian  admiral  an- 
chored off  San  Lorenzo  with  the  undermentioned 
vessels : 


CHAP.  XX VI I.  OPERATIONS.  245 

The  frigate        Protector. 
Corvette  Pinchincha. 

Brig  Chimborazo. 

f  Guayaquileila. 
ochooners        •<  ».    . 

I  Macedonia. 

On  the  8th,  the  Asia,  accompanied  by  the  brigs 
Pezuela  and  Constante,  and  the  corvette  lea,  having 
strong  detachments  of  infantry  on  board,  under  the 
command  of  the  assassin  Colonel  Don  Mateo  Ramires, 
all  stood  towards  the  patriot  squadron.  Guise  got 
under  weigh;  a  fight  ensued,  which  continued  for 
six  or  seven  hours;  both  parties  claimed  the  victory, 
although  there  was  not  a  ship  lost  or  many  killed 
or  wounded  on  either  side.  The  whole  of  the  vessels 
on  both  sides  returned  to  their  former  anchorage. 

The  following  is  an  extract  from  the  laughable 
report,  made  upon  this  occasion  by  Don  Roque  Guru- 
zeta,  commander  of  the  Asia,  to  General  Rodil.  "  The 
smaller  vessels" (of  the  patriots)  "are  so  contemptible, 
and  manoeuvred  so  badly  to-day,  that  it  appeared  to 
me  to  be  indecorous  to  notice  them,  and  I  considered 
that  I  ought  to  confine  my  attention  to  the  attack  of 
the  Prueba,"  (the  Protector)  "  with  a  view  to  destroy 
her,  and  if  I  have  not  entirely  effected  this,  I  can 
assure  you  that  I  have  done  her  serious  damage." 

There  was  nothing  like  desperate  valour  on  the 
part  of  the  Spanish  commander,  in  the  affair  above 
described,  but  it  may  be  considered  enterprising  when 
compared  with  what  occurred  in  1821,  near  the  same 
place.  The  patriot  squadron  having  withdrawn,  it 
was  usual  for  a  Spanish  vessel  to  stand  out,  every 
morning,  a  few  leagues  from  the  shore,  to  ascertain 


246  GENERAL   SALOM.  CHAP.  XXVII. 

if  any  strange  sail  was  off  the  bay.  On  one  occasion 
the  Venganza  of  forty-four  guns  discovered  the  Chi- 
leno  corvette  of  sixteen  guns.  The  latter  crowded  all 
sail,  and  stood  for  the  look-out  frigate,  which  there- 
upon ran  into  port.  This  glaring  act  of  cowardice 
excited  general  indignation  amongst  the  royalists 
who  witnessed  it  from  the  shore  ;  but  the  Spanish 
captain  stated,  that  having  no  orders  to  attack,  he 
did  not  feel  himself  authorized  to  come  to  action ! 

On  the  20th  of  October  the  Asia  and  Spanish 
vessels  of  war  sailed  from  Callao.  They  were  fol- 
lowed, for  two  days  and  a  night,  by  the  squadron  of 
Guise,  whose  intrepidity  forms  a  brilliant  contrast  to 
the  pusillanimity  of  the  Spanish  commander,  who  ap- 
pears to  have  been  of  the  same  school  as  Coy  of  the 
Esmeralda,  Capaz  of  the  Maria  Isabel,  and  Villegas 
of  the  Prueba. 

Whilst  the  patriot  squadron  blockaded  Callao  by 
sea,  the  able  and  indefatigable  general,  Don  Barto- 
lomeo  Salom,  commanded  the  investing  force  on  the 
land  side.  It  consisted  of  from  three  to  four  thousand 
men,  half  of  whom  were  Colombians,  who  had  arrived  in 
Peru  subsequently  to  the  battle  of  Ayacucho.  During 
this  protracted  siege,  the  patriot  troops  suffered  most 
severely  from  ague,  and  many  hundreds  died. 

The  besieged' suffered  still  more  severely  from  a 
pestilential  fever,  which  broke  out  in  consequence  of 
a  scarcity  of  fresh  provisions,  and  carried  off  several 
thousands.  Many  families  of  the  highest  rank  ad- 
dicted to  the  royal  cause,  and  who  had  shut  them- 
selves up  with  Rodil,  became  extinct.  The  venerable 
.Se Flora  Doria  N.  de  Ulloa,  niece  to  the  celebrated  tra- 


CHAP.  XXVIT.         THE   WAR    TERMINATED.  247 

vellers  of  that  name,  her  two  daughters  (one  of  them 
the  Marchioness  of  Torre  Tagle),  her  son,  and  several 
beautiful  grand-daughters,  and  every  other  member 
of  that  numerous  family  perished.  The  Count  de 
Lurigancho ;  Seiior  Don  Diego  Aliaga,  who  had  been 
vice-president  of  the  republic  under  Torre  Tagle ; 
Rico,  a  well  known  scurrilous  though  able  royalist 
editor ;  Yzque ;  Exelme ;  Morot  j  and  many  other 
persons  of  note  were  amongst  the  victims.  Of  three 
or  four  other  families,  consisting  of  nearly  fifty  per- 
sons, only  two  very  young  children  survived.  Out 
of  above  four  thousand  of  the  unfortunate  people 
who  retired  to  Callao,  not  more  than  two  hundred 
outlived  the  effects  of  famine  and  epidemical  disease. 

Rodil,  undismayed  by  these  surrounding  horrors, 
persisted  in  a  most  gallant  and  obstinate  defence. 
He  suppressed  several  attempts  in  the  garrison  to 
mutiny,  and  sustained  bombardment  from  the  Pe- 
ruvian squadron,  and  from  the  batteries  on  shore. 
Having  thus  held  out  unaided  for  nearly  thirteen 
months,  part  of  which  time  the  garrison  subsisted 
on  the  flesh  of  horses,  asses,  and  dogs,  and  being  at 
length  reduced  by  absolute  famine  to  the  last  ex- 
tremity, he  capitulated  upon  honourable  terms  on 
the  19th  of  January,  1826.  He  sailed  from  Callao  in 
H.  M.  S.  Briton,  Captain  Sir  Murray  Maxwell,  and 
is  now  Commandante  General  de  las  Guardias  in 
Madrid. 

During  the  protracted  siege  of  Callao  the  patriot 
troops  behaved,  as  usual,  exceedingly  well.  General 
Salom  obtained  by  his  activity,  zeal,  and  talent,  the 


248  ROYALIST   GENKRALS.  CHAP.  XXVII. 

confidence  of  his  soldiers,  and  by  his  suavity  and 
firmness  the  good  will  and  support  of  the  Peruvian 
people. 

Thus  the  heroic  constancy  and  perseverance  of  the 
patriots,  surpassed  by  no  people  in  ancient  or  modern 
times,  were  crowned  with  ultimate  and  complete  suc- 
cess throughout  South  America.  The  blood-stained 
standard  which  Pizarro  had  planted  three  hundred 
years  before  was  trailed  in  the  dust ;  and  the  last 
link  of  the  chain,  that  but  lately  bound  seventeen 
millions  of  Americans  to  the  tottering  monarchy  of 
Spain,  was  finally  broken. 

It  cannot  be  denied,  that  the  Spanish  generals 
deserve  great  credit  for  the  talent  and  perseverance, 
with  which  they  prolonged  an  arduous  contest,  for 
years,  after  the  mother  country  had  ceased  to  afford 
them  any  supplies.  However  we  may  differ  in 
opinion  as  to  the  prinpiples  they  espoused,  it  must 
in  fairness  be  acknowledged,  that  as  gallant  soldiers, 
manfully  contending  to  the  last,  they  are  justly 
entitled  to  a  high  degree  of  commendation. 

Sucre  has  merited  and  received  the  highest  praise 
for  the  splendid  affair  of  Ayacucho ;  but  perhaps  he 
deserves  as  much  for  the  generous  and  politic  terms 
which  he  granted  to  the  vanquished ;  and  still  greater 
applause  for  the  rapidity  with  which  he  followed  up 
his  successes,  in  spite  of  apparently  insurmountable 
obstacles.  Such  decisive  conduct  prevented  the  ral- 
lying of  the  dispersed  fugitives,  and  the  possibility 
of  their  uniting  with  the  ultra-royalist  General  Ola- 
neta.  It  was  indeed  a  masterly  pursuit,  and  saved 


CHAP.  xxvn.  HAIL-STONES.  249 

Peru  from  the  farther  effects  of  a  devastating  war, 
which  had  been  unnecessarily  procrastinated  after 
the  battle  of  Junin,  by  Canterac's  being  allowed  to 
form  a  junction  with  Valdez  at  Cuzco. 

Many  obstacles,  which  the  patriots  had  to  overcome 
on  the  coast  and  in  the  mountainous  regions,  have 
already  been  described;  but  it  will  perhaps  not  be 
out  of  place  to  enumerate  here  a  few  additional  in- 
stances, which  cannot  but  enhance  the  just  eulogium 
which  has  been  passed  on  the  patriot  soldiers. 

During  certain  months  of  the  year,  tremendous 
hail-storms  occur.  They  have  fallen  with  such 
violence  that  the  army  has  been  obliged  to  halt,  and 
the  men,  being  compelled  to  hold  up  their  knap- 
sacks to  protect  their  faces,  have  had  their  hands  so 
severely  bruisedand  cut  by  large  hail-stones,  as  to 
bleed  copiously. 

Thunder  storms  are  also  particularly  severe  in  the 
elevated  regions.  The  electric  fluid  is  seen  to  fall 
around,  in  a  manner  unknown  in  other  parts  of  the 
world,  and  frequently  causes  loss  of  life.  Such  tem- 
pests have  often  burst  at  some  distance  below  their 
feet,  as  the  army  climbed  the  lofty  ridges  of  the  Andes. 

The  distressing  fatigues  of  the  most  difficult 
marches  in  Europe,  cannot  perhaps  be  compared  to 
those  which  the  patriot  soldiers  underwent  in  the 
campaign  of  1824.  From  Caxamarca,  memorable 
for  the  seizure  and  death  of  Atahualpa,  to  Cuzco, 
the  whole  line  of  road  (with  the  exception  of  the  plain 
between  Pasco  and  the  vicinity  of  Tarma,  twenty 
leagues  in  extent,  and  the  valley  of  Xauxa),  presents 
a  continuation  of  rugged  and  fatiguing  ascents  and 


250  THE  SURUMPI.  CHAP.  xxvu. 

declivities.  That  these  difficulties  do  not  diminish 
between  Cuzco  and  Potosi  may  be  inferred  from  the 
following  fact. 

When  the  division  Cordova  marched  from  Cuzco 
to  Puno,  it  halted  at  Santa  Rosa.  During  the  night 
there  was  a  heavy  fall  of  snow.  They  continued  their 
march  the  next  morning.  The  effects  of  the  rays  of 
the  sun,  reflected  from  the  snow  upon  the  eyes,  pro- 
duces a  disease,  which  the  Peruvians  call  surumpi. 
It  occasions  blindness,  accompanied  by  excruciating 
tortures.  A  pimple  forms  on  the  eye-ball,  and  causes 
an  itching  pricking  pain,  as  though  needles  were  con- 
tinually piercing  it.  The  temporary  loss  of  sight 
is  occasioned  by  the  impossibility  of  opening  the  eye- 
lids for  a  single  moment,  the  smallest  ray  of  light 
being  absolutely  insupportable.  The  only  relief  is 
a  poultice  of  snow,  but  as  that  melts  away  the  intole- 
rable tortures  return.  With  the  exception  of  twenty 
men  and  the  guides,  who  knew  how  to  guard  against 
the  calamity,  the  whole  division  were  struck  blind 
with  the  surumpi)  three  leagues  distant  from  the 
nearest  human  habitation.  The  guides  galloped  on 
to  a  village  in  advance,  and  brought  out  a  hundred 
Indians  to  assist  in  leading  the  men.  Many  of  the 
sufferers,  maddened  by  pain,  had  strayed  away  from 
the  column,  and  perished  before  the  return  of  the 
guides,  who,  together  with  the  Indians,  took  charge 
of  long  files  of  the  poor  sightless  soldiers,  clinging 
to  each  other  with  agonized  and  desperate  grasp. 
During  their  dreary  march  by  a  rugged  mountain 
path,  several  fell  down  precipices,  and  were  never 
heard  of  more.  Miller  himself  suffered  only  fifteen 


CHAP.  XXVII.  THE   SURUMPI.  251 

hours  from  the  surumpi,  but  the  complaint  usually 
continues  two  days.  Out  of  three  thousand  men, 
Cordova  lost  above  a  hundred.  The  regiment  most 
affected  was  the  voltigeros  (formerly  Numancia), 
which  had  marched  from  Caracas,  a  distance  of  up- 
wards of  two  thousand  leagues. 

In  the  early  part  of  1824,  two  hundred  patriot 
prisoners  of  war,  on  the  march  to  the  grand  depot 
in  the  island  of  Chucuito,  on  the  lake  of  Titicaca, 
overpowered  their  escort  at  Santa  Rosa,  and  then 
fled  to  the  mountains  of  Cochabamba,  with  an  in- 
tention of  penetrating  through  the  unknown  back 
country,  peopled  by  uncivilized  Indians;  and  of 
making  their  way  out  at  Huanuco,  where  an  ad- 
vanced post  of  the  patriots  was  stationed.  On  the 
third  day  after  their  escape  they  were  caught  in  a 
snow-storm.  On  the  fourth  they  were  afflicted  with 
the  surumpi;  and  those  who  did  not  perish  upon  the 
spot,  or  were  not  overtaken  by  their  royalist  pursuers, 
were  torn  to  pieces  by  the  wild  beasts  with  which 
that  mountainous  and  unfrequented  part  of  the 
country  is  infested.  Even  the  first  night  they  passed 
upon  the  mountains,  it  was  necessary  to  light  fires 
and  to  mount  guard,  to  preserve  themselves  from  the 
jaws  of  the  ferocious  animals,  which  prowled  and 
howled  around  them.  Every  man  who  separated 
from  the  circle  was  sure  to  be  carried  off,  and  was 
speedily  devoured. 

Besides  these  various  obstacles  of  climate  and  lo- 
cality ;  an  exhausted  treasury,  the  dissensions  of 
party-spirit,  the  inactivity  and  apathy  of  several  of 
the  members  of  successive  administrations,  and  the 


252  GENERAL   OBSERVATIONS.       CHAP.  XXVII. 

incapacity  of  some  of  the  commanders,  were  to  be 
reckoned  among  the  complicated  difficulties  which 
so  long  retarded  the  progress  of  emancipation. 

Surely  the  undaunted  perseverance  of  the  patriot 
soldiers  in  such  a  case  gives  them  a  just  claim  to  our 
admiration  and  applause.  And  are  not  the  republics 
which  produce  such  men  entitled  to  the  consideration 
and  respect  of  more  powerful  and  more  favourably 
circumstanced  nations?  Above  all,  have  not  the 
South  American  patriots  a  legitimate  right  to  expect 
from  their  new  governments  tjiat  good  faith,  honesty, 
and  public  spirit,  which  are  the  best  guarantees  to 
persons  and  property?  These  virtues,  if  generally 
practised,  will  gradually  fit  the  new-born  nations  for 
the  enjoyment  of  rational  freedom,  by  teaching  them 
how  to  appreciate  it. 


CHAP,  xxvin.  FOREIGN  MERCHANTS.  253 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

Foreign  merchants  — Nature  of  their  assistance  to  patriots  and 
royalists. — Remarks  upon  the  formation  of  the  Chileno  squa- 
dron.— Revenue  of  Peru. — Receipt  and  expenditure. — Loan 
transactions. — Mistaken  policy. — General  observations. 

THERE  have  been  some  attempts  to  inculcate  an 
opinion  that  the  ex-colonies  of  Spain,  particularly 
Chile,  mainly  owe  their  independence,  and  the  for- 
mation  of  their  naval  forces,  to  the  assistance  of 
European  merchants.  The  fact  is,  that  some  of  them 
often  assumed  rather  more  credit  than  they  were 
entitled  to,  from  the  circumstance  of  their  happening 
to  be  the  consignees  of  a  few  old  ships,  and  of  second- 
hand slops  and  stores.  As  men  of  business,  indeed, 
these  gentlemen  were  right  to  make  the  most  of  the 
market  and  their  commodities ;  but  then  their  claims 
to  ardent  patriotism,  unmixed  with  views  of  profit, 
must  be  disallowed.  It  is  true  that  many  of  them 
displayed  that  liberality  of  feeling  which  is  generally 
found  to  exist  in  the  commercial  world ;  but  in  this 
case  their  sympathies  and  their  interests  went  hand  in 
hand.  When  these  became  unhappily  at  variance, 
poor  Sympathy  often  went  to  the  wall,  and  the 
royalists  were  supplied  with  the  munitions  of  war 
whenever  they  could  give  a  favourable  price.  The 
North  Americans  were  not  behindhand  in  this  sort  of 


254  FOREIGN   MERCHANTS.        CHAP,  xxvin. 

traffic.  Commodore  Stewart  was  loudly  accused  of 
affording  the  royalists  a  degree  of  support,  inconsistent 
with  his  instructions,  and  the  laws  of  neutrality.  He 
was  brought  to  a  court-martial  on  his  return  to  the 
United  States  ;  but  the  charges  were  not  proved,  and 
he  was  acquitted. 

Foreign  merchants  did  occasionally  make  advances 
to  the  new  governments ;  but  it  was  always  upon 
terms  of  profit  proportionate  to  the  risk.  Thus, 
speaking  of  the  merchants  as  a  body,  and  within  the 
sphere  of  their  counting-houses,  their  pretensions  to 
disinterested  liberalism  fall  to  the  ground.  But 
speaking  of  them  individually,  a  very  great  many 
may  be  instanced  as  having  given  unequivocal  proofs 
of  their  zeal  and  adherence  to  the  cause  of  independ- 
ence. When  the  destiny  of  Chile  depended  upon 
the  uncertain  chances  of  a  battle,  some  English  mer- 
chants armed  themselves,  joined  the  patriot  cavalry 
as  volunteers,  and  participated  in  the  brilliant  charges 
which,  at  Maypo,  decided  the  fate  of  the  country. 
Amongst  these  gentlemen,  Messrs.  Samuel  Haigh  and 
James  Barnard  were  particularly  conspicuous.  To 
such  feats  of  gallantry,  might  be  added  some  splendid 
acts  of  philanthropy  and  benevolence,  which  reflect 
particular  honour  on  the  parties  concerned.  It 
was  such  conduct,  and  not  assistance  bestowed  in 
the  way  of  business,  which  caused  the  British  to 
be  looked  up  to  with  distinguished  consideration. 
Another  powerful  reason  for  their  preponderating 
influence,  was  the  strict  observance  of  the  laws  of 
neutrality  by  the  English  naval  commanders,  and  the 
honourable,  straight-forward,  courteous,  and  manly 


CHAP.  XXVIII.  FOREIGNERS.  255 

frankness  with  which  English  naval  officers  conducted 
themselves.  Captains  Sir  Thomas  Staines,  Bowles, 
ShirrefF,  Falcon,SirThomasHardy(nowrear-admiral), 
the  Hon.  Sir  Robert  Spencer,  Prescott,  Brown,  the 
Hon.  Frederick  Spencer,  Porter,  and  many  other  offi- 
cers, are  still  remembered,  and  frequently  mentioned 
by  South  Americans  in  terms  of  the  warmest  regard. 
Hence  also  arose  a  feeling  of  gratitude  in  the  Chileno 
people  towards  England  as  a  nation.  They  persuade 
themselves  that  she  is  the  friend  of  liberal  institu- 
tions, and  consider  her  their  well-wisher.  But  it  is 
well  known  that  Spanish  America  owes  nothing  to 
the  British  government  save  the  foreign  enlistment 
bill  of  1819,  which  Mr.  Canning  stated  in  Parlia- 
ment, in  1827,  was  passed  at  the  express  request  of 
the  king  of  Spain. 

Chile,  therefore,  must  not  be  defrauded  of  the 
honour  due  to  her  own  exertions,  and  the  assistance 
of  the  army  of  the  Andes.  A  few  facts  will  show 
that  Chile,  aided  by  the  Buenos  Ayreans,  worked 
out  her  own  emancipation,  through  her  own  valour, 
her  own  immense  sacrifices,  and  her  own  perseverance; 
and,  having  stated  thus  much,  it  will  be  unnecessary 
to  make  any  observation  on  the  same  subject  with 
regard  to  Peru, 

Notwithstanding  the  advantages  acquired  by  the 
campaign  of  1818,  the  directorial  government  soon 
perceived  that  its  acquisitions  were  ill  secured  from 
new  invasions,  so  long  as  the  coasts  were  unprotected 
by  a  naval  force.  For  the  double  object  of  defence, 
and  of  possessing  the  means  to  remove  the  seat  of 
war  to  Peru,  the  centre  of  the  Spanish  possessions, 


256  NAVY  OF  CHILE.  CHAP.  xxvm. 

the  Chileno  government  turned  its  attention  to  the 
creation  of  a  navy. 

The  Windham,  afterwards  named  the  Lautaro,  an 
old  East  Indiaman,  of  eight  hundred  tons,  was  the 
first  purchase.  One  hundred  and  eighty  thousand 
dollars  was  the  price  agreed  upon.  Ninety  thousand 
dollars,  in  hard  cash,  were  paid  down  before  posses- 
sion was  given,  and  the  remainder  was  paid  by  good 
bills  upon  the  custom-house.  ..•; 

One  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars  were  paid 
for  another  old  East  Indiaman,  of  twelve  hundred 
tons,  the  Cumberland,  afterwards  named  the  General 
San  Martin.  Contributions,  for  the  purpose  of  raising 
this  sum,  were  collected  principally  in  family  plate, 
copper,  jerked  beef,  and  tallow. 

The  Galvarino,  formerly  the  British  sloop  of  war 
Hecate,  was  purchased  for  seventy  thousand  dollars. 
The  brig  Columbus,  afterwards  the  Araucano,  cost 
forty  thousand  dollars  ;  and  the  Clifton,  afterwards 
the  Chacabuco,  thirty-five  thousand  dollars. 

The  debts  contracted  on  account  of  those  vessels 
were  not  of  long  standing,  being  principally  and 
speedily  liquidated  by  bills,  taken  by  the  custom- 
house in  payment  of  duties,  and  therefore  nearly  as 
good  to  the  merchants  as  ready  money. 

The  following  list  of  the  ships  of  war  taken  from 
the  Spaniards,  from  1818  till  182,5,  shows  that  the 
sacrifices  and  exertions  of  Chile  produced  the  wished- 
for  results,  and  that  the  maritime  superiority  of  the 
Pacific  was  the  fruit  of  her  exertions  and  valour. 


CHAP.  XXVIII.  NAVY  OF  CHILE.  J>57 

Guns. 

Maria  Isabel  -         -         -         50 

Prueba  ....         50 

Venganza  -  44 

Esmeralda  -       ,  .         .         44 

Resolucion  \,.,  •    •  -         34 

Sebastiana  34 

Pezuela       -  18 

Potrillo       -  -         -         -       .  .,  '..      16 

Proserpina  ) 

>-  schooners. 
Aranzanzu  j 

7  gun-boats. 

Aguila         I 

°    ^          >  armed  merchantmen. 
.Begona        ) 

Asia  74  guns. 

Aquiles          brig  of  war. 

The  Asia  was  seized  by  her  crew,  and  delivered  up 
to  the  Mexicans,  at  Acapulco,  in  1825.  The  Aquiles 
was,  in  like  manner,  delivered  up  to  the  Chileno 
government  in  the  same  year. 

One  hundred  thousand  dollars  were  sent  to  the 
United  States  for  the  purchase  of  two  corvettes,  one 
of  which,  the  Independencia,  of  twenty-six  guns, 
arrived  in  a  Chileno  port.  The  person  in  charge  of 
the  other  ran  away  with  her,  on  the  plea  of  only  a 
part  of  the  purchase  money  having  been  paid :  he 
affected  not  to  have  sufficient  confidence  in  the  go- 
vernment for  the  remainder,  but  he  did  not  refund 
the  money  already  advanced.  The  want  of  judgment 
and  incompetency  of  the  Chileno  agent,  in  the  United 
States,  rendered  the  matter  still  worse ;  for  he  suffered 
himself  to  be  involved  in  such  an  expensive  lawsuit 

VOL.  II.  S 


258  ASSISTANCE   RENDERED  CHAP,  xxvill. 

at  New  York,  that,  in  the  end,  through  the  folly  of 
one  party,  and  the  knavery  of  another,  the  Indepen- 
dencia  cost  one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars  *. 

The  Rising  Star,  a  steam  vessel,  cost  the  Chileno 
government  seven  thousand  pounds  sterling,  when 
their  agent  in  London,  Colonel  Alvarez  Condarco, 
very  properly  refused  to  incur  any  further  expenses, 
and  relinquished  the  bargain. 

The  same  ruinous  charges  were  made  for  arms 
and  stores.  Muskets  were  sometimes  bought  at 
twenty  dollars  each,  and  seldom  or  never  at  less  than 
ten.  A  corresponding  price  was  given  for  military 
accoutrements,  many  of  which  had  already  been  con- 
demned as  unserviceable  at  the  Tower  of  London,  and 
bought  up  at  a  low  price,  for  the  supply  of  the  pa- 
triots or  the  royalists,  whichever  the  consignees,  with 
all  due  deference  to  the  interests  of  the  shippers, 
might  consider  the  most  eligible  customers.  This 
assertion  will  be  borne  out  by  a  reference  to  a  mani- 
festo of  the  Viceroy  Pezuela,  published  at  Madrid  in 
1821.  At  page  82  he  states : 

"  The  presence  of  foreign  vessels  in  our  ports  may 
have  been  prejudicial  to  our  cause  j  but  perhaps  the 
utility  will  outweigh  the  evil,  if  put  into  an  impartial 
balance.  Of  course  they  brought  us  the  great  num- 
bers of  muskets  and  other  arms  already  mentioned 
in  the  answer  to  the  second  general  charge,  and  with- 
out which  our  defenceless  armies  would  perhaps 
have  yielded  before  now  to  the  well-provided  troops 
of  the  enemy.  A  foreign  vessel  introduced  supplies 

*  A  line  of  battle  ship  and  a  frigate  were  purchased  by  the  English  con- 
tractors for  the  last  Colombian  loan.  They  sailed  in  1825  for  Carthagena,  but 
having  put  into  New  York,  they  were  sold  to  defray  the  expenses  incnrred  in 
rendering  them  seaworthy,  and  thus  were  lost  to  the  republic. 


CHAP.  XXVIII.        BY  FOREIGN  MERCHANTS.  259 

on  the  coast  of  Chiloe ;  another,  by  opportune  warn- 
ing, saved  a  rich  convoy  coming  from  Guayaquil, 
and  which  was  upon  the  very  point  of  falling  into 
the  power  of  the  blockading  forces  off  Callao.  Not 
to  be  diffuse,  it  is  stated  that,  for  several  years  past, 
foreign  vessels  have  been  employed  as  the  means  of 
performing  important  services,  and  of  conveying  am- 
munition and  stores  with  which  our  divers  military 
points  have  been  strengthened. 

"  The  active  conduct  of  government  has  been 
made  manifest,  as  much  in  having  drawn  from  fo- 
reign countries, 

13,662  muskets. 

1,295  pair  of  pistols. 

3,745  sabres. 
58, 000  flints. 

2,090  sets  of  accoutrements, 

as  well  as  in  having  raised  213,885  dollars  for  the 
payment  thereof" 

The  costly  purchases,  by  the  patriots,  as  before 
specified,  were  long  antecedent  to  the  famous  loans, 
which  have  turned  out  to  be  more  prejudicial  than 
useful,  both  to  Chile  and  to  Peru,  and  which  will 
continue  to  press  like  an  incubus  on  those  countries, 
in  their  future  efforts  to  surmount  the  difficulties 
which  the  loans  themselves  have  created.  Such  re- 
sources, if  faithfully  applied,  might  have  been  be- 
neficial ;  but,  unfortunately,  the  magnitude  of  the 
temptation  rendered  men  dishonest,  whose  integrity 
had  never  been  assailed  by  opportunity,  and  whose 
ingenuity  till  then  had  never  had  so  wide  a  field  for 
exertion.  Either  political  or  financial  integrity  was 


LOANS.  CHAP.  XXVIII. 

a  virtue  so  seldom  taught  by  precept,  or  enforced  by 
example,  in  the  time  of  the  Spaniards,  that  it  is  not  to 
be  wondered  at,  if  the  very  name  of  a  loan  should 
awaken  the  cupidity  of  men,  many  of  whose  earliest 
lessons  and  principles  had  been  taken  at  the  gaming 
table.     The  first  importation  of  specie  gave  a  new 
impetus  to  the  intriguing  powers  of  those  pretenders 
to  the  sweets  of  office  who,  possessing  some  degree  of 
influence,  especially  with  the  army,  conceived  that 
they  had  some  chance  of  supplanting  the  rulers  of  the 
day.     O'Higgins  has  been  heard  to  say  that  for  six 
years,  when  he  could  only  manage  to  raise  supplies  to 
meet  the  exigencies  of  the  moment,  he  was  permitted 
to  remain  undisturbed  at  the  head  of  affairs ;  during 
this  period,  Chile  became  not  only  one  of  the  family 
of  nations,  but  sent  forth  an  expedition  which  laid 
the  foundation  of  the  independence  of  Peru.     But 
the  expectation  of  the  arrival  of  the  first  instalment 
in  gold,   from  London,  caused    rival  candidates   to 
spring  up,  and  O'Higgins  was   induced  to  give  way 
to  men,  under  whose  successive  administrations  the 
power  and  respectability  of  the  republic  have  been 
almost   uniformly  retrograding.     It  was  long  pre- 
vious to  the  loan  that  she  gained  her  naval  superiority 
over  the  Spaniards  in  the  Pacific.   Her  victorious  squa- 
dron has  since  been  allowed  to  rot  in  port !  In  1821  she 
expedited  nearly  5000  troops  to  Peru.     Perhaps  she 
would  find  more  difficulty  now  in  sending  offas  many 
hundreds  !     Notwithstanding  her  natural  riches,  po- 
verty pervades  every  public  department,  and  nothing 
can  be  seen  to  justify  the  conclusion  that  the  loan  has 
been  beneficial  to  the  country. 


CHAP.  XXVIII.  MALVERSATION.  261 

A  very  small  proportion  of  the  loans  raised,  for  the 
American  governments,  was  received  in  specie.  No 
inconsiderable  part  was  remitted  in  arms,  which 
were  sometimes  serviceable,  and  sometimes  damaged, 
but  always  charged  at  an  exorbitant  price. 

It  is  right  that  a  government  should  suffer  for  se- 
lecting an  agent  unfit  for  the  mission  he  may  be  sent 
upon ;  but  it  is  not  the  less  unfortunate  for  the  people, 
that  they  should  have  to  pay  for  supineness,  errors, 
and  over-reaching  upon  every  side.  South  America 
(thanks  to  the  colonial  system  of  Spain)  does  not 
abound  at  first  sight  in  many  public-spirited  and 
honest  men  of  superior  talent ;  but  such  are  not 
entirely  wanting,  although  the  governments  do  not 
always  avail  themselves  of  their  services. 

Hence  it  is  that  some  of  the  patriot  agents  did 
not  become  the  poorer  by  a  residence  in  Europe,  and 
others  of  them  were  (perhaps  wrongfully)  supposed  to 
have  lost  sight  of  the  interests  of  their  own  country, 
in  the  assiduous  cultivation  of  acquaintances  in  a 
certain  house  in  the  City  where  the  gentlemen  who 
frequent  it  are  not  suspected  to  be  more  indifferent 
to  the  fascinating  charms  of  making  a  rapid  for- 
tune than  the  grosser  part  of  the  world  in  general. 
Not  that  some  of  the  successive  governments  could 
very  well  accuse  their  agents  of  malversation,  with- 
out feeling  a  twitch  of  conscience  at  home,  inasmuch 
as  the  instalments  remitted  were  not  at  all  times 
fairly  expended.  An  instance  occurred  in  which  a 
civilian,  holding  an  office  of  high  responsibility,  lost 
at  a  gambling  table,  in  one  sitting,  twenty  thousand 


REVENUE 


CHAP.    XXVIII. 


dollars  of  the  very  money  which  formed  part  of  the 
loan,  and  at  the  very  time  that  the  officers  and  soldiers, 
then  in  presence  of  the  enemy,  were  placed  upon  one 
half  or  one  fourth  of  their  pay !  The  damning  sin  of  the 
new  governments  has  been,  the  not  being  proof  against 
the  tempting  facilities  of  borrowing  money.  Instead 
of  increasing  their  debts,  they  ought  to  have  paid  off 
a  part,  if  not  the  whole,  of  those  already  contracted. 
We  can  assert  with  confidence  that,  as  far  as  relates 
to  Peru,  Chile,  and  Buenos  Ayres,  the  revenue,  ho- 
nestly  expended,  would  have  been  more  than  sufficient 
to  meet  every  exigency. 

The  following  is  a  translation  of  an  official  return, 
published  in  a  Lima  newspaper,  dated  10th  of  No- 
vember, 1827. 


FINANCE  DEPARTMENT. 


SECOND  SECTION. 


AN  APPROXIMATIVE  ESTIMATE  OF  THE  REVENUE  AND  EXPENDITURE 
OF  THE  REPUBLIC  IN  THE  PRESENT  YEAR,  VIZ. 

RECEIPTS. 


Lima  

Ayacucho 

Cuzco 

Puno  

Arequipa 
Truxillo  .. 
Juniu 


Treasury. 

Customs. 

Total. 

750,000 

1,082,000 

1,832,000 

137,000 

137,000 

547,000 

547,000 

102,000 

15,000 

117,000 

770,000 

460,000 

1,230,000 

100,000 

140,000 

240,000 

300,000 

300,000 

2,706,000 

1,697,000 

4,403,000 

General  contribution  800,000 

Total 5,233,000 


CHAP.  XXVIII. 


OF   PERU. 


EXPENDITURE. 
Congress   ,. 

Govern- 
ment. 

250,000 

Army  and 
Navy. 

Home 
Department 

Total. 

250  000 

50,000 

50000 

War  salaries  

1,500,000 

1  500  000 

400,000 

400  000 

Marine  

500,000 

500  000 

Military  colleges  

50,000 

50000 

Charitable  establishments 
and  schools  

50,000 

50000 

Political  and  judicial  esta- 
blishments     

305,000 

305  000 

Finance  offices  

201  000 

201  000 

Custom-house  

27fi  000 

27fi  000 

Expenses   and   superan- 
nuations of  finance  de- 

250000 

250000 

Consolidation  of  the  debt 
Interest  of  the  debt  

170,000 
150000 

170,000 
150000 

Unforeseen  expenses    ... 

1,000,000 

1,000,000 

Total... 

555.000 

2.450.000 

2.047.000 

5.152.000 

Dollars. 

Receipts 5,233,000 

Expenditure 5,152,000 


Excess  of  revenue 81,000 


If  any  additional  evidence  were  required  to  show 
the  capacity  of  Peru  to  fulfil  her  engagements,  satis- 
factory proofs  might  be  adduced  from  the  admini- 
stration of  the  departments  of  Puno  and  Potosi  in 
the  unsettled  year  of  1825. 

The  loan-debt  of  Peru  may  be  stated,  in  round 
numbers,  at  one  million  five  hundred  thousand  pounds 


264  PERNICIOUS  POLICY.         CHAP,  xxvin. 

sterling.  The  government  of  that  country  now  says: 
"  Although  we  have  not  received  perhaps  half  the 
amount  we  ought  to  have  received,  and  although  we 
have  been  imposed  upon  by  contractors,  and  by  our 
agents  (for  whose  errors  we  hold  ourselves  respon- 
sible), we  nevertheless  consider  ourselves  bound  in 
honour  to  acknowledge  the  debt;  and  this  is  all  we 
can  do  until  we  recover  from  the  effects  of  a  war 
which  has  crippled  the  country." 

The  pernicious  policy  of  Colombia  and  Peru,  in 
keeping  up  standing  armies  in  time  of  peace,  so  con- 
trary to  the  spirit  and  principles  of  liberty  which 
each  professes,  is,  after  want  of  integrity  in  some  of 
the  public  servants,  the  great  cause  of  the  inability 
to  make  remittances  for  the  payment  of  the  dividends. 
The  system  of  impressing  seamen  in  England,  and 
the  conscription  of  Napoleon,  were  mild  and  equitable 
compared  with  the  mode  of  recruiting  in  South 
America,  where  labour  is  arbitrarily  deprived  of  the 
most  useful  hands,  merely  to  send  Peruvians  to  Co- 
lombia*, and  to  keep  Colombians  in  Peru.  It  is 
such  cruel  measures,  of  equivocal  tendency,  which 
contribute  to  keep  both  countries  in  an  unsettled 
state,  and  disable  the  respective  governments  from 
satisfying  even  the  just  claims  upon  them.  That 
there  is  a  disposition  to  keep  faith  with  the  public 
creditor  is  shown  by  the  formal  recognition  of  the 
debt,  and  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  the  leading  men  of 
South  America  will  ere  long  learn  its  real  interests, 


*  This  observation  refers  to  transactions  in  182G,  when  some  three  or  four 
thousand  Peruvians,  principally  serranos  or  mountaineers,  were  shipped  off 
from  the  Puertos  Intermedios,  for  the  sultry  shores  of  Colombia. 


CHAP.  XXVIII.  STANDING  AllMIES.  265 

and  discover  the  way  to  govern,  without  an  expensive 
and  disproportionate  military  force. 

It  may  be  asked  if  standing  armies  are  not  neces- 
sary to  guard  against  foreign  invasion  ?     The  answer 
is,  CERTAINLY  NOT.     If  an  European  power  were 
quixotic  enough  to  send  even  a  very  large  force  to 
any  part  of  South  America,  the  montoneros,  gauchos, 
or  guasos,  would  give  a  good  account  of  them,  and 
the  climate  would  do  the  rest.     Against  the  general 
wish  of  the  people  they  never  could  remain.     The 
immense  extent  of  territory  which  its  vast  continent 
embraces  would  require  innumerable  garrisons  to  hold 
in  subjection  the  principal  towns  alone;  and,  as  there 
are  very  few  fortified  places,  detached  garrisons  would 
easily  be  overpowered,  or  starved  out,  whenever  the 
natives  chose  to  rise  en  masse,  as  has  been  seen  in 
the  case  of  La  Serna,  at  Jujuy.     From  the  great 
abundance  of  cattle  in  South  America,  and  the  simple 
mode  of  living,  the  maintaining  of  guerrillas  or  mon- 
toneros is   attended   with    less   difficulty,   perhaps, 
than  in  any  other  part  of  the  globe ;  and  such  is  the 
nature  of  the  country,  the  thinly  populated  plains,  the 
coast  of  deserts,  and  the  almost  impassable  mountains, 
that  to  keep  those  bodies  down,  whilst  a  patriotic 
feeling  existed,  would  be  impossible.     Thus,  a  hostile 
army,  however  numerous,  would  only  keep  in  subjec- 
tion those  parts  which  it  actually  occupied.     Few 
recruits  of  the  country  could  be  obtained  by  the  in- 
vaders, and  on  the  fidelity  of  those  few,  no  firm  re- 
liance could  be  placed.     The  ranks  of  the  invaders 
would  dwindle  into   utter  insignificance,  and  ulti- 


266  STANDING  ARMIES  NOT       CHAP.  XXVIII. 

raately  be  overwhelmed.  The  instructions  to  Ge- 
neral Whitelocke  and  the  other  commanders  who 
were  to  co-operate  with  him,  are  really  curious  docu- 
ments, and  furnish  clear  proofs  of  a  lamentable  want 
of  information  on  South  American  affairs.  Buenos 
Ayres,  Chile,  and  Upper  Peru,  were  marked  out  to. 
be  made  permanent  possessions.  The  lines  of  com- 
munication across  the  Pampas  and  over  the  Andes 
were  arranged,  as  if  a  corps  of  fifty  or  sixty  estafettes 
would  have  been  sufficient  to  maintain  them.  The 
plans  discussed  at  that  time,  with  all  the  solemnity  of 
official  mystery,  now  appear  most  absurd.  It  would 
be  considered  incredible  that  ignorance  so  profound 
should  have  disgraced  a  public  office,  were  it  not 
known  that  able  British  officers  have  pronounced, 
and  that  not  long  ago,  that  South  America,  from  Cape 
Horn  to  the  Isthmus  of  Panama,  might  be  con- 
quered and  retained  by  ten  thousand  European  troops. 
Such  opinions  were,  in  all  probability,  hastily  formed, 
by  taking  only  a  casual  glance  at  sans  culotte-looiking 
soldiers  on  the  coast,  and  without  reflecting  that  the  ab- 
sence of  pipe-clayed  gloves,  leather  stocks,  and  incon- 
venient gaiters,  does  not  necessarily  imply  an  absence 
of  military  capabilities  or  courage.  It  may  be  ex- 
tremely flattering  to  Europeans  to  contrast  their  well- 
clothed  troops  with  the  loosely  dressed  Americans; 
but  let  those  fine-looking  fellows  land  on  the  south 
of  Valdivia,  and  let  them  attempt  to  penetrate  to 
Concepcion,  hardly  a  man  would  escape  the  long 
lance  of  the  half  naked  Araucanian.  Let  them 
disembark  from  the  Rio  de  la  Plata,  or  on  the  shores 


CHAP,  xxvin.     NECESSARY  IN  SOUTH  AMERICA.          267 

of  Chile,  and  the  bravest  European  soldiers  would 
find,  that  the  warring  gaucko,  and  expert  guaso,  are 
enemies  rather  to  be  feared  than  ridiculed. 

The  South  Americans  may  not  yet  be  sufficiently 
advanced  in  civilization,  to  form  the  best  ordered 
governments ;  but  it  is  evident,  and  certain,  that  they 
will  never  again  submit  to  a  foreign  yoke.  The  few 
anti-patriots,  or  disaffected  individuals,  who  yet  re- 
main, are  amongst  the  lawyers,  the  clergy,  and  the 
aristocracy  5  and  these  are  not,  generally  speaking,  of 
the  right  mettle  to  be  employed  in  the  field.  The 
gauchos,  the  guasos,  and  the  peasantry  in  general, 
are  the  effective  men  in  time  of  war,  and  they,  with 
scarcely  an  exception,  are  stanch  patriots.  The  most 
influential  natives  now  hold  important  employments 
in  the  army,  in.  the  church,  and  in  the  state,  and  they 
would  not  willingly  give  up  their  present  situations 
to  make  room  for  Europeans.  Notwithstanding  all 
this,  the  most  wild  and  visionary  hopes  appear  to 
be  still  entertained,  not  only  by  the  servile  royalists 
of  Spain,  but  by  some  of  the  most  liberal  constitu- 
tional Spaniards  now  in  England,  as  well  as  by  other 
Europeans,  blinded  by  prejudices,  or  deceived  by  the 
misinformation  of  discontented,  disappointed  friars 
and  priests ;  and  some  few  out-of-place  oidores  and 
lawyers  still  remaining  in  South  America.  The  de- 
stiny of  those  countries  does  not,  cannot,  depend  upon 
the  will  of  any  European  power,  not  even  on  that  of 
all  Europe  combined.  The  new  states  are,  and  will 
be,  free  from  foreign  domination;  and  they  will  be 
matured  into  independent  nations,  in  spite  of  every 
effort  that  may  be  made  by  their  former  oppressors. 


GENERAL  CHAP,  xxvni. 

No  government  of  any  kind  can  exist  for  any  great 
length  of  time  in  South  America,  unless  it  be 
supported  by  public  opinion.  Hence  proceed  so 
many  changes  ;  and  these  will  doubtless  continue, 
until  some  superior  mind  shall  arise,  and  drive  po- 
litical novices,  and  petty  tyrants,  like  chaff  before 
the  wind.  But  that  superior  mind  must  possess 
strong  nerve,  and  more  than  honest  intentions. 
Public  spirit,  honesty,  and  incorruptible  even-handed 
justice,  are  the  best  guarantees  to  the  permanent  pre- 
servation of  power.  At  least  it  is  hoped  that  the 
gallant  South  Americans  will  never  tolerate,  for  any 
length  of  time,  any  set  of  rulers  who  do  not  possess 
those  legitimate  claims  to  confidence.  ALFREDS  and 
WASHINGTONS  are  not  the  produce  of  every  age,  or 
of  every  country.  But  as  Spanish  Americans  become 
enlightened,  public  opinion  will  give  greater  efficacy 
to  moral  checks ;  and  time  may  perhaps  exhibit,  to  an 
admiring  world,  nations  as  free,  powerful,  and  happy 
as  the  best  constituted  monarchy,  or  as  their  elder 
sister  of  the  northern  hemisphere,  but  unstained  by 
the  foul  blot  of  slavery,  which  obscures  the  otherwise 
just  claims  of  the  United  States  to  admiration. 

Much  has  been  written  against  the  governments  of 
Chile  and  Peru.  There  is  no  doubt  that,  in  each 
country,  successive  rulers  have  committed  many  acts 
of  gross  injustice;  not  unfrequently  from  inexperi- 
ence, and  sometimes  certainly  from  less  justifiable 
motives.  But  how  could  it  reasonably  be  expected  to 
be  otherwise,  in  a  ministry  chosen  almost  at  random, 
from  a  people  just  emerging  from  cruel  despotism  j 
from  a  people  born  in  the  most  abject  bondage,  and 


CHAP,  xxvill.  OBSERVATIONS.  269 

reared  in.  all  the  bad  principles  of  despotism  and  super- 
stition? The  colonial  system  forbade  every  kind  of 
learning  calculated  to  expand  and  enlighten  the  mind. 
Whenever  extraordinary  natural  talents  showed  them- 
selves, they  were  studiously  perverted  to  vicious  pur- 
suits, in  order  to  withdraw  the  powers  of  a  strong 
mind  from  the  consideration  of  political  subjects. 
During  the  struggle  for  independence,  a  successful 
commander  was  placed  by  the  chances  of  war,  or  by 
intrigue,  at  the  helm  of  state :  he  chose  his  ministers 
from  amongst  his  friends  at  hand,  without  always 
seeking  for  unobtrusive  merit ;  and  it  has  often  hap- 
pened that  incapacity,  unaccompanied  even  by  probity, 
has  been  called  to  offices  of  trust;  so  that,  when  such 
men  have  accidentally  found  themselves  at  the  head 
of  affairs,  it  is  not  very  surprising  that  they  should 
have  attended  quite  as  much  to  their  own  private  in- 
terests as  to  the  public  good. 

Monteagudo  has,  in  his  Memoir,  the  following 
remark  upon  the  scarcity  of  men  in  Peru  qualified 
to  fill  high  offices,  which  applies  with  equal  force  to 
Chile,  and  perhaps  to  the  other  sections. 

"  Unfortunately  the  greater  part  of  the  population 
of  Peru  is  deficient  in  those  acquirements,  without 
which  it  is  impossible  to  fulfil  well  the  duties  of  such 
difficult  situations.  The  study  of  politics  and  legis- 
lation has  been  hitherto  as  dangerous  as  it  was  use- 
less. The  study  of  the  science  of  political  economy 
was  diametrically  opposed  to  the  colonial  laws.  Di- 
plomacy was  without  an  object,  and  it  would  have 
been  equally  superfluous  to  have  dedicated  oneself  to 
that  study  as  it  would  have  been  to  have  learned  the 


GENERAL  CHAP,  xxvni. 

deidam  of  the  Bramins.  In  a  word,  all  the  know- 
ledge necessary  to  pave  the  way  to  the  acquisition  of 
those  branches  of  science  was  either  of  most  difficult 
attainment,  or  encompassed  by  dangers  which  few 
could  venture  to  brave." 

Such  were  the  scanty  materials  out  of  which  the 
new  governments  had  to  be  constructed.  Able  writers 
have  animadverted  upon  them  in  unmeasured  terms; 
but  it  must  be  recollected  that  these  authors  have 
sometimes  started  from  amongst  the  many,  who  have 
gone  out  with  glittering  hopes,  and  who,  having 
failed  from  want  of  tact,  have  turned  round  upon  the 
governments,  and  broadly  charged  them  with  want  of 
faith;  when  perhaps  this  last  reason,  even  when  it 
did  exist,  was  not  amongst  the  main  causes  of  their 
disappointment. 

It  belongs  to  the  diplomatic  body  of  Spanish 
America,  resident  in  Europe,  to  set  the  world  right 
in  several  points,  upon  which  misrepresentations  have 
been  carried  to  an  unwarrantable  length,  by  variously 
talented  men,  writing  and  writhing  under  the  feelings 
of  disappointed  expectations.  But  some  of  their  Ex- 
cellencies appear  to  have  been,  in  a  few  instances,  less 
anxious  to  trouble  themselves  with  the  affairs  of  their 
country,  than  to  swell  themselves  out  like  the  frog  in 
the  fable.  Perhaps,  however,  their  said  Excellencies, 
and  the  aforesaid  disappointed  writers,  will  tolerate 
a  remark,  en  passant,  that  South  America  is  not  a 
warehouse  of  ready-made  fortunes,  into  which  the 
mercantile  or  military  aspirant,  to  wealth  or  fame,  has 
only  to  walk  and  help  himself.  The  very  want  of 
stability  and  regularity  on  the  part  of  those  govern-. 


CHAP.  XXVIII.  OBSERVATIONS.  271 

ments  has  occasionally  enabled  a  few  foreign  specu- 
lators to  make  rapid  fortunes.  This  has  caused  others 
to  flock  thither,  and  the  disappointment  has  been  in 
proportion  to  their  numbers.  Let  them  go :  but  let 
them  make  up  their  minds  to  the  attendant  risk  and 
inconveniences ;  and  let  them  conform  with  a  forbear- 
ing spirit  to  the  manners  of  a  mild  people,  not  quite 
so  far  advanced  in,  what  is  called,  civilization  as  the 
people  of  older  countries.  But  the  fact  is,  that  few 
men  willingly  ascribe  the  cause  of  failure  to  a  want 
of  foresight,  to  misinformation,  to  miscalculation,  or 
to  their  own  unconciliating  deportment  towards  the 
natives ;  but  all  seem  ready  to  throw  the  blame  upon 
a  government,  or  a  people,  certainly  not  held  up  as 
faultless,  but  neither  of  which  ought  to  be  made 
responsible  for  the  stability  of  every  splendid  air- 
built  castle,  the  offspring  of  a  heated  or  misguided 
imagination. 


272  POTOSI.  CHAP.  xxix. 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

Potosi. — Its  mines. — Public  edifices. — Mint. — Bank  of  Rescate. — 
Treasury . — Caxchas. — Departmental  administration. — Police. 
— Government-house. — Society  of  Potosi. — Agents  for  mining 
associations. 

THE  war  being  now  at  an  end,  General  Miller  was 
appointed  prefect*  of  the  department  of  Potosi,  com- 
posed of  the  provinces  of  Porco,  Chayanta,  Lipes, 
Chichas,  and  Atacama;  containing  a  population  of 
about  300,000  souls,  two-thirds  of  which  were  ab- 
origines, the  remainder  whites,  and  mestizos  of 
various  shades. 

The  town  of  Potosi,  the  capital  of  the  department, 
is  situated  about  15,000  feet  above  the  level  of  the 
sea,  in  the  province  of  Porco,  in  19°  51'  south  lati- 
tude and  60°  31'  west  longitude  from  Cadiz.  Upon 
the  accidental  discovery  of  its  mineral  riches  in  1545, 
it  was  named  an  asiento,  or  mine  station ;  but  in  pro- 
cess of  time  it  was  raised  to  the  rank  of  a  town,  and 
made  the  capital  of  an  intendencia.  In  161 1  the  town 
contained  150,000  inhabitants,  according  to  a  census 
taken  by  order  of  the  mtendente  Bejerano.  This 
number  must  at  that  time  have  consisted  principally 
of  mitayos  f  of  every  tribe  existing  between  Potosi 
and  Cuzco,  a  distance  of  nearly  300  leagues.  Those 
unhappy  beings  were  generally  accompanied  in  their 

*  The  prefects  of  the  departments  of  Upper  Peru  were  called  presidents,  but 
we  shall  use  the  former  appellation  to  prevent  confusion, 
f  Indians  compelled  to  work  in  the  mines. 


CHAP.  XXIX.  POTOSI.  273 

labours  by  their  wives  and  families,  who  came  rather 
to  share  in  the  hopeless  sufferings  of  their  husbands 
and  fathers  than  to  settle  in  the  arid  hills  of  Potosi. 
It  is  not  therefore  surprising  that  its  population 
should  have  been,  by  the  abolition  of  the  mita,  and 
by  the  shocks  which  wealthy  establishments  received 
during  the  revolution,  reduced  to  only  8000,  in  the 
year  1825. 

The  traveller,  on  approaching  Potosi,  from  what- 
ever side  he  may  come,  emerges  from  deep  mountain 
ravines,  and  discovers  the  town  at  the  foot  of  the  cele- 
brated argentiferous  Cerro,  which  is  a  conical  hill 
about  three  leagues  in  circumference  at  the  base. 
Its  summit  is  more  than  2000  feet  above  the  town, 
and  consequently  17,000  feet*  above  the  level  of  the 
sea.  It  appears  to  be  of  volcanic  origin,  and  its 
sides  are  marked  with  spots  of  various  hues,  such  as 
dark  green,  orange,  gray,  and  red. 

The  principal  vetas,  or  lodes,  on  the  Cerro  are : 
La  Ensima,  or  Chacapolo.        La  Estano. 

—  Polo.  —  Corpus-Christi. 

—  Mendieta.  —  Sapatera. 

—  Veta-rica.  —  San  Jose*. 

The  following  are  the  principal  mines,  with  the 
depth  to  which  each  had  been  excavated  up  to  the 
year  1825: 

Varas,  or  Spanish  yards. 

Montoya             .  .  800 

Arcobarreno       .  .  700 

Marverias           .  ,  700 

Joaquin  Prudencio  ,,..r  600 

*  The  height  of  the  town  and  cerro  of  Potosi  is  given  upon  hearsay. 
VOL.  II.  T 


274                              MINES  AND  CERttO.  CHAP.  xxix. 

Varas,  or  Spanish  yards. 

Rosario            ,.>?*  .  400 

Chaquello        '  ,n  .  250 

Sojo     '  I1""       l\n!  •!?,''  200 

Sobato             •;.'.'  '.:  600 

SanJos6             .  V  COO 

Antona            '   .  s  1000 

Purisitna          "".".'  ."J  700 

San  Miguel        .  .  500 

San  Juan  de  Dios  .  450 

Escarterilla         .  .  300 

Carmen              .  '  .  400 

Pimentel           "'.'  '  .  1000 

Guadalupe          .  *\';>  230 

Onate               'V  /  400 

Sacramento         .  ,  .  260 

San  Geronimo  ,  .  300 

Guaillaguari      ".  '  .  *  900 

San  Rafael          .  fr  100 

Boguilla              .%fl  ',  150 

San  Luis             .  '  .  400 

Flamencos          .  .  300 

Santa  Rosa         .  .  '  420 

Misericordia       .  ..  420 

San  Bartolome   .  .  310 

Esperanza         i;.  ,  .  250 

Mercedes           ..  .  300 

Auxilios          .   .  .  400 

San  Antonio  .  350 

Above  5000  boca-minas  (mine-mouths  or  levels) 

have  been  opened  on  the  mountain.  Of  these  only 


CHAP.  XXIX.  POTOSI.  275 

50  or  60  are  now  worked.     The  rest  are  stopped  up, 
are  inundated,  or  have  fallen  in. 

The  upper  portion  of  the  mountain  is  so  com- 
pletely honeycombed,  that  it  may  be  considered  as 
nearly  worked  out.  The  lower  part,  about  one-third 
of  the  cone,  has  hardly  been  touched,  in  consequence 
of  the  number  of  springs  which  impede  the  workings. 

Several  socabones,  or  drain  adits,  have  been  com- 
menced; but  they  have  generally  been  either  unsuc- 
cessful, or  left  unfinished  for  want  of  funds.  The 
principal  socabon  of  San  Juan  Nepomuceno  cost  the 
government  560,243  dollars.  It  is  2200  varans  in 
length,  six  feet  high,  six  feet  wide  at  the  bottom, 
arched,  and  lined  with  rough  stones  without  cement. 
Beneath  is  a  contra-socabon,  or  under-drain,  to  carry 
off  the  water. 

The  patriot  prisoners  of  war  were  forced  to  labour 
in  the  socabon,  which  is  yet  unfinished  and  unpro- 
fitable. This  will  not  surprise  any  one  acquainted 
with  the  manner  in  which  royal  works  were  in  that 
country  converted  into  mere  jobs.  The  proprietor 
who  possessed  most  interest,  or  who  gave  weight  to 
his  persuasions  by  certain  well  known  arguments, 
could,  under  the  plea  of  public  utility,  have  an  adit 
driven  where  it  was  most  likely  to  benefit  his  own 
mines.  Thus  the  public  money  was  often  sacrificed 
to  private  purposes,  and  frequently  without  the 
slightest  advantage,  even  to  the  party  it  was  intended 
to  favour. 

The  surrounding  country  is   also   metalliferous. 
Silver  of  great  fineness  abounds  in  a  hill  called  Guayna- 


276  POTOSI.  CHAP.  xxix. 

Potosi,  or  Young  Potosi,  close  to  the  Cerro,  but 
which  cannot  be  worked,  on  account  of  numerous 
springs  being  met  with  at  no  great  distance  from  the 
surface.  The  ore  is  pulverized  in  mills,  worked  with 
overshot  wheels,  turned  by  streamlets  conducted  from 
lakes  or  pools  in  the  mountains,  from  one  to  ten  miles' 
distance  from  the  city.  The  most  considerable  of 
these  lakes  are  formed  by  dams  built  across  the  que- 
bradas  or  ravines.  The  water  is  sparingly  let  out 
by  a  sluice  in  the  day-time,  but  never  at  night,  and 
sometimes  not  oftener  than  twice  a  week,  according 
to  the  supply.  Some  of  the  larger  pools  are  fed  by 
tributary  ones,  situated  in  higher  recesses  of  the  same 
mountains.  People  are  constantly  employed  as  lake- 
keepers,  to  attend  to  the  sluices,  and  to  repair  da- 
mages. In  very  dry  seasons  it  has  happened  that  a 
scarcity  of  water  has  caused  the  mills  to  stand  still. 
This  inconvenience  might  be  obviated  if  the  axequias, 
or  channels,  were  paved,  and  the  lakes  properly 
cleaned  out. 

In  the  year  1572,  a  mint  was  constructed,  at  the 
expense  of  11,000  dollars.  It  was  intended  to  be 
only  provisional;  but  it  was  not  until  the  year  1751 
that  the  present  edifice  was  built.  Up  to  the  last 
mentioned  date,  the  different  sorts  of  money  coined 
at  Potosi  were  flat  angular  pieces  of  silver  or  gold, 
bearing  the  Spanish  arms,  and  a  figure  denoting  their 
value.  They  are  often  called  Buccaneer  dollars, 
and  are  the  "  pieces  of  eight"  frequently  mentioned 
iq  the  history  of  those  marine  freebooters. 

The  process  of  extracting  silver  from  the  ore  was 


OHA1>.  XXIX.  POTOSI.  277 

of  the  rudest  kind  until  1.571,  when  Velasco  intro- 
duced the  amalgamation  with  quicksilver.  Before 
this,  several  thousand  hornillos,  or  small  furnaces, 
were  used  for  smelting.  Their  appearance  at  night 
on  the  Cerro  is  described  by  Acosta,  and  other  early 
travellers,  as  forming  an  illumination  as  beautiful  and 
symmetrical  as  it  was  extraordinary. 

If  eight  marks  of  silver  in  pina  be  obtained  out  of 
each  caxon  (which  is  fifty  quintales,  or  fifty  hundred- 
weight of  ore),  it  is  considered  that  the  proprietor 
dtjes  not  lose  by  working  his  mines  on  the  Cerro  of 
Potosi.  At  other  places  from  ten  to  twenty  marks 
per  caxon  is  the  proportion  required  to  pay  expenses, 
which  are  augmented  by  the  situation  of  mines  in 
mountains  more  difficult  of  access,  or  more  distant 
from  inhabited  places,  provisions,  fuel,  and  water  to 
turn  a  mill.  The  mines  actually  worked  in  the  Cerro 
of  Potosi  do  not  in  general  yield  more  than  ten  marks 
per  caxon.  At  many  places  on  the  side  of  the  Cerro 
are  extensive  heaps,  called  rodados,  formed  by  the 
refuse  of  mines  when  they  were  so  productive  as  to 
render  the  rodados  unworthy  of  attention.  They 
have  however  become  valuable,  and  are  found  to  pro- 
duce from  three  to  fifteen  marks  per  caxon. 

The  richest  vetas,  or  lodes,  and  the  largest  mines, 
are  now  under  water,  and  it  would  require  European 
science  and  capital  to  drain  them. 

The  Portugalete  mines,  in  the  province  of  Chichas, 
sixty-five  leagues  from  Potosi,  produce  ore  that  gives 
from  sixty  to  eighty  marks  the  caxon.  Another 
mine,  the  Gallofa,  in  the  province  of  Chayanta,  pro- 
duces ore  that  yields  forty  marks  per  caxon. 


278  POTOSI.  CHAP.  xxix. 

The  climate  of  Potosi  is  disagreeable.  The  rays 
of  the  sun  are  scorchingly  hot  at  noon,  while  in  the 
shade,  and  at  night,  the  air  is  piercingly  cold.  The 
country  for  three  leagues  around  is  so  completely 
barren  that  a  blade  of  vegetation  is  not  to  be  seen, 
with  the  exception  of  a  plant  called  quinuali,  which 
is  a  remedy  against  the  puna. 

The  town  of  Potosi  is  built  upon  uneven  ground. 
It,  has  a  spacious  square  in  the  centre.  The  govern- 
ment-house, the  town-house,  and  the  jail,  under  the 
same  roof,  occupy  one  side ;  the  treasury  and  go- 
vernment-offices another;  a  convent  and  an  unfinished 
church  the  third;  and  private  residences  the  fourth. 
Extensive  suburbs,  once  tenanted  by  Indians  and 
miners,  are  now  without  an  inhabitant,  and  the  ves- 
tiges of  the  streets  are  all  that  remain. 

Amongst  the  most  remarkable  public  edifices  is 
the  mint,  substantially  built  of  stone,  upon  a  plan 
admirably  adapted  to  the  purposes  for  which  it  was 
designed.  It  cost  1,148,000  dollars,  including  the 
machinery.  It  contains  spacious  apartments  for  the 
superintendent,  and  a  few  of  the  principal  officers. 

The  heaviest  part  of  the  mint  machinery  is  worked 
by  mules;  the  rest  by  manual  labour.  The  stamping 
of  the  dollars  is  effepted  by  rude  presses,  worked  by 
levers;  and  so  clumsily  is  the  operation  performed, 
that  the  workmen's  fingers  are  placed  in  no  little 
peril.  The  nulling  of  the  dollar  is  effected  by  a 
description  of  hand-screw.  The  labourers  get  from 
four  to  six  reals  per  diem.  Charcoal  is  the  only  sort 
of  fuel  used. 

Silver  and  gold  are  sold  by  individuals  to  the  bank 


CHAP.  XXIX.   BANK— TREASURY— POST-OFFICE. 

of  Rescate,  or  bank  of  exchange,  a  government  esta- 
blishment, which  re-sells  the  metals  to  the  mint.  The 
bank  and  mint  are  thus  checks  upon  each  other. 

The  annual  coinage  has  amounted  to  five  millions 
of  dollars  in  silver,  and  to  four  thousand  six  hundred 
marcs,  or  36,800  doubloons  in  gold.  In  such  pro- 
ductive years  the  mint  has  netted  a  profit  of  212,000 
dollars,  after  paying  salaries  and  every  other  expense. 

The  officers  of  the  mint  are  thirty-eight  in  number. 
The  superintendent  receives  6000  dollars  a  year.  The 
comptroller,  treasurer,  two  assay-masters,  the  inspector 
of  weights,  and  the  supervisor  of  assays  and  weights, 
are  called  ministros  or  board  officers,  and  receive  each 
from  three  thousand  to  four  thousand  five  hundred 
dollars  per  annum. 

The  officers  of  the  bank  of  Rescate  are  an  admi- 
nistrador,  a  comptroller,  and  a  treasurer,  who  are 
also  ministros.  To  their  offices  are  attached  two 
smelters,  and  nine  clerks. 

The  treasury  of  the  department  of  Potosi  has  a 
treasurer  and  a  comptroller,  who  are  likewise  mi- 
nistros, and  take  precedence  of  those  of  the  mint  and 
of  the  bank.  The  other  officers  are — 

Teniente  asesor.     Legal  adviser. 

Promoter  fiscal.     Public  prosecutor. 

Alcalde  vedor  de  minas.     Overseer  of  mines. 

Ensayador.     Assayer. 

Fundidor  y  balanzario.  Smelter  and  inspector  of 
weights. 

Escribano  de  hacienda.     Notary  public. 

There  were  also  fourteen  clerks  upon  this  esta- 


MARKETS.  CHAP.  XXIX. 

0 

blishment.  The  custom-house  was  incorporated  with 
the  treasury  in  1825. 

The  post-office  has  an  administrador,  an  inter- 
ventor,  three  clerks,  and  six  conductores. 

The  whole  of  the  persons  employed  in  the  above  de- 
partments wear  civil  uniforms  according  to  their  rank. 

The  Rescate  bank,  and  mint,  occasion  a  considerable 
influx  of  gold  and  silver  into  Potosi,  beyond  the  pro- 
duce of  its  own  mines.  Besides  being  the  metal- 
market  for  that  part  of  the  world,  its  geographical 
position  made  it  also  an  entrepot  for  European  mer- 
chandise from  Buenos  Ayres,  for  the  consumption  of 
Upper  Peru  and  Cuzco. 

The  market  of  Potosi  is  one  of  the  best  supplied 
in  South  America,  though  some  articles  of  great  con- 
sumption are  furnished  from  very  distant  provinces. 
Wine,  brandy,  and  oil  are  brought  from  the  In- 
termedios,  and  flour  from  Cochabamba.  Mules,  asses, 
and  llamas  are  the  only  means  of  transport. 

The  necessaries  as  well  as  the  luxuries  of  life  are 
exorbitantly  dear.  The  master  miner,  as  well  as  the 
labourer,  is  seldom  attentive  to  economy,  and  parts 
with  his  money  as  quickly  as  he  earns  it.  The  house 
of  the  master  miner  sometimes  contains  articles  of 
furniture  more  costly  than  are  to  be  found  in  the 
most  respectable  houses  of  other  large  towns  in  Peru. 

Formerly  many  Indian  families  took  up  their  abode 
in  huts  or  caves  near  the  mines  on  the  Cerro,  and 
descended  to  the  town  only  on  a  Saturday  night,  to 
receive  their  waget;,  and  to  purchase  a  weekly  sup- 
ply of  provisions.  Many  of  these  often  remained  to 


(HAP.  xxix.  CAXCHAS. 

squander  their  earnings  in  dissipation,  drunken- 
ness, or  gambling,  and  passed  great  part  of  the  night 
playing  the  guitar  and  singing  at  the  doors  of  the 
tippling  shops. 

A  singular  custom,  which  probably  originated  in 
the  indulgence  of  early  mine  owners,  still  prevails. 
Between  Saturday  night  and  Monday  morning  the 
Cerro  literally  becomes  the  property  of  such  persons 
as  choose  to  work  upon  their  own  account.  During 
that  time,  the  boldest  master  would  not  venture  to 
visit  his  own  mines.  They  who  thus  take  possession 
are  called  caxchas,  and  generally  sell  the  produce  of 
Sunday  to  their  own  masters.  Independent  of  the 
ore  thus  abstracted,  the  caxchas  did  considerable 
mischief,  by  neglecting  the  proper  precautions  as 
they  excavated.  If  they  met  with  a  more  than  usu- 
ally rich  vein  in  the  course  of  the  week,  it  was  passed 
over,  and  cunningly  reserved  for  the  following  Sunday. 
Very  strong  measures  were  therefore  taken  to  abolish 
the  custom,  but  every  effort  proved  unsuccessful. 
The  caxchas  defended  their  privilege  by  force  of 
arms,  and  by  hurling  down  large  stones  upon  their 
assailants.  So  watchful  are  they,  that  it  once  hap- 
pened that  fifteen  or  twenty  llamas,  richly  laden  with 
silver  ore,  were  seized  on  the  descent,  because  they 
had  left  the  mine  after  the  hour  at  which  the  caxcha 
privilege  commenced.  Neither  llamas  nor  drivers 
were  ever  heard  of  again. 

General  Miller  was  invested  with  the  civil  as  well 
as  the  military  command  of  the  department ;  in  which 
were  cantoned  three  thousand  five  hundred  Peruvian 
troops.  He  was  also  named  superintendent  of  the  mint, 


282  CIVIL   APPOINTMENTS.  CHAP.  XXIX. 

and  director  of  the  bank.  The  powers  of  vice-patron 
of  the  church,  within  his  department,  were  likewise 
especially  delegated  to  him  by  General  Sucre,  as 
supreme  chief  of  Upper  Peru,  and  he  was  further 
empowered  to  displace  such  clergymen  as  it  was 
judged  necessary  to  remove  on  account  of  their  pre- 
vious political  conduct  or  opinions,  and  to  recom- 
mend their  successors  to  the  Archbishop  of  Charcas, 
whose  clerical  appointments  were  not  valid  until 
ratified  by  the  vice-patron. 

In  order  to  fill  up  more  than  one  hundred  civil 
appointments,  having  annual  salaries  varying  from 
five  hundred  to  four  thousand  dollars,  which  had 
become  vacant  by  retirements,  or  pro  forma  dis- 
missals, on  the  change  of  government,  Sucre,  on  his 
first  arrival  at  Potosi,  named  a  committee  of  three 
individuals  to  make  out  a  list  of  the  most  competent 
and  deserving  candidates  for  employment.  This  list 
created  general  dissatisfaction.  Sucre  next  formed  a 
junta  for  the  same  purpose,  and  with  the  same  powers, 
at  Chuquisaca.  The  second  list  proved  equally  un- 
satisfactory as  the  first.  Sucre  then  ordered  Miller, 
who  had  been  appointed  to  the  prefecture  in  the  mean 
time,  to  make  out  a  third  list.  This  was  returned 
with  the  other  two,  and  the  nomination  was  left  en- 
tirely to  his  own  discretion.  These  extraordinary 
powers  are  a  flattering  testimony  of  the  unlimited 
confidence  which  was  placed  in  Miller's  integrity  and 
impartiality.  The  honour  of  this  compliment  was 
enhanced  by  the  circumstance  that  every  appoint- 
ment so  made  was  confirmed  by  the  Liberator  and 
Sucre.  Many  useless  offices  were  abolished,  and 


CHAP.  XXIX.  RETRENCHMENT.  283 

many  salaries  were  reduced.  That  of  the  prefect 
was  reduced  from  twelve  to  seven  thousand  dollars. 
The  Spanish  viceroys  enjoyed  a  salary  of  sixty  thou- 
sand dollars  per  annum.  The  republican  president 
of  Peru  received  only  thirty-six  thousand  dollars.  The 
Spanish  general-in-chief  received  twenty  thousand. 
Sucre  received  only  ten  thousand. 

Every  branch  of  the  administration  of  the  depart- 
ment was  in  a  very  disorganized  state  when  the  pa- 
triots entered  Potosi.  From  the  commencement  of 
the  revolution,  in  1810,  till  1825,  the  mint  coined  at 
the  average  rate  of  only  half  a  million  of  dollars  per 
annum;  but,  during  the  first  Jive  months  after  the 
liberation  of  Potosi,  it  coined  upwards  of  a  million  ; 
while  the  population  of  the  town  increased  during 
the  same  period  from  eight  to  ten  thousand. 

The  natives  and  merchants  showed  every  con- 
fidence in  the  new  government.  Industry,  a  spirit 
of  enterprise,  and  the  best  understanding,  pervaded 
every  class.  It  happened  that  the  prefect  was  on 
some  occasions  in  want  of  money  to  keep  the  troops 
closely  paid  up.  Temporary  loans  were  furnished 
with  the  utmost  readiness  by  merchants,  who,  on 
repayment,  refused  to  receive  interest.  Don  Andres 
Arguelles  lent  twenty  thousand  dollars  to  the  bank, 
without  interest  or  receipt.  This  sum  was  refunded 
to  him  in  three  months,  out  of  the  profits  of  the  esta- 
blishment. 

Even  the  Indian  character  speedily  underwent  a 
perceptible  change.  Accustomed  to  be  deceived, 
and  consequently  to  deceive,  they  could  neither  speak 
the  truth,  nor  believe  in  the  truth  when  it  was  spoken 


284  ABORIGINES.  CHAP.  xxix. 

to  them.  Although  these  poor  people  had  become 
entitled  by  law  to  the  privileges  of  citizens,  yet  such 
was  their  distrust  of  the  cruel  whites,  that  they  con- 
sidered the  abolition  of  the  tribute  and  the  mita  to 
be  some  kind  of  trap  to  ensnare  them  into  the  com- 
mission of  a  fault.  Most  of  the  priesthood  abstained 
from  every  endeavour  to  dispel  this  illusion,  because 
general  freedom  would  do  away  with  that  system  of 
pongos,  or  domestic  servitude,  by  which  these  pastors, 
as  well  as  the  caciques,  benefit  most  materially.  Thus 
the  best  intended  decrees,  in  favour  of  the  aborigines, 
will  be  slow  in  producing"  the  proper  effect.  Pre- 
judices and  timidity  on  their  own  part,  and  the  in- 
terest of  those  who  still  keep  up  the  delusion,  in 
order  to  profit  by  the  gratuitous  labours  of  others, 
will  combine  to  counteract  the  most  benevolent  views 
of  the  patriotic  government.  Time  itself  must  be 
seconded  by  philanthropic  and  strong  efforts  on  the 
part  of  prefects  of  departments,  governors  of  pro- 
vinces, and  other  principal  authorities ;  and  positive 
benefits  must  be  conferred  on  the  Indians,  and  actually 
felt  as  such  by  them,  in  order  to  produce  the  proper 
impression. 

In  conformity  to  the  new  order  of  things,  Miller 
issued  various  proclamations,  to  enforce  government 
decrees,  intended  to  ameliorate  the  condition  of  the 
aborigines,  but  to  little  real  effect.  However,  the 
punctual  payment  for  provisions  and  forage  taken 
from  the  Indians ;  the  fair  remuneration  made  to 
all  such  as  were  employed  by  government;  and  a 
regular  reward  of  two  or  three  reals  to  the  bearer  of 
every  official  communication,  created  confidence,  in 


CHAP.  xxix.  ABORIGINES.  285 

spite  of  the  mistrustful  disposition  of  these  poor 
people.  Having  been  accustomed  to  be  impressed, 
to  convey  despatches,  and  to  perform  all  kinds  of 
public  labour,  without  pay  or  recompense,  a  trifling 
reward,  invariably  given,  now  led  them  to  compare  the 
present  with  the  past,  and  they  were  equally  pleased 
and  surprised  at  the  contrast.  Major  Ballejos,  one 
of  the  prisoners  released  from  the  casemates  of  Callao 
in  1820,  was  at  this  time  town-major.  He  entered 
into  the  spirit  of  extending  protection  to  the  abori- 
gines, and  his  zeal  and  humanity  greatly  assisted  in 
producing  a  most  favourable  effect. 

Some  soldiers  who  mounted  guard  at  the  door  of 
the  government-house,  and  one  of  the  prefect's  own 
servants,  were  flogged,  in  the  presence  of  the  injured 
party,  for  employing  Indians,  contrary  to  the  spirit  of 
the  new  regulations.  It  had  been  customary  with 
the  royal  army,  and  too  much  so  even  with  the  patriot 
soldiers,  to  lay  hold  of  the  first  Indian  they  met  in 
the  street,  and  compel  him  to  clean  out  their  barracks, 
to  fetch  wood  and  water,  and  perform  the  most  menial 
offices.  Habit  had  familiarized  the  officers  to  the 
custom,  and  they  seldom  corrected  the  evil :  what, 
too,  is  most  remarkable,  the  Indian  soldiers  were  the 
most  tyrannical  in  exacting  these  degrading  services 
from  their  brethren. 

Another  trifling'  incident  produced  a  powerful 
effect  upon  the  long-suffering  aborigines.  The 
miners  (asogueros),  ambitious  of  displaying  their 
patriotism,  agreed,  at  a  meeting  of  the"municipality, 
in  open  cabildo,  that  a  real  should  be  deducted,  by 
the  bank  of  Rescate,  for  every  mark  of  silver  sold 


286  ABORIGINES.  CHAP.  xxix. 

there,  towards  a  general  subscription  to  defray  the 
expenses  of  the  reception  and  entertainment  of  Bo- 
livar at  Potosi.  The  officers  of  the  bank  improperly 
made  a  similar  deduction  from  the  puches,  or  lumps, 
of  silver  and  gold  brought  for  sale  by  the  Indians. 
As  soon  as  the  prefect  heard  of  this  proceeding,  he 
went  to  the  bank,  where  a  number  of  Indians  were 
waiting  payment  for  their  metal.  Upon  inquiry  it 
was  ascertained  that  ninety-five  dollars  had  been  thus 
deducted ;  but  as  it  was  impossible  to  discover  the 
proportion  in  which  each  Indian  had  been  a  loser, 
the  prefect  ordered  his  interpreter  to  explain,  in  the 
Quichua  language,  that  the  officers  of  the  bank  had 
incurred  his  displeasure  for  the  imposition  practised ; 
that  Indians  might  apply  to  him  personally  for  redress 
in  case  of  future  causes  of  complaint ;  and  that,  as  the 
individual  owners  of  the  ninety-five  dollars  could  not 
be  traced  with  accuracy,  those  present  should  scramble 
for  the  ninety-five  dollars  unjustly  stopped,  with  the 
addition  of  five  dollars  from  his  own  pocket.  One 
hundred  dollars,  in  small  silver  coin,  were  then 
brought  out  from  the  bank,  and  the  prefect  threw 
them  amongst  the  crowd  with  his  own  hands.  Thence- 
forth the  aborigines,  instead  of  frequently  disposing, 
as  formerly,  of  their  puches  in  a  contraband  manner, 
by  which  the  government  lost  a  considerable  revenue, 
brought  their  silver  to  the  bank,  free  from  any  appre- 
hension of  extortion. 

Seconded  by  the  general  good  will  of  the  people, 
the  prefect  was  enabled  to  establish  a  well  regulated 
police.  The  streets  were  regularly  swept,  the  houses 
whitewashed,  and  the  town  acquired  an  air  of  neat- 


CHAP.  xxix.  IMPROVEMENTS.  287 

ness  and  comfort  very  unlike  the  state  in  which  the 
patriots  found  it.  The  overland  post,  twice  a  month, 
between  Potosi  and  Buenos  Ayres,  was  re-established. 
The  road  from  Lenas  to  Potosi,  and  that  from  Potosi 
to  the  confines  of  the  department  towards  Chuquisaca, 
one  of  the  worst  in  Peru,  were  repaired,  to  the  ex- 
tent of  thirty  leagues.  Although  Potosi  was  the 
last  town  in  Peru  that  became  independent,  it  was 
the  first  to  raise  a  monument  to  its  liberators ;  for, 
previous  to  Bolivar's  arrival,  an  obelisk,  sixty  feet 
high,  was  erected  in  the  principal  square. 

It  has  been  asked  by  an  entertaining  writer  of 
travels  in  South  America,  "  What  have  the  Indians 
gained  by  the  revolution  ?"     To  this  we  answer,  the 
abolition  of  the  following  horrid  oppressions: 
The  mita, 

Perpetual  minority  *, 
Domestic  servitude  as  pongos,  and 
The  tribute. 

Many  reforms  having  been  effected,  useful  insti- 
tutions next  became  the  object  of  consideration.  It 
having  been  decided,  that  a  college  for  the  study 
of  mineralogy  should  be  established  at  Potosi,  the 
prefect  was  authorized  to  take  the  necessary  steps  to 
procure  professors,  books,  instruments,  &c.  It  was 
afterwards  determined  that  the  course  of  instruction 
should  be  general,  allowing  mineralogy  always  to  hold 
the  first  rank.  Miller  was  to  have  been  the  patron 
of  the  new  college.  Amongst  other  preparatory 

*  According  to  the  laws  of  the  Indies,  no  Indian  could  enter  into  trans- 
actions above  the  value  of  fifty  dollars  without  the  sanction  of  the  "  protector  de 
los  naturales"  (protector  of  the  aborigines),  an  officer  appointed  by  the  king  of 
Spain.  There  was  one  in  every  province.  These  "  natural  guard  Jans,"  having 
great  opportunities,  fleeced  the  poor  Indians  without  mercy. 


288  IMPROVEMENTS.  CHAP.  xxix. 

measures,  he  inspected  various  public  buildings, 
and  made  choice  of  the  convent  of  San  Francisco  as 
the  most  suitable.  His  frequent  visits  there  excited 
the  fears  of  the  monks.  Perceiving  this,  he  said,  one 
day,  to  the  prior,  "  I  see  you  are  alarmed.  I  will 
put  an  end  to  your  suspense,  by  at  once  telling  you 
my  intention.  I  mean  to  recommend  this  convent 
to  be  taken  for  a  collegial  establishment.  If  you 
have  any  objections  to  this  plan,  write  to  the  Libe- 
rator, to  General  Sucre,  or  to  any  one  else,  and 
state  them.  I  will  give  you  fair  play  ;  and  if  you  are 
at  last  compelled  to  move,  I  promise  that  the  change 
shall  not  be  the  worse  for  any  of  you."  The  monks, 
who  had  prepared  to  thwart,  if  possible,  any  proposal 
that  interfered  with  their  residence,  seemed  to  be 
disarmed  by  this  frank  declaration,  and  threw  no 
difficulties  in  the  way ;  but  Miller  left  Potosi  before 
he  could  carry  the  projected  plan  into  execution. 
The  monks  of  this  convent  seldom  slept  within  its 
walls. 

Some  years  before  this,  a  dreadful  catastrophe 
happened  to  another  of  the  monasteries,  part  of 
which  had  been  used  by  the  royalists  as  a  powder 
magazine.  One  night,  at  twelve  o'clock,  during  a 
tremendous  storm,  the  lightning  unfortunately  struck 
the  magazine,  which  exploded,  and  destroyed  nearly 
the  whole  of  the  building.  The  next  morning 
hardly  a  vestige  of  the  immense  pile  was  standing- 
Every  one  deplored  the  loss  of  the  righteous  friars, 
who  had  been  its  occupants.  A  most  anxious  search 
was  made  throughout  the  ruins  for  their  hallowed 
remains.  The  people,  thus  piously  occupied,  were 


CHAP.  xxix.  VISIT  OF  BOLIVAR.  289 

amazed  from  time  to  time  by  first  one  of  the  monks 
of  the  convent  joining  them,  and  then  another,  till, 
after  toiling  for  nearly  two  hours,  they  had  the 
satisfaction  to  discover  that  not  one  of  the  holy 
fathers  had  suffered  from  the  dreadful  calamity. 
Each  of  them  very  ingeniously  accounted  for  his  ab- 
sence without  compromising  the  sanctity  of  his  cha- 
racter. It  appeared  that  they  all  had  been  employed, 
as  usual,  in  works  of  charity  and  general  beneficence. 
The  intended  visit  of  Bolivar  to  Potosi  having 
been  officially  announced,  Miller  prepared  the  go- 
vernment-house *  for  the  Liberator's  reception.  It 
is  one  of  the  finest  and  best-constructed  residences 
between  Lima  and  Buenos  Ayres.  The  rooms  are 
spacious,  well-proportioned,  and  profusely  ornamented 
with  gilding,  large  mirrors,  and  elegant  chandeliers. 
As  carpets  were  not  to  be  procured,  the  floor  was 
covered  with  fine  scarlet  cloth,  and  the  house  re- 
furnished, with  a  view  to  comfort  as  well  as  splen- 
dour. The  town  of  Potosi  being  destitute  of  Eu- 
ropean luxuries,  a  number  of  mules  were  sent 
to  Tacna  for  dinner-services,  hardware,  and  glass. 
A  considerable  supply  of  wine,  liqueurs,  English 
porter  and  cider,  and  other  articles,  was  procured. 
It  was  the  custom  of  the  prefect  to  give  a  dinner 
every  Sunday  to  the  heads  of  the  different  depart- 
ments, together  with  some  of  the  principal  inha- 
bitants. These  persons  became  speedy  converts  to 
champaign,  which,  until  then,  had  perhaps  never 

•  No  other  house  in  Potosi  has  the  convenience  of  a  chimney.     The  brascro 
is  used  in  cold  weather,  according  to  the  Spanish  custom. 

VOL.  II.  U 


290  POTOSI.  CHAP.  xxix. 

been  seen  in  Potosi.  Claret  and  port  were  sel- 
dom suffered  to  pass  untouched,  but  very  few  had 
at  first  the  courage  to  venture  upon  malt  liquor, 
until  the  antipathy  gradually  wore  off  by  force  of  ex- 
ample, and  then  pale  ale  became  the  favourite  be- 
verage *. 

English  manufactures  were  at  first  exorbitantly 
dear.  A  glutted  market  soon  reduced  the  price,  and 
a  general  taste  for  them  was  diffused.  The  soldiers, 
who  were  paid  once  a  month,  usually  laid  out  the 
disposable  surplus  in  the  purchase  of  articles  of  British 
fabric.  The  aboriginal  population,  whose  garments  had 
before  been  confined  to  the  coarse  woollens  of  the 
country,  now  bought  English  manufactures. 

The  society  of  Potosi  was,  at  this  time,  rendered 
more  than  usually  good  by  fortuitous  circumstances. 
A  number  of  the  wives  of  royalist  officers  and  civi- 
lians naturally  retired  to  the  place  which  held  out  the 
longest  for  the  king.  Twenty  or  thirty  of  these  ladies 
were  natives  of  Salta,  where  grace  and  beauty  seem  to 
have  established  their  abode.  The  municipality,  the 
merchants,and  the  officers  of  the  garrison,gave  splendid 
balls  t  in  succession  to  the  new  prefect,  who  gave  one 
in  return.  At  these,  as  well  as  at  private  parties,  there 
was  as  much  beauty,  elegance,  and  graceful  dancing, 
and  perhaps  more  gaiety  and  good-humoured  frank- 

*  After  Miller  left  Potosi,  he  discovered  that  his  servants  were  accus- 
tomed to  sell  to  the  Indians,  who  came  into  town  from  distant  parts  of  the 
country,  empty  porter  and  wine  bottles  at  a  dollar,  and  a  dollar  and  a  half, 
each. 

t  A  ball  in  South  America  opens  with  a  minuet  Country-dances,  waltzes, 
and  dances  peculiar  to  the  country  follow.  Quadrilles  are  danced  in  Buenos 
Ayres  and  in  Chile. 


CHAP.  xxix.  POTOSI.  291 

ness,  than    is  to  he   met  with  in  many  European 
circles. 

The  society  was  further  improved  and  enlivened 
by  an  influx  of  gentlemen,  who  came  attended  with  a 
numerous  civil  staff,  to  bargain  for  mines,  or  to  take 
possession  of  others  purchased  in  London,  sometimes 
of  persons  who  had  as  much  right  to  dispose  of  them, 
as  of  so  manyjsquare  leagues  of  ocean.  Some  of  the 
mines  so  sold  had  been  given  away  *.  Other  asso- 
ciations were  formed  at  Buenos  Ayres,  Salta,  Are- 
quipa,  &c.,  for  getting  legal  possession  of  mines  for 
the  sole  purpose  of  selling  them  to  European  specu- 
lators. These  retail  associations  contributed  also  to 
increase  the  population  of  Potosi  by  the  endless  im- 
portation of  agents,  who,  enjoying  handsome  salaries, 
and  carried  away  by  sanguine  hopes,  were  amongst 
the  most  merry  members  of  society. 

While  these  gentlemen  were  busily  employed  in 
outbidding  each  other,  or  in  bringing  their  multi- 
form contracts  to  a  conclusion,  a  circumstance  oc- 
curred which  produced  a  paralysing  stand  to  business, 
and  which  will  show  that  brains  were  crazed  in  Po- 
tosi as  well  as  elsewhere.  This  was  the  announced 
arrival,  at  Cordova,  of  an  Englishman  who  was  never 
spoken  of  by  any  humbler  denomination  than  THE 
ORAND  COMMISSIONER.  He  was  described  to  be 
the  representative  of  a  board  of  peers  and  princes, 
and  to  be  amply  furnished  with  the  means,  and  duly 
empowered,  to  buy  up  all  the  mines  of  Peru.  For  a 

*  Mines  unworked  for  a  year  and  a  day  become  the  property  of  any  person 
who  chooses  to  denounce,  and  claim  them  for  the  purpose  of  working  them.  The 
claimant  has  only  to  prove  the  fact,  and  to  pay  some  small  fees  of  office.  This 
is  called  giving  them  away. 

u  2 


COMMISSIONERS  OF  CHAP.  xxix. 

month,  every  succeeding  morning  produced  its  report 
of  the  daily  progress  of  the  grand  commissioner.  Go- 
vernment-house was  haunted  by  anxious  inquirers. 
The  prefect  himself  was  scarcely  less  solicitous  to 
ascertain  who  it  was  that  was  about  to  honour  the 
department  with  his  presence.  The  expected  arrival 
of  Bolivar  became,  for  the  time,  an  object  of  second- 
ary interest.  Curiosity  was  strained  to  the  utmost, 
but  still  the  grand  commissioner  did,  not  appear. 
Unlike  his  fellow-labourer  in  the  same  vineyard,  un- 
like the  HEAD  commissioner,  who  crossed  the  Pampas 
on  the  wings  of  the  wind ;  scaled  the  Andes  with  the 
speed,  and  gave  to  his  descriptions  the  vividness,  of 
lightning  j  who  rode  a  race  of  six  thousand  miles 
against  time,  and  came  in  a-HEAD ;  who,  on  his  return 
to  England,  gave  ROUGH  NOTES,  instead  of  polished 
ingots; — the  GRAND  commissioner,  on  the  contrary, 
pursued  no  such  meteor-like  course.  He  neither  out- 
stripped the  ostrich,  nor  frightened  the  viscacha  j  but 
advanced,  with  a  measured  stateliness,  which  gave 
leisure  for  every  imagination  in  Potosi  to  become  ex- 
ceedingly inflamed.  Sub-commissioners,  secretaries, 
under-secretaries,  mineralogists,  smelters,  chemists, 
draftsmen,  surveyors,  assayers,  goldbeaters,  silver- 
smiths, chaplains,  surgeons,  and  grave-diggers,  were 
supposed  to  form  his  multitudinous  retinue.  While 
every  mind  was  on  the  tenter-hooks  of  suspense,  a 
letter,  signed  plain  "  JOSEPH  ANDREWS,"  was  re- 
ceived by  the  prefect,  who  thus  discovered  that  el 
Gran  Comisionado  Britanico  was  no  t)ther  than  his 
highly  esteemed  friend  Captain  Andrews,  now  become 
agent  of  an  association,  the  directors  of  which  had, 


CHAP.  XXIX.  MINING   ASSOCIATIONS.  £93 

like  others,  raised  their  expectations  to  the  highest 
pitch  of  extravagance.  But,  in  the  end,  empty 
pockets  were  found  to  be  the  natural  result  of 
miscalculating  heads,  and  severe  disappointments 
arose  on  the  very  spot  where  nature  had  provided, 
for  rational  enterpriae,  the  means  of  ample  remune- 
ration, had  prudence  been  consulted,  foresight  em- 
ployed, and  economy  adhered  to.  Captain  Andrews 
was  one  of  those  who  husbanded  the  resources  of  his 
employers,  and  at  the  same  time  acquired  the  con- 
fidence of  the  most  respectable  mineholders.  Had 
he  been  sufficiently  supported  by  the  company  he 
represented,  he  would  have  been  able  to  have  done 
more,  at  a  comparatively  trifling  cost,  than  most  of 
the  rest  of  the  mine-hunting  brotherhood,  who  had 
gone  to  such  enormous  expense,  particularly  in  send- 
ing out  machinery  which  was  never  made  use  of.  We 
do  not  consider  ourselves  competent  to  give  a  decided 
opinion  upon  mining  affairs;  but  there  are  certainly 
many  mines  in  Peru,  particularly  at  Puno,  Guanta- 
jaya,  and  Pasco,  which,  under  proper  management, 
offer  the  fairest  prospect  of  profit;  but  disappoint- 
ment or  ruin  must  be  the  inevitable  result  of  dispro- 
portionately expensive  establishments. 

It  would  be  a  difficult  task  to  decide  whether  the 
mismanagement  of  directors,  or  the  cupidity  of  the 
British  public,  was  most  to  blame  in  these  matters. 
Certain  it  is,  that  the  credulous  and  over-grasping 
multitude  furnished  ready  means  for  the  most  lavish 
expenditure.  Led  astray  by  the  dreams  of  avarice, 
people  who  had  kept  aloof  from  entering  into  those 
speculations  whilst  prices  were  low,  and  there  was  an 


291  MINING  MANIA.  CHAP.  XXIX, 

apparent  risk  attending  them,  could  not  see  without 
envy  that  their  neighbours  were  beginning  to  realise 
considerable  sums,  by  the  steady  advance  in  the 
value  of  the  mining  shares.  They  consequently  hur- 
ried into  the  market,  and  bought  all  before  them  ; 
and  the  more  prices  advanced  the  greater  appeared 
their  frenzy  to  become  possessed  of  them:  and  this 
without  any  relation  to  the  result  of  the  enterprise 
itself,  but  merely  to  make  money  at  the  moment. 
Shares  which  at  the  outset  bore  a  premium  of  from 
\5l.  to  '20/.  per  share,  in  the  short  space  of  six  weeks 
rose  to  the  enormous  premium  of  IJOOl.  A  shivering 
fit  succeeded  to  this  raging  fever.  The  senseless 
panic  of  1825  arrived,  and  fears  as  unreasonable  as 
their  previous  visionary  expectations  increased  the 
malady,  and  caused  the  ruin  of  hundreds  of  indivi- 
duals. The  dissolution  of  most  of  the  mining  com- 
panies ensued,  and  this  at  a  moment  when  some  of 
them  had  obtained  fair  prospects  of  success.  The 
odium  of  these  transactions  was  principally  thrown 
upon  the  directors  of  the  companies ;  but  it  should 
with  more  reason  be  applied  to  the  public,  who,  after 
having  shown  themselves  mad  in  the  encouragement 
of  these  schemes,  suddenly  withdrew  from  the  di- 
rectors the  means  of  carrying  them  on. 

The  silver  mines  of  Guantajaya  were  discovered 
upwards  of  a  century  ago.  They  lie  in  a  south-east 
direction  from  Iquique,  at  a  distance  of  between  two 
and  three  leagues.  This  is  a  small  fishing  town 
in  20°  12'  of  south  latitude.  The  harbour,  which  is 
good,  is  formed  by  an  island  lying  to  the  westward. 
Guantajaya  is  a  town  which  formerly  contained  three 


CHAP.  XXIX.      GUANTAJAYA  AND  TIPUANI.  295 

thousand  inhabitants,  but  that  number  is  now  reduced 
to  three  hundred.  Its  mines,  although  always  imper- 
fectly worked,  have  produced  large  quantities  of  silver. 
They  are  the  property  of  the  family  of  De  la  Fuentes, 
of  Arequipa.  There  is  no  water  at  Guantajaya,  but 
it  is  supplied  from  wells  seven  leagues  distant.  Pro- 
visions are  brought  from  Pico,  Tarrapaca,  and,  by 
sea,  from  Chile,  the  passage  being  about  seven  days. 
As  it  never  rains  there,  the  country  produces  nothing. 
The  climate  however  is  the  best  in  Peru.  The  ague 
and  other  diseases  prevalent  on  the  rest  of  the  coast 
are  there  unknown.  Iquique  itself  contains  about 
three  hundred  inhabitants,  and  is  extremely  healthy. 
It  is  stated  that  the  mortality  amounted  to  only  seven 
cases  in  fourteen  years.  In  1822,  the  cur  a  produced 
the  burial  register  to  prove  the  truth  of  this  assertion. 
The  gold  washings,  or  lavaderos,  of  Tipuani,  in 
the  province  of  Larecaja,  are  about  sixty  leagues 
north-east  of  the  city  of  La  Paz.  The  gold  is  found 
in  three  streams  which  descend  from  that  part  of  the 
Cordillera  called  Ancoma,  which  is  always  covered 
with  snow.  These  lavaderos  have  been  worked  from 
the  time  of  the  Incas,  as  is  proved  by  implements 
occasionally  discovered  embedded  in  the  alluvial  soil ; 
and  what  shows  the  tact  and  intelligence  of  the 
ancient  Peruvians  is,  that  this  has  invariably  oc- 
curred in  places  which  have  proved  to  be  the  most 
productive.  Gold,  in  pepitas,  or  grains,  is  found 
ten  or  twelve  yards  below  the  surface,  in  a  stratum 
of  clay  from  one  to  two  yards  in  thickness.  Its 
quality  is  twenty-three  and  a  half  carats.  The 


CONSUMPTION  OF  CHAP.  xxix. 

working  of  the  lavaderos  is  done  by  manual  labour. 
The  pits  are  kept  free  of  water  by  means  of  buckets, 
although  the  mountains  are  covered  with  fine  timber 
trees,  and  pumps  could  easily  be  made.  The  climate 
is  hot,  and  agues  are  prevalent.  The  lavaderos  cease 
at  the  point  where  the  river  Tipuani  takes  the  name 
of  Beni,  and  where  it  becomes  navigable  for  boats 
till  it  joins  the  waters  of  the  Amazons. 

The  aboriginal  inhabitants  of  Peru  are  gradually 
beginning  to  experience  the  benefit  which  has  been 
conferred  upon  them,  by  the  repeal  of  ancient  op- 
pressive laws.     In  the  districts  that  produce  gold, 
their  exertions  will  be  redoubled,  for  they  now  work 
for  themselves.    They  can  obtain  this  precious  metal 
by  merely  scratching  the  earth,  and,  although  the 
collection  of  each  individual  may  be  small,  the  aggre- 
gate quantity  thus  obtained  will  be  far  from  incon- 
siderable.     As   the   aborigines   attain   comparative 
wealth,  they  will  acquire  a  taste  for  the  minor  com- 
forts of  life.     The  consumption  of  European  manu- 
factures will  be  increased  to  an  incalculable  degree, 
and  the  effect  upon  the  general  commerce  of  the 
world  will  be  sensibly  perceived.     It  is  for  the  first 
and  most  active  manufacturing  country  in  Christen- 
dom to  take  a  proper  advantage  of  the  opening  thus 
afforded.    Already,  in  those  countries,  British  manu- 
factures employ  double  the  tonnage,  and  perhaps  ex- 
ceed twenty  times  the  value,  of  the  importations  from 
all  other  foreign  nations  put  together.     The  wines 
and  tasteful  bagatelles  of  France,  and  the  flour  and 
household  furniture  of  the  United  States,  will  bear 


CHAP.  XXIX.      EUROPEAN   MANUFACTURES.  297 

no  comparison  in  value  to  the  cottons  of  Man- 
chester, the  linens  of  Glasgow,  the  broadcloths  of 
Leeds,  or  the  hardware  of  Birmingham.  All  this 
is  proved  by  the  great  proportion  of  precious  metals 
sent  to  England,  as  compared  with  the  remittances 
to  other  nations.  The  very  watches  sent  by  Messrs. 
Roskell  and  Co.,  of  Liverpool,  would  outbalance  the 
exports  of  some  of  the  nations  which  trade  to  South 
America. 


UPPER  PERU  OR  BOLIVIA.         CHAP.  XXX. 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

Upper  Peru. — General  assembly. — Its  proceedings. — Republic 
of  Bolivia. — Aggression  of  the  Brazilians. — General  Bolivar  sets 
out  from  Lima. — His  tour. — Arrival  at  Potosi. — Rejoicings.— 
Mine  transactions. — The  Liberator  proceeds  to  Chuquisaca.—- 
General  Miller  sets  out  on  leave  of  absence  for  England. 

THE  provinces  of  Upper  Peru,  previous  to  the  re- 
volution, formed  a  part  of  the  viceroyalty  of  Buenos 
Ayres.  However,  as  the  manners,  customs,  and  even 
language,  of  the  majority  of  the  inhabitants  were  ex- 
tremely dissimilar  to  those  of  the  natives  of  the  pro- 
vinces of  the  Rio  de  la  Plata,  the  Argentine  republic 
generously  and  judiciously  relinquished  its  claim,  and 
concurred  in  allowing  it  to  decide  upon  its  own  poli- 
tical destiny,  conformably  to  the  known  views  of  the 
Liberator  and  General  Sucre.  The  latter  was  to  con- 
tinue the  exercise  of  the  supreme  power  until  a  new 
government  should  be  regularly  organized. 

Fifty-four  deputies  were  chosen  to  express  the 
wishes  of  the  people  at  large  upon  the  question, 
whether  Upper  Peru  should  incorporate  itself  with 
Lower  Peru;  re- incorporate  itself  with  Buenos 
Ayres  j  or  declare  itself  an  independent  state.  The 
general  assembly  met  at  Chuquisaca,  in  August, 
1825,  and  proclaimed  the  national  will  to  be,  that 
Upper  Peru  should  become  an  independent  nation. 

The  deputies  having  fulfilled  the  object  for  which 


CHAP.  XXX.         UPPER  PERU  OR  BOLIVIA.  299 

they  had  been  convened,  it  was  hoped,  rather  than 
expected,  that  they  would  have  separated  in  order  to 
make  way  for  a  general  legislative  body.  Unwilling, 
however,  to  relinquish  the  captivating  title  of  legis- 
lators, the  deputies  continued  their  session,  and,  as- 
suming congressional  powers,  passed  various  laws. 
They  decreed  that  Upper  Peru  should  in  future  be 
called  Bolivia.  They  put  forth  a  declaration  of  in- 
dependence, very  proper  in  its  intention,  but  so 
pompously  written  as  almost  to  throw  an  air  of  ridi- 
cule over  the  whole  proceeding.  The  assembly  voted 
at  the  same  time  that  its  president,  Doctor  Serrano, 
should  be  styled  and  addressed  as  His  EXCELLENCY. 
They  next  decreed  that  the  deputies  themselves 
should  each  receive  a  dieta,  or  daily  allowance. 

A  million  of  dollars  was  voted  to  Bolivar,  as  a  re- 
ward for  his  past  eminent  services ;  but  the  Liberator, 
with  characteristic  disinterestedness  and  magnani- 
mity, accepted  the  grant  only  upon  condition  that 
the  money  should  be  employed  in  purchasing  the 
liberty  of  about  one  thousand  negro  slaves  existing 
in  Bolivia.  A  million  of  dollars  was  also  voted  to 
those  who  had  served  in  the  campaign  of  1824. 

The  assembly,  not  content  with  the  pleasures  of 
legislation  only,  assumed,  on  some  occasions,  the  exe- 
cutive power.  Sucre  being  absent  from  Chuquisaca, 
the  assembly,  in  order  to  celebrate  their  own  instal- 
lation, and  their  adoption  of  a  new  name  for  the 
country,  sent  a  circular  to  the  prefects,  desiring  them 
to  order  Te  Deum  to  be  sung,  salutes  of  artillery  to 
be  fired,  and  illuminations  to  be  made.  This  order 
was  not  obeyed  by  the  prefect  of  Potosi,  in  conse- 


300  BRAZILIAN  AGGRESSION.          CHAP.  XXX. 

quence  of  its  not  coming  through  the  executive  power. 
A  call  for  money  was  also  made  soon  afterwards  by 
the  assembly;  but  this  demand  met  with  the  same 
fate,  on  the  same  account. 

A  few  days  after  the  affair  of  Ayacucho,  and  be- 
fore the  news  of  it  could  have  crossed  the  western 
frontier  line  of  Brazil,  a  party  of  about  two  hundred 
Brazilian  troops  took  possession  of  the  Upper  Pe- 
ruvian province  of  Chiquitos,  in  the  name  of  the  Em- 
peror Don  Pedro.  The  commanding  officer  wrote  a 
letter  of  defiance,  in  the  most  inflated  style,  to  Sucre. 
But  so  soon  as  a  company  of  patriot  infantry  made 
its  appearance,  the  bombastic  Brazilians  sneaked  away, 
and,  buccaneer-like,  carried  off  a  quantity  of  cattle, 
and  other  property  of  the  unprotected  peasantry.  It 
was  Sucre's  wish  to  have  sent  fifteen  hundred  men, 
under  the  command  of  Miller,  who  it  was  expected 
would  have  found  a  strong  republican  feeling  in  the 
inland  provinces,  and  who  thus  would  have  been 
enabled  to  have  pushed  on  to  Rio  Janeiro,  to  prevent 
the  repetition  of  any  imperial  aggression. 

The  projected  advance  upon  Rio  Janeiro  may  ap- 
pear to  have  been  most  quixotic  to  those  who  only 
look  to  the  immense  breadth  of  the  intervening  ter- 
ritory. But  the  Peruvian  force  would  have  entered 
the  Brazils,  not  as  enemies,  but  as  auxiliaries  to  a 
strong  democratic  party  known  to  exist  there.  In- 
formation, subsequently  obtained,  confirmed  the  pro- 
bability, and  even  the  facility,  of  realizing  the  first 
expectation.  But  Bolivar  did  not  approve  of  the  plan, 
and  it  was,  in  consequence,  laid  aside. 

The  minister  of  the  emperor  signified  to  the  go- 


CHAP.  XXX.  BRAZILIAN   AGGRESSION.  301 

vernor  of  Matagrosso  his  majesty's  disapprobation 
of  this  unauthorised  marauding  expedition.  His 
majesty  also  desired  that  the  cattle  and  other  stolen 
property  should  be  restored.  The  disavowal  and  the 
order  were  communicated  by  the  governor  of  Mata- 
grosso to  the  prefect  of  the  department  of  Santa  Cruz 
de  la  Sierra,  of  which  Chiquitos  is  a  province.  It 
does  not  appear  that  the  plundered  property  was  ever 
restored,  or  any  indemnification  made.  The  Upper 
Peruvians  of  all  parties  long  to  avenge  the  insult  j 
and  such  is  the  state  of  affairs  now  in  that  country, 
that  unless  peace  should  be  concluded  between  the 
Brazils  and  Buenos  Ayres,  it  is  probable  that  Don 
Pedro  may  be  reminded  of  the  plundering  excursion 
to  Chiquitos. 

On  the  10th  of  February,  1825,  Bolivar  re-assem- 
bled, at  Lima,  the  deputies  of  the  congress  of  Lower 
Peru,  and  resigned  the  dictatorship;  but  he  was  so- 
licited still  to  remain  at  the  head  of  affairs.  This  he 
refused ;  but  at  length  he  acceded  to  the  prayers  of 
the  people,  with  the  appearance  and  expressions  of 
the  greatest  reluctance. 

Having  decreed  that  a  new  congress  should  be 
installed  on  the  10th  of  February  of  the  following 
year  (1826),  Bolivar  set  out  from  Lima  on  the  10th 
of  April,  1825.  Travelling  along  the  coast,  he  ar- 
rived at  Arequipa  on  the  15th  of  May,  and  left  it 
on  the  10th  of  June.  He  entered  Cuzco  on  the 
26th  of  the  same  month,  and  on  the  26th  of  July 
set  out  for  La  Paz,  where  he  arrived  on  the  18th  of 
August,  having  remained  a  few  days  at  Puno.  He 
quitted  La  Paz  on  the  20th  of  September,  and  en- 
tered Potosi  on  the  5th  of  October. 


302     BOLIVAR  VISITS  THE  DEPARTMENTS.  CHAP.  xxx. 

The  whole  tour  had  been  one  continued  triumph. 
On  Bolivar's  approach  to  the  capitals  of  departments, 
the  prefects,  at  the  head  of  the  public  authorities,  ac- 
companied by  a  great  part  of  the  population,  went 
out  to  meet  him,  and  he  was  received  with  a  degree 
of  pomp  and  rejoicing  highly  flattering  to  his  feelings. 
Triumphal  arches  were  raised,  costly  presents  were 
made  to  him,  and  grand  dinners,  balls,  and  bull-fights 
were  given.  The  same  honours  were  paid,  on  a 
smaller  scale,  at  every  town  and  village  through  which 
he  passed.  Cuzco  and  Potosi  struck  medals  of  cop- 
per, silver,  and  gold,  to  commemorate  the  Liberator's 
arrival  in  those  cities. 

Miller,  after  making  every  necessary  arrange- 
ment for  the  reception  of  the  Liberator,  set  out  from 
Potosi,  accompanied  by  deputies  representing  the 
municipality,  clergy,  corporations  (gremios),  and 
public  offices,  to  meet  his  excellency  on  the  frontier 
of  the  department,  where  a  small  obelisk  had  been 
erected,  with  an  inscription  commemorating  his  en- 
tre"e.  The  date  was  placed  when  His  Excellency  ap- 
peared in  sight. 

The  distance  from  Lenas,  a  hamlet  on  the  fron- 
tier of  the  department,  to  Potosi  is  about  seventeen 
leagues.  The  road  was  once  one  of  the  worst  in 
Peru;  in  many  places  it  was  dangerous  to  pass  it 
even  upon  a  mule*.  Two  hundred  Indians  had  for 
the  preceding  six  weeks  been  employed  upon  it.  In 
many  places  its  direction  was  entirely  changed.  In 
short,  the  approach  to  Potosi,  by  this  road,  formerly 

*  An  attempt  had  been  once  made  to  introduce  a  piano  forte  for  the  lady  of 
one  of  the  governors  of  Potosi,  but  it  could  not  be  accomplished.  The  badness 
of  the  road  would  not  admit  of  its  being  carried  even  upon  the  shoulders  of  In- 
dians, and  it  was  conveyed  back  to  the  coast 


CHAP.  XXX.   BOLIVAR  VISITS  THE  DEPARTMENTS.     303 

so  difficult,  was  now  rendered  comparatively  easy. 
Wherever  the  ground  allowed  of  it,  branches  of  trees 
were  stuck  into  the  earth,  and  turned  over  the  road, 
so  as  to  form  a  kind  of  arcade.  Doctor  Don  Leandro 
Usin,  governor  of  Porco,  an  intelligent  and  active 
man,  superintended  this  work  with  a  zeal  and  ability 
which  did  him  infinite  credit.  Possessing  a  large 
mining  property,  he  had  sided  with  the  royalists  to 
the  last.  On  this  account  he  was  unpopular;  but 
his  useful  talents,  and  experience,  prevented  his  re- 
moval by  the  patriots  from  the  office  of  governor 
of  Porco,  to  which  he  had  been  appointed  by  the 
royalists. 

The  Liberator  halted  at  Lenas,  where  temporary 
buildings  had  been  erected,  and  where  about  two 
thousand  Indians,  led  by  their  respective  caciques 
and  curates,  were  assembled  to  receive  him.  A 
number  of  these  Indians,  fantastically  ornamented 
with  feathers  and  party-coloured  garments,  formed 
themselves  into  small  groups,  and  danced  before  him 
as  he  went  along.  His  excellency  partook  of  a  col- 
lation which  had  been  prepared  for  him.  The  party 
then  set  forward,  and  arrived  at  Yocalla,  a  village 
seven  leagues  from  Potosi,  where  it  halted  to  dine, 
and  remained  for  the  night.  At  dawn  on  the  fol- 
lowing morning  they  resumed  their  journey,  and 
breakfasted  at  ,  at  the  house  of  the  curate. 

This  worthy,  but  simple  old  gentleman,  had  long 
ardently  desired  the  honour  of  being  called  "doctor." 
It  was  with  the  utmost  delight  that  he  had  received 
the  prefect's  order  to  prepare  for  the  reception  of  the 
Liberator.  He  set  about  decorating  his  house  with 


304  BOLIVAR'S  RECEPTION  CHAP.  XXX. 

the  greatest  alacrity,  and  did  not  scruple  to  borrow 
even  the  ornaments  of  his  church  for  the  occasion. 
He  now  hoped  that  the  time  was  not  far  distant  when 
he  should  attain  the  dignity  for  which  he  had  so  long 
panted.  His  Reverence  possessed  one  qualification 
common  to  the  majority  of  the  learned  profession,  a 
smooth  and  eloquent  tongue,  and  the  wine  sent  by 
the  prefect  soon  put  it  in  motion.  Although  the 
meal  was  merely  a  breakfast,  the  curate  asked  per- 
mission to  give  three  toasts,  which  he  honestly  de- 
clared had  for  the  last  month  been  almost  the  only 
subject  of  his  meditations.  The  speeches  by  which 
he  prefaced  them  highly  amused  the  company.  What 
he  called  toasts  were  orations,  each  of  which  occupied 
nearly  half  an  hour  in  the  delivery.  He  prefaced  the 
first  by  addressing  Bolivar,  bowing  at  the  same  time 
till  his  head  nearly  touched  the  table,  by  the  title  of 
GRAN  PRINCIPE  (great  prince);  he  next  addressed 
Sucre,  as  valorous  duke  (DUQUE  VALEROSO);  and 
then  the  prefect,  with  something  equally  enter- 
taining. 

Finishing  breakfast,  the  party  proceeded.  Upon 
coming  up  within  two  leagues  of  Potosi,  it  passed 
under  the  first  of  a  series  of  triumphal  arches,  which 
became  more  frequent  as  they  more  closely  approached 
the  town.  At  every  third  or  fourth  arch  was  a  party 
of  about  forty  Indians,  dressed  out  very  gaudily, 
with  plumes  of  feathers  on  their  heads,  who,  led  by 
their  caciques,  performed  a  sort  of  ballet  as  the  Libe- 
rator passed.  The  dancers  wore  round  their  necks 
copper  medals,  and  the  caciques  silver  ones,  having 
the  head  of  Bolivar  stamped  upon  them.  The  mem- 


CHAP.  XXX.  AT   POTOSI.  305 

bers   of  the   municipality   on    horseback,    in    their 
robes  of  office,  preceded  by  the  two  alcaldes,  each 
of  the  latter  carrying  a  huge  gilt  staff,  came  out  to 
meet  the  procession.     They  were  followed  by  the 
clergy  and  corporate   bodies,    who,    upon  meeting 
the   Liberator,    welcomed    His    Excellency  with   a 
complimentary    harangue,    and,    upon    receiving    a 
gracious  answer,  fell  into  their  places  in  the  rear  of 
the  train.     The  Liberator  soon  outrode  these  gen- 
tlemen, whose  tremendous  spurs  and  massive  silver- 
gilt  maces  were  not  sufficient  to  make  their  Rosi- 
nantes  keep  pace  with  Bolivar's  ambling  palfrey.  To 
increase  their  difficulties,  a  string  of  mine  agents, 
mounted  on  fiery  steeds,  got  before  them,  without 
paying  the  slightest  deference  to  the  glittering  wands 
of  office.      Crowds  of  Indians  on  foot,  anxious  to 
catch  a  glimpse  of  the  Liberator,  had  placed  them- 
selves on  the  way-side,  and  falling  into  the  proces- 
sion, followed  as  soon  as  the  principal  personages 
had  passed.     The  municipal  gentlemen  being  separ- 
ated from  the  head  of  the  procession,  cut,  and  slashed, 
and  stormed,  and  threatened,  but  all  in  vain.     The 
Indians,  who  had  never  until  then  disputed  the  high- 
way, but  would  have  fallen  upon  their  knees  to  let 
the    gilt    staves   pass,    now   good-humouredly,    but 
boldly,  kept  possession  of  the  road,  and  the  horsemen 
were  obliged  to  be  content  to  move  onwards  with  the 
stream.     There  was  something  particularly  gratifying 
in  this  temperate  indication  of  spirit,  called  forth  at 
such  an  interesting  moment.   Colonel  O'Leary  having 
ridden,  with  some  dragoons  of  the  escort,  a  few  yards 
ahead  to  clear  the  way ;  his  horse  taking  fright,  climbed 
VOL.  n.  x 


306  BOLIVAR'S  RECEPTION  CHAP.  XXX. 

up  a  precipitous  craggy  rock,  and  hung  on,  as  it  were, 
for  some  time  by  a  sharp  pinnacle.  It  was  thought 
that  both  horse  and  rider  must  instantaneously  fall, 
and  be  dashed  to  pieces  on  the  broad  stones  of  the 
high  road.  But  fortunately  the  animal  had  that 
morning  been  shod,  and  the  rough  long-headed 
Spanish  nails  kept  fast  hold  in  the  honey-combed 
surface  of  the  rock.  O'Leary  being  a  bold  and  ex- 
cellent horseman,  kept  his  seat,  and  suffered  his 
charger  to  have  the  rein.  The  sagacious  animal 
turned  round,  descended  a  little  way,  made  a  de- 
sperate leap,  and  regained  the  road,  without  the 
slightest  injury ;  to  the  astonishment  and  admiration 
of  every  one  present. 

When  the  Liberator  came  within  a  full  and  clear 
view  of  the  far-famed  Cerro  of  Potosi,  the  flags  of 
Peru,  Buenos  Ayres,  Chile,  and  Colombia  were  at 
the  same  moment  unfurled  upon  its  summit.  On 
his  excellency's  entering  the  town,  twenty-one  cama- 
retas  or  large  shells  *,  placed  on  the  summit  of  the 
Cerro,  were  fired  off,  the  report  of  each  of  which 
was  equal  to  that  of  six  twenty-four  pounders.  This 
aerial  salute  had  a  very  singular  and  imposing  effect. 
The  deep  valleys  of  the  surrounding  country  echoed 
and  re-echoed  as  if  with  claps  of  thunder.  This  was 
the  signal  of  Bolivar's  having  entered  Potosi.  The 
bells  of  every  church  and  convent  rang  with  an  almost 
deafening  peal. 

Two  battalions  of  infantry  and  a  regiment  of  ca- 
valry were  drawn  up  to  preserve  a  clear  passage 

*  They  might  more  properly  be  called  petards.    They  are  used  on  grand  oc- 
casions by  the  monks. 


CHAP.  XXX.  AT  POTOSI.  307 

through  the  streets,  in  all  of  which  triumphal  arches 
had  been  erected.  The  walls  of  every  house  were 
adorned  with  tapestry  or  silk  hangings.  Every 
window  and  balcony  was  thronged  with  ladies ;  the 
streets  were  crowded  to  suffocation  ;  and  ardent  viva-s 
were  shouted,  at  the  same  moment,  by  above  forty 
thousand  people  within  the  town. 

Upon  alighting  at  the  government-house,  under  a 
grand  triumphal  arch,  decorated  with  flags,  the  re- 
ception of  His  Excellency  was  according  to  the 
Hispano-American  taste.  Two  children,  dressed 
as  angels,  were  let  down  from  the  arch  as  he  ap- 
proached, and  each  pronounced  a  short  oration. 
Upon  entering  the  grand  saloon,  six  handsome 
women,  representing  the  fair  sex  of  Potosi,  hailed 
the  arrival  of  His  Excellency,  crowned  him  with  a 
wreath  of  laurel,  and  strewed  flowers,  which  had  been 
brought  from  a  great  distance  for  the  occasion.  The 
accomplished  wife  of  General  Don  Hilario  de  la 
Quintana  welcomed  him  in  elegant  and  animated 
terms.  A  fair  damsel  then  stepped  forward,  and  de- 
livered a  speech  in  a  truly  theatrical  style.  The 
talents  of  the  learned  Doctors  Carpio  and  Tapia  had 
been  put  in  requisition  to  draw  up  this  harangue. 
After  devoting  many  anxious  days  and  sleepless 
nights  to  the  composition,  each  produced  a  speech 
deserving  of  immortality.  A  committee  of  taste  gave 
the  preference  to  that  of  Doctor  Tapia,  very  much 
to  the  chagrin  of  his  learned  rival  *.  The  next  thing 
was  to  select  a  lady  to  give  a  graceful  utterance  to 

*  Doctor  Caipio  is  a  very  talented  and  promising  young  man,  whose  profes- 
sional and  local  knowledge  were  occasionally  of  the  utmost  value  to  Miller. 


308  BOLIVAR'S  RECEPTION  CHAP.  xxx. 

this  quintessence  of  oratory.  After  much  discussion, 
the  amiable  Sennita  de  la  Puente  was  destined  to  enjoy 
the  envied  honour.  She  immediately  commenced  the 
task  of  committing  it  to  memory,  and  frequently 
rehearsed  it  before  her  family  and  their  intimate 
friends;  and,  when  the  all-important  moment  arrived, 
she  acquitted  herself  in  a  manner  which  outstripped 
their  fondest  expectation. 

Previous  to  partaking  of  any  refreshment,  His 
Excellency  proceeded  to  hear  high  mass  performed 
in  the  principal  church.  The  streets  were  lined  with 
troops.  A  salute  of  twenty-one  guns  was  fired  as  the 
Liberator  left  the  government-house.  Sucre  walked 
on  his  right  hand,  and  the  prefect  on  his  left.  They 
were  preceded  by  the  alcaldes,  ministros,  munici- 
pality, members  of  the  different  corporations  and 
employes,  and  were  followed  by  their  respective  staffs, 
together  with  a  vast  concourse  of  the  inhabitants. 
At  the  door  of  the  church  His  Excellency  was  re- 
ceived by  the  clergy,  who  sprinkled  him  with  holy 
water,  and  conducted  him,  under  a  canopy,  to  a  seat 
richly  covered  with  velvet.  A  second  salute  was 
fired  on  the  Liberator's  return.  Te  Deum  was  per- 
formed on  successive  days  at  the  other  churches,  at 
all  of  which  His  Excellency  assisted  in  state. 

The  first  days  of  the  Liberator's  residence  in  Po- 
tosi  were  principally  taken  up  in  receiving  congratu- 
latory addresses.  They  had  been  drawn  up  with  great 
care,  deep  study,  and  with  an  ungrudging  proportion 
of  the  flowers  of  rhetoric.  Bolivar  particularly  excels 
in  giving  elegant  and  appropriate  extempore  replies. 
In  one  day  he  gave  seventeen  successive  answers, 


CHAP.  xxx.  AT  POTOSI.  309 

each  of  which  might  have  been  printed  off  as  he  spoke 
it,  and  would  have  been  admired  for  its  peculiar  ap- 
plicability to  the  occasion.  In  proposing  a  toast;  in 
returning  thanks  ;  or  in  speaking  upon  any  given  sub- 
ject, perhaps  Bolivarcannot  be  surpassed.  This  useful 
accomplishment  alone  must  have  acquired  for  him  many 
admirers  and  supporters  in  the  course  of  his  career. 

Bull-fights,  grand  dinners,  balls,  fire-works,  illu- 
minations, and  other  signs  of  public  rejoicing,   con- 
tinued for  the  seven  weeks  that  the  Liberator  re- 
mained in  Potosi.     The  various  persons  in  the  civil 
service  had  raised  a  subscription  to  defray  the  ex- 
pense of  purchasing  silver,  and  of  stamping  several 
thousand  small  medals,  bearing  an  inscription  com- 
plimentary to  the  Liberator  of  Peru.     A  few  hun- 
dreds were  thrown  into  the  streets  every  day  by 
ladies,  who  stationed  themselves  in  the  balconies  of 
liousesjfor  that  purpose;    and    this  daily   scramble 
"or  tokens  was  an  additional  attraction  to  the   In- 
dians,   who    visited    the    town    of   Potosi    in    great 
numbers    during   the    residence    of  the    Liberator. 
On  the  26th,  he  ascended  the  Cerro,  accompanied 
by  Sucre,  by  the  prefect,  and  all  the  persons  of  di- 
stinction in  Potosi.     A  sort  of  collation  was  given 
upon    the    summit.       Patriotic  toasts   were    drank. 
Bolivar  prefaced  one  of  them  by  observing,  "  that 
the  immense  riches  buried  in  the  Andes,  then  beneath 
his  feet,  vanished  into  nothing,  when  compared  with 
the   glory  of  having  borne  the  standard  of  liberty 
from  the  sultry  margin  of  the  Orinoco,  to  fix  it  upon 
the  frigid  peak  of  that  mountain,  whose  riches  had 
been  the  astonishment  and  envy  of  the  world." 


310  CAPTAIN  ANDREWS.  CHA*.  XXX. 

A  few  days  after  the  entrance  of  the  Liberator, 
General  Alvear  and  Doctor  Dias  Velez  arrived  from 
Buenos  Ayres  to  compliment  His  Excellency  in  the 
name  of  the  government  of  the  provinces  of  the  Rio 
de  la  Plata.  With  these  gentlemen  came  Captain 
Andrews,  the  grand  commissioner  before  spoken  of; 
but  so  much  was  the  public  mind  occupied  by  the 
festivities,  that  his  arrival  excited  but  little  interest. 
Besides  this,  a  damp  had  been  thrown  upon  mining 
speculations,  by  the  Liberator  having  decreed  that 
all  unworked  mines  should  be  the  property  of  the 
state  *,  and  that  they  should  thenceforward  be  sold, 
instead  of  being  given  away,  according  the  old  laws 
of  mineria.  Agreeably  to  this  new  regulation,  the 
government  offered  for  sale  the  whole  of  the  unap- 
propriated mines  of  Upper  Peru.  A  million  of 
dollars  was  bid  for  them  by  the  representatives  of  a 
company  in  Buenos  Ayres.  The  agreement  was 
drawn  up,  signed,  and  was  to  have  been  ratified  in 
thirty  days.  In  the  mean  time,  the  agents  of  another 
company  offered  twelve  hundred  thousand  dollars ; 
but  Captain  Andrews  surpassed  them  both,  by  offer- 
ing a  million  and  a  half.  Bolivar,  however,  con- 
sidering that  a  still  higher  price  was  to  be  obtained 
in  London,  named  agents  to  proceed  to  that  mart  of 
credulity  for  the  purpose  of  negotiating  the  matter ; 
but,  before  they  reached  Buenos  Ayres,  they  found 
the  bubble  had  burst  in  England,  and  they  proceeded 
no  further  than  the  shores  of  the  Plata. 

During  Miller's  residence  at  Potosi,  a  severe  in- 

*  Th«  impolicy  of  this  decree  was  soon  discovered,  and  it  has  since  been 
revoked. 


CHAP.  XXX.  TESTIMONIAL  OF  GENERAL  BOLIVAR.     311 

disposition  rendered  it  necessary  for  him  to  take  the 
sulphurated  chalybeate  baths  of  Don  Diego,  five 
leagues  distant  from  the  town,  on  the  road  to  Chu- 
quisaca.  The  waters  at  the  spring  are  100°  of  Fah- 
renheit. Miller  received  little  relief:  his  complaint 
originated  in  the  liver,  which  was  supposed  to  have 
been  grazed  by  a  musket-ball  as  it  passed  through 
the  body.  His  general  health  continuing  far  from 
good,  he  was  advised  by  Dr.  Nicol,  an  eminent  En- 
glish surgeon  who  had  attended  him  at  Puno,  to  pro- 
ceed to  London  for  the  sake  of  obtaining  the  best 
surgical  advice.  The  struggle  for  independence 
being  over,  and  the  General  considering  himself  at 
liberty  to  gratify  his  anxious  desire  to  revisit  his 
native  country,  had  applied  for  two  years'  leave  of 
absence  in  August,  previous  to  Bolivar's  arrival  at 
Potosi.  The  Liberator  and  Sucre  made  the  most 
flattering  and  earnest  requests  for  him  to  continue  at 
the  head  of  his  departmental  government ;  but,  the 
state  of  his  health  absolutely  requiring  that  he  should 
visit  Europe,  he  reiterated  his  request  for  leave  of 
absence,  which  he  obtained,  and  gave  over  his  com- 
mand to  General  Urdiminea  on  the  24th  of  October, 
1825. 

Miller  received  bills  upon  the  Peruvian  agents  in 
London  for  twenty  thousand  dollars,  being  his  share 
of  the  million  of  dollars  granted  by  Upper  Peru  to 
the  liberating  army.  Bolivar  was,  at  the  same  time, 
pleased  to  do  him  the  unsolicited  honour  of  sending 
the  following  testimonial*: 

*  A  los  que  la  presente  vieren,  saludo.     Certifico  que  el  General  de  division 
D.  Guillermo  Miller  ha  estado  a  mis  ordenes  en  toda  la  campana  del  ano  vein- 


312     TESTIMONIAL  OF  CJENERAJL  BOLIVAR.   CHAP.  XXX. 

"  To  all  whom  the  present  may  concern,  greeting. 

"  I  certify  that  the  General  of  division  Don  Guil- 
lermo  Miller  served  under  my  orders  throughout  the 
campaign  of  1824,  during  which  he  performed  his 
duty  in  a  manner  worthy  of  admiration.  The  com- 
mand of. our  cavalry  devolved  upon  him  at  the  battle 
of  Junin,  in  which  he  acquitted  himself  with  the 
valour  by  which  he  has  always  been  distinguished. 
He  retained  the  same  command  at  Ayacucho,  where 
he  displayed  that  intrepidity  and  tact  which  so  much 
contributed  to  the  victory. 

"  General  Miller  was  amongst  the  first  who  under- 
took to  achieve  the  freedom  of  Peru,  and  is  one  of 
those  who  remained  to  the  last  to  behold  its  triumph. 
His  activity,  moderation,  and  private  worth  obtained 
for  him  the  esteem  of  his  commanders,  whilst  in  the 
districts  and  departments  over  which  he  presided  he 
is  respected  as  a  good  magistrate. 

"  General  Miller  has  never  taken  part  in  any  of  the 
factions  which  have  agitated  Peru:  on  the  contrary, 
the  successive  governments,  and  the  various  generals 
who  commanded  the  army,  have  all  placed  unlimited 


ticuatro,  en  la  cual  ha  cumplido  con  su  dcber  de  un  modo  digno  de  admiracion. 
En  el  combate  de  Junin  quedo  mandando  nuestra  caballeria,  con  el  valor  que 
siempre  le  ha  distinguido.  En  Ayacucho  tubo  el  mismo  mando,  y  lo  desempend 
con  aquella  intrepidcz  y  acierto  que  tanto  contribuyeron  a  la  victoria.  El  General 
Miller  fue  de  Ins  primeros  que  emprendieron  la  libertad  del  Peru,  y  es  de  los 
ultimos  que  la  ha  visto  triumfar.  Su  actividad,  su  moderacion,  y  su  conducta 
moral  lo  han  hecho  recomendable  a  los  ojos  de  sus  gefes,  y  los  pueblos  que  ha 
mandado,  lo  han  respetado  como  a  un  buen  magistrado.  El  General  Miller  no 
ha  participado  jamas  de  ninguna  de  las  facciones  que  han  tenido  en  el  Peru : 
por  el  contrario,  los  gobiernos  sucesivos,  y  los  diferentes  generales,  que  han  man- 
dado  el  egercito,  han  puesto  entera  contianza  en  su  fidelidad.  Por  consecuencia 
de  estos  servicios,  el  gobierno  del  Peru  ha  recompensado  dignamente  al  General 
D.  Guillermo  Miller.  Dado  en  el  cuartel  general  de  Potosi,  a  29  de  Octubre 
de  1825. 

PorO.  deS.  E.  (Firmado)  BOLIVAH. 

FELII-E  SANTIAGO  ESTENOS,  Sccretario-general. 


CHAP.  XXX.  MILLER  LEAVES  POTOSI.  313 

confidence  in  his  fidelity.  In  consequence  of  these 
services,  the  government  of  Peru  has  honourably  re- 
compensed General  Don  Guillermo  Miller.  Given 
at  head-quarters  in  Potosi,  the  29th  of  October, 
1825. 

"  (Signed)  BOLIVAR. 

"  By  order  of  his  Excellency, 

(countersigned) 
FELIPE  SANTIAGO  ESTENOS,  Secretary-general." 

On  the  1st  of  November  the  Liberator  left  Potosi, 
and  proceeded  to  Chuquisaca.  Miller  followed  two 
days  afterwards,  and  remained  there  until  the  llth, 
when  he  took  leave  of  Bolivar,  and  returned  to  Potosi. 
Chuquisaca  is  the  seat  of  an  university,  and  may  be 
called  the  Oxford  of  Peru.  Its  climate  is  the  most 
delicious  that  can  be  imagined. 

Miller  set  out  from  Potosi  on  the  morning  of  the 
26th  November.  The  street  in  front  of  his  house 
was  crowded  with  people  of  all  classes.  General 
Urdiminea;  the  officers  of  the  garrison  j  the  heads  of 
departments ;  the  members  of  the  municipality ;  of 
the  gremlos ;  and  many  of  the  clergy,  all  on  horse- 
back, accompanied  the  General  a  considerable  distance 
on  the  road. 

He  received  from  all  of  them  the  most  satisfactory 
demonstrations  of  their  good  wishes.  They  ex- 
pressed their  deep  regret  at  the  determination  he 
had  taken;  lamented  the  necessity  which  had  com- 
pelled him  to  it ;  and  urged,  with  the  most  earnest 
entreaties,  his  speedy  return. 


MILLER  LEAVES  POTOSI.  CHAP.  xxx. 

Notwithstanding  the  intense  desire  which  the  Ge- 
neral felt  to  be  again  in  England,  he  could  not  leave 
these  warm-hearted  people  without  feelings  of  the 
most  poignant  regret.  It  was  some  days  before  he 
could  altogether  shake  off  the  depression  of  spirits 
caused  by  this  interesting  separation. 


CHA1>.  xxxi.  GENERAL  BOLIVAR.  315 


CHAPTER   XXXI. 

Biographical  sketch  of  General  Bolivar. — His  staff. — Dr.  Moore. 
— Colonel  O'Leary. — Lieutenant-Colonel  Ferguson. — Colonel 
Belford  Wilson. 

THE  conspicuous  part  which  Bolivar  has  acted 
throughout  the  revolution  in  Colombia,  and  at  the 
close  of  that  in  Peru,  renders  it  imperative  on  us  to 
give  some  account  of  a  character,  identified  with  so 
many  great  and  extraordinary  events. 

When  the  Liberator  was  in  Potosi,  he  casually  re- 
marked that,  of  the  numerous  biographies  which  had 
been  written  of  him,  not  one  of  them  could  claim  the 
merit  of  accuracy.  Upon  this  Miller  observed,  that 
as,  on  his  arrival  in  Europe,  he  would  be  expected 
to  possess  considerable  information  on  the  subject, 
he  should  be  glad  to  be  furnished  with  some  correct 
data  from  which  he  should  be  able  satisfactorily  to 
reply  to  any  inquiries.  In  consequence,  General 
Sucre  was  good  enough  to  draw  up  an  outline  of  the 
Liberator's  career;  and,  notwithstanding  its  imper- 
fections, arising  from  its  being  hastily  performed,  the 
source  whence  it  is  derived  will  render  it  peculiarly 
interesting.  A  great  part  of  the  following  sketch  is 
an  abridged  translation  of  that  document. 

Simon  Bolivar  was  born  at  Caracas  on  the  25th 
of  July,  1783.  He  lost  his  parents  at  an  early  age; 
and,  in  his  sixteenth  year,  was  sent  to  Europe  to 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH  CHAP.  xxxi. 

finish  his  education.  He  made  the  tour  of  France 
and  Italy.  Having  married  at  Madrid,  he  embarked 
for  Venezuela,  where  his  wife  died  a  few  months 
after  her  arrival.  Bolivar  went  a  second  time  to 
Europe,  and  was  present  at  the  coronation  of  Napo- 
leon. He  returned  to  Caracas  in  company  with  Em- 
paran,  appointed  captain  general  of  Venezuela  by 
the  central  junta  at  Seville.  Soon  after  the  raising  of 
the  standard  of  independence  (19th  April,  1810)  in 
that  country,  he  was  sent  to  solicit  the  protection  of 
Great  Britain.  He  was  well  received  by  the  Mar- 
quess Wellesley,  then  secretary  for  foreign  affairs. 
The  British  government  offered  its  mediation  between 
Spain  and  her  colonies,  but  the  offer  was  rejected  by 
the  court  of  Madrid.  Bolivar  returned  to  his  own 
country,  accompanied  by  General  Miranda,  who  was 
placed  in  command  of  the  Venezuelan  troops.  But 
the  revolutionary  government  was  too  feebly  organized 
to  give  efficiency  to  the  military  force.  Divisions 
arose,  and  the  cause  of  independence  was  on  the  re- 
trograde, when  the  dreadful  earthquake  of  1812,  and 
the  subsequent  invasion  by  the  Spanish  force  under 
General  Monteverde,  for  the  time,  precluded  all  pos- 
sibility of  success. 

Bolivar,  alleging  that  Miranda  had  betrayed  his 
country  by  capitulating  to  Monteverde,  arrested 
him  at  La  Guayra.  Bolivar  then  demanded  his 
passport,  and  when  taken  before  Monteverde,  the 
Spanish  general  said  that  Colonel  Bolivar's  re- 
quest should  be  complied  with,  as  a  reward  for  his 
having  served  the  King  of  Spain  by  delivering  up 
Miranda.  Bolivar  answered  that  he  arrested  him  to 


CHAP.  xxxi.  OF  GENERAL  BOLIVAR.  317 

punish  a  traitor  *  to  his  country,  and  not  to  serve  the 
king.  This  answer  had  nearly  included  him  in  the 
general  proscription ;  but  the  good  offices  of  Don 
Francisco  Iturbe,  secretary  to  Monteverde,  procured 
the  passport,  and  Bolivar  was  allowed  to  sail  for  Cu- 
ra9oa.  From  that  island  he  went  to  Carthagena, 
where  he  obtained  the  command  of  a  small  force,  with 
which  he  proceeded  up  the  Magdalena,  and  having 
beaten  parties  of  the  royalist  troops  at  various  points 
on  that  river,  he  continued  his  march  from  Ocana  to 
Cucuta,  and  solicited  assistance  from  the  government 
of  Cundinamarca.  Five  hundred  men  were  placed  at 
his  disposal,  and  with  these,  added  to  his  own  small 
party,  Bolivar  undertook  to  effect  the  liberation  of 
his  country.  Four  thousand  Spaniards,  under  Ge- 
neral Correa,  were  then  on  that  part  of  the  Venezue- 
lan frontier.  A  division  of  these  was  beaten  by  Bo- 
livar, who  pursued  his  march  to  Truxillo,  defeating 
on  the  way  several  royalist  detachments. 

The  Spaniards,  from  the  commencement  of  the 
war,  had  put  to  death  all  persons  whom  they  found 
with  arms  in  their  hands.  The  South  Americans, 
on  the  contrary,  gave  quarter  to  those  royalists  who 
fell  into  their  power.  The  natives  consequently  pre- 
ferred entering  the  royalist  ranks,  feeling  secure  that, 
in  case  of  being  made  prisoners,  their  lives  would 


*  Bolivar  seems  to  have  been  hurried  into  a  dreadful  error  by  the  warmth  of 
his  feelings.  Not  only  is  the  expediency  of  the  capitulation  admitted  by  eye- 
witnesses of  the  first  respectability,  but  also  that  Miranda  had  no  other  alterna- 
tive. The  rich  and  influential  inhabitants  withheld  their  support,  not  that  their 
political  sentiments  had  undergone  a  change,  but  because  they  saw  the  use- 
lessness  of  sacrificing  property  and  life  in  a  wild  attempt  to  stem  the  stream  of 
public  opinion ;  the  bulk  of  the  people  having  become  decidedly  royalist  in  prin. 
ciple  ever  since  the  earthquake,  which  had  been  represented  by  the  priesthood 
as  a  judgment  of  Heaven  upon  the  insurgent  cause. 


318  BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCH  CHAP.  XXXI- 

be  spared.  Bolivar,  perceiving  the  great  disadvantage 
under  which  he  laboured,  and  as  a  retaliation  for  the 
horrid  butcheries  committed  by  the  Spaniards,  issued 
a  proclamation  at  Truxillo,  declaring,  that  from  that 
time  forward  he  should  wage  a  war  of  extermination. 
This  declaration  of  guerra  (I  muerte  on  the  part  of 
the  independents  made  the  danger,  in  that  respect, 
equal  on  both  sides. 

Bolivar,  having  separated  his  small  corps  into  two 
divisions,  intrusted  the  command  of  the  second  to  the 
active  General  Rivas.  Bolivar  himself  penetrated  the 
Llanos,  after  having  beaten  the  Spaniards  at  Niquitao, 
Carache,  Varinas,  Tahuana,  and  Torcones.  He  then 
advanced  to  Vitoria,  within  twenty  leagues  of  Ca- 
racas, where  he  was  met  by  Spanish  commissioners, 
who  sued  for,  and  obtained,  a  capitulation.  The  con- 
queror entered  his  native  city  in  triumph.  But  this 
did  not  put  an  end  to  the  war.  The  Spaniards  were 
faithless  in  the  observance  of  the  capitulation,  and 
Monteverde,  from  within  the  walls  of  Puerto  Ca- 
bello,  fomented  the  discord  which  prevailed  in  the 
interior  provinces.  About  this  time  a  strong  rein- 
forcement arrived  from  Spain.  Bolivar  was  obliged 
to  evacuate  Caracas  ;  but  the  royalists  were  beaten  at 
Viguirima,  Barbula,  and  Las  Trincheras.  However, 
the  Spanish  general  Cevallos  had  time  to  raise  four 
thousand  recruits  in  the  province  of  Coro,  which  had 
always  shown  itself  inimical  to  the  cause  of  inde- 
pendence. Bolivar  next  gained  the  important  battle 
of  Araure,  and  repossessed  himself  of  Caracas.  On 
the  2d  January,  1814,  he  assembled  the  public 
authorities  of  the  city,  and  resigned  to  them  the 


CHAP.  XXXI.          OF  GENE11AL  BOLIVAR.  319 

supreme  authority  he  had  exercised,  and  with  which 
his  triumphs  had  invested  him.  They,  however,  re- 
fused to  admit  his  resignation;  conferred  upon  him 
the  title  of  LIBERATOR  OF  VENEZUELA  ;  and  named 
him  Dictator. 

About  this  period  a  Spaniard,  Don  Jose  Tomas 
Boves,  succeeded  in  bringing  about  a  counter-revolu- 
tion in  the  Llanos,  an  immense  tract  of  level  country, 
which  traverses  the  centre  of  Venezuela,  and  extends 
to  the  confines  of  New  Granada.  Boves  organized 
a  force,  which  consisted  of  men  mostly  chosen  for 
their  desperate  character,  whom  he  led  on  by  pro- 
mises of  indiscriminate  plunder,  and  by  lavishing  the 
greatest  rewards  upon  the  perpetrators  of  the  most 
revolting  atrocities.  The  track  of  these  ruffians,  to 
Calabozo,  was  every  where  marked  with  the  blood  of 
the  aged  and  the  defenceless.  Bolivar,  who  had  de- 
tached a  part  of  his  force  in  pursuit  of  Cevallos, 
had  not  above  two  thousand  men  left  to  make  head 
against  Boves,  who,  with  nearly  five  times  that  num- 
ber, had  possessed  himself  of  the  fertile  valleys  of 
Aragua,  and  destroyed  some  patriot  divisions  sent 
to  check  his  progress.  Bolivar  took  up  a  position  at 
San  Mateo,  in  order  to  cover  Caracas.  A  series  of 
attacks,  in  the  space  of  forty  days,  reduced  the  num- 
ber of  Bolivar's  force  to  four  hundred.  Cevallos  had 
repaired  the  effects  of  his  defeat  at  Araure,  and,  re- 
inforced by  General  Cagigal,  had  penetrated  to  Va- 
lencia. The  patriot  division  of  the  east  having  de- 
feated Boves  at  Bocachica,  and  compelled  him  to 
retire  to  the  Llanos,  and  having  subsequently  united 
with  the  remains  of  Bolivar's  force,  marched  against 


320  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH          CHAP.  xxxi. 

Cagigal  and  Cevallos,  whose  well-organized  troops 
amounted  to  six  thousand.  These  were  attacked  and 
defeated  by  Bolivar,  who  then  detached  the  greater 
part  of  his  force  to  reduce  the  province  of  Coro  to 
submission,  and  himself  marched  against  Boves.  Bo- 
livar was  overwhelmed  by  numbers  at  La  Puerta. 
His  division  dispersed,  and  fled  to  Cundinamarca.  He 
was  then  obliged  to  abandon  Caracas.  The  same 
day  witnessed  the  affecting  spectacle  of  several  thou- 
sand inhabitants  leaving  their  homes  and  property  at 
the  mercy  of  the  ruthless  spoiler,  while  they  them- 
selves set  out  to  face  want,  disease,  and  death,  in 
distant  provinces. 

On  the  17th  of  August  Bolivar  lost  the  battle  of 
Aragua.  The  subsequent  affairs  of  Maturin,  Cu- 
mana,  Carupano,  Guiria,  Urica,  and  El  Caris,  were 
fought,  with  varying  success.  All  being  lost  in  the 
east,  Bolivar  next  proceeded  to  Carthagena,  and  of- 
fered his  services  to  New  Granada,  then  agitated 
by  discordant  parties  of  provincialists,  centralists, 
metropolists,  federalists,  royalists,  and  independents. 
A  congress  assembled  at  Tunja  conferred  upon  Bo- 
livar the  command  of  the  forces  of  New  Granada. 
Santa  Fe  de  Bogota  submitted,  the  provinces  acknow- 
ledged the  congress,  and  an  effort  was  made  to  esta- 
blish a  constitutional  form  of  government. 

Bolivar  having  proposed  to  take  the  town  of  Santa 
Marta,  still  held  by  the  Spaniards,  he  was  authorized 
by  the  government  of  Santa  Fe  to  procure  guns, 
&c.,  from  the  arsenals  of  Carthagena.  The  governor 
of  that  fortress  refused  to  furnish  the  necessary  sup- 
plies. In  order  to  enforce  compliance,  Bolivar  in- 


CHAP.  XXXI.  OF  GENERAL  BOLIVAR.  321 

vested  Carthagena,  before  which  he  remained  a  con- 
siderable time,  when  he  heard  of  the  arrival  at  Mar- 
garita of  General  Morillo,  with  ten  thousand  Spanish 
troops.  Upon  this,  Bolivar  placed  his  own  investing 
force  at  the  disposal  of  his  rival,  the  governor  of  Car- 
thagena ;  and,  unwilling  that  the  cause  of  his  country 
should  continue  to  suffer  from  the  dissension  which 
had  arisen  between  himself  and  the  governor,  with- 
drew to  Jamaica.  Morillo,  soon  afterwards,  laid 
siege  to  Carthagena,  which,  unfortunately,  in  con- 
sequence of  the  long  investment  it  had  already 
sustained,  was  nearly  destitute  of  provisions.  Bolivar 
sent  from  Jamaica  some  supplies  for  the  besieged 
garrison  ;  but  before  they  could  arrive,  that  import- 
ant fortress  was  in  possession  of  the  Spaniards.  This 
enabled  them  to  reconquer  New  Granada,  and  the 
blood  of  its  citizens  was  made  to  stream  from  the 
scaffold. 

At  Kingston,  Bolivar  narrowly  escaped  assassina- 
tion. The  casual  circumstance  of  exchanging  apart- 
ments with  another  person,  caused  the  murderer's 
dagger  to  be  planted  in  the  heart  of  a  faithful  fol- 
lower, instead  of  in  that  of  Bolivar.  The  author  of 
these  Memoirs  happened  to  live,  for  a  few  days,  in 
the  same  boarding-house.  Some  officers  of  a  British 
line-of-battle  ship,  not  speaking  Spanish,  requested 
him  to  invite  Bolivar,  in  their  name,  to  dine  with 
them.  This  was  only  a  few  weeks  previous  to  the 
intended  assassination  of  Bolivar. 

From  Jamaica,  Bolivar  went  to  Hayti,  and  was 
received  at  Port-au-Prince  by  Petion,  with  kind  hos- 

VOL.  II.  Y 


322  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH  CHAP.  XXXI. 

pitality,  and  was  assisted  by  him  as  far  as  his  means 
would  allow. 

In  April,  1816,  he  sailed  with  three  hundred  men 
to  Margarita,  which  island  had  lately  again  shaken 
off  the  Spanish  yoke.  He  arrived  at  Juan  Griego, 
where  he  was  proclaimed  supreme  chief  of  the  re- 
public. On  the  1st  of  June  he  sailed,  and  on  the 
3d  landed  at  Campano,  where  he  beat  nine  hundred 
Spaniards.  He  then  opened  a  communication  with 
patriot  chieftains,  who  had  maintained  themselves 
in  isolated  parties  dispersed  over  the  llanos  of  Cu- 
mana,  Barcelona,  and  the  Apure.  It  is  a  curious  fact, 
that  the  isolation  of  several  of  these  parties  was  so 
complete  that,  for  many  months,  they  did  not  know 
of  any  other  than  themselves  being  in  arms  for  the 
delivery  of  their  country.  It  was  only  by  their  coming 
into  accidental  contact  that  they  discovered  that 
there  was  more  than  one  patriot  guerrilla  in  ex- 
istence*. Bolivar  supplied  some  of  them  with  arms, 
and  at  the  same  time  augmented  his  own  force 
to  a  thousand  men.  The  Spaniards  assembled  in 
superior  numbers  to  destroy  them  ;  but  Bolivar  em- 
barked, and  relanded  at  Ocumare,  with  an  intention 
of  taking  Caracas:  great  part,  however,  of  the  Spanish 
army  having  by  this  time  returned  from  New  Granada 
to  Venezuela,  Bolivar  was  obliged  to  re-embark  for 
Margarita. 

In  1817  he  landed  near  Barcelona,  where  he  col- 
lected seven  hundred  recruits,  and  marched  towards 


*  For  the  honour  of  the  llaneros,  this  circumstance  ought  to  be  more  distinctly 
detailed. 


CHAP.  XXXT.  OF  GENERAL  BOLIVAR.  323 

Caracas  ;  but,  being  worsted  in  an  affair  at  Clarines, 
he  fell  back  again  upon  Barcelona,  where  he  shut 
himself  up  with  four  hundred  men,  and  made  a  suc- 
cessful resistance  against  a  superior  force. 

Bolivar  received  some  reinforcements  from  the  in- 
terior of  the  province  of  Cumana,  upon  which  he 
decided  upon  making  the  banks  of  the  Orinoco  the 
theatre  of  his  future  efforts.  Having  further  aug- 
mented his  force,  and  taken  the  necessary  steps  to 
keep  alive  the  war  in  the  districts  on  the  coast,  he 
marched  to  the  interior,  beating  several  small  royalist 
parties  which  he  encountered  on  his  route. 

Of  the  Spanish  army  which  had  returned  from 
New  Granada,  a  division,  under  the  brave  General 
La  Torre,  was  destined  to  act  against  the  patriots  in 
Guayana.  A  division  of  the  latter,  under  General 
Piar,  having  obtained  a  decisive  victory,  Bolivar  was 
enabled  to  invest  Angostura,  and  the  town  of  Old 
Guayana,  which  were  successively  taken  on  the  3d 
and  18th  of  July. 

In  Angostura,  Piar  was  found  guilty,  by  a  court- 
martial,  of  an  attempt  to  excite  a  war  of  colour.  Piar 
(a  man  of  colour  himself)  was  the  bravest  of  the 
brave,  and  adored  by  his  followers ;  but  his  execution 
stifled  anarchy  in  the  bud. 

The  rest  of  the  year  1817  was  actively  spent  in 
organizing  a  force  to  act  against  Morillo,  who  had 
lately  been  reinforced  by  two  thousand  fresh  troops 
from  the  Peninsula,  under  General  Canterac,  then 
on  his  way  from  Spain  to  Peru.  An  abundant  supply 
of  arms,  received  from  England,  was  sent  to  the  pa- 
triot corps  on  the  banks  of  the  Apure. 

Y  2 


324  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH          CHAP.  XXXI. 

Early  in  1818,  the  supreme  chief,  after  concen- 
trating his  forces,  marched  rapidly  to  Calabozo,  and 
arrived  before  Morillo  was  aware  that  he  had  quitted 
Angostura.  The  Spanish  general  effected  his  retreat 
to  Aragua.  The  supreme  chief  came  up  with  him 
at  La  Usirrael,  but  could  make  but  a  slight  impres- 
sion on  the  enemy,  on  account  of  the  strength  of  his 
position.  Another  rencontre  occurred  at  Sombrero. 
Morillo  retired  to  Valencia ;  and  Bolivar  took  pos- 
session of  the  valleys  of  Aragua.  Thence  he  detached 
a  strong  division  to  take  San  Fernando  de  Apure,  in 
order  to  complete  the  conquest  of  the  Llanos.  Upon 
this  the  Spaniards  advanced.  The  two  armies  met 
at  Semen.  Morillo  was  wounded,  and  the  royalist 
army  put  to  flight.  The  pursuit  being  indiscreetly 
conducted  by  the  patriots,  and  a  fresh  royalist  division 
arriving  to  support  Morillo,  the  fortune  of  the  day 
was  changed.  Each  party  was  alternately  defeated, 
and  both  rallied  their  dispersed  corps  to  re-engage  at 
Ortiz. 

The  division  which  succeeded  in  capturing  San 
Fernando  had  an  indecisive  affair  at  Cojedes.  Others 
of  the  same  character  took  place  at  El  Riricon  del 
Toro,  and  other  places.  At  the  close  of  this  cam- 
paign, the  Spaniards  held  Aragua,  and  the  patriots 
San  Fernando.  Thus  the  former  possessed  the  most 
fertile  provinces  of  Venezuela,  and  all  New  Granada  j 
while  the  latter  were  reduced  to  the  Llanos  and  Gua- 
yana.  Arms  were  sent  to  General  Santander,  who 
was  endeavouring  to  raise  a  division  in  Casanare. 

In  1819,  the  various  corps  united  in  San  Fernando, 
where  the  supreme  chief  devoted  his  labours  to  the 


CHAP.  XXXI.  OF  GENERAL  BOLIVAR. 

regulation  of  civil  affairs.  He  invited  the  provinces 
to  send  deputies  to  Angostura,  to  form  a  general  con- 
gress, and  then  delegated  his  powers  to  a  council  of 
government  to  act  in  his  absence. 

With  four  or  five  thousand  men,  the  supreme  chief 
opened  the  campaign  against  Morillo,  who  had  six 
or  seven  thousand.  Twelve  hundred  British  troops 
arrived  at  Margarita  from  England.  They  had  been 
engaged  in  London  by  Colonel  English,  and  were 
equipped  and  sent  out  by  Messrs.  Herring  and 
Richardson :  besides  these,  eight  hundred  others 
also  arrived  at  Angostura.  The  latter  were  engaged 
by  Captain  Elsom,  and  sent  out  by  Messrs.  Hurry, 
Powles,  and  Hurry  ;  the  greater  part  were  disbanded 
soldiers  from  the  British  army,  reduced  on  the  return 
of  the  troops  from  France*.  These  volunteers  were 
equipped  in  the  most  efficient  manner.  With  these 
expeditions  large  supplies  of  spare  arms  were  sent  to 
assist  the  cause  of  independence.  Bolivar,  in  his  speech 
to  congress,  thus  expresses  himself  on  this  subject: 

"  For  these  important  advantages  we  are  indebted 
to  the  unbounded  liberality  of  some  generous  foreign- 
ers, who,  hearing  the  groans  of  suffering  humanity, 
and  seeing  the  cause  of  freedom,  reason,  and  justice 
ready  to  sink,  would  not  remain  quiet,  but  flew  to 
our  succour  with  their  munificent  aid  and  protection, 
and  furnished  the  republic  with  every  thing  needful 
to  cause  their  philanthropical  principles  to  flourish. 

*  Colonel  Macirone  also  sent  out  above  two  thousand  men,  who  were  employed 
in  the  capture  of  Porto  Bello  and  Rio  de  la  Hacha.  This  caused  a  very  favour- 
able diversion  for  Bolivar  in  Venezuela,  as  it  distracted  the  attention  of  the 
royalists,  and  but  for  the  pusillanimous  conduct  of  Macgregor,  who  commanded 
the  expedition,  might  have  proved  of  lasting  advantage. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH  CHAP.  XXXI. 

Those  friends  of  mankind  are  the  guardian  geniuses 
of  America,  and  to  them  we  owe  a  debt  of  eternal 
gratitude,  as  well  as  a  religious  fulfilment  of  the 
several  obligations  contracted  with  them." 

Bolivar,  leaving  the  army  in  command  of  General 
Paez,  repaired  to  Angostura.  As  Morillo  advanced, 
Paez,  agreeably  to  orders,  retired  towards  the  Ori- 
noco, detaching  a  few  guerrillas  to  harass  the  Spaniards 
in  the  rear. 

General  Urdaneta  was  appointed  to  command  the 
recently  arrived  British  legion  in  Margarita,  which 
was  to  act  on  the  side  of  Caracas,  in  order  to  draw 
off  the  attention  of  Morillo  from  the  Llanos. 

On  the  15th  of  February,  1819,  congress  was  in- 
stalled at  Angostura.  The  supreme  chief  pronounced 
an  eloquent  discourse,  and  resigned  his  authority. 
Congress  immediately,  and  unanimously,  elected  him 
president  of  the  republic. 

Early  in  March,  the  president  rejoined  the  army, 
which  was  very  much  reduced  by  sickness.  On  the 
27th,  he  defeated  the  vanguard  of  the  Spaniards. 
Adopting  a  desultory  system  of  warfare,  he  obliged 
them  to  recross  the  Apure,  having  lost  half  their  ori- 
ginal numbers. 

While  Morillo  remained  in  winter  quarters,  the 
president  traversed  the  vast  plains  of  the  Apure  and 
Casanare,  which  are  rendered  almost  impassable  by 
inundations  from  the  month  of  May  to  the  end  of 
August.  In  Casanare,  the  president  formed  a  junction 
with  the  division  of  Santander,  two  thousand  strong. 
Santander  had,  from  the  commencement  of  the  revo- 


CHAP.  xxxi.  OF  GENERAL  BOLIVAR.  327 

lution,  dedicated  himself  with  enthusiastic  constancy 
to  the  cause  of  his  country.  He  now  expelled  the 
Spaniards  from  their  formidable  position  of  Paya, 
and  opened  the  way  for  the  president  to  cross  the 
terrific  Andes,  in  effecting  which,  nearly  a  fourth 
of  his  army  perished  from  the  effects  of  cold  and  ex- 
cessive fatigue. 

On  the  ilth  of  July,  the  president  attacked  the 
royal  army  at  Gamarra.  After  a  long  engagement, 
the  Spanish  general  Barrero  retired,  and  did  not 
again  offer  battle,  excepting  in  positions  almost  in- 
accessible. Bonza  was  invested  by  the  patriots  for 
some  days  in  sight  of  both  armies.  The  president, 
by  a  flank  movement,  brought  the  Spaniards  to 
action  on  the  2,5th  of  July  at  Bargas.  The  Spa- 
niards, though  superior  in  numbers,  and  advantage- 
ously posted,  gave  way,  and  the  president  obtained 
a  complete  victory.  His  inferior  forces,  however,  and 
the  nature  of  the  country,  did  not  allow  him  to  make 
the  most  of  this  glorious  success ;  but  he  obtained  a 
thousand  recruits,  and  marched  to  interpose  between 
the  defeated  Barrero  and  the  viceroy  Samano,  who, 
with  all  the  disposable  force  south  of  Bogota,  was 
about  to  support  Barrero.  The  result  of  the  pre- 
sident's daring  and  masterly  movement  was  the  battle 
of  Boyaca,  fought  on  the  7th  of  August,  and  which 
has  been  called  the  birth  of  Colombia.  In  this  battle, 
the  English  troops,  under  the  command  of  Major 
Mackintosh,  greatly  distinguished  themselves.  The 
gallant  Major  was  promoted  by  the  Liberator  on  the 
field.  In  three  days  afterwards  the  president  entered 
Bogota  in  triumph,  and,  within  a  short  period,  eleven 


BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCH  CHAP.  XXXI. 

provinces  of  New  Granada  announced  their  adhesion 
to  the  cause  of  independence. 

Bolivar  repaired  to  Angostura,  where  he  once  more 
resigned  his  authority  to  the  representatives  of  the 
people,  and  laid  on  their  floor  the  trophies  of  the  last 
campaign.  On  the  2,5th  December,  1819,  congress, 
at  the  suggestion  of  the  president,  decreed  that  thence- 
forth Venezuela  and  New  Granada  should  form  one 
republic,  under  the  denomination  of  COLOMBIA.  At 
the  same  time  it  conferred  upon  Bolivar  the  title 
of  LIBERATOR  OF  COLOMBIA,  and  re-elected  him 
president  of  the  republic. 

InMarch,  1820,  he  arrived  at  Bogota,  and  occupied 
himself  until  August  in  the  organization  of  the  army 
cantoned  at  various  points  between  Cucuta  and  San 
Fernando  de  Apure. 

The  Spanish  revolution,  which  originated  in  the 
Isla  de  Leon,  inspired  the  South  Americans  with  new 
hopes.  These  were  raised  still  higher  by  the  solici- 
tude of  Morillo  to  negotiate  an  armistice;  but  Bolivar, 
refusing  to  treat  upon  any  other  basis  than  that  of 
independence,  marched  to  the  department  of  the 
Magdalena,  reviewed  the  besieging  force  before  Car- 
thagena,  and  reinforced  the  division  of  the  south, 
destined  to  act  against  Popayan  and  Quito.  The 
president  drove  the  Spaniards  from  the  provinces  of 
Merida  and  Truxillo,  and  established  his  winter 
head-quarters  at  the  latter  town. 

On  the  26th  November,  the  president  concluded 
an  armistice  of  six  months  with  Morillo,  who  engaged 
that,  on  the  renewal  of  hostilities,  the  war  should  be  car- 
ried on,  conformably  to  the  practice  of  civilized  nations. 


CHAP.  xxxi.          OF  GENERAL  BOLIVAR.  329 

In  the  beginning  of  the  year  1821,  the  Liberator 
went  to  Bogota,  to  attend  to  the  affairs  of  the  south; 
when  hearing  of  the  arrival  at  Caracas  of  Spanish  com- 
missioners to  treat  for  peace,  he  returned  to  Truxillo ; 
but  no  terms  were  then  agreed  upon.  In  the  mean- 
while, the  province  of  Maracaybo  shook  off  the  Spa- 
nish yoke.  Morillo  having  departed  for  Europe, 
General  La  Torre,  a  brave  and  very  superior  man, 
succeeded  to  the  command  of  the  royal  army,  and 
made  strong  remonstrances  against  the  movement  in 
the  province  of  Maracaybo,  which  he  deemed  an  in- 
fraction of  the  armistice,  and  hostilities  in  consequence 
recommenced.  The  Liberator  concentrated  his  forces 
in  Varinas  ;  he  detached  a  division  to  the  coast  under 
General  Urdaneta,  and  another  to  the  east,  under 
General  Bermudez,  to  divide  the  attention  of  the 
enemy,  and  marched  himself  against  Caracas.  On 
the  24th  of  June,  the  Liberator  attacked  and  defeated 
the  Spaniards,  who  had  taken  up  a  strong  position  at 
Carabobo.  The  numbers  on  both  sides  were  nearly 
equal.  This  battle  decided  the  fate  of  Colombia. 
The  victorious  Liberator  entered  Caracas  on  the 
29th.  On  the  2d  of  July,  La  Guayra  also  surren- 
dered to  him. 

Leaving  a  besieging  division  before  Puerto  Cabello, 
the  Liberator  went  to  Cucuta,  where  he  resigned  once 
more  the  office  of  president  of  the  republic,  which, 
in  admiration  of  his  disinterestedness,  instantly  re- 
elected  him. 

When  the  province  of  Guayaquil  declared  itself 
independent,  it  solicited  the  assistance  of  Bolivar 


BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCH  CHAP.  XXXI. 

against  the  Spaniards  in  Quito.  A  small  division 
was  accordingly  sent  there. 

The  Liberator,  having  signed  the  constitution  sanc- 
tioned by  congress,  obtained  leave  to  direct  the  war 
in  the  south.  In  January,  1822,  he  put  himself  at 
the  head  of  the  army  in  Popayan,  and  sent  a  rein- 
forcement to  General  Sucre  in  Guayaquil. 

In  the  month  of  March,  the  Liberator  moved 
against  the  province  of  Pasto,  the  inhabitants  of 
which  country  are  surpassed  in  bravery  by  no  people 
in  the  world,  but  who  adhered  with  blind  attachment 
to  the  ancient  regime.  The  Liberator,  having  over- 
come the  obstacles  presented  by  nature  in  the  valleys 
of  Patia,  and  the  formidable  river  Guanabamba,  ar- 
rived in  front  of  Bombona.  The  Pastusos  (inha- 
bitants of  the  province  of  Pasto)  had  here  taken  up 
a  strong  position,  supported  by  the  Spanish  troops. 
They  were  vigorously  attacked ;  but  every  charge 
made  in  front  was  repulsed.  It  was  not  until  the 
rifle  battalion,  commanded  by  the  able  Colonel  Sands, 
outflanked  the  Pastusos,  that  victory  declared  for 
Bolivar ;  but  his  army  had  suffered  so  severely,  that, 
instead  of  immediately  following  up  the  fugitives 
through  a  hostile  country,  it  fell  back  a  short 
distance. 

Whilst  these  operations  were  going  on,  Sucre 
liberated  the  provinces  of  Loja  and  Cuenca,  and,  on 
the  24th  of  May,  gained  the  victory  of  Pinchincha, 
which  gave  independence  to  Quito.  In  the  same 
year  Carthagena  and  Cumana  surrendered  to  the 
liberating  forces  in  Venezuela. 


CHAP.  XXXI.  OF  GENERAL  BOLIVAR.  331 

The  Liberator  entered  Quito  on  the  16th  of  June. 
His  attention  was  soon  attracted  to  the  discontents 
which  had  arisen  at  Guayaquil,  where  the  Colombians 
had  become  unpopular.  His  excellency  proceeded 
to  that  town,  and,  under  his  auspices,  the  provisional 
government  annexed  the  province  to  Colombia. 

One  of  the  results  of  the  interview  which  took 
place  between  the  protector  of  Peru  and  the  liberator 
of  Colombia  was  the  sending  of  an  auxiliary  force  of 
two  thousand  Colombians  to  Lima;  but  the  junta, 
which  succeeded  to  the  protectorate,  ordered  the  Co- 
lombian troops  to  return  to  Guayaquil.  The  pre- 
sident Riva  Aguero,  who  succeeded  to  the  junta, 
applied  for  an  auxiliary  Colombian  division  of  six 
thousand  men,  and  invited  Bolivar  to  take  the  com- 
mand of  all  the  military  forces  in  Peru.  The  Co- 
lombian troops  were  sent  to  Lima.  General  Bolivar 
obtained  leave  from  the  congress  at  Bogota  to  go  to 
Peru.  His  arrival  there  has  been  described  in  the 
proper  place. 

The  person  of  Bolivar  is  thin,  and  somewhat  below 
the  middle  size.  He  dresses  in  good  taste,  and  has 
an  easy  military  walk.  He  is  a  very  bold  rider,  and 
capable  of  undergoing  great  fatigue.  His  manners 
are  good,  and  his  address  unaffected,  but  not  very 
prepossessing.  It  is  said  that,  in  his  youth,  he  was 
rather  handsome.  His  complexion  is  sallow;  his 
hair,  originally  very  black,  is  now  mixed  with  gray. 
His  eyes  are  dark  and  penetrating,  but  generally 
downcast,  or  turned  askance,  when  he  speaks;  his 
nose  is  well  formed,  his  forehead  high  and  broad,  the 
lower  part  of  the  face  is  sharp ;  the  expression  of  the 


332  GENERAL  BOLIVAR.  CHAP.  xxxi. 

countenance  is  careworn,  lowering,  and  sometimes 
rather  fierce.  His  temper,  spoiled  by  adulation,  is 
fiery  and  capricious.  His  opinions  of  men  and  things 
are  variable.  He  is  rather  prone  to  personal  abuse, 
but  makes  ample  amends  to  those  who  will  put  up 
with  it.  Towards  such  his  resentments  are  not  last- 
ing. He  is  a  passionate  admirer  of  the  fair  sex,  but 
jealous  to  excess.  He  is  fond  of  waltzing,  and  is  a 
very  quick,  but  not  a  very  graceful,  dancer.  His 
mind  is  of  the  most  active  description.  When  not 
more  stirringly  employed,  he  is  always  reading,  dic- 
tating letters,  &c.  or  conversing.  His  voice  is  loud 
and  harsh,  but  he  speaks  eloquently  on  most  subjects. 
His  reading  has  been  principally  confined  to  French 
authors;  hence  the  Gallic  idioms  so  common  in  his 
productions.  He  is  an  impressive  writer,  but  his 
style  is  vitiated  by  an  affectation  of  grandeur.  Speak- 
ing so  well  as  he  does,  it  is  not  wonderful  that  he 
should  be  more  fond  of  hearing  himself  talk  than  of 
listening  to  others,  and  apt  to  engross  conversation 
in  the  society  he  receives.  He  entertains  numerously; 
and  no  one  has  more  skilful  cooks,  or  gives  better 
dinners;  but  he  is  himself  so  very  abstemious,  in  both 
eating  and  drinking,  that  he  seldom  takes  his  place 
at  his  own  table  until  the  repast  is  nearly  over,  having 
probably  dined  in  private  upon  a  plain  dish  or  two. 
He  is  fond  of  giving  toasts,  which  he  always  prefaces 
in  the  most  eloquent  and  appropriate  manner;  and 
his  enthusiasm  is  so  great  that  he  frequently  mounts 
his  chair,  or  the  table,  to  propose  them.  Although 
the  cigar  is  almost  universally  used  in  South  Ame- 
rica, Bolivar  never  smokes,  nor  does  he  permit  smoking 


CHAP.  xxxi.      MOORE,  O'LEARY,  AND  FERGUSON.       333 

in  his  presence.  He  is  never  without  proper  officers 
in  waiting,  and  keeps  up  a  considerable  degree  of  eti- 
quette. Disinterested  in  the  extreme  with  regard 
to  pecuniary  affairs,  he  is  insatiably  covetous  of  fame. 
Bolivar  invariably  speaks  of  England,  of  her  institu- 
tions, and  of  her  great  men,  in  terms  of  admiration. 
He  often  dwells  with  great  warmth  upon  the  con- 
stancy, fidelity,  and  sterling  merit  of  the  English 
officers  who  have  served  in  the  cause  of  independence, 
under  every  varying  event  of  the  war.  A  further 
proof  of  his  predilection  towards  England  is  that  he 
has  always  had  upon  his  personal  staff  a  number  of 
British  subjects. 

The  surgeon  who  constantly  attended  him  was 
Dr.  Moore,  an  Irishman,  who  had  followed  the  Li- 
berator from  Venezuela  to  Peru.  He  is  a  man  of 
great  skill  in  his  profession,  and  devotedly  attached 
to  the  person  of  the  Liberator.  Bolivar's  first  aide- 
de-camp,  Colonel  O'Leary,  is  a  nephew  of  the  cele- 
brated Father  O'Leary.  In  1818  he  embarked,  at 
the  age  of  seventeen,  in  the  cause  of  South  American 
independence,  in  which  he  has  served  with  high  di- 
stinction, having  been  present  at  almost  every  general 
action  fought  in  Colombia,  and  has  received  several 
wounds.  He  has  been  often  employed  on  diplomatic 
missions,  and  in  charges  of  great  responsibility,  in  which 
he  has  always  acquitted  himself  with  great  ability. 

Lieutenant- Colonel  Ferguson,  already  mentioned 
as  a  distinguished  officer  of  rifles,  was  also  an  aide- 
de-camp.  He  too  was  an  Irishman  by  birth.  When 
a  mere  youth,  he  quitted  a  counting-house  at  Deme- 
rara,  and  joined  the  patriot  standard.  During  the 


334  COLONEL  WILSOIs'.  CHAP.  xxxi. 

war  of  extermination,  he  was  taken  by  the  Spaniards. 
He  was  led,  with  several  others,  from  a  dungeon  at 
La  Guayra,  for  the  purpose  of  being  shot  on  the  sea 
shore.  Having  only  a  pair  of  trousers  on,  his  fair 
skin  was  conspicuous  amongst  his  unfortunate  swarthy 
companions,  and  attracted  the  attention  of  the  boat's 
crew,  of  an  English  man-of-war,  casually  on  the  strand. 
One  of  the  sailors  ran  up  to  him,  and  asked  if  he  was 
an  Englishman.  Ferguson  was  too  much  absorbed 
by  the  horror  of  his  situation  to  give  an  answer ;  but, 
on  the  question  being  repeated,  he  replied,  "  I  am 
an  Irishman."  "  I  too  am  an  Irishman,"  said  the 
sailor,  "  and,  by  Jesus,  no  Spanish  rascals  shall  mur- 
der a  countryman  of  mine  in  daylight  if  I  can  help 
it !"  Upon  which  he  ran  off  to  his  officer,  who  in- 
terceded with  the  Spanish  governor,  and  the  life  of 
Ferguson  was  saved.  He  related  this  incident  to 
Miller,  who  has  forgotten  the  name  of  the  English 
man-of-war,  and  also  that  of  the  generous  preserver 
of  the  gallant  Ferguson.  This  unfortunate  officer 
fell  a  sacrifice  in  the  defence  of  Bolivar,  on  the  night 
of  the  conspiracy  at  Bogota,  in  September,  1828.  It 
is  a  matter  of  regret  that  we  do  not  possess  sufficient 
data  to  give  that  full  biographical  account  of  the 
above  named  officers  to  which  their  merits  and  ser- 
vices so  fully  entitle  them.  With  regard  to  Colonel 
Wilson,  another  aide-de-camp  to  the  Liberator,  we 
are  more  fortunate. 

Belford  Wilson  was  educated  at  Westminster  and 
Sandhurst.  When  only  nine  years  old,  he  gave  a 
remarkable  proof  of  that  spirit  by  which  he  has  since 
been  constantly  distinguished.  His  father,  Sir  Robert 


CHAP.  xxxr.  COLONEL  WILSON.  335 

Wilson,  being  imprisoned  at  Paris,  on  a  charge  of 
having  assisted  Count  Lavalette  to  escape,  Belford, 
without  consulting  any  one,  left  his  school,  and  pro- 
ceeded there  alone.  A  friend  of  his  father's  met  him 
on  the  road ;  but,  considering  him  fully  equal  to  the 
accomplishment  of  his  undertaking,  suffered  him  to 
proceed,  that  he  might  not  prevent  the  execution  of 
an  act  so  creditable  to  the  boy's  feelings.  General 
Miller  happened  to  be  residing,  at  that  time,  in  Calais, 
and  remembers  having  heard  this  enterprise  spoken 
of  in  terms  of  high  admiration  by  the  French.  On 
the  removal  of  his  father  from  the  army,  young 
Belford  declined  the  acceptance  of  a  promised  com- 
mission in  the  British  service,  and  determined  to  seek 

* 

his  own  independent  fortune  in  South  America. 
Provided  with  a  letter  from  his  father  to  General 
Bolivar,  Wilson  sailed  in  1822  to  La  Guayra,  and 
proceeded  from  thence  to  Santa  Martha,  and  up  the 
river  Magdalena  to  Bogota.  There  the  vice-pre- 
sident, General  Santander,  offered  to  place  him  on 
his  own  staff,  and  proposed  to  give  him  a  lucrative 
appointment;  but  the  attractions  of  ease  and  income 
did  not  induce  him  to  swerve  from  his  original  plan. 
He  left  Bogota  with  an  intention  of  proceeding  to 
Peru,  by  the  way  of  Quito,  to  join  the  Liberator; 
but,  the  Pastusos  having  again  risen  in  rebellion,  he 
was  obliged  to  return,  and  proceed  to  Buenaventura, 
a  port  of  Choco.  This  province  is  astonishingly  fer- 
tile, but  subject  to  continual  rains,  and  so  thickly 
wooded  that  there  are  no  paths  for  horses  or  mules. 
Travellers  are  carried  in  a  kind  of  chair  fastened  to 
the  shoulders  of  an  Indian,  and  they,  as  well  as 


336  COLONEL  WILSON.  CHAP.  XXXI. 

goods,  which  are  conveyed  in  the  same  manner,  are 
weighed  previous  to  starting,  and  both  pay  at  the 
rate  of  so  much  per  pound. 

Young  Wilson  embarked  at  Buenaventura  for  Pa- 
nama, whence  he  sailed  for  Payta;  and,  continuing 
his  route  by  land,  he  passed  through  Piura,  Lamba- 
yeque,  and  arrived  at  Truxillo,  on  the  coast  of  Peru. 
There  he  was  detained  for  some  time  by  Riva  Aguero, 
then  in  open  insurrection  against  the  government  of 
Lima.  On  his  arrival  in  the  capital  of  Peru,  on  the 
19th  of  November,  he  was  presented  with  a  captain's 
commission  by  the  Peruvian  government.  Upon 
joining  the  Liberator's  head-quarters  he  was  made 
aide-de-camp  to  his  excellency,  and  was  present  at 
the  battle  of  Junin. 

In  August,  1824,  he  was  obliged  to  absent  himself 
from  the  army,  on  account  of  ill  health.  At  Huacho 
he  took  passage  in  the  Protector  frigate,  and  was  pre- 
sent at  some  of  the  affairs  with  the  Asia  and  other 
Spanish  shipping  in  the  bay  of  Callao.  The  affec- 
tionate kindness  which  Wilson  experienced  from  Ad- 
miral Guise,  added  to  good  medical  treatment,  and 
quiet  to  which  he  had  so  long  been  a  stranger,  acce- 
lerated his  recovery.  He  also  passed  some  time  on 
board  The  United  States,  an  American  frigate,  and 
received  from  Commodore  Hull  the  politest  atten- 
tion. He  rejoined  the  Liberator  at  Chancay  on  the 
12th  of  November. 

In  1826,  Wilson,  who  had  now  attained  the  rank 
of  lieutenant-colonel,  was  made  the  bearer  of  the  con- 
stitution which  Bolivar  had  drawn  up  for  the  new 
republic  of  Bolivia.  He  performed  the  journey  from 


CHAP.  XXXI.  COLONEL  WILSON.  337 

Lima  to  Chuquisaca,  a  distance  of  eighteen  hundred 
miles,  in  nineteen  days ;  and  a  longer  journey  on  his 
return,  by  a  different  route,  in  the  same  space  of 
time.  General  Sucre,  with  the  sanction  of  the  Bo- 
livian congress,  promoted  Wilson  to  the  rank  of 
colonel.  Conceiving  that  his  brother  officers  might 
consider  his  promotion  as  too  rapid,  he  refused  to 
accept  this  additional  rank  until  he  was  compelled  to 
do  so  by  the  commands  of  the  Liberator. 

Wilson  is  a  very  fine  promising  young  man.  In- 
heriting the  talents  and  spirit  of  his  father,  he  has 
very  popular  manners.  He  has  never  allowed  an  oc- 
casion to  escape  to  be  of  service  to  his  countrymen, 
when,  by  employing  his  influence  with  the  Liberator, 
he  could  in  any  way  assist  them.  One  trait  completes 
his  character.  On  a  payment  being  made  to  the 
army  at  Lima,  Wilson's  share  amounted  to  about  five 
thousand  dollars.  He  immediately  sent  the  order  for 
this  sum  to  his  father,  and  requested  that  the  pro- 
ceeds might  be  applied  to  Sir  Robert's  own  use. 


VOL.   II. 


PERUVIAN  AFFAIRS.  CHAP.  XXXII. 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 

General  Bolivar  in  Lima — Congress  not  permitted  to  be  installed. 
— Code  Boliviano — adopted  in  Upper  Peru. — Conspiracy  in 
Lima. — Discontent. — Punishments. — The  Liberator  prepares 
to  quit  Peru.— Is  prevailed  upon  to  remain. — Code  Boliviano 
approved  of  by  the  electoral  colleges. — Bolivar  named  presi- 
dent for  life. — He  proceeds  to  Colombia. — Grand  federation 
at  Panama. — Revolt  of  the  Colombian  troops  at  Lima — Adop- 
tion of  the  Code  Boliviano  declared  illegal.— Congress  installed. 
— General  La  Mar  elected  president  of  the  republic. — Re- 
trospect of  Chile. — Magnanimity  of  South  Americans  towards 
Spaniards. 

To  bring  the  affairs  of  Peru  to  a  close,  it  is  neces- 
sary to  return  to  General  Bolivar,  who  quitted  Chu- 
quisaca  in  January,  1826,  to  be  present  at  Lima  at 
the  installation  of  the  congress,  which  had  been  or- 
dered to  meet  in  February  of  that  year.  It  was 
understood  to  be  his  intention  to  resign,  to  this  con- 
gress, the  absolute  power  with  which  His  Excellency 
had  been  invested. 

Several  of  the  deputies  arrived  in  the  capital  some 
little  time  before  the  day  fixed  upon  for  the  opening 
of  the  sessions.  Many  of  them  expressed  their  opi- 
nions upon  the  propriety  of  the  Colombian  troops 
withdrawing  from  the  territory  of  Peru,  the  necessity 
for  retaining  them  having  ceased.  Some  dwelt  with 
marked  emphasis  on  the  declaration  of  Bolivar,  upon 
his  arrival  in  Peru,  that,  when  its  freedom  should  be 


CHAP.  XXXII.  BOLIVIAN  AFFAIRS.  339 

achieved,  he  would  return  to  his  own  country  with 
the  Colombian  troops,  without  carrying  away  even  a 
grain  of  sand.  The  deputies  held  their  preparatory 
meeting,  when  they  received  orders  from  Bolivar  to 
submit  their  qualifications  (poderes)  to  examination 
by  the  supreme  court  of  justice;  but  the  deputies 
contended  that  they  themselves  formed  the  proper 
tribunal  for  such  scrutiny.  An  altercation  ensued 
between  Dr.  Unanue  *,  president  of  the  council  of 
government,  and  the  deputies.  Bolivar,  upon  hear- 
ing of  this  refractory  disposition,  threatened  to  quit 
Peru.  Petitions  that  congress  might  not  be  installed 
were  got  up.  Their  prayer  was  acceded  to.  The 
deputies  returned  to  their  homes,  and  the  Liberator 
consented  to  remain. 

It  was  about  this  period  that  Bolivar  framed  a 

constitution  for  the  new  republic  of  Bolivia.     The 

general  assembly  of  that  state  had  dissolved  itself  on 

the  6th  of  October,  1825.     A  congress  was  installed 

at  Chuquisaca  on  the  25th  of  May,  1826:  Sucre  was 

appointed  to  continue  to  exercise  the  executive  power ; 

and  a  committee  of  deputies  was  named  to  examine 

j  the  Bolivian  constitution.     Upon  the  report  of  the 

(committee,  congress  resolved  to  adopt  the  proposed 

onstitution ;  which  was  done,  and  it  was  sworn  to  by 
the  people.  In  conformity  to  the  principles  of  the 
new  constitution,  a  Presidente  Vitalicio,  or  president 

for  life,  was  elected.  The  choice  fell  upon  Sucre, 
who  consented  to  accept  the  office  for  the  period  of 
only  two  years,  and  that  upon  condition  that  two 

*  Unanue  is  a  finished  scholar,  but  did  not  shine  as  a  statesman,  politician, 
or  man  of  business,  excepting  that  his  flexibility  always  kept  him  amongst  the 
tulers  of  the  day. 


340  BOLIVIAN  CONSTITUTION      OMAP.  XXXII. 

thousand  Colombian  troops  should  be  permitted  to 
remain  with  him.  To  these  conditions  congress 
acceded. 

With  reference  to  Peru,  General  La  Mar  had  re- 
turned from  Guayaquil  to  Lima,  and  he  was  solicited 
by  Bolivar  to  assume  the  presidency  of  the  council  of 
government ;  but  La  Mar  was  disabled  by  indisposition 
from  undertaking  the  duties  of  that  office.  He  went 
back  to  Guayaquil;  and  General  Santa  Cruz,  who 
was  named  in  his  stead,  arrived  at  Lima,  from  Bo- 
livia, in  June,  1826,  and  immediately  entered  upon 
the  office  to  which  he  had  been  appointed. 

The  Liberator  was  no  doubt  exceedingly  desirous 
that  the  Code  Boliviano  should  be  also  adopted  in 
Peru.  From  the  highly  flattering  manner  in  which 
he  had  been  received  in  his  tour  through  the  pro- 
vinces, he  had  perhaps  been  induced  to  imagine,  and 
certainly  with  some  appearance  of  probability,  that 
whatever  he  recommended  would  be  implicitly  ac- 
ceded to.  He  was  confirmed  in  this  erroneous  way 
of  thinking  by  those  around  him,  and  by  others  who 
constantly  advocated  the  necessity  of  what  they  called 
a  "  strong  government."  This  opinion  was  sustained 
by  some  of  the  ablest  and  best  informed  men  in  office, 
whose  personal  interest  induced  them  to  mislead 
Bolivar  on  this  point,  in  which  they  were  seconded 
by  others  anxious  for  place  and  emolument.  These 
gentlemen  reasoned  as  if  every  cause  of  complaint  was 
to  be  traced  to  demagogues  and  party  spirit,  which 
a  strong  government  would,  as  they  persisted  in  de- 
claring, have  been  able  to  keep  down  ;  but  they  for- 
got that  no  government  in  Peru  could  be  really 


CHAP,  xxxil.          RECOMMENDED  FOR  tERU.  34-1 

strong  and  durable,  unless  supported  by  public 
opinion ;  and  they  overlooked  the  inapplicability 
of  remedies  which  might  perhaps  better  suit  the 
meridian  of  Europe.  The  Peruvians,  freed  from 
the  apprehension  of  danger  from  Spain,  began  to 
feel  with  impatience  the  burden  of  supporting  ex- 
pensive allies;  and,  although  the  Colombian  troops 
observed  the  strictest  discipline,  their  national  man- 
ners and  habits  were  widely  different  and  uncongenial 
to  those  of  the  Peruvians.  The  Code  Boliviano  was 
therefore  unpopular  with  the  majority;  and  the  very 
efforts  made  to  prepare  the  minds  of  the  Peruvians  to 
accept  the  constitution  increased  their  aversion  to  it. 
For  a  long  time  before  this,  an  anti-Colombian  spirit 
had  existed :  this  spirit  now  led  to  the  formation  of 
a  strong  party.  To  distaste  succeeded  avowed  dis- 
gust, and  open  discontent.  A  conspiracy  was  dis- 
covered, having,  it  was  said,  for  its  object  the  assas- 
sination of  General  Bolivar,  and  the  expulsion  of  the 
Colombians.  Although  many  affirmed  that  it  was 
limited  to  a  few  subalterns,  and  others  that  it  was 
altogether  imaginary,  strong  measures  were  taken.  A 
supreme  tribunal  was  formed  to  meet  the  exigency,  and 
its  members,  the  learned  Doctores  Estenos,  Pancorvo, 
andFreyre,  rivalled  the  zeal  displayed  by  Rivadeneyra, 
who  had  been  president  of  a  permanent  court  martial. 
Lieutenant  Aristizabal,  a  Peruvian,  was  condemned 
to  be  shot.  His  last  exclamations  were,  that  he  died 
to  serve  his  country.  A  guerrilla  chief,  named  Ni- 
navilca,  and  several  others,  who  had  all  fled,  were 
condemned  par  contumace  to  be  strangled,  in  con- 
travention of  the  decree,  passed  on  the  3rd  of 


342  A   CURIOUS  SENTENCE.  CHAP.  XXXII. 

January,  1822,  by  which  that  mode  of  punishment 
was  abolished.  Colonel  Vidal,  whose  courage,  activity, 
and  military  talents  have  been  often  and  honourably 
mentioned,  and  whose  excellent  private  character, 
for  probity  and  the  purest  patriotism,  have  always 
been  thrown  too  much  into  the  shade  by  his  natural 
diffidence,  escaped  to  the  interior ;  but  he  was  sen- 
tenced to  be  cashiered,  and  to  ten  years'  exile. 
Others  were  condemned,  in  like  manner,  to  similar 
punishments*.  Admiral  Guise  was  tried,  but  ac- 
quitted. The  following  is  given  as  a  specimen  of 
the  curious  decisions  of  this  curious  tribunal : 

"  Nothing  having  appeared  upon  this  trial  against 
Colonels  Tur  and  Saroa,  they  are  to  be  set  at  liberty; 
but  let  it  be  notified  to  them,  that  they  must  quit  the 
country  within  fifteen  days." 

Every  Buenos  Ayrean,  and  every  Chileno  resident 
in  Peru,  was  ordered  by  the  council  of  government 
to  present  himself  in  the  capital.  Generals  Ne- 
cochea  and  Correa,  Colonels  Estomba  and  Raulet, 
and  many  highly  respectable  merchants,  amongst 
whom  was  Don  Juan  Jose*  Sarratea,  known  for  his 
patriotism  from  the  very  commencement  of  the  Bue- 
nos Ayrean  revolution,  were  ordered  to  quit  the 
country.  Necochea  indignantly  sent  in  his  commis- 
sion, as  a  general  of  Peru,  and  some  bills  which  had 
been  given  to  him  in  payment  of  a  grant,  in  reward 
for  past  services,  declaring  that  he  would  carry 
nothing  from  Peru  but  his  wounds.  The  council 
of  government  coolly  received  the  resignation  and 

*  Most  of  these  sentences  were  afterwards  revised,  or  mitigated. 


CHAP,  xxxii.  COLONEL  RAULET.  343 

the  bills,  but  had  not  the  courtesy  to  acknowledge 
the  receipt  of  General  Necochea's  letter  enclosing 
them. 

The  desultory  nature  of  this  work  will  admit,  in 
this  place,  of  some  further  particulars  of  Colonel 
Raulet,   who  is  a  lively  gallant  Frenchman,   about 
thirty-six  years  of  age.    He  had  served  in  the  Penin- 
sula, where  his  adventures  rendered  him  as  familiar 
with  Spanish  prisons  as  even  Gil  Bias  had  been.    He 
belonged  to  the  garrison  of  Badajoz,  when  that  fortress 
was  besieged  by  Lord  Wellington  ;  and  it  is  a  sin- 
gular coincidence,  that  he  was  one  of  a  party  that 
made  a  sortie,  which,  galloping  near  the  engineer 
depdt,  fired  a  pistol-ball  through  a  tent  that  Miller 
then  occupied.     Raulet  was  taken  at  the  storming  of 
the  place,  and  sent  first  on  board  a  prison-ship  at 
Chatham,  and  then  to  a  depot  in   Scotland.     He 
fought  under  Marshal  Ney,  at  the  battle  of  Waterloo, 
and  was  severely  wounded.     Being  a  flaming  Bona- 
partist,  he  found  it  advisable  to  quit  France,  and  he 
embarked  for  Pernambuco,  where  he  arrived  at  the 
breaking  out  of  a  revolution.     He  joined  the  demo- 
cratic party ;  and,  being  again  made  prisoner,  was 
conveyed  from  jail  to  jail,  along  the  Brazilian  coast, 
for  six  months,    until  he   arrived  at  Rio  Janeiro, 
where  he  was  set  at  liberty.     He  then  embarked  for 
Buenos  Ayres,  and  joined  a  division  of  the  army  of 
the  Andes,  with  which  he  marched  to  Chile,  and 
accompanied  the  liberating  expedition  from  Valpa- 
raiso.   During  the  campaigns  in  Peru,  he  was  mostly 
employed  at  the  advance  posts,  and  was  always  fore- 
most in  daring  enterprise.     On  one  occasion  he  was 
sent  from  Lima  to  Xauxa  with  a  flag  of  truce ;   but 


COLONEL  11AULET.  CHAP.  XXXII. 

even  here  his  unlucky  stars  prevailed;  for  on  his 
return,  having  outrode  his  trumpeter  and  escort,  he 
met  some  montoneros  of  Reyes,  who,  conceiving 
that  he  was  a  royalist  officer,  in  spite  of  his  pro- 
testations to  the  contrary,  made  him  prisoner.  They 
tied  his  hands,  and  compelled  him  to  proceed  on  foot 
to  Carhuamayo,  where  he  was  lodged  in  a  damp  and 
miserable  hovel.  Disliking  the  atmosphere  of  his 
new  prison,  Raulet  lost  his  temper,  and  abused  his 
gaolers  in  language  which  excited  their  ire.  By  way 
of  pacifying  him,  they  took  him  out  of  the  hut,  and 
flogged  him  unmercifully.  On  the  following  day 
he  was  conducted  to  Pasco,  where  he  was  immediately 
recognised  by  the  governor ;  and  it  was  only  upon 
the  intercession  of  Raulet,  that  he  abstained  from 
severely  punishing  the  montoneros. 

In  the  course  of  the  war,  the  susceptible  heart  of 
Raulet  was  bestowed  on  a  fair  Peruvian,  to  whom  he 
long  knelt  in  vain.  His  courtship  furnishes  ample 
materials  for  a  romance, — the  idol  of  his  affec- 
tions being  a  royalist,  arid  previously  engaged  to  a 
highly  respectable  and  wealthy  Spanish  gentleman, 
who  had  been  obliged  to  leave  Lima,  and  who  is  now 
residing  in  London.  But  as  the  war  prevented  the 
first  and  more  favoured  lover's  return,  the  ardour  of 
Raulet  was  at  length  crowned  with  success  ;  and  he 
is  now  a  rich  hacendado,  living  on  his  wife's  estate 
near  lea,  the  doting  husband  of  his  lovely  Dona 
Nicolasita,  and  the  happy  father  of  Napoleon  Raulet, 
and  five  or  six  other  smiling  cherubs  *. 

•  The  disposition  of  Raulet  constantly  impelled  him  to  mingle  in  politieal 
squabbles.  Falling  under  the  displeasure  of  Bolivar,  he  was  banished  from 
Peru  in  the  beginning  of  the  year  1024.  Returning  without  permission 
from  Chile  to  lea,  the  governor  of  that  place,  Colonel  Estomba,  was  ordered 
to  have  him  shot.  But  Estomba  declined  to  be  the  executioner  of  his 


CHAP,  xxxil.  STATE   OF   LIMA.  345 

The  affairs  of  Peru  were  again  enveloped  in 
gloom ;  and  persons  of  property,  and  friends  to 
tranquillity,  became  exceedingly  apprehensive  of  the 
return  of  anarchy.  These  alarms  were  considerably 
augmented,  amongst  a  numerous  class,  by  the  an- 
nouncement of  Bolivar's  second  determination  to 
quit  the  country.  He  had  fixed  upon  the  13th  of 
August  for  the  day  of  his  departure.  The  most 
frightful  tumults  were  foreboded,  and  it  was  said  that 
government  would  be  reduced  to  a  chaos.  The 
public  mind  continued  in  a  state  of  fearful  excite- 
ment from  the  morning  of  the  13th  until  the 
evening  of  the  16th.  The  advocates  for  the  forma- 
tion of  a  strong  government  used  every  argument  in 
their  power  to  induce  His  Excellency  to  alter  his  pro- 
fessed determination,  and  employed  all  their  in- 
fluence to  prevail  upon  the  people  to  second  their 
wishes. 

The  following  account,  divested  of  the  greater 
part  of  its  original,  and  almost  ludicrous,  orientalism, 
is  taken  from  a  Lima  ministerial  newspaper  of  the 
day. 

On  the  morning  of  the  13th,  the  inhabitants  of 
the  ^suburb  of  San  Lazaro,  on  the  right  bank  of  the 

friend  ;  and,  in  consequence,  both  were  summoned  to  head-quarters  at  Chan- 
cay,  whure,  upon  their  arrival,  they  were  thrown  into  prison.  The  news  of 
the  victory  of  Ayacucho  arriving  soon  after,  the  Dictator  relented,  and  the 
delinquents  were  set  at  liberty.  Raulet  was  a  second  time  banished  to  Chile, 
where  he  took  an  active  part  in  suppressing  a  revolt  against  the  Supreme 
Director,  Freyre,  and  was  wounded.  In  this  affair  he  was  opposed  to  that 
equally  unquiet  spirit,  our  old  friend,  La  Tapia.  Raulet  is  now  the  gayest  of 
the  gay,  and  has,  we  believe,  risen  to  the  municipal  dignity  of  alcalde.  He 
walks  in  processions,  with  his  tasselled  and  gold-headed  cane  of  office,  with 
as  much  magisterial  grace  as  any  of  his  brother  aldermen.  It  is  remarked,  that 
he  is  particularly  kind  towards  (ill  prisoners  and  captives  within  his  jurisdiction. 
Raulet  is  a  most  cheerful  and  delightful  companion,  and  is  much  beloved  and 
esteemed.  Miller  has  lately  had  the  satisfaction  of  visiting  a  part  of  his  family, 
a«  he  passed  through  Namur. 


346  STATE  OF  LIMA.  CHAP.  XXXII. 

Rimac,  went  in  procession,  attended  by  bands  of 
music,  and  colours  flying,  to  the  great  square  in  front 
of  the  palace.  On  Bolivar's  appearing  at  one  of 
the  balconies,  the  air  resounded  with  acclamations. 
When  silence  was  obtained,  the  venerable  cura  of 
San  Lazaro  addressed  the  Liberator,  who,  on  signi- 
fying that  he  persisted  in  his  determination  to  leave 
the  country,  was  told  that,  in  quitting  it,  he  must 
trample  on  the  breasts  of  the  very  people  of  whose 
lives  he  had  been  the  preserver. 

The  members  of  the  municipality  next  presented 
themselves  at  the  palace,  and  implored  the  Liberator 
to  desist  from  his  design  of  absenting  himself  from 
the  land  of  the  Incas.  Bolivar  answered,  that  his 
remaining  there  was  impossible,  upon  which  the  mu- 
nicipality laid  the  insignia  of  their  office  at  his  feet, 
saying  they  could  not,  under  these  circumstances,  re- 
concile it  to  their  consciences  to  continue  the  exercise 
of  their  authority. 

Deputations  from  every  section  of  Lima  suc- 
cessively presented  themselves,  and  protested  that 
they  would  form  an  impenetrable  wall  against  the 
execution  of  his  designs  to  leave  Peru.  But  Bolivar, 
immovable  as  the  rock,  refused  to  give  even  hope,  until, 
oppressed  by  the  repeated  solicitations  of  a  people  an- 
ticipating the  heaviest  misfortunes  from  his  de- 
parture, he  promised  to  give  an  irrevocable  answer 
within  eight  days. 

Petitions  to  the  same  effect,  from  all  classes  of 
society  and  bodies  corporate,  continued  to  pour  in. 
Repeated  interviews  were  obtained,  and  representa- 
tions from  the  provinces  were  received.  On  the  15th, 


CHAP.  XXXII.  LIMA.  347 

the  tribunals  and  corporations  repaired  in  form  to 
the  cathedral,  and  this  gave  another  opportunity  to 
reiterate  their  prayers  to  the  Liberator,  who  replied, 
"  If  I  hearkened  only  to  the  wishes  of  my  heart,  I 
should  remain  with  the  Peruvians,  who  have  won  my 
affection  by  their  pure  demonstrations  of  gratitude. 
But  my  country  calls  me;  and,  when  duty  speaks,  it 
behoves  me  to  obey  in  silence,  without  listening  to  the 
seducing  appeal  of  the  affections.  While  I  have  been 
absent  from  Colombia,  dissensions  have  arisen  which 
I  alone  can  calm.  If  Colombia  remain  divided,  the 
army,  which  is  the  guarantee  of  union,  the  shield  of 
liberty,  and  the  model  of  military  discipline,  will 
become  as  prejudicial  to  its  country  as  heretofore  it 
has  been  great  and  terrible  to  the  enemies  of  America. 
Peru  abounds  in  eminent  men,  who  are  able  to  con- 
duct the  vessel  of  the  state  with  skill  and  wisdom. 
If  at  any  time  danger  should  arise,  I  will  fly  to 
succour  this  great  people,  whom  I  love  for  the  mag- 
nanimity they  have  displayed  towards  me,  and  for 
their  effusions  of  gratitude.*' 

The  army  also  signified  its  wishes  for  the  Libe- 
rator to  remain,  in  a  grandiloquent  address,  signed  by 
Juan  Salazar,  Domingo  Tristan,  Rafael,  Jimena,  Jos£ 
Rivadeneyra,  Ignacio  del  Alcazar,  Luis  Morales,  M. 
Negreiros,  Martin  Herrero,  Jose  Mercedes  Casta- 
neda,  Andres  Negron,  Joaquin  Barela,  Jose  Gregorio, 
Escobedo,  and  a  few  others. 

On  the  part  of  the  church,  Dr.  Don  Carlos  Pede- 
monte  asserted,  in  a  florid  oration,  that  Peru  would 
cease  to  exist  if  he,  who  was  the  dominator  of  Fortune 
herself,  should  withdraw  from  her  territory. 

The  peasantry  from  the  adjacent  villages  trod  the 


348  THE   LIBERATOR   DECLARED       CHAP.  XXXII. 

floors  of  the  palace  for  the  first  time,  to  add  their 
prayers  to  those  of  other  classes. 

The  matrons  of  the  capital  assembled  in  the  consis- 
torial  saloons,  and  passed  on  to  the  palace  to  join  their 
supplications  to  those  of  the  stronger  sex,  hoping  that, 
with  the  assistance  of  the  Graces,  they  would  be  en- 
abled to  soften  the  hitherto  inflexible  determination 
of  the  Liberator.  To  these  fair  petitioners  the  Liber- 
ator gave  the  following  rely :  "  Ladies !  silence  is  the 
only  answer  I  ought  to  give  to  those  enchanting  ex- 
pressions, which  bind  not  only  the  heart  but  duty. 
When  beauty  speaks,  what  breast  can  resist  it?  I  have 
been  the  soldier  of  beauty,  because  Liberty  is  bewitch- 
ingly  beautiful ;  she  diffuses  happiness,  and  decorates 
the  path  of  life  with  flowers."  At  the  conclusion 
of  this  speech,  of  which  the  above  is  only  an  ex- 
tract, the  ladies  crowded  round  Bolivar,  and,  after  a 
long  and  animated  discussion,  "  an  angel  voice"  was 
heard  to  pronounce  these  words,  "  The  Liberator 
remains !" 

Loud  vivas  and  acclamations  were  the  answer. 
The  church  bells  were  kept  ringing  all  night.  Joy 
took  possession  of  every  heart,  and  a  grand  ball  con- 
cluded the  scene,  in  which  the  matrons  performed  so 
conspicuous  a  part. 

On  the  following  morning,  the  electoral  college  of 
the  province  and  that  of  the  city  of  Lima  resolved  that 
the  Bolivian  constitution  should  be  adopted  in  Peru, 
and  that  Bolivar  should  be  named presidente  vitalicio. 
To  an  address  of  the  electoral  colleges,  Bolivar  replied: 
"  It  is  with  the  highest  satisfaction  I  learn  that  the 
electoral  colleges  have  adopted  the  constitution  which 
I  gave  to  the  republic  that  bears  my  name.  The 


CHAP.  XXXII.          PRESIDENT   FOR  LIFE.  349 

council  of  government,  anxious  to  assure  the  happi- 
ness of  the  country,  consulted  me ;  and  I  agreed  to 
offer  it  to  the  Peruvian  people.  This  constitution  is 
the  work  of  ages.  To  form  it  I  have  consulted  every 
ancient  and  modern  authority.  It  combines  the  les- 
sons of  experience  with  the  counsels  and  opinions  of 
the  wise.  I  congratulate  the  representatives  of  this 
province  upon  its  adoption."  The  other  provincial 
electoral  colleges,  with  the  exception  of  that  of  Tara- 
paca,  declared  also  for  the  adoption  of  the  Code 
Boliviano. 

Bolivar  (now  presidents  mtalicio  elect  of  Peru), 
having  received  despatches  from  Bogota,  informing 
him  that  General  Paez  had  refused  to  obey  the  orders 
of  the  executive  government,  of  which  General  Sant- 
ander  was  president  during  the  Liberator's  absence, 
determined  to  return  immediately  to  Colombia,  in 
order  to  arrange  those  unhappy  differences.  A  fare- 
well entertainment  was  given  on  the  2d  of  September. 
Early  on  the  morning  of  the  3d,  Bolivar  left  Lima, 
not  very  numerously  attended,  for  Callao,  where  he 
embarked,  and  sailed  for  Guayaquil.  In  a  proclama- 
tion issued  on  his  departure,  Bolivar  says,  "  Peru- 
vians, your  prosperous  or  evil  fortunes  shall  be  mine. 
Our  fate  shall  be  one  and  the  same."  Vuestros  bienes, 
y  vuestros  males  seran  los  mios.  Una  nuestra  suerte. 

His  excellency  left  General  Santa  Cruz  president 
of  the  council  of  government,  Don  Jos£  Maria  Pando 
minister  of  state  for  the  interior,  Don  Jose  Larrea  y 
Loredo  for  finance,  and  Don  Tomas  Heres  minister 
of  war.  General  Lara  remained  in  command  of  the 


350  BOLIVAR  QUITS  PERU.        CHAP,  xxxir. 

Colombian  troops  in  Peru,  amounting  to  about  four 
thousand  men. 

Bolivar  arrived  at  Guayaquil  on  the  13th  of  Sep- 
tember. A  fortnight  previous  to  this,  that  depart- 
ment, headed  by  the  prefect  Mosquera,  had  declared 
for  the  Bolivian  constitution,  and  for  Bolivar  as  pre- 
sidente  vitalicio.  The  department  of  Quito  followed 
the  example  nine  days  afterwards.  These  measures 
received  no  public  mark  of  disapprobation  from  Bo- 
livar j  but  they  were  declared  by  General  Santander 
to  be  rebellious  and  contrary  to  the  Colombian  con- 
stitution, which  all  had  sworn  to  preserve  inviolate 
until  the  year  1834. 

Bolivar  entered  Bogota  on  the  14th  of  November, 
1826.  From  thence  he  set  out  for  Caracas,  and  having 
adjusted  the  differences  between  General  Paez  and 
the  executive  government,  his  excellency  endeavoured 
to  introduce  the  Bolivian  code  into  Colombia,  "  that 
it  might,"  to  use  the  words  of  its  advocates,  "  extend 
from  Potosi  to  the  Orinoco."  The  grand  confede- 
ration of  Bolivia,  Peru,  and  Colombia,  under  one 
supreme  president,  was  spoken  of  as  an  event  close 
at  hand :  but  the  Code  Boliviano  was  as  unpopular 
in  Colombia  as  in  Peru,  and  the  attempt  to  intro- 
duce it  has  been  unsuccessful.  The  democratic  party 
considered  that  the  Presidente  Vitalicio  was  in  effect 
an  elective  monarch,  with  the  additional  power  of 
nominating  his  successor;  a  principle  diametrically 
opposite  to  that,  which  Bolivar  professed  to  act  upon 
throughout  the  struggle  for  independence. 

The  idea  of  a  grand  American  congress  was  this 


CHAP.  XXXH.      THE  ABORTIVE  CONGRESS.  35) 

year  carried  into  effect  at  Panama.  The  plan  of  it 
was  to  strengthen  the  union  between  the  recently 
formed  states;  to  combine  their  forces  against  any 
attack ;  to  prevent  or  decide  upon  any  political  dif- 
ferences which  might  arise  amongst  themselves;  and 
to  keep  a  watchful  eye  upon  the  policy  of  Europe. 
This  magnificent  plan,  as  it  was  called,  was  advocated 
by  Monteagudo ;  and  Bolivar  was  to  have  been  the 
protector  of  the  confederation.  He  invited  the  dif- 
ferent governments  to  send  representatives  to  Panama. 
Peru,  Colombia, Bolivia,  Mexico,  and  Guatemala,  each 
sent  two.  Buenos  Ayres  and  Chile  did  not  send 
any. 

Results  of  no  common  magnitude  and  influence 
were  expected  from  this  august  assembly.  The  de- 
puties appeared  to  consider  that  they  held  in  their 
hands  the  destinies  of  America;  but  their  labours 
ended  in  a  few  preparatory  proclamations  of  "learned 
length."  They  seem  to  have  entirely  overlooked  the 
obvious  fact,  that  the  interests,  habits,  and  genius  of 
the  new  states  are  as  various,  and  sometimes  as  di- 
rectly opposed,  as  those  of  rival  nations  in  Europe. 
If  one  or  more  of  the  new  states  coalesced  against 
threatened  danger,  it  would  be  in  consequence  of 
identity  of  interests.  No  treaty  of  general  alliance 
that  this  abortive  congress  could  have  drawn  up  would 
have  produced  any  other  effect  than,  perhaps,  an  un- 
bounded admiration  of  a  wondrously  beautiful  piece 
of  writing. 

The  council  of  government  at  Lima  decreed,  on 
the  30th  of  November,  that  the  oath  of  fidelity  to  the 
Bolivian  constitution  should  be  solemnly  taken  on 


352  SUBSERVIENCY  REWARDED.      CHAP.  XXXII. 

the  9th  of  December  following  ;  the  anniversary  of 
the  battle  of  Ayacucho.  This  decree,  though  received 
with  expressions  of  applause  and  satisfaction  by  the 
authorities,  produced  evident  symptoms  of  disgust 
in  the  majority  of  the  inhabitants.  The  decree  was 
nevertheless  enforced  by  the  influence  of  those  in 
office,  and  the  oath  was  taken  with  the  usual  formali- 
ties, by  the  council  of  government,  and  throughout 
the  provinces. 

But  the  genuine  expression  of  popular  feeling  could 
not  long  be  smothered  by  the  efforts  of  governors 
who  sunk  in  public  opinion  in  proportion  to  their 
zeal  in  advocating  the  new-fangled  vitalicio  system. 
Swearing  to  the  constitution  in  the  province,  was  a 
counterpart,  and  a  continuation  of  the  farce  got  up 
in  Lima,  a  little  previous  to  the  departure  of  Bolivar, 
upon  which  occasion  the  performers  were  rewarded 
in  proportion  to  their  importance  and  utility.  For 
instance,  the  active  cura  of  San  Lazaro  was  promoted 
to  the  rank  and  revenue  of  a  canon  in  the  cathedral 
church.  Dr.  Don  Carlos  Pedemonte  was  elevated  to 
the  archiepiscopal  chair,  by  the  council  of  government, 
which,  upon  this  occasion,  assumed  the  power  of  the 
holy  see.  How  the  matrons  were  rewarded  does  not 
appear  upon  record.  With  the  exception  of  the  praise 
uttered  by  those  immediately  dependent  upon  the 
smiles  of  the  Liberator,  it  maybe  confidently  asserted 
that  not  one  grain  of  sincerity  was  mingled  with  the 
flatteries  which  saluted  the  ear  of  his  excellency 
at  that  truly  histrionic  exhibition.  Amongst  other 
servilities,  a  person  high  in  office  knelt  down  and 
requested  Bolivar  to  place  his  foot  upon  his  neck, 


CHAP.  XXXII.  BOLIVIAN   CODE.  353 

that  he  might  be  enabled  to  boast  that  he  had  sup* 
ported  the  greatest  man  of  the  age.  That  a  slavish 
mind  could  have  chosen  this  mode  of  fawning  is  not 
surprising,  but  that  Bolivar  should  have  heard  the 
proposal  with  complacency  is  incredible.  Not  so 
astonishing  is  the  present  conduct  of  the  syphocant, 
for  he  is  now  a  bitter  enemy  to  the  Liberator.  This 
is  the  natural  reaction  of  base  and  abject  flattery. 

The  Bolivian  code  was  scarcely  less  disliked  by  the 
Colombian  troops  in  Peru  than  by  the  Peruvians. 
No  sooner  was  Bolivar  gone  than  the  latter  began  to 
work  upon  this  feeling,  in  order  to  get  rid  of  the 
system  and  the  Colombians  altogether.  A  young 
Colombian,  Colonel  Bustamante,  having  brought  over 
some  subaltern  officers,  they  assembled  their  Serjeants, 
and  represented  to  them  that  the  constitution  of 
Colombia  was  in  part  subverted  by  the  precipitate 
acts  of  Quito  and  Guayaquil,  and  further  endan- 
gered by  those  acts  having  passed  not  only  unpu- 
nished, but  uncensured,  excepting  by  the  Vice- Presi- 
dent Santander,  whom  they  said  it  was  necessary  to 
support.  The  Serjeants  were  further  informed  that  it 
was  designed  by  Lara  to  employ  the  troops  to  destroy 
constitutional  liberty.  This  mode  of  reasoning  was 
strengthened  by  the  hope  held  out  that,  in  case  they 
would  assist  in  removing  the  enemies  to  freedom, 
their  arrears  of  pay  would  be  immediately  forth- 
coming. A  sufficient  number  having  been  gained 
over,  Bustamante,  on  the  night  of  the  26th  January, 
1827,  repaired  to  the  quarters  of  Generals  Lara  and 
Sands,  whom  he  arrested  in  their  beds,  together  with 
such  other  Colombian  chiefs  as  they  considered  ini- 

VOL.  II.  A  A 


COLOMBIANS  LEAVE   PERU.       CHAP.  XXXII. 

mical  to  their  plans.  The  Peruvian  government  had 
received  information  of  what  was  going  on,  and  had 
apprized  Lara  of  the  circumstances  nine  days  before 
the  conspiracy  was  carried  into  execution.  The  ge- 
neral not  only  discredited  the  report,  but  was 
offended  at  the  bare  suspicion.  Santa  Cruz,  the 
president,  happened  to  be  out  of  Lima.  The  other 
members  of  the  council  told  Bustamante  that  upon 
him  alone  rested  all  responsibility.  He  took  this 
upon  himself  very  willingly;  chartered  a  vessel  (the 
Blucher) ;  and  immediately  shipped  off  the  arrested 
officers  for  Guayaquil. 

The  ministers  Don  Jose  Maria  Pando,  Don  Jose* 
Larrea  y  Loredo,  and  Don  Tomas  Heres,  resigned. 
The  last,  being  exceedingly,  unpopular,  escaped  on 
board  a  French  vessel,  and  sailed  for  the  same  port. 
A  new  ministry  was  formed.  Dr.  Vidaurre,  Don 
Jose  Morales,  and  Don  Juan  Salazar,  succeeded  the  \ 
three  gentlemen  who  had  retired,  and  Santa  Cruz 
continued  at  the  head  of  affairs.  The  ministerial 
newspaper  spoke  of  Bolivar  with  respect,  but  ap- 
plauded the  resolution  of  the  new  administration  to 
-prevent  foreign  interference  in  Peruvian  affairs. 

The  government  now  felt  desirous  that  the  Co- 
lombian troops  should  quit  Peru  altogether.  The 
principal  difficulty  in  effecting  this  arose  from  want 
of  money,  as  it  was  necessary  to  pay  them  all  ar- 
rears before  they  could  be  embarked.  After  in- 
finite exertions,  two  hundred  thousand  dollars  were 
scraped  together.  Three-fourths  were  distributed 
amongst  the  troops,  and  the  remainder  employed  to 
defray  the  expenses  of  conveying  them  by  sea  to 


CHAP.  XXXII.      COLOMBIANS    LEAVE  PERU.  355 

Guayaquil,  to  which  place  they  all  sailed  with  Colonel 
Bustamarite,  in  March,  1827.  It  was  supposed  that 
Bustamante's  intention  was  to  annex  Guayaquil  to 
Peru.  The  Colombians  were  unpopular  there,  and, 
as  far  as  the  inclinations  of  the  people  were  concerned, 
they  were  decidedly  in  favour  of  this  measure.  But 
the  real  interests  of  Guayaquil  are  indicated  by  its 
geographical  position.  So  long  as  Quito,  and  the  ad- 
jacent provinces,  containing  altogether  a  population 
of  eight  hundred  thousand  souls,  shall  form  part  of 
the  Colombian  territory,  Guayaquil  would  be  their 
general  entrepot.  Belonging  to  Peru,  it  would  dwindle 
down  into  the  naval  station  of  a  country  possessing 
only  a  few  ships ;  and  in  this  case  rival  ports  would 
be  established  on  the  coast  of  Quito,  or  Choco :  and 
therefore  so  long  as  Quito  forms  a  part  of  the  Colom- 
bian union,  Guayaquil  ought  to  be  a  Colombian  port. 

After  the  revolt  of  the  26th  of  January,  the  people 
throughout  Peru  declared,  almost  unanimously,  that 
the  Bolivian  code  had  been  forced  upon  them,  and 
that  the  election  of  Bolivar  as  president  for  life,  as 
well  as  the  adoption  of  the  code,  was  illegal,  in- 
asmuch as  the  electoral  colleges  had  not  powers  to 
decide  upon  questions  of  that  nature;  it  being  the 
province  of  a  general  congress  alone,  to  determine 
upon  the  form  of  government  by  which  the  country 
should  be  ruled. 

Orders  were  issued  for  the  election  of  deputies 
for  a  new  congress,  which  assembled  at  Lima  on 
the  4th  of  June.  General  La  Mar  was  elected  pre- 
sident of  the  republic,  and  Don  Manuel  Salazar  y 


356  GENERAL  LA  MAR  CHAP.  XXXII. 

Baquijano  vice-president.  Thelatter  acted  as  pre- 
sident until  the  arrival  of  La  Mar  from  Guayaquil  in 
August. 

La  Mar,  a  native  of  Guayaquil,  was  educated  in 
Spain.  In  1793,  he  served,  with  credit,  as  a  lieu- 
tenant of  the  Sabaya  regiment,  in  the  campaign  of 
Roussillon.  In  1808,  he  (as  Major  La  Mar)  was 
one  of  the  heroic  defenders  of  Saragossa,  where 
he  was  wounded.  He  afterwards  commanded  a  gre- 
nadier column  in  the  province  of  Valencia,  where  he 
acquired  great  credit  with  the  army,  and  popularity 
with  the  inhabitants.  When  in  hospital  at  Tudela, 
in  consequence  of  severe  wounds,  he  was  included  in 
the  capitulation  of  General  Blake's  army,  and  was 
conveyed  to  France.  He  always  refused  to  give  his 
parole,  but  it  was  not  until  1813  that  he  eluded  the 
vigilance  of  his  guard  at  Beaune,  and  escaped  to 
Madrid.  In  1814,  he  was  advanced  to  the  rank  of 
brigadier,  and  in  1816  set  out  for  Lima,  with  the  ap- 
pointment of  inspector-general  of  the  army  in  Peru. 
After  capitulating  at  Callao,  he  sent  in  his  resignation 
to  the  viceroy.  His  subsequent  services  in  the  cause 
of  his  native  country  have  been  detailed.  President 
La  Mar  is  a  man  of  cultivated  mind,  of  mild,  per- 
suasive, and  refined  manners;  he  is  much  beloved, 
and  highly  respected;  and  has  no  personal  and  very 
few  political  enemies.  Perhaps  the  only  defect  in 
his  political  character  is  the  trait  of  occasional  in- 
decision. He  is  fifty  years  of  age ;  and  his  person 
and  countenance  are  good.  He  has  lately  had  the 
misfortune  to  lose  a  most  amiable  wife,  a  sister  to 


CHAP.  XXXII.  ELECTED   PRESIDENT.  357 

His  Excellency  Senor  Don  Vicente  Rocafuerte  *,  the 
Mexican  envoy  at  the  court  of  London. 

The  presidency  of  La  Mar  has  been  chequered  by 
events  less  favourable  than  might  have  been  expected. 
Peru  and  Colombia  have  risen  in  arms  against  each 
other.  An  encroaching  spirit  of  ambition  on  the 
one  side,  and  a  forgetfulness  of  services  rendered  on 
the  other,  have  produced  hostilities,  in  the  prose- 
cution of  which  neither  country  can  by  possibility 
gain  any  thing,  not  even  barren  honour. 

Gratitude  is  a  burden  which  sits  as  uneasily  upon 
nations  as  upon  individuals,  and  seems  to  be  still  more 
readily  thrown  aside.  During  the  course  of  the  revo- 
lutions, every  section  of  South  America  hasbeen  aided, 
directly  or  indirectly,  by  one  or  more  of  its  neigh- 
bours ;  but  not  one  of  them  seems  anxious  to  perpe- 
tuate the  remembrance  of  such  assistance.  Chile, 
in  celebrating  her  own  efforts,  dwells  not  upon  the 
circumstance  of  the  battle  ofChacabuco  having  been 
gained  by  Argentine  bayonets.  Colombia  carefully 
abstains  from  acknowledging  the  timely  assistance 
she  received  from  Peru  in  the  signal  triumph  of 
Pinchincha;  while  Peru,  in  turn,  affects  to  forget 
the  still  more  extensive  succours  furnished  by  Co- 
lombia on  the  fields  of  Junin  and  Ayacucho.  Thus 
it  is  with  all  nations.  The  Spaniards  boast  of  having 
expelled  the  French  from  the  Peninsula,  without 

*  This  highly-respected  gentleman  has  conducted  the  affairs  of  his  government 
in  a  manner  which  reflects  great  credit  upon  his  diplomatic  talents,  while  his  probity 
in  delicate  and  difficult  loan  transactions  is  not  only  unsuspected  by  those  most 
intimately  versed  in  the  complicated  details,  but  is  placed  beyond  the  shadow  of 
a  doubt  in  the  minds  of  those  at  all  familiar  with  those  scourges  of  Spanish 
America.  This  minister  lives  in  the  unostentatious  style  of  a  republican ;  but  his 
amiable  manners,  and  well  informed  mind,  render  him  an  ornament  of  the  best 
society  in  London  and  Paris,  where  he  is  well  known  and  equally  esteemed. 


358  BOLIVAR.  CHAP,  xxxii. 

noticing  the  British  army  as  partners  in  their  glory. 
Russia  ascribes  to  her  own  omnipotence  the  over- 
throw of  Napoleon  at  Moscow ;  but  is  silent  as  to 
the  British  subsidies  which  enabled  a  million  of  men 
in  arms  to  act  against  the  veteran  remnant  of  that 
host  which  had  been  defeated  by  the  elements.  The 
Prussian  gazettes,  after  the  battle  of  Waterloo,  speak 
as  little  of  the  Duke  of  Wellington  as  of  the  Island 
t>f  Santa  Helena  j  while  a  reader  of  Belgian  accounts 
would  hardly  suppose  the  English  had  participated 
in  an  event  which  hurled  the  great  and  mighty  em- 
peror from  his  throne,  and  chained  him  to  an  Atlantic 
rock. 

There  is,  however,  something  to  be  adduced  in 
palliation  of  the  conduct  of  Peru.  Until  the  hero 
who  had  liberated  Venezuela,  New  Granada,  and 
Quito,  fell  into  the  weakness  of  declining  the  addi- 
tional glory  of  quitting  liberated  Peru  without  carry- 
ing away,  as  he  had  promised,  "  even  a  grain  of 
sand,"  the  Peruvians  overwhelmed  him  with  demon- 
strations of  gratitude,  poured  out  treasures  at  his 
feet,  and  addressed  him  in  language  unsuitable  to 
any  being  below  the  Deity  ;  but  when  it  was  evident 
that  the  Colombians  were  about  to  act  the  same  part 
which  the  Saxons  once  acted  in  England,  discordant 
feelings  were  excited,  animosities  arose,  a  thousand 
irritating  insults  were  offered  on  both  sides,  which, 
in  the  end,  produced  violent  and  mutual  hatred. 

Bolivar  thought  that  he  could  govern  the  Peru- 
vians better  than  they  could  govern  themselves,  but 
they  did  not  concur  in  this  opinion  j  at  any  rate, 
they  were  determined  to  try  the  experiment.  The 


CHAP.  XXXII.  BOLIVAtt. 

presence  of  a  Colombian  army  restrained,  for  a  while, 
the  genuine  expression  of  Peruvian  feeling.  The 
influence  of  its  chief  attracted  around  him  men  pos- 
sessing talents  above  mediocrity,  all  equally  forward 
in  worshipping  the  rising  sun,  but  who  turned  and 
stung  their  benefactor  the  moment  he  had  passed 
the  zenith  of  his  power.  Bolivar  was  completely  de- 
ceived as  to  the  true  state  of  public  feeling,  by  the 
misrepresentations  of  interested  sycophants,  possess- 
ing or  aspiring  to  office,  and,  though  republicans, 
ambitious  even  of  titles. 

Bolivar  was  not  personally  popular,  and  the  conti- 
nued presence  of  his  troops  gave  rise  to  jealousies 
and  suspicions  which  led  to  unmixed  abhorrence ;  but 
it  was  not  until  some  time  after  Bolivar  had  left  the 
country,  that  the  eruption  of  the  political  volcano 
burst  forth,  and  Colombian  influence  was  terminated 
by  the  conspiracy  of  Bustamante.  The  Bolivian 
constitution  was  disdainfully  flung  aside;  Peru  be- 
came free  to  choose  her  own  president,  and  La 
Mar  was  elevated  to  that  office.  The  nomination  of 
a  person  of  his  high  character  gave  universal  satis- 
faction, and  it  was  hailed  by  all  as  a  peculiarly  auspi- 
cious event.  La  Mar's  obvious  policy  was  to  reduce 
the  standing  army ;  to  keep  up  a  small  squadron  in  the 
most  efficient  state;  to  provide  liberally  for  the  re- 
tired veteran  officers  and  soldiers ;  to  reorganize  the 
custom-house;  and  to  fix  public  credit  upon  a  firm 
foundation,  by  providing  for  the  gradual  liquidation  of 
public  debt,  and  by  preventing  the  recurrence  of  per- 
nicious loans.  An  honest  and  economical  expenditure 
would  enable  Peru  to  put  forth,  whenever  called 


360  PERU.  CHAP.  xxxn. 

for,  her  vast  defensive  capabilities,  and  to  set  an 
invading  force  at  defiance.  Unfortunately,  La  Mar, 
led  away  by  his  wishes  to  conciliate  all  parties,  has 
lent  too  ready  an  ear  to  the  noisy  declamations  of 
learned  orators,  who,  though  especially  careful  of 
their  own  persons  when  an  enemy  is  close  at  hand, 
are  the  foremost  to  excite  others  to  a  show  of  hos- 
tility when  danger  is  far  distant.  He  also  pa- 
tronised many  military  officers  whom  it  would  have 
been  more  politic  to  have  discharged  on  handsome 
retired  allowances.  Instead  of  reducing  the  standing 
army  to  below  2000  men,  La  Mar  unwisely  aug- 
mented it  to  12,000,  a  number  which  absorbs  the 
revenue,  and  prevents  its  being  applied  to  useful 
purposes.  This  has  opened  the  door  to  oppression 
and  extortion  of  all  kinds.  The  soldiery  are  ill  paid; 
the  people  murmur;  and  it  is  much  to  be  feared  that 
La  Mar  will  be  obliged  to  retire  without  conferring 
on  the  Peruvians  those  benefits  which  they  had  a 
right  to  expect  from  his  talents  and  his  virtues. 

With  regard  to  the  menaces  of  Colombia,  the 
Peruvians  might  have  remained  perfectly  at  ease. 
Instead  of  being  alarmed  by  the  false  expectation 
of  an  immediate  invasion,  they  ought  to  have  con- 
sidered that  Bolivar  had  too  much  to  attend  to  in  his 
own  country,  to  be  able  to  carry  his  threats  into  exe- 
cution. Harassed  by  internal  division  and  continual 
conspiracies,  the  Liberator  could  not  place  himself 
at  the  head  of  an  invading  army,  on  the  Peruvian 
frontier,  without  exposing  Colombia  to  revolt  and 
anarchy ;  or  even  had  a  large  force  invaded  Peru 
from  the  side  of  Quito,  the  desert  of  Sechura,  fifty 


CHAP.  XXXII.  PERU.  861 

leagues  in  length,  would  alone  have  been  suffi- 
cient to  dimmish  their  numbers  so  much,  as  to  be 
equivalent  to  the  loss  of  a  battle.  The  farther  the 
hostile  remnant  advanced,  the  more  certain  would 
be  its  destruction.  A  few  hundred  montoneros,  pro- 
perly directed,  would  be  sufficient  to  cut  off  all  sup- 
plies ;  for  the  hatred  of  the  Peruvians  to  the  Co- 
lombians is  as  great,  and  perhaps  more  unanimous, 
than  that  which  they  once  entertained  for  the  Spa- 
niards. As  Peru  has  a  very  decided  naval  superiority 
over  Colombia  in  the  Pacific,  the  sea  would  be  alto- 
gether unavailable  to  the  latter,  while  the  former 
would  possess  every  means  of  transporting  her  de- 
tachments wherever  circumstances  might  require. 
Colombia  labours  under  the  additional  disadvantage 

O 

of  placing  in  jeopardy  the  adhesion  of  Quito  and 
Guayaquil.  The  manners,  customs,  and  inclinations 
of  the  inhabitants  of  these  provinces  are  more  ana- 
logous to  those  of  Peru ;  and  though,  perhaps,  many 
may  not  feel  warmly  disposed  towards  a  junction  with 
that  country,  yet  they  are  nevertheless  decidedly  anti- 
Colombian.  On  the  other  hand,  this  war  may,  for 
a  time,  have  the  effect  of  giving  additional  stability 
to  Bolivar's  power  in  Colombia ;  as,  in  consequence  of 
the  extreme  violence  of  the  Peruvian  declarations, 
and  the  abuse  which  they  have  heaped  upon  the  Co- 
lombians, the  war  has  become  very  popular  with  the 
latter.  Their  attention  is,  therefore,  withdrawn  from 
their  internal  government,  and  their  energy  is  di- 
rected to  the  prosecution  of  the  new  contest;  but 
this  does  not  in  any  way  affect  the  question  as  to  the 
ultimate  secession  of  Guayaquil  and  Quito.  Whether 


UPPER  PERU.  CHAP.  xxxn. 

the  Peruvians  had  declared  war  or  not,  it  is  in 
the  nature  of  things  to  expect  that  these  provinces 
will  eventually  separate  from  Colombia.  The  pro- 
vince of  Pasto,  which  is  to  the  north  of  Quito,  is 
occupied  by  a  race  of  Indians,  who,  brave,  warlike, 
and  untameable  as  the  Araucaunians,  have  always 
been  inimical  to  the  government  of  Bogota,  to  which 
they  have  been  a  constant  source  of  disquietude ;  and 
would,  in  case  of  the  defection  of  Quito,  become  a 
formidable  barrier  against  the  Colombians.  The 
river  Guanambu  appears  to  be  the  natural  boundary 
of  Colombia  on  the  south. 

Although  the  government  of  Bolivia  has  under- 
gone a  violent  change,  the  condition  of  the  people 
in  that  republic  has  been  certainly  ameliorated.  The 
just  views  and  indefatigable  zeal  of  General  Sucre 
have  not  been  adequate  to  the  preservation  of  the  Bo- 
livian constitution,  nor  does  it  appear  that  the  Upper 
Peruvians  have  substituted  any  less  objectionable  form 
of  government.  The  code  which  the  Liberator  sent 
forth,  as  the  idol  of  his  political  dreams,  has  hitherto 
found  no  congenial  soil,  and  wherever  planted  it  has 
withered  before  taking  root.  It  is  to  be  regretted,  that 
Bolivar,  who  has  acquired  so  much  glory,  and  whose 
mind  is  endowed  with  so  much  perseverance,  decision, 
and  intelligence,  should  be  wanting  in  qualities  calcu- 
lated to  produce  unanimity  amongst  the  several  people 
liberated  by  his  exertions  and  genius.  It  appears 
that  his  talents  are  better  fitted  to  shine  in  adversity 
than  to  give  consistency  to  the  advantages  resulting 
from  his  successes.  But  he  ought  not  to  be  deprived 
of  the  glory  which  fairly  belongs  to  him.  The  South 


CHAP.  XXXII.  UPPER   PERU. 

Americans  should  recollect  the  immense  services  he 
has  rendered ;  whilst  the  rest  of  the  world  should 
consider,  how  natural  and  how  common  it  is  for 
human  vanity  to  be  misled,  after  a  man  has  raised 
himself  to  so  towering  an  elevation.  Few  have  re- 
ceived so  copious  a  share  of  adulation,  and  it  would 
have  been  almost  miraculous  had  Bolivar  been  alto- 
ther  proof  against  it.  Those  who  are  most  prone  to 
censure  him  would  probably  have  grown  dizzy  long 
before  they  had  attained  to  such  an  eminence. 

No  sooner  had  the  Bolivians  began  to  experience 
the  benefits  of  emancipation,  than  a  strong  party, 
hostile  to  Colombian  influence,  arose.     Their  pride 
was  mortified  by  the  presence  of  foreign  troops,  and 
they    determined    to    disencumber     themselves    of 
what  they   began   to   consider   their   new  masters. 
With  this  view,  some  of  them  addressed  the  consti- 
tuted authorities  in  Peru,  inviting  the  latter  to  assist 
them  in  shaking  off  the  Colombian  yoke.    Although 
Sucre  had    been  chosen    President    of  Bolivia   by 
the    spontaneous  voice   of  the  people,    legitimately 
expressed    by    congress,    and    although    his    pro- 
posal to  retain  two  thousand  Colombian  troops  for 
two  years  was  also  assented  to  by  that  same  congress, 
still  many  circumstances  arose  which  induced  a  desire, 
on  the  part  of  the  Bolivians,  to  accelerate  the  depar- 
ture of  their  liberators.    The  violent  expulsion  of  the 
Colombians  was  a  measure  which  the  Bolivians  might 
have  undertaken  at  their  own  risk,  but  in  which  the 
government  of  Lima  had  no  more  right  to  interfere, 
than  Austria  had  with  the  internal  concerns  of  Naples, 
France  with  those  of  Spain,  or  England  with  those 
of  Portugal  at  the  present  moment.     The  unwise 


364  UPPER  PERU.  CHAP,  xxxii. 

measure  of  sending  a  force,  under  Gamarra,  to  assist 
the  malcontents  of  Bolivia,  reflects  disgrace  upon  the 
government  of  Lima,  and  will  doubtless  produce 
some  very  embarrassing  reactions.  Even  if  this  ex- 
pedition did  accelerate  the  downfall  of  Sucre,  it  is 
certain  that  for  a  time  it  placed  the  cause  it  intended 
to  support  in  jeopardy ;  for  many  of  the  Bolivians, 
upon  hearing  the  advance  of  the  Peruvian  troops 
under  Gamarra,  began  to  fear  that  they  were  only 
about  to  change  masters,  and  that  the  one  they  already 
had  might  possibly  be  better  than  a  new  one  :  besides 
which,  the  address  to  the  government  at  Lima  had 
emanated  from  a  comparatively  small  party  of  the 
Bolivians,  most  of  whom  had  some  personal  motives 
for  their  dislike  to  the  Colombians. 

Sucre  made  a  gallant  defence,  and  even  after  re- 
ceiving a  dangerous  wound  in  the  arm,  he  persevered 
with  redoubled  energy.  In  contending  for  his  rights, 
he  ceded  his  ground  by  inches,  until,  abandoned  and 
overpowered,  he  capitulated,  and  embarked  for  his 
own  country.  Thus  fell  the  conqueror  of  Ayacucho ; 
but  his  descent  from  power,  though  forming  a  cu- 
rious commentary  on  his  title  of  Presidente  Vitalicio, 
was  marked  by  a  dignity  of  conduct  worthy  of  his 
elevated  character.  The  following  letter,  which  he 
wrote  on  quitting  the  shores  of  Peru,  is  creditable  to 
the  feelings  and  moderation  of  General  Sucre : 

"  On  board  the  ship  Porcupine,  under  sail  off  Callao, 
the  10th  of  September,  1828. 

"  TO  THE  PRESIDENT  OF  THE  REPUBLIC. 

"  MOST  EXCELLENT  SIR, — The  negotiators  of 
the  Bolivian  government  offered,  on  my  part,  to  the 


CHAP,  xxxil.  CORRESPONDENCE.  365 

general  commanding  the  Peruvian  army,  that,  on 
my  voyage  to  Guayaquil,  I  should  touch  here  for 
the  purpose  of  tendering  my  good  offices  with  re- 
spect to  a  settlement  of  the  differences  between  the 
Peruvian  and  Colombian  governments.  Although 
events  in  that  country  have  so  much  changed, 
that  I  might  consider  myself  as  exonerated  from  this 
promise,  I  have  thought  it  expedient  to  fulfil  the 
same,  opposing  to  personal  rancour  an  act  of  gene- 
rosity ;  and,  fulfilling  my  word,  I  have  declined  the 
opportunities  which  I  had  at  Cobija  and  Arica,  to 
proceed  directly  to  Guayaquil. 

"  Being  ignorant  of  the  present  state  of  affairs 
between  Colombia  and  Peru,  I  cannot  say  whether 
this  step  of  mine  will  be  of  any  avail,  or  whether  it 
will  be  well  or  ill  thought  of.  Situated  as  I  am,  I 
only  wish  to  manifest  my  anxious  and  particular 
wishes  for  peace  between  the  people  of  America, 
being  convinced  that  war  ever  entails  public  cala- 
mities, especially  in  our  devastated  country. 

"  I  am  destitute  of  any  knowledge  as  to  the  ex- 
isting relations  between  Colombia  and  Peru,  and  I  am 
ignorant  if  the  interests  or  honour  of  either  of  the 
two  people  render  the  war  unavoidable.  Without 
examining  the  rights  and  duties  that  may  exist  for 
bringing  it  to  a  head,  as  I  have  been  accused  of  being 
one  of  the  causes  or  agents  of  the  rupture,  I  must, 
out  of  respect  for  my  reputation,  individually  refute 
this  calumny,  and  add  to  my  present  step  the  conduct 
which  I  have  pursued  towards  Peru  since  the  year 
1827,  which  sufficiently  proves  my  anxiety  that  peace 
should  not  be  interrupted. 


CORRESPONDENCE.  CHAP,  xxxir. 

"  If-  the  Peruvian  government  accepts  my  offers 
for  reconciliation  with  Colombia,  I  shall  with  pleasure 
receive  any  commission  for  preserving  the  tranquillity 
of  that  republic ;  and  instructions  to  that  effect  may 
be  sent  on  board  to  me,  which  I  promise  honourably 
to  comply  with.  But  if,  on  the  contrary,  my  offer 
should  prove  unwelcome,  as  being  too  late,  and  be- 
cause the  honour  and  interest  of  one  of  these  nations 
require  that  war  should  immediately  commence,  I 
shall  likewise  have  defeated  this  calumny,  and  excul- 
pated myself  before  all  America  from  any  responsi- 
bility of  the  evils  which  either  of  them  may  suffer  j 
and  show  that  my  proceedings  are  not  guided  by 
personal  resentment  and  revenge,  which  I  wholly 
and  heartily  renounce  whenever  the  public  good  is 
in  question,  and  which,  however  just  they  may  be,  I 
always  postpone  to  the  happiness  of  the  people  to 
whom  I  have  ever  devoted  my  services.  God  grant 
that  I  may  not  be  revenged  by  events,  and  the  struggle 
of  pretensions  between  the  very  persons  that  have 
offended  me,  in  order  that  the  people  may  not  fall 
the  victims. 

"  Having  determined  not  to  go  on  shore,  and  to 
receive  on  board  your  Excellency's  answer,  I  beg  to 
have  it  speedily ;  for,  although  willing  to  make  every 
sacrifice  for  the  public  welfare,  my  health  requires 
my  speedy  arrival  at  Quito,  to  complete  my  cure. 
Therefore,  if  the  Peruvian  government  should  deem 
my  pacific  overtures  useless  or  troublesome,  it  will 
condescend,  by  way  of  reciprocity  of  my  good  faith 
and  sincerity,  to  grant  me  a  small  vessel,  to  carry  me, 
at  my  own  expense,  to  Guayaquil,  and  proceed  on 


CHAP.  XXXII.          NATIONAL  IMP11OVEMENT.  3(t7 

her  voyage  this  very  day,  if  possible.     God  preserve 
your  Excellency. 

"  The  Aide-de-Camp, 

"  JOSE  ECCLESIASTICO  ANDRADE. 
"  For  His  Excellency  the  Marshal  of  Ayacucho." 

The  future  vicissitudes  of  the  Bolivian  and  other 
South  American  governments  are  questions  of  minor 
importance,  provided  the  people  become  progressively 
more  wealthy,  more  enlightened,  more  free,  and  con- 
sequently more  happy. 

In  taking  leave  of  Peru,  it  is  satisfactory  to  observe, 
that,  since  the  termination  of  the  war  of  independ- 
ence, the  march  of  improvement  has  been  uninter- 
rupted, and  proceeds  with  accelerated  pace.  The 
greater  part  of  those  who  obsequiously  fawned  to 
power,  and  changed  their  principles  whenever  apo- 
stacy  led  to  the  possession  of  rank  and  riches,  or  the 
hope  of  either,  now  court  retirement  from  the 
public  gaze.  Their  treacheries  and  intrigues  are 
beginning  to  be  well  known.  The  future  historian 
may  perhaps  consign  a  few  contemptible  names  to  in- 
famy. For  the  present,  the  remorse  arising  from 
their  own  feelings  is  a  sufficient  punishment.  The 
cultivation  of  the  mind  is  assiduously  attended  to. 
Besides  several  youths  now  in  England  for  educa- 
tion, at  the  expense  of  the  Peruvian  government,  many 
of  the  principal  families  of  Lima,  Cuzco,  Arequipa, 
&c.,  send  their  sons  to  England,  France,  or  North 
America.  Schools  are  formed  for  the  instruction  of 
children  of  the  humbler  classes.  One  upon  the  Lan- 
casterian  system  was  established  in  Lima  by  Mr. 


368  AFFAIRS  OF  CHILE.  CHAP,  xxxn, 

Thompson,  and  is  now  conducted  by  Don  Jos6  Mo- 
rales, a  young  Peruvian,  regularly  instructed  in 
London  with  that  view.  It  is  patronised  by  the 
government,  and  the  ministers  occasionally  attend 
the  examinations.  At  the  beginning  of  1828,  above 
three  hundred  scholars  had  been  placed  by  their 
parents  on  this  establishment.  Books  are  eagerly 
sought  after ;  and  it  is  fortunate  that  the  correct 
judgment  and  enterprising  spirit  of  Mr.  Ackermann 
have  induced  him  to  cause  to  be  translated,  for  the 
Spanish  American  market,  practical  works,  which  are 
likely  to  be  generally  useful.  Agricultural  property 
increases  in  value,  and  notwithstanding  the  quarrel 
with  Colombia,  the  general  prospect  affords  just 
grounds  to  hope,  that  the  blood  which  has  drenched 
the  soil  of  South  America  has  not  been  shed  in 
vain. 

The  affairs  of  Chile,  which  occupied  a  prominent 
share  of  our  earlier  pages,  now  demand  a  retrospective 
glance. 

Towards  the  end  of  the  year  1818,  the  Supreme 
Director,  General  O'Higgins,  named  the  members  of 
a  committee  to  draw  up  a  provisional  constitution, 
which  was  done,  and  sworn  to,  within  a  few  days  of  its 
promulgation.  But  as  this  provisional  constitution 
was  merely  a  string  of  ill-assorted  regulations,  it  fell 
very  far  short  of  satisfying  the  just  expectations  of 
the  people.  A  senate,  composed  of  five  individuals, 
was  named  by  the  Director.  Its  powers  were  so 
undefined,  and  its  influence  so  equivocal,  that  it 
tended  rather  to  strengthen  and  support  the  di- 
rectorial powers,  than  to  act  as  a  counterbalance  to 
them. 


CHAP.  XXXII.  AFFAIRS   OF   CHILE. 

In  1822,  O'Higgins  convoked  a  preparatory  con- 
vention, to  determine  the  basis  of  a  constituent 
congress.  The  members  of  the  convention  were 
elected  by  the  municipalities  ;  but  under  such  direct 
and  discreditable  interference  on  the  part  of  the 
government,  as  to  excite  general  detestation.  This 
was  increased  by  the  convention  arrogating  to  itself 
the  attributes  of  a  general  constituent  congress,  and 
by  the  minister  of  finance,  Don  Jos6  Antonio  llo- 
drigues  Aldea,  endeavouring  to  intimidate  those  who 
opposed  this  unconstitutional  assumption  of  power. 

The  Chilenos,  enraged  at  perceiving  a  really  ab- 
solute government  supported  in  its  arbitrary  mea- 
sures by  what  ought  to  have  been  a  constitutional 
check,  had  recourse  to  the  only  means  left  to 
them.  A  general  rising  of  the  people  of  the  pro- 
vinces was  followed  by  a  rising  of  the  inhabitants 
of  the  capital,  in  January,  1823.  The  minister, 
Rodrigues,  who  had  continued  attached  to  the  roy- 
alist cause  until  a  late  period,  hated  for  his  tyran- 
nical proceedings,  and  shameful  peculation  in  office, 
was  driven  from  power.  Unfortunately,  this  man 
was  a  favourite  with  General  O'Higgins,  who  was, 
in  consequence,  compelled  to  give  way  to  public 
opinion,  by  resigning  the  supreme  directorship,  and 
by  retiring  to  Peru.  With  the  exception  of  a  tour 
made  in  accompanying  the  head-quarters  of  Bo- 
livar in  1824,  O'Higgins  has  employed  himself  in 
the  cultivation  of  a  very  fine  estate,  presented  to 
him  by  the  Peruvian  government  in  the  time  of  the 
protectorate.  Thus  ended  the  public  career  of  one 
of  the  most  illustrious  men  of  the  Spanish  American 

VOL.  II.  B  B 


370  O'HIGGINS  RETIRES.  CHAP.  xxxn. 

revolution.  His  valour,  integrity,  patriotism,  disin- 
terestedness, and  his  capacity,  are  alike  deserving  of 
the  highest  applause  j  and  his  errors  in  judgment  are 
forgotten  in  the  recollections  of  the  goodness  of  his 
heart. 

On  the  resignation  of  O'Higgins,  a  congress  was 
convened,  and  General  Freyre  was  elected  director 
of  the  republic.  He  has  not  the  reputation  of  being 
a  profound  statesman  ;  but  he  is  a  brave  soldier,  and 
one  of  the  first  acts  of  his  directorship  was  to  attack 
the  island  of  Chiloe.  An  expedition,  consisting  of 
three  or  four  thousand  men,  sailed  from  Talcahuano. 
The  place  of  disembarkation  was  not  chosen  with 
judgment.  There  was  a  want  of  boldness  in  the 
plan,  and  for  that  reason  it  failed. 

A  second  expedition  of  nearly  four  thousand  men, 
under  the  same  general,  rendezvoused  at  Valdivia, 
and  sailed  on  the  2d  January,  1826,  convoyed  by  the 
undermentioned  ships  of  war: 

(  Admiral  Blanco. 


^,tT.     . 

U  Hifferms,  -< 

(Captain  Foster. 

Lautaro,   -  -          —  Bell. 

Independencia,  —  Cobbett*. 

Galvarino,  —  Winter. 

Chacabuco,  —  Postigo. 

Aquiles,    -  Worster. 

A  landing  was  effected  on  the  8th,  at  the  little  inlet 
of  the  bay  of  Huechucucay,  and  Fort  Corona  was 


*  This  officer,  who  served  with  enthusiasm  and  distinction  in  the  cause  of  in,, 
dependence,  was  unfortunately  lost,  with  all  his  crew,  in  the  frigate  O'Higgins, 
which  he  then  commanded,  and  which  is  supposed  to  have  foundered  off  Cape 
Horn,  on  her  way  from  Valparaiso  to  the  river  Plata,  in  1826. 


CHAP.  XXXII.  CHILOE  CAPTURED.  S71 

immediately  taken.  On  the  10th  the  disembarkation 
of  the  troops  was  completed.  A  battalion  was  left  to 
mask  Fort  Aguy,  whilst  a  force  under  Colonel  Aldu- 
nate  passed  on,  and  took  the  battery  of  Balcacura. 
On  the  llth  Admiral  Blanco  shifted  his  flag,  and, 
leaving  the  O'Higgins  outside,  stood  into  the  bay  with 
the  rest  of  the  squadron,  which  anchored  off  Balca- 
cura. In  capturing  a  gun-boat,  Lieutenant  Oxley, 
of  the  Galvarino,  was  killed. 

The  governor,  Quintanilla,  with  upwards  of  three 
thousand  royalists,  took  up  a  strong  position  on  a 
hill  (on  the  south-east  side  of  the  bay),  flanked  on 
the  left  by  an  impenetrable  wood,  and  on  the  right 
by  the  shore,  and  supported  by  three  gun-boats  in 
shallow  water.  These  were  taken  by  the  boats  of 
the  squadron  under  Captain  Bell,  and  turned  against 
the  royalists.  Their  position  was  thus  enfiladed,  and 
they  retired.  Freyre  then  advanced  :  some  skir- 
mishing took  place  ;  Quintanilla  capitulated  ;  and 
the  territory  of  Chile  was  no  longer  sullied  by  the 
Spanish  flag. 

Colonel  Aldunate,  Majors  Maruri*,  Asagra*,  and 
Tupper  (a  native  of  Jersey),  and  Captain  Bell,  of  the 
navy,  greatly  distinguished  themselves. 

Some  time  after  this  important  capture,  Freyre  re- 
signed the  office  of  supreme  director.  Admiral  Blanco 
succeeded  him,  but  soon  retired  from  that  post,  which 
is  now  occupied  by  General  Pinto,  a  man  of  liberal  sen- 
timents, and  of  cultivated  mind.  The  government  is 
neither  strong,  nor  possessed  of  a  superabundant  reve- 

*  These  officers  were  conspicuous  for  their  gallantry  and  excellent  conduct  at 
Mirabo,  and  other  affairs  in  the  Puertos  Intermcdios. 

BB  £ 


POLICY    OF  CHAP.  XXXI T. 

nue.  Acts  of  tyranny  and  local  oppression  have,  how- 
ever, disappeared  ;  and  Chile  may  be  said  to  enjoy  a 
degree  of  liberty  until  now  unknown  in  that  part  of 
the  world.  With  regard  to  the  country  at  large,  the 
improvement  is  more  striking  and  decisive.  Landed 
property  has  more  than  doubled  in  value.  Santiago, 
Valparaiso,  and  some  of  the  larger  provincial  towns, 
have  made  great  advances  in  refinement,  but  it  is  to 
be  hoped  that  the  introduction  of  the  boasted  civi- 
lization of  Europe  will  not  drive  away  hospitality 
and  kind-heartedness,  virtues  which  the  Chilenos  do 
eminently  possess,  along  with  the  vices  bequeathed 
by  their  Spanish  oppressors.  Chile  is  the  Italy  of 
South  America,  and  wants  nothing  but  a  perma- 
nently good  government,  and  rational  freedom,  to 
make  it  one  of  the  most  desirable  countries  in  the 
world. 

A  question  naturally  arises  as  to  what  are  to  be 
the  future  relations  of  Spanish  America  with  the 
Peninsula, 

A  proof  of  the  forgiving  spirit  of  the  South  Ame- 
ricans may  be  perceived  in  the  liberty  which  Spaniards 
are  already  permitted  to  enjoy  in  Chile,  Peru,  and 
Buenos  Ayres,  although  those  republics  are  still  at 
war  with  Spain.  At  Lima,  Arequipa,  Potosi,  Buenos 
Ayres,  Santiago,  and  other  places,  Spaniards  form  no 
inconsiderable  portion  of  the  influential  part  of  so- 
ciety. Spanish  property,  with  Spanish  supercargoes, 
is  freely  admitted  in  neutral  ships  from  neutral  ports. 
Spaniards  are  occasionally  employed  in  civil  offices  of 
great  trust,  and  frequently  in  military  commands.  In 
Bolivia,  the  secretary  of  state,  Don  Facundo  In- 


CHAP.  xxxn.  SPAIN.  373 

fantes,  is  a  Spaniard,  who  left  the  Peninsula  for  the 
purpose  of  joining  the  Viceroy  La  Serna,  but  he  did 
not  arrive  in  Peru  until  after  the  battle  of  Ayacucho. 

The  liberality  of  South  Americans  forms  a  noble 
contrast  to  the  treatment  they  received  from  the 
Cortes  in  its  ultra  liberal  days.  The  Cortes,  it  is  true, 
passed  some  decrees  which  were  as  wise,  mild,  benefi- 
cent, and  protective,  as  the  best  laws  of  the  Council  of 
the  Indies.  But,  in  both  cases,  they  were  merely  laws 
on  paper,  for  the  observance  of  them  was  not  even  at- 
tempted to  be  enforced.  Not  only  was  the  consti- 
tutional government  blind  to  the  best  interests  of 
Spain,  in  refusing  justice  to  America,  but,  swayed  by 
ancient  prejudices,  they  took  active  steps  to  prevent 
the  recognition  of  its  independence  by  other  nations. 
On  the  29th  of  November,  1821,  Bardaxi,  minister 
of  state  for  foreign  affairs,  addressed  a  remonstrance 
to  the  Portuguese  charg£  d'affaires  at  Madrid,  upon 
the  subject  of  the  court  of  Rio  de  Janeiro  having 
recognized  the  independence  of  Buenos  Ayres. 

On  the  10th  of  May,  1822,  a  circular  note  was 
addressed  to  the  ministers  of  the  Allied  Powers,  by 
the  secretary,  Don  Martinez  de  la  Rosa,  not  only  to 
dissuade  them  from  acknowledging  the  new  states, 
but  also  pointing  out  the  danger  to  legitimate  power 
of  such  an  example. 

These  documents,  which  are  in  the  possession  of  a 
gentleman  now  in  London,  unequivocally  show  the 
extreme  folly  of  the  constitutionalists  with  regard  to 
America. 

This  insane  policy  would  be  incredible,  if  it  were 
not  well  known  that  the  very  country  which  may 


374  POLICY    OF  CHAP.  XXXII. 

justly  boast  of,  perhaps,  the  finest  peasantry  in  the 
world,  does,  at  the  same  time,  produce  an  unfortu- 
nate abundance  of  infatuated  and  short-sighted  de- 
claimers.  The  South  Americans  have  more  fre- 
quently erred  from  mistaken  mildness,  than  from 
undue  severity,  towards  the  inhabitants  of  what 
is,  with  mawkish  affectation,  called  THE  MOTHER 
COUNTRY,  but  which  might  have  been  more  properly 
designated  the  VAMPIRE  STEP-MOTHER,  sucking  the 
blood  of  her  colonial  offspring.  If  the  Spaniards,  re- 
siding amongst  the  patriots  during  the  struggle  for 
independence,  have  sometimes  met  with  harsh  treat- 
ment, they  have  generally  drawn  it  upon  themselves 
by  their  restless  spirit  of  intrigue  to  bring  about  a 
counter-revolution.  Excepting  when  they  have 
taken  part  with  contending  factions,  or  that  the 
country  was  in  danger  by  the  immediate  proximity 
of  Spanish  troops,  the  Spanish  residents  have  seldom 
been  exposed  even  to  rigid  surveillance.  We  know, 
indeed,  of  one  instance  of  eight  or  nine  hundred  Spa- 
niards being  sent  from  Lima,  under  an  escort,  at  an 
hour's  notice,  and  of  their  being  shipped  off  from 
Callao  in  a  very  hurried  and  brutal  manner.  This 
occurred  in  consequence  of  the  royalists  having  ob- 
tained an  important  advantage  at  lea.  They  were 
supposed  to  be  in  full  advance  upon  the  capital.  It 
was  notorious  that  many  of  the  Spanish  residents 
were  in  correspondence  with  the  royalists,  and  at  that 
time  strongly  urged  them  to  advance  to  Lima.  Not- 
withstanding the  apparent  necessity  of  expelling  all 
Spaniards  from  the  capital,  the  authors  of  this  frightful 
exception  to  the  general  leniency  of  the  South  Ame- 


CHAP.  XXXII.  SPAIN.  375 

ricans  did  not  pass  uncensured  or  unpunished.  The 
barbarous  manner  in  which  this  precautionary  mea- 
sure was  effected  was  loudly  condemned  at  the  time 
by  every  good  patriot  in  the  army,  and  by  the  mass 
of  the  inhabitants.  Monteagudo,  the  adviser  of  the 
act,  was  soon  afterwards  declared  an  outlaw,  and 
escaped  being  torn  to  pieces  by  the  populace  by  get- 
ting on  board  a  ship  at  Callao.  On  his  return  to 
Lima,  from  Quito,  three  or  four  years  afterwards,  he 
fell  under  the  stiletto  of  an  assassin.  His  colleague, 
the  political  apostate  Torre  Tagle,  who  was  then 
supreme  delegate,  perished  miserably,  in  1825,  in 
Callao. 

The  bugbear  of  the  invasion  of  Mexico  from  the 
Havannah  has  kept  alive  hostile  feelings,  and  led  to 
rigorous  measures,  on .  the  part  of  the  Mexicans. 
Some  of  the  Spanish  constitutionalists  still  adhere 
to  the  extravagant  idea,  that  the  re-conquest  of  that 
country  is  not  only  practicable,  but  that  it  would  be 
attended  with  little  difficulty.  Let  those  soi-disant 
liberates  read  the  valuable  work  of  Mr.  Ward,  late 
British  envoy  at  Mexico  ;  and  if  they  remain  still  un- 
convinced of  the  hopelessness  of  again  subjugating 
that  country,  then  are  they  incorrigible  and  in- 
curable. 

When  the  North  Americans  uttered  their  first 
cry  of  independence,  how  many  of  the  greatest  and 
noblest  characters,  both  within  and  without  the 
walls  of  the  British  Parliament — how  many  writers, 
of  the  highest  rank  and  noblest  genius,  advocated 
their  cause,  and  stimulated  their  glorious  exertions ! 
But,  in  Spain,  what  pen  ever  wrote — what  voice  ever 


37G  POLICY  OF 


CHAP.  XXXII. 


pronounced  the  words,  "  Let  America  be  independ- 
ent ?"  Flowery  speeches,  and  conciliatory  laws,  were 
occasionally  made  by  the  Cortes  to  gild,  not  to  break, 
the  chains  by  which  America  was  enthralled:  but 
these  laws  were  unobserved,  and  the  Americans  were 
still  treated  in  a  manner  that  would  have  disgraced 
the  Divan  of  Constantinople. 

In  June,  1821,  Messrs.  Ravenga  and  Echeverria 
arrived  at  Madrid,  as  commissioners  from  Colombia, 
on  the  express  and  special  invitation  of  the  then 
existing  constitutional  government,  for  the  purpose 
of  discussing  and  adjusting  the  differences  between 
Spain  and  Colombia.  Mr.  Zea,  the  Colombian  envoy 
to  England,  went  to  Madrid  to  meet  the  commis- 
sioners, to  assist  in  their  deliberations.  Upon  the 
arrival  of  these  gentlemen,  they  had  an  interview  of 
mere  introduction  with  Mr.  Bardaxi.  The  commis- 
sioners remained  in  the  Spanish  capital  ninety  days ; 
and  although  they  wrote  repeatedly  to  Bardaxi,  they 
never  were  able  to  obtain  a  second  interview  with  this 
liberal  minister  of  the  liberal  Spanish  government. 
At  the  end  of  this  period  they  were  much  surprised  to 
receive  an  order  to  leave  the  capital  within  twenty-four 
hours.  Ravenga  and  Echeverria  quitted  Madrid  on 
the  same  day.  Mr.  Zea,  who  had  been  prefect  of 
Malaga  in  the  reign  of  King  Joseph,  and  whose 
scientific  and  high  literary  reputation  gave  him  con- 
siderable influence,  was  permitted  to  remain  four  or 
five  days  longer. 

Yet,  in  despite  of  the  egotistical  liberalism  of 
Spain,  South  America  magnanimously  consigns  her 
wrongs  to  oblivion,  and,  guided  by  an  enlightened 


CHAP,  xxxii.  SPAIN.  377 

policy,  admits  those  very  men  who  were  so  obstinate 
in  not  acknowledging  her  independence.  To  Spaniards 
of  peaceful  habits,  in  quest  of  an  asylum,  and  willing 
to  conform  to  the  laws,  South  America  wisely  opens 
her  hospitable  arms  :  but,  against  hostile  Spain,  the 
States  of  America  are  as  firmly  closed  as  the  gates  of 
Heaven  against  the  fallen  angels. 


378  MIGUEL  FERNANDEZ.         CHAP,  xxxill. 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

Miguel  Fernandez. — Journey  from  Potosi. — Jujuy. — Salta. — 
The  ladies  of  Salta. — Doctor  Redhead. — General  Arenales. — 
The  province  of  Salta. — General  Miller  presented  with  a  grant 
of  land. — Tucuman. — Unceremonious  change  of  governors. — 
Santiago  del  Estero. — Cordova. — Marshal  Beresford.-— General 
Paroissien. — Arrival  at  Buenos  Ayres. 

As  individual  instances  tend  to  illustrate  the  cha- 
racter of  a  people,  the  following  particulars  are  given 
relative  to  a  young  Peruvian,  whom  General  Miller 
left  sick  at  Potosi. 

When  Miller  landed  at  Supe  in  1824,  on  his  return 
from  Chile,  he  was  accosted  by  a  very  fine  lad,  who, 
with  tears  of  joy,  recalled  himself  to  the  recollection 
of  the  general.  "  I  am,"  said  he,  "  the  drummer, 
Miguel  Fernandez,  who  passed  over  to  you  on  the 
mountain  of  Puruchuco,  in  1821,  when  you  were 
pursuing  the  royalists.  I  afterwards  served  as  drum- 
mer in  your  battalion.  I  became  a  prisoner  at  the 
battle  of  Moquegua,  and  was  compelled  to  serve 
again  with  the  king's  troops ;  but,  with  twenty-eight 
of  the  dispersed  men  of  General  Alvarado's  army,  I 
once  more  ran  away,  and  we  formed  ourselves  into  a 
montonero  party  in  the  valley  of  Tambo.  Our  inten- 
tion was  to  force  our  way  to  Ocoiia,  but  we  found 
that  you  had  moved  nearer  to  Lima  j  and  we  were 


CHAP.  XXXIII.  MIGUEL  FERNANDEZ.  379 

hard  pressed  by  parties  sent  in  pursuit  of  us  from 
Arequipa.  We  were  frequently  obliged  to  disperse, 
but  we  as  constantly  managed  to  reunite.  As  we 
never  plundered,  the  inhabitants  favoured  us  in  our 
difficulties,  and  supplied  our  wants  until  we  were 
once  more  in  a  condition  to  face  the  godos.  We 
had  many  skirmishes,  but  we  generally  came  well 
off.  Sometimes  we  carried  off  their  cavalry  horses 
when  left  in  pasture  at  night,  and  molested  them 
in  every  other  way  we  could  imagine.  At  length 
a  formidable  party  was  sent  to  scour  the  valley,  and 
we  could  remain  there  no  longer.  We  fled  to  Ho  ; 
took  possession  of  a  decked  boat  lying  in  the  port, 
and,  without  even  a  compass,  coasted  it  before  the 
wind,  until  we  had  the  good  fortune  to  arrive 
here  a  week  ago.  I  am  now  a  serjeant  of  mon- 
toneros;  but  I  will  tear  the  three  stripes  from  my 
arm  if  you  will  allow  me  to  become  your  servant, 
or  follow  you  as  an  orderly."  The  lad  begged  so 
hard  that  his  request  was  complied  with,  and  he  re- 
mained in  the  service  of  Miller  until  the  period 
arrived  for  his  quitting  Potosi  to  return  to  England. 
In  the  campaign  of  1824,  Miguel  never  lost  sight  of 
his  master.  He  distinguished  himself  by  a  coolness 
beyond  his  years,  particularly  at  Chuquibamba,  and 
other  places  within  the  royalist  line,  when  the  patriot 
reconnoitring  party  was  cut  off,  and  retreat  became 
apparently  hopeless.  He  kept  close  to  his  master  at 
the  battles  of  Junin  and  Ayacucho.  Miller  offered 
to  make  him  a  cadet,  but  he  was  so  much  attached 
to  him,  that  he  preferred  remaining  as  his  servant. 
He  was  the  youngest  son  of  a  captain  in  the  Spanish 


880  JUJUY.  CHAP,  xxxin. 

service,  who  left  a  widow  with  a  very  numerous 
family.  He  was  vivacious,  intelligent,  and  immove- 
ably  good-humoured.  His  manners  were  respectful, 
and,  notwithstanding  his  menial  situation,  they  were 
gentlemanly.  Born  in  Lima,  he  had  what  is  termed 
the  lip  of  a  Limenian ;  that  is,  he  was  one  who  could 
sit  and  recount  lively  and  amusing  anecdotes  from 
morning  till  night.  The  only  inconvenience  in  his 
character  as  a  servant  was  his  being  almost  always 
deeply  in  love,  however  frequently  he  might  change 
his  quarters. 

Miller  having  left  Potosi  on  the  28th  November, 
after  a  fatiguing  ride  of  one  hundred  and  thirty-three 
leagues,  he  reached  Jujuy  *  on  the  5th  of  December, 
where  he  halted  two  nights.  On  the  morning  after 
his  arrival,  he  rode  round  the  environs  of  the  town, 
accompanied  by  the  governor  and  some  of  the  inha- 
bitants, who  pointed  out  the  house  which  General 
La  Serna  once  occupied,  and  which  he  caused  to  be 
surrounded  by  breast-works.  The  vestiges  of  other 
defensive  mounds  were  also  visible  in  other  parts  of 
the  town,  and  confirm  what  has  been  said  in  a  previous 
chapter,  of  the  extreme  difficulty  of  maintaining  even 
a  very  strong  regular  force  in  the  midst  of  hostile 
gauchos.  Narrow  paths,  clumps  of  trees,  and  other 
situations,  were  also  pointed  out  as  having  once  been 
used  by  them  as  places  of  ambuscade,  whence  they 
unexpectedly  darted  upon  the  royalists,  and  frequently 
caused  them  severe  losses. 

The  country  round  Jujuy  is  very  fine,  and  forms  a 


*  Jujuy  is  four  hundred  and  thirty-three  leagues  from  Buenos  Ayres,  and 
five  hundred  and  forty-one  from  Lima. 


CHAP.  XXXIII.  JUJUY.  381 

striking  contrast  to  the  cheerless,  rugged,  and  barren 
aspect  which  prevails  from  Potosi  to  the  quebrada  of 
Humaguaca,  where  nature  assumes  a  verdant  aspect, 
and  which  continues  to  improve  at  eveiy  step  till  you 
arrive  at  Jujuy,  which  is  about  twenty  leagues  from 
Humaguaca.  The  valley  of  Jujuy  is  like  a  magni- 
ficent avenue  leading  to  the  Pampas.  A  contrast 
equally  striking  is  observable  in  the  appearance  of 
the  inhabitants.  The  timid  Indian  of  Upper  Peru, 
cradled  in  abject  slavery,  is  uncomplainingly  sub- 
missive, and  seems  hardly  to  belong  to  the  family  of 
mankind.  The  open-countenanced  gaucho,  on  the 
contrary,  has  freedom  stamped  upon  his  brow,  and  an 
air  of  cheerfulness  and  independence  pervades  all  his 
actions.  The  governor  very  kindly  intended  giving 
Miller  a  ball,  for  the  purpose  of  introducing  him  to 
his  fair  townswomen,  who,  though  somewhat  reserved 
in  their  manners,  are  generally  reputed  as  very  hand- 
some ;  but  this  hospitable  attention  was  partly  pre- 
vented by  heavy  rains,  which  hindered  the  ladies  from 
leaving  their  houses.  There  was  but  one  close  carriage 
in  all  Jujuy,  and  that,  most  unluckily  for  Miller,  hap- 
pened to  be  out  of  repair.  Four  or  five  ladies  of  the 
neighbourhood,  however,  came  on  horseback.  They 
danced  the  minuet  and  fandango  with  much  grace 
and  spirit. 

On  the  following  morning,  Miller  recommenced 
his  journey.  He  was  aware  that  the  Salteno  mer- 
chants resident  in  Potosi  had  written  to  their  friends 
in  Salta,  requesting  them  to  give  him  the  best  recep- 
tion ;  and  having  heard  on  the  road  that  the  public 
authorities  had  made  preparations  to  meet  him  out- 


382  THE  LADIES  OF  SALTA.          CHAP.  xxxm. 

side  of  the  town,  he  took  care  to  arrive  there  a 
day  before  he  was  expected.  He  therefore  entered 
incognito,  on  the  evening  of  the  7th  of  December. 
Instead  of  occupying  a  house  that  was  getting  ready 
for  him,  he  took  up  his  residence  with  Senor  Don 
Facundo  Zuviria,  to  whom  he  had  been  parti- 
cularly recommended  by  his  good  friend  Senor  de 
Uriburu. 

A  grand  dinner  was  given  on  the  llth.  Eighty 
ladies  and  gentlemen  sat  down  around  tables  arranged 
under  an  awning,  in  the  open  court-yard  of  Seiior 
Zuviria's  house.  On  the  following  day  the  governor 
gave  a  dinner;  and  subsequently  two  splendid  balls 
were  got  up. 

The  Saltena  women  are  graceful  in  their  persons, 
possess  a  natural  elegance  of  manner,  and  combine 
an  attractive  airiness  with  the  fascinating  softness,  so 
general  to  the  ladies  of  South  America.  They  walk 
and  dance  with  all  the  bewitching  elasticity  and 
captivating  grace  of  a  Vestris;  and,  like  her,  many 
of  them  are  endowed  with  an  exquisite  taste  for 
music.  The  Saltenas  are  celebrated  for  making  good 
wives.  Whenever  the  royalist  forces  were  in  pos- 
session of  the  town,  though  it  were  but  for  a  short 
time,  numbers  of  the  officers  were  sure  to  become 
Benedicts.  The  higher  classes  of  society  are  noble- 
minded,  sociable,  and  well  informed.  The  only 
English  resident  there  was  Doctor  Redhead,  an  emi- 
nent physician.  This  gentleman  happened  to  arrive 
at  Salta,  in  his  way  to  Potosi,  about  eighteen  years 
before,  and  was  so  delighted  with  the  place  that  he 
has  continued  to  live  there  ever  since.  He  is  highly 


CHAP,  xxxin.     SOUTH  AMERICAN  HOSPITALITY.       383 

respected  for  his  amiable  manners,  and  great  profes- 
sional talents.  Dr.  Redhead  does  not  profess  to  exer- 
cise his  art,  but  gives  advice  in  difficult  cases,  for 
which  he  seldom  receives  any  other  fee  than  general 
admission  to  the  tables  of  his  friends,  and  a  hearty 
welcome  to  the  produce  of  their  farms. 

Whether  it  be  the  romantic  novelty  of  many  places 
in  South  America,  the  salubrity  of  the  climate,  the 
free,  unrestrained  intercourse  of  the  more  polished 
classes,  or  whether  there  be  some  undefinable  charm 
in  that  state  of  society  which  has  not  passed  beyond 
a  certain  point  of  civilization,  certain  it  is  that  few 
foreigners  have  resided  for  any  length  of  time  in 
Chile,  Peru,  or  in  the  principal  towns  of  the  Pampas, 
without  feeling  an  ardent  desire  to  revisit  them. 
In  this  number  might  be  named  several  European 
naval  officers  who  have  served  in  the  Pacific,  and  who 
have  expressed  these  sentiments,  although  they  move 
in  the  very  highest  circles  of  England  and  France. 
Countries  which  have  not  reached  the  utmost  pitch 
of  refinement  have  their  peculiar  attractions,  as  well 
as  the  most  highly  polished  nations:  but,  to  the 
casual  resident,  the  former  offers  many  advantages 
unattainable  in  Europe.  The  virtue  of  hospitality, 
exiled  by  luxury  and  refinement,  exhibits  itself  in 
the  New  World  under  such  noble  and  endearing 
forms  as  would  almost  tempt  the  philosopher,  as  well 
as  the  weary  traveller,  to  dread  the  approach  of  the 
factitious  civilization  that  would  banish  it. 

In  the  Pampas,  where  a  scarcity  of  food  is  unknown 
to  the  poorest,  that  calculating  avarice  which,  in  its 
fears  for  to-morrow,  would  look  with  apathy  on  the 


384  SOUTH  AMERICAN  MANNERS.      CHAF.  xxxin. 

wants  of  the  stranger,  can  have  but  a  limited  sway. 
Kind  offices  are,  therefore,  more  freely  and  disin- 
terestedly conferred  than  in  less  abundant  regions, 
In  addition  to  this,  the  dearth  of  society  in  a  thinly- 
sprinkled  population  renders  the  presence  of  a  tra- 
veller on  their  isolated  haciendas  a  source  of  gratifi- 
cation. If  his  appearance  afford  no  ground  for  mis- 
trust, and  if  his  manners  are  not  disagreeable,  his 
being  a  stranger  is  a  sufficient  passport  to  a  kind  and 
hearty  welcome.  Whether  he  be  rich  or  poor  is  not 
a  subject  of  inquiry,  and  makes  no  difference  in  the 
reception. 

The  South  Americans  are  gay,  and  fond  of  dancing, 
music,  and  singing.  There  are  few,  whether  wealthy 
or  otherwise,  who  are  not  proficients  in  one  or  other 
of  these  accomplishments.  In  the  warmer  latitudes, 
people  carry  on  not  only  their  usual  occupations,  but 
their  amusements,  chiefly  in  the  open  air;  and  as 
singing  constitutes  one  of  the  principal  sources  of  the 
latter,  the  continued  exercise  of  the  voice  harmonizes 
and  strengthens  it.  Perhaps  no  opera,  in  Europe, 
could  afford,  to  a  natural  and  unsophisticated  ear,  so 
rich  a  treat  as  that  which  may  be  enjoyed  in  Cuzco, 
Arequipa,  and  other  cities,  where  the  ancient  Peru- 
vian airs  are  sung  in  the  rich  and  melodious  tones  of 
the  natives. 

The  South  Americans  possess  great  intellectual 
quickness,  and  a  retentive  memory.  The  following 
may  be  cited  as  an  extraordinary  instance  of  the  latter 
faculty.  An  old  man,  a  native  of  La  Paz,  in  Upper 
Peru,  and  of  unmixed  Indian  blood,  who  kept  an  inn 
at  Curicavi,  between  Valparaiso  and  Santiago,  could 


CHAP.  XXXIII.  SALTA.  385 

repeat  nearly  the  whole  of  Robertson's  History  of 
Charles  the  Fifth,  and  was  better  acquainted  with  the 
history  of  England  than  most  Englishmen.  He  spoke 
of  Queen  Boadicea,  and  was  as  familiar  with  the  hi- 
story of  the  civil  wars  between  the  houses  of  York 
and  Lancaster  as  if  they  had  occurred  in  his  own 
country  and  in  his  own  times.  He  had  been  brought  up 
by  the  Jesuits.  He  had  made  two  voyages  to  Canton, 
and  was  known  by  the  name  of  "  the  Emperor  of 
China,"  in  consequence  of  frequently  amusing  his 
guests  with  long  stories  about  the  celestial  empire. 

The  Peruvians  have  great  natural  talents  for  paint- 
ing and  sculpture.  They  generally  produce  striking 
likenesses,  but,  being  uninstructed  in  the  principles 
of  these  arts,  their  pictures  have  no  other  merit.  There 
is,  however,  a  female  figure,  done  in  1711  by  a  na- 
tive of  Quito,  which  is  considered  as  one  of  the  finest 
paintings  in  a  very  good  collection  belonging  to  Myn- 
heer Vandermarlin,  of  Brussels.  This  interesting 
picture  has  unfortunately  been  defaced,  by  order  of  a 
former  proprietor,  whose  fastidious  taste  was  shocked 
by  the  voluptuous  truth  and  nature  of  the  bosom  of 
the  Venus,  and  an  ordinary  artist  was  employed  to 
daub  a  covering  over  it. 

An  Indian  in  Arequipa  carved  some  figures  of  the 
incas,  in  wood,  which  were  sent  to  the  Emperor 
Alexander  of  Russia.  His  imperial  majesty  was  so 
much  pleased  with  them,  that  he  sent  the  Order  of 
St.  Anne  and  a  snuff-box,  with  his  portrait  set  in 
diamonds,  to  the  gentleman  who  employed  the  In- 
dian artist. 

Salta  is  one  of  the  federal  provinces  of  the  republic 

VOL.  II.  C  C 


886  SALTA.  CHAP.  XXXIII. 

of  the  Rio  de  la  Plata.  General  Arenales,  a  native 
of  Spain,  was  at  this  time  the  governor.  He  is  one 
of  the  most  distinguished  supporters  of  the  cause  of 
independence,  in  which  he  has  received  several  severe 
wounds,  and  is  well  known  for  the  stern  incorrupti- 
bility of  his  character.  He  sailed  with  the  liberating 
expedition  from  Valparaiso,  and  was  one  of  Millers 
early  friends.  Although  Arenales  is  seventy  years 
of  age,  he  is  remarkably  active.  He  has  a  long  scar, 
from  a  sabre  wound,  in  his  cheek,  which  adds  interest 
to  his  veteran  appearance.  The  tout  ensemble  of  his 
person  has  a  striking  resemblance  to  that  of  Farren, 
in  the  character  of  Oxenstiern,  in  the  play  of  the 
"  Youthful  Queen,"  excepting  that  Arenales  bends  a 
little  under  the  weight  of  years. 

The  province  of  Salta  lies  between  21°  and  27°  of 
south  latitude.  Its  western  part  belongs  to  the  great 
range  of  the  Cordilleras,  and  is  rich  in  metals.  In  one 
of  the  intervals  between  the  low  collateral  branches 
of  the  Andes  is  situated  the  capital.  The  country  to 
the  eastward  becomes  flat,  and  continues  so  to  the 
very  banks  of  the  Bermejo  and  Parana.  These 
plains,  called  the  Llanos  de  Manso  and  El  Gran 
ChacOy  are  peopled  entirely  by  uncivilized  Indians ; 
for  at  no  great  distance  from  Oran,  and  farther  south 
from  the  river  Salado,  the  Spanish  or  Creole  popu- 
lation gradually  dwindles  into  nothing.  The  climate 
varies,  from  frost  to  the  heat  of  the  tropics,  in  the  dif- 
ferent parts  of  the  province,  in  proportion  as  they  are 
more  or  less  elevated.  These  differences  are  sensibly 
felt,  even  at  short  distances :  for  example,  in  the  sum- 
mer months,  when  Fahrenheit's  thermometer  is  at 


CHAP.  xxxm.  SALTA.  387 

eighty  degrees  in  the  town  of  Salta,  the  air  is  agree- 
ably cool  at  the  hacienda  of  San  Lorenzo,  distant 
only  two  or  three  leagues;  after  sunset  the  air  is  so 
chilly,  that  a  cloak,  which  could  not  be  endured  in 
the  town,  is  almost  necessary  at  the  hacienda.  The 
country  is  in  general  healthy:  the  only  endemical 
disease  is  the  ague;  but  this  is  prevalent  only  in 
some  of  the  lower  districts,  and  yields  to  common 
remedies. 

The  population  is  not  exactly  known ;  the  pro- 
portion of  one  inhabitant  to  two  square  leagues  may 
be  an  approximate  calculation.  The  town  of  Salta 
contains  about  five  thousand,  Jujuy  about  two  thou- 
sand, inhabitants.  Ten  or  twelve  small  villages  may 
average  about  a  hundred  and  fifty  each;  a  great  pro- 
portion is  distributed  in  the  haciendas. 

The  staple  produce  of  the  province  is  cattle.  Pre- 
vious to  the  revolution,  from  sixty  to  eighty  thousand 
mules,  belonging  chiefly  to  Cordova  and  Santa  F£, 
were  annually  offered  for  sale  at  the  fair  of  Salta. 
The  government  at  that  time  received  a  duty  of  one 
dollar  upon  each  mule  sent  to  Peru.  This  was  called 
sisa,  but  only  produced  50,000  dollars  a  year  to  the 
revenue,  a  great  number  of  mules  being  smuggled 
out  of  the  country.  The  owners  of  the  estates,  on 
which  the  mules  wintered,  received  a  dollar  a  head 
for  the  winter's  run.  From  sixteen  to  eighteen 
thousand  head  of  oxen  were  likewise  exported  to 
Peru  every  year :  the  sisa  upon  them  was  three  quar- 
ters of  a  dollar  each.  Soap,  tallow,  and  dried  beef 
were  also  articles  of  export.  The  returns  were  usually 
made  in  dollars,  and  money  was  then  abundant ; 

c  c  2 


SALTA.  CHAP,  xxxnr. 

but  the  country  has  been  much  impoverished  by  the 
interruption,  during  the  revolution,  of  so  lucrative 
a  trade. 

With  such  advantages,  every  other  branch  of  in- 
dustry was  neglected.  The  province  contains  gold, 
silver,  copper,  and  lead  mines  ;  but  none  of  these  are 
attended  to,  with  the  exception  of  the  gold  mines  of 
the  Rinconada,  which  are  but  superficially  worked. 

Perhaps  the  principal  reason  for  this  is  the  dis- 
inclination of  the  gauchos  to  any  thing  like  hard 
manual  labour;  but  when  this  district  shall  become 
thickly  peopled,  its  mineral  riches  will  be  no  longer 
neglected.  Cotton,  tobacco,  wheat,  barley,  Indian- 
corn,  honey,  and  wax,  are  produced j  cochineal  is 
found  in  some  places,  and  the  indigo  plant  is  indige- 
nous j  yet  of  these  articles,  wheat,  maize,  cotton,  and 
tobacco  alone  are  made  particular  objects  of  cultiva- 
tion. Although  the  vine  is  not  uncommon,  wines 
and  brandies  are  brought  from  San  Juan  and  Rioja; 
sugar  has  of  late  years  been  made  upon  two  or  three 
estates,  and  rice  has  been  cultivated  at  Campo  Santo. 
With  excellent  timber  of  its  own,  Salta  still  depends 
upon  Tucuman  for  boards  and  household  furniture. 

Salta  is  situated  a  few  leagues  to  the  left  of  the  di- 
rect road  from  Buenos  Ayres  to  Lima,  by  the  way  of 
Potosi.  A  considerable  quantity  of  hides  and  tallow 
is  sent  to  Buenos  Ayres,  on  cars  drawn  by  bullocks, 
which  bring  European  merchandise  in  return  to 
Salta,  whence  it  is  conveyed,  by  mules,  to  Potosi, 
&c.  It  is  probable  that  a  great  part  of  this  overland 
transport  of  four  hundred  leagues  will  be  super- 
seded by  water  carnage  on  the  river  Bermejo,  which 


CHAP.  XXXIII.  TUCUMAN.  389 

Begins  to  be  navigable  about  sixty  leagues  from  Jujuy 
and  seventy  east  of  Salta.  The  Bermejo  falls  into 
the  river  Paraguay  below  Asumpcion. 

Miller  remained  at  Salta  eight  days.  Previous  to 
his  departure,  the  governor,  authorized  by  the  pro- 
vincial junta,  presented  him  with  a  grant  of  land  on 
the  right  bank  of  the  Bermejo,  six  leagues  in  length 
and  four  in  width,  which  is  equal  to  about  one  hundred 
and  fifty  thousand  English  acres.  The  title-deeds 
of  this  donation  were  presented  in  the  most  flatter- 
ing manner,  and  in  testimony,  as  General  Arenales 
was  pleased  to  say  in  his  official  letter,  of  the  admira- 
tion and  gratitude  of  the  Saltenos  for  Miller's  ser- 
vices in  the  cause  of  South  American  independence. 

After  empowering  his  friend  Don  Facundo  Zuviria 
to  take  formal  and  legal  possession,  and  to  purchase 
cattle  to  turn  loose  upon  the  estate,  Miller  left  an 
order  for  a  sum  of  money  to  purchase  a  small  piece  of 
ground,  in  the  town  of  Salta,  to  build  a  house  upon. 
He  left  that  place  on  the  16th  of  December,  impressed 
with  the  liveliest  sense  of  gratitude  towards  its  worthy 
inhabitants.  He  had  purchased  a  two-wheeled  car- 
riage, built  at  Buenos  Ayres.  Vehicles  of  this  de- 
scription are  generally  drawn  by  three  horses,  each 
ridden  by  a  postillion.  Two  of  these  postillions  went 
on  all  the  way  to  Buenos  Ayres,  and  the  third  was 
relieved  at  every  stage,  to  take  back  the  horses.  He 
reached  Tucuman  on  the  19th,  where  he  was  most 
hospitably  received  by  the  governor,  Colonel  La  Ma- 
drid, an  officer  who  had  displayed  great  bravery  in 
the  course  of  the  revolution.  He  had  been  but  a 
short  time  in  office,  having  a  few  days  previously 


TUCUMAN.  CHAP.  XXXIII. 

deposed  his  predecessor,  Colonel  Lopez.  La  Madrid 
had  been  commissioned  by  the  Argentine  government 
to  make  a  tour,  in  order  to  hasten,  by  his  activity  and 
influence,  the  march  of  the  provincial  contingents 
intended  to  augment  the  army  of  Uruguay,  at  that 
time  in  observation  on  the  Brazils.  He  thought  this 
a  favourable  opportunity  to  avenge  the  death  of  an 
uncle  who  some  years  before  had  been  governor  of 
Tucuman,  and,  who  was  deposed,  and  with  other  in- 
dividuals, executed,  by  order  of  Lopez,  who  then  as- 
sumed the  governorship  of  the  province.  La  Madrid 
collected  a  party  of  gauchos,  and  an  action  was  fought 
within  a  league  of  the  city,  in  which  Lopez  was  de- 
feated, and  took  shelter  in  Salta.  This  irregularity 
was  overlooked,  on  account  of  the  support  which  La 
Madrid  afforded  to  the  general  government.  He 
has  since  then  been  deposed  by  a  rival  party,  and  was 
severely  wounded  in  a  hard  contested  gaucho  battle. 
Had  he  been  taken  prisoner,  he  would  have  suffered 
the  fate  of  his  uncle  ;  but  he  escaped,  and,  like  his 
predecessor  Lopez,  took  refuge  in  Salta. 

Tucuman,  capital  of  the  province  of  the  same 
name,  is  a  straggling  city,  situated  in  27°  south  lati- 
tude. The  houses  in  general  are  of  an  inferior  de- 
scription. It  occupies  a  distinguished  place  in  the 
history  of  the  country.  It  was  here  that  Belgrano 
defeated  Don  Pio  Tristan  j  and  it  was  here  that  the 
first  Argentine  congress  assembled,  and  issued  its 
declaration  of  independence,  and  its  celebrated  ma- 
nifesto in  1816.  The  province  is  fertile,  producing 
rice  of  a  superior  quality,  Indian  corn,  tobacco, 
oranges,  water  melons,  melons,  and  camotes  of  an 


CHAP.  XXXIII.        SANTIAGO  DEL  ESTEttO.  391 

extraordinary  size.  The  dairies  of  the  province  are 
also  famed  for  the  goodness  of  their  cheese,  which  is 
considered  equal  to  Parmesan.  The  country  is  well 
wooded  and  watered,  and,  having  much  of  hill  and 
dale,  the  scenery  is  frequently  beautiful. 

On  the  21st  of  December,  Miller  left  Tucuman, 
and  on  the  22d  reached  Santiago  del  Estero,  the 
capital  of  the  province  of  the  same  name.  The  town 
contains  about  3000  inhabitants  ;  in  the  whole  pro- 
vince there  may  be  50,000.  It  is  very  extensive ; 
the  soil  is  exceedingly  fertile,  and  wheat  produces 
about  seventy  fold.  It  is,  as  in  most  other  parts  of 
South  America,  sown,  in  a  random  sort  of  manner, 
on  land  that  has  been  slightly  scratched,  without  its 
ever  being  thought  worth  while  to  clear  it  of  the 
bushes  or  trees  which  may  happen  to  be  upon  it. 
Weeding  is  never  thought  of.  The  corn  is  mowed 
when  ripe,  and  trodden  out  by  mares  or  oxen.  The 
English  manner  of  ploughing  has  been  attempted  in 
some  parts  of  the  country,  but  it  has  been  found  that 
it  will  not  answer.  Europeans  often,  on  their  first 
arrival,  show  too  great  a  zeal  to  introduce  the  methods 
of  their  own  countries;  but  a  short  trial  soon  con- 
vinces them  that  their  wisest  way  is  to  follow  the 
system  of  the  natives,  which  it  may  be  well  to  im- 
prove upon,  but  not  to  supersede  altogether.  Agri- 
cultural, as  well  as  mining  and  other  improvements, 
must  be  introduced  gradually,  in  order  to  become 
generally  beneficial.  Europeans  must  condescend  to 
learn  a  little  from  the  natives,  if  they  wish  to  succeed 
in  teaching  them  a  great  deal.  The  South  Americans 
are  not  free  from  religious  bigotry,  but  it  is  of  a 


392  SANTIAGO   DEL    ESTERO.        CHAP.  XXXIII. 

milder  character  than  that  which  disgraces  older 
countries.  They  seldom  attempt  to  fathom  the  re- 
ligious sentiments  of  a  foreigner,  nor  do  they  make 
a  display  of  their  own.  Neither  -are  they  moved  to 
angry  feelings  on  this  head,  unless  roused  by  the  in- 
sulting comparison  of  some  indiscreet  enthusiast,  who 
is  perhaps  the  object  of  their  kindest  hospitality. 
The  agricultural  classes  of  South  America  are  also 
less  wedded  to  the  customs  of  their  forefathers  than 
the  corresponding  classes  in  Europe.  The  South 
Americans  are  eager  to  learn,  and  easily  led  on  from 
improvement  to  improvement ;  but  no  people  like  to 
be  driven,  much  less  by  persons  totally  ignorant  of 
localities. 

If  an  agricultural  board  had  begun  to  execute 
the  designs,  which  were  so  beautifully  got  up  in  Lon- 
don, of  magnificent  cities  and  rural  villages  with 
poetical  names,  plans  of  churches,  villas,  ornamental 
cottages,  lodges,  park-gates,  &c.  the  gaucho  would 
not  have  been  ill-natured  enough  to  have  asked, 
where  were  the  madhouses  for  the  residences  of 
the  directors  ?  but  he  would  have  shrugged  up  his 
shoulders  most  significantly  at  the  idea  of  expending 
enormous  sums  in  constructing  fairy  palaces  upon 
the  Pampas.  However,  although  attempts  on  such 
a  scale  must  fail,  small  well  regulated  colonies  would 
confer  incalculable  benefit  on  the  country,  and  be 
productive  to  all  the  parties  concerned. 

The  majority  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  province  of 
Santiago  del  Estero  speak  the  Quichua  only.  As 
this  language  ceases  to  be  spoken  some  leagues  to  the 
north  of  Jujuy,  it  furnishes  a  curious  living  proof 


CHAP.  XXXIII.  CORDOVA.  303 

that  the  empire  of  the  Incas  must  have  extended  to 
the  southern  boundary  of  the  province  of  Tucuman, 
to  which  Santiago  del  Estero  belonged  in  those  days. 

On  the  23d,  Miller  set  out  from  Santiago  del  Es- 
tero, and  on  the  26th  reached  Cordova.  The  Seiior 
Don  Jos6  Maria  Fragueiro,  a  gentleman  of  great 
landed  property,  and  also  a  wealthy  merchant,  had 
provided  apartments  for  him  in  his  own  house.  From 
the  numerous  branches  of  the  Fragueiro  family,  Miller 
received  the  kindest  attention,  as  also  from  the  go- 
vernor, General  Bustos.  Cordova,  situated  31°  15' 
south  latitude,  is  perhaps  the  prettiest  city  in  South 
America.  The  streets  are  good,  and  the  houses 
large,  commodious,  and  furnished  in  good  taste.  The 
public  promenade  is  well  laid  out,  and  is  a  great  or- 
nament to  the  town.  It  occupies  a  piece  of  rising 
ground,  which  is  encircled  by  avenues  of  stately  trees. 
In  the  centre  is  a  large  sheet  of  water,  in  the  middle 
of  which  is  an  island,  just  large  enough  to  serve  as 
the  foundation  for  a  fancifully  constructed  temple. 
The  plaza  is  a  very  fine  square :  its  cathedral  and 
some  of  the  churches  are  handsome  buildings.  It  is 
the  seat  of  an  university.  It  has  numerous  convents, 
and  was  the  head-quarters  of  the  Jesuits,  who  were 
the  founders  of  every  establishment  deserving  of  no- 
tice in  this  part  of  the  country.  The  place  still  swarms 
with  monks,  who  retain  more  influence  there  than 
in  most  other  parts  of  South  America. 

The  day  after  Miller's  arrival,  he  was  visited,  agree- 
ably to  the  forms  of  South  American  etiquette,  by 
deputations  from  the  secular  clergy  and  the  monastic 
orders.  After  the  usual  compliments  had  been  ex- 


394  MONASTIC  INQUIRY.  CHAP,  xxxni. 

changed,  and  most  of  the  company  had  taken  leave, 
the  prior,  who  had  headed  the  monastic  deputation, 
returned,  and  requested  a  private  conference.  He 
said,  his  object  was,  in  the  first  place,  to  express  his 
admiration  of  the  British  generally,  and,  in  the 
second,  to  satisfy  his  mind  relative  to  an  author  who 
deserved  to  be  canonized  for  one  of  the  best  and 
ablest  works  that  had  ever  seen  daylight.  It  had 
been  translated  into  Spanish,  and  read  at  least  half 
a  dozen  times  by  every  good  Christian  in  Cordova. 
The  reverend  prior  seemed  to  take  it  for  granted 
that  this  celebrated  writer  could  not  but  be  person- 
ally known  to  Miller,  who  was  therefore  appealed 
to,  to  settle  a  dispute  which  had  arisen  in  the  mo- 
nasteries as  to  whether  he  was  of  English  or  Irish 
origin.  The  latter  was  believed  until  an  attache  to  one 
of  the  mining  establishments  had  said,  when  passing 
through  Cordova  on  his  way  to  Potosi,  that  the  writer 
in  question  was  an  Englishman.  This  produced  a 
sort  of  schism;  but  the  majority  still  clung  to  the 
opinion,  that  Ireland  alone  could  have  produced  so 
shining  and  saintly  a  pillar  of  orthodoxy  in  these  de- 
generate times.  Miller,  very  much  at  a  loss  for  an 
answer  to  the  prior's  long  and  animated  harangue, 
was  at  last  relieved  from  the  suspense  arising  from 
his  utter  ignorance  of  the  subject,  by  the  prior's 
drawing  a  book  from  his  gown  sleeve  with  great  cere- 
mony, and,  making  the  sign  of  the  cross,  opening  it 
with  tokens  of  profound  veneration.  Then  handing  it 
to  the  general,  and,  pointing  to  the  name  at  the  bot- 
tom of  the  title  page,  he  said,  triumphantly,  "  Is  he 
not  an  Irishman  ?"  The  book  was  La  Historia  de  la 


CHAP.  XXXIII.  A   SAINTLY   BISHOP.  395 

Reformation, por  DON  GUILLERMO  COBBETT."  The 
point  in  dispute  was  finally  settled  by  the  general's 
telling  the  prior  that  the  author  was  an  Englishman, 
and  that  in  England  there  were  some  few  good 
Christians  as  well  as  in  Ireland. 

As  this  will  be  the  last  time  the  clergy  or  monastic 
orders  will  be  alluded  to,  we  shall  here  introduce  an 
anecdote  or  two,  to  show  the  manner  in  which  the 
South  American  patriots  have  been  treated  by  some 
who  have  possessed  the  character  of  sanctity. 

The  bishop  of  Arequipa,  who  died  in  January, 
1818,  enjoyed,  whilst  living,  the  reputation  of  a  saint. 
His  unspotted  life  could  only  be  equalled  by  his 
excessive  charity  towards  hardened  and  profligate 
sinners.  When  he  was  once  told  that  a  clergyman 
pursued  infamously  lewd  courses,  the  bishop  mildly 
answered,  "  Let  him  petition  for  mercy."  At  another 
time  he  was  told  that  another  clergyman  had  uttered 
the  most  horrid  blasphemies :  this  immovably  placid 
saint  observed,  "  Unhappy  man!  let  him  bow  himself 
before  the  throne  of  grace,  and  implore  for  the  inter- 
cession of  the  blessed,  who  are  continually  singing 
hosannahs  in  the  presence  of  the  Most  High;"  and 
there  it  ended.  But  if  he  were  told  that  a  clergyman 
was  a  patriot,  hell  was  too  good  a  place  for  the  wretch, 
in  the  opinion  of  the  righteous  bishop.  Some  patriots 
very  gravely  assert,  that  when  the  body  of  the  bishop 
was  opened,  the  surgeons  discovered  that  he  had  no 
heart,  but  that  something  in  that  shape  was  found, 
and  was  composed  of  a  substance  just  like  charcoal. 
Miller  saw  a  pastoral  circular,  from  Goyeneche,  suc- 
cessor to  the  beforementioned  saint,  enjoining  the 


396  THE  POPE  OF  ROME.          CHAP,  xxxiii. 

clergy  of  his  diocese  to  refuse  absolution  to  the  dying, 
unless  they  previously  abjured  patriotic  principles. 

A  cedula  of  the  King  of  Spain,  promulgated  by 
the  Council  of  the  Indies  on  the  4th  of  February, 
1825,  and  addressed  to  the  archbishops  and  bishops 
of  both  Americas,  and  of  the  Philippine  Islands, 
imbodied  an  enciclica,  or  papal  rescript,  dated  24th 
September,  1824,  sealed  with  the  apostolic  seal, 
signed  by  the  late  pontiff  Leo  XII.,  and  counter- 
signed by  Cardinal  Albano.  Alluding  to  the  Spanish 
American  revolution,  his  holiness  thus  addressed  the 
bench  of  bishops :  "  We  flatter  ourself  that  a  subject 
of  such  grave  importance  will,  through  your  influence, 
and  the  aid  of  divine  Providence,  have  that  happy 
and  speedy  result  that  we  promise  ourself,  provided 
you  dedicate  yourselves  to  make  manifest  to  your 
flocks  the  august  and  distinguished  qualities  which 
characterize  our  very  beloved  son  Ferdinand,  catholic 
king  of  the  Spains,  whose  sublime  and  substantial 
virtues  outshine  the  splendour  of  his  greatness  *  * 
and  if  with  due  zeal  you  expound,  for  the  consi- 
deration of  all,  the  illustrious  and  unapproachable 
merits  of  Spaniards  resident  in  Europe,  who  have 
proved  their  ever-constant  loyalty  by  sacrificing  their 
interests  or  their  lives,  out  of  love  for,  and  in  defence 
of,  legitimate  power.  *  *  *  " 

His  holiness,  however,  had  the  worldly  wisdom 
to  alter  his  tone  after  the  American  governments 
notified  to  him  that,  unless  he  should  think  proper 
to  appoint  archbishops  and  bishops  to  the  various 
vacant  sees,  they  would  immediately  proceed  to  do  so 
themselves,  independently  of  papal  authority.  The 


CHAP.  XXXIII.      SANTIAGO  DEL   KSTERO.  397 

republicans  of  South  America  forthwith  became  his 
holiness's  "  most  beloved  and  delectable  children  in 
Christ ;"  and  their  worthy  plenipotentiary  at  Rome, 
Seiior  de  Tejada,  deservedly  enjoyed  the  favour  and 
consideration  of  the  sovereign  pontiff. 

Tucuman,  Santiago  del  Estero,  and  Cordova,  are 
all  bounded  on  the  east  by  the  Grand  Chaco,  the 
country  of  the  Abipones,  through  which  the  noble 
and  navigable  river  of  the  Bermejo  runs,  previous  to 
its  junction  with  the  Paraguay.  The  grand  Chaco 
once  contained  two  millions  of  aborigines.  There 
were,  according  to  Dobrizhofer,  seventy-three  large 
towns.  The  Spaniards  formed  several  establishments, 
but  their  cruelties  occasioned  the  natives  to  rise  and 
destroy  them.  The  mamelucos,  as  the  Brazilian 
marauders  were  called,  made  frequent  and  destruc- 
tive incursions,  and  burnt  their  towns  and  villages. 
The  inhabitants  of  the  Grand  Chaco  are  now  very 
much  reduced  in  number,  but  they  still  retain  their 
independence.  Between  the  Bermejo  and  Pilcomayo 
are  what  are  called  "  foot  Indians,"  who  never  mount 
a  horse.  This  is  ascribed  to  their  timidity,  but 
perhaps  it  may  be  traced  to  a  deep  policy,  which,  by 
keeping  their  territory  destitute  of  horses,  prevents 
the  whites  or  Creoles  from  invading  a  country  which, 
on  that  account,  is  an  undesirable  conquest  j  besides 
which,  a  great  part  of  the  country  is  covered  with 
wood,  and  the  herds  of  cattle  are  by  no  means  nu- 
merous. 

A  great  difference  was  observable  in  the  provincial 
governments.  That  of  Salta  was  a  very  favourable 
specimen  of  a  mild  democracy.  That  of  Tucuman 


398  SANTIAGO   DEL   ESTE11O.        CHAP.  XXXIII. 

was  nominally  democratic,  but  the  influence  of  the 
governor,  and  his  distaste  to  any  species  of  legislative 
control,  rendered  him,  in  effect,  absolute. 

At  Cordova  a  strong  spirit  of  opposition  existed, 
particularly  in  the  mercantile  class ;  but  the  governor, 
who  protected  the  church,  was  in  turn  supported  by 
ecclesiastical  and  monastic  influence.  Besides  this,  he 
had  two  thousand  well  appointed  troops.  The  pro- 
vincial junta  was  powerless,  and  it  was  a  matter  of 
no  small  danger  to  carry  opposition  beyond  a  certain 
point. 

The  governor  of  Santiago  del  Estero  was  avow- 
edly absolute.  He  never  even  professed  to  consider 

t 

himself  accountable  for  the  expenditure  of  the  taxes; 
but  as  these  were  confined  to  a  sort  of  custom-house 
duty  on  merchandise  passing  through  the  province, 
the  gauchos  were  perfectly  satisfied  with  his  admini- 
stration. Indeed,  these  people  seldom  trouble  them- 
selves about  forms  of  government,  so  long  as  their 
individual  liberty  and  property  are  not  infringed. 
There  was  no  provincial  junta;  the  only  public  of- 
ficer, besides  the  governor,  was  his  secretary.  In 
1824,  the  former  very  narrowly  escaped  assassina- 
tion by  a  Frenchman,  who,  having  been  tried  and 
publicly  whipped  for  coining  and  uttering  counter- 
feit money,  determined,  in  revenge,  to  take  the  life 
of  the  governor.  A  few  nights  after  undergoing  his 
punishment,  the  Frenchman  entered  the  house  unper- 
ceived,  and  crept  softly  to  that  which  he  imagined  to 
be  the  governor's  bed-room.  Here  he  found  a  person 
asleep,  and,  drawing  forth  a  pistol,  instantly  shot  him 
dead.  The  assassin  had  mistaken  his  victim :  it  was 


CHAP.  XXXIII.      SANTIAGO  DEL  ESTERO.  899 

the  secretary.  The  Frenchman  fled,  but  was  after- 
wards taken,  and  executed  for  the  murder.  He 
displayed  great  courage  in  his  last  moments;  de- 
claring he  should  have  died  perfectly  happy,  had  he 
but  succeeded  in  killing  the  object  of  his  hatred. 

Miller  arrived  at  Santiago  del  Estero  about  noon, 
and  was  warmly  welcomed  by  the  governor.  A  bath 
was  got  ready,  and  a  plentiful  dinner  served  up  at 
two  o'clock ;  after  which  the  whole  party  retired 
to  sleep  the  siesta.  At  six  in  the  evening,  they 
took  a  ride  round  the  town  and  environs.  During 
this,  active  messengers  from  the  governor  were  em- 
ployed in  conveying  his  mandate  to  the  ladies,  re- 
quiring their  company  in  the  evening,  and  a  snug 
little  ball  was  got  up,  and  followed  by  an  excellent 
supper.  Amongst  those  who  sat  down  at  the  go- 
vernor's table  was  an  Englishman,  who  had  resided 
for  many  years  in  that  part  of  the  world.  He  had 
been  a  surgeon,  but  was  now  a  merchant.  He  en- 
joyed the  full  confidence,  and  was  supposed  to  be 
the  sole  adviser,  of  the  governor,  who  professed  the 
utmost  partiality  towards  Englishmen.  He  said 
he  had  two  men  in  his  escort  who  formerly  belonged 
to  the  English  army,  who  were  faithful  fellows,  and 
could  ride  like  gauchos,  but  were  a  little  given  to 
tippling.  General  Beresford's  name  was  often  men- 
tioned on  this  line  of  road.  The  natives  inquired 
particularly  if  "  el  guapo  Beresfor"  was  still  living. 
They  all  concurred  in  acknowledging  that  he  first 
taught  them  to  be  soldiers,  and  asked  many  questions 
as  to  his  career  after  he  had  left  that  country. 

From  Cordova  the  road  was  like  one  continued 
bowling-green.  The  postmasters  were  every  where 


400  GENERAL   PAROISSIEN.         CHAP.  XXXIII. 

most  attentive  to  the  orders  of  the  governor,  to  give 
their  best  horses,  and  have  them  in  readiness.  The 
pace  Miller  travelled  at,  averaged  about  fifteen  miles 
an  hour,  and  on  one  day,  from  sunrise  to  sunset,  he 
posted  it  in  this  way  fifty-two  leagues.  It  was  fre- 
quently necessary  to  throw  water  upon  the  wheels  of 
the  carriage,  to  prevent  ignition. 

When  he  arrived  within  one  hundred  leagues  of 
Buenos  Ayres,  the  postillions  were  alarmed  by  the 
appearance  of  an  immense  cloud  of  dust,  which  rose, 
towards  evening,  a  few  miles  before  them  on  the  road. 
They  said  it  must  be  caused  by  some  horde  of  In- 
dian savages,  that  occasionally  made  incursions  into 
this  part  of  the  country,  and  that,  they  knew,  never 
gave  quarter  to  male  travellers  who  fell  into  their 
hands.  The  postillions  evidently  felt  an  inclination  to 
wheel  about,  and  make  a  run  of  it ;  but  the  horses 
were  fagged,  and  the  cloud  of  dust  approaching  fast, 
there  appeared  no  hope  of  escape.  The  alarm,  how- 
ever, subsided,  on  the  appearance  of  a  tilted  carriage, 
something  like  an  English  ammunition  waggon. 
This  was  followed  by  other  carriages  and  horsemen. 
When  they  came  up,  Miller  was  most  agreeably  sur- 
prised by  hearing  his  own  name  uttered  in  the  well- 
known  voice  of  his  friend  and  countryman,  General 
Paroissien,  who  was  on  his  road  from  Buenos  Ayres 
to  Potosi,  to  take  possession  of  mines  which  had  been 
purchased  by  a  company  in  London.  He  travelled 
en  prince.  Sir  Edmund  Temple  accompanied  him 
as  secretary ;  under  secretaries  and  attaches  swelled 
out  the  train. 

Paroissien  entered  the  patriot  service  at  the  very 
commencement  of  the  revolution.    He  was  present  at 


CHAP.  XXXIII.      GENERAL   PAROISSIEN.  401 

Hauqui,  and  other  early  battles  in  Upper  Peru.  He  was 
chief  of  the  medical  staff  of  the  army  of  the  Andes 
until  1820,  when  he  was  appointed  aide-de-camp,  with 
the  rank  of  eolonel,  to  General  San  Martin.  After  the 
patriots  entered  Lima,  he  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of 
general  of  brigade,  and  sent  with  the  Senor  Don  Juan 
Garcia  del  Rio  on  a  mission  to  Europe.  Having  been 
relieved  from  the  duties  of  their  mission,  they  turned 
their  attention  to  mining  associations,  and  became 
directors  of  the  Potosi  company  formed  in  London. 
Paroissien  went  out  to  Peru  as  commissioner.  He 
died  in  1827,  °n  his  passage  from  Arica  to  Valpa- 
raiso. He  possessed  a  great  store  of  general  informa- 
tion, and  his  companionable  and  amiable  manners 
made  him  universally  esteemed. 

Miller  reached  Buenos  Ayres  on  the  6th'  of  Ja- 
nuary, 1826.  It  was  on  that  very  day,  eight  years 
before,  that  he  had  set  out  from  that  city  to  join  the 
army  of  the  Andes  in  Chile.  It  would  be  difficult 
to  describe  his  pleasurable  feelings  on  this  occasion. 
It  was  a  delightful  morning,  and  the  bustle  caused 
by  the  crowd  of  carriages,  waggons,  horses,  mules, 
market  people  and  inhabitants,  which  increased,  as  he 
advanced,  formed  a  pleasing  contrast  with  the  solitary 
pampas  he  had  just  left  behind.  The  marks  of 
growing  improvement  and  wealth  presented  them- 
selves at  every  step;  every  thing,  in  fact,  bore  to 
him  the  most  enlivening  and  exhilarating  appear- 
ance. These,  together  with  the  idea  of  embracing 
in  a  few  minutes  many  early  and  sincere  friends 
whom  he  had  not  seen  for  so  many  years,  created  a 
feeling  of  happiness  bordering  almost  on  ecstacy. 

VOL.  II.  »  » 


402  IIEIGN  OF  ANARCHY.  CHAP,  xxxiv. 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

Retrospect. — Buenos  Ayres. — Anarchy. — Rodriguez. — Provin- 
cial junta. — Improvements. — Banda  Oriental. — Lavalleja. — 
Congress. — War  with  the  Brazils. — Rivadavia. — Las  Heras. — 
Brown. — Alvear. — Policy  of  the  emperor. — Garcia. — Dorrego. 

HAVING  in  the  first  volume  represented  the  affairs 
of  the  Argentine  republic  to  have  been,  at  the  close 
of  the  year  1820,  in  a  state  of  the  wildest  disorder, 
they  have  since  been  referred  to  but  seldom.  The 
arrival  of  Miller  at  Buenos  Ayres  now  furnishes 
an  opportunity  of  making  some  remarks  upon  that 
subject. 

To  enumerate  the  factions  which  successively  got 
the  upper  hand  at  Buenos  Ayres,  or  to  describe  their 
various  intrigues  to  maintain  themselves  in  power, 
would  be  to  draw  a  most  disgusting  picture  of  the 
reign  of  anarchy.  Numerous  successive  governors 
seized  upon  office,  and  retained  it  but  for  a  few  weeks, 
and  in  some  instances  for  a  still  shorter  period.  These 
rapid  changes  were  generally  preceded  by  sanguinary 
struggles,  arid  followed  by  banishments  and  proscrip- 
tions; but  in  no  instance  was  confiscation  of  property 
resorted  to;  so  far  had  public  opinion  wrought  an 
improvement. 

During  the  period  which  elapsed  between  the  latter 
part  of  the  year  1819  and  the  commencement  of 
1821,  the  whole  of  the  provinces  severally  withdrew 
their  allegiance  from  the  central  government,  till  then 


CHAP.  XXXIV.       GOVERNOR  RODRIGUEZ.  403 

established  in  the  metropolis.  Thenceforward  each 
province  governed  itself  independently  of  the  rest. 
In  several  of  them  contentions  and  disturbances  arose, 
forming  a  counterpart  to  the  transactions  of  the 
capital. 

So  difficult  was  it,  at  one  time,  for  the  inhabitants 
to  know  who  was,  or  who  was  not,  at  the  head  of 
affairs,  that  Judge  Prevost,  an  agent  from  the  United 
States,  a  jocose  sort  of  gentleman,  used  every  morning 
before  breakfast  to  look  over  the  balcony  of  his  house, 
and  calling  out  to  the  first  person  passing  would  in- 
quire, "Who  governs  to-day?"  He  was  once  answered 
"  Quien  sabe?"  (who  can  tell?)  He  thought  this  so 
good  a  joke  that  he  often  repeated  it  to  his  friends, 
and  it  always  excited  a  good  deal  of  laughter,  until, 
reaching  the  ears  of  an  ephemeral  governor,  who  was 
more  than  usually  sensitive  to  sarcasm,  the  worthy 
judge  was  obliged  very  unceremoniously,  and  at  four 
hours'  notice,  to  ship  himself  off  for  Chile,  in  the 
Enterprise,  belonging  to  Mr.  Samuel  Haigh,  who 
went  round  Cape  Horn  in  the  same  vessel. 

This  series  of  continual  changes  was  at  length 
terminated  by  the  appointment  of  Colonel  Don  Mar- 
tin Rodriguez,  a  rich  landed  proprietor,  a  man  of 
considerable  energy  and  determination,  and  very  po- 
pular with  the  inhabitants,  particularly  the  gauchos. 
He  was  of  an  unambitious  character,  and  displayed 
much  good  sense  in  directing  the  power  with  which 
he  was  invested,  to  the  formation  of  a  settled  admi- 
nistration. The  people,  wearied  out  by  the  harassing 
effects  of  varied  misrule,  seconded  the  efforts  of  Ro- 

D  D  2 


PROVINCIAL  JUNTA.          CHAP,  xxxiv. 

driguez,  and  gave  effect  to  his  patriotic  intentions, 
He  evinced  the  soundest  discrimination  in  the  choice 
of  his  colleagues,  who,  having  been  absent  from  the 
scene  of  anarchy,  or  out  of  the  country  for  some  time 
previously,  were  altogether  unconnected  with  the  in- 
trigues that  had  so  long  distracted  the  republic.  Don 
Bernardino  Rivadavia  was  appointed  secretary  for 
foreign  and  home  affairs,  and  became  the  soul  of  the 
new  government.  Don  Francisco  Cruz  was  made 
secretary  for  the  war  department,  and  Don  Manuel 
Garcia,  secretary  of  finance. 

Notwithstanding  the  secession  of  the  provinces,  the 
government  of  Buenos  Ayres  was  by  tacit  consent, 
the  only  channel  through  which  negotiations  with 
foreign  powers  were  carried  on.  All  foreign  agents 
and  consuls  resided  in  that  capital. 

One  of  the  first  acts  of  the  new  administration  was 
the  formation  of  a  constituent  provincial  junta  of 
thirteen  members.  Four  represented  the  city,  and 
nine  the  province.  Talents,  good  sense,  and  en- 
lightened judgment,  distinguished  the  proceedings  of 
this  body.  Gomez,  Aguerro,  Frias,  and  others,  spoke 
with  the  eloquence  of  Roman  or  British  senators, 
and  regular  reports  of  their  debates  were  printed 
and  circulated  throughout  the  provinces,  where  they 
were  read  with  great  avidity. 

On  the  recommendation  of  the  executive,  which 
was  empowered  to  propose  laws,  the  junta  passed  de- 
crees, which  were  not  merely  printed  and  promul- 
gated, but  ACTUALLY  CARRIED  INTO  EFFECT: 

For  the  inviolability  of  persons  and  property. 


CHAP.  XXXIV.  WISE  LAWS.  405 

Oblivion  of  past  political  offences. 

Religious  toleration. 

Extinction  of  the  monastic  orders. 

The  liberty  of  the  press. 

The  administration  of  justice  was  rendered  more 
pure. 

The  utmost  attention  was  paid  to  the  education  of 
the  rising  generation.  An  university  was  erected, 
and  one  hundred  students,  from  the  provinces  which 
had  seceded,  were  kept  on  the  establishment  at  the 
expense  of  Buenos  Ayres. 

Many  schools  were  established  in  the  capital,  and 
several  in  the  province. 

Fifty  or  sixty  youths  of  the  first  families  were  sent 
to  England,  France,  or  the  United  States,  for  educa- 
tion. This  number  is  rather  upon  the  increase. 

The  public  library  founded  by  Moreno  was  fre- 
quently enriched  by  donations. 

A  bank  was  established,  which  contributed  greatly 
to  sustain  public  credit.  The  whole  of  its  expenses 
were  defrayed  by  the  profits  arising  from  the  dis- 
counting of  bills.  The  directors  were  chosen  from 
amongst  the  native  merchants  and  British  residents, 
who,  for  the  most  part,  had  acquired  the  privileges 
of  citizens.  The  very  able  secretary,  Don  Santiago 
Wilde,  was  an  Englishman. 

A  savings  bank  was  also  introduced,  and  it  was 
well  supported. 

The  few  charitable  institutions  of  Buenos  Ayres 
became  objects  of  public  attention,  and  vaccination 
was  very  generally  introduced. 


406  WISE  LAWS.  CHAP,  xxxiv. 

Scientific  associations  and  harmonic  clubs  were 
formed  and  well  attended.  A  civic  police  was  or- 
ganized, and  put  in  a  most  efficient  state,  not  only  in 
the  city,  but  in  several  of  the  provinces.  The  foreign 
residents,  alive  to  the  welfare  of  philanthropic  institu- 
tions, took  the  lead  in  the  formation  of  a  Lancasterian 
school.  The  highly  talented  Dona  Mariquita  de 
Thompson,  Doila  Mercedes  de  Riglos,  and  other 
respectable  Buenos  Ayrean  ladies,  as  well  as  gentle- 
men, gave  their  powerful  assistance,  and  the  esta- 
blishment, which  became  very  popular,  was  speedily 
put  upon  the  best  possible  footing. 

Buenos  Ayres  cannot  be  justly  accused  of  having 
willingly  remained  a  tame  spectator  of  the  concluding 
campaigns  of  the  war  in  Peru.  That  state  had  as- 
sisted the  inhabitants  of  Chile  in  shaking  off  their 
dependence  upon  Spain;  and  both  had  conjointly 
laid  the  foundation  for  the  liberation  of  Peru.  But 
these  costly  efforts  had  exhausted  the  resources  of 
Buenos  Ayres,  and,  together  with  civil  discord,  had 
reduced  the  republic  to  a  single  province.  She  had 
therefore  no  longer  the  power,  had  she  possessed  the 
will,  to  continue  to  assist  Peru  in  fighting  the  battles 
of  independence.  Under  these  circumstances,  she 
wisely  confined  her  attention  to  the  amelioration  of 
her  own  internal  affairs.  Her  ministers  aspired  to 
the  durable  glory  of  establishing  a  government  worthy 
of  being  imitated  by  every  other  section  of  South 
America,  and  they  succeeded. 

In  pursuance  of  a  very  judicious  plan  of  retrench- 
ment, the  army  was  reduced  to  a  few  hundred  re- 


CHAP,  xxxiv.      PROSPERITY  OF  BUENOS  AYRES.          407 

gulars,  which,  with  the  militia,  were  put  upon  a 
respectable  footing,  in  order  to  provide  against  the 
incursions  of  the  Indians  *. 

Such  officers  as  were  unemployed,  and  who  had 
served  either  at  home  or  in  Chile  and  Peru,  received 
a  very  handsome  retired  allowance. 

Privateering  was  put  a  stop  to  ;  and  only  a  few 
gun-boats  remained  in  commission,  which  were  kept 
in  the  roadstead  of  Buenos  Ayres. 

A  new  impulse  was  given  to  commerce ;  the 
custom-house  was  re-modelled  ;  smuggling  was  most 
effectually  prevented ;  and  activity,  zeal,  and  honesty, 
until  then  very  far  from  general,  pervaded  this  as  well 
as  every  other  public  department. 

Government,  consulting  its  own  dignity,  declined 
to  communicate  with  commanders  of  foreign  vessels, 
or  with  other  persons,  however  duly  authorized,  un- 
less the  communication  was  made  agreeably  to  the 
forms  observed  in  the  intercourse  between  inde- 
pendent nations. 

Rodriguez  having  served  three  years,  the  period 
prescribed  by  the  provincial  junta,  General  Don 
Gregorio  de  las  Heras  was  duly  elected  his  suc- 
cessor. About  the  same  time  Rivadavia  came  to 
England ;  but  the  same  excellent  system  of  govern- 


•  During  the  period  of  anarchy,  the  Indians  had  become  very  formidable  to 
Buenos  Ayres,  and  to  the  Creole  population  in  general  throughout  the  Pampas  ; 
they  had  so  much  increased  in  numbers  and  audacity,  that  the  patriot  cavalry 
parties  sent  to  repel  their  incursions  were  often  put  to  a  disgraceful  flight.  Cap- 
tarn,  now  Colonel,  Rauch,  a  very  brave  German,  put  a  stop  to  these  irruptions 
by  adopting  the  plan  of  forming  his  men  on  foot  into  hollow  squares,  with  their 
horses  in  the  centre.  By  keeping  up  a  well-directed  fire  on  the  assailants,  they 
were  always  repulsed  ;  upon  which  his  troops,  remounting  their  horses,  pursued 
the  fugitives  at  an  advantage  with  great  slaughter.  The  brave  and  intrepid 
Rauch  has  since  proceeded  to  attack  these  Indians  in  their  own  territory,  and 
has  so  intimidated  them  as  completely  to  put  a  stop  to  their  inroads. 


408  THE   REVENUE.  CHAP.  XXXIV. 

ment  was  continued.  The  republic,  rising  in  re- 
spectability, was  successively  recognised  by  Portugal, 
the  United  States,  and  Great  Britain.  The  pro- 
vinces, which,  as  before  stated,  had  separated  from 
the  metropolis,  perceiving  the  beneficial  results  arising 
from  good  government,  began  to  manifest  a  desire  of 
re-connecting  themselves  with  Buenos  Ayres;  but 
although  this  feeling  was  in  consonance  with  the 
wishes  of  the  government,  which  probably  encouraged 
it,  it  still  very  properly  abstained  from  any  official  act 
that  could  be  construed  into  an  anxiety  to  recover 
its  former  supremacy.  In  a  short  time  the  provinces 
spontaneously  expressed  their  willingness  to  send  de- 
puties to  represent  them  in  a  general  congress,  which 
they  proposed  should  be  held  at  Buenos  Ayres. 

The  congress  being  installed  on  the  16th  of  De- 
cember, 1824,  it  was  determined  that  for  every  7500 
inhabitants  a  deputy  should  be  returned,  and  conse- 
quently the  number  was  materially  increased.  Each 
deputy  received  two  thousand  dollars  annually,  ex- 
clusive of  his  travelling  allowances. 

The  revenue  was  so  well  administered  that  it  not 
only  covered  the  ordinary  expenditure,  but  also  paid 
the  interest  of  the  loan  raised  in  England.  The 
following  translation  of  an  official  return  shows  the 
increase  of  the  net  revenue  of  the  province  of  Buenos 
Ayres  for  the  following  years : 

Dollars. 

1822  ,  .  .  .         2,052,924 

1823  .  2,367,912 

1824  .  .  .  .         2,588,784 

1825  .  .  .  2,633,148 


CHAP,  xxxiv.          WAK   WITH  THE  BRAZILS.  409 

As  a  further  proof  of  increasing  prosperity,  the 
following  number  of  houses  were  built  in  the  course 
of  four  years,  viz. 

In  Town.       Country.        Total. 

1822  .  .  .  144  12  156 

1823  .  .  .  113  26  139 

1824  .  .  .  165  57  222 

1825  '.  .  .  161  38  199 

583       133         716 

Some  of  the  streets  of  Buenos  Ayres  were  formerly 
impassable,  for  days  together,  during  the  rainy  season, 
even  on  horseback ;  a  few  only  of  the  principal  ones 
being  paved  ;  however,  between  the  years  1822  and 
1825,  a  length  of  street  of  more  than  two  leagues, 
and  about  forty  feet  in  width,  was  paved. 

In  1817,  the  city  of  Buenos  Ayres  did  not  con- 
tain above  sixty  thousand  inhabitants.  In  1826, 
the  population  had  augmented  to  one  hundred 
thousand. 

It  was  £t  this  prosperous  period  that  war  broke 
out  between  the  Buenos  Ayrean  republic  and  the 
Brazils.  In  Chapter  III.  it  is  stated  that  the  Bra- 
zilians, in  January,  1817,  took  possession  of  the 
Banda  Oriental,  under  pretence  of  putting  down 
anarchy,  and  to  prevent  the  contagion  spreading  to 
the  Brazils.  The  Buenos  Ayreans,  unable  to  repress 
the  irruption  of  the  Portuguese,  did  not  oppose  the 
occupation  j  but  stipulated,  as  the  condition  of  non- 
interference, that,  as  soon  as  provincial  dissensions 


410  BANDA  ORIENTAL.  CHAP,  xxxiv. 

should  cease,  and  Buenos  Ayres  should  possess  a 
regular  and  stable  government,  not  likely  to  excite 
the  alarm  of  its  neighbour,  the  Portuguese  should 
retire  from  the  Banda  Oriental.  This  condition  was 
agreed  to  by  the  court  of  Rio  Janeiro,  and  the  Por- 
tuguese continued  in  possession,  molested  only  by 
various  provincial  guerrilla  parties,  which  were  never 
entirely  put  down. 

During  the  administration  of  Rodriguez,  the 
Buenos  Ayreaps  demanded  the  evacuation  of  the 
Banda  Oriental,  in  conformity  to  the  agreement  be- 
tween the  two  powers.  In  consequence  of  these 
demands,  King  John  VI.  ordered  General  Lecor, 
governor  of  Monte  Video,  to  assemble  the  principal 
inhabitants  of  the  district  in  dispute,  for  the  purpose 
of  ascertaining  whether  they  would  prefer  being 
united  to  the  Brazils,  or  being  re-incorporated  with 
Buenos  Ayres.  This  was  an  infraction  of  the  agree- 
ment ;  but  it  was  fair  when  compared  with  the  manner 
in  which  the  order  was  executed,  and  the  subsequent 
conduct  of  the  Emperor  Don  Pedro. 

I^ecor,  who  had  married  a  young  and  very  beauti- 
ful lady  of  Monte  Video,  having  perhaps  a  per- 
sonal irjterest  in  remaining  there,  made  up  a  junta 
to  suit  his  own  views,  and  obtained  from  them  a  de- 
claration that  the  general  wish  was  to  continue 
under  the  dominion  of  his  Most  Faithful  Majesty. 
Pinheyro,  the  minister  of  John  VI.,  informed,  through 
other  channels,  of  the  real  sentiments  of  the  Orien- 
taleSy  wrote  to  Lecor,  telling  him  that  he  had  dis- 
obeyed the  orders  of  the  king,  and  that  a  new  as- 


CHAP.  XXXIV.  BANDA  ORIENTAL.  411 

sembly  of  the  people  must  be  convened  to  ascertain 
their  free  and  unbiassed  opinion  *.  Before  this 
order  could  be  carried  into  execution,  the  king  sailed 
from  Rio  Janeiro  for  Lisbon ;  and  the  emperor,  his 
son  and  successor,  turned  a  deaf  ear  to  every  subse- 
quent remonstrance. 

The  Orientates,  observing  the  growing  prosperity 
of  Buenos  Ayres,  repeatedly  signified  their  wishes  to 
re-unite  themselves  with  that  province ;  while  the 
Argentines  themselves  could  not  behold  with  indif- 
ference the  key  of  the  Rio  de  la  Plata  in  the  hands 
of  the  Brazils.  They  again  reminded  the  court  of 
Rio  Janeiro  of  the  condition  upon  which  the  Portu- 
guese troops  had  been  permitted  to  take  and  retain 
possession  of  the  Banda  Oriental ;  but  received  for 
answer,  that  the  Orientates  had  expressed  their 
wishes,  and  therefore  should  not  be  abandoned. 

The  Buenos  Ayrean  government  clearly  foresaw 
the  disastrous  consequences  of  a  war;  but  it  was 
borne  along  by  the  irresistible  torrent  of  public  opi- 
nion, loudly,  energetically,  and  unanimously  ex- 
pressed. To  have  attempted  to  stem  that  torrent 
would  have  produced  the  immediate  dissolution  of 
the  administration,  without  preventing  the  war. 

In  1825,  Don  Juan  Lavalleja,  a  native  of  the  Banda 
Oriental,  and  who  had  long  served  with  distinction 
under  the  brave  Artigas,  collected  a  party  of  thirty- 
two  trusty  comrades,  principally  Orientates,  and 


*  This  fair  and  honourable  proceeding  of  the  liberal  and  enlightened  Portu- 
guese minister,  Pinheyro,  is  further  seen  in  his  release  of  the  Orientates  con- 
fined as  prisoners  of  war  on  the  island  of  Cobras,  in  the  harbour  of  Rio  Janeiro. 
Amongst  seventy  or  eighty,  so  set  at  liberty,  were  Lavalleja,  and  a  brother  of 
Artigas. 


BANDA   ORIENTAL.  CHAP,  xxxiv. 

crossed  the  Plata  in  an  open  launch.  They  disem- 
barked at  midnight  on  the  left  bank  of  the  river, 
and,  carrying  their  saddles  and  bridles  with  them, 
proceeded  to  a  hacienda  well  known  to  them,  and 
procured  horses.  Without  losing  a  moment  of  time, 
they  advanced  to  a  place  called  El  Rincon  de  las 
Gallinas,  and,  in  the  night  of  the  24th  September, 
fell  unawares  upon  a  strong  Brazilian  detachment. 
This  party  was  commanded  by  Don  Fructose  Rivera, 
an  Oriental  by  birth,  but  who  was  now  in  the  Bra- 
zilian service.  He  instantly  changed  sides;  and, 
with  his  assistance,  Lavalleja,  reinforced  at  every 
step,  was  enabled  to  surprise  other  strong  parties  of 
imperialists.  By  this  time  the  news  of  Lavalleja's 
arrival  spread  like  wildfire  through  the  province, 
and  he  shortly  found  himself  at  the  head  of  two 
thousand  gauchos.  The  Orientales  rose  en  masse ; 
and  the  imperialists  withdrew  to  Monte  Video  and 
Colonia,  the  only  two  fortresses  in  the  province. 
Two  thousand  well  appointed  Brazilian  cavalry  were 
sent  out  from  Monte  Video  under  the  orders  of 
Colonel  Ventos  Gonzales,  an  officer  of  reputation, 
and  who,  on  setting  out,  promised  to  annihilate  La- 
valleja. On  the  12th  of  October,  the  hostile  parties 
came  within  sight  of  each  other  at  La  Cuchilla  de 
Sttrandi.  The  Brazilians  were  well  armed,  well  dis- 
ciplined, and  advanced  in  the  steadiest  order.  The 
gauchos  had  only  lances  and  swords :  they  being 
anxious  to  be  led  on,  made  a  great  noise;  but  La- 
valleja, perceiving  that  the  enemy  advanced  with 
their  carbines  in  their  hands,  ordered  his  men  not  to 
move  until  the  imperialists  should  have  fired,  which 


CHAP.  XXXIV.        GENERAL  LAS  HERAS.  413 

was  to  be  the  signal  for  them  to  charge.  About 
sixty  of  the  gauchos  were  killed  by  the  volley ;  but 
the  rest  rushed  on  before  the  Brazilians  could  draw 
their  swords.  With  the  exception  of  about  two 
hundred,  who  escaped,  the  whole  of  the  Fidalgo 
party,  as  they  were  called,  were  killed  or  taken  pri- 
soners. Lavalleja  became  governor  of  the  Banda 
Oriental.  He  convoked  a  provincial  junta,  which 
declared  it  to  be  the  general  wish  of  the  Orientates 
to  incorporate  themselves  with  Buenos  Ayres;  and 
on  the  25th  October,  1825,  this  province  was  ad- 
mitted into  the  Argentine  federation.  Lavalleja  was 
made  brigadier-general. 

On  the  10th  December,  1825,  the  emperor  declared 
war.  The  Buenos  Ayrean  declaration  followed,  on 
the  8d  of  January,  1826. 

Don  Bernardino  Rivadavia  returned  from  Europe 
in  December,  1825,  being  the  bearer  of  the  ratified 
treaty  of  commerce  and  amity  between  Great  Britain 
and  the  provinces  of  the  Rio  de  la  Plata.  He  was 
elected  president  of  the  republic  on  the  7tn  of  Fe- 
bruary, 1826.  He  appointed  Don  Julian  Segunda 
de  Aguerro,  secretary  for  the  home  department; 
General  Don  Francisco  de  la  Cruz,  secretary  for 
foreign  affairs,  in  the  room  of  Don  Manuel  Garcia, 
who  had  declined  accepting  office;  General  Don 
Carlos  Alvear,  secretary  at  war;  and  Don  Salvador 
Maria  Carril,  secretary  of  finance. 

The  provincial  junta  formed  during  the  governor- 
ship of  Rodriguez  dissolved  itself,  and  the  affairs  of 
the  province  were  placed  under  the  immediate  direc- 
tion of  the  president  of  the  republic.  Accordingly, 


ADMIRAL  BUOWN.  CHAP,  xxxiv. 

General  Las  Heras,  the  successor  of  Rodriguez, 
vacated  his  seat.  He  immediately  retired  to  Chile, 
chagrined,  it  was  said,  at  not  being  re-elected,  and 
somewhat  disgusted  at  the  supercilious  and  pompous 
manner  with  which  Rivadavia  treated  him.  Las 
Heras  is  one  of  the  earliest  and  bravest  defenders  of 
the  republic.  To  a  soldier-like  frankness  and  firm- 
ness, and  to  the  most  upright  conduct  in  office,  he 
united  a  scrupulous  deference  to  the  legislative  body. 
He  signalized  himself  in  the  field,  while  Rivadavia 
was  moving  at  his  ease  from  one  European  capital  to 
another,  and  where,  perhaps,  he  might  have  remained 
in  comparative  obscurity,  but  for  the  gallantry  of  Las 
Heras  at  Cancharayada. 

The  provinces  entered  into  the  spirit  of  the  war, 
and  furnished  their  contingents  with  great  readiness. 

The  gallant  Captain  Brown,  who  so  highly  di- 
stinguished himself  in  the  taking  of  Monte  Video  in 
1814,  was  now  made  admiral,  and  appointed  to  com- 
mand the  Buenos  Ayrean  flotilla,  recently  augmented 
by  some  small  vessels  of  war.  A  number  of  unem- 
ployed seamen,  of  all  nations,  who  generally  abound 
in  the  principal  sea-ports  of  South  America,  eagerly 
flocked  on  board  the  flotilla.  Influenced  by  the  same 
feeling,  many  British  residents,  established  in  small 
shops,  gave  up  a  thriving  trade  to  serve  as  volunteers 
under  the  intrepid  Brown.  Even  many  of  the  settlers 
sent  out  from  England  by  Mr.  Barber  Beaumont  re- 
linquished their  agricultural  prospects,  and  entered 
the  service  with  enthusiasm. 

The  admiral  performed  many  brilliant  exploits 
against  very  superior  forces  in  the  outer  roads  of 


CHAP.  XXXIV.  ADMIRAL   BROWN.  415 

Buenos  Ayres,  as  well  as  off  Monte  Video,  and  several 
other  parts  of  the  river. 

In  the  contemplation  of  an  approaching  rupture, 
an  army  of  observation  had  been  formed  on  the  right 
bank  of  the  Uruguay.  General  Alvear,  having  re- 
turned from  his  mission  in  Upper  Peru,  was  named 
general-in-chief*.  The  army  consisted  of  about 
seven  thousand  five  hundred  regulars,  besides  about 
three  thousand  armed  gauchos  and  militia,  who  were 
with  Lavalleja  and  other  chiefs.  The  Buenos  Ayreans 
gained  the  battle  of  Ituzaingo  on  the  20th  of  Febru- 
ary, 182y.  The  war  continued.  A  change  took  place 
in  the  government;  commerce  was  crippled;  and 
public  credit  shaken.  Foreign  merchants,  and 
some  wealthy  natives  who  had  speculated  in  govern- 
ment securities,  suffered  most  severely.  But  with 
these  exceptions,  the  war  was  as  popular  as  ever. 
The  victory  of  Ituzaingo  and  the  brilliant  efforts  of 
the  gallant  Admiral  Brown  were  alike  the  theme  of 
their  constant  exultation.  War  suits  the  taste  of  the 
restless  gaucho,  who  could  now  procure  his  favourite 
dish  of  came  con  cuero  as  easily  as  in  former  days. 
The  Mendozinos,  and  the  inhabitants  of  other  pro- 
vinces producing  wines  and  brandy,  were  no  longer 


*  Alvear,  when  a  boy,  was  conveyed  from  Buenos  Ayres  to  Europe  in  one  of 
the  four  Spanish  frigates  captured  by  the  British,  previous  to  the  declaration  of 
war  in  1804.  The  day  before  the  action  took  place,  Alvear  went  with  his  fa- 
ther  on  board  another  frigate,  intending  to  return  to  their  own  ship,  but  before 
they  did  so  the  engagement  commenced,  and  in  the  course  of  it,  the  frigate  'they 
had  quitted  blew  up,  when,  with  the  exception  of  the  father  and  son,  every  mem- 
ber of  the  family  perished.  During  his  residence  in  the  Peninsula,  young  Alvear 
married  a  beautiful  and  accomplished  Spanish  lady,  whom  he  took  to  Buenos 
Ayres  in  1812.  At  the  age  of  twenty-four,  he  was  supreme  director  of  the  Ar. 
gentine  republic ;  but  he  soon  lost  the  favour  of  the  people.  He  is  a  man  of 
remarkably  quick,  clear,  and  keen  intellect ;  and  although  his  education  was 
neglected,  he  possesses  the  powers  of  eloquence  in  an  eminent  degree.  His  man- 
ners are  frank,  refined,  and  gentlemanly.  He  is  highly  popular  with  the  army. 


416  EMPEROR  OF  BRAZIL.  CHAP,  xxxiv, 

undersold  by  the  French;  and  although  the  govern- 
ment and  the  principal  inhabitants  of  Buenos  Ayres 
would  gladly  have  made  peace,  yet  no  treaty  could  be 
carried  into  full  effect  if  it  did  not  stipulate  for  the 
union  of  the  Banda  Oriental  with  Buenos  Ayres, 
or,  at  least,  for  its  absolute  independence. 

The  pertinacity  of  the  Emperor  could  be  accounted 
for  only  on  the  supposition  that  he  had  been  grossly 
deceived  with  regard  to  the  real  sentiments  of  the 
inhabitants  of  the  Banda  Oriental ;  and  that,  having 
incautiously  expressed  his  determination,  he  was  likely 
to  attempt  to  retain  the  province,  not  only  at  a  price 
far  above  its  value,  but  at  the  risk  of  some  re-actions 
that  might  render  it  a  dearly  purchased  prize.  Don 
Pedro  is  a  very  fine  young  man,  generous  and  high- 
spirited  j  but  perhaps  his  character  would  be  seen  to 
more  advantage  as  King  of  Portugal  than  as  Emperor 
of  the  Brazils  j  and  it  was  not  likely  that  he  would 
condescend  to  receive  a  lesson  from  any  other  hand 
than  that  of  dear-bought  experience.  One  of  his  mi- 
nisters made  a  faithful  statement  of  the  affairs  of  the 
Banda  Oriental,  in  which  he  proved  the  impolicy 
of  persevering  in  a  war  which  had  already  absorbed 
a  great  portion  of  the  resources  of  the  empire.  The 
minister  was  turned  out  of  office,  and  it  is  not  to  be 
supposed  that  his  majesty  was  often  troubled  with 
any  opinions  on  a  subject  displeasing  to  the  imperial 
ear. 

By  looking  at  the  map,  the  river  Plata  seems  to  form 
a  very  excellent  natural  boundary  to  the  Brazilian 
territory  on  the  south ;  but  the  former  south-western 
frontier  is  a  far  better  one,  for  many  reasons.  Be- 


CHAP.  XXXIV.  NATIONAL  BOUNDARY.  417 

twecn  it  and  the  Banda  Oriental  is  a  breadth  of 
country  nearly  desert,  and  very  thinly  peopled.  On 
that  side,  Brazil  offers  no  temptations  to  an  invading 
force ;  whereas  to  extend  the  Brazilian  empire,  to  the 
Plata  and  Uruguay,  would  be  to  invite  attacks,  those 
rivers  affording  so  many  facilities  to  hostile  enterprise. 
Brazils  and  Buenos  Ayres,  brought  into  close  con- 
tact, would  possess  the  power  of  doing  each  other  in- 
finite mischief.  In  such  case,  who,  on  the  one  hand, 
would  answer  for  the  commercial  prosperity  of  Buenos 
Ayres  ?  or,  on  the  other,  for  the  stability  of  the  im- 
perial throne? 

Notwithstanding  the  disinclination  of  the  Buenos 
Ayrean  population  to  peace,  Rivadavia  suffered  him- 
self to  be  persuaded  by  the  British  embassy,  or  rather 
circumstances  obliged  him,  to  send  Dr.  Don  Manuel 
Garcia  to  Rio  Janeiro  to  negotiate  a  treaty.  In  doing 
this,  the  learned  doctor  exceeded  his  instructions,  and 
took  upon  himself  to  cede  the  Banda  Oriental  to  the 
Brazils.  The  treaty  was  rejected  by  Rivadavia,  and 
the  rejection  was  approved  by  congress.  The  attempt 
to  make  peace  on  such  terms  inflamed  the  discontents 
which  had  been  produced  by  the  effects  of  the  war. 
Rivadavia  was  blamed  for  the  unaccountable  conduct 
of  Garcia,  and  lost  ground  in  the  public  feeling,  from 
that  reason,  as  well  as  from  the  unpopularity  of  his 
manners.  But  the  intrigues  of  the  party  of  Garcia, 
who,  it  is  said,  was  countenanced  by  the  British  mini- 
ster, tended,  more  than  any  other  cause,  to  produce  dis- 
content, and  Rivadavia  resigned,  together  with  all  his 
ministers.  The  congress  was  dissolved,  and  each  of  the 
provinces  of  the  Rio  de  la  Plata  again  governed  itself, 

VOL.   II.  E  E 


418  DON  BERNARDINO  CHAP,  xxxiv. 

independent  of  the  rest.  In  transactions  with  foreign 
powers,  the  government  of  the  province  of  Buenos 
Ayres  still  represented  the  others,  and  they  on  the 
other  hand  furnished  voluntary  contingents,  to  assist 
in  carrying  on  the  war  against  Brazil.  The  patriot 
army  was  commanded  by  the  brave  General  Lavalleja. 

General  Dorrego  was  the  next  governor  of  the 
province  and  city  of  Buenos  Ayres.  He  is  active, 
brave,  clever,  vivacious,  and  kind-hearted,  but  he  is 
also  of  a  hasty  disposition.  Did  he  but  possess  as 
much  stability  of  character,  and  prudence  of  conduct, 
as  he  has  courage  and  talent,  he  would  be  one  of  the 
first  men  of  the  republic. 

Although  Rivadavia  is  now  living  in  retirement, 
at  his  country  house,  near  Buenos  Ayres,  it  is  not 
unlikely  that  his  useful  talents  will  again  place  him 
in  a  situation  to  give  his  country  the  benefit  of  his 
experience;  on  which  account  the  following  parti- 
culars are  added. 

Don  Bernardino  Rivadavia  was  educated  at  the 
college  of  San  Carlos,  in  his  native  city  of  Buenos 
Ayres.  He  was  intended  for  the  law,  but  never  prac- 
tised it.  He  married  the  daughter  of  the  late  Don 
Joaquin  Pino,  formerly  viceroy  of  Buenos  Ayres.  In 
September,  1811,  Rivadavia  was  appointed  secretary 
to  the  junta  of  the  revolutionary  government.  He 
w.as  sent  to  England  with  General  Belgrano,  for  the 
purpose  of  effecting  a  reconciliation  with  Spain.  Riva- 
davia proceeded  to  Madrid ;  but  not  succeeding  in 
the  object  of  his  journey  there,  he  went  to  Paris, 
where  he  resided  for  some  time,  and  then  came  to 
London,  He  returned  to  Buenos  Ayres,  and  was 


CHAP.  XXXIV.  1UVADAVIA.  419 

appointed  secretary  of  state  under  the  governor,  Ro- 
driguez. His  important  services  are  best  seen  in  the 
detail  given  of  his  administration.  In  Rivadavia 
there  is  an  affectation  of  superiority,  and  a  hauteur 
exceedingly  repulsive ;  but  these  are  counterbalanced 
by  a  strength  and  capaciousness  of  mind,  combined 
with  a  high  degree  of  political  courage,  which  places 
him  far  above  every  other  South  American  who  has 
yet  appeared  in  the  character  of  a  statesman.  He  is 
as  generally  disliked  personally  as  he  is  admired  po- 
litically, and  possesses  as  few  personal  friends  as  he 
does  political  enemies.  His  private  character  displays 
great  purity  of  conduct,  and  those  who  are  well  ac- 
quainted with  him  say  that  even  his  haughty  and  for- 
bidding manners  gradually  wear  off' on  acquaintance; 
and  that,  when  some  progress  has  been  made  in  his 
confidence,  he  is  found  to  possess  a  rare  union  of 
mildness  and  energy,  an  ardent  love  of  his  country, 
a  total  absence  of  vindictive  spirit,  and  the  warmest 
attachment  to  his  friends. 

Having  given  an  outline  of  the  revolution,  some- 
thing perhaps  should  be  said  on  the  superior  ad- 
vantages which  the  Argentine  republic  possesses,  in 
its  geographical  position ;  in  the  fertility  of  its  soil ; 
in  the  number  and  extent  of  its  navigable  rivers ;  in 
the  benignity  of  its  climate,  and  in  the  capabilities  of 
its  inhabitants. 

The  coast,  which  extends  southward  from  Cape 
Santa  Maria,  in  33°  south  latitude,  presents  several 
bays,  where  good  ports  might  be  established :  but  the 
only  point  on  the  Atlantic  occupied  by  the  Argen- 
tines is  that  near  the  mouth  of  the  Rio  Negro,  where 

E  E2 


420         ADVANTAGES  OF  THE  PROVINCES  CHAP,  xxxiv. 

a  small  colony  has  been  formed,  and  a  fort  built, 
which  serves  as  a  rendezvous  for  privateers.     The 
Brazilians  made  an  unsuccessful  attack  upon  this  set- 
tlement, when  their  whole  expedition,  consisting  of 
four  vessels  and  seven  hundred  men,  was  captured; 
most  of  the  men  were  either  admitted  into  the  ser- 
vice, or  allowed  to  remain  as  colonists.     Southward 
of  the  Rio  Negro  is  the  country  occupied  by  the  Pa- 
tagonians,  who  are  not  remarkable  for  loftiness  of 
stature,  as  some  of  the  earlier  navigators  have  as- 
serted. 

The  provinces  of  the  Rio  de  la  Plata  possess  incal- 
culable advantages.  Buenos  Ay  res  and  Monte  Video, 
the  keys  of  the  river  Plata,  and  of  considerable  im- 
portance even  at  this  moment,  will  become  infinitely 
more  valuable  in  the  course  of  a  few  years.  By  means 
of  the  Uruguay,  Parana,  Bermejo,  Pilcomayo,  Para- 
guay, and  other  great  rivers,  that  send  their  waters 
to  the  "sea-like  Plata,"  inland  navigation  can  be  car- 
ried on  in  almost  every  direction,  even  to  some  of  the 
provinces  lying  at  the  very  base  of  the  Andes.     In 
many  parts  of  the  Pampas,  vegetation  is  so  vigorous 
and  rapid,  that  nothing  seems  to  be  wanting  but  in- 
dustry, and  the  fostering  security  of  peace,  to  render 
them  equal  in  productiveness  to  any  part  of  the  world. 
In  the  province  of  San  Juan,  wheat  yields  a  hundred- 
fold; Tucuman,  San  Juan,  and  Paraguay,  produce 
timber  of  excellent  quality;  Mendoza,  wines,  brandy, 
and  dried  fruits;  while  the  staple  commodities,  hides, 
tallow,  jerked  beef,  horses  and  mules,  are  common  to 
all  the  provinces,  as  well  as  minor  articles  of  export, 
such  as  tiger  skins,  horns,  ostrich  feathers,  otter  skins, 


CHAP,  xxxiv.         OF  THE  RIO  DE  LA  PLATA.  421 

&c.  The  temperature,  generally  speaking,  may  be 
compared  to  that  of  the  south  of  Europe.  The  atmo- 
sphere is  so  clear,  that  in  1819  and  1824  the  planet 
Venus  was  visible  to  the  naked  eye  at  noon-day.  The 
Pampas  are  however  occasionally  subject  to  violent 
storms  of  thunder  and  lightning,  accompanied  by 
heavy  rains.  In  some  years,  clouds  of  locusts  arise 
from  the  Brazilian  frontier,  and  fly  towards  the 
Andes,  destroying  vegetation  wherever  they  alight. 
These  destructive  insects  are  a  serious  annoyance  to 
the  traveller.  Sometimes  they  are  in  such  numbers 
that,  during  a  journey  of  several  days,  the  air  appears 
every  where  completely  filled  with  them.  The  ground 
is  also  occasionally  covered  by  them,  and  as  they  rise 
from  it,  on  the  traveller's  approach,  his  face  and  eyes 
are  frequently  struck  with  violence  by  the  locusts  as 
they  fly  against  him. 

The  Creole  population  of  the  provinces  of  the  Rio 
de  la  Plata  is  principally  of  Andalusian  parentage. 
The  extreme  vivacity  of  their  imagination  sufficiently 
bespeaks  their  descent.  The  educated  people  display 
a  shrewdness  and  superiority  of  talent ;  and  the  most 
illiterate  gaucho  often  makes  a  repartee  as  full  of 
point  as  the  sharpest  sayings  of  his  Andalusian  ances- 
tors, and  possesses  as  much  broad  and  naive  humour 
as  any  of  the  sons  of  Erin.  Amongst  the  native  dra- 
matic productions  is  a  farce  called  the  Gaucho;  writ- 
ten, it  is  true,  in  inelegant  Spanish ;  but  the  dialogue 
sparkles  with  such  flashes  of  genuine  wit  and  discri- 
minating humour,  that  if  the  Buenos  Ayreans  pos- 
sessed a  Listen  or  a  Mathews,  the  untutored  genius 
of  the  Creolean  Aristophanes  would  not  be  hidden  in 


CREOLEAN  GENIUS.  CHAP,  xxxiv. 

obscurity.  The  rapid  advances  made  by  the  Argen- 
tines in  civilization  have  been  ascribed  principally  to 
their  unrestricted  commerce  with  the  British  and  other 
nations.  A  still  closer  intercourse  has  existed  for  ages, 
between  England  and  Portugal,  and  yet  Lisbon  is  not 
generally  allowed  to  be  much  farther  advanced  in  re- 
finement than  other  great  European  cities.  It  is  per- 
haps therefore  morejust  to  attribute  Buenos  Ay rean  im- 
provement to  the  amiability  and  intellectual  quickness 
of  the  South  American,  who  is  also  more  free  from 
religious  and  political  bigotry  than  the  inhabitants  of 
most  of  the  countries  of  Europe.  With  so  many  noble 
traits,  we  may  readily  excuse  the  gasconading  vein 
which  frequently  characterizes  the  Buenos  Ayrean, 
but  which  will  doubtless  wear  off,  when  experience 
shall  teach  them  that  it  is  bad  taste  to  indulge  in  so 
unbecoming  and  useless  a  propensity. 


(HAP.  xxxv.  Mil.  MACKINLAY. 


CHAPTER  XXXV. 

Buenos  Ayres. — Scotch  colony. — Miller  embarks. — Monte  Video. 
— General  Lecor. — Rio  Janeiro. — Dr.  Corbacho. — Don  Lucas 
Cotera. —  Emperor.  —  Slave  trade. — Bahia. — Pernambuco. — 
Dr.  Doii  Tadeo  Garate. — Conclusion. 

ON  reaching  Buenos  Ayres,  General  Miller  was 
greatly  disappointed  and  grieved  to  learn  that  his 
worthy  friend,  Mr.  Mackinlay,  had  left  the  city  on 
account  of  ill  health.  He  soon,  however,  returned ; 
but  the  hand  of  death  was  visibly  upon  him,  and  in 
a  few  weeks,  Miller  had  to  mourn  the  loss  of  a  ge- 
nerous-hearted and  excellent  friend.  His  amiable 
widow  has  since  returned  to  Europe,  and  is  now  re- 
siding in  Paris.  Mr.  W.  Parish  Robertson,  who 
had  married  the  eldest  daughter  of  Mr.  Mackinlay, 
conducted  Miller  to  his  own  hospitable  residence, 
where  he  remained  during  his  stay  in  Buenos  Ayres. 

Miller  spent  six  weeks  in  the  delightful  occupation 
of  renewing  friendships,  formed  on  his  first  arrival  in 
that  country,  and  during  the  course  of  the  war.  Some 
old  companions  in  arms  had  long  before  returned 
to  Buenos  Ayres.  Amongst  the  latter,  he  had  the 
satisfaction  to  find  at  the  head  of  the  executive  go- 
vernment General  Las  Heras,  to  whom  he  was  in- 
debted for  the  first  public  favour  which  he  received 
after  joining  the  army  of  the  Andes.  During  the 
retreat  from  Cancharayada  (1818),  Las  Heras,  im- 
mediately upon  coming  up  with  General  San  Martin 


424  COLONEL  BRANDSEN.  CHAP.  XXXV. 

at  San  Fernando,  strongly  recommended  "  the 
foreign  captain,"  for  he  did  not  then  know  Miller's 
name,  to  the  notice  of  the  general-in-chief.  This  led 
to  his  subsequent  promotion  to  the  rank  of  major. 

Colonel  Don  Juan  Apostol  Martinez,  who  will  be 
remembered  for  his  irreverent  antipathy  to  cowled 
friars,  Colonels  Lavalle,  Brandsen,  and  Olasabal, 
General  Don  Enrique  Martinez,  Miller's  former 
colonel,  and  many  other  intimate  friends,  were  also 
in  Buenos  Ayres  at  this  time,  and  their  society 
added  greatly  to  the  pleasure  of  his  return.  One 
morning  after  breakfast  he  was  surprised  by  a  call 
from  his  old  acquaintance  Major  La  Tapia,  now 
lieutenant-colonel.  He  said  that,  "  having  heard  of 
the  war  between  Buenos  Ayres  and  the  Brazils,  and 
there  being  no  more  godos  on  the  other  side  of  the 
Andes  to  fight  against,  he  had  obtained  leave  to  offer 
his  services  to  Buenos  Ayres ;  for,"  added  he,  "  I 
consider  the  Brazilians  as  first  cousins  to  the  Spa- 
niards, and  hate  them  accordingly :"  then  clapping 
his  hands,  and  his  eyes  sparkling  with  enthusiasm,  he 
continued,  "  and  I  long  to  have  a  slap  at  them!" 

Brandsen  had  been  obliged  by  Bolivar  to  quit 
Peru,  in  consequence  of  his  having  taken  part  with 
the  Riva-Aguero  faction  in  1823.  Upon  this  he 
went  to  Chile,  and  from  thence,  on  the  breaking  out 
of  the  war,  to  Buenos  Ayres,  where  his  services  were 
gladly  accepted.  He  was  one  of  the  best  cavalry 
officers  in  the  liberating  army,  and  was  afterwards 
killed  while  fighting  by  the  side  of  his  friend  Lavalle, 
who  commanded  the  cavalry  at  the  battle  of  Ituzaingo. 
Brandsen,  a  native  of  Paris,  was  a  well-educated  man, 


CHAP.  XXXV.  DON   ANDRKS  HIDALGO.  425 

enthusiastic  in  the  cause  of  freedom,  and  was  sincerely 
esteemed  for  his  amiable  conduct  and  gentlemanly 
manners.  He  left  a  widow,  a  Peruvian  lady,  and  two 
or  three  young  children. 

Lavalle  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  general  for 
his  conduct  in  the  battle  of  Ituzaingo.  He  was 
afterwards  severely  wounded  in  a  skirmish  with  the 
Brazilians. 

The  foreign  officers  who  served  in  the  army  of  the 
Andes,  Chile,  and  Peru,  were  principally  British, 
French,  Germans,  and  North  Americans.  But,  in 
spite  of  this  mixture  of  nations,  the  very  best  under- 
standing always  existed  amongst  them.  There  were 
never  more  than  about  twenty  serving  at  the  same 
time,  and  between  the  years  1817  and  1825,  the  total 
number  who  had  served  did  not  exceed  forty-eight. 
Of  these,  eighteen  have  been  killed,  or  lost  at  sea. 
Of  the  survivors,  twelve  had  been  wounded. 

While  Miller  remained  at  Buenos  Ayres,  the 
granaderos  &  caballo  entered  the  city.  Out  of  six 
hundred  men,  only  seven  were  remaining  of  those 
originally  raised  by  San  Martin,  when  he  formed  the 
regiment  in  1812. 

A  few  days  after  Miller's  arrival,  he  called  upon 
Don  Andres  Hidalgo,  whom  Miller  accompanied  to 
the  Pampas,  on  the  borders  of  Patagonia,  in  1817. 
Don  Andres  was  now  building  a  large  house  in  the 
city,  having  cleared  ninety  thousand  dollars  by  the 
sale  of  the  estancia  of  Mariancul,  the  same  at  which 
he  had  entertained  his  friends,  and  which  then  was 
not,  at  the  most,  worth  more  than  a  twentieth  part 
of  that  sum. 


426  SCOTCH  COLONY.  CHAP.  xxxv. 

From  his  early  friend,  Don  Miguel  Riglos,  he 
experienced  the  kindest  attention,  as  well  as  from 
Colonel  Escalada,  and  Don  Jose"  Maria  Nadal.  The 
British  merchants  resident  at  Buenos  Ayres  gave  a 
dinner  at  Faunch's  hotel,  to  welcome  Miller  on  his 
return.  At  the  time  the  party  was  assembled,  an 
action  commenced  between  the  Buenos  Ayrean  flo- 
tilla and  the  Brazilian  squadron  in  the  outer  roads, 
and  dinner  was  postponed,  that  the  party  might 
witness  the  fight  from  the  azotea,  or  flat  roof,  of  the 
hotel.  The  firing  continued  for  some  time;  Brown 
conducted  his  little  flotilla  in  the  most  gallant  style, 
and  beat  off  the  imperialists  with  considerable  loss. 
By  the  time  the  cloth  was  removed,  an  account  was 
brought  on  shore  of  the  result  of  the  action,  and  the 
intrepid  admiral's  health  was  drank  with  loud  huzzas. 

Five  leagues  south  of  Buenos  Ayres  is  Monte 
Grande,  a  very  extensive  wood  of  peach-trees,  planted 
ten  years  before  by  Mr.  Barton.  Near  this,  a  Scotch 
colony,  of  about  a  hundred  individuals,  sent  out  by 
Mr.  John'  Parish  Robertson  and  Mr.  Thomas  Kinder, 
were  settled,  on  five  farms.  Miller  accompanied  the 
Reverend  Mr.  Armstrong,  who  went  there  to  baptize 
a  dozen  or  fifteen  children,  born  subsequently  to  the 
arrival  of  the  settlers.  A  grand  christening  dinner 
was  given,  at  which  every  colonist  sat  down,  and  a 
merrier  party  has  seldom  assembled.  The  colony  is 
also,  in  other  respects,  in  a  very  thriving  condition. 
It  is  now  under  the  immediate  superintendence  of 
Mr.  John  Parish  Robertson,  whose  talents,  local 
knowledge,  and  disposition,  qualify  him  to  become 
the  William  Penn  of  the  Pampas. 


CHAP.  XXXV.      MILLER  DEPARTS  FOR  ENGLAND 

On  the  14th  March,  1826,  Miller  embarked  for 
England.  He  was  accompanied  to  the  beach  by  a 
number  of  his  personal  friends.  Upon  taking  leave 
of  them,  he  was  quite  overcome  by  his  feelings.  The 
recollection  of  the  many  vicissitudes  which  he  had 
encountered  since  his  landing  upon  the  same  spot, 
eight  years  before,  an  isolated  stranger,  a  mere  vo- 
lunteer in  the  cause  of  independence;  the  scenes 
which  he  had  gone  through,  so  important,  so  novel, 
and  so  exciting;  the  success  which  had  attended 
his  career,  and  the  numerous  friendships  which  had 
been  cemented  by  the  most  binding  of  all  ties,  identity 
of  cause  and  feeling  ;  the  separation  from  a  country 
in  which  he  had  acquired  a  name,  and  to  which  he 
owed  so  much;  all  rushed  at  once  upon  his  mind, 
and  deprived  him  of  the  power  of  going  through 
the  painful  ordeal  of  a  farewell.  To  add  to  his  em- 
barrassment, two  men,  who  had  served  with  him  in 
Chile  and  Peru  during  the  whole  of  his  campaigns, 
one  of  whom,  Pedro  Valenzuela,  was  the  identical 
soldier  who  carried  him  off  wounded  from  the  field  at 
Pisco ;  the  other,  a  faithful  and  affectionate  African  *  ; 
— these  two  men  had  come  to  the  beach  for  the  pur- 
pose of  witnessing  his  embarkation;  but  such  was  the 
emotion  that  overpowered  them,  that  neither  could 

*  Ybanes  was  the  son  of  an  African  prince,  and  was  about  sixteen  years  of 
age  when  he  was  carried  off,  and  sold  as  a  slave  at  Buenos  Ay  res.  A  few  years 
after  this  he  was  made  a  soldier,  and  thus  became  entitled  to  his  freedom.  He 
was  one  of  the  small  part  who  accompanied  General  San  Martin  to  Mendoza  in 
1816.  General  Miller  took  Ybanes  from  the  grenadier  company  of  the  battalion 
No.  8.  of  the  army  of  the  Andes,  and  employed  him  for  nearly  seven  years.  He 
had  gained  five  medals  for  distinguished  acts  of  bravery  in  the  field.  As  a  servant, 
he  was  steady,  assiduous,  and  punctiliously  honest.  He  often  said  that  the  highest 
object  of  his  ambition  was  to  accompany  his  master,  so  long  as  he  remained  in  the 
country,  and  then  to  become  a  pulpcro,  or  little  shopkeeper,  in  Buenos  Ayres. 
Fortune  gratified  his  wishes,  and  his  faithful  servant  is  now  comfortably  esta- 
blished in  his  favourite  city. 


428  MONTE   VIDEO.  CHAP.  XXXV. 

utter  a  word.     They  embraced  the  General,   and 
burst  into  tears. 

By  a  singular  coincidence,  Mr.  William  Jackson, 
an  English  merchant,  well  known  for  his  goodness  of 
heart  and  excellence  of  character,  who  left  Eng- 
land in  the  same  vessel  with  Miller,  in  1817,  was 
now  a  passenger  on  board  the  packet  in  which  he 
left  Buenos  Ayres.  In  proceeding  down  the  river, 
the  packet  touched,  as  usual,  at  Monte  Video. 
Miller  landed  there,  rather  contrary  to  the  kind  cau- 
tions of  Captain  Sir  John  Sinclair,  commanding  H. 
M.  S.  Doris.  He  was,  however,  treated  by  the  Bra- 
zilian General  Lecor,  and  his  young  and  beautiful 
wife,  with  polite  attention. 

The  garrison  of  Monte  Video  consisted  of  four  or 
five  thousand  men,  all  exceedingly  well  disciplined, 
and  in  a  very  efficient  state.  Nevertheless,  a  few 
gaucho  parties,  hovering  in  the  neighbourhood,  were 
sufficient  to  keep  the  garrison  within  the  walls. 
Many  of  the  Oriental  chiefs  had  families  residing  in 
Monte  Video.  To  save  them  from  the  sufferings  of 
famine,  and  to  raise  money  at  the  same  time,  they 
permitted  the  introduction  of  cattle,  and  other  sup- 
plies, on  the  imperialists  paying  a  certain  tax.  This 
fact  shows  with  sufficient  clearness  the  real  sentiments 
of  the  Orientales,  and  the  slippery  tenure  by  which 
the  Emperor  holds  the  Banda  Oriental.  To  describe 
the  measures  adopted  by  the  gauchos  to  shut  up  the 
imperialists  within  the  walls  of  Colon ia  and  Monte 
Video,  would  be  to  repeat  what  has  been  already  said 
of  gaucho  warfare.  The  policy  of  Lecor,  in  promot- 
ing intermarriages,  has  produced  an  effect  exactly  the 


CHAP.  XXXV.          RIO  JANEIRO.  429 

reverse  of  that  intended.  The  native  wives  soon  made 
proselytes  of  their  husbands,  who,  whether  officers  or 
private  soldiers,  became  objects  of  distrust  with  the 
government  of  Rio  Janeiro.  A  want  of  confidence 
was  shown  even  towards  Lecor,  who  is  a  most  worthy 
man ;  and  he  would  probably  have  been  removed, 
if  the  Emperor  could  have  found  a  successor  of  equal 
talent  and  merit. 

Captain  de  la  Susse,  of  the  French  navy,  an  ex- 
ceedingly clever  and  agreeable  man,  whose  acquaint- 
ance Miller  had  the  happiness  to  make  at  Buenos 
Ay  res,  came  in  the  same  packet,  and  was  on  his  re- 
turn to  Europe  from  a  political  mission  in  Chile. 
He   introduced  Miller  to  Captain  Mamignau  of  the 
French  brig  of  war  Le  Cygne,  who  very  courteously 
invited  him  to  take  a  passage  on  board  his  vessel  to 
Rio  Janeiro,  which  he  accepted,  as  he  was  desirous  of 
seeing  that  city  on  his  way  home.     They  sailed  on  the 
21st  of  March,  and  arrived  at  Rio  Janeiro  on  the  29th, 
having  made  as  pleasant  a  voyage  as  fine  weather,  a  good 
table,  and  the  excellent  society  of  many  gentlemanly  and 
attentive  French  officers,  could  render  it.    The  ship's 
company  were  nearly  all  natives  of  St.  Maloes,  and 
were  in  a  state  of  discipline  which  reflected  great 
credit  upon  the  excellent  commander  and  his  officers. 
Miller  remained  six  weeks  in  the  Brazilian  capital, 
and  was  hospitably  entertained  at  the  house  of  his 
friends  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Le  Breton.    He  received,  also, 
the  most  polite  attention  from  Sir  Charles  Stuart,  and 
from  Mr.  (now  Sir  Henry)  Chamberlayne,  the  British 
charge  d'affaires. 

On    the     day     after    Miller's    arrival    at    Rio 


430  DR.  CORBACHO.        CHAP.  XXXV. 

Janeiro,  he  had  the  pleasure  of  meeting  his  valued 
friend,  Dr.  Corbacho.  This  gentleman,  who  pos- 
sesses considerable  poetical  talent,  and  is  celebrated  for 
an  early  display  of  patriotism,  was  secretary  to  General 
Otero,  prefect  of  Arequipa,  shortly  after  the  battle 
of  Ayacucho  ;  but  it  having  been  reported  that  he 
had  spoken  disrespectfully  of  the  Colombians,  he 
was  one  night  torn  from  his  family,  and,  without 
even  the  shadow  of  a  trial,  sent  on  board  a  ship  de- 
stined to  convey  a  number  of  Spaniards  to  Cadiz,  in 
pursuance  of  the  capitulation.  Corbacho  stated, 
with  tears  in  his  eyes,  that  what  he  felt  most  cut- 
tingly, was  the  being  pent  up  in  a  vessel  crowded 
with  persons  who  had  always  been  his  avowed  ene- 
mies. During  the  voyage,  they  never  ceased  to 
taunt  him  with  being  a  patriot ;  and  he  must  have 
sunk  under  this  continued  persecution,  but  for  the 
interposition  of  two  or  three  individuals,  who  gene- 
rously espoused  his  quarrel,  and  screened  him,  as 
much  as  they  could,  from  the  revilings  of  their  nar- 
row-minded countrymen.  Fortunately  for  Corbacho, 
the  vessel  was  obliged  to  put  into  Rio  Janeiro,  where 
he  was  enabled  to  escape  from  his  tormentors. 
When  he  set  foot  on  shore  he  was  without  a  farthing 
in  his  pocket,  and  had  not,  as  he  imagined,  a  single 
friend  in  the  Brazils ;  but,  to  his  great  astonish- 
ment and  boundless  joy,  within  a  few  hours  of  his 
landing,  he  accidentally  met  an  old  friend,  Don  Lucas 
Cote'ra,  a  wealthy  and  honourable  Spanish  merchant, 
who  had  resided  for  many  years  in  Peru,  and  whose 
character  for  liberality,  whether  to  patriots  or  roy- 
alists, is  universally  known.  Cote'ra  had  retired 


CHAP.  XXXV.        COLONEL  SCENES.  431 

from  Peru  in  consequence  of  the  reverses  of  the  roy- 
alists ;   and  although  his  fortune  had  been  severely 
shattered,  still,  with  the  remnant  of  it,  he  entirely 
supported  Corbacho,  and  upwards  of  twenty  penny- 
less  exiles,  both  Spanish  and  Peruvian,    for  which 
purpose  he  had  taken  a  spacious  house,  where  they 
all  resided.     Miller  frequently  visited  this  interest- 
ing party,  where  he  was  always  welcomed  with  the 
warmest    expressions    of  regard.      Amongst  them 
was  the  distinguished  Spaniard,  Colonel  Scenes,  who, 
in  consequence  of  being  a  determined  constitutional- 
ist, was  unable  to  return  to  Spain ;  but  whose  puncti- 
lious feelings  prevented  him  from  accepting  service 
in  the  Peruvian  army,  against  which  he  had  fought 
with  perseverance  and  ability.      At  the  time   Pe- 
zuela  was  deposed,  Scenes  was  despatched  to  Spain, 
as  the  representative  of  the  new  viceroy,   La  Serna. 
On  his    arrival,    he   found    the    constitutional    go- 
vernment established,   with  which  he  immediately 
sided,  and  was  appointed   to  an  important  military 
command.     Upon  the  downfal  of  the  constitution,  in 
1823,  Soenes  was  placed  on  the  list  of  the   pro- 
scribed, and  obliged  to  fly.     Desirous  of  rejoining 
La   Serna,  he  embarked  for    Rio   Janeiro,    where, 
learning  that  the  whole  of  the  coast  of  the  Pacific 
was  in  the  hands  of  the  patriots,  he  undertook  the 
journey  by  land,  and  traversed  the  immense  empire 
of  the  Brazils.     Just  before  he  reached  the  Peruvian 
frontier,  he  had  not  only  the  mortification  to  hear  of 
the  battle  of  Ayacucho,  but  also  to  learn  that  the  in-, 
tervening  districts  of  Upper  Peru  were  occupied  by 
his  rancorous  enemy,  Olaneta.     Unwilling  to  retrace 


432  RIO  JANEIRO.  CHAP.  xxxv. 

his  steps,  he  remained  in  the  province  of  Mato- 
grosso  until  the  death  of  Olaiieta,  when  he  proceeded 
to  the  patriot  head-quarters,  and  was  allowed  to  con- 
sider himself  as  included  in  the  capitulation  :  he 
again  quitted  the  country  by  sea,  and  came  back  to 
Rio  Janeiro.  General  Miller  strongly  recommended 
these  exiles  to  return  immediately  to  Peru,  assuring 
Corbacho  that  Colombian  influence  was  on  the  wane, 
and  that  he  need  not  be  under  any  apprehensions 
for  his  personal  safety.  Miller  furnished  him  with 
letters,  strongly  recommending  him  to  the  consider- 
ation and  protection  of  General  La  Mar,  who,  it  is 
satisfactory  to  add,  upon  being  re-elected  to  the 
presidency,  appointed  Dr.  Corbacho  one  of  the  mini- 
sters of  the  departmental  courts  of  justice  at  Are- 
quipa. 

Miller  had  passed  a  few  days  in  Rio  Janeiro, 
when  the  Emperor  returned  from  Bahia,  where  he 
had  been  to  repress  the  efforts  of  faction.  His  ma- 
jesty went  in  procession  from  the  landing-place  to 
the  palace,  accompanied  by  the  Empress,  the  Prin- 
cess Maria  da  Gloria,  and  a  long  train  of  courtiers, 
nobility,  and  naval  and  military  officers.  There  were 
more  general  officers  than  could  be  required  for  an 
army  of  100,000  men;  and  these  were  bedizened 
with  more  decorations  than  all  the  French  generals 
who  accompanied  Napoleon  in  his  last  campaigns. 
And  yet,  from  this  multitude,  the  Emperor  could 
not,  it  was  said,  select  one  efficient  commander  for 
the  southern  or  northern  provinces*.  The  regular 

*  In  the  month  of  August,  1828,  peace  was  happily  concluded  between  the 
Brn?ils  and  Buenos  Ayres.  The  Emperor  has  had  the  good  sense  to  see,  that 


CHAP.  XXXV.  FOREIGN  SEAMEN.  433 

forces  in  the  capital  amounted  to  about  3500  men. 
About  a  third  of  this  number  was  composed  of  Au- 
strians,  Swiss,  and  other  foreigners,  who,  though  sent 
from  their  own  countries  in  the  character  of  settlers, 
had  been  compelled  to  serve  in  the  army.  Upon  these 
no  great  reliance  could  be  placed.  The  regular 
army,  not  in  the  capital,  might  amount  to  ten  or 
twelve  thousand.  There  was  a  remarkable  difference 
between  the  foreign  seamen  in  the  service  of  the 
Argentine  republic  and  those  in  that  of  the  Em- 
peror. The  former  were  enthusiastic,  and  eager 
to  engage ;  whilst  the  latter  showed  an  indifference 
to  the  cause  for  which  they  served,  and  were  discon- 
tented, although  better  and  more  regularly  paid  than 
the  republicans.  A  militia  force  in  every  province 
of  the  empire  was  assembled  periodically,  and  in- 
tended only  for  local  defence,  or  to  guard  against 
risings  of  the  black  population. 

In  Brazil  the  slave  trade  is  seen  in  some  of  its  most 
revolting  aspects ;  for  there  the  general  treatment  of 
negro  slaves  is  barbarous  in  the  extreme.  About 
thirty  thousand  are  annually  imported  into  Rio  Ja- 
neiro alone,  and  perhaps  an  equal  number  in  the 
ther  ports  of  the  empire.  One  of  the  many  abhor- 

nt  circumstances  attending  this  nefarious  traffic  is, 
hat,  upon  a  vessel's  arriving  near  the  port,  such 

ie  interests  of  his  country  required  that  he  should  discontinue  a  war,  which, 
om  the  commencement,  was  unjust ;  and  had  not  only  exhausted  the  finances 
'  his  empire,  but  had  spread  discontent  and  disaffection  throughout  the  pro- 
nces,  from  the  cruel  manner  in  which  the  raising  levies  for  the  army  was  con- 
lucted.     Perhaps  the  state  of  his  affairs  in  Europe  may  have  had  some  little  in- 
luence  in  hastening  Don  Pedro's  decision  on  this  subject.     The  Brazils  possess 
nense  natural  resources,  all  they  require  is  a  wise  and  vigorous  development, 
this  they  may  expect  at  the  hands  of  Don  Pedro,  who  has  already,  and  of 
own  free  will,  given  them  a  constitutional  government,  and  whose  liberal 
(rind  appears  to  be  constantly  studious  for  the  welfare  of  his  people. 

VOL.  II.  FF 


434  SLAVE  SHIPS.  CHAP.  xxxv. 

slaves,  as  appear  to  be  in  an  irrecoverable  state  of  dis- 
ease, are  frequently  thrown  into  the  sea !  This  is  done 
merely  to  evade  the  payment  of  the  custom-house 
duty,  which  is  levied  upon  every  slave  brought  into 
port.  Instances  have  occurred  of  their  being  picked 
up  alive  by  coasting  vessels ! 

Fourteen  or  fifteen  slave  ships,  with  full  cargoes, 
arrived  at  Rio  Janeiro  during  the  six  weeks  that 
Miller  remained  there.  One  morning  that  he  hap- 
pened to  breakfast  on  board  a  Brazilian  frigate,  the 
commander,  Captain  Sheppard,  kindly  lent  him  a 
boat  to  visit  a  slaver,  of  320  tons,  which  had  come 
into  port  the  preceding  night.  The  master,  sup- 
posing him  to  be  in  the  imperial  service,  was  ex- 
tremely attentive,  and  very  readily  answered  every 
inquiry.  He  said  the  homeward-bound  passage  had 
been  tolerably  fortunate,  only  seventy-two  deaths 
having  occurred  in  the  cargo ;  and  that,  although 
thirty  of  the  sick  were  then  in  an  unsaleable  plight, 
the  owners  might  calculate  upon  sending  into  the 
market  four  hundred  sound  and  well-grown  Africans; 
a  number  that  would  yield  a  handsome  profit. 

After  some  further  conversation,  Miller  requested 
permission  to  see  the  'tween  decks,  upon  which  the 
master  accompanied  him  below,  and  pointed  out  the 
manner  of  securing  his  cargo,  which  was  by  shackling 
each  negro  by  one  leg  to  an  iron  bar  running  a  mid- 
ships from  stem  to  stern,  so  as  to  form  a  double  row, 
lying  feet  to  feet.  The  air  was  so  oppressively  nau- 
seating, that  Miller  could  not  remain  below  for  more 
than  two  minutes.  There  was  hardly  a  slave  in  the 
whole  number  who  was  free  from  festering  sores,  pro- 


CHAP.  XXXV.        SLAVE  BAZAAR. 

duced  by  constant  friction  from  lying  on  the  hard  and 
unwashed  decks.  Some  of  them  were  bruised  so  dread- 
fully, that  it  was  wonderful  that  they  continued  to 
exist.  Their  emaciated  appearance  might  have  led 
to  the  supposition  that  they  had  been  nearly  starved 
during  the  passage,  did  not  the  varied  miseries  to 
which  they  were  subjected,  sufficiently  account  for 
their  fleshless  forms.  A  great  number  of  them  were 
now  upon  deck,  and  clad  in  long  woollen  shirts,  in 
order  to  be  sent  to  the  warehouses  on  shore.  Miller, 
heartily  sick  of  this  disgusting  scene,  took  leave  of 
the  master ;  but,  unable  to  control  the  indignation 
he  felt,  he  inveighed  with  great  bitterness  against  all 
wretches  concerned  in  so  iniquitous  a  traffic,  letting 
him  know  at  the  same  time  that  he  was  not  in  the 
service  of  the  Emperor.  The  master,  though  at  first 
taken  aback  by  the  violence  of  the  General's  invectives, 
soon  recovered  himself,  and  retorted  in  the  most 
insolent  terms  of  defiance,  abusing  the  English  for 
meddling  in  what  he  styled  the  legitimate  commerce 
of  Brazil.  The  state  of  the  vessel  was  such  as  can- 
not be  described,  and  the  fetid  effluvia,  arising  from 
it,  offended  the  senses  on  approaching  her  within  fifty 
yards.  Although  Miller  took  a  warm  bath  imme- 
diately upon  getting  on  shore,  the  stench  of  the  slave 
ship  haunted  his  nostrils  for  many  days. 

There  is  a  long  narrow  street  in  Rio  Janeiro  ex- 
clusively appropriated  to  the  negro  stores.  It  is,  in 
fact,  the  slave-bazaar.  The  fronts  of  the  shops  are 
open,  and  the  objects  for  sale  are  seated  on  benches, 
where,  strange  to  say,  they  often  pass  their  time  in 
singing.  People  wishing  to  become  purchasers  lounge 


436  MILLER  SAILS  FOR  ENGLAND.     CHAP.  xxxv. 

up  and  down  until  they  see  a  subject  likely  to  suit 
their  purpose.      Miller  one  day  put   on  a  broad- 
brimmed  straw  hat,  and  walked  into  several  of  the 
stores,  as  if  with  a  view  of  making  a  purchase.    The 
slave  venders  came  forward  with  eagerness  to  show 
off  their  stock,  making  their  bipeds  move  about  in 
every  way  best  calculated  to  display  their  good  points, 
and  in  much  the  same  manner  that  a  jockey  does  in 
showing  off  a  horse.     Those  who  appeared  to  be 
drowsy  were  made  to  bite  a  piece  of  ginger,  or  take 
a  pinch  of  snuff.    If  these  excitements  did  not  prove 
sufficient  to  give  them  an  air  of  briskness,  they  were 
wakened  up  by  a  pull  of  the  ear,  or  a  slap  on  the 
face,  which  made  them  look  about  them.     Miller 
was  so  inquisitive,  and  his  observations  were  so  un- 
like those  of  a  bonajide  purchaser,  that  the  dealers 
soon  began  to  suspect   he   did   not  intend   to   be 
a  customer.      One  of  them  being  in   consequence 
rather  pert  in  his  replies,  Miller  once  more  allowed 
his  indignation  to  get  the  better  of  his  judgment, 
and  he  abused  the  fellow  in  terms  more  violent,  if 
possible,  than  those  he  had  addressed  to  the  master 
of  the  slave  ship.     He  had  some  difficulty  to  avoid 
getting  into  a  very  serious  squabble,  as  many  of  the 
other  dealers  came  out  and  joined  in  the  yell  now 
raised  against  him.     As  he  passed  along  the  street, 
it  was  like  running  the  gauntlet;  for  he  was  saluted 
by  vituperations  on  all  sides,  and  it  was  perhaps  only 
by  preserving  a  menacing  attitude  in  his  retreat  that 
he  prevented  something  more  than  a  mere  war  of 
words.     They  dwelt  with  marked  emphasis  on  the 
officious  English,  who,  instead  of  attending  to  their 


CHAP.  XXXV.  DON   TADEO  GARATE.  437 

own  affairs,  would  not,  they  said,  allow  other  people 
to  gain  an  honest  livelihood. 

Miller  left  Rio  Janeiro,  in  the  Marchioness  of  Sa- 
lisbury packet,  for  England,  They  touched  at  Bahia 
and  Pernambuco,  both  very  fine  and  opulent  cities, 
founded  by  the  Dutch,  and  which  bear  testimony  to 
the  industry  and  ingenuity  of  that  persevering  people. 
The  spacious  streets,  and  the  manner  in  which  the 
old  town  of  Pernambuco  was  built  by  the  Dutch,  is 
clear  evidence  of  the  superiority  of  their  taste  over 
that  of  the  Portuguese,  which  is  well  contrasted  by 
a  division  which  has  been  added  to  the  city  by  the 
latter.  Miller  dined  with  the  governor,  who  politely 
furnished  him  with  horses  and  an  orderly,  that  he 
might  visit  the  convent  of  San  Francisco,  at  Olinda, 
the  easternmost  point  of  land  in  South  America. 
This  convent  is  celebrated  for  the  richness  of  its 
ceilings,  which  are  in  the  Moorish  style  of  workman- 
ship ;  it  was  founded  previous  to  the  taking  of  Per- 
nambuco by  the  Dutch,  in  162,5.  In  1630  they 
abandoned  the  port,  filling  up  the  entrance  across 
the  bar,  or  reef.  The  friars  at  the  convent  are  ex- 
tremely obliging  to  visitors. 

Amongst  the  passengers  on  board  the  packet  was 
Don  Tadeo  Garate,  the  last  royalist  governor  of  the 
department  of  Puno,  and  the  immediate  predecessor 
of  Miller,  who  was  the  first  appointed  by  the  patriots. 
It  was  singular  that  these  two  individuals  should  have 
been  brought  together  as  messmates  on  board  the 
same  vessel. 

Garate,  who  has  before  been  mentioned  in  these 
memoirs,  is  a  native  of  La  Paz,  or  Chuquiago  as  it 


438          DON  TADEO  GAKATE.       CHAP.  XXXV. 

is  called  by  the  aborigines.  He  is  about  fifty  years 
of  age,  of  middle  stature,  though  rather  taller  than 
the  generality  of  the  Cholos,  or  mixed  Indian  race, 
to  which  he  belongs.  He  stoops  considerably;  his 
eyes  are  dark,  and  small,  like  those  of  a  Chinese ; 
his  hair  is  black,  coarse,  and  shining ;  but,  like  most 
Indians,  he  has  little  beard ;  the  general  expression  of 
his  countenance  is  of  a  most  sinister  description.  He 
was  educated  in  the  college  of  San  Antonio,  at  Cuzco, 
and  was  so  remarkable  for  close  application  to  his 
studies,  that  he  was  called  "  el  Cholito  aplicado,"  or 
"the  hard-working  little  Indian."  Becoming  an 
advocate,  Garate  displayed  great  professional  acute- 
ness,  vigour  of  imagination,  and  an  easy  style  of 
oratory;  which  obtained  him  numerous  clients,  and 
enabled  him  to  live  in  a  very  independent  manner. 
He  soon  evinced  an  ambitious  and  ostentatious  spirit, 
wore  hair  powder,  and  affected,  in  his  dress,  colours 
not  usually  worn  at  Cuzco.  As  a  literary  character, 
he  was  a  constant  visitor  at  the  palace  of  the  bishop, 
to  whom  he  afterwards  became  secretary,  and  even- 
tually so  great  a  favourite,  that  the  bishop  acted  only 
by  his  advice.  In  dispensing  episcopal  patronage, 
the  new  secretary  displayed,  to  those  who  were  his 
suitors,  the  greatest  haughtiness  of  disposition.  He 
was  next  appointed  sub-delegate  of  Chucuito,  and 
afterwards  elected  a  deputy  to  serve  in  the  cortes  of 
Spain,  to  which,  soon  after  his  arrival  in  the  Penin- 
sula, he  was  chosen  secretary.  He  was  the  author 
of  the  famous  address  to  Ferdinand  VII.,  which 
gained  for  those  who  signed  it  the  party  sobriquet 
of"  Persians."  He  acted  also  as  a  spy  upon  the  other 


( HAl'.  xxxv.  DON  TADEO  GAHATE.  439 

American  deputies,  and  the  servility  of  Garate  was 
rewarded  by  the  king  with  the  valuable  appointment 
of  governor  of  Puno ;  upon  which  he  returned  to 
Peru. 

It  would  appear  that  the  mind  and  disposition  of 
Garate  had  been  wrongly  directed,  or  perverted,  at 
the  commencement  of  his  career,  by  monkish  bigotry 
and  scholastic  prejudices.     All  his  actions,  his  man- 
ners, and  his  very  looks,  indicated  that  he  was  a 
stranger  to  every  liberal  or  manly  feeling.     He  is  a 
melancholy  instance  of  the  demoralizing  effects  of 
habitual  servility.     Accustomed  from  his  youth  to 
cringe  and  fawn,  whoever  was  in  power  was  certain  of 
his  support.    He  was  alternately  the  humble  slave  of 
Pezuela,  of  La  Serna,  and  of  Olaneta,  and  to  each 
he  was  an  active,  able,  and  willing  instrument  in  the 
execution  of  oppressive  measures.     In  some  respects 
he  was  always  consistent ;  he  never  professed  to  be 
a  patriot,  and  he  never  ceased  to  persecute  his  coun- 
trymen.    At  length,  contemned  by  all  parties,  he  was 
now  a  wanderer  towards  Spain,  his  only  hope  being 
in  the  favour  of  Ferdinand.     He  had  left  at  Cuzco  a 
most  amiable  wife,  and  a  very  charming  daughter.  As 
Garate  did  not  speak  English  or  French,  Miller,  com- 
miserating his  situation,  often  conversed  with  him, 
and  desired  his  servant  Jos£,  a  Spaniard,  to  wait  upon 
Garate.    They  were  therefore  tolerably  sociable,  until 
one  day  a  discussion  arose  at  table  as  to  the  character 
of  the  Irish  peasantry,  and  in  which  Miller  had  to 
combat  the  arguments  of  nearly  all  his  fellow  passen- 
gers.    Although  Garate  could  not  distinctly  under- 
stand the  whole  of  the  question,  he  clearly  perceived 


440  DON  TADEO  GARATE.          CHAP,  xxxv 

that  his  patriot  opponent  was  in  the  minority ;  upon 
which  his  natural  propensity  to  side  with  the  strongest 
irresistibly  broke  forth.  He  did  not  merely  confine 
himself  to  the  point  in  debate,  but  said  that  Miller, 
being  an  insurgent  himself,  was  a  fit  advocate 
for  what  he  called  "  the  insurgents  of  Ireland." 
Warmed  by  his  subject,  and  encouraged  by  an  ap- 
pearance of  support  from  the  party  whose  cause  he 
seconded,  he  went  on  boastingly  to  say,  "  that  the 
time  would  soon  arrive  when  he  should  return  to 
Peru,  with  thousands  of  the  king's  troops,  and  have 
it  in  his  power  to  gratify  his  dearest  wish,  the  ex- 
termination of  all  rebels  and  traitors."  During  his 
furious  harangue,  Garate  was  a  fit  study  for  a  painter. 
Malignity,  envy,  rage,  revenge,  and  insolence,  were 
severally  depicted  in  his  countenance.  In  considera- 
tion of  his  forlorn  situation,  Miller  allowed  him  to 
go  extraordinary  lengths ;  but  finding  that  his  forbear- 
ance only  increased  the  other's  virulence,  he  thought 
it  time  to  arrest  his  oratory,  by  giving  him  a  mild 
but  determined  hint,  that  if  he  proceeded  one  step 
farther,  nothing  should  save  him  from  that  species  of 
castigation  to  which  his  scurrility  had  already  so 
richly  entitled  him.  Garate  became  instantly  speech- 
less, and  slunk  away.  After  this  they  were  never 
cordial,  although  they  still  occasionally  entered  into 
conversation. 

Garate  was  constantly  complaining  of  his  poverty, 
and  described  himself  to  be  an  utterly  ruined  man. 
He  protested,  by  all  that  was  sacred,  that  a  forced 
contribution  of  twenty  thousand  dollars,  which  Bo- 
livar had  levied  upon  him  at  Arequipa,  had  swept 


CHAP.  xxxv.          DON  TADEO  CURATE.  441 

away  his  last  rial.  Indeed,  so  circumstantially  did  he 
appear  to  prove  all  this,  that  Miller  at  last  began  to 
credit  the  story,  although  facts  which  he  had  been 
made  acquainted  with,  when  prefect  of  Puno,  were 
in  direct  opposition  to  it. 

After  landing  at  Falmouth,  Miller  was  surprised 
by  his  servant  Josh's  requesting  permission  to  return 
to  the  packet,  to  see  Don  Tadeo  Garate,  who  was 
represented  to  be  in  some  serious  dilemma.  It  turned 
out  that  Jos6  and  Don  Tadeo  had  already  made 
two  trips,  and  that  on  both  occasions  they  had 
crammed  their  pockets  with  doubloons,  the  property 
of  the  latter.  While  Garate  was  on  shore  the  second 
time,  the  steward  of  the  packet  accidentally  dis- 
covered some  bars  of  gold  stowed  away  under  Garate's 
mattress,  which  he  took  and  carefully  locked  up,  re- 
porting the  circumstance  to  the  commander.  When 
Don  Tadeo  returned  on  board,  he  immediately  missed 
his  treasure,  and  not  speaking  a  word  of  English,  he 
was  unable  to  make  any  inquiries  after  it.  He  be- 
came almost  frantic,  and  paced  the  deck  in  an  agony 
of  despair.  Jose  was  sent  for,  the  whole  of  the 
circumstances  were  explained  to  Miller,  who  ar- 
ranged the  matter  for  Garate.  As  the  latter  had 
artfully  concealed  the  property  to  evade  the  pay- 
ment of  the  freight,  the  captain  refused  to  give  it  up 
until  the  regulated  per  centage  should  be  paid. 
Garate  was  obliged  to  accede  to  these  terms,  and  the 
treasure  was  restored  to  him.  It  amounted  in  value 
to  upwards  of  thirty  thousand  dollars.  Garate  was 
lately  living  in  Paris. 

Miller  landed  at  Falmouth  on  the  6th  of  July, 


442  CONCLUSION.  CHAP.  XXXV. 

1826,  being  eight  years  and  eleven  months  after  his 
departure  from  the  Downs. 

Miller  has  been  received  by  his  friends,  neigh- 
bours, and  countrymen,  in  the  kindest  possible  man- 
ner. The  corporation  of  Canterbury  has  conferred 
upon  him  the  freedom  of  that  ancient  city.  The 
United  Service,  and  the  Travellers'  Club,  elected  him 
an  honorary  member.  At  Milan  he  was  entertained 
with  the  utmost  courtesy  by  some  generals  and 
other  officers  of  the  Austrian  army,  and  he  has  been 
treated  with  marked  attention  in  Paris,  Florence* 
Rome,  Amsterdam,  Brussels,  and  other  parts  of  the 
continent  of  Europe,  where  he  has  had  an  oppor- 
tunity of  creating  many  friends  to  the  cause  of  South 
American  independence. 

We  shall  close  this  work  with  an  extract  from  a  letter 
to  the  author,  written  in  1826  by  a  British  naval 
officer  who  has  served  on  the  South  American  station. 

"  Such,"  says  this  distinguished  officer,  "  has  been 
the  career  of  a  young  man,  who,  fired  by  the  love  of 
liberty,  embarked  in  the  struggle  for  the  independ- 
ence of  nations;  and  who,  unsupported  by  connexion 
or  interest,  and  steering  a  steady  course  through  the 
storms  of  war  and  commotions  of  faction,  has  raised 
himself,  by  his  own  merit,  to  the  highest  rank  in  the 
army ;  obtained  every  honorary  distinction ;  filled 
important  civil  situations;  and,  covered  with  honour* 
able  wounds,  has  now  revisited  his  native  country 
with  a  character  of  perfect  disinterestedness,  and  a 
conscience  void  of  reproach;  and  whom,  to  borrow 
an  expression  of  General  Bolivar,  «  South  America 
will  always  claim  as  one  of  her  most  glorious  sons.' " 


APPENDIX. 


(G.) 

(Page  30.) 
An  intercepted  Letter  from  General  Canterac. 

"  THE  enemy,  despairing  of  being  able  to  obtain  any  advan- 
tage from  their  ill-organized  expedition,  continue  in  the  most 
miserable  condition,  with  a  dreadful  mortality,  in  Arica,  having 
detached  part  of  their  force,  consisting  of  about  800  men,  with 
Colonel  Miller,  evidently  for  the  purpose  of  collecting  provisions 
and  resources  for  Alvarado's  dispirited  troops,  which  are  kept  in 
check  by  Brigadier  Valdes,  who  occupies  Tacna,  and  the  neigh- 
bouring quebradas;  and  as  the  said  general  leaves  them  nothing 
along  the  whole  line  of  coast  that  can  be  of  service  to  them,  they 
have  been  reduced  to  a  state  of  the  greatest  weakness  and  distress. 
On  these  grounds,  it  is  presumed  they  will  abandon  Arica,  and 
descend  along  the  coast,  for  the  purpose  of  ascertaining  whether 
Miller  can  render  them  any  assistance.  Of  Miller's  troops,  there 
disembarked  at  Quilca,  and  marched  on  to  Camana,  200  men ;  and 
it  is  said  that  as  many  more  were  about  to  disembark  at  the  Plan- 
chada  of  Ocofia :  and  so  soon  as  this  takes  place,  or  that  the  troops 
at  Camana  proceed  along  the  coast,  it  is  of  the  utmost  importance 
to  leave  the  whole  of  it  without  supplies  of  any  sort :  for  which  pur- 
pose it  is  indispensable  that  all  the  cattle,  horses,  provisions,  &c. 
should  be  collected  in  one  point ;  and  the  moment  the  vessels  ap- 
pear in  sight,  or  that  any  attempt  is  made  to  march  by  land  from 
Ocona,  you  will  be  pleased  to  retreat  with  all  the  supplies,  &c.  to 
this  side  of  the  Cordillera ;  as  it  is  possible  the  enemy  may  resolve 
to  penetrate  in  this  direction  towards  the  Sierra,  in  which  event 
their  destruction  is  inevitable.  To  the  commanding  officer  of  the 
battalion  of  cazadores  I  give  instructions  in  the  accompanying 


444  APPENDIX  H. 

despatch,  to  hold  himself  at  your  disposal,  so  as  immediately  to 
march  to  Acari  with  the  corps  under  his  command,  that  he  may 
assist  in  carrying  away  every  thing,  and  check  the  advance  of  the 
enemy.  You  will  therefore  take  care  to  furnish  him  with  horses, 
mules,  &c.  such  as  can  be  got  in  that  neighbourhood,  for  mounting 
one  or  two  companies,  who  will  be  more  useful  in  rendering  the 
service  required. 

"  You  will  have  to  exercise  great  vigilance  and  extraordinary 
activity  on  every  part  of  the  coast;  bearing  in  mind,  that  the 
weak  and  distressed  condition  of  the  enemy  is  entirely  to  be  attri- 
buted to  the  efficient  and  energetic  dispositions  made  by  Briga- 
dier Valdes  along  the  whole  line  of  coast  of  Arequipa;  and  I 
promise  myself  your  exertions  will  be  attended  with  equal  success. 

"  Advices,  in  duplicate,  or  triplicate  if  necessary,  relating  to 
all  matters,  but  principally  to  the  appearance  of  vessels  off  the 
coast,  disembarkation  of  troops,  and  their  movements,  you  will 
of  course  forward  from  time  to  time,  by  persons  in  whom  full 
confidence  can  be  placed,  and  well  mounted,  addressed  to  his 
excellency  the  viceroy,  if  direct;  to  Brigadier  Loriga,  by  Cor- 
dova ;  to  the  commandant-general  of  the  central  division ;  and  to 
me,  through  the  military  governor  of  Chuquibamba ;  attending  to 
this  object  with  all  your  well  known  zeal  and  decision,  as  upon 
these  advices  the  success  of  our  operations  must  mainly  depend. 

"  God  preserve  you  many  years. 
"  Head-quarters,  Puno,  31st  December,  1822. 

(Signed)  "  JOSE  CANTERAC." 

"  To  Colonel  D.  Juan  Ant.  de  Olachea,  commanding 
on  the  coast." 


(H.) 

(Page  42.) 

An  intercepted  circular  Letter  addressed  to  Colonel  Olachea, 
from  Colonel  Carratald. 

"  I  repeat  to  you,  that  Miller's  expedition  consists  of  one 
vessel,  and  that  only  100  infantry  have  disembarked:  it  is  there- 


APPENDIX  I.  445 

fore  very  easy  to  defeat  him,  should  he  advance  along  the  coast, 
by  uniting  the  different  corps  that  protect  those  districts,  which 
you  will  accordingly  arrange  with  the  officers  in  command. 

"  God  preserve  you  many  years. 
"  Arequipa,  19th  January,  1823. 

(Signed)  «  JOSfc  CARRATALA. 

"  To  Colonel  D.  Juan  Ant.  Olachea." 

A  fictitious  Letter  sent  instead  of  the  foregoing. 

"  I  have  to  inform  you  that  Miller's  expedition  has  been 
reinforced  by  600  blacks  of  the  battalion  No.  4.  It  will  therefore 
be  incumbent  to  take  all  necessary  steps  for  preventing  any 
disaster. 

"  I  have  also  to  state  that  it  has  come  to  my  knowledge  that 
the  said  officer  is  endeavouring  to  seduce  the  soldiers  of  your 
party;  and  that  he  is  in  secret  communication  with  some  of  the 
officers.  You  will  be  pleased  to  be  vigilant,  and  punish  offenders 
with  the  utmost  rigour  of  the  law. 

"  God  preserve  you  many  years. 
"  Arequipa,  20th  January,  1823. 

(Signed)  "JOSfe  CARRATALA. 

«  To  Colonel  D.  Juan  Ant.  Olachea." 


(Page  42.) 

Letter  from  Manzanedo  to  the  Alcalde  of  Pullo. 
" '  Battalion  of  Coracora. 

"  ( It  is  of  the  greatest  consequence  that  the  fair  of  Chaipi, 
usually  held  on  Candlemas-day,  should  not  be  allowed  to  take 
place,  on  account  of  the  disadvantages  that  may  result  from  the 
assemblage  of  so  many  persons;  and  especially  of  those  arriving 
with  numbers  of  horses  and  loaded  mules,  which  is  exactly  what 
the  enemy  most  stand  in  need  of,  and  which  they  use  every  en- 
deavour to  obtain.  I  understand  that  they  have  landed  at  Atico, 


446  APPENDIX  I. 

and  their  views  being,  of  course,  upon  Carabeli,  Chaparra,  Chala, 
and  Yauca,  and  thence  towards  these  heights,  it  is  therefore  ne- 
cessary, that,  immediately  on  receiving  this  order,  the  merchants 
who  have  gone  on  to  Chaipi,  should  be  desired  to  withdraw,  with 
all  their  property  and  animals,  from  the  parish  of  Chaipi,  towards 
the  town  of  Coracora,  as  well  as  those  who  may  have  arrived  with 
you,  and  not  to  permit  them  to  advance  a  single  step,  upon  any 
pretence  whatever,  and  this  under  the  severest  penalty.  You 
will  be  held  responsible  for  the  slightest  deviation  in  the  execu- 
tion of  this  order,  relying  upon  your  well-known  zeal  for  its  strict 
fulfilment ;  and  if,  by  any  omission,  the  passage  of  any  traders 
should  be  allowed,  and  they  should  have  the  misfortune  to  be 
surprised  by  any  party  of  the  enemy,  that  your  neglect  will  be 
visited  with  the  rigour  of  the  laws  of  war.  You  will  advise  me 
without  loss  of  time  of  having  received  this  order,  and  you  will 
give  it  all  the  effect  which  I  natter  myself  you  will,  from  your 
devotion  to  the  national  cause,  from  which  a  general  good  would 
result  to  all  the  inhabitants  of  this  district. 
"  '  God  preserve  you  many  years. 

"  '  MANUEL  DE  MANZANEDO. 
"  '  Coracora,  Jan.  29,  1823. 

"  '  To  Don  Bernardino  Chaves,  constitutional 
alcalde  of  the  parish  of  Pullo.' 

"  I  have  transcribed  thus  much,  which  has  just  been  sent  to 
me  by  Colonel  Don  Manuel  Manzanedo ;  and  being  informed  of 
it,  you  will  execute  what  he  orders,  and  acknowledge  receipt  of 
it  to  me. 

"  God  preserve  you  many  years. 

"  BERN.  CHAVES. 

"  Pullo,  Jan.  30,  1823;  nine  o'clock  in  the  morning  of  this  day. 
"  To  the  constitutional  alcalde  of  Chaipi, 
Don  Bern.  Rodriguez. 

"  P.  S.  For  the  more  speedy  execution  of  what  is  herein  con- 
tained, you  must  endeavour  to  procure  the  assistance  of  the  mili- 
tary power,  and  of  the  worthy  inhabitants  of  your  parish." 


APPENDIX    K.  447 


(Page  43.) 

Letter  from  Colonel  Manzanedo  to  Colonel  Barrandalla. 

"  Under  this  date,  I  have  transmitted  to  his  excellency,  the 
Viceroy  of  the  kingdom,  the  following  report  : 
'  Most  excellent  Sir, 

'  A  confidential  spy  has  informed  me,  under  date  of  the  27th 
ultimo,  as  follows  :  '  I  beg  to  inform  you,  that  the  Englishman, 
Miller,  has  landed  at  this  port,  and  brings  two  vessels  :  to-morrow 
he  will  disembark  the  battalion  of  negroes,  amounting  to  600, 
with  the  intention,  as  I  am  informed,  of  proceeding  to  Coracora. 
From  lea  they  write,  that  the  chief,  Brandsen,  had  entered  there, 
after  our  troops  had  retreated.  From  Acari  they  state,  that  they 
have  already  250  hussars,  and  that  they  will  reach  this  place  in 
two  days.  The  Peruvian  legion,  which  is  the  battalion  that 
belongs  to  this  Englishman,  is  in  garrisons  from  Ocona  to  Atico, 
where  there  are  about  600  in  readiness  to  march  also  upon  Cora- 
cora/ —  I  transcribe  this  to  your  excellency,  for  your  more  exact 
information  ;  and  although  this  intelligence  appears  to  me  very 
exaggerated,  I  have  increased  the  number  of  spies,  to  obtain  exact 
information  as  to  the  real  force  of  the  enemy,  and  have  instructed 
the  subdelegado  of  the  district  to  observe  his  flank  from  the  capital 
to  Carabeli,  and  to  withdraw,  as  speedily  as  possible,  whatever 
cattle  and  animals  of  every  description  that  may  be  on  the  heights 
in  that  part,  as  I  am  now  doing  towards  the  north,  from  Chaipi, 
Pullo,  and  all  the  country  thereabouts,  where  I  have  sixty  men 
under  confidential  officers.  The  day  before  yesterday  my  second 
in  command  returned  from  the  hills  of  Carabeli  with  the  three 
companies  under  his  orders,  after  having  ascertained  that  there 
was  in  Carabeli  only  a  party  of  one  captain  and  twenty-five  men, 
mounted,  who  fled  the  moment  they  heard  of  the  approach  of  our 
troops  ;  but  they  returned,  and  re-occupied  that  place  so  soon  as 
they  heard  that  our  three  companies  had  withdrawn.  As  the  sub- 
delegate  of  Lucanas  has  not  said  any  thing  to  me  of  the  central 
division  which  occupied  lea  having  retreated,  I  suppose  this  in- 


448  APPENDIX  K. 

telligence  must  be  false,  as  they  must  have  known  it  from  Palpa 
or  Nasca,  and  independently  of  the  intelligence  which  the  com- 
mandant of  the  former  place  would,  no  doubt,  have  sent,  on 
seeing  himself  obliged  to  make  a  retrograde  movement.  A  spy 
has  this  moment  arrived,  and  he  assures  me,  that  the  enemy  had 
penetrated  inwards  from  Atiquipa  to  Quebrada  de  Chala,  to  the 
number  of  450;  besides  several  parties  which  have  spread  in 
different  directions,  and  which  ought  to  arrive  to-day  at  the  vil- 
lage of  Chaipi,  in  the  vicinity  of  which  are  the  sixty  men  of  my 
battalion,  and  respecting  which  the  said  spy  spoke  to  the  captain, 
informing  him  of  these  occurrences.  I  expect  every  moment  to 
receive  fresh  intelligence,  which  I  will  communicate  to  your 
excellency,  if  it  is  worth  consideration,  and  forward  this  to  you  in 
duplicate,  through  the  military  commandant  of  Andaguaylas,  and 
the  subdelegate  Luna.  I  also  send  this  to  him,  and  to  the  mili- 
tary commandant  of  Chuquibamba.  The  same  step  was  taken  with 
the  subdelegate  Lucanas,  and  the  commandant-general  of  the 
central  division,  Brigadier-general  Loriga,  and  the  chiefs  of  Huan- 
cabeliva  and  Guamanga.  I  must  advise  your  excellency,  that, 
up  to  this  date,  the  cartridges  and  other  articles  sent  by  Anda- 
guaylas to  the  subdivision  of  Lucanas,  have  not  arrived,  and  I  have 
only  received  three  boxes  of  Spanish  cartridges,  very  much  da- 
maged, which  have  been  sent  me  by  the  subdelegate  Luna.' 

"  I  copy  the  above  for  your  information,  in  order  that  you  may 
regulate  your  steps  accordingly,  and  shall  continue  to  keep  you 
advised  of  whatever  may  occur.' 

"  God  preserve  you  many  years. 

"  MANUEL  DE  MANZANEDO. 
"  Coracora,  Feb.  1,  1823. 

"  To  Don  Tomas  Barrandalla,  commandant-general  of 
the  central  division  at  lea. 

"  P.  S.  It  is  confirmed  that  Miller's  division  has  been  re- 
inforced with  600  negroes  of  the  regiment  No.  4,  and  that  the 
main  body  remains  posted  in  Atiquipa,  and  its  vicinity,  in- 
dependent of  scattered  detachments." 


APPENDIX    L.  449 

(L.) 

(Page  46.) 
Letter  from  Colonel  Miller  tu  Colonel  Brandsen. 

"  Acari,  23d  February,  1823. 
"  Sir, 

"  I  have  300  head  of  oxen,  and  about  200  horses  and  mules  at 
the  distance  of  half  a  dozen  leagues  from  this.  They  will  march  for 
lea  the  moment  you  think  it  worth  your  while  to  attack  el  Sr. 
Barrandalla,  who  is  trembling  with  340  men  in  the  vicinity  of 
Molinos.  Unless,  indeed,  you  advance  to  lea,  all  the  cattle  will 
undoubtedly  be  lost,  as  well  as  other  advantages  of  a  much  more 
important  nature. 

"  The  enemy  has  entered  Carabeli,  but  he  is  timid  and  afraid 
to  attack  me.  Manzanedo  cannot  persuade  himself  but  that  I 
have  at  least  two  battalions. 

"  In  Lucanas  Aballe  has  not  more  than  thirty  men,  but  this 
old  gentleman  is  more  active  than  the  rest,  and  he  finds  out 
more  particulars  relative  to  my  operations  and  force  than  any  of 
the  rest.  Much  might  be  done  if  you  would  advance  in  this 
direction.  If  you  lose  time,  disagreeable  may  be  the  consequences. 
"  There  is  nothing  to  be  feared  from  Carratala ;  even  provided 
he  has  left  Arequipa  for  Chuquibamba,  he  will  be  detained  by  the 
rivers,  for  I  have  had  two  important  bridges  and  many  balsas 
destroyed.  If  I  had  only  fifty  cavalry,  the  whole  battalion  of 
cazadores  (600)  would  have  been  mine  long  ago. 

"  Captain  Valdivia  and  twelve  soldiers  of  my  regiment,  accom- 
panied by  some  people  of  the  country  as  volunteers,  made  an 
incursion  to  Palpa,  and  on  the  21st  put  to  flight  Colonel  Olachea, 
whom  they  fell  in  with  near  Nasca.  The  latter  had  fifty  armed 
militia  and  four  soldiers  of  the  line,  with  an  officer.  Sixteen  of 
the  militia  were  made  prisoners,  two  of  the  regulars  were  killed, 
and  the  other  two,  with  an  ensign,  were  also  taken.  Olachea 
escaped.  His  baggage,  as  well  as  that  of  the  subdelegate,  Rivero, 
fell  into  our  hands,  amongst  which  is  very  interesting  corre- 
spondence. A  Spaniard,  by  the  name  of  Mufioz,  and  an  American, 
VOL.  II.  G  G 


450  APPENDIX  M. 

/ 

called  Garcia  (the  owner  of  Chocovento),  inhabitants  of  Nasca, 
have  done  us  much  mischief.  They  employ  spies  and  give  Bar- 
randalla  correct  information. 

"  Once  more  I  repeat,  that  whatever  may  be  the  intention  of 
government,  whatever  may  be  your  military  plans,  it  is  of  the 
very  first  importance  that  you  drive  Barrandalla  from  lea,  and 
open  a  communication  with  me,  and  the  provinces  of  Parina- 
cochas  and  Lucanas,  whose  inhabitants  are  all  ready  to  rise.  If 
this  be  done  immediately,  much  may  be  expected;  if  not,  I 
foresee  nothing  but  ruination,  and  we  shall  even  deserve  it  for 
our  apathy.  What  a  pity  that  the  topography  of  the  country 
is  not  better  known  by  those  who  direct  the  movements  of  the 
army! 

"  Send  this  original  to  the  minister  of  war,  if  you  please.  I 
write  in  English  in  case  the  letter  should  be  intercepted,  of  which 
however  there  is  little  chance,  for  all  the  communications  I  have 
sent  by  land  to  Lima  have  been  received,  and  I  have  got  answers 
by  the  same  way. 

"  I  have  the  honour  to  be,  &c. 

"  W.  MILLER. 
«  To.  Colonel  Brandsen,  commanding  at  Canete." 


(M.) 

(Page  326.) 
Act  of  Installation  of  the  Second  Congress  of  Venezuela. 

IN  the  city  of  St.  Thomas  of  Angostura,  on  the  fifteenth  day  of 
the  month  of  February,  in  the  year  of  Our  Lord  One  Thousand 
Eight  Hundred  and  Nineteen,  ninth  of  the  Independence  of  Ve- 
nezuela, at  half-past  ten  in  the  morning,  were  assembled,  in  virtue 
of  a  summons  of  the  supreme  chief  of  the  republic,  Simon  Bolivar, 
in  the  Government  Palace,  for  the  installation  of  the  sovereign 
national  congress,  convoked  by  the  said  supreme  chief  on  the 


APPENDIX  M. 


451 


twenty-second  day  of  October  last,  the  deputies,  of  whom  the 
names  are  as  follows,  viz : 

Nominated  by  the  free  part  of  Venezuela. 


For  the  province  of  Caracas: 

Doctor  Juan  German  Koscio. 
Doctor  Luis  Tomas  Peraza. 
Licentiate  Jose  Espafia. 
Mr.  Onofre  Basalo. 
Mr.  Francisco  Antonio  Zea. 

For  the  province  of  Barcelona  : 

Colonel  Francisco  Parejo. 
Colonel  P.  Eduardo  Hurtado. 
Licentiate  Diego  Bautista  Ur- 

baneja. 

Licentiate  Ramon  Garcia  Cadiz. 
Mr.  Diego  Antonio  Alcala. 

For  the  province  of  Cumana  : 

General-in-chief,  Santiago  Ma- 
rino. 

Brigadier-Gen. Tomas  Montilla. 
Doctor  Juan  Martinez. 
Celonel  Diego  Vallenilla. 


For  the  province  of  Barinas ; 
Dr.  Ramon  Ignacio  Mendez. 
Colonel  Miguel  Guerrero. 
General-of-division,  R.  Urda- 

neta. 
Dr.  Antonio  Maria  Brizeno. 

For  the  province  of  Quay  ana: 
Mr.  Eusebio  Afanador. 
Mr.  Juan  Vicente  Cardozo. 
Intendant  of  the  army,  F.  Pe- 

nalver. 
Brigadier- General  P.L.Torres. 

For  the  province  of  Marga- 
rita : 

Licentiate  Gaspar  Marcano. 
Doctor  Manuel  Palacio. 
Licentiate  Domingo  Alzura. 
Mr.  Jose  de  Jesus  Guevara. 


And  although  there  were  wanting  four  deputies  to  complete 
the  thirty,  of  which  the  congress  ought  to  consist,  the  installation, 
in  virtue  of  the  rule  of  convocation,  by  which  the  presence  of  only 
two-thirds  of  the  representatives  is  required,  was  proceeded  in 
with  the  following  formalities  and  ceremonies : 

At  eleven,  the  firing  of  three  cannon  announced  the  coming  of 
the  supreme  chief,  accompanied  by  his  staff,  the  governor  of  the 
place,  the  commandant  of  the  province,  and  all  the  chiefs  and 
officers  in  this  city.  The  deputies  went  out  to  receive  his  excelr 
lency  without  the  gates  of  the  palace,  and,  conducting  him  to  the 
hall  set  apart  for  their  sittings,  placed  him  in  the  chair  under  the 

G  G  2 


452  APPENDIX  M. 

national  canopy.  The  concourse  of  citizens  and  foreigners  of  di- 
stinction was  immense. 

The  supreme  chief  opened  the  session  with  reading  a  long 
speech,  the  chief  object  of  which  was  to  explain  the  fundamental 
principles  of  the  project  of  a  constitution  he  presented  to  the 
congress,  and  to  show  that  it  was  the  best  adapted  to  our  country. 
He  spoke  very  briefly  of  his  own  administration  under  the  most 
difficult  circumstances,  intimating  that  the  secretaries  of  state 
would  give  an  account  of  their  respective  departments,  and  exhibit 
the  documents  necessary  for  illustrating  the  real  and  actual  state 
of  the  republic,  and  only  enlarged  when  recommending  to  the 
congress  the  confirmation  of  the  liberty  granted  to  the  slaves, 
without  any  restriction  whatever,  the  institution  of  the  Order  of 
Liberators,  and  the  law  for  the  division  of  the  national  property 
amongst  the  defenders  of  the  country,  as  the  only  reward  for  their 
heroic  services.  He  likewise  charged  the  congress  in  the  most 
particular  manner  to  turn  its  serious  attention  to  the  funding  of 
the  national  debt,  and  providing  means  for  its  speedy  extinction, 
as  was  due  in  gratitude,  justice,  and  honour. 

On  his  speech  being  ended,  he  added,  "  The  congress  of  Ve- 
nezuela is  installed.  In  it  from  this  moment  is  centred  the  na- 
tional sovereignty :  my  sword  (grasping  it)  and  those  of  my  il- 
lustrious fellows  in  arms  are  ever  ready  to  maintain  its  august 
authority.  God  save  the  Congress  of  Venezuela  !"  At  this  ex- 
pression, several  times  repeated  by  the  crowd,  a  salute  of  artillery 
was  fired. 

The  supreme  chief  then  invited  the  congress  to  proceed  to  the 
election  of  an  interim  president,  that  he  might  deliver  up  to  him 
his  command.  The  deputy,  Francisco  Antonio  Zea,  having  been 
elected  by  acclamation,  his  excellency  took  the  oath  on  the  Holy 
Evangelists,  and  in  which  he  was  followed  by  all  the  members, 
one  by  one.  When  his  excellency  had  taken  the  oath,  he  placed 
the  president  in  the  chair  which  he  had  himself  occupied  under 
the  canopy,  and,  addressing  the  military,  said,  "  Generals,  chiefs, 
and  officers,  my  fellows  in  arms,  we  are  nothing  more  than 
simple  citizens  until  the  sovereign  congress  condescend  to  employ 
us  in  the  classes  and  ranks  agreeable  to  them:  reckoning  on  your 
submission,  I  am  about  to  give  them,  in  your  names  and  my  own, 


APPENDIX  M.  453 

the  most  manifest  proof  of  our  obedience,  by  delivering  up  the 
command  intrusted  to  me."  On  saying  which,  he  approached 
the  president  of  the  congress,  and  presenting  his  staff  of  office, 
continued :  "  I  return  to  the  republic  the  general's  staff  intrusted 
to  me.  To  serve  in  whatever  rank  or  class  the  congress  may  place 
me  cannot  but  be  honourable.  In  it  I  shall  give  an  example  of 
that  subordination  and  blind  obedience  which  ought  to  characterize 
every  soldier  of  the  republic."  The  president,  addressing  the 
congress,  said,  "  The  confirmation  of  all  the  ranks  and  offices  con- 
ferred by  his  excellency  General  Simon  Bolivar,  during  his 
command,  does  not  appear  to  admit  of  any  discussion  :  I,  however, 
request  the  express  approval  of  the  congress  for  declaring  it.  Is 
the  congress  of  opinion,  that  the  ranks  and  offices  conferred  by 
his  excellency  General  Simon  Bolivar,  as  supreme  chief  of  the 
republic,  be  confirmed?"  All  the  deputies,  standing  up,  answered 
Yes,  and  the  president  continued:  "  The  sovereign  congress  of  the 
republic  confirms,  in  the  person  of  his  excellency  the  Captain-gene- 
ral Simon  Bolivar,  all  the  ranks  and  offices  conferred  by  him  during 
his  government ;"  and,  returning  him  the  staff,  placed  him  in  the 
seat  on  his  right.  After  a  silence  of  some  moments,  the  president 
spoke  as  follows : 

"  All  nations  and  all  empires  were  in  their  infancy  feeble  and 
little,  like  man  himself,  to  whom  they  owe  their  origin.  Those 
great  cities  which  still  inflame  the  imagination,  Memphis,  Pal- 
myra, Thebes,  Alexandria,  Tyre,  the  capital  even  of  Belus  and 
Semiramis,  and  thou  also,  proud  Rome,  mistress  of  the  universe, 
were  nothing  more  at  their  commencement  than  diminutive  and 
miserable  hamlets.  It  was  not  in  the  Capitol,  nor  in  the  palace 
of  Agrippa  nor  of  Trajan,  but  it  was  in  a  lowly  hut,  under  a 
thatched  roof,  that  .Romulus,  rudely  clad,  traced  the  capital  of 
the  world,  and  laid  the  foundations  of  his  mighty  empire.  Nothing 
shone  conspicuous  but  his  genius ;  there  was  nothing  great  but 
himself.  It  is  not  by  the  lustre  nor  by  the  magnificence  of  our 
installation,  but  by  the  immense  means  bestowed  on  us  by  nature, 
and  by  the  immense  plans  which  you  will  form  for  availing  our- 
selves of  them,  that  the  future  grandeur  and  power  of  our  re- 
public should  be  measured.  The  artless  splendour  of  the  noble 
act  of  patriotism  of  which  General  Bolivar  has  just  given  so 


APPENDIX  M. 

illustrious  and  so  memorable  an  example,  stamps  on  this  solem- 
nity a  character  of  antiquity,  and  is  a  presage  of  the  lofty  de- 
stinies of  our  country.  Neither  Rome  nor  Athens,  nor  even  Sparta, 
in  the  purest  days  of  heroism  and  public  virtue,  ever  presented 
so  sublime  and  so  interesting  a  scene.  The  imagination  rises  in 
contemplating  it,  ages  and  distances  disappear,  and  we  think 
ourselves  contemporary  with  the  Aristides,  the  Phocions,  the 
Camillus,  and  the  Epaminondas  of  other  days.  The  same  phil- 
anthropy and  the  same  liberal  sentiments  which  united  to  the 
republican  chiefs  of  high  antiquity  those  beneficent  emperors, 
Vespasian,  Titus,  Trajan,  and  Marcus  Aurelius,  who  so  worthily 
trod  the  same  path,  will  to-day  place  amongst  them  this  modest 
general,  and  with  them  he  will  shine  in  history,  and  receive  the 
benedictions  of  posterity.  It  is  not  now  that  the  sublime  trait 
of  patriotic  virtue,  which  we  have  witnessed  and  admire,  can  be 
duly  appreciated ;  when  our  institutions  will  have  had  the  sanction 
of  time,  when  every  thing  weak,  and  every  thing  little  in  our 
days,  passions,  interests,  and  vanities,  will  have  disappeared,  and 
great  deeds  and  great  men  alone  remain,  then  the  abdication  of 
General  Bolivar  will  receive  all  the  justice  it  so  richly  merits, 
and  his  name  will  be  mentioned  with  pride  in  Venezuela,  and 
with  veneration  throughout  the  universe.  Forgetting  every  thing 
he  has  achieved  for  the  establishment  of  our  liberties — eight 
years  of  afflictions  and  dangers — the  sacrifice  of  his  fortune  and 
repose — indescribable  fatigues  and  hardships — exertions  of  which 
scarcely  a  similar  example  can  be  quoted  from  history — that 
constant  proof  against  every  reverse — that  invincible  firmness,  in 
never  despairing  of  the  salvation  of  our  country,  even  when  he 
saw  her  subjugated,  and  he  destitute  and  alone ; — forgetting,  I  say, 
so  many  claims  to  immortality,  to  fix  his  attention  only  on  what 
we  have  seen  and  admired.  If  he  had  renounced  the  supreme 
authority,  when  it  presented  nothing  but  troubles  and  dangers, 
when  it  brought  on  his  head  insults  and  calumnies,  and  when  it 
appeared  nothing  more  than  an  empty  name,  although  it  would 
not  have  been  praiseworthy,  it  would  at  least  have  been  prudent : 
but  to  do  it  at  the  very  moment  when  the  authority  begins  to 
enjoy  some  attractions  in  the  eyes  of  ambition,  and  when  every 
thing  forebodes  a  speedy  and  fortunate  issue  to  our  desires,  and 


APPENDIX   M.  455 

to  do  it  of  himself,  and  from  the  pure  love  of  liberty,  is  a  deed  so 
heroic  and  so  splendid,  that  I  doubt  whether  it  ever  had  an  equal, 
and  despair  of  its  ever  being  imitated.  But  what !  shall  we 
allow  General  Bolivar  to  rise  so  much  above  his  fellow-citizens 
as  to  oppress  them  with  his  glory,  and  not  at  least  endeavour  to 
compete  with  him  in  noble  and  patriotic  sentiments,  by  not  per- 
mitting him  to  quit  the  precincts  of  this  august  assembly  without 
re-investing  him  with  that  same  authority  which  he  had  re- 
linquished in  order  to  maintain  liberty  inviolable,  but  which  was 
in  fact  the  way  to  risk  it?"  "  No,  no,"  replied  General  Bolivar 
with  energy,  "  never,  never  will  I  take  upon  me  again  an  au- 
thority which  from  my  heart  I  have  renounced  for  ever  on  prin- 
ciple and  sentiment."  He  continued  explaining  the  dangers 
which  liberty  would  be  exposed  to,  by  continuing  for  a  length  of 
time  the  same  man  in  possession  of  the  chief  authority.  He  showed 
the  necessity  of  guarding  against  the  views  of  every  ambitious 
person,  and  even  against  his  own,  as  he  could  not  be  sure  of 
always  acting  and  thinking  in  the  same  way ;  and  finished  his 
speech  with  protesting,  in  the  strongest  and  most  decisive  tone, 
that  not  in  any  case,  nor  on  any  consideration,  would  he  ever  accept 
an  authority  which  he  had  so  sincerely  and  so  cordially  renounced, 
in  order  to  secure  to  his  country  the  blessings  of  liberty.  His 
reply  being  ended,  he  begged  permission  to  retire,  to  which  the 
president  acceded,  and  appointed  a  deputation  of  ten  members  to 
conduct  him. 

A  discussion  then  took  place  in  the  congress  about  the  nomi- 
nation of  an  interim  president  of  the  republic ;  but  several  dif- 
ficulties arising  in  the  election,  it  was  agreed  that  General 
Bolivar  should  exercise  that  power  for  twenty-four,  or,  at  most, 
for  eight  and  forty  hours ;  and  a  deputation,  with  General  Ma- 
rino at  their  head,  was  sent  to  communicate  the  resolution. 
General  Bolivar  replied,  that  it  was  only  in  consideration  of  the 
urgency  of  the  case  that  he  accepted  the  charge,  and  on  the 
precise  condition  that  it  should  only  be  for  the  time  fixed. 

This  important  business  being  disposed  of,  and  the  day  far 
advanced,  the  sovereign  congress  resolved  to  meet  the  following 
morning,  at  half-past  nine,  and  in  a  body,  accompanied  by  the 
executive  power,  the  staff,  the  generals,  chiefs  and  officers  of  the 


456  APPENDIX  M. 

army  and  place,  to  proceed  to  the  holy  cathedral  church,  and 
return  thanks  to  Almighty  God  for  his  mercies,  in  having  granted 
the  happy  re-assembling  of  the  national  representation,  to  fix  the 
lot  of  the  republic,  by  giving  it  a  free  constitution,  capable  of 
raising  it  to  the  height  of  glory  destined  by  nature. 

The  president  declared  the  sitting  of  the  installation  of  the 
sovereign  congress  of  Venezuela  ended,  and  that  the  act  should  be 
signed  by  all  the  deputies  and  the  supreme  chief,  who  had  this 
day  laid  down  his  authority,  and  that  it  be  countersigned  by  the 
secretary  appointed  ad  interim  for  that  purpose. 


Simon  Bolivar. 
Francisco  Antonio  Zea. 
Juan  German  Roscio. 
Luis  Tomas  Peraza. 
Jose  Espana. 
Onofre  Basalo. 
Francisco  Parejo. 
Eduardo  Hurtado. 
Ramon  Garcia  Cadiz. 
Diego  Antonio  Alcala. 
Santiago  Marino. 
Tomas  Montilla. 
Juan  Martinez. 


Diego  Vallenilla. 
Ramon  Ignacio  Mendez. 
Miguel  Guerrero. 
Rafael  Urdaneta. 
Antonio  Maria  Brizelio. 
Eusebio  Afanador. 
Juan  Vicente  Cardozo. 
Fernando  Penalver. 
Pedro  Leon  Torres. 
Gaspar  Marcano. 
Manuel  Palacio. 
Domingo  Alzura. 
Jose  de  Jesus  Guevara. 


Deputy- Secretary  cul  interim,  DIEGO  BAUTISTA  URBANKJA. 

Palace  of  the  national  congress  in  Angostura,  17th  February, 
1819. — To  be  passed  to  the  supreme  executive  power,  for  its 
publication  and  circulation. 

FRANCISCO  ANTONIO  ZEA,  President. 

DIEGO  BAUTISTA  URBANEJA,  Secretary. 

Government  Palace,  18th  February,  1819. — To  be  published, 
printed,  and  communicated  to  the  chiefs  of  the  free  provinces, 
and  the  municipalities. 

SIMON' BOLIVAR. 
PEDRO  B.  MENDEZ,  Secretary  of  State. 


APPENDIX  M.  457 

Speech  of  General  Bolivar  to  the  Congress  of  Venezuela. 
GENTLEMEN, 

I  account  myself  one  of  the  beings  most  favoured  by  divine 
Providence,  in  having  the  honour  of  re-uniting  the  representatives 
of  Venezuela  in  this  august  congress ;  the  only  source  of  legi- 
timate authority,  the  deposit  of  the  sovereign  will,  and  the  arbiter 
of  the  nation's  fate. 

In  delivering  back  to  the  representatives  of  the  people  the 
supreme  power  intrusted  to  me,  I  satisfy  the  desires  of  my  own 
heart,  and  calm  the  wishes  of  my  fellow-citizens  and  of  future 
generations,  who  hope  every  thing  from  your  wisdom,  rectitude, 
and  prudence.  In  fulfilling  this  delightful  duty,  I  free  myself 
from  the  boundless  authority  which  oppresses  me,  and  also  from 
the  unlimited  responsibility  which  weighs  on  my  feeble  hands. 

An  imperative  necessity,  united  to  a  strongly  expressed  desire 
on  the  part  of  the  people,  could  have  alone  induced  me  to  assume 
the  dreadful  and  dangerous  charge  of  dictator,  supreme  chief  of  the 
republic.  Now,  however,  I  respire  in  returning  the  authority, 
which,  with  so  great  risk,  difficulty,  and  toil,  I  have  maintained 
amidst  as  horrible  calamities  as  ever  afflicted  a  social  body. 

In  the  epoch  during  which  I  presided  over  the  republic,  it  was 
not  merely  a  political  storm  that  raged,  in  a  sanguinary  war,  in  a 
time  of  popular  anarchy ;  but  the  tempest  of  the  desert,  a  whirl- 
wind of  every  disorganized  element,  the  bursting  of  an  infernal 
torrent,  that  overwhelmed  the  land  of  Venezuela.  A  man  !  and 
such  a  man  as  I  am  !  what  bounds,  what  resistance,  could  he  op- 
pose to  such  furious  devastation  ?  Amidst  that  sea  of  woes  and 
afflictions,  I  was  nothing  more  than  the  miserable  sport  of  the 
revolutionary  hurricane,  driven  to  and  fro  like  the  wild  bird  of 
the  ocean.  I  could  do  neither  good  nor  evil;  an  irresistible 
power,  above  all  human  control,  directed  the  march  of  our 
fortunes ;  and  for  me  to  pretend  to  have  been  the  prime  mover  of 
the  events  which  have  taken  place  would  be  unjust,  and  would 
be  attaching  to  myself  an  importance  I  do  not  merit.  Do  you 
desire  to  know  the  sources  from  which  those  occurrences  took 
their  rise,  and  the  origin  of  our  present  situation  ?  Consult  the 


458  APPENDIX  M. 

annals  of  Spain,  of  America,  and  of  Venezuela ;  examine  the 
laws  of  the  Indies,  the  conduct  of  your  ancient  governors.,  the  in- 
fluence of  religion,  and  of  foreign  dominion ;  observe  the  first  acts 
of  the  republican  government,  the  ferocity  of  our  enemies,  and 
the  national  character.  I  again  repeat,  that  I  cannot  consider 
myself  more  than  the  mere  instrument  of  the  great  causes  which 
have  acted  on  our  country.  My  life,  my  conduct,  and  all  my 
actions,  public  and  private,  are  however  before  the  people ;  and, 
representatives,  it  is  your  duty  to  judge  them.  I  submit  to  your 
impartial  decision  the  manner  in  which  I  have  executed  my 
command,  and  nothing  will  I  add  to  excuse — I  have  already  said 
enough  as  an  apology.  Should  I  merit  your  approbation,  I  shall 
have  acquired  the  sublime  title  of  a  good  citizen,  preferred  by  me 
to  that  of  Liberator,  bestowed  on  me  by  Venezuela,  to  that  of 
Pacificator,  given  by  Cundinamarca,  and  to  all  others  the  universe 
could  confer. 

Legislators !  I  deposit  in  your  hands  the  supreme  command  of 
Venezuela,  and  it  is  now  your  high  duty  to  consecrate  yourselves 
to  the  felicity  of  the  republic.  In  your  hands  rests  the  balance  of 
our  destiny,  and  the  means  of  our  glory.  You  will  confirm  the 
decrees  which  establish  our  liberty. 

The  supreme  chief  of  the  republic  is,  at  this  moment,  nothing 
more  than  a  simple  citizen ;  and  such  he  wishes  to  remain  until 
his  latest  hour.  He  will,  however,  serve  with  the  armies  of 
Venezuela  as  long  as  an  army  treads  her  soil. 

Our  country  contains  within  her  bosom  many  deserving  sons 
capable  of  directing  her.  Talents,  virtue,  experience,  and  what- 
ever is  requisite  for  the  good  government  of  free  men,  are  the 
patrimony,  both  of  many  who  represent  the  people  in  this  august 
assembly,  and  of  others  without  its  walls.  Citizens  are  to  be  found, 
who,  at  all  times,  have  given  proofs  of  their  valour  in  encountering 
dangers,  of  their  prudence  in  eschewing  them,  and  in  short  of  the 
art  of  governing  themselves,  and  governing  others.  These  illus- 
trious personages  do  undoubtedly  merit  the  suffrages  of  the 
congress,  and  to  receive  in  charge  that  government  which  I,  with 
so  much  cordiality  and  sincerity,  have  just  renounced  for  ever. 

The  continuation  of  authority  in  the  same  individual  has  fre- 
quently proved  the  termination  of  democratical  governments. 


APPENDIX  M.  459 

Repented  elections  are  essential  in  popular  systems ;  for  nothing 
is  so  dangerous  as  to  suffer  power  to  remain  a  long  time  vested  in 
one  citizen ;  the  people  accustomed  to  obey,  and  he  to  command, 
give  rise  to  usurpation  and  tyranny.  A  strict  jealousy  is  the 
guarantee  of  republican  liberty ;  and  the  citizens  of  Venezuela 
ought  to  fear,  with  the  greatest  justice,  that  the  same  magistrate, 
who  has  governed  them  for  a  length  of  time,  may  do  so  for  ever. 

I  trust  that,  from  this  my  act  of  adherence  to  the  liberty  of  my 
country,  I  may  aspire  to  the  glory  of  being  reckoned  one  of  her 
most  faithful  lovers. 

Permit  me,  sirs,  with  the  frankness  of  a  true  republican,  to  lay 
before  you  a  respectful  outline  of  the  project  of  a  constitution, 
which  I  take  the  liberty  of  offering,  in  testimony  of  the  sincerity 
and  candour  of  my  sentiments.  As  the  safety  of  all  is  concerned, 
I  venture  to  believe  that  I  possess  a  right  of  being  heard  by  the 
representatives  of  the  people.  I  am  well  aware  that  your  wisdom 
has  no  need  of  counsellors,  and  I  am  moreover  aware  that  my 
project  may  appear  erroneous  and  impracticable  ;  but,  sirs,  accept 
Avith  kindness  this  work,  which  is,  I  do  assure  you,  rather  a  tri- 
bute of  my  sincere  submission  to  the  congress  than  the  production 
of  presumptuous  levity.  Your  installation  moreover  constituting 
the  creation  of  a  political  body,  and,  as  may  be  said,  even  the 
creation  of  a  whole  community,  surrounded  by  all  the  inconve- 
niencies  which  the  most  singular  and  difficult  situation  can  present, 
the  cry  of  one  citizen  may,  perhaps,  point  out  the  presence  of 
hidden  danger. 

Casting  a  glance  on  the  past,  we  shall  see  what  is  the  basis  of 
the  republic  of  Venezuela. 

The  separation  of  America  from  the  Spanish  monarchy  re- 
sembles the  state  of  the  Roman  empire,  when  that  enormous  mass 
fell  to  pieces  in  the  midst  of  the  ancient  world.  Every  dismember- 
ment then  formed  an  independent  nation,  conformable  to  its  situ- 
ation and  interests;  but  with  the  difference,  that  those  associations 
returned  to  their  original  principle.  We  do  not  retain  vestiges 
of  what  we  were  in  other  times ;  we  are  not  Europeans,  we  are  not 
Indians ;  but  a  middle  race,  betwixt  the  aborigines  and  the  Spa- 
niards. Americans  by  birth,  and  Europeans  in  rights,  we  are  placed 
in  the  extraordinary  predicament  of  disputing  with  the  natives 


460  APPENDIX  M. 

our  privilege  of  possession,  and  of  maintaining  ourselves  in  the 
country  which  gave  us  birth,  against  the  efforts  of  the  original 
invaders ;  and  thus  our  situation  is  the  more  extraordinary  and 
complicated. 

Our  lot,  moreover,  has  ever  been  purely  passive ;  our  .political 
existence  has  ever  been  nugatory ;  and  we,  therefore,  encounter 
greater  difficulties  in  establishing  our  liberties,  having  hitherto 
been  in  &  lower  degree  of  degradation  than  even  servitude,  and 
being  not  only  robbed  of  our  freedom,  but  not  suffering  an  active 
and  domineering  tyranny,  which  would  have  excited  feelings  of 
indignation. 

Permit  me  to  explain  this  paradox.  In  the  exercise  of  au- 
thorized absolute  power  there  are  no  limits ;  the  will  of  the  despot 
is  the  supreme  law,  arbitrarily  executed  by  inferiors  who  parti- 
cipate in  the  organized  oppression  in  proportion  to  the  authority 
they  hold;  being  intrusted  with  all  functions,  civil,  political, 
military,  and  religious.  America  received  all  from  Spain,  was 
without  the  practice  and  exercise  of  an  active  tyranny,  and  was 
not  permitted  to  share  in  the  administration  of  her  domestic  con- 
cerns and  interior  arrangements. 

This  abject  state  of  depression  rendered  it  impossible  for  us  to 
be  acquainted  with  the  course  of  public  affairs,  and  as  little  did 
we  enjoy  the  personal  consequence  and  respect  which  the  show 
of  authority  commands  in  the  eyes  of  the  people,  and  which  is  of 
such  importance  in  great  revolutions.  I  say  again,  that  we  were 
abstracted  and  absent  from  the  world  in  every  thing  having  a 
reference  to  the  science  of  government.  The  people  of  America, 
bound  with  the  triple  yoke  of  ignorance,  tyranny,  and  vice,  could 
not  acquire  either  knowledge,  power,  or  virtue. 

Pupils  of  such  pernicious  masters,  the  lessons  we  received, 
and  the  examples  we  followed,  were  the  most  destructive.  We 
were  governed  more  by  deceit  and  treachery  than  by  force,  and 
were  degraded  more  by  vice  than  by  superstition.  Slavery  is  the 
daughter  of  darkness,  and  an  ignorant  person  is  generally  the 
blind  instrument  of  his  own  ruin ;  ambition  and  intrigue  take 
advantage  of  the  credulity  and  inexperience  of  men  totally  unac- 
quainted with  every  principle  of  political  and  civil  economy  ;  the 
uninformed  adopt  as  realities  what  are  mere  illusions;  they  mistake 


APPENDIX   M.  4(J1 

licentiousness  for  liberty,  treachery  for  patriotism,  and  revenge 
for  justice. 

A  corrupt  people,  should  it  gain  its  liberty,  soon  loses  it  again  ; 
for  in  vain  are  the  lights  of  experience  exercised  in  showing  that 
happiness  consists  in  the  practice  of  virtue,  and  that  the  govern- 
ment of  laws  is  more  powerful  than  that  of  tyrants,  because  they 
are  more  inflexible,  and  all  ought  to  submit  to  their  wholesome 
severity;  that  good  morals,  and  not  force,  constitute  the  pillars  of 
the  law,  and  that  the  exercise  of  justice  is  the  exercise  of  liberty. 

Thus,  legislators,  your  undertaking  is  so  much  the  more  labo- 
rious, as  you  have  to  do  with  men  corrupted  by  the  illusions  of 
error,  and  by  noxious  incitements.  Liberty,  says  Rousseau,  is  a 
succulent  food,  but  difficult  of  digestion.  Our  weak  and  feeble 
fellow-citizens  will  have  to  increase  in  strength  of  mind  in  a  very 
great  degree,  before  they  get  the  length  of  being  able  to  digest  the 
wholesome  aliment  of  freedom.  With  members  benumbed  by 
fetters,  and  eyesight  weakened  by  the  darkness  of  dungeons,  are 
they  capable  of  marching  with  firm  steps  towards  the  august 
temple  of  Liberty  ?  Are  they  capable  of  supporting  its  splendid 
rays,  or  breathing  freely  the  pure  ether  that  reigns  there? 

Legislators!  Consider  well  the  object  of  your  election;  bear 
ever  in  mind  that  you  are  about  to  form  fundamental  regulations 
for  an  incipient  people,  which,  if  you  proportionate  the  basis  of 
the  structure  to  what  may  be  expected,  may  rise  to  that  pitch  of 
elevation  pointed  out  by  nature.  If  the  tutelary  genius  of  Vene- 
zuela does  not  direct  your  choice,  and  inspire  you  with  the  pru- 
dence and  expertness  necessary  for  selecting  the  nature  and  form 
of  government  you  are  about  to  adopt  for  the  happiness  of  the 
people,  if  you  do  not  fix  aright,  depend  on  it,  slavery  will  be  the 
result. 

The  records  of  other  days  present  us  with  an  immense  variety 
of  governments.  Bring  to  your  recollection  the  nations  which 
have  figured  most  conspicuously  in  the  history  of  the  world,  and 
with  affliction  will  you  remark  that  almost  the  whole  earth  has 
been,  and  is,  the  victim  of  its  governments.  You  will  find  many 
systems  for  governing  men,  but  most  for  oppressing  them ;  and  had 
not  the  custom  of  seeing  the  human  race  led  by  the  pastors  of  the 
people  diminished  the  horror  of  so  revolting  a  spectacle,  we  should 


462  APPENDIX  M. 

be  shocked  in  observing  our  docile  species  feeding  on  the  surface 
of  the  globe,  like  the  cattle  of  the  field,  destined  for  the  use  of 
their  cruel  masters.  Nature  certainly  endows  us  at  our  birth 
with  an  inclination  to  liberty;  but,  whether  arising  from  sloth,  or 
some  other  source,  it  is  a  positive  fact,  that  she  remains  still  and 
quiet  under  the  trammels  which  may  be  imposed  on  her.  In  con- 
templating her  in  this  state  of  prostitution,  it  would  appear  that 
we  have  reason  to  be  persuaded,  that  the  majority  of  mankind 
considers  as  true  that  humiliating  maxim,  that  it  is  more  difficult 
to  maintain  the  equilibrium  of  liberty  than  to  sustain  the  weight 
of  tyranny.  Would  to  God  that  this  maxim,  so  contrary  to  nature, 
were  false!  Would  to  God  that  this  maxim  had  not  been  sanc- 
tioned by  the  indolence  of  mankind  with  respect  to  their  most 
sacred  rights ! 

Many  ancient  and  modern  nations  have  shaken  off  oppression, 
but  few  of  them  have  known  how  to  enjoy  a  few  precious  moments 
of  freedom.  Very  soon  have  they  returned  to  their  former  political 
vices;  for  the  people  more  frequently  than  the  government  bring 
on  tyranny.  The  habit  of  submission  renders  them  insensible  to 
the  charms  of  honour  and  national  prosperity,  and  leads  them  to 
regard  with  insensibility  the  glory  of  being  free  under  the  pro- 
tection of  laws  dictated  by  their  own  will.  The  history  of  the 
world  proclaims  this  dreadful  truth. 

Democracy,  in  my  opinion,  is  alone  susceptible  of  complete 
liberty;  but  what  democratical  government  ever  united  at  the 
same  time  power,  prosperity,  and  permanency?  and,  on  the  con- 
trary, have  we  not  seen  aristocracy  and  monarchy  establish  great 
and  powerful  empires  for  ages  and  ages  ?  What  government  is 
more  ancient  than  that  of  China  ?  What  republic  has  exceeded 
in  duration  those  of  Sparta  and  Venice  ?  Did  not  the  Roman 
empire  conquer  the  world  ?  Did  not  monarchy  exist  in  France 
for  fourteen  centuries  ?  What  state  is  more  powerful  than  Great 
Britain  ?  The  governments,  however,  of  those  nations  were  either 
aristocratical  or  monarchical. 

Notwithstanding  such  painful  "reflections,  my  mind  is  filled 
with  joy  at  the  great  progress  made  by  our  republic  in  its  glorious 
career;  loving  what  is  useful,  animated  by  what  is  just,  and 
aspiring  to  what  is  perfect.  Venezuela,  on  separating  from  Spain, 


APPENDIX   M.  463 

recovered  her  independence  and  liberty,  her  equality  and  her 
national  sovereignty.  Constituting  herself  into  a  democratical 
republic,  she  proscribed  monarchy,  distinctions,  nobility,  charters, 
and  privileges:  she  declared  the  rights  of  man,  the  liberty  of 
acting,  thinking,  speaking,  and  writing.  Those  facts,  so  emi- 
nently liberal,  cannot  be  sufficiently  admired  for  the  purity  which 
gave  them  birth.  The  first  congress  of  Venezuela  fixed  in 
indelible  characters  in  the  annals  of  our  legislation,  the  majesty  of 
the  people  as  properly  expressed  in  the  social  act  as  the  fittest  to 
form  the  happiness  of  the  nation.  Every  feeling  of  my  mind  is 
required  to  appreciate  duly  the  supereminent  good  contained  in 
that  immortal  code  of  our  rights  and  laws.  But,  at  the  same  time, 
how  shall  I  express  myself?  Shall  I  dare  to  profane  with  my 
censure  the  sacred  tables  of  our  laws  ?  There  are  sentiments 
which  cannot  remain  quiet  in  the  breast  of  the  man  that  loves  his 
country,  and  which,  however  attempted  to  be  concealed,  agitate 
by  their  violence,  and  which  an  imperious  force  obliges  him  to 
disclose.  It  grieves  me  to  think  that  the  government  of  Vene- 
zuela requires  reform ;  and,  although  many  illustrious  citizens 
think  as  I  do,  all  do  not  possess  sufficient  boldness  to  state  pub- 
licly their  opinion  in  favour  of  the  adoption  of  new  principles; 
and  this  consideration  has  led  me  to  be  the  first  in  introducing  a 
subject  of  the  greatest  importance,  although,  in  doing  so,  there 
is  an  excessive  audacity,  in  pretending  to  give  advice  to  the  coun- 
sellors of  the  nation. 

The  more  I  admire  the  excellency  of  the  federal  constitution  of 
Venezuela,  the  more  am  I  convinced  of  the  impossibility  of  apply- 
ing it  to  our  situation,  and,  according  to  my  way  of  thinking,  it  is 
a  miracle  that  its  model  in  North  America  has  existed  with  so 
much  prosperity,  and  not  been  thrown  into  confusion  on  the  first 
appearance  of  danger  or  embarrassment.  Notwithstanding  which, 
that  people  is  a  singular  example  of  political  virtue  and  moral 
rectitude ;  liberty  has  been  its  cradle,  it  has  grown  up  in  liberty, 
and  is  maintained  by  pure  liberty.  I  will  add,  that  that  people  is 
unique  in  the  history  of  the  human  race,  and  repeat  that  it  is  a 
prodigy  that  a  system,  so  weak  and  complicated  as  the  federal 
should  have  existed  under  so  difficult  and  delicate  circumstances 
as  those  which  have  occurred.  However,  whatever  the  case  may 


46*  APPEN7DIX   M. 

be  as  to  the  government,  I  must  say  of  the  American  people,  that 
the  idea  never  entered  my  mind  of  assimilating  the  situation  and 
nature  of  two  nations  so  distinct  as  the  Anglo  and  Spanish  Ame- 
rican. Would  it  not  be  extremely  difficult  to  apply  to  Spain  the 
political,  civil,  and  religious  code  of  Great  Britain  ?  It  would  be 
even  more  difficult  to  adopt  in  Venezuela  the  laws  of  North 
America.  Does  not  the  Spirit  of  Laws  say,  that  laws  ought  to  be 
suited  to  the  people  making  them,  and  that  it  is  a  very  great 
chance  that  those  of  one  nation  will  suit  another?  That  the 
laws  ought  to  bear  relation  to  the  physical  state  of  the  country, 
to  its  climate,  to  the  quality  of  its  soil,  to  its  situation,  to  its  ex- 
tent, and  to  the  manner  of  life  of  its  inhabitants;  having  reference 
to  the  degree  of  liberty  the  constitution  can  support,  to  the  reli- 
gion of  the  people,  to  their  inclinations,  riches,  number,  commerce, 
customs,  and  morals. 

I  now  present  the  code  which,  according  to  my  way  of  thinking, 
we  ought  to  adopt. 

The  constitution  of  Venezuela,  although  founded  on  the  most 
perfect  principles,  differed  widely  from  that  of  America  in  an 
essential  point,  and  without  doubt  the  most  important.  The 
congress  of  Venezuela,  like  that  of  America,  participates  in  some 
of  the  attributes  of  the  executive  power.  But  we  go  further,  and 
subdivide  it  by  committing  it  to  a  collective  body,  and  are  conse- 
quently subject  to  the  inconvenience  of  making  the  existence  of 
the  government  periodical,  of  suspending  and  of  dissolving  it 
whenever  the  members  separate.  Our  triumvirate  is  void,  as 
one  may  say,  of  unity,  duration,  and  personal  responsibility;  it 
is  at  times  destitute  of  action,  it  is  without  perpetual  life,  real 
uniformity,  and  immediate  responsibility;  and  a  government 
which  does  not  possess  continuance  may  be  denominated  a  nullity. 
Although  the  powers  of  the  president  of  the  United  States  are 
limited  by  excessive  restrictions,  he  exercises  by  himself  alone  all 
the  functions  of  authority  granted  him  by  the  constitution  ;  and 
there  can  be  no  doubt  that  his  administration  must  be  more  uni- 
form, constant,  and  truly  proper,  than  that  of  a  power  divided 
amongst  various  individuals,  the  composition  of  which  cannot  but 
be  monstrous. 

The  judicial  power  in  Venezuela  is  similar  to  that  in  America; 


APPENDIX  M.  465 

indefinite  in  duration,  temporary  and  not  perpetual,  and  it  enjoys 
all  the  independence  necessary. 

The  first  congress,  in  its  federal  constitution,  consulted  rather 
the  spirits  of  the  different  provinces  than  the  solid  idea  of  esta- 
blishing an  indivisible  and  concentrated  republic.  There  sat  our 
legislators,  under  the  influence  of  provincials,  carried  away  with 
the  dazzling  appearance  of  the  happiness  of  North  America, 
thinking  that  the  blessings  she  enjoyed  were  owing  exclusively  to 
the  form  of  government,  and  not  to  the  character  of  the  people. 
And,  in  fact,  the  example  of  the  United  States,  with  its  pro- 
gressive prosperity,  was  too  nattering  not  to  have  been  followed. 
Who  could  resist  the  glorious  attraction  of  the  full  and  absolute 
enjoyment  of  sovereignty,  independence,  and  liberty?  Who 
could  resist  the  admiration  and  esteem  inspired  by  an  intelligent 
government,  which  unites  at  the  same  moment  public  and  private 
rights,  which  forms  by  general  consent  the  supreme  law  of  indi- 
viduals ?  Who  can  resist  the  dominion  of  a  beneficent  govern- 
ment, which,  with  an  able,  active,  and  powerful  hand,  directs,  at 
all  times  and  in  all  cases,  all  its  efforts  towards  that  social  per- 
fection which  ought  to  be  the  end  of  all  human  institutions  ? 
However  beautiful  this  magnificent  federative  system  might  ap- 
pear, and  in  fact  be,  Venezuela  could  not  enjoy  it  immediately 
on  shaking  off  her  chains ;  we  were  not  prepared  for  so  great  a 
good :  good  as  well  as  evil  causes  death  when  sudden  and  exces- 
sive; our  moral  constitution  did  not  yet  possess  the  benefits  of  a 
government  completely  representative,  and  which  is  so  sublime 
when  it  can  be  adopted  by  a  republic  of  saints. 

Representatives  of  the  People  !  You  are  convened  to  confirm 
or  repeal  whatever  may  appear  to  you  proper  to  be  preserved, 
reformed,  or  expunged,  in  our  social  compact.  It  is  your  duty  to 
correct  the  work  of  our  first  legislators,  and  I  would  say,  that  to 
you  it  belongs  to  cover  a  portion  of  the  beauties  contained  in  our 
political  code ;  for  all  hearts  are  not  formed  for  admiring  every 
beauty,  nor  all  eyes  capable  of  supporting  the  celestial  blaze  of 
perfection.  The  book  of  the  apostles,  the  doctrine  of  Jesus,  the 
divine  writings,  sent  by  a  gracious  Providence  to  better  mankind, 
so  sublime  and  so  holy,  would  kindle  an  ocean  of  flame  at  Con- 
VOL.  II.  H  II 


466  APPENDIX  M. 

stantinople,  and  the  whole  of  Asia  would  fiercely  burn,  were  the 
book  of  peace  to  be  imposed  at  once  as  the  code  of  religion,  laws, 
and  customs. 

Permit  me  to  call  the  attention  of  the  congress  to  a  matter 
which  may  be  of  vital  importance.  Bear  in  mind  that  our  popu- 
lation is  neither  European  nor  American,  but  is  rather  a  compound 
of  African  and  American  than  of  European  origin;  because  even 
Spain  herself  is  not  strictly  European,  from  her  African  blood, 
institutions,  and  character.  It  is  impossible  to  point  out  with 
propriety  to  what  human  family  we  belong.  The  greater  part  of 
the  aborigines  have  been  annihilated,  the  European  has  mixed 
with  the  American  and  with  the  African,  and  the  latter  has 
mixed  also  with  the  Indian  and  the  European.  All  children  of 
the  same  mother,  our  fathers  various  in  origin  .and  in  blood,  are 
strangers,  and  differ  all  in  figure  and  form  from  each  other. 

All  the  citizens  of  Venezuela  enjoy  by  the  constitution  a 
political  equality ;  and  if  that  equality  had  not  been  a  dogma  in 
Athens,  in  France,  and  in  America,  we  ought  to  confirm  the  prin- 
ciple, in  order  to  correct  the  difference  which  may  apparently 
exist.  Legislators!  my  opinion  is,  that  the  fundamental  principle 
of  our  system  depends  immediately  and  solely  on  equality  being 
established  and  practised  in  Venezuela.  That  men  are  all  born 
with  equal  rights  to  the  benefits  of  society,  has  been  sanctioned 
by  almost  all  the  sages  of  every  age;  as  has  also,  that  all  men  are 
not  born  with  equal  capacities  for  the  attainment  of  every  rank; 
as  all  ought  to  practise  virtue,  and  all  do  not  so;  all  ought  to  be 
brave,  and  all  are  not  so ;  all  ought  to  possess  talents,  and  all  do 
not.  From  this  arises  the  real  distinction  observed  amongst 
individuals  of  the  most  liberally  established  society. 

If  the  principle  of  political  equality  be  generally  acknowledged, 
not  less  so  is  that  of  physical  and  moral  inequality.  It  would  be 
an  illusion,  an  absurdity,  to  suppose  the  contrary.  Nature  makes 
men  unequal  in  genius,  temperament,  strength,  and  character. 
Laws  correct  that  difference,  by  placing  the  individual  in  society, 
where  education,  industry,  arts,  sciences,  and  virtues,  give  a  fic- 
titious equality  properly  called  political  and  social.  The  union  of 
all  classes  in  one  state  is  eminently  beneficial,  and  in  which  di- 


APPENDIX  M.  4G7 

vcrsity  is  multiplied  in  proportion  to  the  propagation  of  the 
species.  By  it  alone  has  discord  been  torn  up  by  the  roots,  and 
many  jealousies,  follies,  and  prejudices  avoided. 

Our  diversity  of  origin  requires  a  most  powerful  pulse,  and  a 
delicate  manner  for  managing  so  heterogeneous  a  body  ;-as  its  com- 
plicated composition  may  be  dislocated,  divided,  and  dissolved  by 
the  slightest  change. 

The  most  perfect  system  of  government  is  that  which  produces 
the  greatest  degree  of  happiness,  of  social  security,  and  political 
stability. 

By  the  laws  dictated  by  the  first  congress,  we  have  reason  to 
hope  that  felicity  will  be  the  portion  of  Venezuela ;  and  from 
you  we  may  flatter  ourselves  that  security  and  stability  will  render 
that  felicity  perpetual. 

To  you  it  belongs  to  resolve  the  problem,  in  what  manner,  after 
having  broken  the  fetters  of  our  former  oppressors,  we  may  ac- 
complish the  wonderful  feat  of  preventing  the  remains  of  our 
grievous  chains  being  turned  into  the  arms  of  licentiousness. 
The  relics  of  Spanish  dominion  will  continue  a  long  time  before 
we  can  completely  destroy  them ;  our  atmosphere  is  impregnated 
with  the  contagion  of  despotism,  and  neither  the  flame  of  war, 
nor  the  specific  of  our  salutary  laws,  has  purified  the  air  we 
breathe.  Our  hands  are  indeed  free,  but  our  hearts  are  still  suf- 
fering from  the  effects  of  servitude.  Man,  in  losing  his  liberty, 
says  Homer,  loses  half  his  spirit. 

A  republican  government  has  been,  is,  and  ought  to  be,  that  of 
Venezuela ;  its  basis  ought  to  be  the  sovereignty  of  the  people, 
the  division  of  power,  civil  liberty,  the  prohibition  of  slavery, 
and  the  abolition  of  monarchy  and  privileges.  We  want  equality, 
for  recasting,  as  one  may  say,  men,  political  opinions,  and  public 
customs.  Throwing  our  sight  over  the  vast  field  we  have  to 
examine,  let  us  fix  our  attention  on  the  dangers  we  ought  to 
avoid,  and  let  history  guide  us  in  our  career. 

Athens  presents  us  with  the  most  brilliant  example  of  an  ab- 
solute democracy,  and  at  the  same  time  is  a  melancholy  proof  of 
the  extreme  weakness  of  that  kind  of  government.  The  wisest 
legislator  of  Greece  did  not  see  his  republic  last  ten  years,  and 
underwent  the  humiliation  of  acknowledging  the  insufficiency  of 

H  H  2 


468  APPENDIX  M. 

an  absolute  democracy  for  governing  any  kind  of  society,  not  even 
the  most  cultivated,  moral,  and  limited,  because  it  shines  only 
with  flashes  of  liberty.  Let  us  acknowledge  then  that  Solon  has 
undeceived  the  world,  and  shown  how  difficult  it  is  to  govern 
men  by  simple  laws. 

The  republic  of  Sparta,  which  appeared  a  chimerical  invention, 
produced  more  real  effects  than  the  ingenious  work  of  Solon: 
glory,  virtue,  morality,  and  consequently  national  happiness,  were 
the  result  of  the  legislature  of  Lycurgus.  Although  two  kings  in 
one  state  were  like  two  monsters  to  devour  it,  Sparta  suffered 
but  little  from  that  double  royalty,  and  Athens  enjoyed  the  most 
splendid  lot  under  an  absolute  sovereignty,  free  elections  of  ma- 
gistrates frequently  renewed,  mild,  wise,  and  politic  laws.  Pisi- 
stratus,  an  usurper  and  a  despot,  did  more  good  to  Athens  than 
her  laws ;  and  Pericles,  although  an  usurper  likewise,  was  the 
most  useful  citizen. 

The  republic  of  Thebes  existed  only  during  the  lives  of  Pelo- 
pidas  and  Epaminondas;  for  it  is  men,  and  not  principles,  that 
form  governments.  However  wise  codes,  systems,  and  statutes 
may  be,  they  have  but  little  influence  on  society;  it  is  virtuous, 
patriotic,  and  enlightened  men  that  constitute  republics. 

The  Roman  constitution  was  that  which  produced  the  greatest 
power  and  fortune  to  any  people  on  earth :  in  it  there  was  no  exact 
distribution  of  power.  The  consuls,  the  senate,  and  the  people, 
were  legislators,  magistrates,  and  judges;  they  all  participated  in 
all  those  offices.  The  executive,  consisting  of  two  consuls,  had 
the  same  inconvenience  as  that  of  Sparta,  and  yet,  notwithstanding 
its  deformity,  the  republic  did  not  suffer  that  mischievous  dis- 
cordance, which  might  be  supposed  inseparable  from  a  magistracy 
consisting  of  two  individuals,  endowed  equally  with  the  powers  of 
a  monarch.  A  government  whose  sole  inclination  was  war  and 
conquest  did  not  appear  likely  to  establish  the  happiness  of  the 
people.  A  government  monstrous  in  itself,  and  purely  warlike, 
raised  Rome  to  the  highest  pitch  of  virtue  and  glory,  and  formed 
of  the  world  a  Roman  empire  ;  proving  to  mankind  the  force  of 
political  virtues,  and  the  trivial  influence  of  institutions. 

Passing  from  ancient  to  modern  times,  we  find  England  and 
France  deserving  general  attention,  and  giving  impressive  lessons 


APPENDIX  M.  469 

in  every  species  of  government.  The  revolutions  in  those  two 
great  states,  like  brilliant  meteors.,  have  filled  the  world  with  so 
great  a  profusion  of  political  light,  that  every  thinking  being  has 
learned  what  are  the  rights  and  duties  of  man ;  in  what  the  ex- 
cellency of  governments  consists,  and  in  what  their  vices;  all  know 
how  to  appreciate  the  intrinsic  value  of  the  theoretical  speculations 
of  modern  philosophers  and  legislators.  In  short,  this  star  in  its 
brilliant  course  inflamed  even  the  apathetic  Spaniards,  who  also, 
entering  the  political  whirlwind,  gave  ephemeral  proofs  of  liberty, 
and  have  shown  their  incapacity  of  living  under  the  mild  dominion 
of  the  law,  by  returning,  after  a  short  blaze,  to  their  original 
bondage. 

Legislators !  this  is  the  proper  time  for  repeating  what  the 
eloquent  Voluey  says,  in  his  dedication  to  the  Ruins  of  Palmyra  : 
"  To  the  growing  people  of  the  Spanish  Indies — to  the  generous 
chiefs  who  conduct  them  to  liberty — may  the  errors  and  misfor- 
tunes of  the  old  world  teach  wisdom  and  happiness  to  the  new  !" 
May  they  never  lose  themselves ;  but  profit  by  the  lessons  of  ex- 
perience given  in  the  schools  of  Greece,  of  Rome,  of  France,  of 
England,  and  of  America,  and  be  instructed  by  them  in  the  dif- 
ficult science  of  establishing  and  preserving  nations  with  proper, 
just,  legitimate,  and,  above  all,  useful  laws;  never  forgetting  that 
the  excellency  of  a  government  does  not  consist  in  its  theory, 
form,  or  mechanism,  but  in  being  fitted  to  the  nature  and  cha- 
racter of  the  people  for  which  it  was  instituted. 

Rome  and  Great  Britain  are  the  nations  which  have  most  ex- 
celled amongst  the  ancients  and  moderns.  Both  were  born  to 
command  and  be  free,  and  yet  neither  had  constitutions  modelled 
in  liberty's  most  brilliant  form,  but  solid  establishments ;  and  on 
that  account,  therefore,  I  recommend  to  you,  representatives,  the 
study  of  the  British  constitution,  which  appears  to  be  the  one 
destined  to  produce  the  greatest  possible  effect  on  the  people 
adopting  it ;  but,  perfect  as  it  may  be,  I  am  very  far,  at  the  same 
time,  from  proposing  a  servile  imitation  of  it.  When  I  speak  of 
the  British  constitution,  I  refer  solely  to  the  democratical  part  of 
it;  and,  in  truth,  it  may  be  denominated  a  monarchy  in  system,,  in 
which  is  acknowledged  the  sovereignty  of  the  people,  the  division 


470  APPKNDIX    M. 

and  equilibrium  of  power,  civil  freedonx,  liberty  of  conscience  and 
of  the  press,  and  every  thing  that  is  sublime  in  politics.  A  greater 
degree  of  liberty  cannot  be  enjoyed  in  any  kind  of  republic,  and  it 
may  indeed  claim  a  high  rank  in  social  order.  I  recommend  that 
constitution  as  the  best  model  to  those  who  aspire  to  the  enjoy- 
ments of  the  rights  of  man,  and  of  all  that  political  felicity  com- 
patible with  our  frail  natures. 

In  nothing  whatever  would  we  change  our  fundamental  laws, 
were  we  to  adopt  a  legislative  power  similar  to  that  of  the  British 
parliament.  We  have  divided,  as  the  Americans  have  done,  the 
national  representation  into  two  houses,  that  of  the  representatives 
and  the  senate.  The  first  is  wisely  composed ;  it  enjoys  all  the 
privileges  fitted  for  it,  and  is  not  susceptible  of  essential  change; 
as  the  constitution  has  endowed  it  with  the  origin,  form,  and 
powers,  required  by  the  will  of  the  people  for  being  lawfully  and 
competently  represented. 

If  the  senate,  in  place  of  being  elective,  were  hereditary,  it 
would,  in  my  conception,  be  the  basis,  the  bond,  and  the  soul  of 
the  republic,  and  in  political  storms  it  would  possess  the  functions 
of  government,  and  would  resist  popular  commotions.  Attached 
to  the  government  by  the  powerful  excitement  of  its  own  pre- 
servation, it  would  ever  oppose  the  attempts  the  people  might 
make  against  the  jurisdiction  and  authority  of  their  magistrates. 
It  must  be  confessed,  that  most  men  are  ignorant  of  their  true 
interests,  and  are  continually  attacking  them  in  the  hands  of  those 
to  whom  they  are  committed.  The  individual  contends  against  the 
general  mass,  and  the  general  mass  against  authority ;  and  it  is, 
therefore,  necessary  that  a  neutral  body  should  exist  in  all  go- 
vernments, to  protect  the  injured  and  disarm  the  offender.  This 
neutral  body,  in  order  that  it  may  be  such,  ought  neither  to  derive 
its  origin  from  the  choice  of  the  gorernment,  nor  from  that  of  the 
people,  but  in  such  wise  that  it  may  enjoy  complete  independence, 
neither  fearing  nor  hoping  any  thing  from  either  of  those  sources 
of  authority.  An  hereditary  senate,  as  a  part  of  the  people,  would 
participate  in  its  interests,  in  its  opinions,  and  in  its  spirit,  and 
for  that  reason  it  is  not  to  be  presumed  that  an  hereditary  senate 
will  separate  from  the  interests  of  the  people,  and  forget  its 


APPENDIX   M.  471 

legislative  duties.  The  senators  in  Rome,  and  the  peers  in 
Britain,  have  proved  themselves  the  firmest  pillars  in  the  glorious 
structure  of  civil  and  political  liberty. 

These  senators  will,  for  the  first  time,  be  elected  by  the  con- 
gress, and  their  successors  in  the  senate  will  occupy  the  principal 
attention  of  the  government,  which  will  cause  them  to  be  educated 
in  a  college  especially  set  apart  for  the  instruction  of  those  future 
guardians  and  legislators  of  the  country.  They  will  be  taught  the 
arts,  the  sciences,  and  every  thing  than  can  adorn  the  mind  of  a 
public  man ;  from  their  earliest  infancy  they  will  be  acquainted 
with  the  career  destined  them  by  Providence,  and  from  their 
most  tender  years  their  souls  will  be  elevated  to  the  dignity 
awaiting  them. 

In  no  manner  whatever  would  the  creation  of  an  hereditary 
senate  be  a  violation  of  political  equality :  it  is  not  a  nobility  I 
wish  to  establish;  because  that,  as  has  been  said  by  a  celebrated 
republican,  would  be  to  destroy  at  once  equality  and  liberty.  It 
is  an  office  for  which  candidates  ought  to  be  prepared,  and  is  also 
an  office  requiring  extensive  knowledge,  and  proportionate  means 
for  attaining  it. 

In  elections,  every  thing  ought  not  to  be  left  to  chance  and 
hazard;  for  the  public  is  easier  deceived  than  nature  perfected  by 
art;  and  although  it  be  a  fact  that  these  senators  will  not  proceed 
from  the  womb  of  virtue,  it  is  equally  true  that  they  will  come 
forth  endowed  with  a  most  finished  education.  The  liberators  of 
Venezuela  are  moreover  entitled  to  hold  for  ever  a  high  rank  in 
the  republic  which  is  indebted  to  them  for  existence,  and  I  do 
believe  that  posterity  would  observe  with  regret  the  extinction  of 
the  illustrious  names  of  its  first  benefactors.  I  will  say  further, 
that  it  is  for  the  public  interest,  that  it  is  for  the  national  honour, 
and  that  it  is  due  from  the  gratitude  of  Venezuela,  to  preserve  in 
honour  to  the  latest  posterity,  a  race  of  virtuous,  prudent,  and 
valiant  men,  who,  overcoming  every  obstacle,  have  established 
the  republic  at  the  expense  of  the  most  heroic  sacrifices ;  and  if 
the  people  of  Venezuela  do  not  applaud  and  rejoice  at  the  eleva- 
tion of  its  benefactors,  they  are  unworthy  to  be  free,  and  never 
will  be  so. 

An  hereditary  senate,  I  say  again,  will  be  the  fundamental 


472  APPENDIX  M. 

basis  of  the  legislative  power,  and  consequently  the  basis  of  the 
whole  government.  It  will  act  equally  as  a  counterpoise  to  the 
government  and  the  people,  and  will  be  an  intermediate  authority 
to  deaden  the-  arrows  which  those  perpetual  rivals  are  constantly 
shooting  at  each  other. 

In  all  contests,  the  interposition  of  a  third  person  becomes  the 
means  of  reconciliation;  and  thus  will  the  senate  of  Venezuela  be 
the  cement  of  the  delicate  edifice  so  liable  to  violent  concussions. 
It  will  be  the  means  of  calming  the  fury  and  maintaining  the 
harmony  betwixt  the  members  and  the  head  of  this  political 
body.  Nothing  can  corrupt  a  legislative  body  invested  with  the 
highest  honours;  dependent  on  itself  alone,  without  fearing  any 
thing  from  the  paople,  or  expecting  any  thing  from  the  government, 
whose  only  object  is  to  repress  every  tendency  to  evil,  and  encourage 
every  attempt  at  good,  and  which  is  deeply  interested  in  the  ex- 
istence of  a  society  with  which  it  shares  adversity  and  prosperity, 

It  has  been  most  justly  remarked,  that  the  British  house  of 
peers  is  invaluable  to  the  nation,  as  forming  a  bulwark  to  the 
liberties  of  the  people ;  and  I  dare  add,  that  the  senate  of  Vene- 
zuela will  not  only  be  a  bulwark  to  liberty,  but  a  help  to  render 
the  republic  perpetual. 

The  executive  power  in  Great  Britain  is  invested  with  all  the 
sovereign  authority  fitted  to  it ;  but  it  is  also  circumscribed  by  a 
triple  line  of  ditches,  barriers,  and  palisades.  The  sovereign  is 
indeed  the  head  of  the  government,  but  his  ministers  and  officers 
depend  more  on  the  laws  than  on  his  authority,  because  they  are 
personally  responsible,  and  from  that  responsibility  not  even  royal 
authority  can  exempt  them.  He  is  commander-in-chief  of  the 
army  and  navy,  he  makes  peace  and  declares  war;  but  it  is  the 
parliament  alone  which  votes  annually  the  supplies.  For  neu- 
tralizing his  power,  the  person  of  the  king  is  inviolable  and  sacred ; 
whilst  his  head  is  left  free,  his  hands  are  bound.  The  sovereign 
of  Britain  has  three  formidable  rivals  :  the  cabinet,  which  is  re- 
sponsible to  the  people  and  to  parliament ;  the  house  of  peers, 
which  protects  the  interests  of  the  people,  as  representing  the 
nobility  of  which  it  is  composed ;  and  the  house  of  commons,  the 
organ  of  the  British  public :  as  the  judges  are  moreover  respon- 
sible for  the  due  fulfilment  of  the  laws,  they  adhere  strictly  to 


APPENDIX   M.  473 

them;  and  the  administrators  of  the  public  money,  being  account- 
able not  only  for  their  own  violation  of  duty,  but  even  for  what 
the  government  may  do,  guard  against  misapplication. 

The  more  the  nature  of  the  executive  -power  in  Britain  is 
examined,  the  more  will  you  be  inclined  to  think  it  the  most 
perfect  model  for  either  a  monarchy,  an  aristocracy,  or  a  demo- 
cracy. In  Venezuela,  let  the  executive  power  be  exercised  by  a 
president,  appointed  by  the  people  or  their  representatives,  and 
we  shall  then  have  taken  a  long  stride  towards  national  felicity. 

Whoever  the  citizen  may  be  that  may  fill  that  situation,  he  will 
be  supported  by  the  constitution ;  authorized  to  do  good,  he  cannot 
do  evil,  for,  submitting  to  the  laws,  his  ministers  will  co-operate 
with  him ;  and  should  he,  on  the  contrary,  attempt  to  infringe 
them,  his  own  ministers  will  leave  him  insulated  in  the  midst  of 
the  republic,  and  will  even  impeach  him  to  the  senate.  The 
ministers  being  responsible  for  such  offences  as  may  be  committed, 
are  the  persons  that  govern ;  and  it  is  not  the  least  advantage  of 
the  system,  that  those  more  immediately  exercising  the  functions 
of  the  executive  power  take  an  interesting  and  active  part  in  the 
deliberations  of  the  government,  and  consider  their  duties  as 
personal. 

It  may  happen  that  the  president  may  not  be  a  man  of  great 
talents  or  virtues,  and  notwithstanding  the  want  of  those  essential 
qualities,  he  may  still  perform  the  duties  of  his  situation  in  a  satis- 
factory manner;  because,  in  such  case,  the  ministry,  doing  every 
thing  itself,  bears  the  burden  of  the  state.  However  exorbitant 
the  authority  of  executive  power  in  Great  Britain  may  appear,  it 
would  not  perhaps  be  too  great  in  the  republic  of  Venezuela. 
Here  the  congress  has  bound  both  the  hands  and  heads  of  the 
magistrates,  and  has  assumed  a  portion  of  the  executive  functions, 
contrary  to  the  maxim  of  Montesquieu,  who  says,  that  a  repre- 
sentative body  ought  not  to  take  upon  itself  any  active  principle; 
it  ought  to  make  laws,  and  see  those  executed  which  it  does  make. 
Nothing  is  so  dangerous  to  a  people  as  a  Aveak  executive ;  and  if 
it  has  been  deemed  necessary  to  endow  it  with  so  many  attributes 
in  a  monarchy,  how  infinitely  more  indispensable  would  it  be  in  a 
republic  !  Let  us  fix  our  attention  on  this  difference,  and  we  shall 
find  that  the  equilibrium  of  power  ought  to  be  distributed  in  two 


474  APPENDIX  M. 

ways.  In  a  republic,  the  executive  ought  to  be  the  strongest, 
because  every  thing  conspires  against  it ;  and,  on  the  other  hand, 
in  a  monarchy,  the  legislative  ought  to  be  the  most  powerful,  as 
every  thing  unites  in  favour  of  the  sovereign.  The  veneration 
which  people  bear  for  a  regal  magistracy  is  a  proof  of  its  influence 
in  augmenting  the  superstitious  respect  paid  to  that  species  of 
authority.  The  splendour  of  the  throne,  crown,  and  purple,  the 
formidable  support  given  by  the  nobility,  the  immense  riches 
acquired  by  generations  of  the  same  dynasty,  and  the  fraternal 
protection  afforded  by  kings  to  each  other,  are  considerable  ad- 
vantages militating  in  favour  of  royal  authority,  and  render  it 
almost  unlimited.  Those  very  advantages  are  a  reason  why  a 
republican  magistrate  should  be  endowed  with  greater  power  than 
that  possessed  by  a  constitutional  prince. 

A  republican  magistrate  is  an  insulated  individual  in  the  midst 
of  society,  intrusted  with  the  duty  of  curbing  the  impetus  of  the 
people  towards  licentiousness,  and  the  propensity  of  judges  and 
administrators  to  an  abuse  of  the  laws.  Such  a  one,  with  regard 
to  the  legislative  body,  the  senate,  and  the  people,  is  a  single 
individual  resisting  the  combined  attack  of  the  opinions,  the 
interests,  and  the  passions  of  society,  which,  according  to  what 
Carnot  says,  is  constantly  striving  betwixt  the  desire  of  governing 
and  that  of  not  being  subject  to  any  authority.  He  is,  in  short, 
one  athlete  opposed  to  a  multitude  of  others.  The  only  corrective 
to  such  weakness  is  a  vigorous  and  suitable  resistance  to  the  op- 
position made  to  the  executive  power  by  the  legislative  body  and 
people  of  a  republic.  If  the  executive  do  not  possess  the  means  of 
exercising  all  the  authority  properly  placed  at  its  disposal,  it  be- 
comes null,  and  the  government  expires,  leaving  anarchy,  usurpa- 
tion, and  tyranny,  as  its  heirs  and  successors. 

Let  the  whole  system  of  government,  therefore,  be  strengthened, 
and  the  equilibrium  established  in  such  a  manner,  that  it  cannot 
be  overturned,  nor  its  refinement  become  a  cause  of  decay.  As 
no  form  of  government  is  so  weak  as  a  democracy,  its  con- 
stitution ought  to  be  as  solid  as  possible,  and  its  institutions 
conducive  to  stability.  If  such  be  not  the  case,  we  may  reckon  on 
having  only  a  government  on  trial,  and  not  a  permanent  system  ; 
and  on  having  a  wavering,  tumultuous,  and  anarchical  com- 


APPENDIX  M.  475 

munity,  and  not  a  social  establishment,  in  which  happiness,  peace., 
and  justice  reign. 

Legislators !  let  us  not  be  presumptuous,  but  moderate  in  our 
pretensions.  .  It  is  by  no  means  likely  that  we  can  do  what  has 
never  yet  been  accomplished  by  any  of  the  human  race,  what  the 
greatest  and  wisest  nations  have  never  effected.  Undefined 
liberty  and  absolute  democracy  are  the  rocks  on  which  republican 
hopes  and  expectations  have  been  wrecked. 

Take  a  view  of  the  republics  of  antiquity,  of  those  of  modern 
times,  and  of  those  rising  into  existence,  and  you  will  find,  that 
almost  all  have  been  frustrated  in  their  attempts.  The  men,  who 
aim  at  legitimate  institutions  and  social  perfection,  are  undoubt- 
edly deserving  of  every  praise ;  but  who  can  say  that  mankind 
possess  complete  wisdom,  or  that  they  practise  all  the  virtues 
which  the  union  of  power  and  justice  imperatively  demand? 
Angels,  and  not  men,  can  alone  exist  free,  peaceable,  and  happy, 
in  the  exercise  of  sovereign  power. 

Whilst  the  people  of  Venezuela  exercise  the  rights  they  law- 
fully enjoy,  let  us  moderate  the  excessive  pretensions  which  an 
incompetent  form  of  government  might  suggest,  and  let  us  give 
up  that  federal  system  which  does  not  suit  us,  let  us  get  clear 
of  the  triumvirate  executive  power,  and  concentre  it  in  one  pre- 
sident, and  let  us  commit  to  him  sufficient  authority  to  enable 
him  to  resist  the  inconveniences  arising  from  our  recent  situation, 
from  the  state  of  warfare  we  have  been  suffering  under,  and 
from  the  kind  of  foreign  and  domestic  enemies  we  have  had  to 
deal  with,  and  with  whom  we  shall  still  have  to  contend  for  a 
length  of  time.  Let  the  legislative  power  resign  the  attributes 
belonging  to  the  executive,  and  acquire  nevertheless  fresh  con- 
sistency, and  fresh  influence  in  the  equilibrium  of  authority.  Let 
the  courts  of  justice  be  -reformed  by  the  permanency  and  inde- 
pendence of  the  judges,  by  the  establishment  of  juries,  and  of 
civil  and  criminal  codes,  not  dictated  by  antiquated  nor  by  con- 
quering kings,  but  by  the  voice  of  nature,  by  the  cry  of  justice, 
and  by  the  genius  of  wisdom. 

It  is  my  anxious  wish  that  every  part  of  the  government  and 
administration  should  acquire  that  degree  of  vigour,  which  can 
alone  sustain  a  due  equilibrium,  not  simply  amongst  the  members 


476  APPENDIX  M. 

of  government,  but  even  amongst  the  various  ranks  of  which 
society  is  composed.  It  would  not  signify,  were  the  springs  of  a 
political  system  to  be  relaxed,  if  that  relaxation  did  not  occasion 
the  dissolution  of  the  social  body,  and  the  ruin  of  those  associated. 
The  cries  of  the  human  race,  in  the  fields  of  battle  and  in  tumult- 
uous assemblies,  appeal  to  Heaven  against  those  inconsiderate  and 
blind  legislators  who  have  thought  they  could  with  impunity 
make  trials  of  chimerical  institutions.  All  the  nations  on  earth 
have  sought  after  liberty,  some  by  arms  and  others  by  laws, 
passing  alternately  from  anarchy  to  despotism,  or  from  despotism 
to  anarchy ;  but  very  few  have  been  satisfied  with  moderate  attain- 
ments, or  adopted  constitutions  conformable  to  their  means,  nature, 
and  circumstances. 

Let  us  not  attempt  what  is  impossible,  lest,  by  endeavouring 
to  rise  too  high  in  the  regions  of  liberty,  we  fall  into  the  abyss  of 
tyranny.  From  absolute  liberty  there  is  always  a  descent  to  ab- 
solute power,  and  the  medium  betwixt  the  two  extremes  is  supreme 
social  liberty.  Abstract  ideas  give  rise  to  the  pernicious  idea  of 
unlimited  liberty.  Let  us  so  act  that  the  power  of  the  people  be 
restrained  within  the  limits  pointed  out  by  reason  and  interest ; 
that  the  national  will  be  curbed  by  a  just  authority;  and  that 
the  civil  and  criminal  legislation,  analogous  to  our  constitution, 
govern  imperatively  the  judicial  power ;  in  which  case  an  equili- 
brium will  exist,  and  those  differences  and  discords  avoided  which 
would  embarrass  the  concerns  of  state,  as  well  as  that  species  of 
complication  which  shackles  instead  of  uniting  society. 

To  form  a  stable  government,  a  national  feeling  is  required, 
possessing  an  uniform  inclination  towards  two  principal  points, 
regulating  public  will,  and  limiting  public  authority,  the  bounds 
of  which  are  difficult  to  be  assigned ;  but  it  may  be  supposed  that 
the  best  rule  for  our  direction  is  reciprocal  restriction  and  con- 
centration, so  that  there  may  be  the  least  friction  possible  betwixt 
legitimate  will  and  legitimate  power. 

Love  of  country,  laws,  and  magistrates,  ought  to  be  the  ruling 
passion  in  the  breast  of  every  republican.  Venezuelans  love 
their  country,  but  not  its  laws,  because  they  are  bad,  and  the  source 
of  evil ;  and  as  little  could  they  respect  their  magistrates,  as  the 
old  ones  were  wicked,  and  the  new  ones  are  hardly  known  in  the 


APPENDIX   M.  477 

career  they  have  commenced.  If  a  sacred  respect  does  not  exist 
for  country,  laws,  and  constituted  authorities,  society  is  a  state  of 
confusion,  an  abyss,  and  a  conflict  of  man  with  man,  and  of  body 
with  body. 

To  save  our  incipient  republic  from  such  a  chaos,  all  our  moral 
powers  will  be  insufficient,  unless  we  melt  the  whole  people  down 
into  one  mass  ;  the  composition  of  the  government  is  a  whole,  the 
legislation  is  a  whole,  and  national  feeling  is  a  whole.  Unity, 
Unity,  Unity,  ought  to  be  our  device.  The  blood  of  our  citizens 
is  various,  let  us  mix  it  to  make  it  one ;  our  constitution  has  di- 
vided authority,  let  us  agree  to  unite  it ;  our  laws  are  the  sad  re- 
mains of  all  ancient  and  modern  despotisms,  let  the  monstrous 
structure  be  demolished,  let  it  fall,  and,  withdrawing  from  its 
ruins,  let  us  erect  a  temple  to  justice,  and,  under  the  auspices  of 
its  sacred  influence,  let  us  dictate  a  code  of  Venezuelan  laws. 
Should  we  wish  to  consult  records  and  models  of  legislation, 
Great  Britain,  France,  and  North  America,  present  us  with 
admirable  ones. 

Popular  education  ought  to  be  the  first  care  of  the  congress's 
paternal  regard.  Morals  and  knowledge  are  the  cardinal  points 
of  a  republic,  and  morals  and  knowledge  are  what  we  most  want. 

Let  us  take  from  Athens  her  Areopagus,  and  the  guardians  of 
customs  and  laws ;  let  us  take  from  Rome  her  censors  and  do- 
mestic tribunals,  and,  forming  a  holy  alliance  of  those  moral  insti- 
tutions, let  us  renew  on  earth  the  idea  of  a  people  not  contented 
with  being  free  and  powerful,  but  which  desires  also  to  be  virtuous. 

Let  us  take  from  Sparta  her  austere  establishments,  and  form 
from  those  three  springs  a  reservoir  of  virtue. 

Let  us  give  our  republic  a  fourth  power,  with  authority  to  pre- 
side over  the  infancy  and  hearts  of  men,  public  spirit,  good 
habits,  and  republican  morality.  Let  us  constitute  this  Areopagus 
to  watch  over  the  education  of  youth  and  national  instruction,  to 
purify  whatever  may  be  corrupt  in  the  republic — to  impeach  in- 
gratitude, egotism,  lukewarmness  in  the  country's  cause,  sloth, 
and  idleness,  and  to  pass  judgment  on  the  first  germs  of  corrup-  ' 
tion  and  pernicious  example. 

We  should  correct  manners  with  moral  pain,  the  same  as  the 
law  punishes  crime  with  corporal,  not  only  what  may  offend,  but 


478  APPENDIX   M. 

what  may  ridicule ;  not  only  what  may  assault,  but  what  may 
weaken;  and  not  only  what  may  violate  the  constitution,,  but 
whatever  may  infringe  on  public  decency. 

The  jurisdiction  of  this  really  sacred  tribunal  ought  to  be  ef- 
fective in  every  thing  regarding  education  and  instruction,  and 
only  deliberative  as  to  pains  and  punishments;  and  thus  its  annals 
and  records,  in  which  will  be  inscribed  its  acts  and  deliberations, 
and  the  moral  principles  and  actions  of  citizens,  will  be  the  regi- 
sters of  virtue  and  vice :  registers  which  the  people  will  consult 
in  their  elections,  the  magistrates  in  their  determinations,  and 
the  judges  in  their  decisions.  Such  an  institution,  however  chi- 
merical it  may  appear,  is  infinitely  easier  to  realize,  than  others  of 
less  utility  to  mankind  established  by  some  ancient  and  modern 
legislators. 

Legislators !  by  the  project  of  the  constitution,  which  I  re- 
spectfully submit  to  your  consideration,  you  will  discover  the 
feeling  by  which  it  was  dictated. 

In  proposing  the  division  of  our  citizens  into  active  and  passive, 
I  have  endeavoured  to  excite  national  prosperity  by  industry's  two 
great  springs,  labour  and  knowledge.  Stimulated  by  those  two 
powerful  causes,  the  greatest  difficulties  may  be  overcome,  and 
men  made  respectable  and  happy. 

In  imposing  equitable  and  prudent  restrictions  on  the  primary 
and  electoral  assemblies,  the  first  barrier  is  opposed  to  popular 
licentiousness,  and  thereby  those  injurious  and  tumultuous  meet- 
ings avoided,  which  at  all  times  have  given  rise  to  prejudicial 
consequences  in  the  election,  and  which  have  of  course  been  en- 
tailed on  the  magistrates  and  the  government,  as  the  primordial 
act  is  generative  of  either  the  liberty  or  slavery  of  a  people. 

By  increasing  in  the  balance  of  power  the  weight  of  the  con- 
gress, by  the  number  of  legislators  and  the  nature  of  the  senate, 
a  fixed  basis  is  bestowed  on  this  primary  body  of  the  nation,  and 
it  is  invested  with  great  importance  for  the  exercise  of  its  sove- 
reign functions. 

In  separating  distinctly  the  executive  from  the  legislative 
power,  it  is  not  intended  to  sow  division  betwixt  those  supreme 
authorities,  but  to  unite  them  with  those  bonds  of  harmony  which 
proceed  from  independence. 


APPENDIX   M.  479 

In  investing  the  executive  with  a  power  and  authority  much 
exceeding  what  it  hitherto  possessed,  it  is  by  no  means  intended 
to  enable  a  despot  to  tyrannize  over  the  republic,  but  to  prevent 
deliberative  despotism  becoming  the  immediate  cause  of  a  round 
of  despotic  changes,  in  which  anarchy  would  be  alternately  re- 
placed by  oligarchy  and  monocracy. 

In  soliciting  the  independence  of  judges,  the  establishment  of 
juries,  and  a  new  code,  the  security  of  civil  liberty  is  requested, 
the  most  estimable,  the  most  equitable,  the  most  necessary,  and, 
in  one  word,  the  only  liberty,  as,  without  it,  all  others  are  a 
nullity.  An  amendment  is  asked  of  the  lamentable  abuses  in  our 
judicature,  and  which  derive  their  origin  from  the  filthy  sink  of 
Spanish  legislation,  collected  in  various  ages,  and  from  various 
sources,  equally  from  the  productions  of  folly  and  of  talent, 
equally  the  fruit  of  good  sense  and  of  extravagance,  and  equally 
the  memorial  of  genius  and  of  caprice.  That  judicial  encyclopedia, 
that  monster  with  ten  thousand  heads,  which  has  hitherto  been  a 
rod  of  punishment  to  Spanish  nations,  is  the  fiercest  calamity  the 
anger  of  Heaven  ever  permitted  that  unfortunate  empire  to  be 
afflicted  with. 

Meditating  on  the  most  efficient  mode  of  regenerating  the 
character  and  habits  which  tyranny  and  war  have  given  us,  I  have 
dared  to  suggest  a  moral  power,  drawn  from  the  remote  ages  of 
antiquity,  and  those  obsolete  laws,  which  for  some  time  maintained 
public  virtue  amongst  the  Greeks  and  Romans ;  and  although  it 
may  be  considered  a  mere  whim  of  fancy,  it  is  possible,  and  I 
flatter  myself,  that  you  will  not  altogether  overlook  an  idea,  which, 
when  meliorated  by  experience  and  knowledge,  may  prove  of  the 
greatest  efficacy. 

Terrified  at  the  disunion  which  has  hitherto  existed,  and  must 
exist  amongst  us,  from  the  subtle  spirit  characterizing  the  federa- 
tive system,  I  have  been  induced  to  solicit  you  to  adopt  the  con- 
centration and  union  of  all  the  states  of  Venezuela  into  one 
republic,  one  and  indivisible.  A  measure,  in  my  opinion,  urgent, 
vital,  and  saving,  and  of  such  a  nature  that,  without  it,  the  fruit 
of  our  regeneration  would  be  destruction. 

It  is  my  duty,  legislators,  to  present  to  you  a  just  and  faithful 
picture  of  my  political,  civil,  and  military  administration ;  but  to 


480  APPENDIX  M. 

do  so  would  tire  your  valuable  attention  too  much,  and  rob  you"  at 
this  moment  of  time  equally  precious  and  pressing;  and  the  secre^ 
taries  of  state  will  therefore  give  an  account  to  the  congress  of 
their  various  departments,  and  exhibit  at  the  same  time  those 
documents  and  records  necessary  to  illustrate  every  thing,  and 
to  make  you  thoroughly  acquainted  with  the  real  and  actual  state 
of  the  republic. 

I  will  not  notice  the  most  momentous  acts  of  my  command, 
although  they  concern  most  of  my  countrymen,  and  will  call 
your  attention  only  to  the  last  memorable  revolution.  Horrid, 
atrocious,  and  impious  slavery  covered  with  her  sable  mantle  the 
land  of  Venezuela,  and  our  atmosphere  lowered  with  the  dark 
gloomy  clouds  of  the  tempest,  threatening  a  fiery  deluge.  I  im- 
plored the  protection  of  the  God  of  nature,  and  at  his  almighty 
word  the  storm  was  dispelled.  The  day-star  of  liberty  rose, 
slavery  broke  her  chains,  and  Venezuela  was  surrounded  with 
new  and  with  grateful  sons,  who  turned  the  instruments  of  her 
thrall  and  bondage  into  arms  of  freedom.  Yes  !  those  who  were 
formerly  slaves  are  now  free,  those  who  were  formerly  the  ene- 
mies of  our  country  are  now  its  defenders. 

I  leave  to  your  sovereign  authority  the  reform  or  repeal  of  all 
my  ordonnances,  statutes,  and  decrees ;  but  I  implore  you  to  con- 
firm the  complete  emancipation  of  the  slaves,  as  I  would  beg  my 
life,  or  the  salvation  of  the  republic. 

To  exhibit  the  military  history  of  Venezuela  would  be  to  bring 
to  our  recollection  the  history  of  republican  heroism  amongst  the 
ancients;  it  would  show  that  Venezuela  had  made  as  brilliant 
sacrifices  on  the  sacred  altar  of  liberty.  The  noble  hearts  of  our 
generous  warriors  have  been  filled  with  those  sublime  and  ho- 
nourable feelings  which  have  ever  been  attributed  to  the  bene- 
factors of  the  human  race.  Not  fighting  for  power  or  fortune, 
nor  even  glory,  but  for  liberty  alone ;  the  title  of  Liberator  of  the 
republic  has  been  their  highest  recompense ;  having,  in  forming  an 
Association  of  those  gallant  heroes,  instituted  the  Order  of  Libera- 
tors of  Venezuela.  Legislators !  to  you  it  belongs  to  confer 
honours  and  decorations,  and  it  is  your  duty  to  exercise  that  act 
of  national  gratitude. 

Men  who  have  given  up  all  the  benefits  and  advantages  they; 


APPENDIX   M.  481 

formerly  enjoyed,  as  a  proof  of  their  virtue  and  disinterestedness — 
men  who  have  undergone  every  thing  horrible  in  a  most  inhuman 
war,  suffering  the  most  painful  privations  and  the  cruellest 
anguish — men  so  deserving  of  their  country  merit  the  attention 
of  government;  and  I  have  therefore  given  directions  to  recom- 
pense them  out  of  the  national  property. 

If  I  have  acquired  any  portion  of  merit  in  the  eyes  of  my 
countrymen,  I  entreat  you,  representatives,  to  vouchsafe  my  pe- 
tition, as  the  reward  of  my  feeble  services ;  and  let  the  congress 
order  a  distribution  of  the  national  property,  conformable  to  the 
ordonnance  I  passed  in  the  name  of  the  republic,  in  favour  of  the 
military  sons  of  Venezuela. 

After  our  having,  in  a  succession  of  victories,  destroyed  the 
Spanish  armies,  the  court  of  Madrid,  in  despair,  vainly  endeavoured 
to  take  by  surprise  the  feelings  of  those  magnanimous  sovereigns 
who  had  just  extirpated  usurpation  and  tyranny  in  Europe,  and 
who  ought  to  protect  the  legitimacy  and  justice  of  the  cause  of 
America.  Spain,  unable  to  reduce  us  to  submission  by  dint  of 
arms,  had  recourse  to  her  insidious  policy,  and  tried  every  per- 
fidious art.  Ferdinand  humbled  himself  so  far  as  to  confess  that, 
without  the  assistance  of  foreign  aid,  he  could  not  force  us  back 
under  his  ignominious  yoke ;  a  yoke  which  no  mortal  power,  can 
oblige  us  to  submit  to.  Venezuela,  convinced  that  she  is  in  pos- 
session of  sufficient  strength  to  repel  her  oppressors,  has  declared 
through  the  organ  of  government  her  fixed  and  final  determination 
to  fight  to  annihilation  in  defence  of  her  political  life,  not  only 
against  Spain,  but  even  against  the  universe,  should  the  universe 
be  so  degraded  as  to  assume  the  party  of  a  destructive  govern- 
ment, whose  only  objects  are  an  exterminating  sword,  and  the 
shrieks  of  the  inquisition — a  government  that  desires  not  fertile 
regions,  but  deserts — not  cities,  but  ruins — not  subjects,  but 
sepulchres.  The  declaration  of  the  republic  of  Venezuela  is  the 
most  glorious,  the  most  heroic,  and  the  most  dignified  act  of  a 
free  people ;  and  it  is  with  peculiar  satisfaction  I  have  the  honour 
of  laying  it  before  congress,  sanctioned  as  it  is  by  the  unanimous 
approbation  of  the  free  people  of  the  land. 

Since  the  second  epoch  of  the  republic,  our  armies  wanted  the 
necessaries  of  war ;  they  were  constantly  void  of  arms  and  ammu- 
VOL.  II.  I  1 


482  APPENDIX  M. 

nition,  and  were  at  all  times  badly  equipped;  but  at  present  the 
brave  defenders  of  independence  are  not  only  armed  with  justice, 
but  with  power,  and  our  troops  may  rank  with  the  choicest  in 
Europe,  now  that  they  possess  equal  means  of  destruction. 

For  these  important  advantages  we  are  indebted  to  the  un- 
bounded liberality  of  some  generous  foreigners,  who,  hearing  the 
groans  of  suffering  humanity,  and  seeing  the  cause  of  freedom, 
reason,  and  justice,  ready  to  sink,  could  not  remain  quiet,  but  flew 
to  our  succour  with  their  munificent  aid  and  protection,  and  fur- 
nished the  republic  with  every  thing  needful  to  cause  their  philan- 
thropical  principles  to  triumph.  Those  friends  of  mankind  are 
the  guardian  geniuses  of  America,  and  to  them  we  owe  a  debt  of 
eternal  gratitude,  as  well  as  a  religious  fulfilment  of  the  several 
obligations  contracted  with  them.  The  national  debt,  legislators, 
is  the  deposit  of  the  good  faith,  the  honour,  and  the  gratitude  of 
Venezuela :  respect  it  as  the  holy  ark  which  encloses  not  only  the 
rights  of  our  benefactors,  but  the  glory  of  our  fidelity.  Let  us 
perish  rather  than  fail,  in  any  the  smallest  point,  in  the  comple- 
tion of  those  engagements,  which  have  been  the  salvation  of  our 
country,  and  of  the  lives  of  her  sons. 

The  union  of  New  Granada  and  Venezuela  in  one  great  state 
has  uniformly  been  the  ardent  wish  of  the  people  and  governments 
of  these  republics.  The  fortune  of  war  has  effected  this  junction 
so  much  desired  by  every  American,  and  in  fact  we  are  incorpo- 
rated. These  sister-nations  have  intrusted  to  you  their  interests, 
rights,  and  destinies.  In  contemplating  the  union  of  this  immense 
district,  my  mind  rises  with  delight  to  the  stupendous  height 
necessary  for  viewing  properly  so  wonderful  a  picture. 

Flying  from  present  and  approaching  times,  my  imagination 
plunges  into  future  ages,  in  which  I  observe,  with  admiration 
and  amazement,  the  prosperity,  the  splendour,  and  the  anima- 
tion, which  this  vast  region  will  have  acquired.  My  ideas  are 
wafted  on,  and  I  see  my  beloved  native  land  in  the  centre  of  the 
universe,  expanding  herself  on  her  extensive  coasts  between  those 
oceans  which  nature  had  separated,  and  which  our  country  will 
have  united  with  large  and  capacious  canals.  I  see  her  the  bond, 
the  centre,  and  the  emporium  of  the  human  race ;  I  see  her  trans- 
mitting to  earth's  remotest  bounds  those  treasures  contained  in 


APPENDIX  N.  483 

her  mountains  of  gold  and  silver;  I  see  her  distributing,  by  her 
salutiferous  plants,  health  and  life  to  the  afflicted  of  the  old  world; 
I  see  her  imparting  to  the  sages  of  other  regions  her  inestimable 
secrets,  ignorant  until  then  how  much  her  height  of  knowledge 
transcends  her  excessive  wealth !  Yes!  I  see  her,  seated  on  the 
throne  of  freedom,  wielding  the  sceptre  of  justice,  and  crowned 
with  glory,  show  the  old  world  the  majesty  of  the  new. 

Legislators!  Condescend  to  receive  with  indulgence  the  de- 
claration of  my  political  creed ;  the  highest  wishes  of  my  heart 
and  earnest  petition,  which,  in  the  name  of  the  people,  I  have 
dared  to  address  to  you. 

Vouchsafe  to  grant  to  Venezuela  a  government  purely  popular, 
purely  just,  and  purely  moral,  which  will  enchain  oppression, 
anarchy,  and  crime ;  a  government  which  will  cause  innocency, 
philanthropy,  and  peace  to  reign ;  a  government  which,  under 
the  dominion  of  inexorable  laws,  will  cause  equality  and  liberty 
to  triumph. 

Gentlemen !  Commence  your  duties :  I  have  finished  mine. 

The  congress  of  the  republic  of  Venezuela  is  installed.  In  it 
from  this  moment  is  centered  the  national  sovereignty.  We  all 
owe  to  it  obedience  and  fidelity.  My  sword,  and  those  of  my 
illustrious  fellows-in-arms,  will  maintain  its  august  authority. 

God  save  the  Congress! 


-(N.) 

(Page  339.) 

Project  of  the  Constitution  for  the  Republic  of  Bolivia,  with  an 
Address  of  the  Liberator. 

TO  THE  CONSTITUENT  CONGRESS  OF  BOLIVIA- 

LEGISLATORS  !  In  offering  the  project  of  a  constitution  for 
Bolivia,  I  feel  overwhelmed  with  confusion  and  timidity,  being 
convinced  of  my  incapacity  to  make  laws.  When  I  consider  that 
the  wisdom  of  whole  centuries  is  insufficient  to  compose  a  funda- 
mental law  which  shall  be  perfect,  and  that  the  most  enlightened 

I  I  2 


484  APPENDIX  N. 

legislator  is,  perhaps,  the  immediate  cause  of  human  unhappiness, 
and,  if  I  may  so  express  myself,  the  dupe  of  his  divine  ministry, 
what  may  not  be  said  of  a  soldier  born  amongst  slaves,  and  buried 
in  the  deserts  of  his  country — having  seen  nothing  but  captives 
in  chains,  and  companions  in  arms  to  break  them?  I,  a  legislator! 
Your  mistaken  choice,  and  my  engagement,  are  dis- 
puting, as  it  were,  for  precedence.  I  know  not  who  may  suffer 
most  in  this  horrible  conflict;  whether  this  be  your  lot,  on  account 
of  the  evils  you  have  to  apprehend  from  the  laws  you  solicit  me 
to  enact ;  or  mine,  because  of  the  opprobrium  to  which  your  con- 
fidence may  expose  me. 

I  have  summoned  all  my  powers  of  mind,  for  the  purpose  of 
submitting  to  you  my  opinions  respecting  the  best  method  of 
managing  free  men,  according  to  the  principles  adopted  by  ci- 
vilized nations ;  although  the  lessons  of  experience  exhibit  only 
long  periods  of  disasters  chequered  by  some  glimpses  of  good 
fortune.  What  guides  can  we  follow  in  the  shade  of  such  dark 
examples  ? 

Legislators !  Your  duty  calls  on  you  to  resist  the  shock  of 
two  monstrous  enemies,  who  mutually  combat  each  other,  and 

who  will  both  attack  you  at  one  and  the  same  time 

Tyranny  and  Anarchy  form  an  immense  ocean  of  oppression, 
rolling  round  a  small  isle  of  Liberty,  perpetually  beaten  by  the 
violence  of  the  waves  and  of  the  hurricanes  which  incessantly 
threaten  its  submersion.  Such  is  the  sea  on  which  you  are  about 
to  launch,  in  a  frail  bark,  with  a  pilot  so  inexperienced. 

The  project  of  the  constitution  for  Bolivia  is  divided  into  four 
political  powers,  having  one  more  added,  without  thereby  render- 
ing the  classic  division  of  each  from  the  other  more  complicated. 
The  electoral  part  has  received  certain  powers,  which  are  not 
allotted  to  it  in  other  governments  which  deem  themselves  most 
liberal.  These  attributes  greatly  approach  those  of  the  federal 
system.  It  has  appeared  to  me  not  only  fit,  convenient,  and 
useful,  but  also  easy  and  facilitating,  to  grant  to  the  immediate 
representatives  of  the  people  those  privileges  which  are  most  de- 
sirable to  the  citizens  of  each  department,  province,  and  canton. 
No  object  is  of  greater  importance  to  a  citizen  than  the  election 
of  his  legislators,  magistrates,  judges,  and  ministers.  The  elec- 


APPENDIX  N.  485 

toral  colleges  of  every  province  represent  the  necessitous  wants 
and  interests  thereof,  and  serve  to  make  complaints  against  the 
infringement  of  the  laws,  and  the  abuses  committed  by  magi- 
strates. I  may  venture  to  declare  with  some  confidence,  that  this 
sort  of  representation  participates  in  the  rights  which  are  espe- 
cially enjoyed  by  federal  states.  By  this  method  a  new  coun- 
terpoise is  put  into  the  scale  against  the  executive  power,  and  the 
government  acquires  more  guarantees,  more  popularity,  and  fresh 
grounds  of  preference,  over  others  the  most  democratic. 

Every  ten  citizens  name  and  appoint  an  elector ;  and  thus  is 
the  nation  represented  by  a  tenth  of  its  citizens.  They  require 
nothing  but  capacity,  they  need  not  possess  estates  to  represent 
the  august  function  of  sovereignty;  but  they  must  be  able  to  write 
their  votes,  to  sign  their  names,  and  to  read  the  laws.  They  must 
profess  a  science,  or  an  art,  which  secures  to  them  an  honest  live- 
lihood. No  disqualifications  are  admitted,  except  vice,  idleness, 
and  gross  and  absolute  ignorance.  Knowledge  and  honesty,  not 
money,  are  the  requisites  for  exercising  political  power. 

The  legislative  body  is  so  composed  as  necessarily  to  render  its 
parts  harmonious.  It  will  not  be  always  divided  for  want  of  an 
arbitrating  judge,  as  is  the  case  in  constitutions  having  no  more 
than  two  chambers ;  three  of  them  being  here  provided,  any  dis- 
agreement between  two  of  them  is  resolved  by  the  third ;  and  a 
question  examined  by  two  contending  parties  finds  a  third  im- 
partial party  to  decide;  so  that  no  useful  law  will  remain  inefficient, 
or  at  least  will  have  undergone  one,  two,  or  three  inquiries,  before 
it  is  negatived.  In  all  matters  of  business  between  two  opposite 
and  contending  parties,  a  third  is  named  to  decide  :  and  would  it 
not  be  absurd  that,  in  the  more  arduous  interests  of  society,  such  a 
provision,  dictated  by  imperious  necessity,  should  be  overlooked 
and  disdained  ?  Thus  the  chambers  will  guard  among  themselves 
those  considerations  which  are  indispensable  for  the  preservation 
of  the  union  of  the  whole,  and  which  ought  to  deliberate  dis- 
passionately, and  with  the  peculiar  calmness  of  wisdom.  Modern 
congresses,  I  may  be  told,  are  composed  of  only  two  sections. 
The  reason  is,  that  in  England,  which  country  has*  been  taken 
for  a  pattern,  the  nobility  and  the  people  were  to  be  represented 
in  two  houses ;  and  if  the  same  course  was  followed  in  North 


486  APPENDIX  N. 

America,  where  there  is  no  nobility,  we  must  suppose  that  the 
habit  of  living  under  the  English  government  occasioned  the 
imitation.  The  fact  is,  that  two  deliberative  bodies  must  be  in 
perpetual  conflict ;  and  for  this  reason  the  Abbe  Sieyes  would 
have  no  more  than  one  in  France.  A  classical  absurdity! 

The  first  chamber  is  that  of  the  tribunes,  which  is  privileged 
to  initiate  laws  respecting  the  revenue,  peace  and  war.  This 
body  has  the  immediate  inspection  of  those  branches  which  the 
executive  administers  with  least  intervention  of  the  legislature. 

The  senators  form  the  ecclesiastical  regulations  and  codes, 
and  watch  over  the  tribunals  and  religion.  It  is  the  business 
of  the  senate  to  choose  the  prefects,  judges  of  districts,  governors, 
corregidors,  and  all  the  subalterns  of  the  judicial  department.  It 
proposes  to  the  chamber  of  censors  the  members  of  the  supreme 
tribunal,  the  archbishops,  bishops,  dignitaries  of  the  church,  and 
canons.  Whatever  belongs  to  religion  and  the  laws  falls  under 
the  cognizance  of  the  senate. 

The  censors  exercise  a  political  and  moral  power,  bearing  some 
resemblance  to  the  Areopagus  of  Athens,  and  the  censors  at  Rome. 
They  are  a  sort  of  fiscals  on  the  government,  to  watch  the  con- 
stitution, and  to  demand  a  religious  observance  of  public  treaties. 
I  have  placed  under  their  aegis  the  national  judgment,  which  is 
to  decide  on  the  good  or  bad  administration  of  the  executive 
government. 

The  censors  are  charged  with  the  protection  of  morality,  the 
arts  and  sciences,  education,  and  the  press.  The  most  awful  and 
the  most  august  functions  belong  to  the  censors.  They  condemn 
to  perpetual  opprobrium  the  usurpers  of  sovereign  authority,  and 
those  guilty  of  high  crimes  and  malversation.  They  bestow  public 
honours  on  the  services  and  virtues  of  illustrious  citizens.  The 
dispensation  of  glory  is  confided  to  their  hands,  and  for  this  very 
reason  the  censors  must  be  men  of  unsullied  innocence  and  un- 
blemished life.  If  they  offend,  they  may  be  accused  even  for 
slight  delinquencies.  To  those  high  priests  of  the  laws  is  the 
preservation  of  our  sacred  statutes  intrusted ;  and  they  are 
bound  to  impugn  the  profaners  thereof. 

The  president  of  the  republic  becomes,  in  our  constitution,  like 
the  sun,  which,  firm  in  its  centre,  vivifies  the  whole  system. 


APPENDIX   X.  487 

This  supreme  authority  is  to  be  perpetual ;  for,  in  constitutions 
that  have  no  hierarchy,  it  is  more  necessary  than  in  others,  that 
there  should  be  a  fixed  point,  round  which  the  other  magistrates 
and  citizens  may  revolve,  as  well  as  men  and  things.  "  Give  me 
a  fixed  point,"  said  an  ancient  sage,  "  and  I  will  move  the  world." 
To  Bolivia,  a  president  for  life  will  serve  for  such  a  fixed  point. 
He  is  the  key-stone  of  the  whole  arch,  though  not  endowed  with 
action.  His  head  has  been  removed,  in  order  that  no  one  may 
dread  his  intentions;  and  his  hands  have  been  tied,  that  he  may 
do  no  injury  to  any  one. 

The  president  of  Bolivia  participates  in  the  powers  of  the 
American  executive,  but  under  restrictions  favourable  to  the 
people.  His  duration  in  office  is  as  that  of  the  president  of  Hayti. 
I  have  chosen  for  Bolivia  the  executive  of  the  most  democratic 
republic  in  the  world. 

The  island  of  Hayti  (if  I  may  be  allowed  this  digression) 
was  in  a  perpetual  state  of  insurrection.  After  trying  empire, 
kingdom,  and  republic;  in  fact,  every  species  of  government 
known  and  unknown,  she  found  herself  under  the  necessity  of 
having  recourse  to  the  illustrious  Petion  to  save  her.  When 
confidence  was  placed  in  him,  the  destinies  of  Hayti  vacillated 
no  longer.  Petion  was  appointed  president  for  life,  with  the 
power  to  elect  his  successor;  after  which,  neither  the  death  of 
this  great  man,  nor  the  succession  of  a  new  president,  caused  the 
slightest  danger  to  the  state.  Under  the  worthy  Boyer  every 
thing  went  on  with  the  tranquillity  and  calmness  of  a  legitimate 
reign.  This  is  a  triumphant  proof  that  a  president  for  life,  with 
the  right  of  choosing  his  successor,  is  the  most  sublime  conception 
in  the  republican  order  of  things. 

The  president  of  Bolivia  will  be  less  dangerous  than  the  one 
for  Hayti,  inasmuch  as  the  mode  of  succession  is  better  secured 
for  the  good  of  the  state.  Besides,  the  president  of  Bolivia  is 
deprived  of,  and  stands  aloof  from,  every  sort  of  influence.  He 
does  not  nominate  the  magistrates,  the  judges,  or  appoint  to  any 
ecclesiastical  dignities,  however  subordinate.  This  diminution  of 
power  has,  however,  not  been  submitted  to  by  any  well  consti- 
tuted government:  it  restrains,  by  shackles  upon  shackles,  the 
authority  of  a  chief,  who  will  ever  find  the  whole  people  swayed 


488  APPENDIX  N. 

by  those  who  exercise  the  most  important  functions  of  society. 
The  priests  regulate  the  consciences  of  men;  the  judges  determine 
all  matters  of  property,  honour,  and  life;  and  the  magistrates  are 
predominant  in  all  public  acts.  As  these  owe  their  dignities,  glory, 
and  fortunes,  solely  to  the  people,  the  president  could  never  hope 
to  make  them  accomplices  in  any  ambitious  views  of  his  own.  If 
to  this  consideration  be  added  those  which  naturally  arise  from 
the  general  resistance  encountered  by  a  democratic  government, 
at  every  turn  of  its  administration,  we  may  feel  warranted  in  as- 
suming as  a  certainty,  that  this  government  is  less  liable  than  any 
other  to  usurpation  of  authority. 

Legislators !  From  this  day  forward  liberty  will  be  indestructi- 
ble in  America.  You  see  that  the  savage  nature  of  this  continent 
is  of  itself  sufficient  to  repel  the  monarchical  form  of  government. 
Deserts  are  favourable  to  independence.  Here  we  have  no  gran- 
dees, either  aristocratical  or  ecclesiastical.  Our  riches  were  but 
inconsiderable,  and  now  they  are  reduced  in  a  still  greater  degree. 
Though  the  church  enjoys  some  influence,  she  is  far  from  aspiring 
to  dominion,  being  satisfied  with  her  own  preservation.  Without 
such  supports,  tyrants  never  remain  permanent;  and  if  some 
ambitious  men  should  engage  in  raising  empires  for  themselves, 
the  fate  of  Dessalines,  Christophe,  and  Iturbide,  will  warn  them 
of  what  they  have  to  expect.  No  power  finds  greater  difficulty 
to  maintain  itself  than  that  of  a  new  prince.  Bonaparte,  who 
vanquished  so  many  armies,  could  not  succeed  in  overcoming  this 
rule,  which  is  stronger  than  empire.  And  if  the  great  Napoleon 
was  unable  to  maintain  himself  against  the  league  of  republicans 
and  aristocrats,  who  may  hope  to  found  monarchies  in  America, 
in  a  soil  warmed  and  illuminated  by  the  bright  flames  of  liberty; 
in  a  soil  which  consumes  the  materials  used  for  erecting  these 
legal  platforms  ?  No,  legislators !  fear  not  any  pretenders  or 
aspirants  to  crowns.  To  them  the  diadem  would  be  what  the 
hair-suspended  falchion  was  over  the  head  of  Dionysius.  Those 
upstart  princes,  who  are  so  blind  as  to  raise  thrones  on  the  ruins 
of  liberty,  are  erecting  their  own  sepulchral  monuments,  which 
will  announce  to  future  generations  that  they  preferred  their 
infatuate  ambition  to  liberty  and  glory. 

The  constitutional  limits  of  the  president  of  Bolivia  arc  the 


APPENDIX  N.  489 

strictest  of  any  that  are  known.  He  merely  nominates  the  officers 
of  the  revenue,  of  peace  and  war,  and  commands  the  army. 
These  are  his  functions. 

The  administration  wholly  belongs  to  the  ministry,  is  respon- 
sible to  the  censors,  and  is  subject  to  the  zealous  vigilance  of  all 
the  legislators,  magistrates,  judges,  and  citizens.  The  custom- 
house officers  and  soldiers,  the  sole  agents  of  that  ministry,  are 
certainly  not  the  persons  best  qualified  to  gain  for  it  the  favour 
of  the  people ;  therefore  its  influence  will  be  nullified. 

The  vice-president  is  the  magistrate  of  all  others  that  has  any 
command,  whose  hands  are  most  shackled;  for  he  has  to  obey 
both  the  legislative  and  the  executive  branch  of  a  republican 
government.  He  receives  laws  from  the  former,  and  orders  from 
the  latter ;  and  between  those  two  barriers  he  must  proceed  in  a 
narrow  path,  bounded  by  precipices.  Notwithstanding  so  many 
disadvantages,  this  mode  of  government  seems  preferable  to  an 
absolute  monarchy.  These  constitutional  barriers  expand  the 
political  conscience,  and  animate  it  with  the  firm  hope  of  meeting 
with  the  torch  which  is  to  guide  it  through  the  rocks  by  which  it 
is  surrounded ;  they  serve  as  a  check  to  the  impulse  of  our  passions, 
operating  in  concert  with  foreign  interests. 

In  the  government  of  the  United  States,  it  has  latterly  been 
the  practice  to  nominate  the  prime  minister  as  successor  to  the 
president.  Nothing  can  be  more  suitable  to  a  republic  than  this 
method;  as  it  unites  the  advantage  of  putting  at  the  head  of 
administration  a  man  experienced  in  the  management  of  the  state. 
He  is  already  a  completely  finished  statesman  when  he  enters 
upon  the  exercise  of  his  functions,  and  is  accompanied  by  the  halo 
of  popular  favour,  as  well  as  supported  by  consummate  experience 
and  practice.  I  have  adopted  this  idea,  and  established  it  as  a  law. 

The  president  of  the  republic  nominates  the  vice-president 
as  the  person  who  is  to  administer  the  state,  and  to  succeed  him 
in  command.  By  this  precaution  are  those  elections  avoided  which 
produce  that  great  scourge  of  republics,  anarchy,  which  constitutes 
the  luxury  of  tyranny ;  and  is  the  most  immediate  and  most  ter- 
rible danger  of  popular  governments.  You  see  in  what  manner 
the  most  tremendous  crisis  befalls  republics  as  well  as  legitimate 
kingdoms. 


490  APPENDIX  N. 

The  vice-president  must  be  a  man  of  the  most  upright  and  pure 
character:  because,  if  the  first  magistrate  were  not  to  elect  a  very 
upright  citizen,  he  would  have  cause  to  fear  him  as  an  obdurate 
enemy,  and  to  suspect  his  secret  ambition.  This  vice-president 
must  endeavour  to  merit,  by  his  good  services,  the  credit  of  which 
he  stands  in  need  for  the  due  performance  of  his  functions,  that 
he  may  hope  for  that  great  national  reward,  the  supreme  command. 
The  legislative  body  and  the  people  will  require  capacities  and 
talents  of  a  superior  order,  on  the  part  of  this  magistrate,  and 
exact  from  him  an  implicit  obedience  to  the  laws  of  liberty. 

Inheritance  perpetuates  the  monarchical  regime,  and  renders  it 
almost  general  in  the  world.  How  much  more  useful  is  the 
method  I  have  just  proposed  for  the  succession  of  the  vice-pre- 
sident !  If  hereditary  princes  were  chosen  according  to  merit,  and 
not  by  fate,  accident,  or  casualty;  and  if,  instead  of  remaining 
inactive,  in  sloth  and  ignorance,  they  placed  themselves  at  the 
head  of  administration,  they  would,  doubtless,  be  more  enlightened 
monarch  s,  and  ensure  the  happiness  of  the  people.  Yes,  legis- 
lators !  the  monarchy  which  governs  the  earth  has  obtained  its 
titles  to  approbation  from  inheritance,  which  renders  it  stable ; 
and  from  unity,  which  renders  it  strong.  Wherefore,  though  a 
sovereign  prince  be  a  spoiled  child,  shut  up  in  his  palace,  nurtured 
in  adulation,  and  guided  by  all  sorts  of  passions,  such  a  prince, 
whom  I  may  venture  to  call  the  mockery  of  human  nature,  com- 
mands mankind,  because  he  preserves  the  order  of  things,  and 
subordination  among  citizens,  by  a  firm  power  and  unity  or  con- 
stancy of  action.  Consider,  then,  legislators,  that  all  these  great 
advantages  are  combined  in  a  president  for  life,  and  an  hereditary 
vice-president. 

The  judicial  power  which  I  propose  enjoys  an  absolute  inde- 
pendency ;  which  is  not  elsewhere  to  be  found.  The  people  pre- 
sent the  candidates,  and  the  legislative  body  chooses  the  indivi- 
duals who  are  to  compose  the  tribunals.  If  the  judicial  power  do 
not  emanate  from  this  source,  it  cannot  possibly  preserve  the  safe- 
guard of  individual  rights  in  all  their  purity.  Those  rights, 
legislators !  constitute  liberty,  equality,  and  security — all  the 
guarantees  of  social  order.  The  true  liberal  constitution  consists 
in  civil  and  criminal  laws ;  and  the  tribunals  exercise  the  most 


APPENDIX  N.  491 

terrible  tyranny  by  means  of  the  tremendous  instrument  of  the 
laws.  In  ordinary  matters,  the  executive  is  only  the  depository 
of  the  public  weal ;  but  the  tribunals  are  the  arbitrators  of  pro- 
perty, and  of  all  things  belonging  to  individuals.  The  judicial 
authority  holds  the  measure  of  the  welfare  or  of  the  misery  of 
citizens ;  and  if  liberty  and  justice  exist  in  a  republic,  they  are 
distributed  by  that  power.  Sometimes  the  political  organization 
of  a  state  matters  little,  provided  that  its  civil  organization  be 
perfect ;  that  the  laws  be  fulfilled  with  religious  strictness,  and 
be  deemed  as  fixed  as  destiny  itself. 

In  conformity  with  the  feelings  and  fears  of  the  present  times, 
it  was  to  be  expected  that  we  should  prohibit  the  use  of  tortures 
and  of  confessions,  and  that  we  should  shorten  and  abridge  the 
protracted  pleadings  in  the  intricate  labyrinth  of  appeals. 

The  territory  of  the  republic  is  governed  by  prefects,  governors, 
corregidors,  judges  of  peace,  and  alcaldes.  I  was  unable  to  enter 
into  the  details  of  the  interior  regime  and  faculties  of  their  juris- 
diction ;  but  it  is  my  duty  forthwith  to  recommend  to  congress 
the  suitable  regulations  for  the  service  of  the  departments  and 
provinces.  Bear  in  mind,  legislators,  that  nations  consist  of  cities, 
villages,  and  hamlets ;  and  that  their  well-being  constitutes  the 
happiness  of  the  state.  You  will  never  be  able  to  bestow  too 
much  attention  on  the  good  government  of  the  departments.  This 
is  a  point  of  paramount  importance  in  legislative  science,  not- 
withstanding which  it  is  too  much  neglected. 

I  have  divided  the  armed  force  into  four  parts :  the  army  of 
the  line ;  the  fleet ;  the  national  militia ;  and  the  military  pre- 
ventive service.  The  army  is  destined  to  garrison  the  frontiers. 
God  forbid  that  it  may  ever  turn  its  arms  against  the  citizens ! 
The  national  militia  suffices  to  preserve  internal  order.  Bolivia 
does  not  possess  an  extensive  coast,  and,  for  that  reason,  a  navy  is 
useless ;  we  must,  however,  one  day  acquire  both.  The  military 
protective  service  is,  in  every  respect,  preferable  to  guards ;  such 
a  service  being  rather  immoral  than  superfluous.  It,  therefore,  is 
for  the  interest  of  the  republic  to  garrison  its  frontiers  with  troops 
of  the  line,  and  troops  of  the  protective  service,  to  repress  smug- 
gling and  frauds  on  the  revenue. 

I  have  thought  it  necessary  that  the  constitution  of  Bolivia 


492  APPENDIX  N. 

ought  to  be  reformed  from  time  to  time,  as  the  progressive  move- 
ments of  the  moral  world  might  require  it.  The  paths  of  reform 
have  been  pointed  out  in  terms  which  I  have  deemed  most  suit- 
able to  the  occasion. 

The  responsibility  of  the  officers  is  prescribed  in  the  Bolivian 
constitution  in  the  most  efficient  manner.  Without  responsibility, 
without  repressive  coercion,  the  state  becomes  a  chaos.  I  venture 
most  earnestly  to  request  the  legislators  to  enact  strong  and  well- 
defined  laws  on  this  subject.  Every  one  talks  of  responsibility, 
but  it  exists  only  in  name.  There  is  no  responsibility,  legis- 
lators !  the  magistrates,  judges,  and  officers  abuse  their  authority, 
because  it  is  not  vigorously  enforced  in  the  agents  of  admini- 
stration ;  while  the  citizens  suffer  by  this  abuse.  I  shall  recom- 
mend a  law  which  will  prescribe  a  mode  of  annual  responsibility 
for  every  man  in  office. 

The  most  perfect  guarantees  have  been  established.  Civil 
liberty  is  the  true  liberty;  all  other  kinds  are  merely  nominal, 
or  of  little  influence  with  respect  to  the  citizens.  Personal  safety 
has  been  guaranteed,  which  is  the  end  of  society,  and  from  which 
all  other  securities  emanate.  With  regard  to  the  security  of  pro- 
perty, that  depends  on  the  civil  code,  which  your  wisdom  is 
bound  to  frame  instantly  for  the  happiness  of  your  fellow-citizens. 
I  have  left  untouched  that  law  of  laws — equality,  without  which 
all  other  guarantees  perish,  as  well  as  "all  other  rights.  To  that 
law  we  are  bound  to  make  sacrifices.  I  have  laid  prostrate  at  her 
feet  the  infamous  state  of  slavery,  covered  with  humiliation. 

Legislators !  Slavery  is  the  infringement  of  all  laws.  A  law 
having  a  tendency  to  preserve  slavery  would  be  the  grossest  sa- 
crilege. What  right  can  be  alleged  in  favour  of  its  continuance? 
In  whatever  view  this  crime  is  considered,  I  am  persuaded  that 
there  is  not  a  single  Bolivian  in  existence  so  depraved  as  to  pretend 
that  such  a  signal  violation  of  the  dignity  of  man  can  be  legalized. 
Man,  to  be  possessed  by  his  fellow-man — man  to  be  made  a  pro- 
perty of ! — Th'e  image  of  the  Deity  to  be  put  under  the  yoke  !  Let 
these  usurpers  of  man  show  us  their  title-deeds  ?  The  coast  of 
Guinea  has  not  sent  them  to  us ;  for  Africa,  devastated  by  fratri- 
cide, exhibits  nothing  but  crimes.  After  these  relics  of  African 
tribes  are  transported  hither,  what  law  or  power  can  sanction  a 


APPENDIX  N.  493 

dominion  over  the  victims  ?  The  transmitting,  continuing,  and 
perpetuating  of  this  crime,  with  its  admixture  of  executions,  is  a 
most  shocking  outrage.  A  principle  of  possession,  founded  on 
the  most  ferocious  delinquency,  could  not  be  conceived  without 
overturning  and  confounding  all  the  elements  of  right,  and  per- 
verting the  most  absolute  notions  of  duty.  No  one  can  break 
asunder  the  sacred  dogma  of  equality;  and  is  slavery  to  exist 
where  equality  reigns  ?  Such  contradictions  would  rather  impugn 
our  reason  than  our  justice.  We  should  then  be  deemed  insane 
rather  than  usurpers. 

If  there  did  not  exist  a  God,  protector  of  innocence  and  of 
liberty,  the  fate  of  the  generous  lion  reigning  in  deserts  and  woods 
would  be  preferable  to  that  of  a  captive  in  the  service  of  an  in- 
famous tyrant,  who,  as  an  accomplice  of  his  crimes,  provokes  the 
wrath  of  Heaven.  But  no :  God  has  intended  man  for  liberty  ! 
He  protects  him,  that  he  may  exercise  the  heavenly  function  of 
free  mill. 

Legislators !  I  shall  make  mention  of  an  article,  which  in 
my  conscience  I  ought  to  have  omitted.  No  religious  creed  or 
profession  should  be  prescribed  in  a  political  constitution;  for 
according  to  the  best  doctrines  concerning  fundamental  laws,  these 
are  the  guarantees  of  civil  and  political  rights ;  and  as  religion 
touches  none  of  those  rights,  she  is,  in  her  nature,  not  to  be  de- 
nned in  the  social  order,  and  belongs  to  intellectual  morality. 
Religion  governs  man  at  home,  in  the  cabinet,  and  in  his  own 
bosom,  within  himself;  she  alone  has  a  right  to  examine  his  most 
secret  conscience.  The  laws,  on  the  contrary,  consider  and  view 
the  exterior  of  things ;  they  only  govern  out  of  doors,  and  not 
within  the  houses  of  citizens.  Applying  these  considerations, 
how  can  the  state  rule  the  consciences  of  its  subjects,  watch  over 
the  fulfilment  of  religion,  and  reward  or  punish,  when  the  tribunals 
of  all  those  matters  are  in  heaven,  and  when  God  is  the  Judge  ? 
The  inquisition  alone  could  replace  these  in  this  world ;  and  is 
the  inquisition,  with  its  incendiary  fagots  and  piles,  to  return 
amongst  us  ? 

Religion  is  the  law  of  conscience.  Every  law  on  this  subject 
annuls  religion,  as,  by  imposing  necessity  upon  duty,  it  would  take 
away  the  merit  of  faith,  which  is  the  basis  of  religion.  The  pre- 


494  APPENDIX  N. 

cepts  and  sacred  dogmas  are  useful  and  luminous ;  they  rest  on 
metaphysical  evidence ;  and  we  ought  to  profess  them :  but  this 
is  a  moral,  and  not  a  political  duty. 

On  the  other  hand,  what  are  the  rights  of  man  with  regard  to 
religion  in  this  world?  They  are  in  heaven.  There  is  the 
tribunal  which  recompenses  merit,  and  renders  justice  according 
to  the  code  dictated  by  the  Legislator.  As  all  this  belongs  to 
divine  jurisdiction,  it  strikes  me,  at  first  sight,  as  sacrilegious  and 
profane  to  mix  up  our  ordinances  with  the  commandments  of  the 
Lord.  It  therefore  belongs  not  to  the  legislator  to  prescribe 
religion ;  for  the  legislator  must  impose  penalties  on  the  infringe- 
ment of  the  laws,  to  avoid  their  becoming  merely  expressions  of 
counsel  and  advice.  When  there  are  neither  temporal  penalties, 
nor  judges  to  inflict  them,  the  law  ceases  to  be  law. 

The  moral  development  of  man  is  the  first  intention  of  the 
legislator.  As  far  as  this  development  has  taken  place,  man  sup- 
ports his  morality  by  revealed  truths,  and  professes  it  de  facto, 
which  is  the  more  efficacious,  the  more  he  has  acquired  it  by  his 
own  investigation.  Besides,  fathers  of  families  cannot  neglect 
their  religious  duties  towards  their  children.  The  spiritual  shep- 
herds are  bound  to  teach  the  knowledge  of  heaven ;  the  example 
of  the  true  disciples  of  Jesus  is  the  most  eloquent  lesson  of  his 
divine  morality ;  but  morality  is  not  commanded,  nor  is  he  who 
commands  it  the  master,  nor  ought  force  to  be  employed  in  giving 
counsel.  God  and  his  ministers  are  the  authorities  of  religion, 
which  operates  by  means  exclusively  spiritual ;  but  by  no  manner 
of  means  is  the  national  body  a  religious  authority,  that  body 
having  solely  the  direction  of  public  power  to  objects  purely 
temporal. 

Legislators!  What  generous  and  sublime  thoughts  must  fill 
your  souls,  when  you  see  the  new  Bolivian  nation  already  pro- 
claimed !  The  accession  of  a  new  state  to  the  society  of  those 
already  existing  forms  a  just  subject  of  exultation  for  mankind, 
as  it  augments  the  great  family  of  nations.  What  then  must  be 
the  exultation  of  its  founders  !  and  my  own  ! ! !  Seeing  myself 
placed  on  a  level  with  the  most  celebrated  sages  of  antiquity, 
with  the  founder  of  the  Eternal  City  !  This  glory  by  right  apper- 
tains to  the  institutors  of  nations,  who,  being  their  first  benefactors, 


APPENDIX  N.  495 

must  have  received  immortal  rewards ;  but  mine,  besides  its  im- 
mortality, possesses  the  merit  of  being  gratuitous,  not  having  been 
deserved.  Where  is  the  city,  where  is  the  republic,  which  I  have 
founded?  Your  munificence  in  dedicating  a  nation  to  me  has 
surpassed  all  my  services,  and  is  infinitely  superior  to  all  the  good 
which  men  can  do  to  you. 

My  despair  increases,  when  I  contemplate  the  immensity  of 
your  reward;  for  even  had  I  concentrated  the  talents,  virtues,  and 
the  very  genius  of  the  greatest  of  heroes,  I  should  be  nevertheless 
unworthy  of  the  name  which  you  have  chosen  to  give  yourselves — 
My  own  name!! ! — Shall  I  talk  of  gratitude,  when  that  sentiment 
cannot  otherwise  than  feebly  express  what  I  experience  from  your 
goodness,  which,  like  the  divine  goodness,  passes  all  limits !  Yes ; 

God  alone  had  the  power  of  naming  this  country  Bolivia 

What  means  the  word  Bolivia?  A  boundless  love  of  liberty, 
at  the  receiving  of  which  your  enthusiasm  saw  nothing  equal  to 
its  value.  Your  ecstasy,  finding  no  demonstration  adequate  to 
the  vehemence  of  your  feelings,  extinguished  your  own  name, 
and  gave  mine  to  yourselves  and  all  your  posterity.  This  has 
no  parallel  in  the  history  of  the  world ;  it  is  unexampled  in  the 
records  of  sublime  magnanimity.  So  great  an  action  will  show 
to  after  times,  which  exist  in  the  mind  of  the  Eternal,  that  you 
aspired  to  the  possession  of  your  rights,  which  consist  in  the  power 
of  exercising  your  political  virtues,  in  the  acquisition  of  luminous 
talents,  and  in  the  enjoyment  of  being  Men.  This  noble  deed,  I 
repeat  it,  will  prove  that  you  were  entitled  to  obtain  the  grand 
blessing  of  Heaven,  the  Sovereignty  of  the  People — the  only  legi- 
timate authority  of  nations. 

Legislators !  You  are  so  fortunate  as  to  preside  over  the 
destinies  of  a  republic  which  at  its  birth  was  crowned  with  the 
laurels  of  Ayacucho,  and  which  must  perpetuate  its  happy 
existence  under  the  laws  dictated  by  your  wisdom,  in  the  calm 
which  has  succeeded  to  the  tempest  of  war. 

Lima,  the  25th  May,  1826.  BOLIVAR. 


496  APPENDIX  N. 


PROJECT  OP  THE  CONSTITUTION  FOR  THE 
REPUBLIC  OF  BOLIVIA. 

In  the  name  of  God,  the  General  Constituent  Congress  of  the 
Bolivian  Republic,  named  by  the  people  to  form  the  constitution 
of  the  state,  decrees  as  follows  : 

TITLE  I.— OF  THE  NATION. 

Chapter  1. — Of  the  Bolivian  Nation. 

Article  1.  The  Bolivian  nation  consists  in  the  union  of  all 
Bolivians. 

2.  Bolivia  is,  and  ever  shall  be,  independent  of  foreign  do- 
minion ;   and  cannot  become  the  patrimony  of  any  person  or 
family. 

Chapter  2. — Of  Territory. 

3.  The  territory  of  the  Bolivian  republic  comprises  the  depart- 
ments of  Potosi,  Chuquisaca,  La  Paz,  Santa  Cruz,  Cochabamba, 
and  Oruro. 

4.  It  is  to  be  divided  into  departments,  provinces,  and  cantons. 

5.  That  division  which  shall  be  found  most  convenient  is  to 
be  made  by  a  law ;  and  another  law  is  to  fix  its  limits,  with  the 
concurrence  of  the  adjoining  states. 

TITLE  II.— OF  THE  GOVERNMENT. 

Chapter  1. — Form  of  Government. 

6.  The  government  of  Bolivia  is  a  popular  representative  go- 
vernment. 

7.  The  sovereignty  emanates  from  the  people,  and  its  exercise 
is  vested  in  the  powers  which  this  constitution  establishes. 

8.  For  its  exercise  the  supreme  power  is  divided  into  four 
sections :  Electoral,  Legislative,  Executive,  and  Judicial. 

9.  Each  power  will  exercise  the  attributes  which  this  consti- 
tution assigns  to  it,  without  exceeding  their  respective  limits. 

Chapter  2. — Of  the  Bolivians. 

10.  The  following  are  Bolivians: 

1 .  All  the  natives  of  the  territory  of  the  republic. 


APPENDIX  N.  497 

2.  The  sons  of  a  Bolivian  father  or  mother,  born  out  of  its 

territory,  as  soon  as  they  legally  manifest  their  inten- 
tion to  settle  in  Bolivia. 

3.  The  Liberators  of  the  republic,  declared  and  recognised 
as  such  by  the  law  of  the  llth  August,  1825. 

4.  Foreigners,  who  obtain  letters  of  naturalization,  or  have 
resided  three  years  in  the  territory  of  the  republic. 

5.  All  those  who,  up  to  the  present  day,  have  been  slaves, 

and  who  are  de  facto  made  free  by  the  very  act  of  the 
publication  of  this  constitution.  By  a  special  law  the 
indemnity  shall  be  determined  which  is  to  be  granted  to 
their  former  owners. 

11.  The  duties  of  every  Bolivian  are; 

1.  To  live  in  submission  to  the  constitution  and  to  the  laws. 

2.  To  respect  and  obey  the  constituted  authorities. 

3.  To  contribute  to  the  public  expenses. 

4.  To  sacrifice  his  property,  and  even  his  life,  whenever 
the  safety  of  the  republic  shall  so  require. 

5.  To  watch  over  the  preservation  of  public  liberty. 

12.  The  Bolivians  who  may  be  deprived  of  the  exercise  of  the 
electoral  power  shall  enjoy  all  the  civil  rights  granted  to  citizens. 

13.  To  be  a  citizen,  it  is  necessary — 

1.  To  be  a  Bolivian. 

2.  To  be  married,  or  to  be  upwards  of  twenty-one  years 

of  age. 

3.  To  be  able  to  read  and  write. 

4.  To  follow  some  occupation,  employment,  or  branch  of 
industry,  or  to   profess  some  art  or  science,  without 
being  subject  to  any  other  person  as  domestic  servant. 

14.  The  following  are  citizens : 

1.  The  Liberators  of  the  republic.  (Art.  10.  3.) 

2.  Foreigners  who  have  obtained  letters  of  citizenship. 

3.  Foreigners  intermarried  with  Bolivians,  fulfilling  the 

conditions  3  and  4,  Art.  13. 

4.  Unmarried  foreigners,  who  have  resided  four  years  in 

the  republic,  fulfilling  the  same  conditions. 

15.  The  citizens  of  American  nations,  formerly  belonging  to 
VOL.  II.  K  K 


APPENDIX  N. 

Spain,  shall  enjoy  the  rights  of  citizenship  in  Bolivia,  according 
to  the  treaties  that  may  be  concluded  with  them. 

16.  Only  those  who  are  active  citizens  can  obtain  any  employ- 
ment, office,  or  public  charge. 

17.  The  exercise  of  citizenship  becomes  suspended — 

1 .  By  mental  derangement. 

2.  By  incurring  the  disgrace  attached  to  fraudulent  debtors. 

3.  By  being  subject  to  a  criminal  process. 

4.  By  being  a  notorious  drunkard,  gambler,  or  beggar. 

5.  By  buying  or  selling  votes  at  elections,  and  disturbing 
the  good  order  of  the  same. 

18.  The  right  of  citizenship  is  lost —   * 

1.  By  treason  to  the  public  weal. 

2.  By  naturalization  in  foreign  countries. 

3.  By  having  undergone  a  defamatory  penalty,  or  an  afflictive 
punishment,  in  virtue  of  a  judicial  condemnation. 

TITLE  III.— OF  THE  ELECTORAL  POWER. 

Chapter  I. — Of  Elections. 

19.  Active  citizens  are  in  the  immediate  exercise  of  the  electoral 
power,  every  ten  of  them  naming  one  elector. 

20.  The  exercise  of  the  electoral  power  can  never  be  suspended; 
and  the  civil  magistrates  must,  without  waiting  for  any  order, 
assemble  the  people  precisely  within  the  period  pointed  out  by 
the  law. 

21.  A  special  law  shall'set  forth  in  detail  the  regulations  which 
concern  the  elections. 

Chapter  2. — Of  the  Electoral  Body. 

22.  The  electoral  body  is  composed  of  the  electors  named  by 
popular  suffrage. 

23.  When  the  electors  are  assembled  in  the  capital  of  the 
province,  they  shall  name,  by  plurality  of  votes,  a  president,  two 
scrutineers,  and  a  secretary,  out  of  their  own  number.     These 
shall  discharge  their  duty  during  the  whole  time  of  the  duration 
or  existence  of  the  body. 

24.  Each  electoral  body  is  to  be  continued  four  years,  at  the 


APPENDIX  N.  499 

expiration  of  which  time  it  is  to  cease,  leaving  its  successors 
installed. 

25.  The  electors  shall  be  assembled  every  year,  on  the  2d,  3d, 
4th,  5th,  and  6th  day  of  January,  to  exercise  the  following 
functions  : 

1.  To  qualify  the  citizens  who  enter  into  the  exercise  of 
their  rights,  and  to  suspend  those  who  may  be  in  the 
predicaments  mentioned  in  Articles  17  and  18. 

2.  To  elect  and  propose  in  ternaries :  1st.  To  the  respective 
chambers,  the  members  who  are  to  compose  them,  or  to 
fill  vacancies  in  them.    2d.  To  the  executive  power,  the 
candidates  for    the  prefectures  of  their    department, 
for  the  government  of  their  province,  and  for  corregidors 
of  their  cantons  and  towns.     3d.  To  the  prefect  of  the 
department,  the  alcaldes,  and  justices  of  peace  who  are 
to  be  appointed.     4th.  To  the  senate,  the  members  of 
the  courts  of  the  judicial  district  to  which  they  belong, 
and  the  judges  of  primary  instance.     5th.  To  the  exe- 
cutive power,  the  curates  and  vicars,  for  the  vacancies 
in  their  provinces. 

3.  To  receive  the  acts  of  popular  elections,  to  ascertain  the 
identity  of  the  parties  newly  elected,  and  to  declare 
them  constitutionally  appointed. 

4.  To  petition  the  chambers  for  whatever  they  may  deem 
conducive  to  the  welfare  of  the  citizens,  and  make 
complaint  of  any  grievances  or  wrongs  which  they  may 
have  suffered  from  the  constituted  authorities. 

TITLE  IV.— OF  THE  LEGISLATIVE  POWER. 

Chapter  1. — Of  the  Division,   Attributes,  and  Restrictions,  of 
this  Porver. 

26.  The  legislative   power   emanates  immediately  from  the 
electoral  colleges  named  by  the  people.     Its  exercise  resides  in 
three  chambers:    1.   The  tribunes;   2.   The  senators;    3.   The 
censors. 

K  K  2 


500  APPENDIX  N. 

27-  Each  chamber  is  to  be  composed  of  thirty  members,  during 
the  first  twenty  years. 

28.  On  the  day  of  the  month  of  in  each  year,  the 
legislative  body  is  to  assemble  of  its  own  accord,  without  awaiting 
any  formal  convocation. 

29.  The  particular  attributes  of  each  chamber  shall  be  detailed 
in  their  proper  place.     The  general  attributes  are : 

1.  To  nominate  the  president  of  the  republic  for  the  first 
time,  and  to  confirm  those  who  shall  succeed  to  that 
office. 

2.  To  approve  the  vice-president  proposed  by  the  president. 

3.  To  determine  the  place  where  the  seat  of  government  is 
to  be  fixed ;  and  to  transfer  it  to  another  place  whenever 
-important  circumstances   require  such  a  change,   and 
whenever  it  may  be  resolved  upon  by  two-thirds  of  the 

:  members  composing  the  three  chambers. 
A.  To  determine,  in  national  judgment ,  whether  there  be  or 
be  not  ground  of  process  against  the  members  of  the 
chambers,    the  vice-president,    and   the   secretaries  of 
state. 

5.  To  invest,  during  times  of  war,  or  any  extraordinary 
danger,  the  president  of  the  republic  with  such  powers 
as  shall  be  deemed  indispensable  for  the  salvation  of 
the  state. 

6.  To  select  from  among  the  candidates  presented  in  ter- 
naries by  the  electorate  colleges,  those  members  who 
are  to  fill  up  the  vacancies  of  the  chambers. 

7-  To  settle  the  internal  police  by  suitable  regulations,  and 
to  punish  any  infringement  thereof  by  its  members. 

30.  The  members  of  the  legislative  body  may  be  appointed 
vice-presidents  of  the  republic,  or  secretaries  of  state,  on  vacating 
their  seats  in  the  chamber. 

31.  No  individual  of  the  legislative  body  can  be  arrested  during 
the  time  of  his  continuing  a  deputy,  but  by  order  of  the  chamber 
to  which  he  belongs,  unless  he  be  detected  injlagrantedelicto,  in 
the  commission  of  a  crime  deserving  capital  punishment. 

32.  The  members  of  the  legislative  body  shall  be  inviolable  in 


APPENDIX  N.  501 

their  persons,  on  account  of  any  opinion  they  may  pronounce 
within  their  chambers,  in  the  exercise  of  their  functions. 

33.  Every  legislature  is  to  last  four  years,  and  every  annual 
session  two  months.     These  sessions  are  to  be  opened  and  closed 
at  one  and  the  same  time  by  the  three  chambers. 

34.  The  opening  of  the  session  is  to  take  place  annually,  in  the 
presence  of  the  president  of  the  republic,  of  the  vice-president, 
and  of  the  secretaries  of  state. 

35.  The  sittings  shall  be  public,  and  only  in  case  of  state 
affairs  requiring  secrecy  are  they  to  be  private. 

36.  Questions  in  each  chamber  ^re  to  be  decided  by  an  absolute 
majority  of  votes  of  members  present. 

37.  The  official  functionaries  who  may  be  appointed  deputies 
to  the  legislative  body  are  to  be  replaced,  ad  interim,  in  the 
exercise  of  their  official  duties,  by  other  individuals  as  substitutes. 

38.  The  restrictions  on  the  legislative  body  are  these : 

1 .  No  sitting  of  the  chambers  can  take  place  without  the 
presence  of  one  moiety  and  one  more  member  of  the 
respective  individuals  composing  the  same ;  and  absen- 
tees shall  be  compelled  to  attend  and  fulfil  their  duties. 

2.  None  of  the  chambers  can  originate  a  bill  respecting 
particular  branches  which  the  constitution  commits  to 
the  charge  of  a  distinct  chamber ;  but  they  may  invite 
other  chambers  to  take  into  consideration  such  motions 
as  are  made. 

3.  No  member  of  the  chambers  can  obtain  for  himself,  during 

the  time  of  his  deputation,  any  promotion,  except  such 
as  accrues  to  him  in  the  regular  gradation  of  his  ad- 
vancement. 

39.  The  chambers  shall  meet — 

1.  At  the  opening  and  closing  of  their  sessions. 

2.  For  the  purpose  of  investigating  the  conduct  of  any 
minister  that  may  be  accused  by  the  chamber  of  censors. 

3.  For   the  purpose  of  revising   any    laws  that  may  be 
returned  by  the  executive. 

4.  Whenever  such  meeting  is  requested  by  any  one  of  the 
chambers  on  good  grounds,  as  in  the  case  mentioned  in 
the  39th  Article,  3d  attribute. 


APPENDIX  N. 

5.  For  the  purpose  of  confirming  the  office  of  president  to 
the  vice-president. 

40.  At  the  meeting  of  the  chambers,  one  of  their  presidents  is 

to  preside  by  turns. 

Chapter  2. — Of  the  Chamber  of  Tribunes. 

41.  To  be  a  tribune,  it  is  necessary— 

1.  To  be  an  active  citizen. 

2.  To  have  attained  the  age  of  five  and  twenty  years. 

3.  Never  to  have  been  convicted  in  any  criminal  case. 

42.  The  tribunate  has  the  right  to  initiate — 

1 .  The  settlement  of  the  territorial  division  of  the  republic. 

2.  The  annual  contributions  and  public  charges. 

3.  The  granting  authority  to  the  executive  for  negotiating 
loans,  and  the  adoption  of  measures  for  the  extinction 
of  the  public  debt. 

4.  The  regulation  of  the  value,  impress,  alloy,  weight,  and 
denomination  of  coin,  as  well  as  the  regulation  of  weights 
and  measures. 

5.  The  qualification  of  ports  of  every  class. 

6.  The   construction    of  roads,  causeways,   bridges,   and 
public  buildings,    the   improvement   of  police,    and  of 
branches  of  industry. 

7.  The  regulation  of  the  salaries  and  pay  attached  to  officers 
of  state. 

8.  The  reforms  that  may  be  deemed  necessary  in  the  revenue 
branches  and  in  the  war  department. 

9.  The  declaration  of  war   or  peace  at  the  proposal  of 
government. 

10.  Treaties  of  alliance. 

11.  The  permission  of  transit  to  foreign  troops. 

12.  The  amount  of  land  and  sea  forces  for  the  service  of  the 
year  at  the  proposal  of  government. 

13.  The  ordinances  of  the  navy,  army,  and  national  militia, 
at  the  recommendation  of  government. 

14.  The  direction  of  foreign  affairs. 

15.  The  granting  of  letters  of  naturalization  and  citizenship. 

16.  The  granting  of  general  pardons. 


APPENDIX   N. 

43.  The  chamber  of  tribunes  is  to  be  renewed  by  moieties  every 
two  years,  and  its  continuance  is  to  be  for  four  years.     In  the 
first  legislature,  the  moiety  which  retires  at  the  end  of  two  years 
is  to  be  determined  by  lot. 

44.  Tribunes  may  be  re-elected. 

Chapter  3. — Of  the  Chamber  (>/'  Senators. 

45.  The  requisites  for  being  a  senator  are : 

1.  The  qualifications  requisite  for  electors. 

2.  The  age  of  five-and- thirty  years  complete. 

3.  The  never  having  been  found  guilty  of  any  criminal  act. 

46.  The  attributes  and  duties  of  the  senate  are : 

1.  The  formation  of  civil  and  criminal  codes,  laws  relative 
to  judicial  procedures,  to  commerce,  and  ecclesiastical 
regulations. 

2.  The  initiation   of  all   laws  respecting  the  reforms   of 
judicial  proceedings. 

3.  To  enforce  the  prompt  administration  of  justice,  in  civil 
as  well  as  criminal  cases. 

4.  To  propose  laws  for  preventing  infractions  of  the  constitu- 
tion and  the  laws  by  magistrates,  judges,  and  ecclesiastics. 

5.  To  exact  responsibility  from  the  superior  tribunals  of 
justice,  from  prefects,  magistrates,  and  inferior  or  sub- 
altern judges. 

6.  To  propose,  in  ternaries,  to  the  chamber  of  censors,  the 
individuals  who  are  to  compose  the  supreme  tribunal  of 
justice,  the  archbishops,  the  bishops,  dignitaries  of  the 
church,  canons,  and  prebendaries  of  cathedrals. 

7-  To  approve  or  reject  the  prefects,  governors,  and  cor- 

regidors,  whom  the  government  presents  from  the  ternary 

formed  by  the  electoral  bodies. 
8.  To  elect  from  the  ternary,  presented  by  the  electoral 

bodies,  the  district  judges,  and  all  the  subalterns  of  the 

department  of  justice. 

9.  To  regulate  the  exercise  of  ecclesiastical  patronage,  and 
propose  laws  touching  all  ecclesiastical  affairs  which 
have  any  relation  to  the  government. 
10.  To  examine  the  decisions  of  ecclesiastical  councils,  bulls, 


504  APPENDIX  N. 

rescripts,    and   pontifical   briefs,    for    the    purpose   of 
approving  or  disapproving  them. 

47.  The  duration  of  members  of  the  senate  shall  be  eight  years  ; 
one  moiety  to  be  renewed  every  four  years,  the  first  moiety  of  the 
first  legislature  going  out  by  lot. 

48.  The  members  of  the  senate  may  be  re-elected. 

Chapter  4. — Of  the  Chamber  of  Censors* 

49.  The  requisites  for  being  a  censor  are : 

1.  The  qualifications  requisite  for  senators. 

2.  To  be  full  forty  years  of  age. 

3.  The  never  having  been  found  guilty  of  a  misdemeanor, 
however  slight. 

50.  The  duties  and  attributes  of  the  chamber  of  censors  are — 

1.  To  see  that  the  government  do  fulfil  and  cause  to  be 
fulfilled  the  constitution,  laws,  and  public  treaties. 

2.  To  denounce  before  the  senate  the  infractions  which  the 
executive  may  make  in  the  constitution,  the  laws,  and 
the  public  treaties. 

3.  To  demand  of  the  senate  the  suspension  of  the  vice- 
president  and  secretaries  of  state,  whenever  the  safety  of 
the  republic  shall  urgently  demand  such  a  measure. 

51.  It  belongs  exclusively  to  the  chamber  of  censors  to  accuse 
the  vice-presidents  and  the  secretaries  of  state  before  the  senate, 
in  cases  of  treason,  commotions,  or  manifest  violation  of  the 
fundamental  laws  of  the  state. 

52.  If  the  senate  deems  the  accusation  preferred  by  the  chamber 
of  censors  to  be  well  founded,  then  the  national  judgment  will 
take  place ;  and  if,  on  the  contrary,  the  senate  should  pronounce 
a  negative,  then  the  accusation  will  be  referred  to  the  chamber  of 
tribunes. 

53.  If  two  chambers  agree,   the  national  judgment  is  to  be 
opened. 

54.  Then  the  three  chambers  are  to  unite,  and,  on  view  of  the 
documents  presented  by  the  chamber  of  censors,  they  shall  decide, 
by  absolute  plurality  of  votes,  whether  or  not  there  be  ground  for 
a  prosecution  of  the  vice-president  or  of  the  secretaries  of  state. 

55.  As  soon  as  the  national  judicature  shall  have  decided  that 


APPENDIX  N.  505 

there  is  sufficient  cause  for  prosecuting  the  vice-president  or  the 
secretaries  of  state,  then  these  officers  are,  by  such  act,  instantly 
suspended  from  their  functions,  and  the  chambers  shall  submit 
the  whole  of  the  antecedent  documents  to  the  supreme  tribunal 
of  justice,  which  is  exclusively  to  take  cognizance  of  the  matter; 
and  the  sentence  pronounced  by  them  shall  be  executed  without 
appeal. 

56.  As  soon  as  the  chambers  declare  that  there  is  cause  for 
prosecuting  the  vice-president  and  secretaries  of  state,    the  pre- 
sident of  the  republic  is  to    propose  to  the  united  chambers  a 
candidate  for  the  vice-presidentship,  ad  interim,   and   nominate 
secretaries  of  state  ad  interim.     If  the  first  candidate  be  rejected 
by  an  absolute  plurality  of  votes  of  the  legislative  body,  then  the 
president  is  to  propose  a  second  candidate ;  and  if  this  be  likewise 
rejected,  he  is  to  propose  a  third  candidate ;  and  if  this  one  be 
also  rejected,  then  the  chambers  shall  elect,  by  plurality  of  vote, 
in  the  space  of  twenty-four  hours,  one  of  three  candidates  proposed 
by  the  president. 

57.  The  vice-president  elected  ad  interim  shall  discharge  his 
functions  from  the  moment  of  this  proceeding  until  the  issue  of 
the  judgment  against  the  accused. 

58.  By  a  law,  which  is  to  be  originated  in  the  chamber  of  the 
censors,  all  cases  are  to  be  determined  in  which  the  vice-president 
and  secretaries  of  state  are  either  jointly  or  separately  responsible. 

59.  To  the  chamber  of  censors  it  also  belongs — 

1 .  To  choose  from  the  ternary  presented  by  the  senate  the 
individuals  who  are  to  form  the  supreme  tribunal  of 
justice,  and  those  who  have  the  presentation  to  vacant 
archbishoprics,  bishoprics,  canonries,  and  prebends. 

2.  To  propose  all  laws  respecting  the  press,  economy,  plans 
of  instruction,  and  methods  of  public  teaching. 

3.  To  protect  the  liberty  of  the  press,  and  to  name  the 
judges  by  whom  all  causes  relating  to  it  are  to  be  finally 
decided. 

4.  To  propose  regulations  for  the  encouragement  of  arts 
and  sciences. 

6.  To  grant  national  rewards  to  such  as,  by  their  services, 
deserve  well  of  the  republic. 


506  APPENDIX  N. 

6.  To  decree  public  honours  to  the  memory  of  great  men, 
and  of  the  virtues  and  services  of  citizens. 

7«  To  condemn  to  eternal  opprobrium  the  usurpers  of  public 
authority,  great  traitors,  and  atrocious  criminals. 

60.  The  censors  are  appointed  for  life. 

Chapter  5. — Of  the  Formation  and  Promulgation  of  Lotos. 

61.  The  government  may  propose  to  the  chambers  such  pro- 
jects of  laws  as  it  shall  deem  expedient. 

62.  The  vice-president  and  the  secretaries  of  state  may  attend 
the  sittings,  and  discuss  the  laws  and  other  business ;  but  they 
cannot  either  vote  or  be  present  while  the  votes  are  given. 

63.  When  the  chamber  of  tribunes  shall  adopt  a  project  of  a 
law,   they   are  to  transmit  it  to  the  senate  in  the  following 
form: 

"  The  chamber  of  tribunes  transmits  to  the  chamber  of 
senators  the  annexed  project  of  law,  and  believes  it  to 
be  well  founded." 

64.  If  the  chamber  of  senators  approve  the  project  of  law, 
they  will  return  it  to  the  chamber  of  tribunes  in  the  form  fol- 
lowing : 

"  The  senate  returns  to  the  chamber  of  tribunes  the  project 
of  law  (with  or  without  amendment),  and  believes  that 
it  ought  to  be  forwarded  to  the  executive,  to  be  put  in 
force." 

65.  All  the  chambers  shall,  in  similar  cases,  observe  the  same 
form. 

66.  If  one  chamber  disapproves  the  amendments  or  additions 
of  another,  and  if  the  chamber  which  proposed  it  deems  the  pro- 
ject, such  as  it  was  first  proposed,  to  be  advantageous,  it  may,  by 
a   deputation  of  three  members,  invite  a  meeting  of  the  two 
chambers,  to  discuss  such  project,  or  the  amendment  made  to  it, 
or  its  rejection.     Such  meeting  of  the  chambers  shall  have  no 
other  object  than  the  desire  of  coming  to  an  understanding,  after 
which  each  is  to  return  and  to  adopt  such  deliberation  as  it  may 
think  fit. 

67-  After  the  adoption  of  the  project  by  two  chambers,  two 
copies  thereof  are  to  be  forwarded  to  the  president  of  the  re- 


APPENDIX  N.  507 

public,  signed  by  the  president  and  secretaries  of  the  chamber 
from  whence  the  law  emanates,  in  the  form  following : 
"  The  chamber  of  ,  with  the  approbation  of 

transmits  to  the  executive   power  the   law  respect- 
ing ,  for  promulgation." 

68.  If  the  chamber  of  senators  should  refuse  the  adoption  of 
the  project  of  the  chamber  of  tribunes,  it  is  to  be  transmitted  to 
the  chamber  of  censors  in  the  form  following : 

"  The  chamber  of  senators  transmits  to  that  of  the  censors 
the  annexed  project,  not  deeming  it  meet  or  conve- 
nient." Whatever  the  chamber  of  censors  then  deter- 
mines shall  be  final  and  definitive. 

69.  If  the  president  of  the  republic  thinks  the  law  unsuit- 
able, he  must  return  it  within  the  term  of  ten  days  to  the 
chamber  that  sent   it,  with  his  observations,  and  in  the  form 
following : 

"  The  executive  believes  this  to  require  reconsideration." 

70.  The  laws  which  were  enacted  within  the  last  ten  days  of 
the  session  may  be  retained  by  the  executive  till  the  next  session, 
when  it  must  return  them,  together  with  its  observations  thereon. 

71.  When  the  executive  power  returns  the  laws  with  obser- 
vations to  the  chambers,  these  shall  meet;  and  whatever  they 
decide  by  plurality  of  votes  shall  take  effect  without  any  further 
discussion  or  observation. 

1     72.  If  the  executive  power  have  no  observation  to  make  on  the 
laws,  it  will  assent  to  their  promulgation  in  the  form  following : 

"  BE  IT  PROMULGATED." 

73.  The  laws  are  to  be  promulgated  in  the  following  form : 
"  We,  N.  .N.  president  of  the  Bolivian  republic,  inform  all 
Bolivians  that  the  legislative  body  has  decreed,  and  that 
we  publish,  the  following  law.  QHere  the  text  of  the 
law  is  set  forth.  J  We  hereby  command  all  the  authori- 
ties of  the  republic  to  fulfil  the  same,  and  cause  the 
same  to  be  fulfilled." 

"  The  vice-president  will  cause  this  to  be  printed,  published, 
and  circulated  among  all  whom  it  may  concern."  It  is 
to  be  signed  by  the  president,  vice-president,  and  the 
respective  secretary  of  state. 


508  APPENDIX  N. 

74.  The  projects  of  law  which  originate  in  the  senate  are 
to  be  transmitted  to  the  chamber  of  censors,  and  if  there  ap- 
proved, will  acquire  the  form  and  validity  of  law.    If  the  censors 
refuse    their  approbation,  the  project  of  law  is  to  be  transmitted 
to  the  chamber  of  tribunes,  and  its  decision  will  then  be  com- 
pleted, as  has  been  stated  with  respect  to  the  chamber  of  tri- 
bunes. 

75.  The  projects  of  law  originated  in  the  chamber  of  censors 
shall  be  transmitted  to  the  senate,  whose  sanction  will  give 
them  the  form  of  law.    But  in  case  of  their  rejecting  the  project, 
it  is  then  to  be  transmitted  to  the  tribunate,  who  can  adopt  or 
reject,  as  in  the  case  of  the  preceding  article. 

TITLE  V.— OF  THE  EXECUTIVE  POWER. 

76.  The  exercise  of  the  executive  power  is  vested  in  a  pre- 
sident for  life,  a  vice-president,  and  three  secretaries  of  state. 

Chapter  1. — Of  the  President. 

77-  The  president  of  the  republic  is  to  be  named  for  the  first 
time  by  the  absolute  majority  of  votes  of  the  legislative  body. 

78.  The  requisites  for  being  eligible  as  president  of  the  re- 
public are : 

1.  Being  an  active  citizen  and  native  of  Bolivia. 

2.  Being  upwards  of  thirty  years  of  age. 

3.  Having  rendered  important  services  to  the  republic. 

4.  Possessing  known  talents  in  the  administration  of  the 
state. 

5.  Not  having  ever  been  condemned  by  the  tribunals,  even 
for  slight  offences. 

79.  The  president  of  the  republic  is  the  chief  of  the  admi- 
nistration of  the  state,  without  responsibility  for  the  acts  of  the 
said  administration. 

80.  On  the  resignation,  death,  infirmity,  *or  absence,  of  the 
president  of  the  republic,  the  vice-president  shall  be  ipso  facto 
his  successor. 

81.  In  the  absence  or  non-existence  of  the  president  and  vice- 
president  of  the  republic,  the  three  secretaries  of  state  will, 


APPENDIX  N.  509 

ad  interim,  take  charge  of  the  administration ;  the  oldest  in  office 
acting  as  president,  until  the  legislative  body  shall  assemble. 
82.  The  functions  of  the  president  of  the  republic  are : 

1.  To  open  the  session  of  the  chambers,  and  to  present  to 
them  a  message  concerning  the  state  of  the  republic. 

2.  To  propose  to  the  chambers  the  vice-president,  and  to 
name  of  himself  the  three  secretaries  of  state. 

3.  Himself  to  remove  the  vice-president  and  secretaries  of 
state  when  he  deems  fit. 

4.  To  cause  the  laws  to  be  published,  to  circulate  them, 
and  cause  them  to  be  respected. 

5.  To  authorize  the   regulations  or  orders  for  the  best 
possible  fulfilment  of  the  constitution,  laws,  and  public 
treaties. 

6.  To  forward  and  cause  to  be  executed  the  sentences  of 
the  tribunals  of  justice. 

7-  To  require  the  legislative  body  to  prorogue  its  sittings 
for  the  space  of  thirty  days. 

8.  To  convoke  extraordinary  sittings  of  the  legislative 
body,  in  case  of  absolute  necessity. 

9.  To  dispose  of  the  permanent  land  and  sea  forces,  for 
the  external  defence  of  the  republic. 

10.  To  command  in  person  "the  armies  of  the  republic, 
in  peace  and  in  war.     Whenever  the  president  absents 
himself  from  the  capital,  the  vice-president  shall  be 
charged  with  the  command  of  the  republic. 

11.  When  the  president  directs  the  war  in  person,   he 
may  reside  in  any  part  of  the  territory  occupied  by  the 
national  army. 

12.  To  dispose  of  the  national  militia  for  internal  security 
within  the  limits  of  its  departments  and  beyond  them, 
with  the  consent  of  the  legislative  body. 

]  3.  To  appoint  all  the  officers  in  the  army  and  navy. 

14.  To  establish  military  and  nautical  schools. 

15.  To  cause  military  hospitals  and  receptacles  for  invalids 
to  be  established. 

16.  To  grant  permission  to  retire,  and  leave  of  absence ;  to 
grant  pensions  to  soldiers,  and  provide  for  their  families 


510  APPENDIX  N. 

according  to  the  laws,  and  by  them  to  regulate  all  other 
matters  in  this  department. 

17.  To  declare  war  in  the  name  of  the  republic,  after  a 
decree  of  the  legislative  body. 

18.  To  grant  letters  of  marque  and  reprisal. 

J9.  To  attend  to  the  collection  and  application  of  taxes 
according  to  law. 

20.  To  name  the  revenue  officers. 

21.  To   direct   the   diplomatic   negotiations,    to    conclude 
treaties  of  peace,  friendship,  federation,  alliance,  sus- 
pensions of  arms,  armed -neutrality,  commerce,  and  all 
other,  of  every  description,  always  with  the  previous 
approbation  of  the  legislative  body. 

22.  To  appoint  the  public   ministers,   consuls,  and  sub- 
alterns of  the  foreign  department. 

23.  To  receive  foreign  ministers. 

24.  To  allow  or  suspend  the  decision  of  councils  of  the 
church,   pontifical   bulls,   briefs,  and   rescripts,   with 
consent  of  the  power  in  the  state  concerned  therein. 

25.  To  present  to  the  senate,  for  its  approbation,  one  of 
three  candidates  proposed  by  the  electoral  body,  for 
the  situation  of  prefects,  governors,  and  corregidors. 

26.  To   present   to   the   ecclesiastical  government  one  of 
the  three  candidates  proposed  by  the  electoral  body, 
as  curates  and  vicars  of  the  provinces. 

27.  To  suspend,  for  as  long  as  three  months,  any  officer, 
when  it  may  be  requisite. 

28.  To  commute  capital  punishments  decreed  by  the  tri- 
bunals against  culprits. 

29.  To  transmit,  in  the  name  of  the  republic,  the  com- 
missions and  appointments  to  all  functionaries. 

83.  The  restrictions  on  the  president  of  the  republic  are : 

1.  The  president  cannot  deprive  a  single  Bolivian  of  his 
liberty,  nor  inflict  punishment  of  his  own  accord. 

2.  When  the  safety  of  the  republic  requires  the  impri- 
sonment of  one  or  more  citizens,  he  cannot  keep  the 
accused  longer  than  forty-eight  hours,  without  deli- 
vering him  over  to  the  proper  tribunal  or  judge. 


APPENDIX  N.  511 

3.  He   cannot   deprive  any  individual   of  his  property, 
unless  the  public  interests  urgently  demand  it ;  and 
then  a  just  indemnity  must  be  previously  given  to  the 
proprietor. 

4.  He  cannot  impede  the  elections,  or  other  functions, 
which  the  laws  commit  to  the  divers  powers  of  the 
republic. 

5.  He   cannot  absent  himself  from  the  territory  of  the 
republic,  or  from  the  capital,  without  permission  of 
the  legislative  body. 

Chapter  2. —  Of  the  V ice-President. 

84.  The  vice-president  is  named  by  the  president  of  the  re- 
public, and  approved  by  the  legislative  body,  in  the  manner 
mentioned  in  the  56th  Article. 

85.  By  a  special  law,  the  mode  of  succession  is  to  be  deter- 
mined, comprising  all  the  cases  that  can  occur. 

86.  For  the  place  of  vice-president  the  same  qualifications  are 
requisite  as  for  the  president. 

87-  The  vice-president  of  the  republic  is  the  head  of  the 
ministry. 

88.  He  and  the  secretary  of  state  of  the  respective  depart- 
ment shall  be  responsible  for  the  administration  of  the  state. 

89.  He  shall,  in  the  name  of  the  republic  and  of  the  presi- 
dent, despatch  and  sign  all  the  affairs  of  the  administration  in 
conjunction  with  the  secretary  of  state  in  the  respective  depart- 
ment. 

90.  He  cannot  absent  himself  from  the  territory  of  the  re- 
public, or  from  the  capital,  without  permission  from  the  legis- 
lative body. 

Chapter  3. — Of  the  Secretaries  of  State. 

91.  There  shall  be  three  secretaries  of  state.     One  of  them 
is  to  take  charge  of  the  government  department  and  foreign 
affairs,  the  other  of  the  department  of  finance,  and  the  third  of 
war  and  marine. 

92.  These  three  secretaries  are  to  despatch  business  under  the 
immediate  orders  of  the  vice-president. 


512  APPENDIX  N. 

93.  Neither  the  tribunals  nor  any  of  the  public  authorities 
shall  fulfil  any  orders  of  the  executive,  which  are  not  signed  by 
the  vice-president  and  the  secretary  of  state  of  the  corresponding 
department. 

94.  The  secretaries  of  state  are  to  be  responsible  with    the 
vice-president  for  all  the  orders  they  may  authorize  contrary  to 
the  constitution,  the  laws,  and  public  treaties. 

95.  They  are  to  make  estimates  of  the  annual  charges  to  be 
incurred  in  their  respective  branches,  and  to  give  an  account  of 
those  incurred  the  preceding  year. 

96.  The  requisites  of  a  secretary  of  state  are : 

1.  To  be  an  active  citizen. 

2.  To  have  completed  the  age  of  thirty  years. 

3.  Never  to  have  been  condemned  in  any  criminal  case. 

TITLE  VI.— OF  THE  JUDICIAL  POWER. 

Chapter  1. — Attributes  of  this  Power. 

97.  The  tribunals  and  seats  of  judgment  exercise  no  other 
functions  than  that  of  applying  the  existing  laws. 

98.  The  magistrates  and  judges  are  to  continue  during  good 
behaviour. 

99.  The  magistrates   and  judges  cannot  be  suspended  from 
their  office,  but  in  cases  prescribed  by  law;  the  enforcement  of 
which,  respecting  the  former,  belongs  to  the  senate ;  and  that 
respecting  the  latter  belongs  to  the  district  courts,  with  the 
previous  cognizance  of  government. 

100.  An  action  or  process  on  the  part  of  the  people  lies  in 
case  of  any  heavy  offence  of  the  magistrates   or  judges  in  the 
discharge  of  their  respective  official  duties,  which  must  be  com- 
menced within  the  space  of  a  year,  through  the  intervention  of 
the  electoral  body. 

101.  Justice  is  to  be  administered  in  the  name  of  the  nation, 
and  the  acts  of  the  superior  tribunals  are  to  be  executed  in  the 
same  way. 

Chapter  2. — Of  the  Supreme  Court. 

102.  The  first  judicial  magistracy  of  the  state  is  vested  in  the 
supreme  court  of  justice. 


APPENDIX  N.  513 

103.  The  supreme  court  is  to  consist  of  a  president,  six  other 
members,  and  a  fiscal,  divided  into  suitable  sections. 

104.  The  requisites  for  members  of  the  supreme  tribunal  of 
justice  are: 

1.  Being  thirty-five  years  of  age. 

2.  Being  an  active  citizen. 

3.  Having  been  member  of  some  of  the  judicial  district 

courts ;  and,  until  those  shall  be  organized,  advocates 
aie  eligible,  who  have,  during  eight  years,  exercised 
their  profession  with  credit. 

105.  The  functions  of  the  supreme  tribunal  of  justice  are : 

1.  To  take  cognizance  of  criminal  causes  against  the  vice- 

president  of  the  republic,  the  secretaries  of  state,  and 
members  of  the  chambers,  whenever  the  legislative 
body  shall  order  a  prosecution  to  be  instituted  against 
them. 

2.  To  take  cognizance  of  all  contested  causes  in  matters  of 

ecclesiastical  patronage. 

3.  To  examine  bulls,  briefs,  and  rescripts,  that  relate  to 

civil  matters. 

4.  To  take  cognizance  of  causes  in  which  are  concerned 

ambassadors,  resident  ministers,  consuls,  and  diplo- 
matic agents. 

5.  To  take  cognizance  of  the  removal  of  magistrates  of  the 

courts  of  judicial  districts,  and  prefects  of  the  depart- 
ments. . 

6.  To  adjust  the  differences  of  the  courts  of  justice  amongst 

themselves,  or  with  other  authorities. 

7.  To  take  cognizance  in  the  third  instance  of  the  residence 

of  every  public  functionary. 

8.  To  take  into  consideration  the  doubts  of  the  other  tri- 

bunals respecting  the  interpretation  of  any  law,  and 
to  consult  with  the  executive  for  promoting  a  suitable 
declaration  in  the  chambers. 

9.  To  take  cognizance  of  appeals  of  nullity,  which  may  be 

interposed  against  the  sentences  pronounced  in  the  last 
instance  by  courts  of  justice. 
10.  To  examine  the  state  and  progress  of  civil  and  criminal 

VOL.  II.  L  L 


514  APPENDIX  N. 

cases  and  suits,  which  may  be  pending  in  the  district 
courts,  by  such  means  as  the  law  may  establish. 
11.  Finally,  to  exercise  a  high  control,  directive,  economical, 
and  correctional,  over  the  tribunals  and  judicial  courts 
of  the  nation. 

Chapter  3. — Of  the  Courls  of  Judicial  Districts. 
106.  The  requisites  for  a  member  of  this  court  are  : 

1 .  Being  full  thirty  years  of  age. 

2.  Being  an  active  citizen. 

3.  Having  been  a  judge  learned  in  the  law,  or  having 
exercised  the  profession  of  an  advocate  for  five  years 
with  credit. 

107-  The  functions  of  the  judicial  district  courts  are  : 

1.  To  take  cognizance  in  the  second  and  third  instance 

of  all  civil  causes  in  common  law,  public  revenue, 
commerce,  mining,  prizes,  confiscation  of  goods  in  con- 
junction with  an  individual  of  each  of  these  professions 
as  judge  associate. 

2.  To  take  cognizance  of  disputed  jurisdictions  between  all 

the  subordinate  judges  of  their  judicial  district. 

3.  To  take  cognizance  of  the  forced  appeals  which  may  be 

introduced  from  the  ecclesiastical  tribunals  and  autho- 
rities in  the  territory  of  such  court. 

Chapter  4. — Judicial  Districts. 

108.  In  the  provinces  there  shall  be  established  judicial  di- 
stricts proportionally  equal,  and  in  every  capital  of  a  district 
there  shall  be  a  judge  learned  in  the  law,  with  such  jurisdiction 
as  shall  be  determined  by  law. 

109.  The  powers  of  these  judges  shall  be  limited  to  suits  at 
law,  and  they  can  take  cognizance  in  civil  matters  to  the  ex- 
tent of  two  hundred  dollars,  without  appeal. 

110.  The  requisites  for  a  judge  are  : 

1 .  The  age  of  eight-and-twenty  years. 

2.  Being  an  active  citizen. 

3.  Being  an  admitted  advocate  in  some  tribunal  of  the  re- 

public. 


APPENDIX   N.  515 

4.  Having  exercised  the  profession  for  four  years  with  credit. 

111.  The  judges  learned  in  the  law  are  personally  responsible 
for  their  conduct  before  the  judicial  district  courts,  as  the  indi- 
vidual members  of  these   are  before   the  supreme   tribunal  of 
justice. 

Chapter  5. — Of  the  Administration  of  Justice. 

112.  There  shall  be  justices  of  peace  in  every  town,  to  promote 
reconciliations ;  no  demand  for  redress,  civil  or  criminal,  being 
admissible  without  such  previous  endeavour. 

113.  The  ministry  of  the  conciliators  is  limited  to  hearing 
the  representations  of  the  parties,  explaining  their  rights  to  them, 
and  proposing  a  prudent  accommodation  between  them. 

1 14.  Fiscal  or  revenue  actions  admit  of  no  accommodation. 

115.  No  more  than  a  first,  a  second,  and  a  third  instance  are 
allowed  in  the  judgments. 

116.  The  appeal  of  notorious  injustice  is  abolished. 

117-  No  Bolivian  can  be  arrested  without  previous  informa- 
tion of  the  fact,  by  which  he  may  become  liable  to  corporal 
punishment,  and  a  summons  in  writing  from  the  judge  before 
whom  he  is  to  be  brought,  except  in  the  cases  provided  in  the 
83d  article,  2d  restriction;  123  and  133. 

118.  Instantly,  if  that  be  possible,  his  declaration  is  to  be 
given  without  oath,  and  is  in  no  case  to  be  delayed  longer  than 
forty-eight  hours. 

119.  Any  delinquent  taken  injlagranle  delicto,  may  be  arrested 
by  any  person  whomsoever,  and  be  carried  before  a  judge. 

120.  In  criminal  causes,  the  trial  and  judgment  are  to  be 
public.     The  fact  is  to  be  investigated,  and  declared  by  the  jury 
(when  this  institution  shall  have  been  established),  and  the  law 
is  to  be  applied  by  the  judges. 

121.  Torture  is  never  to  be  applied,  nor  is  any  confession  to 
be  exacted. 

122.  All  confiscations  of  property  are  abolished,  as  likewise 
every  sort  of  cruel  punishment,  and  hereditary  infamy  or  corrup- 
tion of  blood.     The  criminal  code  shall  restrict,  as  much  as  pos- 
sible, the  application  of  capital  punishment. 

123.  If,  under  any  extraordinary  circumstances,  the  public 

L  L  2 


516  APPENDIX  N. 

safety  should  require  the  suspension  of  any  of  the  formalities  pre- 
scribed in  this  chapter,  the  chambers  shall  be  empowered  to 
decree  such  suspension.  And  if  the  chambers  should  happen 
not  to  be  assembled,  and  sitting  at  the  time,  then  may  the  exe- 
cutive provisionally  discharge  these  functions,  rendering  an  ac- 
count of  the  same  at  the  next  meeting  of  the  chambers,  and  re- 
maining in  the  mean  time  responsible  for  the  abuses  that  may 
have  been  committed. 

TITLE  VII.— OF  THE  INTERIOR  GOVERNMENT  OP 
THE  REPUBLIC. 

Single  Chapter. 

124.  The  superior  political  government  of  every  department 
is  vested  in  a  prefect. 

125.  That  of  every  province  in  a  governor. 

126.  That  of  the  cantons  in  a  corregidor. 

127.  In  every  town,  whose  population  is  not  below  one  hun- 
dred souls,  in   itself,  or  within  its  boundary,  there  shall  be  a 
justice  of  peace. 

128.  Where  the  population  of  such  town,  or  its  territory,  ex- 
ceeds one  thousand  souls,  it  shall  have  (in  addition  to  a  justice  of 
peace  for  every  two  hundred  souls),   an  alcalde ;   and  where  the 
number  of  souls  exceeds  a  thousand,  there  shall  be  a  justice  of 
peace   for  every   five  hundred,   and   an   alcalde  for    every  two 
thousand. 

129.  The  offices  of  the  alcaldes  and  justices  of  peace  are  obli- 
gatory ;  and  no  citizen  can,  without  just  cause,  claim  an  exemp- 
tion from  discharging  those  offices. 

130.  The  prefects,  governors,  and  corregidors,  are  to  continue 
in  the  discharge  of  their  function's  for  four  years,  but  may  be  re- 
elected  after  the  expiration  of  that  term. 

131.  The  alcaldes  and   justices  of  peace  are  to  be  relieved 
every  two  years,  but  may  be  re-elected. 

132.  The  duties  of  prefects,  governors,  corregidors,  and    al- 
caldes, are  to  be  denned  by  law,  for  the  maintenance  of  public 
order  and  security,  with  gradual  subordination  to  the  supreme 
government. 


APPENDIX   N.  517 

133.  They  are  prohibited  from  taking  any  judicial  cognizance ; 
but  should  the  Dublic  safety  require  the  apprehension  of  any  in- 
dividual, and  circumstances  not  allow  him  to  be  denounced  before 
the  respective  judge,  they  may  forthwith  order  his  apprehension, 
and  give  notice  to  the  corresponding  court  of  justice  within  eight- 
and-forty  hours.      Any  abuse  committed  by  these  magistrates, 
with  respect  to  personal  or  domestic  security,  will  be  ground  of 
action  at  common  law. 

TITLE  VIII.— OF  THE  ARMED  FORCE. 

Separate  Chapter. 

134.  There  is  to  be  in  the  republic  a  permanent  armed  force. 

135.  The  armed  force  is  to  consist  of  the  army  of  the  line,  and 
of  a  naval  squadron. 

136.  There  are  to  be  in  every  province  bodies  of  national  mi- 
litia, composed  of  the  inhabitants  of  each  province. 

137-  There  is  to  be  likewise  a  military  preventive  service, 
principally  intended  to  impede  all  clandestine  trade,  or  smuggling. 
The  particular  organization  and  composition  of  this  corps  is  to  be 
detailed  in  a  special  regulation. 

Chapter  1.— Reform  of  the  Constitution. 

138    If,  after  the  lapse  of  years  from  the  time  when  the 

oaths  of  allegiance  to  the  constitution  were  taken,  it  shall  be  per- 
ceived that  its  articles  require  to  be  reformed,  a  written  proposi- 
tion to  that  effect  shall  be  made,  and  signed  by  at  the  least  ten 
members  of  the  chamber  of  tribunes,  which  must  have  the  sup- 
port of  two-thirds  of  the  members  present  in  the  chamber. 

139.  This  proposition  is  to  be  read  three  times,  at  an  interval 
of  six  days  between  each  of  the  readings;  and  after  the  third 
reading,  the  chamber  of  tribunes  is  to  deliberate  whether  such 
proposition  is  to  be  debated  or  not :  in  all  other  respects,  the  fore- 
going regulations  for  the  enactment  of  laws  shall  be  observed. 

140.  The  discussion  being  allowed,  and  the  chamber  being 
convinced  of  the  necessity  of  reforming  the  constitution,  a  law 
is  to  be  enacted,  commanding  the  electoral  bodies  to  confer  on  the 
deputies  of  the  three  chambers  special  powers  for  altering  or  re- 


518  APPENDIX  N. 

forming  the  constitution,  stating  the  basis  on  which  such  reform 
is  to  be  founded. 

141.  In  the  first  sessions  of  the  legislature,  following  that  in 
which  the  motion  for  altering  or  reforming  the  constitution  was 
first  submitted,  shall  the  matter  be  proposed  and  discussed;  and 
that  which  the  chambers  resolve  upon  shall  take  effect,  the  exe- 
cutive power  having  been  consulted  on  the  expediency  of  the 
reform. 

Chapter  2. — Presentation  and  Responsibility  of  Functionaries. 

142.  When  candidates  for  official  situations  are  to  be  proposed, 
three  persons  shall  be  put  in  nomination,  and  submitted  to  the 
executive  power;  who  will  select  one,  and  return  him  for  con- 
firmation to  the  corresponding  chamber.     Should  the  chamber  not 
approve  him,  a  second  is  to  be  presented;  and  if  the  second  be 
likewise  rejected,  a  third  is  to  be  presented}   and  should  the 
chamber  again  withhold  its  approbation,  it  shall  then  peremptorily 
admit  one  of  the  three  proposed  by  the  executive. 

143.  The  holders  of  public  offices  and  trusts  are  held  strictly 
responsible  for  the  abuses  they  may  commit  in  the  performance 
and  discharge  of  their  functions. 

TITLE  IX.— OF  GUARANTEES. 

Single  Chapter. 

144.  The  constitution  guarantees  to  the  citizens  civil  liberty, 
security  of  persons  and  property,  and  equality  in  the  eye  of  the 
law. 

145.  All  citizens   may  communicate   their   thoughts  either 
verbally  or  in  writing,  and  publish  the  same  by  means  of  the 
press,   without    the   previous   intervention   of  censorship;    but 
under  such  responsibility  as  the  law  may  determine. 

146.  Every  Bolivian  may  remain  within  the  territory  of  the 
republic,  or  leave  it,  as  it  suits  him  best,  and  carry  his  property 
away  with  him ;  subject,  however,  to  the  regulations  of  the  police, 
and  without  prejudice  to  the  rights  of  a  third  party. 

147-  Every  Bolivian's  house  is  an   inviolable   asylum.     No 
person  can  enter  it  by  night  without  his  consent ;  and  even  in  the 


APPENDIX  O. 

daytime  it  may  only  be  entered  in  the  cases  and  in  the  manner 
pointed  out  by  the  law. 

148.  The  taxes  and  contributions  are  to   be   proportionally 
raised  and  levied  without  any  exemption  or  privilege  whatever. 

149.  All  hereditary  employments,  privileges,  and  entails,  are 
abolished;  and  all  property,  though  belonging  to  pious  works  and 
religious  institutions,  or  other  objects,  is  alienable. 

150.  No  species  or  description  of  work,  industry,  or  trade,  can 
be  prohibited,  provided  they  be   not  repugnant  to  the  public 
usages,  or  to  the  safety  and  good  health  of  the  Bolivians. 

151.  Every  inventor  is  to  be  secured  in  the  fall  property  of 
his  discovery  and  its  products.    The  law  shall  ensure  him  an  ex- 
clusive privilege  or  patent  for  a  certain  time,  or  a  compensation 
for  the  loss  he  may  incur  by  making  it  public. 

152.  The  constitutional  powers  cannot  suspend  the  constitution 
nor  the  rights  belonging  to  Bolivians,  except  in  the  cases  and 
under  the  circumstances  expressed  in  the  same  constitution,  when 
the  term  of  such  suspension  must  be  indispensably  mentioned. 


(O.) 

RESIGNATION  of  BOLIVAR  addressed  to  the  Senate. 

"  Head-quarters,  Caracas,  February  6,  1827- 

"  To  His  Excellency  the  President  of  the  Honourable  Chamber  of 
the  Senate. 

"  Most  Excellent  Sir, 

"  Under  no  circumstances  has  the  august  authority  of  congress 
been  so  necessary  to  the  republic  as  at  this  period,  when  internal 
disagreement  has  divided  their  minds,  and  excited  commotions 
throughout  the  whole  nation.  Called  by  your  excellency  to  take 
the  oath  of  office,  as  president  of  the  republic,  I  came  to  the 
capital,  whence  I  was  obliged  to  set  out  for  the  department  of 
ancient  Venezuela.  On  my  way  from  Bogota  to  this  city,  I  issued 
some  important  decrees,  which  were  called  for  by  urgent  necessity. 
Your  excellency  will  have  the  goodness  to  direct  the  attention  of 


520  APPENDIX  O. 

congress  to  them,  and  beseech  it,  in  my  name,,  to  take  them  into 
serious  consideration.  If  I  have  exceeded  my  powers,  let  me  bear 
the  blame;  I  am  willing  to  sacrifice  even  my  innocence  to  the 
salvation  of  my  country.  That  sacrifice  only  was  wanting,  and  I 
glory  in  not  having  shunned  it.  When  I  learned  in  Peru,  by  an 
official  notice,  my  appointment  to  the  presidency  of  the  republic, 
which  the  people  had  conferred  on  me,  my  answer  to  the  execu- 
tive government  was  a  refusal  to  accept  of  the  first  magistracy  of 
the  nation.  I  have  been  for  fourteen  years  supreme  chief  and 
president  of  the  republic ;  I  have  been  forced  by  the  perils  of  the 
times  to  fill  that  office ;  but  those  perils  no  longer  exist,  and  I 
may  retire  to  the  enjoyment  of  private  life.  I  beg  of  the  congress 
to  recollect  the  situation  of  Colombia,  of  America,  of  the  whole 
world  Every  thing  conspires  to  natter  us.  There  is  not  a 
Spaniard  on  the  American  continent.  Domestic  peace  has  reigned 
in  Colombia  since  the  commencement  of  this  year.  Many  powerful 
nations  recognize  our  political  existence,  and  some  of  them  are  our 
allies.  A  large  portion  of  the  American  states  are  confederated 
with  Colombia,  and  Great  Britain  menaces  Spain.  What  mighty 
hopes  are  -ours !  The  immensity  of  the  gifts  which  Providence 
has  prepared  for  us  are  contained  in  the  hidden  abyss  of  time. 
Providence  alone  is  our  guardian.  As  to  myself  the  suspicions 
of  a  tyrannic  usurpation  disturb  my  mind,  and  weaken  the  con- 
fidence of  the  Colombians.  The  zealous  republicans  cannot  look 
on  me  without  a  secret  fear,  inasmuch  as  history  has  told  them 
that  all,  in  similar  circumstances,  have  been  ambitious.  In  vain 
I  seek  to  defend  myself  by  the  example  of  WASHINGTON  ;  and, 
in  truth,  one,  or  even  many  exceptions,  can  effect  nothing  against 
the  experience  of  a  whole  world,  ever  oppressed  by  the  powerful. 
I  am  grieved  between  the  troubles  of  my  fellow-citizens  and  the 
sentence  which  I  expect  from  posterity.  I  do  not  feel  myself 
innocent  of  ambition,  and  for  my  own  sake  I  wish  to  snatch 
myself  from  the  grasp  of  this  fury;  to  free  my  fellow-citizens 
from  uneasiness;  and  to  secure  after  my  death  a  remembrance 
worthy  of  liberty.  With  such  sentiments  I  renounce  for  ever 
(mil  y  millones  de  veces)  the  presidentship.  The  congress  and 
the  people  may  look  upon  this  renunciation  as  irrevocable.  No- 
thing shall  have  the  power  to  prevail  on  me  to  continue  in  the 


APPENDIX   P.  521 

public  service  after  having  employed  in  it  the  whole  of  my  past 
life;  and  now  that  the  triumph  has  conferred  rights  so  sublime 
upon  all,  shall  I  alone  be  deprived  of  that  prerogative?  No,  the 
congress  and  the  Colombian  people  are  just;  they  will  not  seek  to 
give  me  up  to  the  ignominy  of  desertion.  But  a  few  days  now 
remain  to  me:  I  have  passed  more  than  two  thirds  of  my  life; 
let  me  then  be  permitted  to  hope  for  an  obscure  death  in  the 
silent  retirement  of  my  paternal  mansion.  My  sword  and  heart 
will  nevertheless  ever  be  Colombia's,  and  my  last  sigh  will  ascend 
to  heaven  for  her  happiness. 

"  I  implore  from  the  congress  and  from  the  people  the  favour 
of  simple  citizenship. 

"  God  preserve  your  excellency, 

"  Most  excellent  sir, 
(Signed)  "SIMON  BOLIVAR." 


Proclamation  of  Bolivar,  dated  \Qth  June,  1827. 

"  Colombians!  your  enemies  threaten  the  destruction  of  Co- 
lombia :  it  is  my  duty  to  save  it. 

"  I  have  now  been  fourteen  years  at  your  head,  by  the  almost 
unanimous  wish  of  the  people.  At  every  period  of  the  glory  and 
prosperity  of  the  republic  I  have  resigned  the  supreme  command 
with  the  most  perfect  sincerity.  I  have  desired  nothing-so  much  as 
to  divest  myself  of  irresponsible  power;  an  instrument  of  tyranny 
which  I  detest  even  more  than  ignominy  itself.  But,  ought  I  to 
abandon  you  in  the  moment  of  peril?  Would  it  be  the  conduct  of 
a  soldier  or  a  citizen  ?  No,  Colombians  !  I  am  resolved  to  confront 
every  danger  rather  than  anarchy  should  usurp  the  laws  of  liberty, 
or  rebellion  that  of  the  constitution. 

"  As  a  citizen,  as  liberator  and  president,  my  duty  imposes 
upon  me  the  glorious  necessity  of  sacrificing  myself  for  you.  I 
march,  then,  to  the  southern  confines  of  the  republic,  to  expose 
my  life  and  my  fame,  to  free  you  from  those  perfidious  men,  who, 
after  trampling  on  their  most  sacred  duties,  have  raised  the 


522  APPENDIX  P. 

standard  of  treason  to  invade  the  departments  which  have  proved 
themselves  most  faithful  and  most  worthy  of  our  protection. 

"  Colombians!  the  national  voice  is  suppressed  by  that  modern 
praetorian  band,  which  have  taken  upon  them  to  dictate  laws  to 
the  sovereign  which  they  ought  to  obey.  They  have  arrogated  to 
themselves  the  supreme  rights  of  the  nation;  they  have  violated 
every  public  principle;  in  a  word,,  the  troops,  which  were  Co- 
lombians, the  auxiliaries  of  Peru,  have  wished  to  establish  in 
their  country  a  novel  and  foreign  government  upon  the  spoils 
of  the  republic ;  and,  in  their  outrages  and  insults,  surpass  even 
our  ancient  oppressors. 

"  Colombians !  I  appeal  to  your  glory  and  to  your  patriotism. 
United  round  that  national  flag,  which  has  been  borne  in  triumph 
from  the  mouth  of  the  Orinoco  to  the  summits  of  Potosi,  continue 
your  attachment  to  it,  and  the  nation  will  yet  preserve  its  liberty, 
and  again  repose,  with  full  confidence,  on  the  national  will  for 
the  decision  of  its  destinies.  The  '  grand  convention'  is  the  cry  of 
Colombia,  and  of  most  urgent  necessity  to  its  welfare.  The  grand 
convention  I  shall  without  delay  convoke,  and  in  its  hands  I  shall 
deposit  the  baton  and  the  sword  which  were  given  to  me  by  the 
republic;  yes,  which  were  confided  to  me  by  the  people  as  con- 
stitutional president,  as  invested  with  supreme  extraordinary 
authority  in  the  state.  We  have  obtained  freedom,  and  glory, 
and  laws,  in  spite  of  our  enemies.  That  freedom,  that  glory, 
and  those  laws,  we  will  preserve  in  spite  of  a  monstrous  anarchy. 

(Signed)  « BOLIVAR. 

"  Head-quarters,  Caracas,  19th  June,  1827-" 


INDEX. 


A. 

Abadia,  Don  Pedro  de,  a  Spanish  merchant,  ii.  144,  145. 

Abascal,  viceroy  of  Peru,  i.  70 ;  superseded  by  General  Pezuela, 
85.  113. 

Abreu,  Spanish  commissioner,  arrives  in  Peru,  i.  300. 

Aguerro,  Dr.,  Don  Julian  Segunda  de,  ii.  404.  413. 

Alarcon,  Captain  Don  Juan,  aide-de-camp  to  General  Miller, 
ii.  202. 

Albano^Cardinal,  ii.  396. 

Albuquerque,  Duke  of,  i.  36. 

Alcazar,  General,  murdered,  i.  228. 

Alcedo,  governor  of  Corunna,  i.  33. 

Aldana,  Dr.  Lopez,  i.  298.  302. 

Aldao,  Major,  i.  282.  295. 

Aldunate,  Lieutenant-Colonel,  i.  293.  416;  ii.371. 

Aliaga,  Don  Diego,  ii.  247- 

Alomi,  Corporal,  assists  Captain  Brown  to  escape,  i.  223,  283. 

Alvarado,  General,  i.  294.  359  ;  ii.  2 ;  takes  command  of  an 
expedition  destined  for  Puertos  Intermedios,  5;  his  opera- 
tions, 13;  indecision,  15;  his  disagreement  with  General 
Miller,  16 ;  is  defeated  at  Torata  and  Moquega,  20;  sails  for 
Lima,  21 .  72. 90  ;  the  garrison  of  Callao  mutinies,  and  makes 
him  a  prisoner,  113;  regains  his  liberty  at  Puno,  231. 

Alvarado,  Don  Felipe  Antonio,  i.  422. 

Alvarez  Condarco,  Colonel,  ii.  258. 

Alvarez,  Royalist  general,  surrenders  at  Cuzco,  ii.  230. 

Alvarez,  Deputy  of  Congress  at  Lima,  ii.  118. 


524  INDEX. 

Alvear,  Don  Carlos  de,  i.  76  ;  takes  Monte  Video,  79 ;  elected 
supreme  director  of  Buenos  Ayres,  80;  ii.  310;  made  general- 
in-chief  of  the  Buenos  Ayrean  troops,  415. 

Althaus,  Colonel,  ii.  174;  his  inexhaustible  humour,  178.  181 ; 
is  taken  prisoner,  182;  recovers  his  liberty,  208;  his  mar- 
riage, 209. 

Amazons,  river,  source  of  the,  ii.  139. 

Ameller,  Royalist  Colonel,  afterwards  General,  i.  331 ;  ii.  18. 
66.91;  killed,  170. 

Americans,  their  enthusiastic  loyalty,  i.  31  ;  their  generosity,  33. 

Anaco,  or  hanco,  a  scarf  worn  as  mourning  for  the  Incas,  ii.  226. 

Andes,  army  of  the,  organized,  i.  90 ;  composition  of,  105  ;  passes 
of  the,  104. 

Andenes  or  terraces,  i.  219. 

Andrews,  Captain  Joseph,  ii.  292 ;  arrives  at  Potosi,  310. 

Anecdote,  of  the  spectacles,  i.  7;  of  priestly  rapacity,  13,  14; 
of  a  patriot  boy,  43 ;  of  a  French  officer,  44 ;  illustrative  of 
the  attractions  of  savage  life,  100,  101;  of  Lord  Cochrane, 
215 ;  of  the  honourable  Thomas  Cochrane,  ibid. ;  of  retri- 
butive justice,  224 ;  of  Colonel  Hoyos,  252 ;  of  Benavides, 
his  miraculous  escape,  259 ;  of  Rojas,  a  marine,  265 ;  of 
Captain  Belasquez,  331  ;  of  an  earthquake,  334 ;  of  two 
men  released  from  slavery,  335;  of  Lieut.  La  Tapia,  336; 
his  inveteracy  against  Spaniards,  339  ;  of  the  manner  of  ob- 
taining transports,  346;  of  Ildefonzo,  servant  to  General 
Miller,  353 ;  of  a  Peruvian  Meg  Merrilies,  ibid  ;  of  a  hu- 
morous farmer  of  Guamanga,  365 ;  of  an  Indian  who  lost  his 
horse,  366 ;  of  the  Palanganas,  407  ;  of  a  deaf  lady,  ii.  28 ; 
of  a  French  gentleman  who  lost  his  own  language,  ibid. ; 
of  an  Italian  who  lost  his  own  language  without  acquiring 
any  other,  29 ;  of  an  Irish  boy,  95;  of  Canterac  and  his 
priests,  99 ;  of  desperate  bravery  in  a  Scotchman,  127;  of 
fidelity  and  gratitude,  145  ;  of  a  milk-white  mule,  178;  of  the 
brothers  Tur,  193;  of  the  silver  helmets,  203;  of  a  miracle 
atCuzco,  224;  of  Salcedo,  234  ;  of  the  caxchas,  281;  of  holy 
friars,  288;  of  Colonel  O'Leary,  305;  of  Colonel  Ferguson, 
334  ;  of  Colonel  Belford  Wilson,  juvenile  spirit,  335 ;  of 
Judge  Prevost,  403;  of  General  Alvear,  415,  note. 


INDEX.  525 

Aramburu,  Captain,  afterwards  commandant,  i.  324 ;  is  drowned, 
350. 

Araucanian  Indians,  their  vindictive  character,  i.  228. 

Arches,  triumphal,  ii.  304. 

Arcos,  Major,  i.  171 ;  his  character,  ibid.,  note. 

Arenales,  Don  Juan  Antonio  de,  i.  78;  takes  lea,  281; 
marches  for  the  interior,  282 ;  defeats  the  Spaniards  at  Cerro 
de  Pasco,  293;  recrosses  the  Andes,  294.301  ;  enter sPasco, 
302 ;  withdraws,  and  sails  for  Chile,  from  Peru,  ii.  61 ;  go- 
vernor of  Salta,  125 ;  account  of,  386. 

Arequipa,  description  of,  ii.  77« 

Arguelles,  Don  Andres,  ii.  283. 

Aristizabal,  Lieutenant,  executed  on  a  charge  of  conspiracy,  ii. 
341. 

Armistice  of  Punchauca,  i.  302. 

Armstrong,  Reverend  Mr.,  ii.  426. 

Artigas,  i.  54. ;  biography  of,  56 ;  his  character,  74.  80 ;  his 
death,  82. 

Artillery,  Buenos  Ayrean,  i.  173. 

Atrocities  of  the  Spaniards,  i.  41 — 51. 

Asagra,  Captain,  i.  324;  ii.  371. 

Assassin,  execution  of  an,  ii.  36. 

Atacama,  description  of  the  desert  of,  ii.  124. 

Auchmuty,  General  Sir  Samuel,  i.  58. 

Ayacucho,-battle  of,  ii.  197—200. 

Ayoma,  battle  of,  i.  77- 

B. 

Balcarce,  Don  Antonio  de,  i.  67-  75 ;   marches  against  and 

attacks  Sanchez,  i.  226 ;  death  of,  227,  note. 
Ballejos,  Major,  ii.  285. 
Balls,  at  Lima,  i.  402 ;  at  Potosi,  ii.  290. 
Balsas,  rafts  made  of  logs  of  wood,  description  of,  i.  220; 

balsas  made  of  bull-hides,  ii.  34 ;  description  of,  54. 
Banda  Oriental,  i.  82;  ii.  409—417- 
Banditti,  near  Lima,  i.  386. 
Barber  Beaumont,  Mr.,  ii.  414. 

Bardaxi,  minister  for  foreign  affairs  at  Madrid,  ii.  373.  376. 
Barnard,  Mr.  James,  ii.  113.  254. 


526  INDEX. 

Barra,  Don  Jose  Miguel  de  la,  consul  general  from  Chile ;  in- 
troduction, xxxv. 

Barrandalla,  royalist  colonel,  ii.  46. 

Barry,  Mr.,  editor  of  Ulloa's  "  Noticias  Secretas,"  i.  6. 

Barton,  Mr.,  ii.  426. 

Baths  at  Lima,  i.  389. 

Bayley,  Lieutenant,  killed,  i.  228. 

Bayley,  Lieutenant,  of  the  Galvarino,  killed,  i.  232. 

Beauchef,  Major,  afterwards  Colonel,  i.  134 ;  embarks  with  Lord 
Cochrane  at  Concepcion,  242  ;  lands  at  Valdivia,  253 ;  visits 
the  town  of  Valdivia  with  Lord  Cochrane,  ibid  ;  defeats  the 
Spaniards  at  Osorno,  265. 

Beaver,  Captain  of  H.  M.  S.  Acasta,  i.  34 ;  his  letter,  427- 

Begg,  Mr.  John,  ii.  49. 

Bejerano,  Doctor  Don  Mariano  de,  cura  of  Chala,  ii.  40.  95.  97- 

Belasquez,  Captain,  i.  331.  348. 

Belgrano,  Don  Manuel,  i.  59.  69.  75,  76 ;  character,  83 ;  death, 
84. 

Bell,  Captain,  ii.  371. 

Beltran,  Friar^  becomes  an  officer,  i.  106;  in  charge  of  the  field 
depot,  170;  his  death,  note,  ibid. 

Benavides,  i.  227 ;  his  atrocities,  228;  biographical  sketch  of,  257; 
taken  at  the  battle  of  Maypo,  ibid. ;  shot,  259 ;  his  marvellous 
escape,  ibid. ;  interviews  with  General  San  Martin,  260 ;  re- 
employed  in  the  patriot  service,  260 ;  takes  offence  and  de- 
serts, 261 ;  is  taken  and  executed,  274,  note. 

Benevente,  Colonel,  ii.  99. 

Beresford,  General,  i.  58 ;  ii.  399. 

Berg,  Grand  Duke  of,  (Murat,)  i.  71. 

Bermudes,  Lieutenant-Colonel,  i.  282. 

Besanilla,  Sehor,  ii.  242. 

Bevan,  Mr.,  an  English  miner,  ii.  143,  144. 

Bickerings  between  Lord  Cochrane  and  Captain  Guise,  i.  273. 

Biddle,  Captain,  U.  S.  service,  i.  177- 

Blanco-Ciceron,  Lieutenant-Colonel,  afterwards  Admiral,  de- 
feated at  Cancharayada,  i.  119;  appointed  commodore,  192; 
takes  the  Maria  Isabel,  196;  returns  to  Valparaiso,  205  ;  his 
reception  at  Santiago,  ibid.;  arrives  at  Huacho,  217;  at 
Valparaiso,  221 ;  ii.  6.  371 . 


INDEX.  527 

Blanco,  Colonel,  ii.  202. 
Blanco,  Mrs.  Commodore,  i.  208. 

Bobadilla,  Captain,  a  Spanish  braggadocio,  i.  265;  ii.  207- 
Bogado,  Lieutenant-Colonel,  ii.  71  • 
Bolas,  description  of  the,  i.  ]50. 

Bolivar,  President  of  Colombia,  his  interview  with  the  protector 
of  Peru,  i.  418  ;  unites  Guayaquil  with  Colombia,  419 ;  ar- 
rives in  Lima,  and  is  invested  with  supreme  authority,  ii. 
102;  his  letter  to  General  Miller,  103;  marches  from  Lima 
against  Riva-Aguero,  104;  his  energetic  measures,  121;  re- 
views the  patriot  forces,  158 ;  his  proclamation,  ibid ;  pre- 
sent at!  the  battle  of  Junin,  162;  quits  the  army,  and  re- 
turns to  the  coast,  170;  resigns  the  dictatorship,  but  is 
persuaded  to  resume  it,  301 ;  he  visits  the  departments, 
ibid. ;  his  reception  at  Potosi,  305,— 309  ;  his  unsolicited 
testimonial  to  General  Miller,  312;  goes  to  Chuqui- 
saca,  313 ;  biographical  sketch  of,  315  to  333 ;  quits  Chu- 
quisaca,  and  arrives  at  Lima,  338 ;  threatens  to  leave  Peru, 
339 ;  forms  the  Code  Boliviano,  ibid. ;  is  desirous  of  its 
adoption  by  the  Peruvians,  340 ;  its  unpopularity,  341  ; 
banishes  the  Buenos  Ayreans  and  the  Chilenos  from  Peru, 
342 ;  announces  a  second  time  his  intention  to  leave  the 
country,  345 ;  is  implored  to  desist  from  his  design,  and 
yields  only  to  the  supplications  of  the  matrons  of  Lima,  348  ; 
elected  perpetual  president,  ibid.  ;  establishes  the  Code  Bo- 
liviano in  Peru,  ibid. ;  leaves  Peru,  349 ;  arrives  at  Guaya- 
quil, 350 ;  enters  Bogota,  ibid ;  the  code  Boliviano  abolished 
by  the  Peruvians  after  his  departure,  359. 

Bolivia,  the  provinces  of  Upper  Peru  so  named,  ii.  299. 

Boteler,  Don  N.,  i.  345. 

Bowles,  Commodore,  R.  N.,  i.  135.  176;  ii.  255. 

Brandsen,  Captain,  afterwards  Colonel,  i.  281.  286.  409;  ii.  46. 
83;  killed,  424. 

Braun,  Major,  ii.  162,  163.  202. 

Brayer,  General,  i.  134. 

Brazilians,  marauding  incursion  of  the,  ii.  300. 

Bridge,  Lasso,  across  the  Maypo,  i.  178. 

Brown,  Admiral,  i.  79 ;  "•  414. 

Brown,  Captain,  of  the  Maypo,  Chileno  brig,  i.  222. 


528  INDEX. 

Brown,  Captain,  R.  N.  of  H.  M.  S.  Tartar,  ii  112.  133.  255. 

Bruiz,  Captain,  afterwards  Colonel,  i.  418;  ii.  148.  163. 

Buenos  Ayres,  historical  sketch  of,  i.  52  ;  population  in  1806, 
57;  anarchy,  ii.  402  ;  succeeded  by  a  good  government,  403  ; 
revenue,  408;  improvements,  409;  war  with  Brazil,  413. 

Buenos  Ayrean  artillery,  description  of,  i.  173. 

Bueras,  Lieutenant-Colonel,  killed,  i.  186. 

Bull-circus  at  Lima,  i.  391. 

Bull-fights,  description  of,  i.  394. 

Buonaparte,  i.  34. 

Burgos,  Captain  Don  Ramon,  i.  342. 

Bustamante,  Lieutenant-Colonel,  taken  prisoner,  ii.  187;  suc- 
cessful conspiracy  of,  at  Lima,  353,  354,  355. 

Bustos,  General,  governor  of  Cordova,  ii.  393. 

C. 

Cabanas,  Colonel,  generously  interferes  to  save  Miller's  life, 
i.  199. 

Calaumani,  Cacica  of  Guarina,  ii.  62. 

Calera,  Doctor,  his  philanthropic  character,  i.  10,  note. 

Callao,  Lieutenant,  i.  320. 

Callao,  operations  before,  i.  214.  216.  230,— 233. 

Callavayas,  the  only  practisers  of  medicine  throughout  a  great 
portion  of  South  America,  ii.  239. 

Camana,  description  of,  ii.  27. 

Campino,  Colonel,  takes  Huaras,  i.  289. 

Campino,  Don  Joaquin,  i.  298. 

Campo-Ameno,  Marquess  of,  i.  363. 

Cancharayada,  affair  of,  i.  181;  panic  of  the  patriot  troops  at,  182. 

Canterac,  royalist  general,  i.  297?  365 ;  marches  from  Xauxa 
upon  Callao,  371 ;  retreats  from  Callao  towards  Xauxa, 
373  ;  marches  upon  lea,  415  ;  defeats  General  Don 
Domingo  Tristan,  416 ;  ii.  7,8;  marches  from  Huancayo 
to  succour  Valdez  in  the  south,  14,  15,  16;  defeats  Alvarado 
at  Torata  and  Moquegua,  20.  62.  63 ;  again  marches  from 
Xauxa,  65 ;  enters  Lima,  66 ;  makes  a  reconnoissance  of 
Callao,  ibid.;  evacuates  Lima,  72;  his  arrogance,  73 ;  advances 
upon  Arequipo,  85  ;  sends  detachments  in  pursuit  of  Miller, 


INDEX. 


529 


92 ;  fines  the  curas  of  Chumpi  and  of  Coracora,  99;  re-occupies 
Xauxa,  100,  157;  advances  against  General  Bolivar,  160; 
falls  back  from  Pasco,  161  ;  charges  at  the  head  of  his  cavalry 
at  Junin,  162  ;  is  defeated,  163  ;  retreats  to  Cuzco,  170  ;  forms 
a  junction  with  General  Valdez,  172  ;  is  named  chief  of  the 
staff,  and  second  in  command,  ibid. ;  the  chief  command  de- 
volves upon  him  at  Ayacucho,  198 ;  he  capitulates,  201  ; 
passes  the  night  in  General  Miller's  hut,  207 ',  biographical 
account  of,  208. 

Capa  Rosa,  Lieutenant- Colonel,  i.  377>  379. 

Capaz,  Spanish  captain,  clamours  against  America,  i.  204.  note  ; 
tameness  of  conduct  afterwards,  ibid. 

Capitulation  of  Ayacucho,  ii.  201. 

Caracas,  i.  38,  39. 

Caravajal,  Colonel,  ii.  148.  163.  202. 

Carlota,  Princess  of  Bourbon,  i.  59. 

Carne  con  cuero,  i.  143;  ii.  415. 

Carrasco,  Captain- General  of  Chile,  i.  109. 

Carratala,  Colonel,  afterwards  General,  i.  301. 371 ;  ii.  30. 35.  40. 

Carreno,  Captain,  afterwards  Colonel,  i.  356;  ii.  170;  killed,  200. 

Carrera,  Don  Jose  Miguel,  appointed  to  command  the  Chileno 
forces,  i.  115.  117.  120.  123,  124. 

Can-era,  Miss,  the  Anna  Boleyn  of  Chile,  i.  112. 

Carrera,  the  father,  dies  broken-hearted. 

Carreras,  the  three,  i.  112.  120. 

Carril,  Don  Salvador  Maria,  ii.  413. 

Carson,  Lieutenant,  i.  134.  238.  239. 

Carter,  Captain,  i.  241 ;  takes  a  Spanish  schooner,  295. 

Casariego,  royalist  colonel,  ii.  115.  117- 

Caspe,  i.  61,  62. 

Castaneda,  ii.  243. 

Castanos,  General,  i.  423. 

Castella,  Cirilio,  the  cacique,  i.  26. 

Castelli,  Dr.  i.  59.  66,  67  j  his  character,  70 ;  his  death,  72. 

Castro,  the  royalist,  Colonel,  executed,  i.  79. 

Cathedral  of  Lima,  i.  389. 

Cathedral  and  convents  of  Cuzco,  ii.  225. 

Caucato,  hacienda  of,  i.  305 

Cavalry,  Buenos  Ayrean,  description  of,  i.  175. 

VOL.  ii.  M  M 


530  INDEX. 

Caxchas,  or  mine  squatters,  ii.  281 . 

Cerdena,  Colonel,  ii.  79.  81,  note. 

Cerrito,  affair  of,  i.  74. 

Cerro  de  Pasco,  battle  of,  i.  293. 

Chacabuco,  battle  of,  i.  131,  132. 

Chacabuco,  corvette,  mutiny  on  board  the,  i.  212. 

Chamberlayne,  Sir  Henry,  ii.  429. 

Charles,  Lieutenant-Colonel,  sails  with  the  squadron,  i.  229, 

230,  231 ;  mortally  wounded,  i.  236 ;  his  character,  ibid. 
Charles  the  Fourth,  i.  26. 

Charles  the  Fifth,  the  Emperor,  i.  38.  45. 

Chascomus,  i.  144. 

Chile,  revolution  of,  i.  109. 

Chiloe,  description  of  the  island  of,  i.  261. 

Chincha,  Upper  and  Lower,  villages  near  Pisco,  i.  304. 

Cholos,  peasantry  of  Chile,  of  mixed  blood,  i.  194. 

Cisneros,  viceroy  of  Buenos  Ayres,  i.  59. 

Climate  of  Lima,  i.  399. 

Cobbett,  Lieutenant,  afterwards  Captain,  i.  233 ;  drowned. 

Cobbett,  Don  Guillermo,  ii.  395. 

Cobos,  royalist  lieutenant-colonel,  ii.  29. 

Coca,  description,  ii.  229. 

Cochran,  Mr.  William,  renders  important  assistance,  i.  349. 

Cochrane,  Lady,  i.  208 ;  effect  produced  on  the  soldiers  by  her 
appearance,  298. 

Cochrane,  Lord,  arrives  at  Valparaiso,  i.  207 ;  festivities  upon 
his  arrival,  ibid. ;  made  admiral  ibid. ;  sails  209 ;  passage, 
210 ;  arrives  off  Callao,  213  ;  attacks  214 ;  is  repulsed,  ibid. ; 
fails  in  second  attack,  217;  sails  to  Huacho,  ibid.;  takes 
60,000  dollars  at  Guarmey,  218 ;  returns  to  Callao,  ibid ; 
arrives  at  Valparaiso,  221  ;  sails  229  ;  challenges  the  viceroy, 

231.  234  ;  enters  the  river  Guayaquil,  238 ;  takes  the  Aguila 
and  Begona,  239  ;  reconnoitres  Valdivia,  240 ;  takes  the  brig 
of  war  Potrillo,  and  20,000  dollars,  ibid. ;  sails  to  Concepcion, 
241 ;  sails  for  Valdivia,  242  ;  his  sang-froid  243  ;  his  daring 
plan   of  attack,    ibid.;  arrives  off  Valdivia,  244;  shifts  his 
flag  to  the  Montezuma,  245 ;  anchors  off  Fort  Ingles,  247 ; 
rows  into  the  harbour  in  a  boat,  252 ;  treasure  and  valuable 
property  falls  into  his  hands  at  Valdivia,  254  ;  sails  to  Chiloe, 


INDEX.  531 

261 ;  to  Valparaiso,  266 ;  to  Coquimbo,  279  ;  to  Callao,  282 ; 
cuts  out  the  Esmeralda,  284 ;  wounded,  ibid. ;  sails  from 
Huacho,  298;  returns,  299;  sails  to  Pisco,  300;  to  Arica, 
309;  to  Ancon,  332.  340,  341  ;  blockades  Callao,  368;  dis- 
pute with  San  Martin,  379 ;  seizes  treasure  at  Ancon,  380  ; 
sails  to  California,  381 ;  distressing  situation  413;  returns  to 
Chile,  414;  transfers  his  services  to  Brazil,  ibid.  note. 

Colinos  Santos,  a  patriot  soldier,  shot  for  plundering,  ii.  92. 

Colony,  Scotch,  ii. 

Concepcion,  city  of,  i.  226. 

Condorcanqui,  Don  Jose  Gabriel,  attempts  the  delivery  of  his 
country,  i.  16;  his  failure  and  barbarous  execution,  i.  18. 

Congress  of  Panama,  ii.  351. 

Congress  of  Tucuman,  i.  81. 

Conquista,  Captain  General  the  Marquis  de  la,  i.  109. 

Constitution,  Bolivian,  ii.  339,  and  Appendix  N. 

Constitutionalists,  conduct  towards  American,  ii.  376, 

Consulado  of  Mexico,  i.  24. 

Conway,  H.  M.  S.,  two  officers  of,  imprisoned  by  the  Spaniards, 
i.  285. 

Coquimbo,  account  of,  i.  230. 

Corbacho,  Dr.,  ii.  430,  431,  432. 

Cordova,  Dr.,  i.  333 ;  ii.  42,  43  ;  his  services,  47- 

Cordova,  Colonel,  afterwards  General,  i.  417 ;  ii.  148;  his  gal- 
lant conduct  at  Ayacucho,  ii.  198.  202.  231. 

Correa,  Lieut.,  i.  323. 

Correa,  Major,  afterwads  General,  i.  134;  ii.  17;   113.  342. 

Cortes,  illiberality  of  the,  towards  America,  i.  25.  40 ;  ii.  373. 
376. 

Costume  of  Lima,  i.  408. 

Cotera,  Don  Lucas,  his  great  liberality,  ii.  430. 

Coupigny,  General,  i.  423. 

Courage,  desperate,  of  a  Scotchman,  ii.  127- 

Cox,  Dr.,  ii.  113. 

Coy,  Spanish  commander  of  the  Esmeralda,  wounded,  i.  285. 

Crespo,  Major,  shamefully  treated  by  Rodil,  ii.  243. 

Cricket,  played  at  Valparaiso,  i  208. 

Crosbie,  Captain,  i.  233.  284  ;  cuts  out  three  merchant  vessels, 
and  burns  four  others,  368. 

M  M  2 


532  INDEX. 

Cruz,  Don  Luis,  i.  135. 

Cruz,  General  Don  Francisco  de  la,  secretary  of  war  at  Buenos 

Ayres,  ii.  404.  413. 
Cuello,  Dona  Juanita  de,  ii.  77- 
Cupidity  of  the  British  public,  ii.  293. 
Cuzco,  city  of,  ii.  223 ;  compared  with  Rome,  226. 

D. 

Davalos,  montonero  chief,  i.  379. 

Death  from  excess  of  joy,  i.  186. 

De  la  Conquista,  Count  of,  i.  109. 

De  la  Romana,  Marquess  of,  i.  423. 

De  la  Rosa,  Don  Ignacio,  i.  302. 

De  la  Rosa,  Colonel  Don  Pedro,  ii.  20 ;  his  chivalrous  conduct^ 
and  death,  23. 

De  la  Rosa,  Don  Martinez,  ii.  373. 

De  la  Susse,  Captain,  French  navy,  ii.  429. 

Delgado,  royalist  Colonel,  i.  292. 

Depots  of  provision  secreted  in  mountain  caverns,  ii   147. 

Deza,  Lieutenant  Colonel,  i.  293. 

Dias,  Captain,  distinguishes  himself  at  Talcahuano,  i.  134;  cha- 
racter, 169;  death  of,  192,  note. 

Dias,  Mrs.  Captain,  i.  169. 

Dias,  Velez,  Dr.,  ii.  310. 

Dickson,  Mr.  George  Frederick,  i.  138. 

Doctores,  their  pedantry  and  noisy  declamation,  i.  291. 

Dominguez,  Captain,  i.  324. 

Dorrego,  General,  Governor  of  Buenos  Ayres,  ii.  418. 

Doyle,  Captain  Sir  Bentick,  i.  137- 

Doyle,  General  Sir  Charles,  ii.  208. 

Duckbury,  Major,  killed,  ii.  188. 

E. 

Echeverria,  Don  N.,  ii.  376. 

Eldridge,  Lieutenant,  killed  at  Talcahuano,  i.  134. 

Elespuru,  Lieutenant  Colonel,  passes  over  to  the  patriots,  i.  297- 

ii.  69. 

Elguerra,  montonero  officer,  i.  302. 
Emigration,  thoughts  on,  i.  151. 


INDEX.  533 

Emperor  of  Brazil,  ii.  416.  432. 

Empress  of  Brazil,  ii.  432. 

Enchantresses,  Chilena,  i.  208. 

Enchipar,  barbarous  mode  of  execution,  i.  56. 

Envoys,  South  American,  in  London,  ii.  261.  270. 

Erescano,  Captain,  afterwards  Colonel,  at  Chiloe,  i.  264 ;  his 

able  retreat,  ibid. 
Escalada,  Colonel,  ii.  426. 

Escovedo,  Lieutenant  Colonel  Don  Gregorio,  i.  283.;  ii.  90. 
Esmeralda,  Spanish  frigate,  i.  188;  taken  by  Lord  Cochrane, 

284. 

Esmonde,  Captain,  i.  223,  224,  225. 
Estancias,  or  grazing  farms,  i.  140. 
Estenos,  the  learned  Doctor,  ii.  341. 
Estomba,  Colonel,  ii.  342. 
Exiles,  Chileno,  i.  124. 
t 

F. 

Falcon,  Captain,  R.  N.,  i.  223 ;  ii.  255. 

Farren,  Mr.  William,  the  comedian,  ii.  386. 

Fergusson,  Lieutenant-Colonel,  ii.  188;  note,  333  ;  killed,  334. 

Fernandez,  Miguel,  a  brave  and  faithful  servant,  ii.  378. 

Ferras,  royalist  colonel,  ii.  30.  81.  88. 

Fife,  Earl  of,  i.  424.  note. 

Figueroa,  Colonel,  i.  111. 

Flores,  Colonel  Don  Jose  Maria,  ii.  28.  34.  90. 

Foreign  officers,  their  services  in  South  America,  ii.  424;  good 

understanding  which  always  existed  amongst  them,  ibid. 
Forster,  Captain,  takes  the  island  of  San  Lorenzo,  i.  216;  takes 

Payta,  218;  lands  at  Supe,  219. 
Fragueiro,  Don  Jose  Maria,  ii.  393, 
Francia,  Doctor,  i.  70. 

Francisco,  Don  Juan,  an  Opata  chief,  i.  26. 
Freeman,  Lieutenant,  of  the  Chileno  navy,  i.  313. 
Freyre,   Colonel  afterwards  General,   i.  130.  227;  entertains 

Lord  Cochrane,  241 ;  offends  Benavides,  261 ;  elected  supreme 

director  of  Chile,  ii.  370;  captures  Chiloe,  371. 
Freyre,  Dr.,  ii.  341. 


534  INDEX. 

Frias,  Captain,  ii.  203. 

Frias,  a  member  of  the  provincial  junta  of  Buenos  Ayres,  ii.  404. 

Frogs,  i.  162. 

G. 

Gago,  Mrs.  Colonel,  her  animosity  towards  the  patriots,  i.  348. 

Gainza,  General,  i.  118 ;  recalled  to  Peru,  121. 

Galdiano  y  Mendoza,  i.  302. 

Galves,  president  of  the  Real  Audiencia  of  Cuzco,  his  integrity 
and  love  of  justice,  i.  29. 

Gamarra,  Colonel  afterwards  General ;  passes  over  to  the  pa- 
triots, i.  297 ;  appointed  to  a  command,  299,  414 ;  appointed 
chief  of  the  staff,  ii.  61 ;  62.  70  173.  202.  213.  214.  215. 
233 ;  invades  Bolivia,  364. 

Gambling  in  South  America,  i.  402,  403,  404,  405. 

Gana,  Lieutenant  Don  Juan,  killed,  i.  186. 

Garate,  Don  Tadeo,  royalist  governor  of  Puno,  ii. ;  his  un- 
feeling conduct,  121;  flies  for  safety,  230;  biography  of,  437- 

Garcia  del  Rio,  Don  Juan,  i.  302 ;  made  a  minister,  369.  425. 

Garcia,  Don  N.,  of  Aplao,  ii.  76. 

Garcia-Camba,  royalist  colonel,  afterwards  general,  i.  304; 
ii.  120. 

Garcia,  Doctor  Don  Manuel,  minister  of  finance  at  Buenos 
Ayres,  ii.  404.  413. 

Gauchos,  i.  75.87;  their  character,  152;  horsemanship,  159; 
their  contempt  of  Europeans  unable  to  manage  a  restive 
horse,  161. 

Gerard,  Lieutenant,  killed,  i.  180. 

Giroust,  captain  of  Buenos  Ayrean  artillery,  i.  171. 

Gobierno  superior  of  Buenos  Ayres,  i.  75. 

Goitre  prevalent  at  Mendoza,  i.  166. 

Gomez,  Doctor,  member  of  the  provincial  junta  of  Buenos  Ayres, 
ii.  404. 

Goyeneche,  royalist  General,  i.  71 ;  his  duplicity,  72. 

Grand  commissioner,  the,  ii.  291.  310. 

Grenfell,  Lieutenant,  i.  284. 

Guacas,  burial-mounds,  description  of,  i.  221. 

Guambacho,  antiquities  of,  i.  220. 

Guas,  Lieutenant,  afterwards  Captain,  i.  292. 


INDEX.  535 

Guayaquil,  climate  of,  i.  239 ;  declares  its  independence,  283 ; 
incorporated  with  Colombia,  ii.  331 ;  its  real  interests,  355. 

Guemes,  a  guerrilla  leader,  i.  78 ;  killed,  79. 

Guerrero,  Don  Fulgencio,  i.  363. 

Guido,  Colonel  Don  Tomas,  i.  287.  301,  302.  381.  425 

Guise,  Captain,  afterwards  admiral,  i.  203.  211;  dangerously 
wounded,  214;  proceeds  against  Pisco,  234;  his  kind  atten- 
tion to  Miller  when  wounded,  236 ;  boards  and  carries  the 
Spanish  frigate  Esmeralda,  with  Lord  Cochrane,  284 ;  hospi- 
tality to  Santa  Cruz,  ii.  84 ;  burns  the  Spanish  frigate  Ven- 
ganza,  117;  blockades  Callao,  244;  his  intrepidity,  245, 
386.  246 ;  after  a  long  and  cruel  imprisonment,  is  tried  and 
acquitted,  342. 

Guitica,  Captain,  i.  238. 

Gumer,  Major,  murdered  in  cold  blood  by  the  Spanish  assassin, 
Colonel  Don  Mateo  Ramirez,  i.  416. 

H. 

Haigh,  Mr.  Samuel,  at  the  battle  of  Maypo,  ii.  254.  403. 

Hail  storms  in  the  Andes,  ii.  249. 

Hall,  Captain  Basil,  R.  N.,  i.  285. 

Hallowes,  Captain  Miller,  ii.  188,  note. 

Hardy,  Sir  Thomas,  R.  N.,  ii.  255. 

Helmets,  silver,  ii.  203. 

Herrera,  Captain,  afterwards  General,  Don  Ramon,  i.  291  ;  ii. 

61,  62. 
Heres,  Captain,  afterwards  General,  Don  Tomas,  i.  291 ;  ii.  349. 

354. 
Herring  &  Richardson,  Messrs.,  send  an  expedition  to  Colombia, 

ii.  325. 

Hidalgo,  Don  Andres,  i.  154.  ii.  425. 
Hill,  Captain,  gallant  conduct  of,  i.  321 ;   drowned,  325. 
Hind,  Captain  Henry,  i.  231.  321.  325.  332. 
Horses,  of  the  Pampas,  i.  160. 
Hospitality  of  the  Pehuenches,  i.  102. 
Hoyos,  Colonel,  i.  204;  taken  prisoner,  252. 
Huanuco,  description  of,  ii.  138. 
Huaqui,  battle  of,  i.  71  • 


536  INDEX. 

Hull,  Commodore,  U.  S.  N.,  ii.  336. 

Hurry,  Powles  and  Hurry,  send  an  expedition  to  Colombia,  ii. 

325. 

Hylliar,  Captain,  R.  N.,  i.  119. 
Hyperion,  British  frigate,  i.  284. 

I. 

Ildefonzo,  a  faithful  black  servant,  i.  352;  his  death,  353. 

Incas  of  Peru,  ii.  217. 

Indian  Samaritan,  ii.  214. 

Infantes,  Don  Facundo,  ii.  372. 

Infernals,  a  party  so  called,  i.  305. 

Inhumation  extraordinary,  in  the  sandy  desert,  i.  355. 

Insubordination  ;  ringleader  shot,  ii.  48. 

Iturrigaray,  viceroy  of  Mexico,  i,  34,  35. 

Izquierdo,  Lieutenant,  i.  292. 

J. 

Jackson,  Mr.  William,  ii.  428. 

Jonte,  i.  75  ;  his'death,  109,  note. 

Joseph,  King,  i.  34. 

Joy,  effects  of  excessive,  i.  186. 

Juan  Fernandez,  island  of,  i.  125. 

Jujuy,  description  of,  ii.  380;  ladies  of,  381. 

Julian,  father,  an  Araucanian  friar,  i.  94. 

Junin,  battle  of,  ii.  162,  163,  164,  165. 

Junta,  supreme  central  of  Seville,  i.  35. 

Junta  gubernativa,  of  Buenos  Ayres,  i.  61 ;   dissolved,  72. 

Junta  gubernativa  of  Lima,  422;  apathy  of,  ii.  8. 

Junta  directiva,  of  Lima,  i.  295. 

Junta  pacificadora,  i.  302. 

Junta  de  observacion,  of  Buenos  Ayres,  i.  81. 

Junta  of  Santiago  de  Chile,  i.  109. 

Junta  electoral,  of  Peru,  i.  303. 

Junta  provincial,  of  Buenos  Ayres,  ii.  404 ;  dissolved,  413. 

K. 

Kanki,  Mr.,  xxxv.  introduction. 
Kinder,  Mr.  Thomas,  ii.  426. 


INDEX.  537 


L. 

Labe,  Captain,  of  the  Chileno  service,  i.  266. 

Ladies  of  Chile,  their  active  humanity,  i.  267 ;  of  Lima,  408. 

La  Fuente,  Colonel,  afterwards  General,  ii.  104,  105. 

La  Hera,  royalist  colonel,  i.  318.  326.  330,  331,  332.  334;  his 
correspondence  with  General  Miller,  342.  346. 

La  Madrid,  Colonel,  ii.  389,  390. 

La  Mar,  General,  royalist  governor  of  Callao,  i.  379  ;  surrenders 
to  the  patriots,  381 ;  elected  president  of  the  junta  gubernativa 
of  the  republic  of  Peru,  422 ;  deposed,  ii.  60 ;  commands 
the  Peruvian  army,  148.  171.  191.  199.  202.  214,  215;  re- 
tires  to  Guayaquil  on  leave  of  absence,  232 ;  elected  presi- 
dent of  the  republic  of  Peru,  355  ;  biographical  account  of, 
356 ;  policy  of,  359,  360. 

Landa,  Lieutenant  Colonel  Don  Bernardo,  his  character,  i. 
315;  joins  the  patriots,  ibid.  327.  349;  shot  350. 

Lanza,  Colonel,  i.  333 ;  ii.  70.  85. 

Lara,  the  Colombian  general,  ii.  72.  90.  148.  183.  202.  349.  353, 
354. 

Larrain,  Lieutenant  Don  Juan,  killed,  i.  183. 

Larrea  y  Loredo,  Don  Jose,  ii.  349.  354. 

Las  Bruscas,  depot  for  prisoners  at,  i.  148. 

La  Serna,  General,  afterwards  viceroy  of  Peru,  appointed  to 
relieve  General  Pezuela  in  Upper  Peru,  i.  86  ;  his  measures, 
ibid. ;  his  humanity,  ibid.,  note;  expelled  from  Jujuy  by  the 
gauchos,  89  ;  arrives  at  Lima,  295  ;  named  a  member  of  a 
directive  junta,  296  ;  raised  by  a  military  commotion  to  the 
viceroyalty,  297  ;  assents  to  the  armistice  of  Punchauca,  but 
afterwards  declares  it  inadmissible,  303.  365  ;  tenders  his  re- 
signation, ii.  7>  8  ;  issues  a  harsh  decree,  74 ;  marches  from 
Cuzeo  against  Santa  Cruz,  80 ;  forms  a  junction  with  the 
royalist  General  Olaneta,  82 ;  follows  up  the  retiring  patriots, 
and  disperses  them,  83 ;  makes  a  new  tttstribvition^>f  his  army 
at  Arequipa,  and  returns  to  his  seat  of  government  at  Cua«v 
100;  again  places  himself  at  the  head  of  the  royalist  army, 
172;  advances  against  Sucre,  177-  189;  cuts  off  the  further 
retreat  of  the  patriots,  191 ;  attacks  them  at  Ayacucho,  197; 


538  INDEX. 

is  defeated,   wounded,  and  taken  prisoner,  198;  receives  a 

visit  from  General  Miller,  205  ;  biographical  account  of,  207- 
Las  Heras,  Lieutenant-Colonel,  afterwards  General,  i.  133,  134  ; 

saves  Chile  by  his  presence  of  mind  at  Cancharayada,  182. 

277-  280.  368;  made  commander- in-chief  of  the  army,  369; 

succeeds  Rodriguez  as  governor  of  Buenos  Ayres,   ii.  407 ; 

vacates  his  office,   and  retires  to  Chile,   414;  his  character, 

ibid.,  423. 

Las  Piedras,  affair  of,  i.  74. 

Lasso,  a  running  noose  used  for  catching  cattle,  i.  142. 
Lasso  bridge  over  the  Maypo,  i.  1 78. 
Lastra,  the  first  supreme  director  of  Chile,  i.  118. 
La  Tapia,    Major,   afterwards    Colonel,    i.  324.  330;   his  ad- 
ventures, 336.  337,  338,  339,  340;  ii.  185.  345,  note;  424. 
Lava,  affair  of,  ii.  170. 

Latus,  Lieutenant,  mortally  wounded,  i.  418. 
Lautaro,  frigate,  purchase  of,  i.  187;  engagement  with  the  Es- 

meralda,  189. 
La  Valle,  Don  Juan,  Captain,  afterwards  Colonel,  i.  281.  294. 

417;  his  sufferings  in  the  desert,  ii.  57.  66.  424;  wounded, 

and  made  general,  425. 

Lavalleja,  Don  Juan,  afterwards  General,  ii.  411.  418. 
Laws,  prohibitory,  i.  22. 
Laws  of  the  Incas,  ii.  222. 

Lazo,  Dr.  Don  Jose,  i.  334 ;  his  poetical  genius,  350. 
Le  Breton,  Mr.  and  Mrs.,  ii.  429. 
Lecor,  General,  invades  the  Banda  Oriental,  i.  82 ;  governor  of 

Monte  Video,  ii.  410.  428. 
Legion  of  the  guard,  Peruvian,  i.  409. 

Liberates,  Spanish,  inconsistency  of,  i.  45  ;  ii.  373, 374, 375, 376. 
Liberating  expedition,  how  composed,  i.  276 ;  sails  for  Peru, 

277;    arrives   in   Pararca  bay,    279;    sails  to  Ancon,  282; 

liberating  army  crosses  the  Andes,  ii.  151. 
Liberators,  Colombian,  order  of,  i.  111. 
Lima,  description  of,  i.  383. 
T-inlers,  i.  35;  shot,  66. 
Lions,  i.  149. 
Lisarraga,  aid-de-camp  to   General   Miller,  Major,   killed   at 

Junin,  ii.  168. 


INDEX.  539 

List  of  killed  and  wounded  at  the  battle  of  Ayacucho,  ii.  200,  note. 

Listen,  Mr.,  the  comedian,  ii.  421. 

Livinia,  Major,  i.  146. 

Llaneros  of  Colombia,  ii.  156. 

Llano  y  Najera,  Don  Manuel,  i.  302. 

Loan  of  Peru,  ii.  263. 

Loans,  foreign,  their  pernicious  effects,  ii.  259. 

Logia,  a  club  inimical  to  San  Martin,  i.  269  ;  its  mischievous 

influence,  270. 
Loriga,   a  royalist  general,  his  generous  interference  to  save 

General   Miller's   life,   i.  199 ;   appointed   secretary  to   the 

directive  junta,  296.  374.  416 ;  his  interview  with  General 

Miller    ii.  66.  133. 

Los  Dos  Talos,  Spanish  prisoners  at,  i.  145. 
Luna-Pizarro,  president  of  the  Congress  of  Peru,  i.  422;  ii.  118. 
Lurigancho,  Count  of,  ii.  247- 
Lusuriaga,  Colonel,  i.  287-  301. 
Lyra,  Major,  ii.  35,  36,  37,  38. 

M. 

Mac  Duff,  Lord,  i.  423.  424,  note. 

Macedonian,  U.  S.  frigate,  i.  284 ;  her  boat's  crew  murdered  by 

the  Spaniards  at  Callao,  285. 
Macirone,  Colonel,  introduction  xxx.j  expedition  sent  out  by, 

ii.  325,  note. 

Mackenna,  Colonel,  i.  116;  killed  in  a  duel,  118,  note. 
Mackinlay,  Mr.  and  Mrs.,  i.  139 ;  ii.  423. 
Mackintosh,  Colonel,  i.  417- 
Mamelucos  of  Brazil,  i.  5,  note. 
Mamignau,  Captain,  French  navy,  ii.  429. 
Manifesto  of  Pezuela,  ii.  258. 
Manning,  Lieutenant,  i.  134. 

Manso,  viceroy  of  Peru,  honourable  poverty  of,  i.  28. 
Manzanedo,  royalist  colonel,  ii.  30.  42,  43,  44. 
Marca,  description  of  the  scenery  of,  ii.  134,  135. 
Marco,  Captain-General  of  Chile,  i.  103;  his  barbarities,  128. 
Maria  Isabel,  Spanish  frigate,  taken,  i.  196. 
Maria  da  Gloria,  Princess  ii.  432. 
Markets  of  Lima,  i.  385 ;  of  Potosi,  ii.  280. 


540  INDEX. 

Maroto,  the  Spanish  General,  i.  130. 

Martilini,  a  pirate,  ii.  129.  132. 

Martin,  Captain  William  Fanshawe,  R.,  N.,  ii.  114. 

Martinez,  General  Don  Enrique,  i.  130;  ii.  17-  62.72.  424. 

Martinez,  Captain,  afterwards  Colonel,  Don  Juan  Apostol,  his 
antipathy  to  Spaniards,  i.  169 ;  his  tricks  upon  friars,  170. 
186 ;  ii.  426. 

Marure,  Captain,  afterwards  Major,  i.  324 ;  ii.  371 . 

Matafuertes,  royalist  captain,  i.  362. 

Mate,  a  herb  used,  i.  140. 

Mathews,  Mr.,  the  comedian,  ii.  421. 

Maxwell,  Capt.  Sir  Murray,  R.  N.,  ii.  247- 

Maypo,  battle  of,  i.  185. 

Meade,  George,"  ii.  94. 

Medanos,  description  of,  ii.  55. 

Medina,  Colonel,  ii.  202. 

Meg  Merrilies,  an  original  character,  i.  353 ;  her  major  domo, 
359. 

Mejias,  deputy  for  Quito,  i.  37- 

Melendez,  Captain,  ii.  181. 

Melgar,  the  Moore  of  Peru,  i.  85. 

Mendoza,  i.  104;  description  of,  165;  manners  and  customs 

.    of  the  inhabitants,  ibid. 

Merchants,  foreign,  their  timely  assistance,  i.  274  ;  ii.  253 

Mesa,  Don  Jose  Manuel  de,  of  Nasca,  ii.  97- 

Military  mess,  i.  172;   ii.  110. 

Miller,  William,  serves  in  the  British  army,  i.  137;  arrives  at  Bue- 
nos Ayres,  138;  obtains  a  captain's  commission  in  the  Buenos 
Ay rean  service,  139;  tour  towards  Patagonia,  ibid. ;  interview 
with  Spanish  prisoners  at  Los  Dos  Talos,  145;  returns  to  Bue- 
nos Ayres,  162;  sets  out  for  Mendoza,  163;  travels  post  across 
the  Pampas,  and  arrives  at  Mendoza,  1 64 ;  crosses  the  Andes, 
166 ;  arrives  at  Santiago  de  Chile,  167 ;  arrives  at  Las  Tablas, 
and  joins  the  army,  168;  uncourteous  reception,  169;  visits 
Valparaiso,  ]  76 ;  endeavours  to  take  artillery  over  a  lasso 
bridge,  178;  saves  two  guns  at  Cancharayada,  182;  joins 
Las  Heras,  and  acts  as  adjutant  during  the  retreat,  ibid.  ; 
sent  to  command  the  marines  on  board  the  Lautaro,  187; 
promoted  to  the  rank  of  Major,  1 92  ;  sails  with  Commodore 


INDEX.  541 

Blanco,  ibid. ;  sent  on  shore  with  flag  of  truce  at  Talcahuano, 
196;  is  made  paisoner,  197;  his  harsh  treatment  by  General 
Sanchez,  198;  threatened  with  death,  199;  saved  by  the 
intercession  of  Colonels  Loriga  and  Cabanas,  200  ;  his  return 
to  the  San  Martin,  and  reception,  201 ;  is  in  great  danger  of 
being  shipwrecked,  202  ;  returns  to  Valparaiso,  205  ;  recep- 
tion at  Santiago,  ibid. ;  reappointed  to  command  the  marines, 
and  sails  with  Lord  Cochrane,  209 ;  blown  up  at  San 
Lorenzo,  216;  his  sufferings,  ibid.;  defeats  a  detachment 
of  Spaniards,  219;  sails  for  Valparaiso,  221;  is  instru- 
mental in  punishing  a  brutal  tyrant,  224 ;  embarks  for  a 
new  expedition,  229  ;  commands  a  raft  to  attack  the  Spanish 
frigates,  231  ;  obliged  to  retire,  232 ;  severely  wounded  at 
Pisco,  236 ;  removed  from  the  Lautaro  to  Lord  Cochrane's 
ship,  239 ;  goes  to  Concepcion,  241  ;  inspects  fort  San 
Pedro,  242 ;  sails  for  Valdivia,  242 ;  in  danger  of  being 
drowned,  245 ;  wounded  going  on  shore,  249 ;  lands  with 
the  marines,  ibid. ;  takes  five  forts,  251 ;  takes  four  forts  on 
the  eastern  side  of  Valdivia,  252 ;  his  official  despatch,  253  ; 
accompanies  Lord  Cochrane  to  the  town  of  Valdivia,  254 ; 
lands  at  Chiloe,  262 ;  takes  fort  Corona,  263 ;  wounded,  264  ; 
arrives  in  Chile,  266 ;  kind  attention  of  his  Chileno  friends, 
267  j  promoted  to  Lieutenant-Colonel,  271 ;  sails  with  the 
liberating  expedition  for  Peru,  277  >  arrives  at  Pisco,  280 ; 
anchors  in  the  bay  of  Callao,  282 ;  disembarks  at  Huacho, 
287  i  is  sent  at  the  head  of  609  men  on  a  detached  com- 
mand, 298  ;  lands  at  Pisco,  300  ;  operations,  304,  305,  306 ; 
falls  sick,  307 ;  re-embarks,  308 ;  fails  in  two  attempts  to 
land  near  Arica,  309 ;  his  critical  situation,  311 ;  lands  at  the 
Moro  de  Sama,  313 ;  marches  toward  Mirabe,  318 ;  defeats 
the  Spaniards,  324 ;  pursues  the  enemy,  325 ;  enters  Moque- 
gua,  326 ;  operations,  32  to  333 ;  correspondence  with  La 
Hera,  343 ;  retires  to  Arica,  346 ;  manner  of  obtaining 
transports, ibid.;  lands  at  Pisco, 351;  marches  against Santalla, 
355  ;  takes  lea,  ibid. ;  advances  to  Palpa,  and  annihilates  the 
royalists  under  Santalla,  357;  is  promoted  to  the  rank  of 
Colonel,  363 ;  goes  to  Lima,  364 ;  appointed  to  the  command 
of  the  light  companies,  372;  and  pursues  Canterac,  373;  is 
driven  fromPuruchuco,  376;  returns  to  Lima,  379 ;  appointed 


542  INDEX. 

to  the  command  of  the  infantry  of  the  legion  of  the  guard,  409; 
arrangements  for  an  expedition  to  the  Puertos  Intermedios, 
ii.  1 ;  arrangement  altered,  2 ;  sails  with  the  expedition,  6  ; 
accident  at  sea,  9 ;  distressing  scarcity  of  water,  11;  lands 
at  Arica,  12;  differences  with  General  Alvarado,  16;  sails  on  a 
detached  service,  ibid. ;  letter  to  the  author,  21 ;  lands  at 
Quilca,  25;  enters  Camana,  ibid.;  takes  a  royalist  party  near 
Majes,  26 ;  goes  to  Siguas,  30 ;  ruse  de  guerre,  31 ;  takes 
a  royalist  lieutenant- colonel  prisoner,  33 ;  retires  to  Quilca, 
34 ;  goes  to  Ocona,  ibid. ;  to  Carabeli,  36 ;  returns  to  Ocona, 
38  ;  distressing  march  across  the  desert,  ibid. ;  sails  to  Atico, 
40 ;  to  Chala,  41 ;  strategy,  42 ;  receives  information  of  the 
defeat  of  Alvarado,  and  retires  to  Atiquipa,  45  ;  attacked  by 
cholera  morbus  at  Acari,  46 ;  carried  across  the  desert  to 
Lomas,  and  is  put  on  board  ship,  ibid. ;  returns  to  Callao, 
49 ;  his  letter  to  the  author,  ibid. ;  his  reception  in  Lima, 
ibid. ;  notice  of  his  conduct  in  the  Lima  Gazette,  50 ;  pro- 
moted to  the  rank  of  general  of  brigade,  62 ;  interview  with 
the  royalist  general  Loriga  during  a  skirmish,  66 ;  sails  with 
an  expedition,  72 ;  lands  at  Chala,  75 :  operations  ibid. ;  enters 
Arequipa,  77;  marches  to  Pati,  86;  returns  to  Arequipa, 
ibid. ;  falls  sick,  ibid. ;  narrowly  escapes  being  taken,  89 ; 
retreats  by  land  to  Lima,  90 ;  letter  from  Bolivar  to  him, 
103;  is  appointed  chief  of  the  staff  of  the  Peruvian  army, 
105;  goes  to  Chile  on  account  of  ill  health,  112;  hears  of 
the  mutiny  of  Callao,  and  returns,  121 ;  occurrences  on  the 
passage,  126 ;  joins  General  Bolivar  at  Huaras,  137 ;  is  named 
Commandant- General  of  the  Peruvian  cavalry,  ibid.;  his  ope- 
rations with  the  montoneros,  140,  141,  142.  146;  advances 
to  Oroya,  160 ;  charges  the  royalists  in  the  battle  of  Junin, 
1 62  ;  interesting  interview  with  Colonel  Sowersby  after  the 
battle,  166 ;  his  operations  in  advance  of  the  patriot  army, 
171 ;  a  coolness  arises  between  him  and  Sucre,  173,  174, 
175,  176,  177;  is  near  falling  into  the  hands  of  the  royalists, 
178.  180,  181;  rejoins  head-quarters,  182;  gratifying  re- 
ception 183  ;  rallies  a  battalion,  and  repels  the  royalists,  188 ; 
commands  the  cavalry  at  the  battle  of  Ayacucho,  1 94 ;  in- 
teresting incidents  during  the  battle,  203,  204 ;  charges  the 
division  Valdez,  and  defeats  it,  199  ;  visits  the  captive  viceroy 


INDEX.  543 

Laserna,  205  ;   General  Canterac  sleeps  in  Miller's  hut,  207  ; 
meets  General  Valdez,  209 ;  marches  to  Cuzco,  213 ;  enter 
tained  at  Cuzco,  215  ;  is  appointed  prefect  of  Puno,  233 ;  sets 
out  from  Puno,  241 ;  appointed  prefect  of  Potosi,  272  ;  his 
measures,  281 ;  his  preparations  for  the  reception  of  Bolivar, 
219;  sets  out  to  receive  the  Liberator,  302;  triumphal  entry 
into  Potosi,  304,    305,  306;    accompanies  Bolivar    to   the 
summit  of  the  Cerro  de  Potosi,  309  ;  takes  leave  of  the  Libe- 
rator at  Chuquisaca,  313;  sets  out  from  Potosi,  on  leave  of 
absence,  for  England,  ibid. ;  arrives  at  Jujuy,  380 ;  at  Salta, 
382 ;  is  presented  with  a  grant  of  land  389  ;  arrives  at  Tucu- 
man,  ibid. ;  at  Santiago  del  Estero,  391  ;  at  Cordova,  393  ; 
at  Buenos  Ayres,  401 ;  meets  many  old  friends,  423 ;  embarks 
for  England,  427;   touches  at  Monte  Video,  428;  sails  to 
Rio  Janeiro  in  the   French   brig   of  war  Le  Cygne,  429 ; 
visits  a  slave  ship,  434;  the  slave  bazaar,  436;  touches  at 
Bahia,  and  at  Pernambuco,  436 ;  dispute  on  the  passage  with 
Don  Tadeo  Garate,  439  ;  lands  at  Falmouth,  441 ;  reception 
in  England,  ibid. 

Millyagin,  a  Pehuenche  cacique,  i.  95. 
Mines  of  Puno,  ii.  234  ;  of  Salcedo,  ibid. ;  of  Potosi,  273 ;  of 

Guantajaya,  294 ;  of  Pasco, 
Mining  associations,  retail,  ii.  291. 
Mint  of  Potosi,  ii.  278. 

Mirabe,  defeat  of  the  royalists  at,  by  Colonel  Miller,  i.  324. 
Miracle,  ii.  224. 

Mita,  compulsory  labour  exacted  from  the  Indians,  i.  3. 
Mitayo,  the,  i.  4. 
Molloy,  surgeon,  drowned,  i.  331. 

Monet,  royalist   general,    takes   possession  of  Callao,  ii.  1 15 ; 
orders  two  patriot  officers  to  be  shot,  120;  is  at  the  battle  of 
Ayacucho,  197- 
Monteagudo,  Don  Bernardo,  i.  369.  419,  420 ;  assassinated,  ibid., 

note. 

Montemira,  Marquess  of,  i.  403. 
Monte  Video,  i.  58.  62. 
Montoneros,  account  of,  i.  375,  376,  377,  378 ;  ii.  138,  139, 

140.  142.  146. 
Montoya,  a  governor  of  Valdivia,  i.  254. 


544  INDEX. 

Montoya,  Gonzalez,  governor  of  Puno,  i.  29. 

Monuments  of  antiquity  at  Cuzco,  ii.  221. 

Moore,  Dr.,  physician  to  Bolivar,  ii.  333. 

Morales,  Don  Jose,  made  minister  of  state,  ii.  354. 

Morales,  Don  Jose,  superintends  a  Lancastrian  school,  368. 

Moran,  Lieutenant-Colonel,  ii.  199. 

Moreno,  Dr.  Don  Mariano,  i.  60;  made  Secretary  of  the  Junta 

Gubernativa  of  Buenos  Ayres,  61 ;  his  great  talents,  65,  66. 
Moreno,  Ensign,  his  heroism,  i.  182. 
Morgell,  Lieutenant,  afterwards  Captain,  overcomes  mutineers, 

i.  212.  233.  368. 

Morfflo,  General,  i.  46. 50;  ii.  321. 323, 324, 325,  326.  328. 329. 
Morla,  governor  of  Cadiz,  i.  33. 
Moscoso,  a  virtuous  judge,  i.  29. 
Mosquera,  prefect  of  Guyaquil,  ii.  350. 
Moyano,  a  mutineer,  ii.  113.  115. 
Munecas,  a  guerrilla  leader,  i.  79. 
Mutineers  shot  at  Coquimbo,  i.  212. 
Mutiny  at  Callao,  ii.  1 13. 

N. 

Nadal,  Don  Jose  Maria,  ii.  426. 

Navajas,  montonero  officer,  i.  302;  ii.  84.  119. 

Necochea,  Don  Mariano,  Lieutenant-Colonel,  afterwards  General, 
i.  130;  ii.  148;  wounded  at  the  battle  of  Junin,  162;  in- 
dignantly throws  up  his  commission,  342. 

Necochea,  Don  Eugenio,  wounded,  i.  132.  369. 

Negreiros,  father  and  son,  ii.  67. 

Neira,  a  guerrilla  chief,  i.  130. 

Nesen,  Captain,  of  the  Protector  transport,  ii.  45,  46. 

Nestares,  Senores,  i.  363. 

Nichol,  Dr.,  ii.  239. 

Niconyancu,  a  Pehuenche  cacique,  i.  94. 

Ninavilca,  montonero  chief,  ii.  341 . 

Numancia,  Spanish  battalion  of,  passes  over  to  the  patriot 
service,  i.  291. 

O. 

Obes,  Dr.,  i.  63. 
Obrage,  or  bridewell,  i.  9. 


INDKX.  545 

O'Brien,    Captain,  afterwards   Colonel,    1m    disinterestedness, 

i.  133. 373.  375,  376, 377;  ".  237. 
O'Brien,  Captain,  killed,  i.  180. 
Ocampo,  Colonel, 

O' Carrol,  Colonel,  murdered,  i.  228. 
O'Connor,  Colonel,  ii.  195.  202. 

Officers,  of  the  Buenos  Ayrean  artillery,  i.  199,  170, 171- 
O'Higgins,  Captain  General  Don  Ambrosio,  i.  168.  383. 
O'Higgins,  General  Don  Bernardo,  i.  116;  his  magnanimity, 

122 ;  his  desperate  defence  of  Rancagua,  123.  130 ;  elected 

supreme  director  of  Chile,  133;  wounded  at  Cancharayada, 

181  ;  retires  from  public  life,  ii.  369. 
Olaneta,  royalist  general,  ii.  82.85.  101.  125.  136.  157.  170. 

212.  231 ;  mortally  wounded,  241. 
Olasabal,  Colonel,  ii.  424. 

Olavarria,  Lieutenant,  afterwards  Colonel,  i.  186 ;  ii.  202. 
O'Leary,  Colonel,  ii.  333. 
Olinda,  visit  to,  ii.  437- 

Olmedo,  Dr.  Don  J.  J.  the  poet,  i.  419;  ii.  118. 
Olmoz,  Cornet,  i.  418  ;  ii.  175. 
Ordones,  the  Spanish  general,  i.  133, 184.  186. 
O'Reilly,  the  royalist  General,  taken  prisoner,  i.  294 ;  drowns 

himself,  ibid.,  note. 
Ortega,  Colombian  Colonel,  ii.  243. 
Osorio,  royalist  General,  arrives  in  Chile,  i.  121 ;  his  cruelties, 

147;     advances    upon    Santiago,    ibid.;    his  pusillanimity, 

181  ;  defeated  at  Maypo,  186;  sails  for  Callao,  226. 
Osorno,  colony  of,  formed  by  O'Higgins,  viceroy  of  Peru,  255. 
Ostriches,  i.  156. 

Otero,  Don  Miguel,  i.  298;  ii.  118.  230. 
Oxley,  Lieutenant,  killed  at  Chiloe,  ii.  371  • 

P. 

Padilla,  a  guerrilla  leader,  i.  79  ;  killed,  ibid.,  note. 
Palace,  the,  at  Lima,  i.  390. 
Palanganas,  or  chatterers,  i.  406. 
Palaver  with  the  Pehuenche  Indians,  i.  92. 
Pancorvo,  Dr.,  the  learned,  ii.  341 . 

VOL.  II.  N  N 


546  INDEX. 

Pando,  Don  Jose  Maria,  ii.  349.  354. 

Panizo,  Dona  Rosita  de,  ii.  3. 

Pantheon,  or  general  burying  ground,  near  Lima,  i.  388. 

Parable,  verification  of,  ii.  61 . 

Pardo  de  Zela,  Colonel,  ii.  69. 

Paredes,  Don  N.  de,  ii.  91,  note. 

Parejas,  the  royalist  General,  i.  113  ;  dies  at  Chilian,  115. 

Paroissien,  General,  ii.  400. 

Partridges,  i.  155. 

Pascanas,  or  halting  places,  ii.  153. 

Passes  of  the  Chileno  Andes,  i.  104. 

Passo,  Don  J.  J.,  i.  61.  75. 

Patriotic  donation,  i.  286. 

Pay  of  the  officers  and  soldiers  of  the  patriot  armies,  ii.  108 

Payta  taken  by  Captain  Forster,  i.  218. 

Pedemonte,  Dr.  Don  Carlos,  ii.  352. 

Pehuenche  Indians,  i.  99. 

Pena  Seiior,  i.  75. 

Pernambuco,  city  of,  ii.  437. 

Peru,  coast  of,  description  of,  ii.  53. 

Peru,  Upper,  declares  its  independence,  ii.  298 ;  called  Bolivia, 

299. 

Pezet,  Dr.,  ii.  244. 
Pezuela,  viceroy  of  Peru,  i.  77;    defeats  the  patriots  at  Sipe- 

Sipe,  aud  Vituma,  80 ;  succeeds  Abascal,  86 ;  nearly  taken 

prisoner,  214;  deposed,  297. 
Philip  the  Second,  i.  38. 
Phichincha,  battle  of,  i.  417- 
Pinera,  Lieutenant-Colonel,  ii.  25. 
Pinheyro,  Brazilian  minister,  ii.  410,  411,  note. 
Pinto,  Colonel,  afterwards  general,  ii.  5.  62.  72.  99,  100 ;  made 

supreme  director  of  Chile,  ii.  371. 

Pisco  taken  by  the  patriots,  i.  234 ;  description  of  the  river,  305. 
Plaza,  Lieutenant-Colonel,  his  incivility,  i.  169. 
Plaza,  Captain,  afterwards  Lieutenant-Colonel,  i.  322.  356 ;  ii. 

199,  202. 

Pope  Leo  XII ,  his  enciclica,  ii.  396. 
Porter,  Captain,  R.  N.,  ii.  255. 
Portilla  Galves,  an  honest  judge,  i.  29. 


INDEX.  547 

Portillo,  family  of,  i.  345. 

Portocarrero,  Colonel,  i.  327;  «•  119. 

Portraits  of  the  viceroys  of  Peru  at  Lima,  i.  389. 

Posadas,  Senor,  his  extreme  folly,  i.  80. 

Postillions  of  the  Pampas,  i.  163. 

Potosi  description  of,  ii.  272;  mines  of,  273  mint  of,  278 ; 
climate  of,  ibid. ;  coinage  of,  279 ;  bank  of,  ibid. ;  post-office 
of,  280;  market  of,  ibid,  merchants  of,  283;  monks  of, 
289 ;  society  of,  290  ;  arrival  of  Bolivar  at,  306  ;  addresses 
of  the  inhabitants  of,  307;  rejoicings  at,  311. 

Potrillo,  Spanish  brig  of  war,  taken  by  Lord  Cochrane,  i.  240 
interesting  meeting  on  board  of,  241. 

Prescott,  Captain,  R.  N.,  commanding  H.  M.  S.  Aurora,  judi- 
cious and  spirited  conduct  of,  ii.  3.  4,  5,  49.  255. 

Prevost,  Judge,  i.  177  ;  «•  403. 

Price,  Mr.  and  Mrs.,  ii.  112. 

Prieto,  Lieutenant-Colonel^  ii.  204 ;  finds  the  body  of  his  brother 
slain  at  Ayacucho,  ibid. 

Pringuel,  Lieutenant,  afterwards  Captain,  i.  289 ;  ii.  165. 

Prisoners  of  war,  patriots,  released  from  San  Lorenzo,  i.  222 ; 
released  from  Callao,  arrive  at  Supe,  289. 

Protector  transport,  ii.  35.  40,  41.  48. 

Provisioning,  mode  of,  the  patriot  armies,  ii.  109. 

Puertos  Intermedios,  i.  341,  note. 

Pueyrredon,  supreme  director  of  Buenos  Ayres,  i.  81. 

Pumacagua,  a  Peruvian  chief,  i.  85,  86,  note ;  the  daughter  of, 
175. 

Puna,  the,  or  difficulty  of  respiration,  ii.  154. 

Puno,  department  of,  ii.  233 ;  mines  of,  234. 

Q- 

Quechereguas,  affair  of,  i.  180. 

Quimper,  the  royalist  Colonel,  i.  281. 

Quintana,  General  Don  Hilarion,  i.  135.  185. 

Quintanilla,  governor  of  Chiloe,  i.  262 ;  his  able  defence,  263  ; 

capitulates  to  Freyre,  ii.  371- 
Qumtanilla,  the,  a  pirate  vessel,  ii.  129. 
Quiroga,  the  Spanish  general,  i.  267. 

N    N  2 


548  INDEX. 

Quiroga,  Ensign,  ii.  46. 

Quiros,  chief  of  montoneros,  i.  300.  3C2 ;  his  character,  377  J 

shot,  378. 
Quitospi,  Captain,  shockingly  murdered,  i.  228. 

R. 

Rada,  royalist  lieutenant-colonel,  i.  357- 

Ramirez,  General  Don  Juan,  i.  85.  317-  337- 

Ramirez,  the  royalist  colonel  Don  Mateo,   assassinates  Major 

Gumer,  i.  416;  ii.  242.  245. 
Ramsay,  Lieutenant,  i.  201. 
Rantier,  Monsieur,  maltreated  by  Rodil,  ii.  244. 
Rauch,  Colonel,  ii.  407,  note. 
Raulet,  Lieutenant,  afterwards  Lieutenant-Colonel,  i.  282. 296. 

301  ;   wounded,  369 ;  ii.  75.  77-  88 ;  biographical  sketch  of, 

343. 

Ravenga,  Don  Jose  R.,  ii.  376. 
Raya,  bishop  of  Cuzco,  his  extensive  charity,  i .  29. 
Recopilacion  de  las  Leyes  de  las  Indias,  i.  20. 
Redhead,  Dr.,  ii.  382,  383. 
Regency,  council  of,  i.  37.  39. 
Repartimiento,  the,  i.  3.  6;   abolition  of,  19. 
Republican  spirit  of  encroachment,  i.155. 

Revenue  and  expenditure  of  Peru,  ii.  262;  of  Buenos  Ayres,  408. 
Review  of  the  patriot  army  at  Pasco,  ii.  158. 
Reyes,  Major,  i.  283.  286. 
Reyes,  Dr.  ii.  241. 
Ricaforte,  Spanish  general,  defeats  the  Indians  at  Huancayo, 

i.  294.  301 ;  wounded,  302. 
Rico,  a  royalist  editor,  ii.  247. 
Riglos,  Dofia  Mercedes  de,  ii.  406. 
Riglos,  Don  Miguel,  ii.  426. 
Rio-Bamba,  affair  of,  i.  417- 
Riva-Aguero,  Don  Jose  de  la,  made  President  of  Peru,  ii.  61  ; 

his  activity,  62.  63;  his  spiritless  letter  to  Canterao,  73.  103, 

104. 
Rivadavia,     Don  Bernardino,    secretary  of  state    at   Buenos 

Ayres,  404;  goes  to  England,  407;  returns  from  Europe 


INDEX.  549 

with  Treaty  between  Buenos  Ay  res  and  Great  Britain,  413; 

elected  President  of  the  Republic,  ibid.;  resigns,  417;   his 

character,  418. 
Rivero,  Lieutenant,  ii.  21r- 
Rivera,  Don  Fructose,  ii.  412. 

Rivero,  Don  Mariano,  i.  326;  his  death,  ibid.  note. 
Roberton,  Captain,  ii.  128,  129,  130,  131,  132. 
Robertson,  Mr.  John  Parish,  gives  a  splendid  ball,  ii.  2 ;  the 

William  Penn  of  the  Pampas,  426. 
Robertson,  Mr.  William  Parish,  ii.  423. 

Roccafuerte,  Don  Vicente,  Mexican  envoy  in  London,  ii.  357- 
Rockets,  .manufacture  of,  i.  229  ;  fail,  231 . 
Rodil,  royalist  general,  made  governor  ofCallao,  ii.  117-  120. 

212.  243;  capitulates,  247- 
Rodrigues-Aldea,  Don  Jose  Antonio,  ii.  369. 
Rodriguez,  Don  Manuel,  a  very  brave  Chileno  guerrilla  leader, 

i.  128;  his  important  services,  129;  his  noble  conduct  at 

Santiago,  184  ;  assassinated,  ibid. 
Rodriguez,  Don  Martin,  governor  of  Buenos  Ayres,  ii.  403 ; 

retires  from  office,  407- 
Romero,  Colonel,  ii.  30.  121,  note. 
Rondeau,  General,  i.  74.  79,  80. 
Rosales,  Dona  Rosario  de,  her  filial  piety,  i.  125 ;  accident  to, 

187- 

Roskell  and  Co.,  Messrs.,  of  Liverpool,  ii.  297- 
Roxas,  Lieutenant-Colonel,  i.  281.  299. 
Roxas,  a  very  brave  marine,  i.  265,  note. 
Royalist  forces  in  Peru,  distribution  of,  i.  275. 


Saavedra,  Don  Cornelio  de,  i.  61.  73,  74- 

Saens,  Doctor,  Cura  of  Chumpi,  mulcted  by  Canterac,  ii.  99. 

Saens,  Captain,  i.  375. 

Salaverri,  Cadet,  i.  292. 

Salazar  y  Baquijano,  Don  Manuel,  i.  413 ;  Vice-President  of 

Peru,  ii.  355. 

Salazar,  Don  Juan,  ii.  35J. 
Salom,  General,  ii.  247. 


550  INDEX. 

Salta,  battle  of,  i.  77;  ladies  of,  ii.  382;  description  of,  386; 
produce  of,  387 ;  commerce  of,  388. 

Salute,  aerial,  ii.  306. 

Sambruno,  Captain,  his  infamous  conduct,  i.  127;  his  execu- 
tion, 128,  note. 

San  Carlos,  Fort,  i.  92.  99. 

Sanchez,  the  royalist  Colonel,  afterwards  General,  succeeds  to 
the  command  of  Chile,  i.  116.  226;  found  dead  on  the  road, 
379. 

Sanchez,  Carrion,  Dr.  ii.  148. 

San  Donas,  Count,  ii.  119;  shot,  ibid.,  note. 

Sandoval,  Captain,  ii.  164. 

Sands,  General,  ii.  188.  353. 

San  Juangeno,  royalist  colonel,  ii.  40. 

San  Lorenzo,  affair  of,  i.  76. 

San  Lorenzo,  island  of,  taken,  i.  21 6 ;  accident  on,  ibid. 

San  Martin,  Colonel,  afterwards  General,  Don  Jose  de,  wounded 
at  San  Lorenzo,  i.  76-  78,  7& ;  organizes  the  army  of  the 
Andes,  90;  holds  a. palaver  with  the  Pehuenche  Indians,  92; 
crosses  the  Andes,  104;  gains  the  battle  of  Chacabuco,  132; 
declines  the  office  of  supreme  director,  133;  proceeds  to 
Buenos  Ayres,  ibid.,  169;  joins  O'Higgins  at  San  Fernando, 
179,  180,  181 ;  re-organizes  his  forces,  185;  gains  the  battle 
of  Maypo,  186;  goes  to  Buenos  Ayres,  187;  returns  to 
Mendoza,  ibid. ;  projects  the  liberation  of  Peru,  256 ;  his 
interview  with  Benavides,  258 ;  misunderstanding  with  the 
Buenos  Ayres  government,  268 ;  resigns  his  commission  as 
commander-in- chief,  270;  unanimously  re-elected,  271 ;  sails 
in  command  of  an  expedition  to  liberate  Peru,  277  >  arrives 
at  Pisco,  280 ;  concludes  an  armistice,  302  ;  declares  himself 
protector,  369 ;  institutes  the  Order  of  the  Sun,  370 ;  mis- 
understanding with  Lord  Cochrane,  380 ;  meets  the  Liberator 
at  Guayaquil,  418 ;  returns  to  Callao,  419 ;  resigns  the  pro- 
tectorate, 420 ;  his  farewell  address  to  the  Peruvians,  421 ; 
leaves  Peru,  and  retires  from  public  life,  ibid. ;  biographical 
sketch  of,  423. 

San  Martin,  Chileno  frigate,  critical  situation  of  the,  i.  201. 

San  Miguel,  Marquess  of,  passes  over  to  the  patriots,  i.  281 ; 
drowned,  ii.  64.  84. 


INDEX.  551 

Santa  Cruz,  Captain,  afterwards  General,  prisoner  of  war  at  Las 
Bruscas,  i.  148,  note ;  passes  over  to  the  patriots,  294  ;  com- 
mands a  Peruvian  division  at  the  action  of  Pincliincha,  417 ; 
assumes  the  command  of  the  Peruvian  army,  ii.  61  ;  his 
praiseworthy  activity,  62 ;  sails  with  the  Peruvian  army  for 
Puertos  Intermedios,  64  ;  lands  at  Arica,  69 ;  advances  to 
Moquegua,  ibid. ;  crosses  the  Andes,  and  occupies  La  Paz, 
70  ;  his  exertions  are  highly  successful,  71 ;  declines  the  co- 
operation of  Sucre,  78 ;  repulses  Valdez  at  Zepita,  79 ;  forms 
a  junction  with  Gamarra,  82 ;  retreats  in  sight  of  the  enemy, 
ibid. ;  loses  his  artillery,  83 ;  his  army  disperses,  84 ;  he  em- 
barks at  Ilo,  ibid. ;  honourable  trait  in  the  character  of,  85. 
195,  note;  named  by  Bolivar  president  of  the  council  of  go- 
vernment, 340.  354. 

Santalla,  royalist  lieutenant-colonel,  his  cowardly  behaviour, 
i.  265.  351.  355,  356.  359 ;  his  brutality,  360.  361,  362, 363. 

Santander,  General,  vice-president  of  Colombia,  ii.  349,  350. 

Santa  y  Ortega,  an  infamous  bishop  of  La  Paz,  i.  29. 

Santelices,  governor  of  Potosi,  his  virtuous  efforts,  i.  28. 

Santiago,  capital  of  Chile,  description  of,  i.  168;  consternation 
at,  184 ;  society  of,  206. 

Sapata,  Don  Augustin,  i:  345. 

Saroa,  Colonel,  ii.  342. 

Sarratea,  Don  Manuel,  i.  73. 

Sarratea,  Don  Juan  Jose,  ii.  342. 

Sharpe,  Captain,  R.  N.,  i.  176. 
•  Sheppard,  Captain,  Brazilian  navy,  ii.  434. 

Ships,  Spanish,  taken  by  the  patriots,  ii.  257- 

Shirreff,  Captain,  R.  N.,  i.  208 ;  interview  with  Lord  Cochrane 
at  sea,  210. 

Silva,  Colonel,  ii.  163.  198.  202. 

Simpson,  Captain,  of  the  Chileno  navy,  i.  368. 

Sinclair,  Captain  Sir  John,  R.  N.  ii.  428. 

Sipe-Sipe,  battle  of,  i.  80. 

Slaves,  general  treatment  of  by  the  Spaniards,  i.  29  ;  make  good 
soldiers,  272  ;  some  redeemed,  335. 

Slave  trade  in  the  Brazils,  ii.  433. 

Slave  ship,  description  of  a,  ii.  434. 

Slave  bazaar,  ii.  435. 


552  INDEX. 

Smith,  Captain,  aid-de-camp  to  General  Miller,  maltreated  by 
the  Indians,  ii.  191. 

Smoking  at  Lima,  i.  391. 

Scenes,  Spanish  colonel,  ii.  431. 

Soulange,  Commandant,  ii.  80;  drowned,  84. 

Solano,  Marquess  of  Socorro,  governor  of  Cadiz,  i.  423. 

Solar,  Don  Enrique,  i.  345. 

Soler,  General,  i.  130. 

Soler,  Major,  i.  315  ;  takes  120,000  dollars,  316.  326. 

Sorata,  siege  of,  i.  18. 

Sorillo,  the  alcalde  of  lea,  i.  361 . 

Soroche,  or  difficulty  of  respiration,  ii.  154. 

Sowersby,  Captain,  afterwards  Lieutenant-Colonel,  i.  237 ;  ii- 
94;  mortally  wounded  at  Junin,  168;  his  death,  167- 

Soyer,  Mr.,  purser,  i.  238. 

Spaniards,  kind  slave  masters,  i.  29;  their  conduct  toward* 
America,  31. 

Spanish  convoy  captured  by  Chileno  squadron,  i.  203. 

Sparring  on  horseback,  i.  395. 

Spencer,  Honourable  Captain  Sir  Robert,  R.  N.,  ii.  255. 

Spencer,  Honourable  Captain  Frederick,  R.  N.,  ii.  255. 

Spry,  Captain,  i.  203. 

Squadron,  Chileno,  formed,  i.  191;  sails,  192;  captures  the 
Maria  Isabel,  198;  and  Spanish  transports,  204 ;  returns  to 
port,  ibid ;  sails  under  Cochrane,  209 ;  arrives  off  Callao,  213  ; 
attacks  Callao,  214;  sails  to  Huacho,  217;  arrives  at  Valpa- 
raiso, 221  ;  sails,  229 ;  returns  to  Valparaiso,  239 ;  how  pur- 
chased, ii.  256. 

Staines,  Captain  Sir  Thomas,  R.  N.,  i.  125  ;  ii.  255. 

St.  Andrew  made  patron  of  champaign,  i.  207- 

Sufferings  in  the  desert,  ii.  57- 

Standing  armies  unnecessary  in  South  America,  ii.  265. 

Stewart,  Mrs.  Commodore,  ii.  68. 

Stewart,  Commodore,  U.  S.  N.,  ii.  254. 

Stuart,  Sir  Charles,  i.  423  ;  ii.  429. 

Suares,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Don  Isidro,  ii.  77.  92.  163.  165. 
202. 

Suares,  royalist  captain,  i.  336. 


INDEX.  553 

Suares,  Lieutenant  Don  Vicente,  i.  281  ;  takes  General  O'Reilly 
prisoner,  294.324.  326.  350;  killed,  ibid. 

Sucre,  General,  gains  the  battle  of  Pinchincha,  i.  417;  arrives  at 
Lima  as  diplomatic  agent  from  Colombia,  ii.  63  ;  elected  com- 
mander-in-chief  of  the  Peruvian  forces,  65  ;  retires  to  Callao, 
66  ;  invested  with  the  supreme  civil  and  military  command, 
ibid. ;  account  of,  68 ;  sails  with  an  expedition  to  Puertos  In- 
termedios,  72  ;  touches  at  Chala,  75;  proceeds  to  Quilca,  ibid.  ; 
enters  Arequipa,  77  >  advances  towards  Puno,  85  ;  counter- 
marches from  Apo,  ibid ;  has  an  interview  with  Santa  Cruz 
at  Moquegua,  86;  returns  to  Arequipa,  87;  retires  from 
Arequipa,  88 ;  embarks  at  Quilca,  and  sails  for  Callao,  90 ; 
named  chief  of  the  staff  of  the  liberating  army,  148;  his 
activity  in  making  preparations  for  crossing  the  Andes,  ibid. ; 
is  left  in  command  of  the  army  by  Bolivar,  170;  holds  a 
council  of  war  at  Challuanca,  171;  his  operations,  183;  re- 
treats, 184;  his  rear  attacked  at  Corpaguayco,  187;  offers 
battle  at  Cangallo,  190  ;  decamps  at  midnight,  ibid  ;  draws 
up  his  army  in  position  at  Ayacucho,  194;  harangues  his 
troops,  197;  gains  the  battle  of  Ayacucho,  198,  199,200;  his 
conduct  during  the  action,  202 ;  enters  Cuzco,  214 ;  enters 
Puno,  231 ;  terminates  the  war  in  Peru,  248 ;  invested  with 
powers  of  supreme  chief  of  Upper  Peru,  282.  298,  299, 300 ; 
elected  perpetual  president  of  Bolivia,  339 ;  is  obliged  to 
abdicate,  364 ;  embarks  for  Colombia,  ibid ;  his  letter  to  the 
government  of  Peru,  ibid. 

Sun,  Order  of  the,  instituted,  i.  370. 

Surumpi;  a  species  of  ophthalmia,  ii.  250. 

T. 

Talavera,  regiment  of,  its  atrocious  conduct,  i.  126,  127- 

Talca,  treaty  of,  i.  1 19 ;  broken  by  the  Spaniards,  121. 

Talcahuano,  i.  134. 

Talmayancu,  Adjutant,  a  comical  Araucanian,  i.  171- 

Tapadas,  or  muffled-up  ladies,  of  Lima,  i.  401. 

Tarramona,  Major,  killed,  ii.  23. 

Tejada,  Seaor,  Colombian  minister  to  Rome   ii.  397- 

Temple  of  the  Sun,  ii.  223. 


551.  INDEX. 

Temple,  Sir  Edmund,  ii.  400. 

Tertulias,  or  routs  of  Lima,  i.  400. 

Theatre  of  Lima,  i.  390. 

Thompson,  Dona  Mariquita,  of  Buenos  Ayres,  ii.  406. 

Thompson,  Mr ,  ii.  368. 

Thunder-storms  in  the  Andes,  ii.  249. 

Tigers  of  Monte  de  Tordillo,  i.  149. 

Tipuani,  gold  washings  of,  ii.  295. 

Tordillo,  the  forest  of,  i.  149. 

Torre  Tagle,  Marquis  of,  i.  409.  419;  ii.  72.  119. 

Torres,  Dr.,  ii.  176, 

Torrijos,    General,  biographical  account  of,  i.  ii. ;  translation 

of  his  preface  to  the  Spanish  edition,  iii. 
Traditions,  ii. ;  of  the  origin  of  the  children  of  the  Sun,  216. 
Transports,  Spanish,  captured,  i.  204. 
Tribute,  i.  10. 

Trim,  Corporal,  a  faithful  Chileno,  ii.  122. 
Tristan,  General  Don  Pio,  i.  75.  77;  ii.  230. 
Tristan,  Colonel,  afterwards   General,   Don  Domingo,  i.  333. 

415. 

Troops,  South  American,  description  of,  i.  176. 
Tucuman,  battle  of,  i.  75. 

Tupac  Amaru,  i.  16 ;  his  barbarous  execution,  18. 
Tupper,  Major,  ii.  371- 
Tur,  Colonel,  ii.  193.  342. 
Tur,  royalist  general,  ii.  193. 

U. 

Ulloa,  Dona  N.  de,  ii.  246. 
Ulloas,  the  travellers,  i.  6. 
Unanue,  Doctor  Don  Hipolito,  i.  369 ;  an  elegant  scholar,  but 

a  pliant  politician,  ii.  ibid.  note. 
Uniforms  of  the  patriot  armies,  ii.  107. 
Urdiminea,  Colonel,  afterwards  General,  ii.  71 ;  succeeds  General 

Miller  as  prefect  of  Potosi,  311.  313. 
Uriburu,  Senor  de,  ii.  382. 
Urquisa,  Captain,  wounded  at  Pisco,  i.  238. 
Uspallata,  pass  of,  i.  166. 


INDEX.  555 

V. 

Vadeadores,  or  river  guides,  i.  306. 

Valdez,  Don  Geronimo  the  royalist  colonel,  afterwards  general, 
marches    to    Chancay,    i.    286.    296.    374;     commands     a 
division  in  Puertos  Intermedios,  and  is  opposed  to  Alvarado, 
ii.  13,    14,   15;    advances  upon   Tacna,  17;    retires,    18; 
is  attacked  by  Alvarado  on  the  heights  of  Torata,  20 ;  be- 
haves nobly  there  and  at  Moquegua,  ibid. ;  is  detached  from 
Lima,  71.  77>  78,  79  ;  is  repulsed  by  Santa  Cruz  at  Zepita, 
80 ;  joins  the  viceroy  at  Pomata,  ibid. ;  named  chief  of  the 
staff,  81 ;  sent  in  pursuit  of  Santa  Cruz,  83 ;  appointed  to 
command  the  army  of  the  south,  100 ;  observes  the  move- 
ments of  Olaneta,  101.  136;  has  an  indecisive  action  with 
Olaneta  at  Lava,  170;  falls  back  upon  Cuzco,  and  joins  the 
viceroy,  172;  sends  General   Miller  a  box  of  cigars,  174; 
struck  from  his  horse  by  lightning,  176 ;  detaches  a  com- 
pany to  Chuquibamba,   181  ;  attacks  and  drives  back  the 
Peruvian  division  at  Ayacucho,  but  is  charged  by  the  patriot 
cavalry,   and  defeated,  199  ;  surrenders  by  capitulation,  201  ; 
his  meeting  with  General  Miller,  209 ;  biographical  account 
of,  ibid. 

Valdivia,  description  of,  i.  245 ;  taken  by  assault,  252 ;  im- 
portant consequences  of  this  capture,  256. 

Valdivia,  Captain,  ii.  47,  48 ;  ii.  51,  note. 

Valleys,  undiscoverable,  ii,  59. 

Valenzuela,  Pedro,  ii.  427- 

Valparaiso  blockaded,  i.  188 ;  blockade  raised,  190;  diversions 
at,  208. 

Vandermarline,  Mynheer,  his  collection  of  pictures,  ii.  385. 

Vaquianos,  or  guides,  ii.  55. 

Velasco,  Lieutenant-Colonel,  i.  297- 

Venegas,  viceroy  of  Mexico,  i  35. 

Ventos  Gonzales,  Brazilian  colonel,  ii.  412. 

Vestris,  Madame,  ii.  382. 

Vidal,  Ensign,  afterwards  Colonel,  first  distinguishes  himself  at 
Guarmey,  i.  219 ;  defeats  the  Spaniards  at  Santa,  i.  238 ; 
his  gallantry  at  Valdivia,  250  ;  at  Chiloe,  264 ;  forms  a  mon- 
tonero  party,  288.  299,  300.  302.  373  j  ii.  342. 


556  INDEX. 

Vidal,  royalist  Lieutenant-Colonel,  taken  prisoner,  ii.  33. 

Vidaurre,  Dr.,  ii.  354. 

Videla,    Captain,    afterwards   Colonel,    i.  300.  324;   ii.  2;  his 

judicious  conduct,  61.  93. 
Viel,  Lieutenant-Colonel,  i.  227. 
Vilcapugio,  battle  of,  i.  77- 
Villalobos,  royalist  general,  ii  81.  197- 
Villaroel,  archbishop  of  Charcas,  a  wise  and  virtuous  prelate, 

i.  29. 

Villota,  a  shining  example  of  integrity,  i.  29. 
Viluma,  battle  of,  i.  80. 
Viscacha,  a  small  animal  of  the  Pampas,  danger  arising  from 

their  burrows,  i.  157. 
Vista  Florida,  Count  of,  i.  422. 
Vow,  of  a  lady,  ii.  238.      , 

W. 

Walker,  Lieutenant,  i.  190. 

Ward,  Mr.,  British  envoy  at  Mexico,  ii.  375. 

Warnes,  Captain,  i.  199. 

Warnes,  a  guerrilla  leader,  i.  78  ;  killed,  79,  note. 

Wellesley,  Sir  Arthur,  i.  37. 

Wellesley,  Marquess,  i.  37-  40. 

Wellington,  Duke  of,  ii.  358. 

Welsh,    Mr.',   surgeon  to  Lord  Cochrane,  killed   at  Mirabe, 

i.  325. 

Whirlwinds,  pillars  of  dust  raised  by,  ii.  55. 
Whitelock,  General,  i.  58. 
Whittle,  Captain,  ii.  188,  note. 
Wilde,  Don  Santiago,  secretary  to  the  bank  of  Buenos  Ayres,  ii. 

405. 

Wilkinson,  Captain,  i.  201.  309. 
Williams,  Mr.  Thomas,  secretary  to  the  Colombian  embassy, 

introduction,  xxxv. 

Wilson,  Colonel  Belford,  biographical  account  of,  ii.  334. 
Wilson,  Sir  Robert,  M.P.,  ii  334.  337. 
Winter,  Captain,  of  the  Chileno  Navy,  ii.  100. 
Wyman,  Lieutenant,  his  deplorable  situation,  ii.  213. 


INDEX.  557 

Y. 

Ybanes,  a  faithful  Afi-ican,  ii.  427,  note. 

Yerbas  Buenas,  affair  of,  i.  115. 

Yedros,  General  of  the  Paraguayanos,  i.  69. 

Young,  Captain,  of  theChileno  navy,  ii.  121.  124.  12G. 

Z. 

Zea,   Don  Francisco  Antonio,  minister  plenipotentiary  ot  Co- 
lombia, ii;  376- 
Zepita,  affair  of,  ii.  80. 
Zorrino,  the  terror  of  the  plains,  i.  157- 
Zuviria,  Don  Facundo,  ii.  382. 389. 


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