tion of a loan of one
million sterling in England, which was accomplished solely on account of
what had been achieved, every attempt at this having failed so long as
the Spaniards were in possession of the most important harbour and
fortress in the country, from which, as a basis, they might organize
future attempts to recover the revolted provinces.

Notwithstanding these advantages, not a penny in the shape of reward,
either for this or any previous service, was paid to myself, the
officers, or seamen, nevertheless the Government appropriated the money
arising from the sale of the _Dolores_, and the stores with which she
was loaded; neither was there any account taken of the value of the guns
and the enormous amount of ammunition left in the forts at Valdivia.
The men who performed this achievement were literally in rags, and
destitute of everything, no attempt being made by the department of
Marine to lessen their sufferings--for to this extent was their
condition reduced.

In place of reward, every encouragement was offered to the officers to
disobey my orders. Two of these I had marked for punishment, for
deliberate murder. Ensign Vidal having captured two Spanish officers in
Fort Ingles, they surrendered their swords, receiving the gallant
youth's pledge of safety; but Captain Erescano coming up, immediately
butchered them. Another case was even worse: Ensign Latapia, who had
been left in command of the castle of Corral, after my departure to
Chiloe, ordered two of his prisoners to be shot; and four officers would
have met the same fate, had not my secretary, Mr. Bennet, taken them on
board the _O'Higgins_. For this I placed Latapia under arrest, making
the necessary declarations for a court-martial, and conveyed him as a
prisoner to Valparaiso, where, in place of being punished, both he and
Erescano were promoted, and taken into the liberating army of General
San Martin.

I have spoken of the aid afforded to the Spaniards by the Indians. On
the 10th of March General Freire, afterwards Supreme Director, wrote me
a letter congratulatory of my success against Valdivia, which he
concluded by informing me that its capture had already caused the
Indians of Angol, and their Cacique, Benavente, to declare in favour of
Chili, and that he did not doubt but that this would shortly be followed
by a similar declaration on the part of the Indians throughout the
province; General Freire not being aware that I had already pro