ily sent another promise to the
captors, of 50,000 dollars, to be paid on gaining possession of Lima.
Neither the one promise nor the other were ever fulfilled, nor did they
ever obtain any prize-money.

To the Administration in Chili General San Martin wrote as follows:--

"Head Quarters, Supe, Dec. 1, 1820.
Senor Minister,"

"I have the honour of forwarding to you the despatches
of the Right Hon. Lord Cochrane, Vice-Admiral of the squadron,
relative to the heroic capture of the frigate _Esmeralda_, by boarding
her under the batteries of Callao."

"It is impossible for me to eulogise in proper language the daring
enterprise of the 5th of November, by which Lord Cochrane
has decided the superiority of our naval forces--augmented the
splendour and power of Chili--and secured the success of this
campaign."

"I doubt not that His Excellency the Supreme Director will
render the justice due to the worthy chief, his officers, and other
individuals who have had a share in that successful action."

"I beg you will honour me by congratulating His Excellency on
this important success, and principally on account of the influence
it will have on the great object which occupies his attention."

"JOSE DE SAN MARTIN."

"To Don Jose Ignacio Zenteno,
Minister of Marine."

Soon after my departure for Peru, Lady Cochrane undertook a journey
across the _Cordillera_, to Mendoza, the passes being, at that season,
often blocked up with snow. Having been entrusted with some despatches
of importance, she pushed on rapidly, and on the 12th of October arrived
at the celebrated _Ponte del Inca_, 15,000 feet above the level of the
sea. Here the snow had increased to such an extent as to render farther
progress impossible, and her ladyship was obliged to remain at a
_Casucha_, or strong house, built above the snow for the safety of
travellers; the intense cold arising from the rarity of the atmosphere,
and the absence of all comfort--there being no better couch than a dried
bullock's hide--producing a degree of suffering which few ladies would
be willing to encounter.

Whilst proceeding on her mule up a precipitous path in the vicinity, a
Royalist, who had intruded himself on the party, rode up in an opposite
direction and disputed the path with her, at a place where the slightest
false step would have precipitated her into the abyss below. One of her
attendants, a tried