Having transferred forty men from the other ships to assist at the
pumps, we quitted Fonseca bay on the 28th, and on the 6th of January,
1822, arrived at Tehuantepec, a volcano lighting us every night. This
was one of the most imposing sights I ever beheld; large streams of
molten lava pouring down the sides of the mountain, whilst at
intervals, huge masses of solid burning matter were hurled into the air,
and rebounding from their fall, ricocheted down the declivity till they
found a resting place at its base.

On the 29th we anchored at Acapulco, where we met the _Araucano_ and
_Mercedes_, the latter having been sent on to gain intelligence of the
Spanish frigates. We were civilly received by the Governor, though not
without misgivings, on his part, that we might attempt to seize some
Spanish merchantmen at anchor in the harbour; so that we found the fort
manned by a strong garrison, and other preparations made to receive us
in case of hostile demonstration.

We were not a little surprised at this, as nothing could be more
friendly than our intentions towards the newly emancipated Republic. The
mystery was, however, soon cleared up. When at Guayaquil, we met with
two officers, General Wavell and Colonel O'Reilly, to whom the Chilian
Government had given passports to quit the country, not estimating the
value of their services as tantamount to their pay. As no secret was
made of the object of the Chilian squadron, they had, owing to our delay
on the coast, carried their own version of our mission to Mexico, and
had reported to the Mexican Government, both personally and by letter,
that Lord Cochrane had possessed himself of the Chilian Navy,--plundered
the vessels belonging to Peru,--was now on a piratical cruise,--and was
coming to ravage the coast of Mexico; hence the preparations which had
been made.

The two worthies whom I have mentioned had represented to the
authorities at Guayaquil that they were ambassadors from Chili to
Mexico, deputed to congratulate the Mexican Government on their
achievement of independence. Knowing this to be false, I requested them
to shew their credentials, which of course they could not do. Their
passports were then demanded, and evinced by their dates that the
pretended ambassadors had quitted Chili prior to the intelligence of the
establishment of independence in Mexico. This disclosure having become
known to the lady of the Captain-General of Guatemala, who happened to
be at