Guayaquil, she forwarded the account to her husband, and he
reported it to the Mexican authorities, who were thus informed of the
true character of their visitors; who, in revenge, trumped up the story
of our piratical intentions, to which the Governor of Acapulco attached
sufficient importance to strengthen his forts as narrated.

The reserve, however, immediately wore off, and the most cordial
relations were entered into; the President of Mexico, Iturbide, writing
me a very polite letter, regretting that he could not visit me
personally, but inviting me to repair to his court, assuring me of the
most honourable reception. This, of course, I could not accept.

On the 2nd of February, a vessel arrived at Acapulco, and reported the
Spanish frigates to the southward, whither, notwithstanding the
unseaworthy state of the ships, I determined to proceed in search of
them.

During our stay an officer of marines, named Erescano--who by cruelty to
his prisoners had made himself notorious at Valdivia--endeavoured to
revenge my disapprobation of his conduct by representing to the men,
that, notwithstanding the expenses we had been put to, there was still
money on board the flag-ship, and that it ought to be divided amongst
them. Failing in this, he had laid a plot to get possession of the
chest, even at the cost of my assassination. All this was duly reported
to me by the commander of the _Valdivia_, Captain Cobbett.

As I did not wish to produce a ferment by punishing this diabolical plot
as it deserved, I contented myself with thwarting its execution, till we
were under weigh, when I ordered Captain Cobbett to send Erescano on
shore with a despatch to the Governor, detailing the whole plot; the
result being, that the traitor was left on shore, the squadron sailing
without him. What afterwards became of him I never heard.

After despatching the _Independencia_ and _Araucano_ to California for
the purpose of purchasing provisions, with instructions to follow us to
Guayaquil, we stood down the coast, and when off Tehuantepec,
encountered a gale of wind, which, owing to the bad state of the
frigate, threatened her destruction. To add to our distress, a sea
struck the _Valdivia_--to which vessel we contemplated escaping--and
forced in the timbers on her port side, so that she was only saved from
sinking by passing a sail over the leak, till the damage could be
repaired.

On the 5th of March we made the coast of Esmeraldas, and