to me a letter acknowledging the important services which had
been conferred on the States of South America, and assuring me that
"Guayaquil would always be the first to honour my name, and the last to
forget my unparalleled achievements," &c, &c. Yet no sooner had I sailed
from the port, than the _Venganza_ was given up to the agent of Peru,
but the 40,000 dollars have never been paid.

At Guayaquil, I met General La Mar, the late governor of the fortress of
Callao; and a report having been circulated by the Peruvian Government
that during the recent blockade I had made an offer to supply the
fortress with provisions, in order to prevent its falling into the hands
of the Protector, I requested the General to favour me with a statement
whether I did or did not promise to succour his garrison, to which
request the General obligingly returned the following answer:--

Guayaquil, March 13th, 1823.
Most Excellent Sir,

In consequence of the official note which I yesterday
received from your Excellency through the hands of the Government,
it is my duty to assert that I have neither said, nor written,
nor ever heard that you proposed to supply with provisions the place
of Callao during the whole of the time that it was under my charge.
God preserve your Excellency many years.

(Signed) JOSE DE LA MAR.

On the 27th we left the Guayaquil river, and on the 29th fell in with
Captain Simpson, of the _Araucano_, whose crew had mutinied and carried
off the ship. On the 12th of April we reached Guambucho, whither we had
gone for the purpose of taking in water. To our surprise the Alcalde
shewed a written order from San Martin, telling him that if any vessel
of war belonging to Chili touched there he was to forbid their landing,
and to deny assistance of every kind, not even permitting them to obtain
wood and water.

To this order no attention was paid by us, and we took on board whatever
was required, remaining further to repair the _Valdivia_. On the 16th we
sailed, and on the 25th anchored at Callao, where we found the _Prueba_
under Peruvian colours, and commanded by the senior Chilian captain, who
had abandoned the squadron! On our arrival she was immediately hauled in
close under the batteries, with guns housed, and ports closed, whilst
she was so crammed with troops that three died on the following night
from suffocation; these steps being taken to prevent her sharing the
fate of the _Esmera