flicted far more damage upon the men who fired
them than upon those against whom they were aimed. On the 5th a fire-ship
was despatched with the intention of destroying the booms that protected
the harbour; but a sudden calm came on, and the ship was riddled with shot
from the Spanish guns and was fast sinking when she was exploded, but was
too far distant from the booms to injure either them or the shipping.
Finding himself thus unable to get at the enemy, Lord Cochrane was obliged
to abandon for a time his project of taking Callao.

The fresh supply of provisions promised from Chili had not arrived, and
sickness broke out on board the fleet. The admiral continued to watch the
port for some weeks, despatching an expedition which captured the town of
Pisco, and obtaining the much-needed provisions. On the 21st of November
the sick were sent off to Valparaiso in charge of the _San Martin_, the
_Independencia_, and the _Araucano_, while with the remainder of the fleet
Lord Cochrane sailed to the mouth of the river Guayaquil, where he
captured two large Spanish vessels, mounting together thirty-six guns and
laden with timber. After a delay of a fortnight, occasioned by a mutiny
attempted by Captains Guise and Spry, he sent one of his ships with the
prizes to Valparaiso, left two others to watch the Peruvian coast, and
started alone in his flag-ship with the intention of undertaking the
capture of Valdivia; for at that time the southern portion of what is now
Chili remained in the hands of the Spaniards.

Valdivia was a very strongly fortified place, and was regarded as
impregnable by the Spaniards; and it was from this port that they directed
their attacks upon Chili from the south, just as they did on the north
from Callao. To reach it he therefore had to sail south from the Guayaquil
along the coast of Peru and then past that of Chili. On approaching the
fortress he hoisted Spanish colours and made a signal for a pilot. The
Spaniards, having no idea that there was a Chilian war-ship on that coast,
at once sent one off, together with an officer and four men. These were
promptly made prisoners. The pilot was ordered to take the ship through
the channels leading to the port, and much information was obtained from
the other prisoners as to the fortifications of the place. As they sailed
up the channel, the idea that the stranger was an enemy occurred to the
commander of the fortress, and the non-return of the boat with the of