our plan being well-nigh frustrated by the vigilance of a
guard-boat upon which my launch had unluckily stumbled. The challenge
was given, upon which, in an undertone, I threatened the occupants of
the boat with instant death if they made the least alarm. No reply
was made to the threat, and in a few minutes our gallant fellows
were alongside the frigate in line, boarding at several points
simultaneously. The Spaniards were completely taken by surprise,
the whole, with the exception of the sentries, being asleep at their
quarters; and great was the havoc made amongst them by the Chilian
cutlasses whilst they were recovering themselves. Retreating to the
forecastle, they there made a gallant stand, and it was not until the
third charge that the position was carried. The fight was for a short
time renewed on the quarterdeck, where the Spanish marines fell to
a man, the rest of the enemy leaping overboard and into the hold to
escape slaughter.

"On boarding the ship by the main-chains, I was knocked back by the
sentry's musket, and falling on the tholl-pin of the boat, it entered
my back near the spine, inflicting a severe injury, which caused me
many years of subsequent suffering. Immediately regaining my footing,
I reascended the side, and, when on deck, was shot through the thigh.
But, binding a handkerchief tightly round the wound, I managed, though
with great difficulty, to direct the contest to its close.

"The whole affair, from beginning to end, occupied only a quarter of
an hour, our loss being eleven killed and thirty wounded, whilst that
of the Spaniards was a hundred and sixty, many of whom fell under
the cutlasses of the Chilians before they could stand to their arms.
Greater bravery I never saw displayed than by our gallant fellows.
Before boarding, the duties of all had been appointed, and a party
was told off to take possession of the tops. We had not been on deck
a minute, when I hailed the foretop, and was instantly answered by our
own men, an equally prompt answer being returned from the frigate's
main-top. No British man-of-war's crew could have excelled this minute
attention to orders.

"The uproar speedily alarmed the garrison, who, hastening to their
guns, opened fire on their own frigate, thus paying us the compliment
of having taken it; though, even in this case, their own men must
still have been on board, so that firing on them was a wanton
proceeding. Several Spaniards were killed or wounded