Notwithstanding this succession of favourable events, General San Martin
still declined to march on Lima, remaining inactive at Haura, though the
unhealthy situation of the place was such, that nearly one-third of his
troops died of intermittent fever, during the many months they remained
there. In place of securing the capital, where the army would have now
been welcomed, he proposed to send half the army to Guayaquil, in order
to annex that province, this being the first manifestation on the part
of General San Martin to found a dominion of his own--for to nothing
less did he afterwards aspire, though the declared object of the
expedition was to enable the South Pacific provinces to emancipate
themselves from Spain, leaving them free to choose their own
governments, as had been repeatedly and solemnly declared, both by the
Chilian Government and himself.

Finding that I would not consent to avert the naval force from the
purposes to which it was destined, the project was abandoned; but the
troops which had advanced to Chancay were ordered to fall back on Haura,
this step being actually a further retreat as regarded the position of
the Spanish forces, which thus managed to check further desertion by
apprehending and shooting all who attempted it.

Still General San Martin was determined, if possible, to accomplish his
views on Guayaquil. Two deputies, Tomas Guido and Colonel Luzuriago,
were despatched with complimentary messages to Torre Tagle and others,
warning them against the designs of Bolivar, whose success in the north
led San Martin to fear that he might have designs on Peru. The deputies
were strictly enjoined to represent that if such were Bolivar's
intention, Guayaquil would only be regarded as a conquered province;
whilst, if the people of that place would adhere to him, he would, on