attack by the Spanish forces, but possibly to secure it for the further
purposes of the Protector. The squadron having thus ocular demonstration
that its arrears could be paid, but were not, both officers and men
refused longer to continue in a service which had brought them nothing
but prolonged suffering.

My own views coincided with theirs, and I determined that the squadron
should be no longer starved nor defrauded. I therefore sailed to Ancon,
and personally seized the treasure, before witnesses; respecting all
that professed to belong to private individuals, and also the whole of
that contained in the Protector's schooner, _Sacramento_, considering it
his private property, though it could not have been other than plunder
wrested from the Limeños. Independently of this yacht-load of silver,
there were also on board, seven _surrones_ (sacks) of uncoined gold,
brought down on his account by the Legate Parroisien; so that, after all
the moveable wealth of Lima was supposed to have been previously
deposited for safety in the castles of Callao, but carried off by
Cantarac, the condition of the unhappy Limeños may be imagined, from the
additional sums of which they were subsequently deprived.

I immediately made proclamation, that all private individuals, having
the customary documents, might receive their property upon application,
and considerable sums were thus given up to Dr. Unanue, Don Juan Aguero,
Don Manuel Silva, Don Manuel Primo, Don Francisco Kamirez, and several
others, though connected with the Government. Besides which, I gave up
40,000 dollars to the commissary of the army, who claimed it; so that,
having returned all the money for which dockets were produced, there
remained 285,000 dollars, which was subsequently applied to the payment
of one year's arrears to every individual of the squadron; but relying
on the justice of the Chilian Government, I took no part myself,