commanding the party however withdrew from pursuit at hearing salutes
fired on the arrival of Admiral Blanco with the _Galvarino_ and
_Puyrredon_, mistaking this for an engagement with a newly-arrived
enemy. The whole of the Government property found in the Spanish
custom-house was captured.

The people of Huacho having volunteered information that a quantity of
specie belonging to the Philippine Company had been placed for safety on
board a vessel in the river Barrança, she was forthwith overhauled, and
the treasure transferred to the flag-ship.

Leaving Admiral Blanco at Huacho with the _San Martin_ and _Puyrredon_,
on the 4th of April we sailed for Supe, with the _O'Higgins_ and
_Galvarino_, having previously ascertained that a sum of money destined
for the payment of Spanish troops was on its way from Lima to Guambucho;
on the following day a party of marines being landed at Patavilca,
captured the treasure, amounting to 70,000 dollars, together with a
quantity of military stores. On the 7th, having received further
information that the Philippine Company had placed other treasure on
board the French brig, _Gazelle_, at Guambucho, we sailed for that
place, and, on the 10th, the seamen of the _O'Higgins_ examined her, and
brought off an additional sum of 60,000 dollars.

The secret of our obtaining possession of these and other convoys of
Spanish money along the coast, was, that I paid the inhabitants highly
for information relative to their transmission, and was thus enabled to
seize the treasure even in the interior of the country. As the Chilian
Ministry subsequently refused to allow me "secret service money," these,
disbursements were actually made at my own expense.