your true friend, COCHRANE."

This proclamation was accompanied by another from the Chilian
government, declaratory of the sincerity of its intentions, so that
these combined caused us to be everywhere received as liberators.

On the 8th, we returned to Supe, and having learned that a Spanish force
was in the vicinity, a detachment of marines and seamen was, after dark,
pushed through a heavy surf, and landed, in the hope of taking them by
surprise. But the enemy was on the alert, and on the following morning
our little party fell into an ambuscade, which would have proved
serious, had not Major Miller, who commanded the marines, promptly
formed his men, who, attacking in turn, soon put the enemy to flight at
the point of the bayonet, capturing their colours, and the greater
portion of their arms. On the 13th, a detachment of Spanish troops
arrived from Lima under Major Camba, who, notwithstanding his
superiority of numbers, did not venture to attack our small party, which
withdrew to the ships with a number of cattle taken from the Spaniards;
Camba writing to the Viceroy so effective a description of his having
"driven the enemy into the sea," that he was immediately promoted.

Not to enter into further details of our visits to other parts of the
coast, where similar captures of provisions and military stores, &c.
were effected--it being my practice to compel the Spaniards to supply
all the wants of the squadron, nothing being ever taken from the natives
without payment,--I resolved--as our means were clearly incommensurate
with our main object--to return to Valparaiso, for the purpose of
organizing a more effective force, and on the 16th of June reached that
port, where we found Admiral Blanco with the _San Martin_ and
_Chacabuco_, he having been obliged to raise the blockade of Callao for