with no perceptible effect--the Spaniards having unrigged their ships;
the brig sustained considerable damage from the firing of the forts and
shipping.

After dark, an attack by rockets and shells was arranged, the
_Galvarino_ taking in tow a mortar raft, under the command of Major
Miller, and placing it, under a heavy fire, within half a mile of the
enemy's batteries. The _Puyrredon_ followed with another raft, carrying
the shells and magazine; the _Araucano_ took charge of a rocket-raft,
under Captain Hind, whilst the _Independencia_ towed in a second
rocket-raft, under Lieut-Colonel Charles, the rest of the squadron
remaining at anchor.

Great expectations were formed, as well by myself as the whole squadron,
as to the effect to be produced by these destructive missiles, but they
were doomed to disappointment, the rockets turning out utterly useless.
Some, in consequence of the badness of the solder used, bursting from
the expansive force of the charge before they left the raft, and setting
fire to others--Captain Hind's raft being blown up from this cause, thus
rendering it useless, besides severely burning him and thirteen men:
others took a wrong direction in consequence of the sticks not having
been formed of proper wood, whilst the greater portion would not ignite
at all from a cause which was only discovered when too late. It has been
stated in the last chapter that the filling of the tubes was, from
motives of parsimony, entrusted to Spanish prisoners, who, as was found
on examination, had embraced every opportunity of inserting handfulls of
sand, sawdust, and even manure, at intervals in the tubes, thus impeding
the progress of combustion, whilst in the majority of instances they had
so thoroughly mixed the neutralizing matter with the ingredients
supplied, that the charge would not ignite at all, the result being