to Valparaiso with the two prizes, first transferring to her armament
the beautiful brass guns taken in the _Vigonia_; leaving the _Galvarino_
and _Puyrredon_ to watch the movements of the Spanish frigate.

As the reader may suppose, I was greatly annoyed at having been foiled
at Callao, from causes altogether beyond my control, for the bad
rockets, and worse faith of the Minister of Marine in not supplying me
with the promised troops, were no faults of mine. My instructions, as
has been said, were carefully drawn up to prevent my doing anything
rash--as the first trip to Callao had been represented by certain
officers under my command, who had no great relish for fighting. At the
same time the Chilian people expected impossibilities; and I had, for
some time, been revolving in my mind a plan to achieve one which should
gratify them, and allay my own wounded feelings. I had now only one
ship, so that there were no other inclinations to consult; and felt
quite sure of Major Miller's concurrence where there was any fighting to
be done, though a ball in the arm, another through the chest, passing
out at his back, and a left hand shattered for life, were not very
promising fighting incentives as far as physical force was concerned,
yet the moral courage of my gallant guest was untouched, and his
capacity to carry out my plans was greater than before, as being more
matured by sharp experience.

My design was, with the flag-ship alone, to capture by a _coup de main_
the numerous forts and garrison of Valdivia, a fortress previously
deemed impregnable, and thus to counteract the disappointment which
would ensue in Chili from our want of success before Callao. The
enterprise was a desperate one; nevertheless, I was not about to do
anything desperate, having resolved that, unless fully satisfied as to
its practicability, I would not attempt it. Rashness, though often