in the present year (1820), just on the eve of its execution; and most of the officers of one regiment, together with one citizen of the United States, whom I knew, were sent into perpetual banishment. In future years, when Chili shall have assumed among the na tions of the earth the station which her resources almost ensure her, and when the characters of those who were most instrumental in achieving her independence, shall be contemplated through the grateful recollections of posterity, these men may not only afford interesting pictures to the historian, but affecting incidents to the tragedian. An only sister, Xaviera, most devotedly attached to them, and whờ had been the faithful partaker of their councils, determined to share their fate, and accompanied them across the Andes. The elder brother embarked for the United States, in search of foreign aid.

The two other brothers, after the battle of Chacabuco, resolved to return to their country. On their way, they were arrested at Mendoza, accused, and convicted of a conspiracy against the constituted authorities of Chili. They were publicly shot in the square of the city, on the 8th of April, 1818. The lands and property of the family were confiscated, and their aged father was exiled to the uninhabited island of Juan Fernandez. He was afterwards permitted to return, but only in time to die. The sister remains in Buenos Ayres, poor and deserted; after having been from early youth the model of taste and fashion. Jose Miguel returned from the United States with considerable resources, but after the fall of his party, apparently never to rise again.' pp. 20-22.

As the vessel in which our Author sailed, was entering the port of Concepcion, it was boarded by a frigate's launch, with two officers and thirty or forty men, who took possession of it, placed guards over the crew and passengers, and at length safely anchored her in the Bay of Talcahuano, between a frigate and a corvette, September 1817.

The bay,' says our Traveller, is spacious, safe, and extremely beautiful; it is in the form of a horse-shoe, and almost encircled by hills of various heights, which exhibit much picturesque scenery. There are two entrances into the bay, one on each side of the island of Querequina, though the eastern side is the only one by which vessels of magnitude can safely enter the port. The island is a miniature of Santa Maria, appears to be a formation of the same soil, and to possess the same varieties. It is famous for the muscles upon its shore, which the people use here, as we do oysters; indeed, the common people almost live upon them; they are extremely rich and fine-flavoured.' pp. 31, 2.

Being now detained as prisoners, it was some time before they could gather correct accounts of the political state of affairs in the province, to which their evil stars had conducted them. At last they learned, that the Bay of Talcahuano was all of the kingdom of Chili that now remained to the Royal

ists: that the city of Concepcion, only nine miles distant, was the head-quarters of the Patriots, who were now menacing an attack upon the port. It was not till the 6th of December, that the attack commenced.

، When we were all asleep, the alarms sounded. We were all on deck in an instant, and the scene that presented itself, was the most brilliant and magnificent that I ever beheld. All the batteries facing Concepcion were in a constant blaze, and the discharges of musquetry in every direction were more quick and sudden than our eyes could keep account of. We were moored near the shore, and our position gave us a fine view of the whole action. A constant and vivid fire was kept up for an hour, and at break of day, we could clearly perceive that the Patriots had entered the lines, and that the fight was man to man, and at sword's length. The officers of the ships of war had now given up the place for lost, and ordered sailors on board of us, to assist in getting under weigh, and prepare to sail immediately. While we were thus employed, we heard the beat of retreat from the Patriot side, and before the sun rose, saw them retiring in good order.' pp. 37, 8,

The Patriots retired to Concepcion, and afterwards to Santiago. When Osorio entered that city in pursuit of them, the communication was opened to our traveller. His description of Talcahuano is not very flattering.

I hope and believe that it would be an injustice to the Chilenos to take the society, manners, and style of living and appearance of Talcahuano at the present time, as a sample for the kingdom, though much of the best society, and many of the wealthiest and most respectable families of the province are now gathered here. Most of the buildings are store-houses, long and wide, of one story high, the walls thick and clumsy, and composed of brick or tile, dried in the sun. The dwelling-houses are in the same style, generally plastered without, and whitened. They consist almost universally of one large room, into which the front door enters, and two smaller ones, at each end, which serve as bed-chambers. There are few houses that have more than one window, and that not glazed. p. 51,

Our American admits, that much of the inconvenience he experienced from the defective accommodations of Talcahuano, was owing to the political circumstances of the time. In that year, nearly 10,000 persons were pent up in that small town, with no other subsistence than the tardy and precarious supplies that arrived from Lima. In two days after the retreat of the Patriots, things wore a different aspect. The streets were filled with cattle, the market glutted with wheat and vegetables, fish, and fruit.

"The principal recreation I have found, has been in rambles about the neighbouring hills, and they afford you truly picturesque and ro

mantic scenery. Along the whole extent of the western borders of the bay, the banks rise several hundred feet high. They are only here and there accessible for man or beast. At intervals of about a quarter of a mile, are cavities formed by a stream of water, as it de scends the hills, along which are foot-paths which mules ascend with ease. The ascent on foot is not a little fatiguing, but having accomplished it, you are rewarded for your pains. On the summit, to the whole extent of the peninsula, is a large and fertile plain, skirted with rich and beautifully diversified shrubbery. The trees are not lofty or large, but they are thickly set, and of the richest foliage; the sides of the hills also are covered with verdant plants and shrubs, and the path way up, is often one continued grotto of fragrant evergreen. p. 55.

It

There is nothing very inviting in the first appearance of Concepcion. Its inhabitants are at ordinary times estimated at 17,000. It was half in ruins, when our Traveller visited it, the city having been desolated by repeated revolutions. When the Patriots last retreated, they left not a chair or a table in their own houses; and the houses and furniture of the Royalists, they completely destroyed. News was expected every day, of the utter discomfiture of the Patriots; and many persons had already sailed from Concepcion, in the hope that Santiago and Valparaiso had been taken by the Royalists. soon afterwards appeared, that the army under Ordonez had passed the river Maule about 70 miles from Concepcion, without opposition from the Patriots, who were encamped a few leagues distant. Some skirmishing took place in the afternoon of that day, and towards night, they both retired to encamp. At about eight o'clock, Ordonez surprised the Patriots, as they were serving out their suppers and liquors, and completely defeated and dispersed them. The royal army marched on to Santiago, and every one believed, that the fate of Chili was decided for ever.

Such, however, is the instability of human affairs, that the Patriots, who had fled, dispersed in every direction, soon reunited, and entered Santiago with considerable reinforcements. Osorio followed them at leisure, and on the 5th of April, within two leagues of the city, the Patriots gave him battle. The result of this conflict was, the almost entire annihilation of the royalist army.

They engaged in two divisions, Osorio commanding one, and Ordonez the other. The former escaped with fifteen or twenty guards to Talcahuano, worn out with fatigue, and in the most miserable plight of fugitives. The defeat is acknowledged to have been complete: so much so, that scarcely 200 men have escaped. The battle was fought on the 5th of April. Thus, the royalist army,

amounting to 5000 men, a part of whom were veterans from Europe, was, in the space of three hours, so completely cut to pieces, that not three hundred stragglers have escaped. Both armies fought with desperation. pp. 73, 4.

Our Traveller and his party were offered by Don Antonio Sosa, a residence at his estancia or country-house, about forty miles from the port, where the Author had an opportunity of witnessing a singular custom prevalent in Chili, but not peculiar to that province; that of converting the death of a relation into a scene of mirth and festivity. The steward of the estancia, having lost his only child, gave a fandango, at which his friends and neighbours were treated with music and dancing, wine and supper, and the whole night was dedicated to mirth and conviviality. The corpse of the infant was all the while exposed in the most conspicuous part of the room. This celebration, however, is not kept up on the death of an adult. It is only observed at the death of children under seven years of age. The reason assigned for it is, that El angelito (the little angel) has died in innocence and gone to heaven; we ought then to rejoice, and not to weep.'

The Estancia in which I am,' continues the Writer, may be taken as a fair sample of the better order of country-houses in this part of the province. The house is about eighty feet in length by twenty-five in breadth, with a broad corridor, and three quartos, little apartments attached to the house for sleeping-rooms. The walls are of sun-burnt brick, three feet thick, with two large doors opposite each other, and one small window; the roof thatched with reeds, and covered with takas made of clay, burnt, in form semi-cylindrical, lapping over each other in rows, alternately concave and convex, and thus acting as spouts for the water. The floor is rough and uneven earth. There are few houses water-proof. They are generally twelve feet high, and with no other ceiling than the roof. The women sit on a raised platform, covered with rugs or a Turkey carpet. Every house is furnished with chairs, but I never saw a woman seated in one.' pp. 103, 4.

In September 1818, Osorio embarked from Talcahuano, with all the ships of war and merchant-men in the port, having on board about 300 troops and most of the royalist families who could raise sufficient money to embark. All the remnants of royalty assembled in the city of Los Angelos, or at various pasts on the southern side of the Biobio, from which, on the approach of the Patriots, they could pass through the territories of friendly Indians to Valdivia and Chiloe. In the mean time, Talcahuano, once the scene of commercial and naval bustle, was left silent and deserted: not a ship, launch, or boat had floated in the bay since Osorio's departure. On

the 20th of October, a Spanish frigate and a large transport anchored off the port, and in a few days two other vessels arrived from Cadiz. From the four ships, about 600 troops were landed, and brought a most unlooked-for reinforcement to the slender army which had been left by Osorio. A short time afterwards, arrived the Maria Isabella, a large frigate from Cadiz, and bound to Lima, having on board several civil officers of the Lima government, a son of the viceroy, who. had been educated in old Spain, and many military officers of rank with their families. The four royal vessels in the port, had sailed, on the day of her arrival, for Lima. After remaining there for a few days, and having obtained every requisite supply, the Maria Isabella prepared to depart; when, on the morning of the 6th of November, two other large ships appeared in sight and standing for the bay. They displayed the patriot flag. After a slight shew of resistance from the Maria, the two vessels, one the San Martin of 60 guns, the other the Lantaro of 40, poured a broadside into the royal frigate, which immediately struck her colours. Her captain and officers, and a great part of her crew, pushed off for the shore in boats, and escaped with nothing more than the clothes upon their backs. The Patriots soon took possession of their prize, which had considerable treasure on board, and, the next morning, sailed with her to Valparaiso, where she arrived in safety. Shortly after this affair, Sanchez, who had been left with his scanty garrison in charge of the city, commenced his march with the few who were fit for that service towards the Spanish frontiers.

The city and province of Concepcion were left equally defenceless. The condition of this devoted country was now truly wretched. Guerillas in the service of the king, whose duty it was to gather supplies for the Royalists, to act as videttes, and to watch suspected persons, reinforced by some veterans from Spain, men nursed in blood, and grown grey in rapine and devastation, soon became objects of the utmost dread to the miserable unarmed inhabitants, whom they pillaged without mercy. Few estancias in the country escaped their visitation. As the Americans were held in great suspicion and odium by the Royalists, our Author's party began to be apprehensive of the guerillas; and the more so, as the estancia in which they had taken refuge, was on the main road, and the family who resided in it, had always been suspected of patriotism. Under these circumstances, they determined to retire to the mountains, and having first concealed every thing valuable that belonged to them, passed the month of November in the depths of a forest, about half a league from their estan