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DARK DAYS IN CHILE 
 
 L^/ 
 
 AN ACCOUNT OF 
 
 THE EEYOLUTIOI^ OF 1891 
 
 BY 
 
 MAURICE H. HERVEY 
 
 Special Correspondent of 'The Times' 
 
 WITH FIFTEEN FULL-PAGE ILLUSTRATIONS 
 
 LONDON: EDWAED AENOLD 
 
 NEW YOEK: MAGMILLAN & OO 
 
 1892 
 
 All rights reserved 
 
v^ 
 
 af'SE 
 
PREFACE 
 
 Whatever may be the verdict in store for this 
 volume, it may at least claim the merit of being 
 a faithful record of the writer's experiences, obser- 
 
 Ivations, and convictions. With the exception o 
 the last chapter, the book is based upon notes 
 made regularly and methodically in Chile. And 
 , that the author's views upon the merits of the 
 political questions at issue are not those com- 
 monly held by his fellow-countrymen is entirely 
 I due to the conflicting sources of information upon 
 which those views are respectively based. Whether 
 Jose Manuel Balmaceda was a bloodthirsty, tyrant 
 J or a well-meaning, if also ill-advised, patriot, will 
 not be decided, either in or out of Chile, until 
 
 •ft 1 > • /r»/~>»\ 
 
vi PREFACE 
 
 men's minds shall have overcome the bitter par- 
 tisan feeling begotten by civil war. 
 
 My thanks are due to Messrs. Laird Bros., for 
 kindly lending photographs of the Imperial and 
 other vessels built by them, for the purposes of 
 illustration ; and to the proprietors of Black and 
 White, for permission to reproduce some sketches 
 that appeared in its pages. 
 
 Maurice H. Hervey. 
 
 London, November, 1891. 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 OUTWABD BOUND. 
 
 Modern Journalism — A Voyage at Short Notice — The 
 Porttigal — My Fellow-Travellers — Discipline v. Gal- 
 lantry — Dakar — A Moribund King and his Subjects — 
 Rio de Janeiro — Monte Video — Buenos Aires — A 
 Contrast ------ 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 ARGENTINA. 
 
 An Interview with President Pellegrini — The Man with 
 the Iron Mask — British Preponderance — A Good Time 
 — I form an Opinion upon the Argentine Situation — 
 * Go on to Chile ' — Pellegrini's Opinion of Balmaceda 
 — Sensational Telegrams— The Andes reported infested 
 by Bandits — I engage a Fighting Secretary — And take 
 
 a Frenchman under my Wing - - - - 14 
 
 b 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 CROSSING THE ANDES, 
 
 Long Rail Journey — Travelling en Prince — Mendoza 
 
 — A Lift to Uspallata — Fifty Miles on a * Cow- 
 catcher ' — Scenery — Uspallata — A Lost Child on 
 my Hands — Roughing it — A Facetious Muleteer 
 
 — A Dry Stage — An Independent Yankee — Rio 
 Blanco — Las Vacas — A Goatherd-subscriber to the 
 Times — Montes Corrales — Monte de Los Penitentes — A 
 Mule Race — ' Corresponsal ' wins — Val de la Tolorzia 
 — Cajou del Rio de Las Cuevas — Puente del Inca — A 
 Posada — A Night in a Menagerie — The Juncal Volcano 
 — The Summit of the Cordillera — A Slippery Descent 
 — Lake Portillo — A Primitive Hostelry — The Soldier's 
 Leap — The Meeting of the Waters — Juncal — A Wild 
 Drive — Santa Rosa de Los Andes - - - 30 
 
viii ' CONTENTS 
 
 CHAPTEE IV. 
 
 CHILE AND ITS CONDITION. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Santiago — A State of Siege — Eevolutionist Opinions of 
 President Balmaceda — Wanted, Evidence — I hear the 
 other Side of the Question — An Interview with Balma- 
 ceda — His Views — A Eeview of the Situation — A Sketch 
 of ChiUan Society — Chile and British Enterprise — 
 Colonel North and his Mission — Dr. Eussell upon 
 * Chile and the Nitrate Fields ' — Eeahzed Prophecy — 
 Eevolutionary Tactics — I arrive at Conclusions — Eight 
 or Wrong ? - - - - - - 62 
 
 CHAPTEE V. 
 
 THE TEOUBLES OP A SPECIAL COEEESPONDENT. 
 
 How to correspond — Telegraph Lines closed — Mails 
 supervised — An Ultimatum to the Government — Pozo 
 al Monte — A Eeview of Government Troops — Opinion 
 in the Provinces — My Lost Child gets into Trouble — 
 Valparaiso — Opinion there — An Expedition against the 
 Eevolted Fleet — A Tempting Offer — I accept — My 
 Fighting Secretary deserts me — And follows in the 
 Footsteps of my Lost Child — Stick v. Bayonet — Poli- 
 tical Memoranda — The Times and I — * Go, but wire 
 Facts only ' — An Interview with Eear-Admiral Hotham 
 — I refuse Good Advice - - - - 112 
 
 CHAPTEE VI. 
 
 MY FIEST CEUISE WITH THE SQUADEON. 
 
 A Difference of Opinion — Practice makes Perfect — The 
 Plan of Operations^ — A Compromise — E71 route for Cal- 
 dera — We lose our Consorts — Stirring News — Fever on 
 Board — A Warning — The Sinking of the Blanco En- 
 calada — The Quartermaster's Yarn — Valparaiso — Cap- 
 tain Moraga's Account of the Blanco Exploit — * One 
 Good Turn deserves Another ' — The Eevolutionists try 
 Orsini Tactics — A Chilian Heroine — The Elections - 158 
 
CONTENTS ' IX 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 MY SECOND CRUISE. 
 
 PAOE 
 
 The Plan of Operations — Troops for Coquimbo — Scenes 
 on Board — Coquimbo — British Naval Station — La 
 Serena — Moraga's Advice to Admiral Hotham — ^n 
 route for Iquique — Coaling at Sea — I tranship to the 
 Condell — A Contrast — A Desperate Adventure — * The 
 Last Watch ' — Captain Cook — Moraga the Wolf — Un 
 Mauvais Quart d'Heure — In Iquique Harbour — The 
 Union Jack saves the Rebel Transports — An Alarm — 
 A Difficult Torpedo-shot — Moraga's Dilemma — The 
 Ironclad Cochrane bears down — A Harebrained Ex- 
 ploit — What the Prisoners said and did — Northward 
 to sink the O'Higgins in a Peruvian Port — A Sea- 
 Lawyer — The Huascar and the Magellanes — A Naval 
 Skirmish — Adios — Moraga the Lamb — A Clever Ruse 
 — Captain Cook saves us — A Naval Duel declined — 
 We rejoin the Imperial — Bombardment of Iquique — 
 Bombardment of Taltal — An Attack in Boats — Capture 
 of Taltal — A Banquet and a Bill — Coquimbo — Val- 
 paraiso ------- 189 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 MY THIED CRUISE. 
 
 A Spell Ashore — Chilian News from Abroad — Balmaceda 
 beheves in Moral Effect — At Sea once more — A Tempt- 
 ing Bait — A Narrow Escape — Pisagua bombarded — 
 Iquique bombarded — Tocopilla captured — Nitrate- 
 duties for Balmaceda — The British Vice-Consul's 
 Opinion — Antofagasta bombarded — A Deserted Village 
 — Chanaral — The Condell in Peril — Reprisals — A 
 Starving Population — Mr. Sherriff's Account — The 
 hnjperial becomes an Emigrant Ship — A delayed Tele- 
 gram — Farewells - . _ . . 224 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 HOMEWARD BOUND. 
 
 K How I missed the Liguria — A Hot Ten Minutes — A 
 ■ Friend in Need — Travelling made Easy — A Meeting — 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 Story — Magellan Straits — A Wreck — Monte Video— 
 Rio de Janeiro — Bahia — A Negro Polyglot — Pernam- 
 buco — Lisbon — The Errazimz — Plymouth — Home, 
 Sweet Home! - - - - - - 252 
 
 CHAPTEE X. 
 
 THE TEIUMPH OF THE EEVOLUTION. 
 
 * Back from the Grave ' — Smart Paragraphing — News 
 from Chile — The Gumming Incident — The Invasion — 
 A Glose Shave — Barbosa the Eash — The Battle of 
 Colmo or Goncon — The Attack upon Vina del Mar — 
 Strategy — The Insurgent Army receives Accessions — 
 Balmaceda a Bad Strategist — The Battle of Placilla — 
 Eesults — Sauve qui peut — The Lynch caught Napping 
 — A * Eevel of Fiends ' — How the Triumph was cele- 
 brated in Santiago — Balmaceda vanishes — Senor 
 Montt and the Eump — ' Gonvey, the Wise it call ' — A 
 Model Correspondent — Balmaceda's alleged Suicide — 
 Prospects of Future Peace — The Trouble with the 
 United States — How to bring about a Conservative 
 Eeaction — Conclusion - - - - . 268 
 
 Note on the Chilian Constitution - - - - 310 
 
 Appendix A. — The Transandine Eailway - - 315 
 
 „ B.— The Value of Torpedoes in Naval Warfare 320 
 
 „ C. — Chilian Characteristics and Customs - 327 
 
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 
 
 PAGE 
 
 POBTEAiT OF THE AUTHOR ..... Frontispiece 
 
 PUBNTA DEL INCA, ON THE ROUTE OF THE TRANSANDINE RAIL- 
 WAY .-...- 
 ATTACK ON THE 'COCHRANE' BY TORPEDO-BOATS 
 BOMBARDMENT OF IQUIQUE 
 J0S6 MANUEL BALMACEDA 
 
 REVIEW OF TROOPS AT VALPARAISO 
 
 THE ARMED CRUISER ' IMPERIAL ' 
 
 DON CLAUDIO VICUNA 
 
 CAPTAIN CARLOS MORAGA 
 
 A CHILIAN HEROINE 
 
 THE TORPEDO VESSEL ' CON DELL ' 
 
 THE 'HUASCAR' - 
 
 CHILIAN SOLDIERS 
 
 AFTER THE BATTLE 
 
 RUINS IN VALPARAISO - 
 
 33 
 75 
 79 
 87 
 117 
 133 
 149 
 161 
 183 
 199 
 235 
 247 
 285 
 297 
 
DARK DAYS IN CHILE 
 
 5l«<C 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 OUTWARD BOUND. 
 
 Modern Journalism — A Voyage at Short Notice — The Porticgal 
 — My Fellow-Travellers — Discipline v. Gallantry — Dakar — 
 A Moribund Ejng and his Subjects — Eio de Janeiro — Monte 
 Video — Buenos Aires — A Contrast. 
 
 Perhaps few persons who daily scan the great 
 London journals for foreign intelligence ever pause 
 ■ to reflect upon the marvellous foresight, energy, and 
 expense necessary to produce results which can be 
 purchased by the readers for a few pence. Let them, 
 however, but consider the number and the length 
 of the telegrams, from all parts of the world, pub- 
 lished in any ordinary number of, say, the Times, 
 supplemented, as these are, by descriptive letters 
 from correspondents, and they will be constrained 
 to admit that modern journalism spares nothing to 
 maintain its position in the vanguard of modern pro- 
 gress. Let but aught of public interest occur in 
 the most distant quarter of the globe, and forthwith 
 
DARK DAYS IN CHILE 
 
 an envoy is despatched to inquire into the matter. 
 Thus it fell to the writer's lot, early in the present 
 year, to be selected for service in South America, 
 when the vexed question of Argentine finance and 
 the recent outbreak of civil war in Chile had 
 become topics of considerable interest to English 
 readers. My orders were clear and concise. I 
 was to get to Buenos Aires as quickly as pos- 
 sible, and I was to report upon what I saw to 
 the best of my judgment. A few inquiries made 
 it plain that the first steamer would leave Bor- 
 deaux upon the 4th of February ; and within 
 twenty-four hours of receiving my instructions 
 I had bidden farewell to my friends, and was 
 en route for Paris. There I had but barely 
 time for an interview with General Mitre, the 
 popular candidate for the presidency of Argen- 
 tina, to telegraph the results of the said inter- 
 view to the Times, and to catch the night mail 
 for Bordeaux. I had even less time to spare 
 here, for I arrived at 8 a.m., and the Messageries 
 Maritimes steamer Portugal, lying some thirty 
 miles down the Garonne, was due to sail two 
 hours later. I followed the mail-bags, well know- 
 ing that she could not start until they were 
 aboard, was politely accommodated upon the 
 mail-tender, and got safely on deck at least ten 
 minutes before the good ship steamed away from 
 La Belle France. 
 
 A fine boat of 4,500 tons is this same Portugal, 
 
OUTWARD BOUND 
 
 and fairly well up to date in the matter of speed. 
 By the captain and his officers I was treated from 
 the first, and throughout the voyage, with the most 
 marked courtesy, the commissaire making himself 
 especially amiable in the important matters of 
 a most comfortable cabin (all to myself) and a 
 seat of honour at table. Doubtless the facts that 
 I was the only Englishman on board, and special 
 corresj)ondent du grand journal Anglais, com- 
 bined to secure for me all these attentions, of 
 which I shall always have the most pleasant 
 recollections. Fortunately, French is almost as 
 familiar to me as my mother -tongue, so that 
 within a very few hours I felt thoroughly chez moi. 
 Life on board an ocean-going steamer has been 
 described so often and so well, by far cleverer 
 pens than mine, that I need not dwell at any 
 great length upon this portion of my late ex- 
 periences. A few points of comparison between 
 English and French mail services may, however, 
 be of interest to intending travellers. Nor can 
 I wholly overlook my fellow-passengers. 
 
 As regards accommodation, attendance, manage- 
 ment generally, there is little, or nothing, to choose 
 between the two — both are as good as can reason- 
 ably be expected. 
 
 With respect to the important (to many persons 
 - the all-important) subject of the cuisine, the sys- 
 I tems differ widely — in accordance, of course, with 
 
 I 
 
DARK DAYS IN CHILE 
 
 solid meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) are pro- 
 vided, whereas their French rivals, condensing 
 breakfast and lunch into one repast, supply but 
 two. People, as a rule, eat a great deal too much 
 on board ship, wnere the opportunities for exercise 
 are so limited, and the temptations to lie down, or 
 sit, so great. And, for this reason, the French 
 plan is probably the better. Again, the French 
 dishes are far daintier and lighter than their Eng- 
 lish equivalents, and consequently better suited to 
 most stomachs at sea. 
 
 But in one noteworthy particular the English 
 regulations show to distinct advantage : separation 
 of the second-class from the first-class passengers. 
 Upon the Portugal both classes had equal access 
 to the promenade deck, and as we had the misfor- 
 tune to carry a troup of theatrical artistes, male 
 and female, bound for Rio de Janeiro, the presence 
 of certain members of the band, travelling second 
 class, was a very distinct nuisance. So intolerable, 
 in fact, did the noisy, and at times indecorous, 
 behaviour of these young women become, that even 
 the commissaire's sense of gallantry gave way. 
 After several ineffectual warnings, he had no alter- 
 native but to relegate the most obstreperous fair 
 ones to confinement in their cabins ; after which 
 there was a marked improvement in the behaviour 
 of those still left at large. The directors of the 
 Messageries Mari times would do well to rectify this 
 serious defect in their otherwise excellently con- 
 
OUTWARD BOUND 
 
 I 
 
 ducted service. It is at present a very distinct 
 obstacle in the way of securing the patronage of 
 English travellers who do not believe in liberty, 
 fraternity, equality — and least of all on board ship, 
 
 A few pleasant companions are essential to one's 
 existence at sea ; and it so chanced that a trio of 
 foreign financiers needed a fourth to make up that 
 best of all evening pastimes, whist. Into this little 
 set I at once dropped, and we contrived to sustain 
 each other s spirits admirably up to the very end 
 of the voyage. 
 
 One never-failing source of amusement lay in 
 the masher-like propensities of the eldest of the 
 trio. Monsieur P , a gentleman of consider- 
 able means, had brought his confidential valet with 
 him, and (there being nothing else to do) made it a 
 point to change his attire at least half-a-dozen times 
 in the course of the day. How many suits he had 
 brought with him was a problem we others at- 
 tempted in vain to solve. Day after day the 
 changes went on, and, apparently, the same suit 
 never did duty twice. To me, who affect flannels 
 until dinner-time in warm latitudes, there was 
 something almost fascinating in these chameleon- 
 like mutations. You might be pacing the deck 
 discussing the latest phase of the Baring failure 
 
 with Monsieur P , clothed in some rare shade 
 
 of gray. An idea would suddenly strike him. 
 ' You would excuse him for a little moment ?' And 
 in an incredibly short space of time he would 
 
DARK DAYS IN CHILE 
 
 reappear clad in immaculate white. Yet if, an 
 hour later, you discerned a blue velveteen coat in 
 the saloon, you would discover the owner of that 
 coat, carefully preparing an absinthe, to be Mon- 
 sieur P . Of jewellery, also, he had enough 
 
 to stock an average shop, and rang in the changes 
 with equal originality and effect. No vulgarity 
 about the man. Having an extraordinary taste 
 for dress, and the means of gratifying it, he clearly 
 humoured his fancy for his own satisfaction. Un- 
 fortunately, there were no young ladies on board, 
 with the exception of the artistes already referred 
 
 to, and of these Monsieur P had an utter 
 
 abhorrence. His only rival was a young Peruvian 
 aristocrat — a charming boy enough ; but, in the 
 matter of permutations and combinations. Mon- 
 sieur P was master of the situation. I have 
 
 even seen his youthful competitor wearing the 
 same striped jacket two days running, rather than 
 
 do which Monsieur P would, I am persuaded, 
 
 have retired permanently to his berth. 
 
 Early upon the morning of February 8th the 
 Portugal anchored off Lisbon, and, there being 
 ample time, most of us went ashore. But beyond 
 an excellent breakfast at the Braganza Hotel with 
 the local agent of the Times, the visit to the Por- 
 tuguese capital scarcely repaid the trouble of 
 landing. 
 
 Upon the 12 th we reached Dakar, one of the 
 few French possessions upon the West Coast of 
 
OUTWARD BOUND 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 Africa. It does not impress the visitor as a very 
 flourishing township, although the harbour is a 
 fairly good one and the outlet, as we were 
 informed, for a considerable amount of inland 
 trade. The market - square presented a lively i 
 enough scene, a perfect babel of uncouth cries 
 proclaiming the excellence of the very uninviting- 
 lookinor beef and evil-smellino^ fish offered for sale 
 by the gaudily-attired native women. There are a 
 few stores, nearly all kept by Frenchmen ; some 
 fairly commodious barracks, and a neglected- 
 looking post-office, in telegraphic communication 
 with Europe. But by far the most attractive 
 sight is a neatly-planned boulevard, well worthy of 
 a more imposing settlement. Dakar boasts (or 
 then boasted) a 'King,' the most decayed specimen 
 of monarchy I ever saw, with, perhaps, the excep- 
 tion of the Port Moresby sovereign, Boe-Vagi. 
 His Dakar majesty's name I do not remember, nor 
 can I find it amongst my jottings ; but this can ^ 
 scarcely be deemed an irreparable loss to contem- 
 porary history. It would seem to be the general 
 custom of European Powers, when a slice of 
 uncivilized territory is annexed, to pension off the 
 heretofore reigning chieftain and allow him to 
 retain the shadow of his former authority ; and it 
 is, at least, a more decent policy than the old 
 Spanish system of extirpation. The pension 
 allowed to the titual ' Eoi de Dakar ' would appear 
 to be inadequate, since a small present of money is 
 
DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 greedily accepted at the close of an ' audience.' It 
 does not seem to be in the fitness of things that a 
 nominal monarch, although he be but a deposed 
 savage, should be reduced to gleefully pouching a 
 couple of francs backsheesh. Our Dakar royalty 
 had evidently not long to live, and we understood 
 that, upon his death, the ' King ' farce would be 
 discontinued, he being the last of his line. Mean- 
 while his nominal subjects treat him with a certain 
 amount of rough respect and kindness, making him 
 presents of fish and vegetables, and occasionally 
 enlivening the monotony of Court life by creating 
 a fearful din, which is the local equivalent for a 
 concert. The King speaks a few words of French, 
 an accomplishment of which he is justly vain, and 
 his guttural ' Merci, monsieur !' (accompanied by 
 an outstretched palm) would extract largesse from 
 the most penurious of visitors. 
 
 The men are remarkable for length of limb and 
 leanness, in strong contrast to the women, who are 
 extremely obese, short, and, it must be said, 
 abominably ugly — which is, doubtless, one reason 
 why garrison life at Dakar is regarded with such 
 disfavour in the French service. 
 
 The voyage to Rio de Janeiro, which we reached 
 upon the 21st, was uneventful: a monotonous 
 existence made tolerable by tobacco, iced drinks, 
 scandal, and an occasional concert wherein our 
 noisy artistes showed to better advantage. Our 
 stay at Rio was but brief, and quarantine con- 
 
OUTWARD BOUND 
 
 siderations forbade our landing. But here our 
 theatrical nuisances left us, and, I hope, had a good 
 time and full houses, for Rio just then was 
 ' booming.' 
 
 My diary up to the 26 th is a complete blank, 
 and for that date contains the bare entry: 'Arrived 
 at Monte Video.' Here, however, we had ample 
 time to land, and, as it happened, to stay one night 
 ashore. There is always a certain pleasure in playing 
 cicerone, and, being here thoroughly at home, I 
 experienced considerable satisfaction in introducing 
 my newly-made friends to the prettiest town in 
 South America. That, beyond all dispute, Monte 
 Video emphatically is. Picturesquely situated upon 
 the northern bank of the huge estuary geogra- 
 phically known as the River Plate (how reconcile 
 one's idea of a river with a width of one hundred 
 and twenty miles ?) ; laid out upon a plan which 
 admirably harmonizes the cuadra system of Madrid 
 with the Parisian boulevard ; adorned with me- 
 morial statues and fountains which are veritable 
 cliefs-dJoeuvre ; boasting of streets full of shops 
 which, whether in the matter of appearance or of 
 dearness, are very good seconds to Regent Street 
 or the Rue de Rivoli ; admirably supplied as to 
 hotel, police, and cab service ; essentially clean 
 and well drained, and the centre of a flower and 
 p fruit province : what more can one reasonably ask 
 I for ? Anyhow, we all thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
lo DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 It was possible to gain a few hours by tran- 
 shipping to one of the river-boats which ply to 
 and from Buenos Aires. But inasmuch as tran- 
 shipping one's baggage is a distinct bore and the 
 saving in time trivial, most of us decided to proceed 
 next day with the Portugal. And in due course 
 the big ship ploughed her way across the shallow 
 river, and we dropped anchor off Buenos Aires. 
 
 I had left the Argentine capital but six months 
 before, soon, indeed, after the short but bloody 
 revolution of July. Matters had then been in a 
 bad way ; but with the fall of President Celman"^^ 
 it had seemed probable that a change for the 
 better would take place. The victorious Union 
 Civica had set itself, or, perhaps more accurately, 
 had promised to set itself, to the tasks of economy 
 and reform ; and including, as it did, amongst its 
 leaders men of known ability and integrity, there 
 really appeared to be grounds for hope. But, 
 alas ! these sanguine expectations had been based 
 upon the assumption that the foreign creditor 
 would be forbearing, and allow the distracted Re- 
 public time to reorganize its chaotic finances ; nor 
 had the nature of the Stock Exchange 'bear' 
 been suflBciently taken into account. Of course, 
 so long as money-markets exist, the warfare be- 
 tween ' bears ' and ' bulls ' will endure, since it 
 must ever be the object of the speculative buyer 
 of stocks to buy cheap, and that of the specula- 
 tive holder to sell dear. But, surely, below a 
 
OUTWARD BOUND ir 
 
 certain point it is little short of insanity to pro- 
 long ' bearing ' tactics, lest securities should become 
 absolutely worthless, and the entire game collapse 
 for want of material to work upon. Yet this is 
 what has actuall}^, over and over again, occurred, 
 and stocks, by no means intrinsically valueless, 
 have been * beared ' into an everlasting moratorium. 
 And this is also what occurred with respect to 
 Argentine securities. In vain did the ' bulls,' 
 having, upon this occasion at least, common-sense 
 and logic upon their side, endeavour to stem the 
 downward current ; in vain did some of the lead- 
 ing financial newspapers (and notably the World 
 in its money columns) counsel moderation and 
 patience. The ' bears ' were masters of the situa- 
 tion ; they held the knife at the throat of 
 Argentine credit, and they slashed away ruth- 
 lessly. They scouted the proposals made by the 
 reformed Argentine Administration as mere devices 
 to put off an inevitable crash ; yet better pro- 
 posals it was not possible to offer, with any reason- 
 able prospect of fulfilment. Paper-bonds, gold- 
 bonds, cedulas, were proclaimed from the house- 
 tops to be mere waste-paper, and a panic-stricken 
 public believed the tale. As a natural result 
 Argentine securities became practically unsaleable, 
 and any further loans an impossibility. The great ^ 
 1 house of Baring, holding these and kindred securi- 
 I ties to the extent of a score of millions of pounds 
 I sterling, found it hopeless to unload in the face of 
 
 I 
 
1 2 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 a closed market, tottered, and would have fallen, 
 with a crash which would have shaken the com- 
 mercial world, but for the timely intervention of 
 the Bank of England and its associates. Now, 
 evidently, were the * bear ' gospel correct and 
 Argentine securities worthless, no such interven- 
 tion would have taken place. The mere fact that 
 it did take place afforded proof positive that, in 
 the estimation of the highest authorities upon 
 finance in England, the securities were intrinsically 
 good, even though time might be needed to realize 
 upon them ; which was precisely the argument 
 advanced throughout by the Worlds and a few of 
 its clearest-headed contemporaries. 
 
 With these considerations clearly before me, I 
 was not surprised to find the general condition of 
 affairs in Buenos Aires worse upon the last day of 
 February (when we landed) than it had been six 
 months before. Trade practically at a standstill ; 
 shops, by the hundred, closed, or plastered with 
 selling-oJBf advertisements ; the streets swarming 
 with beggars ; the erstwhile pandemonium- like 
 Bolsa, a mere gossiping resort for seedy-looking 
 brokers ; the native banks degenerated into vulgar 
 pawn-offices, and their foreign rivals intent only 
 upon raking in outstanding liabilities ; the best 
 hotels deserted, and places of amusement unable 
 to open their doors : all these, and countless other, 
 * signs of the times ' spoke but too plainly of wide- 
 spread insolvency. And when I mentally com- 
 
OUTWARD BOUND 
 
 T3 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 pared the Buenos Aires of 1891 with its proto- 
 type a few short years ago, my heart saddened to 
 witness the change that had come to pass. Then, 
 nay, but two years ago, the Argentine metro- 
 poHs was one of the Hvehest, gayest, cheeriest 
 towns in the world. Could this out-at-elbows look- 
 ing place be the same Buenos Aires which had 
 formerly eclipsed Paris in the brilliancy of its 
 nocturnal illuminations? Was this now- closed 
 theatre the same that had re-echoed to Patti's 
 wondrous voice at a profit — to the diva — of one 
 thousand pounds a night ? And where were the 
 countless luxurious equipages, horsed by high- 
 stepping English bays or Russian blacks, that used 
 to throng the route to Palermo Park ? Gone, all 
 gone ! gone like the money (or the credit) which 
 procured them ; gone like the hopes of foreign 
 bondholders, who had supplied the money or 
 given the credit ; gone (as I was credibly informed) 
 temporarily to Rio de Janeiro, where a great 
 * boom ' had arisen, and where, no doubt, a still 
 greater crash will, in the fulness of time, eventuate. 
 But, ah me, poor Buenos Aires ! 
 
 i/ 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 ARGENTINA. 
 
 An Interview with President Pellegrini — The Man with the 
 Iron Mask — British Preponderance — A Good Time — I form 
 an Opinion upon the Argentine Situation — * Go on to Chile ' 
 — Pellegrini's Opinion of Balmaceda — Sensational Telegrams 
 — The Andes reported infested by Bandits — I engage a Fight- 
 ing Secretary — And take a Frenchman under my Wing. 
 
 Mindful of the fact that Argentina and its affairs 
 lay primarily within the scope of my mission, I 
 worked hard for the next few days endeavouring to 
 obtain clear ideas as to the actual situation — a task 
 materially lightened as well by the very nature of 
 that mission itself, as by the numerous letters of 
 introduction with which I had come provided. 
 Local English opinion was well-nigh unanimous : 
 the country itself was sound and progressive 
 enough ; all that was needed was time and confi- 
 dence in the future. This sounded a very old story 
 to one so long familiar with the country, but it 
 faithfully reflected local British belief, and was 
 therefore entitled to some credence. Moreover, the 
 reports from the provinces had been encouraging ; 
 good seasons and abundant harvests seemed to be 
 
ARGENTINA 
 
 the order of the day. But an interval, possibly a 
 long interval, must necessarily elapse before metro- 
 politan trade could be expected to revive under the 
 beneficial effects of these agricultural blessings. 
 And hence Buenos Aires would probably remain 
 commercially stagnant for some time to come. 
 Upon the whole, this appeared to be a not unrea- 
 sonable forecast — provided always that Government 
 could be relied upon to persevere in the paths of 
 rectitude. I had many interviews with Ministers, 
 and especially with the Finance Minister, Senor Lopez 
 (whose clever son. Dr. Lucio V. Lopez, appeared 
 to perform most of his father's duties, by the way), 
 and so far as reports, statistics, and apparent candid 
 statement of facts could carry conviction, there 
 seemed to be no room for doubt that the exhausted 
 exchequer was being nursed to the best advantage. 
 Nor can I here omit to acknowledge my indebted- 
 ness to the courteous kindness of Mr. H. Chevallier 
 Boutell, manager of the Kiver Plate Trust Loan 
 Company, who was indefatigable in his efforts to pro- 
 cure for me the best and most reliable information. 
 I paid my first visit to the President in company 
 with Senor Lopez, who very judiciously selected 
 the ' four o'clock tea ' leisure-hour for the purpose. 
 (It may be parenthetically noted that afternoon tea 
 has become even more firmly established an institu- 
 tion in South American upper circles than in 
 England.) Dr. Pellegrini, a tall, well-built, intel- 
 lectual-looking man, somewhere about fifty years of 
 
1 6 DARK DAYS IN CHILE 
 
 age, received me with great cordiality, introduced me 
 to such of his guests as I did not already know, and 
 proceeded straight to business. He untwisted me 
 very neatly as to London opinion upon a vast 
 variety of points, every now and then glancing to- 
 wards General Roca (then Minister of the Interior), 
 as though for approval or inspiration. The gallant 
 General's face is the most illegible countenance I 
 have ever beheld : dead-white in colour, rigid as 
 though carved in marble — a face which affords 
 absolutely no clue as to what is passing through 
 the brain ; a face such as Napoleon s may have 
 been in his most baffling moods. Only at rare in- 
 tervals did a movement of an eye-lid, or the ghost 
 of a smile upon the firm-set lips, indicate his apprecia- 
 tion of some point scored by his more voluble chief 
 For physiognomical purposes his features might as 
 well be hidden altogether, and I mentally dubbed 
 him ' the Man with the Iron Mask.' 
 
 It speedily became apparent that the proposed 
 positions were being reversed — that the interviewer 
 was being converted into the interviewed. However, 
 my turn came at last, and I poured my questions 
 in hot and strong. I am bound to say that I was 
 met very fairly : no evasion, very little hesitation. 
 Without entering into details which have no direct 
 bearing upon the subject of this Avork, I may say 
 that when I took my leave I was more than ever 
 satisfied that the reins of government had fallen 
 into honest and cautious hands. 
 
ARGENTINA 
 
 I was curious to hear General Roca speak in 
 something longer than monosyllables, and, in saying 
 good-bye, asked him the facts of his attempted 
 assassination by a boy, a short time previously. 
 
 ' The young scamp fired at me through the 
 panels of my carriage. I jumped out, seized him, 
 thrashed him with my cane, and gave him into 
 custody. He is either mad or has been laid on to 
 kill me.' 
 
 Certainly this was the most concise possible nar- 
 rative of an exploit which for many days had filled 
 whole columns of the local press. 
 
 No one could fail to be impressed by the fact 
 that, go where one would, the best-dressed men, and 
 the frequenters of such fashionable resorts as still 
 contrived to keep open, were Englishmen. In fact, 
 but for English patronage, it is doubtful if even a 
 single first-class restaurant could have kept open : 
 once more emphasizing the bankrupt condition of 
 the ^ sons of the country,' for your Argentine loves 
 fine clothes and the vanities of life. Of course the 
 explanation was simple enough. The Englishman 
 is paid his salary in gold, and the worse the financial 
 crisis, the more paper dollars he gets for the 
 sovereign. The Argentine is paid in paper-money, 
 his salary remaining the same however high the 
 gold-premium may soar. Prices rise, of course, 
 during a crisis, but never so fast or so high as the 
 gold-premium. Consequently, whereas the unfor- 
 tunate native finds his margin for menus plaisirs 
 
 2 
 
1 8 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 entirely swept away, the Englishman actually gains 
 by the rise. 
 
 \ And, apart from this, it is clear that the whole 
 of the industrial enterprises in the country are 
 rapidly passing into English or, at least, into 
 foreign hands ; to such an extent that, but for the 
 enduring character of the Spanish language, and 
 the well-established fact that the children of Eng- 
 lish parentage born in Spanish-speaking countries 
 are almost invariably passionately fond of their 
 native soil, one would feel tempted to predict that 
 Argentina is destined, sooner or later, to become a 
 British possession. Certain it appears to be that 
 the Spanish race there is doomed, to be replaced 
 by a new and more energetic race of Argentines, of 
 whom the dominant section will be of Anglo-Saxon 
 blood, but of strongly anti-English sympathies. 
 The language will never die out, for the simple 
 reason that no one familiar with the rich, soft 
 idiom of Spain would ever willingly exchange it 
 for the harsh, comparatively coarse idiom of 
 Britain. 
 
 My particular inquiries into the actual economic 
 state of affairs naturally threw me much into the 
 society of my fellow-countrymen, and from them 
 I experienced nothing but unlimited kindness and 
 hospitality. With my work thus made easy for 
 me, and so admirably dove-tailed with enjoyment, 
 I should be ungrateful indeed did I not confess to 
 having had a really ' good time ' during my brief 
 
v: 
 
 ARGENTINA 19 
 
 stay in Buenos Aires. Given, too, all these ex- 
 
 iceptional facilities for obtaining the very best infor- 
 mation, superadded to an already fairly accurate 
 knowledge of the country, and it is plain that one 
 can arrive very speedily at definite opinions. Briefly 
 stated, mine formulated themselves thus : That*^ 
 things were in a bad w^ay, and likely so to remain 
 for some time to come ; that General Mitre would 
 shortly arrive, and would be enthusiastically re- 
 ceived in Buenos Aires by the dominant Union 
 Civica ; that his candidature for the Presidency 
 would be supported by the existing Government ; 
 that he would in due course be elected unless a 
 split later on occurred in the Union, in which case 
 Heaven only and General Boca knew what might 
 happen ; that there seemed no prospect of any 
 disturbance in the near future ; and that the best 
 thing I could do would be to hurry off to Chile. 
 All of which, having been duly cabled to London, 
 brought forth the laconic order, ' Go on to Chile.' 
 
 »This telegram reached me at the very moment 
 when I was discussing the Chilian question with 
 
 \^n Argentine brother-pressman, who had been be- 
 w^ailing his hard fate ijQ^ot havmg been sent as 
 
 fc correspondent to the scene of strife. I had en- 
 deavoured to console him by pointing out the 
 alleged dangers of the expedition ; but such dangers 
 
 _ being to him, as I gleaned, the very salt of exist- 
 
 I ence, I had duly sympathized with him in his 
 
 I disappointment. 
 
20 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 Now, it should be stated that there were at this 
 time, at the Darsena del Sur, two small warships 
 which had excited great interest. They were of 
 the class known to British naval men as torpedo- 
 catchers, were named respectively the Almirante 
 Lynch and the Almirante Condell, and were about 
 to proceed to Valparaiso, the naval stronghold of 
 the world- famed tyrant and dictator Balmaceda. 
 It was, moreover, reported that several of the 
 warships which had espoused the side of Congress 
 were lying in wait for them at the mouth of 
 Magellan Straits, with the amiable intention of 
 there blowing them out of the water. But the 
 Chilian commanders had openly ridiculed any such 
 possibility : if attacked by any single ironclad, their 
 vessels were heavily-armed and carried (between 
 them) ten torpedo-tubes ; if by a squadron, then 
 they could show a very clean pair of 18-knob 
 heels, and laugh at pursuit. To my mind it was 
 highly improbable that the revolted fleet should 
 allow two such dangerous craft to pass through 
 the straits without some effort to sink them, and I 
 was naturally anxious to witness that rarest of all 
 spectacles nowadays, a naval engagement. So I 
 consulted some of my friends as to the possibility 
 of proceeding to Valparaiso on board one of the 
 torpedo-catchers. Never was proposition worse 
 received. Go ? Of course I could go : they 
 would be but too glad to have the correspondent 
 of the Times on board. But had I considered 
 
ARGENTINA ««si«sf-^»aM. 
 
 that by so doing I should be identifying myself, 
 so to speak, with the cause of the tyrant ? No ; 
 this view of the matter had certainly not pre- 
 sented itself to me. It seemed hard lines to miss 
 what promised to be a very novel and interesting 
 scrimmage, merely because /people might accuse"^ 
 me of sympathizing with a man whom I knew 
 only, by report, as a savage, and whose portrait I 
 had never even seen. It seemed still harder lines 
 to have to bump across the Andes on mule-back 
 when there was a chance of a sea-passage on board 
 an 18 -knot boat. But my friends' verdict was so 
 unanimous that I regretfully gave up the idea. 
 
 * Go,' from a great journal to its special correspon- 
 dent, means ' Go at once ' ; and that I lost no time 
 in obeying my orders is proved by the fact that, 
 although the telegram only reached me upon the 
 evening of March 5th, I was en route within 
 eighteen hours — by the first transcontinental train, 
 in fact. Late at night I betook me to the premises 
 of the leading journals to obtain a few press 
 wrinkles as to the journey, telegraphing, and other 
 details, and also, naturally, to hear the latest news 
 from the disordered country I was about to visit. 
 It appeared that I could get as far as Puente del 
 Inca (upon the Argentine side of the Cordillera) 
 easily enough ; that thence I might, if I chose to 
 risk it, get across into Chilian territory ; but that >i 
 Balmaceda had closed all telegraphic communica- //vV^ 
 tion between Chili and the Argentine. The Buenos A ^ 
 
2 2 DARK DAYS IN CHILE 
 
 Aires press-correspondents, I learned, had stopped 
 short at Puente del Inca, from which point they 
 telegraphed such items of Chilian news as they 
 could there pick up. The telegrams to hand were 
 especially sensational. There had been several 
 desperate engagements. Balmaceda was besieged 
 in the Moneda at Santiago, and would probably 
 endeavour to escape across the Andes into Argen- 
 tine territory, if he were not captured and shot. 
 And the mountain-passes were infested by bandits, 
 deserting soldiers, and other desperate characters. 
 It was impossible, then, to know that these reports 
 were pure fabrications ; and whilst common-sense 
 suggested that, in the absence of telegraphic com- 
 munication, they could not be depended upon, still 
 they might be exaggerated statements of fact. 
 The brigand item appeared to be especially deserv- 
 ing of notice as being, under the circumstances of 
 a civil war, a very natural outcome. At all events, 
 it clearly suggested a liberal supply of firearms 
 and ammunition. And then there arose the query. 
 Of what use going to Chile at all if it be im- 
 possible to send news to the Times ? No matter. 
 The order was ' Go to Chile,' and the order must 
 be obeyed, brigands or no brigands, news or no 
 news. \And after all, it might be possible to get 
 from Valparaiso to the insurgent headquarters at 
 Iquique, and thence cable via New York. (It 
 ydid not then occur to me that Iquique, being also 
 / telegraphically cut off from Valparaiso, must be, 
 
ARGENTINA 23 
 
 if anything, rather a worse source of information 
 than Puente del Inca.) And what wondrous 
 
 i messages must have inundated Europe from these 
 two telegram factories for many months ! I my- 
 self was taken in by one — but by one only — 
 which bore every appearance of being official and 
 genuine, and which I repeated to London. One 
 of Balmaceda's crack regiments (the 5 th of the 
 Line, I think it was) was reported to have 
 mutinied, murdered its officers, and gone over 
 en masse to the insurgents. Yet, before I had 
 well reached Chile, this very regiment had been 
 cut to pieces at Pazo Almonte by the rebels ! 
 Wonderful, truly, are the ways of press telegraph 
 agencies ! Parisian journalists adopted a system "^X 
 equally reliable, and far less expensive ; they simply 
 and persistently invented their Chilian news in 
 their printing-offices. -^ 
 
 B As one result of a rather restless night of 
 broken sleep, during which, I remember, stumbling 
 mules, precipices, and lurking brigands figured ex- 
 tensively, I paid an early visit to my literary 
 friend who had been so grievously disappointed in 
 his hopes of visiting Chile. I had decided upon 
 taking him with me in the capacity of fighting 
 K secretary, special despatch-bearer in emergencies, 
 ™ or for any similar jobs to his taste that might turn 
 up. I found him at home, and gradually (in order 
 to enjoy, to the full, his anticipated rapture) made 
 my proposal. I was not disappointed ; he was 
 
24 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 delighted with the idea — so far as I had gone. 
 Go with me ? Of course he would. A journey- 
 across the famous Cordillera ? The one thing he 
 longed for. Such an opportunity might never 
 occur again. And Senor Guillermo incontinently 
 proceeded to overhaul his wardrobe, and to make 
 selections therefrom. I watched him in silence 
 for some minutes, and then the thought uppermost 
 in my mind found tongue. 
 
 ^ Tell me, amigo mio, how are you off for fire- 
 arms ? I suppose you have a regular assortment 
 for handy use V 
 
 ' Firearms !' replied Senor Guillermo. ' I don't 
 think that at present I have any. I had a little 
 American revolver, but someone stole it out of 
 my pocket. It didn't much matter, because it 
 wouldn't go off !' 
 
 I fairly gasped. A fighting secretary who, at 
 some bygone period, had possessed a little revolver, 
 an American revolver, and who l^new so little 
 about firearms as to be guilty of the ludicrous 
 tautology of adding that it wouldn't go off ! ^ Did 
 the man suppose that the Yankee toys exported to 
 Buenos Aires ever went off? It was staggering. 
 But, worst of all, he had allowed some person 
 unknown to abstract this harmless but, withal, 
 intimidating weapon from his pocket ! One's 
 watch or one's purse, yes — cela pent arriver des 
 fois. But one's revolver — in South America ! 
 
ARGENTINA 
 
 The thing was past behef. Yet, stay ; an idea 
 struck me. 
 
 . * Never mind/ I said, ' you can stick to the 
 national citchillo, and I'll look after the artillery/ 
 
 Senor Guillermo held up a pair of trousers to 
 the light (doubtless with a view to calculating how 
 many hours' mule-riding they might reasonably be 
 expected to stand), and answered very solemnly : 
 
 * Senor Corresponsal, I never use a knife except 
 at meal-times.' 
 
 This was too much. He spoke in much the 
 same tone as a dyspeptic uses when, bidden to 
 partake of a sherry and bitters, he informs you 
 that * he never touches anything between meals.' 
 
 * You see,' proceeded my new secretary, extend- 
 ing his critical inspection to sundry other garments, 
 
 * before I turned my attention to the Press, I was ^ 
 a professor of philosophy, and, long ago, decided 
 that fighting is utterly inconsistent with the teach- 
 ings of that admirable science. Moreover, it is 
 evident that an unarmed man is really in less 
 danger of being forced into a quarrel than he 
 who carries weapons, a fact which, I am given 
 to understand, is thoroughly recognised in your 
 own enlightened country. And, lastly, to attempt 
 armed resistance to a gang of bandits (should any 
 such present themselves, which I think most un- 
 likely) would be sheer folly.' 
 
 It was hard to take all this in at once, and 
 
26 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 especially hard to have discredit thrown upon 
 one's bandits. 
 
 * Why/ I asked, ' do you doubt the existence of 
 these gentry, in the face of your own correspon- 
 dent's telegram ?' 
 
 ' Simply,' answered Senor Guillermo, ' because I 
 know Pedro, who sent it, very well. He is a man 
 who rightly esteems his personal comfort above all 
 things. He has often complained in his letters of 
 the overcrowded condition of the small posada at 
 Puente del Inca, whereby prices are enhanced and 
 accommodation curtailed. The obvious and only 
 remedy must be to deter any more intending 
 travellers, by means of a judicious scare ; and what 
 so likely to do this as a well -flavoured bandit 
 report V 
 
 ' Your friend Pedro is a man fertile of resource,' 
 I assented, ' if not of unimpeachable veracity. I 
 trust we shall find the jposada depleted upon our 
 arrival. Hasta luego /' And I left my philosopher- 
 secretary contentedly equipping himself for the 
 journey. 
 
 Upon returning to the Grand Hotel, I was 
 apologetically asked by the proprietor if it would 
 seriously inconvenience me to allow a French 
 gentleman of his acquaintance to travel with me 
 to Chile. ^Naturally, I requested an introduction 
 to my proposed fellow-traveller, and, finding him 
 in every way eligible, at once consented. Several 
 other intending travellers interviewed me with the 
 
ARGENTINA 
 
 same object, but turned out to be unprepared to 
 start at such short notice. I should, otherwise,^ 
 have had to captain a small caravan. 
 
 Few as were my remaining hours, my English 
 friends found time to rally round me for a sump- 
 tuous farewell lunch at the Strangers' Club. Kight 
 royally they entertained me. And true though it be 
 that Scheiden thut Wehy when the Scheiden takes 
 place under such cheering influences, the sting wholly 
 disappears. Then as many farewell visits as I could 
 crowd into the remaining interval. From our Resi- 
 dent Minister, the Hon. F. Pakenham, whom I 
 found vigorously engaged at lawn-tennis at Palermo, 
 I received many valuable hints about Chile, to 
 which he had been previously accredited ; but he 
 confessed his inability to enlighten me upon the 
 political merits of the Revolution. My last visit 
 was paid to the President, with whom, as before, 
 I found General Roca. His Excellency was 
 politely sorry that I was so soon leaving Buenos 
 Aires, but added that, of course, from a journalistic 
 point of view, Chile was at that moment a more 
 interesting field for operations. 
 
 ' Has your Excellency formed any opinion as to the ^A 
 merits of the quarrel between President Balmaceda 
 and Congress V I ventured to inquire. 
 
 ' No,' replied Dr. Pellegrini ; ' I am not suffi- 
 ciently well posted in Chilian affairs to enable me 
 to arrive at any very definite conclusions. But A 
 President Balmaceda personally I know very well j 
 
28 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 f indeed ; we are old friends ; and whether he be right 
 or wrong in the attitude he has taken up, I have 
 no hesitation in saying that he is one of the most 
 finished gentlemen I ever met. Ask General Roca; 
 he knows more about the matter than I do.' 
 
 But the Man with the Iron Mask was very 
 guarded in his brief utterances, as, indeed, he 
 always is. \In his judgment. President Balmaceda 
 had no sympathy with the attempts made to 
 increase the powers of Congress at the expense of 
 those of the Executive, and would resist these 
 attempts to the bitter end. Possibly he believed 
 that a ruler, aided by ministers of his own selection, 
 was better able to govern than a roomful of wrang- 
 ling deputies. ' But,' concluded the General, ' that 
 Balmaceda ever had any intention of supplanting 
 existing Republican institutions by an army-sup- 
 ported dictatorship I do not think probable. He 
 is not the man for a coup d'etat.'^ 
 
 With many kindly expressions of goodwill from 
 the President and his Prime Minister, I hurried 
 off to the railway-station, barely in time to catch 
 the train. Mr. Christopher Hill, the courteous 
 
 * I cannot recall the exact impressions left on my mind 
 which induced me to enter the following remarks in my diary 
 under the date of this interview : 
 
 * March 5th, Memo. — If ever a South American community 
 should grow weary of the so-called Eepublican political jumble, 
 which has invariably proved so total a failure south of the 
 equator, and should revert to the One-man-rule system, that 
 community will be Argentina, and the One Man General Eoca.' 
 Perhaps the Napoleon-like face and manner of the man in- 
 spired the thought more than his words. 
 
ARGENTINA 
 
 manager of the Buenos Aires and Pacific lines, had 
 made all things comfortable for me and my two 
 companions, and good-naturedly accompanied us a 
 short distance. We were fairly en route for the 
 Andes. 
 
CHAPTER III. 
 
 CROSSING THE ANDES. 
 
 A Long Eail Journey — Travelling en Prince — Mendoza — A Lift 
 to IJspallata — Fifty Miles on a 'Cow-catcher' — Scenery — 
 Uspallata — A Lost Child on my Hands — Eoughing It — A 
 Facetious Muleteer — A Dry Stage — An Independent Yankee 
 — Eio Blanco — Las Vacas — A Goatherd-subscriber to the 
 Times — Montes Corrales — Monte de Los Penitentes — A Mule 
 Eace — * Corresponsal ' wins — Valle de la Tolorzia — Cajou del 
 Eio de Las Cuevas — Puente del Inca — A Posada — A Night 
 in a Menagerie — The Juncal Volcano — The Summit of the 
 Cordillera — A Slippery Descent — Lake Portillo — A primi- 
 tive Hostelry — The Soldier's Leap — The Meeting of the 
 Waters — Juncal — A Wild Drive — Santa Eosa de Los Andes. 
 
 Forty consecutive hours in a third-class railway- 
 carriage would, it may be supposed, be a test of 
 endurance and of epidermis which few persons would 
 be able to undergo ; but forty hours in a suite of 
 luxurious Pullman cars glide by smoothly enough. 
 Monotonous, of course ; nothing to see from the car 
 windows on either side but the flat grassy pampas 
 until quite towards the 'end of the journey. How 
 one loiigs, after, a time, for tb^ sight of eve^'a hil^^ 
 lock to vary the dead-level of those interminable 
 plains ! An isolated farm-house, usually as primitive 
 in appearance as mud walls can make it, becomes an 
 
CROSSING THE ANDES 31 
 
 object of interest, and a herd of cattle excites the 
 Hvehest satisfaction ; but even monotony is not 
 without charm, provided it does not last too long. 
 And certainly one who has endured a three wrecks' 
 calm upon the Line, on board a sailing ship, is 
 little likely to suffer from want of scenery on the 
 Pampas. The service and the accommodation 
 leave little to be desired upon this railway, and the 
 cuisine is very tolerable. Mr. Hill, the general 
 manager of the line, had considerately provided me 
 with a four-berthed dormitory to myself, which was 
 convertible, by the dexterous hands of an attendant, 
 into a snug sitting-room during the day. The only 
 serious inconvenience was the dust, which, despite 
 all precautions, found its way inside in large 
 quantities. 
 
 My secretary was in high spirits, finding matter 
 for admiration even in our desolate surroundinofs. 
 ' Where,' he would ask, ^ will you find a country 
 so level, and of such vast extent ? For hundreds 
 of kilometres not a hillock and not a stone. Besides, 
 observe how well we are treated ! Travelling with 
 a " corresponsal " is, I see, synonymous with travel- 
 ling en prince.^ 
 
 ' Ah, Guillermo,' said I, ' wait until we get out- 
 side those mules. They will respect neither the 
 " corresjDonsal " nor his secretary/ Which fore- 
 boding proved, indeed, true enough. 
 
 We reached Villa Mercedes at 2.30 p.m. next 
 day, whence, after an hour's halt to stretch our 
 
32 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 legs, we started for Mendoza, where we arrived at 
 seven o'clock next morning. 
 
 Here it became necessary to engage an arriero 
 (muleteer-guide), a boy, and twelve mules to trans- 
 port ourselves and our baggage across the Andes. 
 And here there befell us a piece of luck which 
 saved us nearly sixty miles of mule -riding, in 
 order to understand which, a few words must be 
 said about one of the greatest railway engineering 
 enterprises of even these go-ahead days. Those 
 readers who may be interested in such matters 
 will find full details in an Appendix. "^ 
 
 At the foot of the great range of the Andes, 
 which separates Argentina from Chile, upon the 
 Argentine side, lies the town of Mendoza. Simi- 
 larly at the foot of the same range, upon the 
 Chilian side, lies the town of Santa Rosa de Los 
 Andes, or, as it is generally termed, more simply, 
 Los Andes. And this range is one of the most 
 impassable in the world. The distance to be 
 traversed, following the only possible track for 
 mule or man, and well-nigh the whole of which 
 has been cut out of the solid rock, is a little over 
 150 miles, the highest peak crossed being some 
 13,000 feet above sea-level. The mule -track, 
 narrow and often dangerous as it is, was deemed 
 a triumph of engineering skill, and the route via 
 the Uspallata Pass has long been famous. 
 
 Then there arose a clamour for telegraphic com- 
 * See Appendix A : The Transandine Railway. 
 
PDENTK DEL INCA, ON THE ROUTE OP THE TRANSANDINK RAILWAY. 
 
CROSSING THE ANDES 
 
 munication between the two towns, so as to brinof 
 Santiago and Valparaiso in direct contact with 
 Buenos Aires. Two Chihan gentlemen of English 
 descent, Messrs. Juan and Mateo Clark, undertook 
 and successfully carried through this enterprise. 
 
 ■ And then, having taken careful stock of the 
 engineering difficulties to be overcome, they stag- 
 gered the scientific world by boldly proclaiming 
 the possibility of driving the iron horse over the 
 Cordillera ! At first the idea was received with 
 ridicule ; but Messrs. Clark stuck to their guns, 
 converted both the Argentine and the Chilian 
 Governments to their views, obtained the neces- 
 sary concessions, and the still more necessary 
 capital, and boldly went to work upon their truly 
 colossal scheme. 
 
 P Now, when we arrived at Mendoza, upon 
 March 8, the iron road had just been com- 
 pleted as far as Uspallata, and it was therefore 
 possible for ourselves and our mules to proceed 
 thus far (about fifty-five miles) upon our mountain 
 
 journey by train. Mr. N , Messrs. Clark's 
 
 agent at Mendoza, courteously placed a special 
 carriage at our disposal, himself accompanying us, 
 
 I together with several young English engineers. 
 It was arranged that the mules should follow by 
 a special train reserved for the conveyance of troops 
 towards the frontier. 
 m At Blanco Encalada, the first stopping-place, 
 
 ■ gome twelve miles up the line, I discovered four 
 
36 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 of the engineers perched upon the cow-catcher of 
 the locomotive, there being just room for this 
 number. 
 
 ' Now then, sir,' cried one, ' if you want to get 
 fresh air, and a good view of the Cordillera, take 
 my place here. But keep your head cool going 
 round the curves and through the tunnels.' 
 
 I surveyed the narrow ledge upon which I was 
 invited to balance myself, tested it, and, finding 
 that the protruding bars of the cow-catcher afforded 
 some purchase for the heels, accepted the offer 
 with a great show of alacrity, but with consider- 
 able inward misgivings. My secretary tried hard 
 to dissuade me, but to no purpose. A shriek from 
 the engine, and we were off. 
 
 Oh, the wild delight of that glorious ride ! 
 The sun shining brightly overhead ; the exhilara- 
 ting sensation of rushing through the clear, crisp 
 air ; the distant panorama of the snow -clad Cor- 
 dillera towering above mountains of well-nigh every 
 imaginable hue ; the spice of danger thrown in to 
 add, as it were, zest to the whole sublime scene ! 
 For the first few miles, it is true, the initial sense 
 of insecurity predominated. I was too busily 
 engaged in * holding on ' (or perhaps I should say 
 'sitting on,' since there was nothing to hold on 
 by), in staring at the stony track along which we 
 were speeding, and in imagining what would happen 
 if some huge boulder should have rolled upon the 
 line, to bestow much attention upon Nature's 
 
CROSSING THE ANDES 37 
 
 masterpieces of scenic effect. The first bridge 
 which we crossed, about 200 yards in length, 
 fairly made me start : there, deep, deep below us 
 rushed the river Mendoza, into whose icy waters 
 it would be so easy to fall did but one's heels slip. 
 Involuntarily I leaned well back, but coming, by 
 this movement, into uncomfortable contact with 
 the front portion of the furnace, I, as involuntarily, 
 jerked myself forward again. 
 
 ' Sit still, sir,' said my right-hand neighbour 
 warningly ; * it's not safe to throw yourself about 
 on this perch until you're a bit used to it.' 
 
 P This entirely coincided with my own conviction ; 
 but, in truth, after that first bridge my nervous- 
 ness entirely disappeared. At our next halting- 
 place, Cacheuta, Senor Guillermo rushed forward 
 to ascertain at what particular spot I had realized 
 his prediction, and fallen off. He embraced me as 
 one returned from a forlorn hope — he even hinted at 
 accompanying me upon the next stage ; but whether 
 it was that my engineer friends drew a line be- 
 tween a correspondent and his secretary, or that 
 they feared two * new chums ' would jostle one 
 another off, or that no one cared to resign his seat, 
 certain it is that one of them told an anecdote 
 w^hich effectually * choked off ' Senor Guillermo, 
 and very nearly drove me back to the railway-car. 
 Guillermo had remarked that, after all, there did 
 
 ^not appear to be much danger of falling off. 
 
38 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 much fear of that, because a fellow can see plainly 
 enough what would become of him if he did, and 
 sticks tight. But other accidents may happen. 
 For instance, a few days ago a tourist rode with 
 us on the cow-catcher, just as the correspondent has 
 been doing. But he had quite enough of it after 
 one stage ;' and the speaker laughed as at some 
 humorous recollection. 
 
 ^ How was that ?' I asked. ' I could ride there 
 all day, travelling through such scenery.' 
 
 * How ? Well, I'll tell you/ was the reply. 
 * In the first place, he was a particularly nervous 
 sort of fellow, clutching at one or other of us 
 every other minute ; and, secondly, he charged a 
 cow !' 
 
 ' Charged a cow !' cried Guillermo ; ^ what on 
 earth did he do that for ?' 
 
 'Just because he couldn't help. it. You see, 
 cows have a habit of straying on to the track, and 
 are very stupid and slow in getting out of the way 
 of a train. Sometimes, indeed, they get into a 
 cutting, or upon a narrow ledge, and cant save 
 themselves ; and sometimes they are overtaken 
 round one of the sharp curves. We fellows 
 always keep a sharp look-out for the brutes, and if 
 we see that it's going to be a case of " fresh beef," 
 we skip round to the side-ledge of the engine, and 
 hold on by the boiler-rail until the job is over. 
 Upon the occasion I'm speaking of, just as we 
 were turning a corner, we came right upon a tubby 
 
CROSSING THE ANDES 
 
 old cow. There was barely a second to think and 
 act, and my chum and I used it to the best advan- 
 tage, leaving the stranger to Providence. We got 
 one glimpse of his huddled-up figure . . . there 
 was a thud >-^..^ and in another instant the front 
 part of the engine was in a fearful mess. Our 
 
 fenan looked as though he had been rolled through 
 a slaughter-house. Goodness knows how he con- 
 trived to hang on, but he did somehow. Of 
 course, the engine at once slowed down, and we 
 got him off to the guard's van, where he was very 
 glad to change his clothes in favour of a suit of 
 blankets. I don't think that chappie will ever 
 again ride on a cow-catcher.' 
 
 I registered a mental vow that if / did it should 
 not be in the middle seat. In medio tutissimus ibis 
 evidently did not hold good of this sort of travel- 
 ling. 
 
 Time was allowed us at Cacheuta to see the 
 
 I locally-famous baths of La Boca del Rio. These 
 are thermal springs of high temperature, which, 
 oddly enough, rise within a few feet of the river 
 Mendoza ; which latter, being fed by melted snow, 
 is always icy cold. These baths are accredited 
 with wonderful medicinal properties, and it seems 
 beyond doubt that they are of great value in cases 
 of nervous and rheumatic disorders. 
 
 My request for a side -seat having been acceded 
 to, with the proviso that, if we should run foul of 
 a cow, I was to * look smart, and s^ive the middle 
 
40 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 man a chance/ we started once more upon our 
 winding, upward course. And winding enough, in 
 all conscience, this course is. At a place called 
 La Media Luna (the Half-Moon), the curve is 
 a perfect semicircle, flanked by a precipitous de- 
 scent, which makes the novice hold his breath. 
 Then a new experience — a tunnel. The sensation 
 of shooting a tunnel, perched upon a cow-catcher, 
 is like nothing else that I ever felt. ^One seems 
 to have for ever taken leave of the oflorious sun- 
 light, and to be pushed, as it were, through the 
 very bowels of the earth, by the panting monster 
 behind one. The din and the darkness so add to 
 the weirdness of the eflect that one instinctively 
 feels for one's neighbour's arm, in order to be in 
 touch with a fellow-mortal. Upon emerging once 
 more into daylight, the scene appeared grander 
 than ever — so grand, so sublime, that no feeble 
 word-painting of mine can reproduce it, even in 
 outline. The snow-mantled Cordillera in the back- 
 ground appeared still more stupendous the nearer 
 we approached ; the underlying mountains still 
 brighter in hue, with every conceivable shade of 
 colour represented — green, purple, orange, black, 
 red, and thousands of nuances for which there are 
 no verbal equivalents ; the bridges (of which we 
 crossed eight) seemed longer and higher, and the 
 river below swifter and more boisterous ; the 
 tunnels (five in number), if possible, gloomier and 
 more awe-inspiring. Upon one side towered a 
 
CROSSING THE ANDES 41 
 
 sheer wall of rock, which one could have touched 
 with the outstretched hand, and upon the other 
 lay a precipitous descent of many hundreds of feet ; 
 the track hung upon a mere ledge of rock wide 
 enough for the narrow-gauge line and no more. 
 Then came cuttings so deep and narrow as to 
 suggest the idea of tunnels with the roofs cut off; 
 and occasionally, when a light cloud passed across 
 the face of the sun, one could drink in and steep 
 one's soul in the exquisite gradations of hue that 
 
 I swept across the many-coloured hills ! 
 \j My companions had been over the ground so 
 often that for them these localities had lost the 
 charm of novelty ; but they thoroughly enjoyed 
 my enthusiastic admiration of all that I saw, as 
 good-natured fellows always do, when they see that 
 their efforts to give pleasure are crowned with 
 success. And they actually produced beer (none 
 of your Argentine ^ she-oak,' but the genuine red- 
 triangle Bass's pale ale, dear to the heart of all true 
 Britons), and we drank the health of our Queen, 
 and of the Times, and of Messrs. Clark, and of our 
 noble selves, until of that delicious beer there 
 remained not one drop. Fortunately, the cows 
 gave us a wide berth, and in the fulness of time 
 we reached Uspallata without other mishap than 
 the loss of a hat (luckily not mine). The line went 
 no further,^ and here we had to stay overnight, 
 
 * It has since been pushed on to Rio Blanco, twenty-miles 
 further. 
 
42 DARK DAYS IN CHILE 
 
 awaiting the arrival of the mules. After lunch 
 our kind friends bade us farewell, and started upon 
 the return journey to Mendoza. Before doing so, 
 
 however, Mr. N informed me that a French 
 
 lad, some sixteen years of age, had been waiting 
 here some days for an opportunity to join some 
 party proceeding to Chile. Would I take charge 
 of him ? The boy himself asked me so prettily to 
 allow him to accompany me, that I had not the 
 heart to refuse ; but scarcely was the train out of 
 sight when I discovered that my protege had no 
 clothes but those he stood in, no mules, and but 
 very little money. Evidently I should have to 
 supply him with these necessary adjuncts to travel, 
 and until I heard his story I felt annoyed at 
 having too easily given my consent. Then I 
 relented ; the more so as I at once saw that his 
 was one of those hypersensitive, shy natures that 
 ifnu8t fasten on to some stronger will than their 
 own, or come to hopeless grief I had even some 
 doubts as to his perfect sanity, doubts by no means 
 shared by Senor Guillermo, who assured me that 
 my lost child was clearly as mad as a hatter. 
 Briefly his story was this : His parents, well-to-do 
 Belgian bourgeois, had sanctioned his making a 
 voyage to Buenos Aires, for his health, in an 
 English ship, and under the care of the captain. 
 Arrived at his destination, having a month to wait 
 for the return voyage and 20,000 francs to his 
 credit, he took it into his head to see something 
 
CROSSING THE ANDES 
 
 \ 
 
 of Argentina, packed up a portmanteau, drew some 
 money, and started off inland, finally reaching" 
 Mendoza. Here a wild desire seized him to cross 
 the Andes and have a peep at Chile, and this he 
 furthermore contemplated doing on foot ; so leaving 
 his portmanteau in Mendoza, he took train to 
 Uspallata. Here his pedestrian plan had been 
 frightened out of him, and he had stuck — afraid to 
 go forward, yet utterly unwilling to go back. I 
 thoroughly believed the lad's story, and I may 
 add that I have since verified it in every detail. 
 P I tried hard to persuade him to return, but 
 this he tearfully but resolutely refused to do. He 
 would follow me on foot, if need be ; but follow 
 me he would. Finally, I agreed to take him 
 as far as Puente del Inca, where he was to 
 await the return of my muleteer from Chile ; 
 
 I and to this arrangement he temporarily con- 
 sented. 
 There is not any regular posada at Uspallata, 
 though there is a canteen at the station and a 
 _ fairly good general store where a few travellers can 
 W get a shakedown at a pinch. For us the boy in 
 charge of this latter place made special efforts, 
 evidently reahzing that the credit of the township 
 ft was at stake. Upon returning from a refreshing 
 but intensely cold plunge into an adjacent lagoon, 
 it was evident, from the bustle going on, that 
 preparations upon an unwonted scale were in full 
 swing. My lost child (whose name, by the way, 
 
44 DARK DA YS IN CHILE - 
 
 was Robert) whispered me that in all his three days' 
 experience he had seen nothing at all like it. At 
 intervals there had reached his ears shrill screams 
 as of fowls in their death agony, and he was 
 almost certain that he had recognised the squeals of 
 a youthful porker in extremis. But, most wonderful 
 of all, he had seen a feon laying a table-cloth ! 
 Robert's powers of observation had not misled 
 him. When we, later on, sat down to dine, the 
 table-cloth was there, and we were regaled with 
 chicken soup, roast fowl, and sucking pig, the 
 whole washed down by some very fair Mendoza 
 wine. I had been warned that our experiences of 
 * roughing it ' would commence at Uspallata, but 
 methought I could rough it upon this scale for a 
 lengthy period. To sleep upon, there were 
 stretchers resembling elongated camp-stools, whilst 
 the stock-in-trade furnished a liberal supply of 
 blankets. The couch reserved for me was even 
 adorned with what I took to be a sheet, but which 
 Robert at once recognised as that crowning luxury 
 — the table-cloth. 
 
 Next morning we were aroused betimes by our 
 muleteer, who pressed us to lose no time in making 
 a start. To him I confided my wish to take 
 Robert with me if possible. Certainly, he could 
 ride one of the spare mules if a saddle could be 
 procured. But, as regarded the senor's baggage — 
 this, I informed him, need not w^eigh upon his 
 mind, inasmuch as the young gentleman had 
 
CROSSING THE ANDES 
 
 brought none. Whereupon the muleteer scratched 
 his head and remarked : 
 
 ^ Of course the senor knows best. But it would 
 be very bad for our business if everyone travelled 
 with one shirt/ 
 
 And Jose proceeded to load up his mules, whilst 
 we breakfasted upon the debris of the last night's 
 banquet — the protean table-cloth, which had re- 
 appeared upon the board, being removed by general 
 request.^ The reckoning paid, a stirrup-cup par- 
 taken of, a saddle borrowed for Robert, and we 
 were ready for the road. 
 
 ' Does your excellency ride well V queried our 
 guide, who had a true Spanish habit of conferring 
 brevet-rank upon his patrons. 
 
 ' Moderately well,' I replied cautiously, my 
 Australian and other experiences having, long ago, 
 taught me the unwisdom of vaunting one's horse- 
 manship in a foreign land. 
 
 '■ Ah ! I thought so, senor ; most English 
 cahalleros can ride. That is why I have picked out 
 El Ministro there to carry you,' indicating a gaunt 
 animal of exceptional stature for a mule. ' He's 
 the best macho I've got, and used to be one of the 
 quietest. But ever since he carried Senor Godoy, 
 
 * The reader will doubtless remember the analogous experi- 
 ences of a guest at a French country auherge, who was 
 aroused at an early hour, with a request that he would at once 
 get up. * Why should I get up ?' ' Because,' replied the 
 gar9on, * I want to lay the table for breakfast, and monsieur 
 is sleeping upon the table-cloth.' 
 
46 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 the Chilian Minister for Londres (that's why he's 
 called El Ministro), he has become proud, and plays 
 tricks occasionally. I dare say he will go quietly 
 enough with your excellency, but be careful of his 
 heels just at first when you mount him.' 
 
 This last piece of advice proved not uncalled for. 
 No sooner did El Ministro feel my foot in the 
 stirrup than he lashed out savagely, to the accom- 
 paniment of a succession of shrill squeals. How- 
 ever, at the second attempt I got safely into the 
 saddle, and, having no intention of risking my neck 
 upon the brute if I could not master him, plunged 
 my spurs into his lean ribs. A battle royal ensued, 
 to the great delight of the onlookers ; but in the 
 end El Ministro gave in, nor did he ever afterwards 
 give me any trouble. 
 
 Quite an imposing cavalcade did our party 
 present as we passed by the station en route for 
 Rio Blanco, distant some twenty odd English 
 miles. At the head rode the muleteer's boy upon 
 a small gray mare, to whose headstall was fixed a 
 loud-sounding and not unmusical bell, the mules 
 being trained to follow a bell-mare just as sheep 
 follow a bell-wether. Then came the four members 
 of my party in no particular order, behind us the 
 baggage - mules, the spare mules, driven by the 
 arriero, bringing up the rear. Hampered as we 
 were by the baggage, our pace was necessarily 
 slow ; indeed, it took us seven hours, without a 
 halt, to accomplish the twenty miles. 
 
CROSSING THE ANDES 
 
 For a couple of hours our way lay through a 
 wide plateau, and then we entered a ravine, 
 hemmed in by towering alps of awful grandeur, 
 which endured to the end of the stage. The day 
 was exceptionally warm, and towards noon one's 
 ideas began to take the form of liquid refreshments. 
 I therefore proposed a brief halt for this purpose. 
 But then came the trouble. No such refreshments 
 were to be found. I had several times enjoined on 
 my secretary to be especially careful upon this 
 point ; in fact, to consider it 2^^^ ^^^- ^^ his only 
 duty. I had myself purchased the necessary fluids. 
 It now appeared that in the excitement of depar- 
 ture they had been left behind. Then I waxed 
 wroth, and I said unkind things of my secretary 
 and of philosophers generally ; and wrath begat 
 worse thirst, and I was fain to ask the arriero to 
 procure me even a drink of water. 
 
 * Impossible, senor,' replied Jos6, * until we reach 
 the posada at Rio Blanco,' 
 
 * But, my good man,' I remonstrated, ' we are 
 travelling parallel with the river.' 
 
 ' Sty senor, but we can't get down to it.' 
 This was but too true. There was the icy-cold, 
 foaming current rushing along a hundred feet 
 below ; but the descent was sheer. 
 
 I am especially sensitive to thirst, and, I believe, 
 suffered more than the others. But it chanced 
 that a dog — a rather well-bred collie — had followed 
 us, and in noting its distress I well-nigh forgot my 
 
 \^ 
 
48 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 own. Poor brute ! how it scoured the ground for 
 a stray puddle, where none existed ! How, ever 
 and anon, it rushed to the precipitous bank and 
 gazed, with hanging tongue, at the foaming torrent 
 below, as though minded to make one spring and 
 die in water ! At last, at a spot where the ravine 
 widened considerably, I perceived a white speck, 
 half a mile away, which I at once knew to be a 
 tent. With a vicious plunge of the spurs, T 
 headed my mule towards the welcome object, my 
 companions pursuing the even tenor of their way, 
 but the collie sticking close to El Ministrds heels. 
 It is surprising how fast a mule can gallop, for a 
 short distance, over rough ground. In a couple of 
 minutes I had reached the tent. No one there ; 
 the owner, doubtless a railway-navvy, was away at 
 work. But there was a cask of water and a pan- 
 nikin, and I filled a tin wash-basin for the dog. 
 My wants were soon satisfied, and, oh, how deli- 
 cious that water was ! I left a dollar in the 
 pannikin to express my thanks, and the collie, 
 having drunk its fill, looked up into my face with 
 its great brown, loving eyes to express its thanks, 
 and away we scampered, helter-skelter, to rejoin 
 the cavalcade. I told my companions of my dis- 
 covery, but they were too lazy or not thirsty 
 enough to profit by it. 
 
 Some miles further on we observed a man skulk- 
 ing about in most mysterious fashion close to the 
 river-bank. Presently he noticed us, and waved 
 
CROSSING THE ANDES 49 
 
 his arms as though he desired to speak with us, at 
 the same time staggering in our direction ; where- 
 upon we rode towards him. A queer- looking ^ 
 object ! He turned out to be an American 
 mechanic, on his way to Chile on foot. He was 
 half dead with thirst, and had been trying to spy 
 out a track down to the river. Could we give 
 him some water ? I explained our own situation, 
 and offered him a lift, upon a spare mule, to the 
 jposada^ then about six miles distant. But this he, 
 not very politely, declined. He did not want my 
 
 mule ! He wanted water, and if I had none, 
 
 why, there was an end of it. Perhaps he could 
 afford a mule as well as I could, or better. If he 
 preferred to walk, what business was that of mine ? 
 So I left him, for an ill-conditioned, cantankerous 
 brute, to leave his bones upon the river-bank, if the 
 Fates so willed it. But he did not. He turned 
 up at the jposada some hours after us. 
 
 At Bio Blanco (so called from the milk-white^ 
 colour of the water which here comes rushing down 
 from the mountains) we stayed overnight. The ' 
 accommodation, although rougher than at Uspal- 
 lata, was yet tolerable ; and I remember that cer- 
 tain bottles of lager-bier, cooled in the river, were 
 especially good. 
 
 Next day (March 10th), having a journey of 
 forty-six miles to accomplish before nightfall, our 
 arriero insisted on a very early start. Whilst he 
 was saddling and packing the mules, Jose incidentally 
 
 4 
 
50 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 mentioned that he had driven the animals several 
 miles the evening before, to the nearest browsing 
 ground, had slept amongst them, under the stars, 
 rolled up in his poncho, and had but just brought 
 them back. A pretty hard life, that of the Andine 
 muleteer. 
 
 ' And, senor,' said Jose, with a grin, ' I have re- 
 christened El Ministro. He will now be known as 
 El Corr espousal' 
 
 ' I suppose,' I answered, ^ if he should ever 
 carry Balmaceda across the range, he will become 
 El Presidente f 
 
 ' Quien sabe, senor ? More unlikely things have 
 come to pass. But take my advice, and don t talk 
 about Balmaceda like that when you get into Chile 
 — Macho ! — 00 — ay — Macho f And we slowly 
 started upon our way. 
 
 We reached a sort of farmhouse posada at 
 Punta de Las Vacas at about mid-day, and here 
 we fell into most hospitable hands. The place 
 appeared to be kept by three young fellows, 
 evidently fairly well off, to judge by the number 
 of cows, horses, mules, goats, pigs, fowls, and dogs 
 (of which last there must have been at least fifty), 
 which we saw. One of the proprietors, who, as 
 I understood, was specially interested in goat- 
 breeding, at once explained the reason of the un- 
 wonted efforts made on our behalf 
 
 He had, by dint of study and with occasional 
 help from stray Englishmen, learnt enough English 
 
\NDES 5' 
 
 to understand the written language fairly well, and 
 derived most of his knowledge of contemporary 
 history from the Times weekly edition, to which 
 he was a subscriber. Hence he esteemed it a high 
 honour to entertain a corresponsal of the gran 
 diario. And when the arriero began to grumble 
 at the delay in preparing lunch, he bade him begone 
 with his baggage-mules, for that he would himself 
 conduct the Senor Corresponsal's party to Las 
 Cuevas later on. By this arrangement, we had 
 ample time to do justice to the abundant fare set 
 before us, and for an hour's rest afterwards. The 
 collie was recognised as the property of an English 
 engineer ; and though the animal tried to follow 
 us, it was speedily lassoed and chained up. Our 
 host's chums started with us, to see us a part of 
 the way, but eventually accompanied us the whole 
 distance. 
 P Unhampered by the baggage-mules, we were able 
 to cover the ground at a good pace, whilst our 
 guides enlivened the journey by pointing out the 
 most interesting freaks of Nature, which here 
 abound. 
 
 To the right arose dark jagged masses of horn- 
 blende and schist, the smoother lower portions of 
 which, seamed and scored, gave ample evidence of 
 glacial action. These are known as the Montes 
 Conales. 
 
 Further on, upon the other side, stood the most 
 extraordinary rock formation I ever beheld. Upon 
 
 k 
 
52 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 the slope of a distant hill was an almost perfect 
 counterpart of a huge monastery, whilst lower down 
 certain other groups of rock exactly represented 
 processions of pilgrims ascending the hill. The 
 name Monte de Los Penitentes very happily de- 
 scribes the impression produced upon the beholder; 
 yet, we were assured, upon near approach the illusion 
 entirely disappears. Truly 
 
 * 'Tis distance lends enchantment to the view,* 
 
 though I never before so fully realized the truth of 
 Campbell's well-known line. 
 
 We wasted so much time admiring Los Peni- 
 tentes that it was deemed necessary to quicken our 
 pace ; and, all being in excellent spirits, a race to a 
 boulder about a mile distant was proposed and 
 agreed to. We were here in a wide valley, and the 
 going fairly good, so we got into line. I fired my 
 revolver as a signal, and away we went. It soon 
 became evident that our guides' mules were fresher 
 and better than ours, with the one possible excep- 
 tion of my tall moke, now christened El Corre- 
 spousal, and even he was sadly outpaced for half the 
 distance. Now, I had noticed that he had started 
 under me when I fired, and it occurred to me that 
 if I fired again, behind him, his mulish brain might 
 be startled into further eflPorts. The idea was an 
 inspiration. Hearing the report, apparently in the 
 immediate vicinity of his hind-quarters, the brute 
 fairly bounded along, and passed the rearmost of 
 
53 
 
 my three rivals. It cost two more explosions to 
 get him past the next man. And now there re- 
 mained but the leader, some ten lengths ahead, with 
 about a hundred and fifty yards yet to be covered. 
 I noted with satisfaction that he was spurring mer- 
 cilessly to maintain his lead. Then, when fifty 
 yards from the goal, I fired my last two remaining 
 shots in rapid succession. In a frenzy of fright 
 Corresponsal plunged forward, swept past the leader 
 like a whirlwind, and won by half a dozen lengths, 
 about the same distance separating second and 
 third. As for the others, they were ' working their 
 passages ' at intervals, Robert (whose saddle, it 
 afterwards appeared, had turned round early in the 
 race) whipping in. There was a general laugh 
 when I explained my novel method of stimulating 
 a mule, which was redoubled when, upon my own 
 confession, I disqualified Corresponsal^ and awarded 
 the race to the second animal. 
 
 Our rapid progress was delayed in the Valle de 
 la Tolorzia, owing to the very uneven nature of the 
 ground. Here the strata seen are twisted and con- 
 torted in every conceivable direction, as though 
 Nature had given them birth during an extra 
 violent convulsion. Here, too, as at Montes 
 Conales, the evidences of ice action are plainly 
 visible. 
 
 Late in the afternoon we overtook the baggage- 
 mules at Puente del Inca, a marvellous natural 
 bridge, over which the railway will later on pass. 
 
 L 
 
54 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 Beneath this bridge are grottos, adorned with in- 
 numerable stalactites, and containing thermal springs, 
 which enjoy a high medicinal reputation both in 
 Argentina and in Chile. ^ Much to the surprise of 
 Senor Guillermo, his friend Pedro had departed 
 with the other correspondents for Chile, whence, as 
 we afterwards learnt, they almost immediately re- 
 turned. We would fain have stopped here over- 
 night, but our muleteers insisted upon pushing on to 
 Las Cuevas, alleging that the distance fromiPuente 
 del Inc^ to the summit of the Cordillera was too 
 great for the mules to perform before 10 a.m., at 
 which hour dangerously strong wii:ids commence to 
 sweep the frozen pinnacle. Our Las Vacas friends 
 confirmed this statement ; and so, with barely time 
 for refreshment and an all too brief inspection of the 
 beauties of the Inca's Bridge, we made a start for 
 Las Cuevas, the baggage-mules again preceding us. 
 The sun had set ere we reached the Cajon del 
 Rio de las Cuevas — a chasm of unknown pro- 
 fundity — and as there is scarcely any twilight in 
 the Andes, the last mile of our journey was 
 effected in total darkness. Trusting entirely to 
 the instinct of our mules, though the track here is- 
 known to be extremely dangerous, we safely 
 arrived at last at the jposada. The dinner was 
 quite good enough for hungry travellers to do 
 justice to it ; but when the question of sleeping 
 accommodation was broached, and we were shown 
 our quarters, we knew that at least we were ' in 
 
CROSSING THE ANDES 55 
 
 for roughing it ' with a vengeance. It was a shed 
 used apparently as a lumber-room, hen-roost, dog- 
 kennel, and asylum generally for such animals as 
 preferred a roof to the open air. However, with 
 the help of a liberal supply of blankets, we made 
 the best of it. Having prepared what appeared 
 to be a cosy corner, I was just about to extin- 
 guish the light and turn in, when I espied a ^ 
 colony of fowls roosting just above my head, v 
 Now, there are obvious and valid objections to 
 these neighbours, and, as I did not care to 
 abandon my corner, I decided to dislodge the 
 enemy. First *my own boots and then other 
 people's boots, and then every missile I could 
 first lay hands on, were hurled in rapid suc- 
 cession at those intrusive birds. With wild cries 
 they flew, fluttered, and fell about the room. 
 The dogs, inside and out, hearing the din, joined 
 in with great spirit ; two goats, hitherto unnoticed, 
 careered wildly about the place — all was noise and 
 confusion. 
 
 * Mon Dieu /' cried Monsieur L , waking 
 
 with a jump, whilst Robert and my secretary sat 
 rubbing their eyes in bewilderment. * Mon Dieu ! 
 quest ce quil y a done f 
 
 I explained as well as I could, for laughing. 
 
 * Mais cest infdme /' cried the irritated French- 
 man, making a wild grab at a fugitive fowl hotly 
 pursued by a terrier. ' A la porte toute la hande /' 
 And, opening the door, he, assisted by the other 
 
56 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 two, and by the dogs, which vastly enjoyed the 
 impromptu fowl-hunt, made frantic efforts to expel 
 the disturbers of his slumbers. As for me, I could 
 do nothing but roar with laughter. If the row 
 was bad before, it was now ten times worse. 
 
 ' PerOj por Dios, caballeros, que hay f exclaimed 
 the owner of a shock-head appearing at the door. 
 He speedily understood the situation and duly 
 apologized. * But,' said he, * who could expect 
 that the caballeros would mind a few fowls V 
 
 'A few fowls r cried Monsieur L ; ' why, 
 
 it's a veritable menagerie !' 
 
 However, the intruders were at length expelled, 
 and we finished the night in peace. 
 
 With all his efforts, Jose found it difficult to get 
 us away by seven o'clock next morning, and at the 
 last moment Robert tearfully objected to return- 
 ing to Puente del Inca (as per agreement), and 
 begged so hard to be allowed to go on with me 
 that, as usual, I gave way. 
 
 ^ The ascent to the Cumbre, the topmost point of 
 the Cordillera, and more than 13,000 feet above 
 sea-level, is naturally very steep, and the track is 
 made as tortuous as possible to ease the mules. 
 Hence it was nearly ten o'clock ere we reached 
 the summit, an ice-bound plateau, and commenced 
 the descent upon the Chilian side, which is far 
 steeper than the other. Indeed, so precipitous is 
 the fall, that even the mules could with difficulty 
 keep their footing, and for a short distance it was 
 
^G THE ANDES 57 
 
 deemed prudent to dismount and descend on foot. 
 The traveller readily understands how completely 
 impassable this track is in the winter-time, when 
 buried beneath many fathoms of snow. It may 
 be noted that the pass is, ordinarily, quite safe, 
 so far as snow is concerned, between the months 
 of October and May, and is frequently traversed 
 by ladies. The Andine mules are so marvellously ^ 
 surefooted that accidents are of rare occurrence. 
 So the most timid reader, who may deem sublime 
 scenery worth a long voyage, need be under no 
 special apprehension about crossing the Cordillera 
 at the right season. 
 
 About 3,500 feet from the summit lies the 
 Laguna del Portillo, as dreary a sheet of water 
 as the world, perhaps, contains, but, surrounded 
 on all sides by lofty hills, picturesque in its very 
 desolation. It is, of course, fed by the snow, 
 which melts in the summer-time. Near the lake 
 is a rough stone shanty, for the shelter of weary 
 or weather-beaten travellers. 
 
 \ Beyond this is a precipitous descent, adorned by 
 a thundering cascade, and known as the Salto del ^ 
 Soldado, or Soldier's Leap. The name was due to 
 some unfortunate deserter, the guide said, who pre- 
 ferred death in this form to recapture. In wild 
 grandeur, it scarcely comes up to Govett's Leap in 
 the Blue Mountains of New South Wales. 
 
 The junction of the rivers Blanco and Mendoza 
 occurs in a valley of unsurpassed beauty. One 
 
58 DARK DAYS IN CHILE 
 
 could watch for hours the milk-white waters of 
 the Blanco rushing along to unite with the clear 
 stream of the Mendoza, amid a profusion of luxu- 
 riant, if somewhat stunted, vegetation. It has 
 nothing in common with the Vale of Avoca, but 
 is, on a wilder scale, quite as effective a meeting of 
 the waters. 
 
 The most conspicuous landmark from the 
 Cumbre, looking in the direction of Chile, is^ El 
 Juncal, a huge extinct volcano, towards which we 
 had been slowly making our way. At the foot of 
 El Juncal is a capital little posada, which we reached 
 at about 1 p.m. Here we had luncheon and heard 
 some good news. 
 
 I should have stated that, hearing at Puente 
 del Inca that a carriage -road existed between 
 Juncal and Santa Rosa de Los Andes, I tele- 
 graphed to the authorities at the latter town 
 requesting that a conveyance might be permitted 
 to meet me at Juncal. This was necessary, as the 
 passport system was being strictly enforced. We 
 now learnt that a carriage was on its way to pick 
 us up. At three o'clock it made its, appearance, 
 an ancient but roomy barouche, drawn by good 
 horses yoked three abreast. After all this mule- 
 work, it was a distinct treat to do the last seventy 
 kilometres on wheels. Jose undertook to be in 
 Los Andes with the baggage-mules early next 
 morning ; and, the driver having changed his 
 horses, away we went at a hand -gallop. Senor 
 
CROSSING THE ANDES 59 
 
 Guillermo confessed to me afterwards that he 
 never regretted anything so much in his hfe as 
 having abandoned his mule. And, in good sooth, 
 it was a sensational drive. 
 
 It must be remembered that we were not yet 
 out of the Andes, that, in fact, we had seventy 
 kilometres of mountain work yet to do before 
 reaching Santa Rosa, which lies at the foot of 
 the Chilian side of the range. It soon became 
 apparent that the vaunted carriage-road was, in 
 the most dangerous places, little better than a 
 mule-track — just wide enough for four wheels. 
 At certain intervals recesses had been made to 
 enable vehicles to turn or to pass each other ; but 
 what would be done if two met at any considerable 
 distance from such a recess, witness knoweth not. 
 As we sped along, it became evident that our 
 driver was a first-rate whip, and confidence revived. 
 But, at first, to lean out and see the wheels passing 
 within a few inches of a sheer descent, reminded 
 me of New Zealand coaching in the olden days, 
 and gave me a cold shiver. When we came to the 
 worst part of the ascent a boy on horseback awaited 
 us to give us a tow. And a stiff climb it was for 
 the game little horses, so stiff that I several times 
 proposed to get out and walk. But this the driver 
 would not hear of. 
 
 * No, senor,' he said ; * it's hard work, but they 
 can do it. I have to work hard ; I dare say your 
 excellency works hard also. You pay for their 
 
 b. 
 
6o DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 corn, and they must earn it/ My philosopher 
 secretary affirmed that our driver was a born 
 logician. If so, he presently made it appear that 
 he had another side to his character. 
 
 As we were nearing the summit, I heard a 
 snap, and felt unmistakably that some accident 
 had befallen the spring especially responsible for 
 my person. Arrived at the top, I made known 
 my conviction to our jehu. He got down and 
 found that, in fact, one of the many metal layers 
 which, welded together, form a spring (their 
 technical name I know not) had parted company 
 with its fellows. However, a few turns of stout 
 whipcord soon settled that matter entirely to his 
 satisfaction ; but not so entirely to mine. 
 
 ' CoclierOy I inquired, ' do you think that spring 
 will stand V 
 
 * Quien sahe, senor f he answered, briskly mount- 
 ing to his seat. ' Puede ser f ( WJio hnoivs, sir ! 
 Perhaps it will.) And the boy having disappeared, 
 we commenced the descent at a brisk canter. 
 
 This was more than a philosopher could stand. 
 Guillermo, who sat next to Robert upon the front 
 seat, stood up to expostulate. Did the cochero 
 want to kill us and himself? In the name of 
 reason, with a broken spring, why not go more 
 slowly ? But the ^ born logician ' would not listen 
 to argument, until, at last, the philosopher lost 
 patience, revoked his former opinion, and even, 
 in his wrath, cast asgersions upon our jehu's 
 
CROSSING THE ANDES 6i 
 
 pedigree. Whereupon jehu also waxed wroth, 
 and answered : 
 
 ^ See you here, sir : even a dog has but one ^ 
 master at a time. I serve the Senor Corresponsal, 
 and from him only will I take my orders.' 
 
 But I, partly, I fear, not to be outdone by 
 
 Monsieur L , who was taking matters very 
 
 calmly, held my peace. And Senor Guillermo 
 remained standing until we came to more level 
 ground, avowedly in order that when the in- 
 evitable crash came he might be prepared to spring 
 out. No crash, however, did come, and, upon the 
 whole, I have seldom enjoyed a wheel-gallop more. 
 
 At a distance of a few miles from Santa Rosa 
 we stopped at the Custom-house, where we were 
 politely informed that no examination of baggage 
 would be necessary. But were the passports of 
 the gentlemen accompanying me en regie ? I had 
 
 arranged my secretary's, and Monsieur L had 
 
 his, but Robert, of course, had none. Then would 
 the Senor Corresponsal vouch for the young gentle- 
 man s respectability ? Of course, he was travelling 
 under my protection. That was quite sufficient, 
 the senor and his friends could proceed ; and after 
 an elaborate series of bows we proceeded. It 
 was nearly nine o'clock when we reached Santa 
 Rosa and drew up at the Hotel Colon. And oh ! 
 the comfort of sitting down once more to a first- 
 class supper, with, above all, the certain prospect 
 of a good bed. 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 
 CHILE AND ITS CONDITION. 
 
 Santiago — A State of Siege — Eevolutionist Opinions of Presi- 
 dent Balmaceda — Wanted : Evidence — I hear the other 
 Side of the Question — An Interview with Balmaceda — His 
 Views — A Eeview of the Situation — A Sketch of GhiHan 
 Society — Chile and British Enterprise — Colonel North and 
 his Mission — Dr. Eussell upon * Chile and the Nitrate 
 Fields ' — Eealized Prophecy — Eevolutionary Tactics — I 
 arrive at Conclusions — Eight or Wrong? 
 
 Jose did not turn up with his mules and our bag- 
 gage so early as he had promised — not, indeed, 
 before 3 p.m. There was, consequently, ample 
 time to have a good look round the pretty town- 
 ship of Santa Kosa de Los Andes. Like nearly all 
 the towns in South America, it is laid out in 
 squares, of which a side measures about a hundred 
 and twenty yards. The streets are wide, decently 
 paved, and lined with rows of well-grown poplars. 
 The public buildings are not noteworthy. Beyond 
 a return visit to Don Manuel Nunez, Governor of 
 the province, who had welcomed me very cordially 
 to Chile, and a rapid inspection of the extensive 
 workshops of the Messrs. Clark (of whose Transan- 
 dine Railway Santa Rosa is the Chilian terminus), 
 
CHILE AND ITS CONDITION 63 
 
 paying off Jose, and catching the 6.20 train for 
 Santiago, nothing remained to be done. We duly- 
 reached the capital at 11 o'clock, and installed our- 
 selves at the Gran Hotel de Francia. Here I said 
 farewell to Monsieur L , who purposed pro- 
 ceeding to Valparaiso by an early train, and it is 
 satisfactory to record that we parted with mutual 
 regret ; but, of course, I still had my Lost Child 
 on my hands, and considerable trouble the dear boy 
 gave me before I finally started him for La Belle 
 France. 
 
 We were now fairly upon the scene of our future 
 labours, and it behoved my secretary and myself 
 to bestir ourselves. He, being an Argentine, was 
 necessarily strongly prejudiced against all things 
 Chilian, just as Chilians regard with contempt all 
 things Argentine. He had no particular sym- 
 pathies either with or against the existing Govern- 
 ment, and might reasonably be expected to form an 
 unbiased opinion, based upon his own observations. 
 I therefore gave him carte blanche, together with a 
 sufficiency of dollars, to pursue his investigations 
 independently of mine. Two heads are better than 
 one, but more especially when one is the head of 
 a philosopher. It w^as, moreover, further agreed 
 that, should I find communication with the outer 
 world blocked or hampered, he was to bear 
 despatches back to Puente del Inca, whence they 
 could be transmitted vid Buenos Aires, said 
 despatches being previously committed to memory, 
 
64 DARK DAYS IN CHILE 
 
 so as to obviate the danger of carrying compro- 
 mising papers. This possibly necessary expedient 
 was, indeed, my principal reason for bringing him 
 with me. 
 
 Upon the day succeeding our arrival — and, 
 indeed, for many subsequent days — I was favoured 
 with a pretty continuous stream of visitors, all 
 patriotically anxious to enlighten me upon the 
 political situation. It was my duty to listen, and I 
 pride myself upon being a perfect Boswell in this 
 respect. Certainly my endurance was sorely 
 tested : I was interviewed ^ from morn till dewy 
 eve ' ; and if I failed to grasp the logic of the 
 revolutionist arguments, it assuredly was not from 
 lack of instruction. Some of my informants ap- 
 peared to take my advocacy of the insurgent cause 
 for granted. The bare fact that I was English 
 was almost enough ; the fact that I represented the 
 Times was, or should be, more than enough. But 
 these deductions I at once overruled. It was true 
 that the sympathies of most Englishmen in 
 England, led by the press, were upon the side of 
 Congress ; but it was also true that the opinions of 
 this sympathy-directing press were based entirely 
 upon ex parte revolutionary statements, and that 
 even these statements had latterly become so 
 obviously inaccurate and contradictory as to beget 
 a general distrust of all Chilian news received. It 
 was true that I represented the Times, but I did 
 so, according to my written instructions, as a per- 
 
CHILE AND ITS CONDITION 65 
 
 fectly free agent, whether my views should coincide 
 with those held by the leading journal or not. It 
 must be clearly understood that I had not travelled 
 12,000 miles merely to play echo to Congressional- 
 ist statements, and that, although I could not help 
 being somewhat prejudiced in favour of Congress, I 
 would allow no such prejudices to guide me in 
 arriving at a decision. It was easy to denounce 
 Balmaceda as a tyrant, a ruffian, a murderer ; but 
 I required evidence of his tyranny, of his ruffianism, 
 of his murders. One gentleman, claiming to be an 
 Englishman and * in business,' and who, should this 
 book ever fall into his hands, may possibly recog- 
 nise himself under the initial X , undertook to 
 
 supply me with the required proofs in abundance ; 
 and I rejoiced to think that I should have such 
 solid material to work upon. He would, upon 
 leaving me, at once proceed to reduce the whole 
 affair to black and white. 
 
 ^ Meanwhile,' he proceeded, ' you can see for 
 yourself on all sides abundant evidence of Balma- 
 
 ieda's tyranny.' 
 ' Where V I asked, producing my note-book. 
 * Well, in the first place, Santiago has been de- 
 clared in a state of siege.' 
 
 It flashed across my mind that I was in a state 
 of siege also. 
 
 ' Yes,' said I, ' so I understand ; but the declara- 
 tion does not seem to press very hard upon the 
 
 5 
 
66 DARK DAYS IN CHILE 
 
 citizens. A deaf man might live here a long time 
 without finding it out, I imagine.' 
 
 ' Ah yes, outwardly things appear quiet enough ; 
 but it places enormous power in the hands of Bal- 
 maceda s police. Why, in the suite of rooms oppo- 
 site to yours a leading member of our party is con- 
 fined to the hotel on parole ; and a special gaol has 
 been fitted up for political prisoners, where upwards 
 of forty prominent men are at the present moment 
 under lock and key. One of the very chiefs of the 
 revolutionary movement, Carlos Walker Martinez, 
 has been driven to hide himself at the British Em- 
 bassy to avoid arrest. Is not all this tyranny ?' 
 
 '■ Unquestionably,' I asserted, ^ this is tyranny ; 
 but it is hardly sensational enough for my purpose. 
 Can you, sir, supply me with a single instance of a 
 revolution, ancient or modern, which was not ac- 
 companied by such imprisonments, or worse ? 
 Detention upon parole in a first-class hotel is a 
 novelty, and so also, so far as I am aware, is the 
 conversion of a British Embassy into an asylum for 
 a person who, on your own showing, is a rebel 
 leader. I must have more than this — a great deal 
 more.' 
 
 * And you shall have it, my dear sir,' exclaimed 
 my visitor. * Read carefully the paper which I 
 will complete and bring you later on. It will 
 convince you — it must convince you — that Balma- 
 ceda is the worst kind of monster. I had intended 
 to address it to a friend in England, for publication 
 
CHILE AND ITS CONDITION 
 
 in an English provincial journal ; but it will come 
 with more force through the columns of the 
 Times' 
 
 And he departed, I following pretty close on his 
 heels, to escape any more interviewing, of which, 
 for that day, I had had quite enough. 
 
 The city of Santiago has been described so many 
 times by others that I do not purpose dwelling 
 upon its beauties and defects ; yet cannot I forbear 
 adding my tribute of admiration of the wondrous 
 rock, yclept Santa Lucia, which dominates the 
 town. Originally a stronghold for the primaeval 
 handful of Spaniards against the incessant attacks 
 of the warlike natives, in more modern times a 
 mere stony excrescence, it became, thanks to the 
 life-long devotion of the late Senor Mackenna, 
 * A thing of beauty, and a joy for ever.' 
 
 Thither can the wearied citizen or the curious 
 traveller repair, on foot or in carriage, and from the 
 summit enjoy the most magnificent panorama which, 
 I think, the world affords. At his feet lies the 
 entire city of Santiago, as plainly set forth as the 
 scenes in the cycloramas which used to be (and 
 perhaps still are) travelling round the world ; 
 behind him, the giant Cordillera, with its eternally 
 snow-capped heights — distant indeed, but which 
 appear so close. And if he be tired after the 
 ascent, or derive appetite from the beauteous scene, 
 an excellent restaurant lies to his hand. What 
 more can mortal expect or desire ? 
 
68 DARK DAYS IN CHILE 
 
 One other noticeable fact struck me in the course 
 of my subsequent drives and walks : almost all the 
 finest public buildings appeared to be quite new, or 
 in course of completion, the explanation whereof 
 was (according to the respective political bias of 
 my informants) that Balmaceda was bringing the 
 country to bankruptcy by his insensate extrava- 
 gance, or that he was leading Chile to the front 
 \ _ / ank amongst South American republics. 
 
 And here I must ask those of my readers who 
 regard a book upon foreign travel as necessarily a 
 record of more or less exciting incidents and adven- 
 tures to skip many portions of this chapter, since 
 what adventures I had befell me much later on. 
 Be it remembered that I am, primarily, writing 
 about the Revolution in Chile — as I saw it; and 
 clearly a book (however loosely constructed) without 
 some explanation of the political situation would be 
 too much ' like the play of Hamlet without the 
 Prince.' At all events, I can only tell my story in 
 ,my own way. 
 
 I saw nothing of my secretary that night. 
 Doubtless he was pursuing his investigations ac- 
 cording to his lights ; or possibly he had fallen 
 foul of the state of siege, and was in durance vile. 
 But I found my Lost Child awaiting me at the 
 hotel, and also the promised manuscript. After 
 dinner I sent Robert off to the theatre (the young 
 dog subsequently confessed to a music-hall), with 
 my addressed card in case he got into any trouble, 
 
CHILE AND ITS CONDITION 
 
 for he did not know a word of Spanish, and 
 tackled the annihilation of Balmaceda, foreshadowed 
 by X , taking notes as I read. As a docu- 
 ment denunciatory of Balmaceda, his aiders and 
 abettors, the paper left little unsaid ; well-nigh 
 every English adjective indicative of moral crooked- 
 ness was introduced, in the superlative degree. 
 But — it was all assertion. Not one atom of proof 
 was adduced. As an expression of individual 
 opinion, from a revolutionist in Chile to a friend 
 in England, this sort of reiterated abuse might be 
 pronounced forcible, and might carry conviction. 
 But, so far as I was concerned, it was worthless. 
 Evidence was what I wanted, and evidence there "^ 
 was none. 
 
 Next day X called, with a packet in his 
 
 hand — presumably a supplementary edition of 
 superlatives. I had meantime made certain in- 
 quiries concerning this revolutionist emissary. 
 I ' Good-morning,' said he ; * I have brought you 
 
 \ 
 
 a few more notes- 
 
 ' Pardon me,' I interrupted, ' are they from the 
 same pen as those you left for me last night V 
 
 ' Most certainly,' he replied, * and upon the same 
 lines. I sat up till ' 
 
 ' Then, sir,' said I, somewhat rudely, I fear, ' so ' 
 far as I am concerned, you sat up to no purpose. 
 I asked you for bread, and you gave me a stone. 
 You promised me proof, and you have supplied 
 e with denunciatory rubbish which has, long ago, 
 
70 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 appeared in every paper in Europe. Take my 
 advice, and, before you mail it home, stick in a 
 few names and a little more detail. Another piece 
 of advice : Don't underrate the intelligence of the 
 Britisher. Your accent betrays you, and your 
 profession is easily found out. Stick to the "' Stars 
 and Stripes " (there is nothing to be ashamed of 
 in them) ; but, candidly, your employers have 
 been very badly advised in trying to palm off 
 upon me a Yankee sto_g k4Qbber as an *' English 
 b usiness-m an." ' 
 
 (This and the preceding conversation are 
 literally, or very nearly literally, verbatim^ as I 
 noted them down whilst fresh in my memory.) 
 
 Finding no retort ready, he gathered up his 
 papers and departed, to inform all and sundry (as 
 I subsequently heard) that ' the fellow at the 
 Grand Hotel is no more the correspondent of the 
 Times than I am.' And after this, beyond send- 
 ing me copies of their surreptitious paper. La 
 Revoluciorij the revolutionists left me severely 
 alone, contenting themselves with stabbing me 
 behind my back, by cablegrams and letters to 
 London. This I did not, of course, know till long 
 afterwards. But what if I had known ? I was 
 special correspondent of the Times. I had not 
 lived long enough to accept a commission as Descrip- 
 tive Writer for a Nitrate King. I held no brief. 
 And whether or not my conclusions should prove 
 favourable or the reverse to Chilian agitators and 
 
CHILE AND ITS CONDITION 
 
 % 
 
 their foreign sympathizers, I was resolved that 
 these conclusions should be based upon the evidence 
 of my own senses. 
 
 My secretary and I devoted several entire days^^ 
 to a careful study of the events which had culmi- \ 
 nated in open rupture between President and Con- I 
 gress, pursuing our investigations independently, I 
 and subsequently comparing notes. Speeches, J 
 pamphlets, etc., setting forth the views of the I 
 leaders upon either side, were easily procurable in / 
 abundance, and there was the Chilian Constitution I 
 itself to steer by. Moreover, I had letters of -<^. 
 introduction to several leading residents, who one 
 and all turned out to be anti-Balmacedists, and 
 who, having watched the progress of events for 
 years, were in a position to make out the strongest 
 possible case for Congress. They warned me not v\ 
 to hold too strongly by the Constitution, framed 
 sixty years ago, and quite inconsistent with modern 
 ideas of government, assuring me that there had 
 sprung up a lex non scripta largely tempering its 
 autocratic provisions. Now, leges non scriptce are 
 vague, indeterminate factors in legislation, capable 
 of being twisted in any required direction at the 
 will of any temporary Parliamentary majority. I 
 mistrusted these unascertainable, erratic, unwritten 
 laws. 
 
 ^ It chanced that a wealthy mine-owner, Senor 
 Alfred Ovalle, had been very intimate with the 
 gentleman wt i preceded me as Times correspon- 
 
72 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 dent, and for that reason called upon me. In 
 course of conversation, I learned that after some 
 fifteen years of struggle as a working miner he 
 had at length struck ore so rich that he had sprung 
 at a bound from poverty to affluence, being now- 
 known as the ' Chilian Silver King.' Of him and 
 of his amiable family I subsequently saw a great 
 deal ; nor shall I ever cease to remember with 
 gratitude the bounteous hospitality invariably ex- 
 tended to me. In politics, he, at this time, held 
 a very open mind. ''With President Balmaceda 
 he was on such strained terms that he did not 
 visit the Moneda (Government House). Indeed, 
 he spoke very severely of the President as a man 
 who, although possessing great natural ability, was 
 largely responsible for the revolution, owing to his 
 susceptibilit}'- to flattery, his extreme good-nature, 
 and his" otter incapacity for saying ^ No ' to any- 
 >nejwhom_hedeemed his friend. 
 
 ' But, my good sir,' I remonstrated, ' when you 
 speak of the President as ^^ extremely good-natured," 
 are you aware that he is almost universally re- 
 garded as a most bloodthirsty, remorseless tyrant?' 
 
 ' Oh yes, I know that. The Oposidores (Oppo- 
 sitionists)^have been at great pains to throw dust 
 in the eyes of the foreign press, which Balmaceda 
 has entirely neglected. But bloodthirsty tyrants 
 shed blood. What blood has he shed V^ See you 
 
 ^^' So far [the revolution, apart from thf fighting in the 
 north, had been conspicuously free from b )odshed. Scrim- 
 
I 
 
 CHILE AND ITS CONDITION 
 
 I 
 
 here. Two-thirds of the men who stirred up this 
 revolution owe their pohtical existence to the man 
 whom they now turn to rend. If he liad shot 
 half a dozen of them, all this devil's work would 
 have been nipped in the bud. But there ! you 
 can hardly be a fool, or you would scarcely have 
 been sent out here on your present mission. Go 
 and see the man yourself, talk with him, watch 
 him narrowly, and judge whether he be the ogre he 
 is painted.' 
 
 This was clearly good advice, and T decided to 
 act upon it. I despatched a note to the principal 
 secretary, asking at what time his excellency could 
 conveniently receive me. An aide-de-camp brought 
 back the reply : the President would be expecting 
 me at four o'clock. 
 
 The news had just arrived of the defeat of 
 Balmaceda's troops at Pozo Almonte, and created 
 a great sensation. If was known that Colonel 
 Robles had been killed, and the greater portion of 
 his 1,200 men killed or wounded. This I, of 
 course, at once wired to London, the line being 
 opened for me upon presentation of my card. And 
 
 mages with the poHce had, indeed, occurred, and the guardians 
 of order were accused of acting with unnecessary brutality. 
 This seemed probable enough. But, so far as I could learn, 
 but one life (that of a deputy, Sefior Ossa) had been sacrificed 
 in these street rows. Of course no notice could be taken of 
 the vague, unsubstantiated charges of outrage, freely alleged to 
 have occurred in various parts of the country, and unhesi- 
 tatingly believed in by revolutionary sympathizers. One can 
 take nothing on trust m a South American repubUc. 
 
x^ 
 
 74 DARK DAYS IN CHILE 
 
 it may be as well here to state briefly the positions, 
 offensive and defensive, of the rival parties at this 
 
 me. 
 Upon January 7 the commanders of the only 
 three ironclads in the Chilian fleet, the Blanco 
 Encalada, the Cochrane^ and the Huascar, de- 
 clared for Congress and revolted. The wooden 
 vessels, numbering about a dozen, had no choice 
 but to follow suit, even had their commanders been 
 otherwise inclined, which is more than doubtful. 
 At all events, Balmaceda found himself without 
 even so much as a cutter. A large number of 
 dissatisfied members of Congress went on board 
 the men-of-war, which in due course proceeded 
 north to attack Iquique. Now, two very im- 
 portant facts must be borne in mind. Chile, b6ing 
 a very long, narrow strip of land, may be regarded 
 as practically all coast-line ; consequently the 
 command of the sea is all-important, and Congress 
 commenced with an enormous advantage. Secondly, 
 Iquique is the capital of Tarapacd-, the largest and 
 richest of the provinces conquered from Peru in 
 the last war, and is the port whence by far the 
 largest portion of that valuable commodity, nitrate 
 of soda, is shipped ; and when it is stated that ^e 
 export duties upon nitrate yield some $30,000,000 
 per annum,th.e value of the northern capital as a basfs 
 for operations will be at once understood. Why, it 
 
 ay be asked, did not the fleet attack Valparaiso, 
 itself a very hotbed of sympathizers with Congress ? 
 
A-^.-^r;-5*^.-V> 
 
CHILE AND ITS CONDITION . 77 
 
 _ _— ,.»>--., 
 
 The answer is simple. The army (which then 
 numbered only some 6,000 men) stood by the 
 
 President, and Valparaiso is very strongly fortified.. ^ 
 
 "Hiis behaviour of the troops was a great dis- 
 appointment to the insurgent leaders, who had 
 counted upon their co-operation. However, asir — > 
 matters stood, it was decided to attack Iquique, 
 establish there the revolutionary headquarters, 
 defray expenses by appropriating the nitrate duties, 
 and trust to jfcime and diplomacy for the final result. 
 Iquique was practically 'unfortified, and in the 
 presence of a powerful fleet was, to all intents and 
 purposes, an open town. Its capture did not, 
 therefore, appear to be a matter of much difficulty. 
 Still, the garrison might oflfer a stubborn, possibly 
 a successful, resistance, and failure would have 
 a very demoralizing effbct upon the insurgent 
 forces. So it was decided to commence operations yPi,^ 
 I by bombarding Pisagua, also a nitrate port, situated \ 
 some forty miles or less further north. This was ^^^ 
 done, and the town captured. ^ 
 
 Next followed a combat at Zapiga, several miles'^, 
 inland, in which the rebels, ill-armed, and as yet 
 ill-disciplined, were routed by a detachment of 
 Government troops, which at once marched upon 
 Pisagua and retook it after some desperate fighting. 
 A terrific bombardment ensued, during which the 
 unfortunate inhabitants suffered untold horrors, and 
 
 erloTYiQrro ^vas done by fire and shell to the computed 
 of at least a million dollars. Pisagua once 
 
78 DARK DAYS IN CHILE 
 
 ^ j more fell into the hands of the insurgents. Colonel 
 Robles, who commanded in chief for Balmaceda, 
 pushed forward to retake it, and was met by the 
 revolutionists near a village called San Francisco. 
 After a bloody struggle, in which both sides 
 fought with the ferocity of tigers, neither giving 
 nor taking quarter, the Government troops were 
 totally defeated, leaving two-thirds of their number 
 upon the field. The garrison left- at Iquique 
 hastened up to support Robles, and the insurgents 
 /profited by its absence to occupy the town. 
 
 Having joined the remnant of his troops to 
 
 those from Iquique, Colonel Robles once more 
 
 attacked at Huaraz. This time the revolutionists 
 
 were beaten, and such as escaped massacre retreated 
 
 upon Iquique, hotly pursued by a detachment of 
 
 Government troops under Colonel Soto. The town 
 
 was carried by assault, and had Colonel Robles 
 
 hastened up with reinforcements, the position of 
 
 the insurgents would have been desperate. Their 
 
 sole hope of holding out against the President 
 
 depended upon the possession of Iquique. At all 
 
 hazards, therefore, at any sacrifice, the northern 
 
 capital must be retaken. 
 
 ^^s::s:f==p^ Accordingly, on JFebruary 17, the insurgent 
 
 \ I I fleet, accompanied by the British squadron ' to see 
 
 -^^. / I fair play,' commenced a vigorous bombardment. 
 
 ^^^ I The garrison replied as well as it could ; but what 
 
 avail field-pieces against heavily-armed ironclads ? 
 
 For nearly twelve hours the unequal duel went on. 
 
 ^; 
 
CHILE AND ITS CONDITION 
 
 Soto, although wounded, holding out with great 
 determination. By this time a large portion of 
 the town was in ruins, fires were raging fiercely, 
 and a wholesale destruction of the place imminent. 
 But Soto had resolved that, if Iquique did fall, it^ 
 should not be much use to its captors, and pounded j 
 away at the ships as fast as his wearied men could J 
 load the guns. Considering that a large propor- \ 
 tion of the property thus being reduced to ashes ■ 
 and ruins was British-owned, Bear- Admiral Hotham i 
 at length proposed an armistice, with a view to some 
 sort of arrangement. To this. Colonel Soto, whose 
 force, by losses and desertions, had been reduced to 
 dho\xt forty men (why did not the attacking force 
 storm the place in boats ?), and who had sent 
 messenger after messenger to his nearest ally, "^ 
 Colonel Bobles, praying for reinforcements, agreed, \ 
 after consulting with the Intendente, Senor --^ 
 Salinas. 
 
 At twelve o'clock next day, Rear -Admiral ^ 
 Hotham and Captain Lambton went ashore, and 
 brought off Colonel Soto and Senor Salinas to a 
 conference with the revolutionary leaders on board j 
 the War spite, ^ 
 
 As showing the fratricidal nature of the struggle, 
 
 I deem it worth while to translate a letter sent by^ 
 
 General Urrutia — the only Chilian general who^ \ 
 had desertei^Balmaceda — to his old school-fellow \ 
 and^friend. Colonel Soto. I gi ve it ~raTher li ter- 
 
 6 
 
82 DARK DAYS IN CHILE 
 
 * Iquique Harbour, 
 
 'Feb. 18th, 1891. 
 ' Senor J. M. Soto. 
 
 ^ My dear Pepe, 
 
 '• Why, being friends, do we to-day face 
 each other as foes, to exchange rifle-shots in a few 
 hours more ? Would not an embrace be preferable, 
 which should draw yet closer our former and never- 
 belied friendship ? As to my old woman (yieja) 
 Lina, the tears will stream down her cheeks when 
 she learns that two persons so dear to her have 
 been at daggers-drawn. Does nothing strike you 
 to save this awkward situation ? Could we not 
 have a conference on board a neutral ship ? 
 
 * What more can I urge, except to bid you 
 remember our wives and children : your children ! 
 
 * I bid you assure [your wife] Cantalicia, upon 
 my word of honour, that if Fate should part us 
 far, far apart, and if I survive, she will find in me 
 a true friend, eager to do all that may be possible 
 to serve her and her children. 
 
 * Can you send me a reply ? A farewell, an 
 embrace, from your affectionate friend {amigo de 
 corazon). 
 
 ' G. Urrutia.' 
 
 * I had reason to know afterwards,' adds Colonel 
 Soto, * what all these fine promises were worth.' 
 
 r— ^=^ The conference took place. The revolutionists 
 
 1 were represented by Seilores Waldo Silva, Jqrje 
 
 / M ontt. and General Urrutia ; the Government 
 
CHILE AND ITS CONDITION 83 
 
 party by Senor Salinas^ Colonel Soto, and Captain 
 
 K Campilla ,_E,ear- Admiral Hotham and Captain 
 
 Lambton acted as witnesses. A surrender was 
 finally agreed upon, and carried into effect, whereby 
 all the Government troops then in Iquique should 
 surrender their arms. And, as luck would have it, 
 a reinforcement, sent by Robles, had meanwhile 
 arrived. /However, a bargain is a bargain, especi- 
 ally if made in the presence of a British Admiral 
 commanding a powerful squadron. And thus 
 Iquique definitely came into the hands of the 
 insurgents. 
 
 Unquestionably Colonel Soto committed a fatal 
 blunder in giving up the town. He should have 
 held out to the bitter end. The vital importance 
 of Iquique to the rebels would have justified him 
 in sacrificing his last man in its defence. And re- 
 inforcements were only a question of time. But 
 poor Soto was, after all, but a simple-minded 
 soldier. His chief, Senor Salinas, whom I know 
 well, is a timorous civilian who wears spectacles. 
 This small force had dwindled to a mere handful of 
 worn-out, disheartened men. , Urrutia's clever letter j 
 demoralized him ; and he was bluflfed out of his J 
 seven senses on board the Warspite/ It is hard^ 
 to blame Soto. But Robert CHve would have 
 held out. 
 
 Warned by past experience, the insurgents re- 
 solved this time to retain their conquest. ' Every 
 man that could be found in Iquique or in the sur- 
 
 y 
 
84 DARK DAYS IN CHILE 
 
 \ rounding nitrate-workings was persuaded, or bribed, 
 I or impressed into their ranks. Vessels were sent 
 up and down the coast to enHst more recruits 
 wherever possible. No effort was spared to 
 organize a force capable of resisting the formid- 
 able Government divisions still in possession of the 
 province. 
 <^ Then occurred a series of blunders on the part 
 of Balmaceda's colonels unparalleled in the history 
 of modern warfare. Robles had 1,200 men within 
 striking distance of Iquique ; Ga-na had . 1,500 
 within two days' march ; Axratg had 400 men, 
 farther afield ; whilst the Camus division, nearly 
 2,000 strong, was within four days' march. 
 Against this army the insurgents could barely 
 have opposed 2,500 recruits. The obvious plan 
 was to unite, and fall upon Iquique. But there 
 was no head to direct. Colonel Robles was the 
 senior officer, but understood no^Miig'or^trategy^ 
 
 V^and held the rebels far too cheaply. He took up 
 a strong position at a point called Sebastopol, about 
 seventy miles from Iquique, and sent word to his 
 brother colonels to join him there. But in that 
 waterless, desert region it is not easy to move 
 troops ; and, moreover, the other colonels, acting 
 upon individual judgment, had detached portions 
 of their forces to protect coast-towns farther 
 south. Colonel Bobles, a dashing leader despite 
 his seventy odd years, grew weary of waiting ; 
 water was running short ; and so he moved upon 
 
CHILE AND ITS CONDITION 85 
 
 Pozo al Monte (the Well on the Hill), where he 
 was joined by a small detachment of Colonel 
 Arrate's forces. Here, again, he might have 
 awaited the overwhelming Camus division, but he 
 had not patience. The enemy, he learned, was 
 advancing to attack him, and, believing firmly that 
 his troops could make mincemeat of treble their 
 number of recruits, he decided to meet them. 
 Fatal blunder ! He had some 1,300 infantry, no 
 cavalry, and but four field-pieces, and (worst of all, 
 albeit he knew it not) he tvas short of amTnunition. 
 The insurgents numbered 2,600, some mounted ' 
 infantry, three field -batteries, and several Gat- 
 ling guns, worked by the sailors. For a time, 
 despite their inferiority in numbers, the ' regulars ' 
 had the best of the encounter, and, wounded badly, 
 Colonel Robles ordered a general advance.^ But I 
 his adversary. Colonel Canto, was a tactician. 3 
 Well knowing the sort of troops he was com- 
 manding, he had, in anticipation of Robles' charge, 
 detached his cavalry and some companies of in- 
 fantry to outflank him. ' Colonel Robles led the \ 
 charge himself and fell, this time mortally wounded. 
 The flank movement was executed at the right \ 
 moment and the usual massacre ensued. And so ~| 
 resulted the battle of Pozo al Monte. -^ 
 
 The other leaders (Heaven only know^s why !) 
 abandoned all idea of retrieving poor Robles' 
 
 * Of course I am here anticipating. By the first accounts 
 received at Santiago, it was only known that Colonel Kobles 
 had been defeated and slain. The details came later. 
 
S6 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 disaster, retreated eastwards, crossed the Andes 
 into neutral territory, and eventually, after, untold 
 hardships, recrossed the range into Chilian terri- 
 tory in the depth of winter. 
 
 It must also be stated that between Chile proper 
 and T§j::apacd^( which, having been conquered from 
 Peru, is hardly yet Chilian) an impassable desert 
 intervenes ; and that, consequently, the only way 
 of sending reinforcements from Valparaiso north- 
 wards is hy sea. Thus, President Balmaceda had 
 been debarred from reinforcing his northern 
 garrisons. 
 
 Accompanied by Senor Guillermo, I presented 
 myself at the Moneda at the appointed hour, and 
 without delay was ushered into the presence of 
 Senor Balmaceda. First impressions count for 
 something ; and I think that no one could have 
 met the Chilian President for the first time without 
 being favourably impressed. Six feet in height, of 
 spare but wiry build, some fifty years of age ; in 
 general appearance, in fact, not unlike his brother- 
 President of Argentina. A head that probably a 
 phrenologist would have found fault with ; the 
 broad forehead a little too sloping, the chin a trifle 
 weak, the mouth un taut soit peu sensual. But 
 the good-humoured gleam in the keen, penetrating 
 eyes, and the smile, half-playful, half-cynical, that 
 hovered about the mobile lips, gave not the faintest 
 \\ indication of the Nero-like qualities attributed to 
 
CHILE AND ITS CONDITION 
 
 him by his opponents. There is character, too, in 
 a hand-shake, and the President's grip was one to 
 remember for several minutes. 
 
 In my notes I find the following resume of our 
 conversation. Quoth his Excellency : 
 
 ' You arrive at a disastrous epoch in Chilian 
 history, Senor Corresponsal, and I fear you will 
 carry away with you but a poor opinion of our 
 common-sense, or of our patriotism.' 
 
 This was evidently a * feeler,' so I replied by 
 another. 
 
 ^ Subject to your Excellency's correction, the 
 question appears to me to be rather a definite issue 
 upon points of constitutional rights. yXo country 
 has ever yet worked out its political salvation 
 without such diflferences of opinion as at present, 
 unhappily, exist between yourself and Congress ; 
 nor can Chile hope to be an exception to the 
 universal law.' 
 
 The President looked at me keenly for a few 
 moments. I fancied I could read his thoughts : 
 This correspondent is English ; he admires no system 
 of government save his own ; he believes that I 
 am standing in the way between Chile and the 
 adoption of a similar system. Then he said, 
 speaking very slowly and distinctly, and in a pure 
 Castilian accent, good to listen to : 
 ^ ' What you say, senor, is historically correct, 
 ^nd more especially of England. Your records 
 indicate a continuous struggle between a dominant 
 
90 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 aristocracy and a liberty-seeking people. And, in 
 course of time, you have contrived to reconcile the 
 pretensions of both. ^ But your ways are not the 
 ways of the rest of the world ; and most certainly 
 they are not our w^ays. Your hereditary throne, 
 your hereditary House of Lords, and your popular 
 elective House of Commons appear to harmonize 
 with the character of the Eno^lish nation. But 
 they do not meet the views of younger nation- 
 alities, which invariably adopt a republican form 
 of government. Now, here comes the great differ- 
 ence. ^With you, but one out of the three powers 
 which form your constitutional system ii^ elective. 
 In a republic all three are elective. Your two 
 hereditary powers are, more or less, automata ; 
 that is, neither Crown nor Lords dare oppose a 
 strong expression of the national will. We have 
 no such automata ; least of all is a Chilian 
 president such an automaton, being invested by 
 the Chilian constitution with powers greater even 
 
 ^ than those of Congress. That his powers are 
 excessive is quite possible, is open at least to 
 argument ; but that they exist is certain, and open 
 
 to no argument at all. You follow me ?' and 
 
 Senor Balmaceda pointed significantly to the 
 original Chilian constitution, which, framed in 
 gold, adorned a side of the room. 
 
 ' Perfectly,' I replied ; ^ your Excellency's Spanish 
 is singularly pure. But it is asserted, upon the 
 other side, that custom and precedent had modified 
 
CHILE AND ITS CONDITJON 
 
 91 
 
 this constitution to an extent which you refused 
 to recognise, and that hence the quarrel.' 
 
 'No es cierto, serior — such is not the case !' ex- 
 claimed the President, somewhat warmly. ' I did 
 nothing that has not been done, over and over 
 f again, by my predecessors. This theory of Parlia- 
 mentary Government is a new idea, a mere pretext 
 of discontented factions to work out their own 
 ends. I am jthe_-£rs^^^presentative of the Liberal 
 Party who has _ ever held office. Ever since 1833 
 ^e aristocracy has had a monopoly of the Pre- 
 sidency, and up to my election the presidential 
 powers were never called into question. Moreover, 
 when I was sworn in, I took an oath to uphold 
 and maintain the constitution as it stands, without 
 
 ^ reference to alleged precedents or philosophical 
 theories. Congress, by the express terms of that 
 constitution, has no more right to dictate to me 
 what ministers I shall choose than it has to ordain 
 what food I shall eat or what clothes I shall wear. 
 LIf I have in any way exceeded my powers, let 
 Congress impeach me when my term of office 
 shall have expired, which will be but six months 
 hence, as by law provided. I did not frame the 
 constitution, nor am I responsible for its provisions. 
 But I am responsible before God and man to observe 
 my oath ; and this, por Dios, senor, I shall do whilst 
 breath remains in my body.' 
 
 ^ It would seem,' I ventured to observe, ^ that a 
 revision and remodelling of this apparently some- 
 
 1 
 
 D 
 
 / / 
 
h 
 
 92 DARK DAYS IN CHILE 
 
 what arrieree constitution would be the simplest 
 solution of the difficulty.' 
 
 ' Unquestionably/ assented Senor Balmaceda, 
 * and this has ever been a prominent feature of the 
 Liberal programme. But the way to effect con- 
 stitutional reforms is-jieither to render government 
 impossible, nor to seduce the fleet, norjbaplay into 
 the hands of foreign capitalists, nor to incite a 
 civil war.' 
 
 This was a begging of the whole question, into 
 which, without further study, I was scarcely pre- 
 pared to enter. So I shifted the subject. 
 
 ' Does your Excellency think that the struggle 
 will last long ?' 
 
 ' It would have been over ere now,' was the 
 reply, ' had poor Robles displayed more prudence 
 and less impetuosity. He should have awaited the 
 Camus division before he attacked. As it is, my 
 hands are tied for want of ships to transport troops 
 to the north. Our only transport, the Imperial, 
 is insufficient, though had we but three or four 
 such vessels, the rebellion would be crushed in a 
 fortnight. We may have to await the arrival of 
 the cruisers Pinto and Errazuriz from France, 
 unless the new torpedo-catchers succeed in crippling 
 \or scaring the insurgent fleet.' 
 
 A few other subjects were broached. Amongst 
 other things, I was assured that payment on the 
 July coupons was already provided for. When I 
 took my leave, it was with a distinctly favourable 
 
CHILE AND ITS CONDITION 
 
 opinion of Jose Manuel Balmaceda, an opinion 
 fully shared by my secretary. But then, as I 
 reflected, it was his obvious policy so to impress i 
 me. And, in any case, I must not allow im-w ( 
 pressions to influence my verdict. 
 
 P For several days my secretary and I pursued 
 our investigations, still independently of each other. 
 I shall not here reproduce the very voluminous 
 notes which I made as I waded through a vast 
 pile of polemical literature andjSles^of^revolutionary 
 journals. But I cannot well avoid setting down 
 what appeared to me to be a fairly clear resume of 
 the political situation. 
 
 When in 1817 Chile threw oiF the Spanish ""\ 
 yoke and embarked upon the then fashionable 
 career of Republicanism, it commenced its national 
 existence by entrusting autocratic powers to the • 
 soldier-patriot Bernardo O'Higgins (erstwhile of 
 the County Meath). To him succeeded other 
 generals, also invested with practically despotic 
 power, until in 1833, with the sanction of General 
 Joaquin Prieto, the reigning Director, a brand-new 
 constitution was promulgated, which constitution, 
 with trivial modifications, is the one still in force.* 
 
 I Like most cut-and-dried ready-made codes, it is / 
 distinctly of the patchwork order ; but as little ] 
 republican, in its main provisions, as its framers 
 doubtless intended that it should be. It empowers 
 duly-qualified Chilian citizens to elect representa- 
 
 \ * See note on the Chilian constitution, p. 310. 
 
94 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 tives to a National Congress composed of a 
 Chamber of Deputies and a Chamber of Senators, 
 provided that such representatives be possessed 
 respectively of incomes amounting to $500 and 
 $2,000 per annum, and be of legal age. ^ In this 
 Congress the legislative power is affirmed to reside, 
 subject to the approval of the President of the 
 Republic. This President is to be chosen by 
 electors nominated by the provinces 'in the pro- 
 portion of three such electors to each representa- 
 tive ; his term of office is now five years •\nor can 
 the same person be elected twice consecutively!^ 
 In his hands are placed powers which can only be 
 fairly described as excessive. Although bound to 
 convoke Congress to its ordinary session (viz., 
 June 1 to September 1), he can at any time pro- 
 rogue the session for fifty days. He can summon 
 Congress whenever he pleases to an extraordinary 
 session, and for a specific purpose or purposes, 
 and can prorogue or dissolve such extraordinary 
 session at his will. 1 Moreover, the Chambers, 
 when thus summoned extraordinarily, ' shall occupy 
 themselves with the business for which thev have 
 been convoked to the exclusion of all other. LJ 
 
 He can appoint and remove all the ministers, 
 who are six in number, at his sole discretion, and 
 has similar powers wdth respect to five out of the 
 eleven members of the Council of State, as also 
 with respect to the intendentes of provinces, 
 governors of towns, and diplomatic agents. 
 
CHILE AND ITS CONDITION ^95 
 
 He can * dispose of the forces by land and sea, 
 organize them and distribute them as he may find 
 ^convenient/ with many other powers and privi- 
 leges which need not be detailed in this place. 
 
 I It is evident that such presidential prerogatives 
 are wholly inconsistent with what we understand 
 by a system of Parliamentary Government. In 
 fact, the very first article of the constitution 
 Estates that * the Government of Chile is a popular 
 representative one ' (^El Gohierno de Chile es popular 
 Tepresentativo), of which article the entire consti- 
 tution is, indeed, an explanation. ^ Popular repre- 
 sentation ' sounds well — rather too democratic for 
 most English ears. But, read by the light of th^ 
 L explanatory clauses, it means just this : a large 
 number of people (not manhood suffrage, by any 
 means) may elect their deputy or deputies to the 
 Chamber of Deputados ; a smaller number, i.e., 
 
 I those paying higher rates, may elect senators ; and 
 a still more carefully-chosen few are authorized to 
 nominate electors, who, in concurrence with other 
 similarly qualified electors from all parts of Chile, 
 are at liberty to nominate, elect, and finally con- 
 ^firm the candidate for the next presidency. Now, 
 I upon the face of it, this arrangement is rotten. 
 I It stands to reason that A., being actually Presi- 
 dent, will use all his enormous influence to secure 
 i the return of his friend B. And if any admirer of 
 the system of so-called * republican ' government 
 will be at the pains to inquire into the whole 
 
96 DARK DAYS IN CHILE 
 
 dreary subject, he will find that, with scarcely 
 an exception, in republic-governed countries (and 
 especially in South America) the multitudinous 
 ' revolutions ' have almost invariably hinged upon 
 the question : ' Who is going to boss the show 
 next ?' I have borrowed the expression from our 
 humorous cousins, because it just expresses the 
 idea. 
 
 We are dealing with Chile. Very well, any 
 reader can form his own judgment from the ex- 
 tracts given in the note on p. 310. They are all 
 that concern the dispute between Balmaceda and 
 the Congress — ■ absolutely all. And the ques- 
 tion is simply this : Was or was not Balmaceda 
 right in sticking to the letter of his oath?"^ Given 
 the constitution and given the oath, the problem 
 reduced itself to a simple matter of comparison and 
 fact. Now, as to the facts both sides were agreed 
 — perhaps for the simple reason that, having but 
 recently occurred, there was no possibility of dis- 
 puting them. And here they are, briefly, in 
 historical sequence. 
 
 Up to January, 1890, all went well — that is, 
 the Liberal Party, which had returned Balmaceda 
 
 * * I, Jose Manuel Balmaceda, swear by our Lord Jesus 
 Christ and upon the Holy Gospels, that I will faithfully fulfil 
 my trust as President of the Eepublic ; that I will maintain 
 the Catholic faith; that I will preserve the integrity and 
 independence of the Republic ; and that I will respect, and 
 cause to be respected, the constitution and the law. And so 
 may God aid me and help me. And, otherwise, may He 
 demand of me account of my stewardship.' 
 
CHILE AND ITS CONDITION- 97 
 
 to office, still outnumbered the hitherto dominant 
 Montt-Varista-'Clerico-Conservative Party. \ Some 
 grumbling there had been at the President's ex- 
 travagance in erecting public buildings and push- 
 ing ahead public works, instead of saving up the 
 money to redeem th^ paper-currency, and four 
 Ministries had split upon this very rock, Balma- 
 ceda each time replacing them by others holding 
 similar views. \ Such a Ministry held office in 
 January, 1890, but Congress had taken into its 
 head that, in addition to his lavish expenditure 
 of the national funds upon wholly unnecessary 
 brick and mortar, the President was paving the 
 way for a chosen successor, alleged to be a certain 
 Senor San Fuentes. 
 
 Now, this-Sair^uentes was the idol of a strong"" 
 section of the Liberal Party, but was cordially 
 detested by other sections of the same party, and 
 these sections (daily increasing in number), rather 
 than have this man forced upon them, threw their 
 lot in, temporarily, with the Clericals and Conser- 
 vatives, and thus formed an opposition which sub- 
 sequently rendered government impossible. Hence- 
 forth Congress became a skittle-alley, wherein votes 
 of censure were the bowls and Ministers the nine- 
 pins. In vain Balmaceda disclaimed all intention 
 of supporting San Fuentes' candidature, and 
 pointed out that, by the law, ^io_jy[inister could 
 be a candidate ; in vain San Fuentes himself 
 solemnly abjured all intention of competing for the 
 
98 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 Presidential chair. Congress would have none of 
 him. Balmaceda would not give him up, and in 
 June made him Prime Minister. This was too 
 
 ' much for Congress, which now fairly lost its head. 
 
 \ Before the new Prime Minister had even opened 
 his mouth in the House, a vote of censure was 
 passed. This was not logical, but it conclusively 
 indicated the temper of Congress. Balmaceda 
 insisted upon the Ministry remaining in office. 
 Whereupon Congress played its strongest trump- 
 card, refusing even to discuss an Appropriations 
 Bill until such time as the President should 
 appoint a Ministry enjoying the confidence of the 
 Chambers. A dead-lock ensued. No taxes could 
 be collected, no civil servants or Government 
 labourers could be paid, and menacing symptoms 
 appeared all over the country, v Three weeks later, 
 to avert what looked like a coming popular insur- 
 rection, the President yielded, and a Ministry was 
 formed with Senor Belisario Prato as Premier, 
 which Congress accepted as satisfactory. ^ Tem- 
 porary supplies were voted, and matters re-assumed 
 a more tranquil aspect. 
 
 Emboldened by this victory, the Chambers en- 
 couraged the new Ministry to legislate with a 
 view to the removal of all intendentes, governors, 
 prefects, and other officials suspected of San Fuentist 
 
 \ leanings. But here the President put his foot down 
 firmly. Not one single official would he consent to 
 ,, remove, except for an indictable and duly proven 
 
CHILE AND ITS CONDITION 99 
 
 offence. Congress, in effect, sought to secure for ^1 
 itself the same influence in the cominsf Presidential 
 elections which it proposed to take out of the 
 President's hands, by replacing his nominees with 
 their own. And having the written constitution 
 upon his side, Balmaceda stubbornly refused. He, 
 moreover, pointed out that as the Chambers were 
 then sitting in an extraordinary session, convoked 
 by him for the sole purpose of passing the Annual 
 Supply Bill (which had been left undone through- 
 'wt tEeordinary session), they had no business 
 whatever to wander away from the simple question 
 of dollars. /And here, again, he was technically 
 right:^ But right or wrong. Congress would not 
 hear of money matters until the matter regarding 
 the intendentes and governors should have been 
 settled satisfactorily. Balmaceda was firm ; the "^ 
 Prato Ministry resigned ; and the President, having 
 appointed a fresh Ministry more to his taste, ab- 
 ruptly closed the extraordinary session to prevent 
 any more votes of censure being passed (October 
 17th, 1890). — 
 
 Now, the Chilian constitution provides for the 
 existence of a body called the Comision Con- 
 servadpra .(Constitutional Committee), consisting 
 of ^^k members, chosen by either Chamber, 
 and whose functions are to see to the due 
 observance of the constitution whilst Congress 
 is in recess, and to tender advice to the Presi- 
 dent upon such questions as may arise, suggest 
 
lOO 
 
 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 '/>' 
 
 the expediency of extraordinary sessions, and so 
 
 forth. This last the Comision Conservadora lost 
 
 no time in doing ; and the President referred 
 
 the matter to his Cabinet. Should he or should 
 
 he not convoke another extraordinary session ? 
 
 ^ Ministers did not favourably entertain the idea. 
 
 I Past experience had made it clear that, A^hatever 
 
 \ might be the avowed object of its convocation, 
 
 \ the very first act of Congress would be to pass a 
 
 vote of censure upon the existing Ministry. And 
 
 it would certainly refuse to vote supplies. Whilst 
 
 the qiipsjjnn_w^,y c-fill nnrlnr rligpnc!<^inn^ f.hft Cnpsti- 
 
 tutional Committee got up a special__session_ on^ 
 its "TJWri account, which deputi es and senator s 
 
 were^ invited to attend, as a s ort of rehe arsal . 
 And a ve ry lively rehearsal j t^pra ved to b a The 
 President and his^l inisters ^ arere den euneed:- as 
 fit"^subiect s for nation ^LexporRtioR- — He wa s 
 
 self '"TlEened to the most despotic ^ f_-£QP^^t^ 
 emperors, and was Vnij^<=^Ti fn ]-f^mpTnbf^r fhflt a 
 Brutus could yetbe found for a Csesar . The 
 notion of votmg supplies was scouted ; but pro- 
 posals to pass a special law for the summary depo- 
 sition of the Dictator were hailed with enthusiasm. 
 It was clear t hat, unless ^almaceda were prepar ed 
 for a wholesale surrender of his authority, no 
 good^ould po^sibly-jiQme of anoth^^ extraordinary 
 session-^-atuL sp none was convo ked. 
 
 This brought matters to a climax. The supplies 
 already voted would lapse upon December 31st. 
 
Condition ^ lot 
 
 How carry on the Government until the following 
 June ? Unless the President voted a Budofet 
 himself and could enforce its provisions, he was 
 clearly a beaten man. Now, he had hitherto given ^s 
 way so often that he was considered to be (even by 1 
 his own friends) a weak-minded person, incapable / 
 of effectively playing a 'lone hand.' It had--/ 
 become known that Congress had many sympa- 
 thizers in the army and in the fleet prepared, if 
 need were, openly to espouse its cause. Popular 
 feeling in Santiago and in Valparaiso was strongly 
 enlisted upon the same side. Nc^in o- could w ell ^ 
 appear more hopeless than any attempt upon 
 Balmaceda's part to assert his authority by force. 
 Yet"tTiis was what he had aL last decided Lo do, 
 
 and, having so decide(I7He^gave~proots ot an energy 
 andzaZSsoIuno n of which no one had deem ed him 
 capable. 
 
 Upon January 1st he issued a lengthy and 
 elaborate manifesto addressed to the nation, in 
 which, so far as chapter and verse went, he made 
 out a very strong case for himself Whether or 
 not ^he con stitntinn w as effete and un* Fair in^t s 
 pro visions, ^e avowed ly decline3 to discuss. 
 Whet her or not the nRW L_th eorv of Parliamentar y 
 government might advantageously replace th e 
 popul ar representative sys tem was also, he^ffirme d, 
 beside the question. \He stood by the bare letter 
 of the existing cl)de, which he had sworn to 
 uphold, and which plainly gave him the very 
 
 1 
 
I02 DARK DAYS IN CHILE 
 
 powers which he was branded as a tyrant for 
 using. Truo, tliV:^ Comision Canservadora h ad^ the 
 rig^ ht to advise him to j u mmon an extraordina ry 
 session, and he was morally bound to --heed such 
 adv ice under ordinary circumstances. But what 
 was th ^ 1 11^^ ^ f ^ o nYoVin gT^hgr nnM tn Yfr hF-rmpplif^s 
 when fh^^Jjh^mh ^ wo u l d av^wf ^ dl^^ r> n] y m ^ft^t^ 
 discuss-o t h er matters, to -^abtt se, and peiiia ps-^^eek 
 to depose him ? It was an open secret that the 
 
 armyand navy had been tampered with, but he 
 was confident they would remain loyal to the 
 established Government. In a few months there 
 would be fresh elections, when the people would 
 have an opportunity of deciding at the polls upon 
 which side its sympathies really were. A few 
 months later and his term of office would expire. 
 Meanwhile he was resolved to do his duty according 
 to his lights. 
 
 Within a week of the publication of this 
 manifesto the fleet revolted and declared for 
 Congress (January 7 th). The civil war had begun. 
 Balmaceda was now practically a Dictator, and 
 threw himself upon the army, which partly through 
 old-standing jealousy of the fleet, partly through 
 hopes of increased pay and rapid promotion, and 
 partly from conviction, stood to him stanchly 
 enough. | A state of siege was proclaimed, and a 
 general dispersal of revolutionary members of 
 Congress followed, most of them finding an asylum 
 upon the war- ships. 
 
CHILE AND ITS CONDITION 103 
 
 Chilian society had for a long time past been in 
 a critical condition. What, for want of a better 
 L term, may be called the aristocracy had for many 
 years been floundering in a quagmire of financial 
 difficulties. People whose fathers had been 
 content to lead the lives of country squires, with 
 an occasional run up to the capital, had gradually 
 followed their Argentine neighbours in a newly- 
 developed craze for luxury and extravagance, and 
 many of them had landed themselves upon the 
 very brink of ruin. They, of course, all belonged 
 to the old Conservative Party, of which the com- 
 ponent elements were tnown as Clericals, Montt- 
 Yaristas, and Conservadores, the" latter being less 
 ultra-Conservative in their views than the others. 
 
 Wow, broken-down aristocratsXin Chile at all events, 
 invariably look for assistance to Government, which 
 has charge of the loaves and fishes. And the 
 return of Balmaceda — the leader of their hereditary 
 foes, the Liberals — as President, left them no hopes 
 whatever from this source. When it became clear 
 that Balmaceda would most likely be succeeded by 
 another Liberal, that, in fact, the Government would 
 probably remain in Liberal hands for an indefinite 
 period, all sections of Conservatives had naturally 
 been in despair. Their sole hope clearly lay in 
 causing dissensions in the Liberal ranks, and in 
 
 Annihilating the President's influence throughout 
 Chile. ' 
 
 The clergy had strong grounds for bitter hatred T 
 
I04 DARK DAYS IN CHILE 
 
 of Balmaceda. Not only was he strongly suspected 
 of downright Freethought opinions, but he had 
 played sad havoc with the principal sources of 
 ecclesiastical revenues. The establishment of civil 
 marriages had especially smitten them very hard. 
 Their salaries and fees had, moreover, been cut 
 down all round with an unsparing hand. And as 
 \h.Q jpadres (in Chile as elsewhere) held unlimited 
 sway over the minds of the female population, a 
 Balmacedist in petticoats came to be almost as rare 
 a phenomenon as was a black swan in the time of 
 Persius. — 
 
 Naturally the tradesmen and those employed in 
 the thousand and one occupations called into 
 existence by the necessities or caprices of the 
 spending classes sympathized with their aristocratic 
 patrons, and readily attributed diminished earnings 
 to the evil ways of the tyrant. Hence the large 
 number of Oposidores to be found in Santiago and 
 Valparaiso. 
 
 But, in addition to these direct aids to the 
 revolutionary movement, a majority of intelligent 
 persons espoused the cause of Congress upon con- 
 viction. It was absurd, they reasoned, that the 
 destinies of the country should be swayed upon the 
 principles maintained by Balmaceda. Of what use 
 a Congress at all if it could be overridden at the 
 will of a President? If the constitution really 
 gave him the powers which he claimed, then the 
 constitution was utterly rotten, and even a revo- 
 
\ND ITS CONDITION 105 
 
 lution would be a cheap price to pay to secure its \ 
 abolition. ^ 
 
 By the large foreign element resident in Chile, — ^ 
 Balmaceda was regarded with very general aver- 
 sion, and more especially by the British. He 
 was known to entertain many views by no means 
 consistent with the uninterrupted advancement 
 of foreign interests. He had many times hinted i^ 
 that a period must be put to the extensive grants 
 of concessions which had hitherto been so freely 
 made to European syndicates. \ The wealth of 
 Tarapaca, he had been heard to say, wealth pur- 
 chased by Chilian blood in the war with Peru, 
 was flowing in a wide stream to London, and in^ 
 driblets to Santiago. And this idea had been 
 emphasized by Colonel North's not over-successful 
 mission to Chile in 1889, of which an excellent 
 account was written by Dr. Russell, who accom- 
 panied him.^ 
 
 Says Dr. Russell in one passage ; ' Senor^ 
 
 Balmaceda was on his way to Santiago after the 
 
 progress through the centres of Chilian life, and 
 
 of European industry and enterprise, in the course 
 
 of which he had delivered speeches which had been 
 
 regarded as the pronunciamentos of a new policy : 
 
 '' Chile for the Chilians." It was known that 
 
 Colonel North had come from Europe to^solidify 
 
 and to extend interests, in respect to any increase 
 
 * ' A Visit to Chile and the Nitrate Fields of Tarapaca,' by 
 WiUiam Howard Kussell, LL.D. London, J. S. Virtue and 
 Co., 1890. 
 
io6 DARK DA KS IN CHILE 
 
 of which President Balmaceda's programme, as 
 reported, might be taken as adverse/ And further 
 on : ' There were, however, signs and tokens that 
 the early declarations of policy, respecting the 
 State properties, attributed to Balmaceda, were 
 considered by the press to be the guiding principles 
 of the Government, and that for the future rail- 
 way extension was to be reserved for the State.' 
 And that railways were not to be the only enter- 
 prises thus reserved is made plain by the following 
 passages : 'The importance of nitrate in agriculture 
 and commerce, and the gradual increase oFlts ^o- 
 duction,' said the President, * warn the Legislature 
 and the authorities not to demur in solving this 
 problem, and to protect effectively the legitimate 
 interests of our countrymen. It is true that we 
 should not exclude the free competition and manu- 
 facture of nitrate in Tarapaca ; but we cannot 
 ; consent that this rich and extensive region should 
 become simply a foreign factory. . . .'It was 
 inferred, especially from his (the President's) 
 speech at Iquique, that he intended, if he could, 
 to close the course to any but native competitors, 
 to handicap those who had been the winners, to 
 refuse industrial concessions in the country to non- 
 Chilian residents, and to reserve the State lands 
 still unappropriated exclusively and inalienably to 
 citizens of the Republic. Although there was no 
 express intimation of any intention on the part 
 of Government to lay hands upon, or, as the 
 
 I 
 
CHILE AND ITS CONDITION 107 
 
 phrase in Chile goes, to " expropriate " the rail- 
 ways, it was well known that such a project was 
 in favour with some politicians at Santiago, and 
 some expressions in President Balmaceda's dis- 
 courses were taken to indicate the likelihood of 
 future action in that disagreeable direction ; but 
 no one supposes the President would injure vested 
 interests.' 
 
 Dr. Russell throughout employs the style of 
 studied moderation, as befitted the historian of 
 an expedition avowedly undertaken to^solidify and, 
 if possible, extend Colonel North's extensive nitrate 
 interests in Tarapaca. But he is at no pains to 
 disguise his conviction that these interests were 
 not consistent with the continuance in office of 
 presidents of the Balmaceda way of thinking. Nor 
 did Colonel North's own expressions of opinion to 
 Englishmen in Chile leave it to be supposed that 
 he in any way differed from the views subsequently 
 expressed by Dr. Russell in his book. Apropos 
 of which book it must be stated that it did not 
 produce a favourable impression upon the native 
 mind in Chile. The author dwells somewhat too 
 forcibly upon the magnificent style in which the 
 ' Nitrate King ' thought fit to travel, and a great 
 deal too forcibly upon the extent to which he was 
 dunned by impecunious Chilians. Nor is it quite 
 correct to say that * the report of his enormous 
 wealth had gone abroad among the people.' People 
 knew quite well, long before, all about his enormous 
 
io8 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 wealth, and where it came from. His career in 
 Chile, previous to his phenomenal rise to nitrate 
 eminence, was an oft-told story ; and whilst all 
 marvelled -at the wondrous push and luck of the 
 man who had sprung, at a bound, from poverty 
 to boundless riches by simply knowing when the 
 ball was at his foot and kicking it, it was not 
 easy to forget that he had made every farthing of 
 ^ his vast ' pile ' out of Chilian soil. Hig magnificent 
 return was, indeed, a speaking reproof against local 
 want of enterprise, and, as such, was by many 
 resented. Malicious rumours were spread, which 
 to this day are widely believed in. All sorts of 
 improbable stories were put into the genial Colonel's 
 mouth. ^He could buy up the whole lot, from the 
 President down, with a cheque. To abandon 
 Tarapacd, to Chilians would be worse than leaving 
 diamonds to barn-fowls ; and so forth. It was 
 openly asserted that the magnificent silver-mounted 
 trophy and the stallions, presented by the generous 
 Colonel to the nation, had been originally intended 
 as gifts to the President, although of this there 
 was not the smallest evidence. Even now the 
 stranger is asked of what sort of regiment is 
 ^ Mister North ' Colonel ? And a catchword refer- 
 ence to the ' North Circus ' still raises a laugh. 
 The ' Nitrate King ' meant well, and carried out his 
 expedition right royally ; but it was an indis- 
 cretion. 
 
 Still more indiscreet was the oft-heard boast of 
 
CHILE AND ITS CONDITION '^lop 
 
 the revolutionists that they had the whole nitrate 
 interest at their backs, as well as the moral sup- 
 port of the British Government, and of the British 
 navy. It only remains for them to perpetrate the 
 final indiscretion of informing the world who paid 
 for the Itatas cargo, and the repeating-rifles which 
 eventually won the day. 
 
 ^And^ whilst upon the subject of indiscretion, Dr. 
 Russell was not well advised (in the light of subse- 
 quent events) in recording that, at Santiago, ^ one 
 gentleman urged the Nitrate King to finance a 
 revolution in a neighbouring State.' 
 
 It was now, as it seemed, about time to arrive at 
 some definite conclusions, and a lengthy consulta- 
 tion with my secretary proved us to be agreed upon 
 certain points. 
 
 1. That the charges so profusely made against 
 the President personally were most emphatically 
 ' not proven,' and that even his enemies did not lay 
 that besetting sin of South American rulers, the 
 ' itching palm,' to his door ; that he was, conse- 
 quently, by no means to be classed with Bosas, 
 Lopez, Celman, and Co. 
 
 ^"^ ThatTie^had, uppn the whole, a long way the 
 best of the argument, since he stood upon the firm 
 ground of the written constitution, whereas his 
 opponents sought to substitute a system of Parlia- 
 mentary government not then legally in existence. 
 
 3. That he had infringed the constitution — at 
 
 y" 
 
no DARK DAYS IN CHILE 
 
 least in spirit — by refusing to call another extra- 
 ordinary session, at the instance of the Comision 
 Conservadora, but that the violent attitude assumed 
 by Congress almost justified such infringement. 
 
 4. That victory for the insurgents would in- 
 fallibly result in subsequent dissensions, consisting 
 as they did of half a dozen sections of dissatisfied 
 Liberals and three sections of Conservatives. 'Oil 
 and vinegar may be poured into the same dish, but 
 they will never mix. ( 
 
 f 5. That the triumph of Balmaceda would mean 
 the triumph of but one single party, and would 
 entail no such subsequent disputes inter se. 
 
 6. That unless Providence for once abandoned 
 the side of the big battalions, the President, with 
 the army at his back, the whole of Chile proper 
 under his sway, and several powerful warships 
 shortly due from Europe, must win in the end. 
 
 r^- 7. That an established Government has always 
 stronger prima facie grounds for the support of 
 right-thinking persons than even the. most plausible 
 of would-be reforms, begotten by party cliques and 
 heralded by a revolution. 
 
 Mainly for these reasons, and guided by the con- 
 siderations which have been already stated in some 
 detail, I decided to incline to the side of the Presi- 
 dent. Subsequent events must decide my subse- 
 quent policy. \That, in taking this line, for the 
 present, I would be running counter to the com- 
 monly-accepted beliefs of the press of the world, 
 
CHILE AND ITS CONDITION 
 
 III 
 
 I 
 
 including that of my own journal, weighed with me 
 not one straw. I was absolutely the only foreign 
 special correspondent in Chile, and my orders were 
 to use my own judgment. That judgment, such as 
 it was, I used and followed. Kl believed that Bal- 
 maceda would win, and that he was, in the main, in 
 the right — more so, at all events, than the revolu- 
 tionists. Time (and apparently at no very distant 
 date) would decide whether I was right or wrong 
 in the first of these beliefs ; history would decide 
 whether I was right or wrong in the second. 
 
 r 
 
 ^ 
 
CHAPTER Y. 
 
 THE TROUBLES OF A SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT. 
 
 How to correspond — Telegraph Lines closed — Mails supervised 
 — An Ultimatum to the Government — Pozo al Monte — A 
 Eeview of Government Troops — Opinion in the Provinces — 
 My Lost Child gets into Trouble — Valparaiso — Opinion there 
 — An Expedition against the Eevolted Fleet — A Tempting 
 Offer — I accept — My Fighting Secretary deserts me — And 
 follows in the Footsteps of my Lost Child — Stick v. Bayonet 
 — Political Memoranda — The Times and I — ' Go, but wire 
 Facts only '— An Interview with Bear- Admiral Hotham — I 
 refuse Good Advice. 
 
 It was all very well to have arrived at some sort of 
 definite conclusions, if only temporary ones ; and it 
 seemed also fortunate, for a variety of obvious 
 reasons, that these conclusions should have assumed a 
 shape favourable to the existing Government. But 
 it soon became apparent that my channels of com- 
 munication were not clear : my secretary returned 
 with a telegram unsent, and with a supplementary 
 explanatory letter unposted. His explanation was 
 simple. The Transandine telegraph, as already 
 stated, had been closed for some time ; and although 
 the officials there had allowed my first message 
 about Pozo al Monte to go through, they had done 
 so assuming, it appeared, that I had special per- 
 
TROUBLES OF A SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT 113 
 
 mission to use the line. This, they had ascertained, 
 was not so yand their latest orders were to pass no 
 messages whatever, even from Government officials, 
 without the vista of the Minister for the Interior. 
 As regarded the letter, Senor Guillermo's inquiries 
 had convinced him that the mails also underwent 
 inspection, and that a letter addressed to the Times 
 would most certainly be read previous to transmis- 
 sion. Upon personal inquiry, I found my secre- 
 tary's report accurate in every particular. Now, 
 communication with London upon these terms was 
 clearly out of the question ; and, in a particularly 
 savage frame of mind, I hastened off to the Moneda, 
 to interview the Minister for the Interior. I think 
 I rather staggered Senor Godoy with my vehe- 
 mence. In very forcible terms I pointed out that, 
 unless I had perfect freedom of communication, my 
 presence in Santiago would be a mere farce. In 
 vain he essayed to convince me that, so far as I was 
 concerned, the vista was a pure matter of form. I 
 was obdurate. Then he offered to append his vista 
 to any required number of blank forms ; but I 
 would listen to no compromise. Absolute liberty 
 both by telegraph and mail I must have, or I would 
 at once start — for Iquique. 
 
 A very meaning smile passed over the Minister s 
 face, one easily read. 
 
 * Look here, senor,' I said, ^ let us understand 
 each other. With my personal freedom of action, 
 as a British subject, no power on earth dare, with 
 
 8 
 
1 14 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 impunity, interfere ; and this you must know as 
 well as I do. In Valparaiso th ere are, at presen t, 
 J hree British men-of-war, and, if necessary, I know 
 t hat I can easily obtain a passage to Tqnique upon 
 one or other of these. But, apart from this, your 
 action is not consistent with your speech. You 
 are the President's Prime Minister. Both he and 
 you proclaim that the one thing desirable is that 
 the world should know the truth. I have travelled 
 many thousands of miles to ascertain and report 
 where the truth really is in this revolution. So 
 far, I have formed certain opinions. But I refuse 
 utterly to despatch those opinions subject to the 
 approval of your Government.' 
 
 ' Vdmos a ver a sa Excelencia /' replied Sefior 
 Godoy, leading me off to the President's study. 
 Here the question was argued out. I again 
 stated my case, this time even more strongly. 
 I adhered to my ultimatum that, failing a total 
 repeal of existing telegraphic and postal super- 
 vision in my favour, I would forthwith proceed 
 to the revolutionary headquarters. In the end I 
 carried my point, and, in acknowledging the con- 
 cession, took occasion to remark very pointedly : 
 * I rely upon your Excellency's well-known judg- 
 ment to insist that Government officials will 
 rigidly obey your instructions in this matter. 
 The exercise of any indiscreet zeal on their part, 
 running counter to these instructions, would in- 
 fallibly place both your Excellency and myself 
 
TROUBLES OF A SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT 115 
 
 I 
 I 
 
 in an exceedingly false position. And now,' I 
 continued, ' that this matter is settled, here is 
 a telegram that would now be on its way to 
 London but for the vista difficulty. It concerns 
 
 of Colonel Robles in the \ 
 
 thealleged Anurder 
 
 ambulance after the battle^of Pozo al Monte. '__ 
 
 'Alleged?' queried Senor Balmaceda. ' ' Nothing -- 
 can be more certain. I have here the sworn de- 
 positions of Surgeons Middleton and Alvarez, who 
 were attending to him and other wounded officers 
 when the massacre took place.' 
 
 These I read through. They were clearly 
 genuine. 
 
 ' Had the revolutionists allowed the corpse to 
 be sent to Valparaiso,' pursued the President, 
 ' we intended to exhibit it publicly, in order that 
 all men might see the countless bullet -holes, 
 bayonet-thrusts, and unspeakable mutilation, in- 
 flicted by these rebel dogs upon a gallant soldier, 
 who was dying of wounds incurred in the dis- 
 charge of his duty.'/ And for the first time I \ 
 saw tears in the ' tyrant's ' eyes.^ / 
 
 * This telegram was in due course published in the Times 
 and excited considerable indignation throughout Europe. 
 Within a few days (I think upon March 27th) it was copied 
 into the ISlew York Tribune with comments from the pen of a 
 Mr, Tru mbull, an emissary of the revolutionary party. This 
 gentleman did notTiesitate to stigmatize my message as another 
 fabrication of the Times correspondent, denying even Eobles' 
 death and quoting in confirmation thereof a telegram from 
 Senor George Montt. If Senor Montt really sent any sucja 
 telegram, he must have done so long after he had himself 
 ordered the removal of Colonel Kobles' mutilated body from a 
 
WfA/^ 
 
 ii6 DARK DAYS IN CHILE 
 
 / 
 
 / I may add that thereafter I never had any 
 
 j difficulty in telegraphing, nor have I had any 
 reason to suppose that my correspondence was 
 t^^ tampered with. 
 
 Having considerable curiosity to see how Chilian 
 troops manoeuvred, I accepted an invitation sent 
 me by General Gana, the Mmisieii^fcLii—W^ar^ to 
 witness a s15am HgEtand review in the park. 
 From an Aldershot standard, the evolutions were 
 decidedly rough, most of the men being raw 
 recruits. But the skirmishing in loose order 
 showed a great amount of dash ; the mule bat- 
 teries were rapidly brought into position, and 
 fairly well served, whilst a final cavalry charge 
 was really a magnificent sight. IChilians may be 
 said to be ^ born in the saddle,' and are splendid 
 raw material for troopers. The horses, especially 
 those of the officers, were so exceptionally good 
 as to lend colour to the common belief that most 
 of them had been requisitioned from the farms 
 and haciendas of the Oposidores. A la guerre 
 comme ct la guerre, as my secretary philosophi- 
 cally remarked. 
 
 My numerous expeditions into various parts of 
 the country nee^3~not here be chronicled in detail. 
 My principal object, of course, was to ascertain 
 popular opinion in the rural districts ; and outside 
 
 steamer bound for Valparaiso ; and after it had been buried, 
 by his orders, in Iquique ! This is but one sample of how the 
 Congressionalists * worked the press.' 
 
TROUBLES OF A SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT 119 
 
 the capital I could discover scarcely any sympathy ,.-^ 
 the Congressionalists. All that the Chilian ^^/ 
 ro^o appeared to know or care about was that 
 Balmaceda had done great things in the way of 
 finding employment for all upon public works, / 
 which public works, ever since the meeting of \ 
 the fleet, had been discontinued. Recruitin g ^ 
 "^^parties- were very busyT" and the large numbers /| 
 of men thus suddenly thrown out of work made | 
 their task comparatively easy. This, indeed, 
 accounts for the extraordinary rapidity with 
 which the Government was able to raise an 
 army of some 40 ,000 troops. The stories cir- 
 culated of men forcibly torn from their home- 
 steads to swell the ranks did not appear to rest 
 upon any extensive basis of fact, though I myself 
 saw many cases of enlistment under the influence 
 of drink. But then I have seen the same thing 
 repeatedly in England. This much was quite 
 certain : /that the men were well fed, well clothed, 
 and well cared for, as was, indeed, obviously the 
 best policy. 
 
 Meanwhile my Lost Child had been upon my 
 hands, and a chronic source of anxiety to me. I 
 at last insisted upon his returning to Buenos Aires 
 without delay, sternly resisting his appeal to be 
 allowed to see Valparaiso and the Pacific Ocean. 
 Very reluctantly indeed he consented. So I sup- 
 plied him with the necessary funds, taking his 
 draft upon Buenos Aires for his entire debt to 
 
DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 me, gave him a letter to the Governor at Los 
 Andes, requesting that gentleman to * forward 
 the bearer per first caravan bound for Argen- 
 tina,' saw him safely into the train, gave him 
 my benediction, and returned to my hotel with 
 one trouble off my mind. Alas ! I wholly under- 
 rated my protege's marvellous capacity for getting 
 into scrapes. Two days later I received a letter 
 from him, written, of course, in French, of which 
 the following is a literal translation. As a najif 
 recital, written just after the occurrences described, 
 it is, I think, worthy of a place here. 
 
 Hotel rran9ais, Valparaiso, 
 
 March 21st, 1891. 
 
 ' My dear Mr. Hervey, 
 
 ' When I had bidden you farewell in the 
 train at Santiago, I noticed in my compartment 
 two young Chilians very well dressed, and they 
 very soon entered into conversation with me, 
 speaking French just well enough to make them- 
 selves understood. They made themselves ex- 
 tremely agreeable, gave me a glowing description 
 of Valparaiso, where they purposed spending the 
 night, with the intention of returning next day to 
 Los Andes, and assured me that at this latter 
 town many mules were awaiting them. Learning 
 that I proposed to proceed direct to Los Andes 
 from Llai-Llai Junction, they strongly urged me 
 to accompany them first to Valparaiso, pointing out 
 
TROUBLES OF A SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT 121 
 
 that it would be foolish to leave Chile without 
 having seen its principal port. Finally I agreed 
 , to go with them. Arrived at Valparaiso yester- 
 day at 5 p.m., we put up at the Hotel Fran^ais ; 
 then whilst I went out to have a look at the 
 harbour with the younger of the two brothers, 
 the elder went to draw some money due to him 
 and to transact other business — at least, he said so. 
 (By the way, he appeared to be about twenty-five 
 years of age, and his brother about seventeen.) I 
 returned to the hotel at 7 o'clock, when we 
 found the elder awaiting us. We dined together 
 and decided to go to the theatre. Then I suddenly 
 discovered that I no longer had my pocket-book 1 
 I hunted for it everywhere, and my companions 
 helped to look for it, but all in vain. All my 
 money, all my papers, were in that pocket-book. 
 My friends sympathized with me loudly in my 
 loss, and advised me at once to go to a police- 
 station ; and, deeming this excellent advice, I took 
 it, and they accompanied me to interpret for me. 
 The elder of the brothers went straight up to the 
 official in charge and gave him what I supposed to 
 be a full account of my misfortune in quick, earnest 
 tones. Then the official called me up to a bureau 
 and asked me, to my intense surprise, why I had 
 come to the police-station. I understood this, 
 because it sounded very like French. I en- 
 deavoured to explain as well as I could ; but he 
 did not know a word either of French, English, 
 
DARK DAYS IN CHILE 
 
 or German. He then said something which my 
 friends interpreted to mean that I had better await 
 the arrival of the chief of poHce, a colonel ; and he 
 then left the office, accompanied by them. I 
 waited. In a quarter of an hour he returned — 
 alone. Sternly he ordered me, with explanatory 
 gestures, to place my revolver upon the desk. (I 
 wondered to myself how he could possibly know 
 that I had a revolver, since it was in the hip- 
 pocket of my trousers and quite invisible.) How- 
 ever, I placed it on the desk, and drawing my long 
 knife from my boot, I placed it beside the revolver 
 in order to prove to this official that I had no evil 
 intentions towards him. But no sooner had I done 
 so than he summoned a soldier, who searched me 
 rigorously and emptied out my pockets. What 
 could it all mean ? I made up my mind to keep 
 cool, knowing that I was in the right, even if they 
 proceeded to kill me. So I made no resistance. 
 But I did not fail to tell them, in such few words 
 of Spanish as I could muster, that I knew Mr. 
 Hervey very well, and that he would be extremely 
 angry upon learning how I was being treated. 
 They either did not understand what I said or did 
 not realize what an important personage you are ; 
 for all that they did was to turn me out into a 
 sort of yard, there to await the arrival of the chief 
 of police. At eleven o'clock a major arrived, and 
 I w^as brought before him. He merely repeated 
 the order that I must await the coming of the 
 
I 
 
 \T ROUBLES OF A SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT 123 
 
 chief, which would probably be next morning. So 
 I was led off to a cell, containing a wooden trestle, 
 for the night. But as I made no sign of resist- 
 ance, the door was not closed on me. Several 
 sentinels were pacing up and down with fixed 
 bayonets, so that I had no chance of making a 
 bolt, which I felt very much inclined to do. At 
 midnight the Colonel unexpectedly turned up, or 
 had been sent for, and I was once more brought 
 up for examination. He received me with an 
 appearance of great harshness, and in very bad 
 French told me that I knew Spanish well, and had 
 better speak out at once, that I was merely trying 
 to deceive him, and that unless I forthwith replied 
 in Spanish, corporal punishment would be resorted 
 to. I answered that he might do with me what 
 he pleased, since I was in his hands ; but that if 
 he would permit me to telegraph to you, you would 
 at once procure my liberation. This appeared to 
 strike him, and I suppose he really did telegraph 
 to Santiago. At all events, very shortly after- 
 wards he again sent for me, told me that he was 
 satisfied of my innocence, and allowed me to write 
 a telegram to you, which I at once did. Still, it 
 seemed that I was not yet free to depart, for I 
 was invited to finish the night upon a sofa in a 
 sort of officers' common room ; and this I did. At 
 10 a.m. the landlord of the Hotel Fran9ais made 
 his appearance. He told me that it w^as clear my 
 newly-found friends had robbed me, and that they 
 
124 DARK DAYS IN CHILE 
 
 had cleared oiF, leaving a portmanteau at the hotel. 
 Explanations followed with the police officials. It 
 now appeared that the elder of the brothers had 
 confidentially told the official in charge that I was 
 a most dangerous emissary of the revolutionary 
 party, masquerading as a French traveller, that I 
 was armed to the teeth, and probably carried im- 
 portant documents upon my person, and that I 
 would inevitably pretend complete ignorance of the 
 Spanish language. This diabohcal plot had suc- 
 ceeded but too well ; the police themselves now 
 admitted that they had been deceived by a plausible 
 scoundrel. The colonel now asked me what I 
 purposed doing. " Telegraph to Mr. Hervey," was 
 my reply. He then said that there was a difficulty 
 about sending my telegram, and that I had better 
 write, adding that I was now free to go when I 
 pleased. So I accompanied the hotel-keeper back 
 to this hotel, from which I now send you this 
 letter. I eagerly await your reply. What am I 
 to do ? 
 
 * Yours, 
 
 ' KOBERT.' 
 
 I read this chronicle of disasters over, could not 
 help enjoying a hearty laugh at poor Robert's 
 woeful experiences, and telegraphed him funds to 
 return to Santiago. When he arrived I scolded 
 him roundly, got a telegram through for him to 
 his Buenos Aires agent, who promptly telegraphed 
 
TROUBLES OF A SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT 125 
 
 funds, and finally shipped him off to Bordeaux, 
 from Valparaiso. I met him again 
 recently, and how delighted the lad was to see 
 me ! He is quite a young lion amongst his friends, 
 who never weary of listening to his South American 
 experiences ; but he has embellished his police- 
 station adventure past all recognition. 
 
 My first visit to Valparaiso was, by mere acci- 
 dent, made in distinguished company. I had 
 arranged to travel by the early morning express, 
 but upon reaching the station found that the train 
 had just started. This was awkward. I detest 
 slow trains, and there would be no other express 
 till evening. However, there was nothing for it 
 but to leave our luggage in the cloak-room and 
 kill another day in Santiago. But just as this 
 course had been decided upon, the station-master 
 accosted me very politely, and informed me that a 
 special train would almost immediately leave for 
 Valparaiso with a Ministerial party, and that he 
 was sure a coupe would be entirely at my service. 
 At that very moment a gentleman, /whom I at 
 once recognised as Senor Julio Banados Espinosa, 
 Secretary-General for War, accompanied by a fairly 
 numerous party, civilian and military, arrived. No 
 further choice was left. Senor Espinosa insisted 
 so strongly upon our accompanying him that, with- 
 out appearing very ungracious, refusal was impos- 
 sible. If it were not good policy for a special 
 correspondent to be seen travelling in Ministerial 
 
 / 
 
126 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 company, and so, in the public eye, tacitly approv- 
 ing the Government action, upon the other hand, 
 it would be still worse policy to identify myself 
 with the revolutionary party by declining a mere 
 act of courtesy. V To maintain, always and every- 
 where, an appearance of strict neutrality is im- 
 possible. 
 
 Valparaiso is about 120 miles, English, from 
 Santiago by rail, and more than half this distance 
 is taken up by a necessarily tortuous track over 
 an intervening chain of the Andes. Had not our 
 previous journey across the Cordillera somewhat 
 spoilt us for mountain scenery, we could have 
 admitted that the views we now beheld were worth 
 travelling far to see. Behind, in the far-away 
 distance, towered the giant Aconcagua, like some 
 Saul overtopping his big brethren. Over water- 
 courses innumerable, tributary to the Aconcagua 
 River ; through deep cuttings, with here and there 
 a tunnel ; now speeding along a comparatively level 
 stretch, but generally toiling up steep curves : at 
 length the highest point is reached, and deep below 
 lies one of the fairest landscapes on earth — the 
 valley of Llai-Llai. And then a descent, steeper 
 than had been the ascent, and, if anything, even 
 more tortuous, until the township of Llai-Llai 
 itself is reached, and a halt made for breakfast. 
 Your true Chilian is fond (perhaps rather too fond) 
 of good living ; and upon this occasion the repast, 
 having been ordered by telegram, left nothing to 
 
TROUBLES OF A SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT 127 
 
 be desired. Nor had we, in other respects, aught 
 to wish for. 
 
 Senor Espinosa and his companions were excel- 
 ent cicerones. He himself, in especial, was un- 
 wearied in his efforts that nothing should escape 
 notice. He stopped the train to permit us to 
 descend and examine a fine single -span bridge 
 across a yawning chasm of great width, and would 
 have stopped oftener, but for the guard's remon- 
 strances. I think I have never met a man in 
 whom enthusiastic love of, and admiration for, all 
 things pertaining to his native land was so strong. 
 He could not restrain himself He challenged my 
 admiration, at every instant, upon every conceivable 
 point. Two adjectives were ever on the tip of his 
 tongue : rico and precioso ; and scarcely a rock 
 escaped their application. Once, indeed, he * put 
 his foot in it.' He observed me staring very 
 attentively at some cattle in a field — i-the most 
 over-horned, ill - shapen, underbred brutes which, 
 methought, I had ever seen. 
 
 * Are they not ricos f he inquired eagerly. 
 
 ' PreciosoSj senor,' I assented politely. 
 
 ' Ah !' he exclaimed, ' we Chilians spare neither 
 trouble nor expense in cattle-breeding. Those, for 
 instance, are all de pura raza Inglesa /' 
 V If instant death had been the penalty, I could 
 not have restrained the roar of laughter with which 
 I greeted this astounding assertion. \ Those over- 
 grown goats pure-hred English cattle ! And this 
 
128 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 to a man who has some pretensions to be a judge 
 of stock : cetait un pen trop ! \ The blank look 
 upon Senor Espinosa's face warned me that my 
 hilarity was rather ill-timed, if not downright rude / 
 so I endeavoured to save the situation by profess- 
 ing to believe he had been trying to ^ take a rise * 
 out of me. But I fear the zealous Secretary- 
 General never fully saw where the alleged joke 
 came in. 
 
 ^ There is not much in Valparaiso to excite in- 
 terest, nor is the surrounding country in any way 
 suggestive of a valley of paradise. But doubtless 
 the vegetation upon the shores of the bay, with 
 the distant background of hills, struck the early 
 discoverers as a ravishing sight by comparison with 
 the arid northern coast ; and hence the name. I 
 was struck by the greater commercial activity here 
 than in Santiago ; and although I had been as- 
 sured that the harbour was almost deserted, it 
 appeared to be very fairly well filled. 
 
 I was much interested to ascertain what resist- 
 ance the town might be expected to make in the 
 event of attack by the revolted fleet, and with this 
 object accompanied Senor Banados Espinosa in 
 - several of his tours of inspection. After going 
 over upwards of a dozen forts and batteries, many 
 of them provided with Krupp, Armstrong, Hotch- 
 kiss, and other modern guns of heavy calibre, and 
 noting that the gunners made, as a rule, excellent 
 practice, it soon became clear that Valparaiso 
 
TROUBLES OF A SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT 129 
 
 stood in little danger of bombardment. The ~^ 
 revolutionists, indeed, loudly asserted that the 
 fleet refrained from attack solely for fear of 
 destroying the town ; but this was merely * making 
 a virtue of necessity/ The opinions of all naval 
 men, British and others (of whom I spoke with a 
 large number), were unanimous in declaring that 
 for the reb el ships (buf~three of which were ironi- 
 cladsT'andthey oi old pattern) to venture within 
 range of the shore batteries would be courting 
 destruction. - — 
 
 Public opinion did not appear to be so hostile 
 here to the Government as at Santiago. The 
 general belief seemed to be that the revolutionists, 
 in fencing themselves in at Iquique, were playing 
 a dangerous, as well as a timid, game ; since if the 
 Government could succeed in getting out even one 
 powerful man-of-war from Europe, the slow-moving 
 vessels of the fleet would lie at her mercy, and 
 Iquique must fall. /Moreover, every day saw fresh 
 accessions to Balmaceda's army, until it seemed 
 that he would soon be at the head of a force 
 invincible from sheer weight of numbers. These 
 impatient partisans of Congress did not sufficiently 
 realize the utter hopelessness of pitting half-armed, 
 poorly-drilled Tarapacd miners against regular 
 troops superior to them in number. Nor were 
 tliey aware, as evidently the revolutionary leaders 
 were, that every possible impediment would be 
 thrown in the way of the expected warships leaving 
 
 
 k 
 
I30 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 ■^- France. Indeed, as subsequent events proved, the 
 insurgent leaders throughout played their cards 
 V-^ with considerable judgment, aided thereto by the 
 practical sympathy shown to them by foreign 
 ^ nations. By no power were they recognised as 
 l^elligerents ; throughout the struggle they were, 
 outwardly at least, regarded in Europe as rebels. 
 \ But their agents and emissaries abroad were active, 
 \ and not only got a firm hold of the foreign press, 
 / but had even the energy to publish a Chilian 
 L revolutionary paper in Paris. Foreign Govern- 
 ments shaped their policy in accordance with 
 foreign public opinion thus instructed as to the 
 merits of the quarrel, and gave the rebels every 
 assistance they possibly could short of actually 
 despatching their fleets to their aid. 
 
 At the time of which I am now writing, the 
 end of March, Great Britain was the only Power 
 adequately represented by warships, the Warspite, 
 Champion and Daphne being all at Valparaiso 
 upon the occasion of my first visit. \A little later 
 on the arrival of the Baltimore, shortly afterwards 
 followed by the San Francisco, gave due might 
 to the Stars and Stripes. The only other foreign 
 cruiser in Chilian waters was the French corvette 
 Volta. Consequently, Rear- Admiral Hotham had 
 had a very considerable amount of responsibility 
 thrown upon his hands in looking after British 
 and German (by the way, ivhy German ?) interests 
 along the whole coast-line. Matters had recently 
 
 C 
 

 TROUBLES OF A SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT 131 
 
 become additionally complicated owing to a decree 
 of President Balmaceda's Government, whereby 
 
 ■ all ports then in the hands of the insurgents (i.e., 
 from Pisagua to Caldera) were declared to be in _j| 
 a state~of Hblockade. ^t was furthermore enacted ' 
 that any sums paid to the revolutionary authorities, 
 in the way of duties upon exported nitrate of soda 
 or other produce, would be re-exacted by Govern- 
 ment upon the suppression of the rebellion. Against .^ . 
 
 this decree the British Resident Minister, Mr. | 
 Kennedy, vehemently protested, pointing out that 
 the mere declaration of a blockade, whilst the 
 revolutionists were in undisputed command of the 
 sea, was quite invalid according to all international 
 law, and that failing an * effectual blockade,' as 
 understood by civilized nations, any attempt to 
 interfere with British shipping, or to re-exact 
 nitrate-duties already paid, would be regarded as 
 an overt act of hostility to Great Britain. This 
 protest, backed up by the presence of the British 
 squadron, placed the President in the position of 
 having to make the proposed blockade ' effectual,' 
 or cancel his decree. It was decided to try the 
 former alternative, and for two very patent reasons : 
 the nitrate districts were absolutely dependent (being 
 situated in, perhaps, the most sterile region in the 
 world) upon shipping for food, and even for water ; 
 the nitrate-duties, worth sometwo million~dollars 
 a month, supplied the ' sinews of war ' to the 
 revolutionists, at the expense of the Santiago 
 
 k 
 
132 DARK DAYS IN CHILE 
 
 authorities. Great efforts were consequently being 
 made to send a Government squadron northwards 
 so as to give some sort of colouring to the alleged 
 ' blockade.' 
 
 Now, the two torpedo-catchers, Lynch and Con- 
 dell, which I had seen at Buenos Aires, had saMy 
 arrived at Valparaiso, albeit in a sorry condition. 
 Both had broken down in the Straits of Magellan 
 (for lack of competent engineers), and had they 
 encountered one of the rebel warships, would in- 
 fallibly have been captured or sunk. However, 
 no such mischance had befallen, and the best 
 engineering skill procurable in Valparaiso was 
 engaged in patching them up. The President 
 had, moreover, some time previously, managed to 
 charter a fast mail-steamer of 3,300 tons, called 
 the Imperial, and which had already done good 
 service in reinforcing and provisioning the Govern- 
 ment northern garrisons previous to their final 
 overthrow at Pozo al Monte. This vessel it had 
 now been decided to fit out as^a cruiser, armed as 
 heavily as possible, and carrying a contingent of 
 troops in the event of a favourable opportunity 
 presenting itself for disembarking at one or other 
 of the nitrate ports. Furthermore, she was destined 
 to act as tender to the Lynch and Condell, and to 
 assist them in their blockade operations. 
 
 This did not seem a very powerful * squadron' to 
 despatch against a fleet consisting of three powerfid 
 ironclads, a fast, well-armed composite cruiser, seven 
 
V 
 
TROUBLES OF A SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT 135 
 
 ■:4^ 
 
 fcqi^_eigjj^_wooden_warsh the same 
 
 number of armed transports. But in several 
 important respects the advantage lay with the 
 three Government vessels. In the first place, the 
 slowest of the three, the Imperial, having a speed 
 up to fifteen knots, could, if necessary, show a 
 clean pair of heels to anything in the rebel fleet, 
 with the exception of the Esmeralda, the afore 
 said cruiser ; whilst the torpedo-catchers could do | 
 from eighteen to nineteen knots when in good j 
 trim. \ Secondly, each of these latter carried five """k 
 Whitehead torpedo-tubes, in addition to Hotchkiss, / 
 rapid-firing, and Gatling guns ; being fitted with / 
 double screws, they could manoeuvre with great / 
 quickness, and both had powerful electric search- / 
 lights. In resolute, daring hands, what havoc ^ 
 might they not inflict if they got amongst the 
 enemy's ships during a dark night ! At all events, ^ 
 it was borne in upon my mind that a novel 
 experiment in naval warfare w^as about to be 
 essayed, and that this would be an expedition well 
 worth accompanying, should opportunity arise. 
 
 The opportunity did arise. A chance intro- 
 duction to Captain Garin, of the Imperial, led to a 
 visit to his ship, and there I met the commanders 
 of the torpedo - catchers, Senores Moraga and 
 Fuentes. The conversation naturally turned upon 
 the prospects of the expedition, and I soon saw 
 that all three meant very serious business. Not 
 the smallest shadow of doubt entered into their 
 
136 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 calculations. It was clear that in one or other of 
 the northern ports rebel ships would be found, and 
 at night. What was to hinder the low -lying, 
 leaden - hued torpederas from sneaking in and 
 sinking them ? If by day they sighted an iron- 
 clad, or more than one of the wooden corvettes, 
 they could easily keep out of range. The only 
 real danger was to the Imperial^ should she 
 encounter the Esmeralda, which, when clean, was 
 a somewhat faster vessel. 
 
 ' But,' I urged, * suppose that you attack, say, 
 an ironclad in harbour, and that she happens to 
 get her search-light to bear upon you ? Or what 
 if she has her torpedo-netting in position V 
 
 * BuenOy senor, replied Captain Moraga, ' if she 
 discovers one of us at several thousand yards' 
 distance and is quick with her heavy guns, it 
 would, perhaps, be unpleasant. But even if she 
 was lucky enough to hit and sink, say, the Condell 
 coming up upon her starboard side, she would still 
 have to reckon with the Lynch racing up upon her 
 port side. If she sunk both, why then, of course, 
 the performance would be concluded. But God 
 help her if either of us gets within five hundred 
 yards of her ! As for the nets, they are safely 
 stowed away here in the Valparaiso arsenal. They 
 were forgotten in the hurry of departure.' 
 
 I subsequently went over the torpedo-boats. 
 
 ! They are sister ships of 700 tons, and may be 
 
 briefly described as mere boxes of machinery, 
 
TROUBLES OF A SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT 137 
 
 ■ ordnance, and torpedo apparatus, the very latest '^^ 
 masterpieces of the well - known firm of Laird / 
 Brothers (who, by the way, also built the 
 Imperial). They were constructed to the order 
 of the Chilian Government before the revolution 
 had broken out, and were sent out in charge of 
 specially selected engineers, who alone understood 
 the complicated network of engines, tubes, etc., 
 with which the vessels were fitted. The majority 
 of these engineers quitted at Buenos Aires rather 
 than face the perils of actual warfare. Their places 
 were taken by utterly incompetent men, in whose 
 hands the boats, as before stated, broke down in 
 the Straits, and were with difficulty brought round 
 to Valparaiso. Here some English engineers, who 
 appeared to know something about their business, 
 were secured at exorbitant salaries, and repairs 
 were being effected as rapidly as possible. The 
 torpedoes excited my especial interest. They were 
 the medium-sized Whiteheads, about eight feet 
 long, with a mean diameter of some fourteen 
 
 ' inches, charged to a power capable of shattering 
 the thickest armour-plating, and driven by com- 
 pressed air from the tube which encased them. 
 
 *Here,' said Captain Fuentes, fondly patting 
 one of the deadly tubes, *is a solution of the revolu- 
 tionary problem, if it be but properly applied. Ah, 
 canallaf (suddenly springing upon one of the crew 
 and cuffing him vigorously), ' is that the way your 
 grandmother taught you to handle a coil of rope ? 
 
138 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 .... You have no idea, senor, what trouble we 
 have with our crews. The lubbers are very hard 
 to get, still harder to teach, and hardest of all to 
 keep from deserting !' 
 
 Judging from the method of instruction appa- 
 rently in vogue, this did not strike me as very 
 extraordinary. 
 
 No allusion was then made to my accompanying 
 the expedition, but I suppose my manner must 
 have suggested the idea, for next day I received a 
 letter from the Naval Secretary offering me, in the 
 name of the Government, suitable accommodation 
 on board the Imperial , should I care to join her. 
 My secretary could, of course, accompany me. 
 y/ Without the slightest hesitation I decided to 
 accept, and replied to that effect for both. 
 Shortly afterwards Senor Guillermo returned from 
 a * tour of observation.' His notes were unin- 
 teresting ; in fact, he complained that, for a revo- 
 lution, matters were very slow and commonplace. 
 / * True, GitHlermo,' I assented. * It requires 
 some faith to believe in the revolution at all. But 
 at length we are going to see something. We are 
 going upon an expedition.' 
 
 ' Ah ! that will be indeed a pleasant change !' 
 exclaimed Senor Guillermo. ' And in what direc- 
 tion are we going V 
 
 ' To the north, my friend,' I replied. * See, 
 here is an official invitation for us both to accom- 
 pany the Government expedition.' 
 
I 
 
 i 
 
 TROUBLES OF A SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT 139 
 
 Senor Guillermo's countenance by no means 
 indicated unmixed satisfaction at the prospect. 
 
 * Surely, Senor Corresponsal, you do not seriously 
 propose to risk your life in an enterprise so 
 desperate V 
 
 ' My dear Guillermo/ I retorted, ' there is 
 nothing desperate about the affair at all. We 
 shall have a very pleasant cruise — have an oppor- 
 tunity, perhaps, of seeing a torpedo trying con- 
 clusions with an ironclad or two, and pick up 
 something really interesting for our note-books.' 
 
 ' Senor, you entirely underrate the peril,' per- 
 sisted Guillermo. ' Everyone says the vessels will 
 never come back.' 
 
 ' A pack of croakers ! Why shouldn't they 
 come back ? Don't mind what everyone says.' 
 
 * But, sefior, consider how grieved your friends 
 would be if any misfortune occurred to you,' con- 
 tinued Guillermo. ' As for myself, I have a father, 
 mother, and eleven brothers and sisters ' 
 
 ' Then,' I interrupted, rather impatiently, ' one 
 would never be missed out of a tribe like that. 
 Anyhow, I am going. Do you mean to say you 
 won't accompany me ?' 
 
 ' Senor, that is the conclusion to which I am 
 reluctantly driven. If you persist in this wild 
 idea, of course I cannot deter you. But most 
 certainly I shall not go. I would far rather re- 
 main here (dull as it is) until you return — if you 
 
140 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 ever do return ;' and poor Guillermo gazed at me 
 as at one foredoomed to destruction. 
 
 But to this proposal I would not agree, even 
 though he pointed out to me the importance of 
 leaving a representative ashore to telegraph my 
 decease to the Times. If he chose to go with me, 
 well and good ; if not, our relations must terminate. 
 Finally, he definitely accepted the latter alterna- 
 tive, and it was decided that he should return 
 to Buenos Aires. I confess I felt somewhat sore 
 at his thus leaving me, and rather encouraged his 
 immediate start for Argentina. He elected to 
 return overland ; and so, having supplied him 
 with funds for the journey, I bade him farewell. 
 
 Troubles never come singly. That same day my 
 horse fell and rolled with me down an embank- 
 ment, with, however, fortunately no worse result 
 than a severe bruising ; and I wound up the night 
 by a fight with a sentry, which might have had 
 far more serious consequences. The episode con- 
 vinced me that the ^ state of siege ' was something 
 more than a mere name ; though it is but fair to 
 add that I was partly myself to blame, and that 
 it was the only occasion upon which I was ever 
 molested throughout my stay in Chile. 
 
 I had partaken of supper with a friend, and 
 was returning to my hotel at about midnight. My 
 route led past the Intendencia (Governor s official 
 residence), and I naturally followed it. A sentry, 
 without his rifle, was on guard, acting apparently 
 
I 
 
 TROUBLES OF A SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT 141 
 
 as a sort of military policeman. He quickly ad- 
 vanced to meet me, at the same time ordering me 
 into the street. It did not occur to me that this 
 might be an official regulation to prevent persons 
 from approaching too closely to the building at 
 night. So I merely produced a safe-conduct given 
 to me in Santiago, showed it to him, and attempted 
 to pass him. 
 
 ' En la calle f (Into the street !) he cried, still 
 more peremptorily, and utterly ignoring my safe- 
 conduct. 
 
 ' Al diabolo f I retorted, pushing him aside. 
 
 With an oath he drew his sword-bayonet, and, 
 placing its point fair upon my chest, once more 
 ordered me into the street, with a look which 
 plainly indicated a hardly-suppressed longing to 
 spit me. Quick as thought I dealt him a vicious 
 kick on the shin-bone, and at the same time 
 brought down my loaded cane with all my strength 
 upon his wrist. The bayonet dropped from his 
 grasp, and, with a howl of agony, he turned to 
 extract his knife with his left hand. This move- 
 ment cost him a second blow (upon the side of the 
 head), which effectually placed him hors de combat. 
 Not considering it proper to leave the poor wretch 
 uncared for and, perhaps, seriously injured, I pro- 
 ceeded to the door of the Intendencia, and 
 knocked up the guard. To the officer in charge 
 I explained the case, at the same time presenting 
 my card. He was most courteous, explained that 
 
 h 
 
142 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 the man really had orders to prevent passers-by 
 from passing close to the Intendencia, but certainly 
 not to do so in an insulting manner. 
 
 * However, senor/ he added, a little grimly, ^ he 
 shall certainly be punished ybr neglect of duty.' 
 
 ' Neglect of duty T I exclaimed ; ' say rather for 
 excess of zeal in performing his duty.' 
 
 ' No, senor, for that no punishment exists. But 
 he shall be punished for permitting you to pass !' 
 
 I wondered inwardly what promotion would 
 have awaited my late enemy had he been -quicker 
 with his bayonet than I with my stick. I waited 
 to see him brought in. Neither wrist nor head 
 was broken, I was glad to find, and a couple of 
 dollars was salve even to his still half-dazed intelli- 
 gence ; moreover, the officer in charge promised to 
 overlook the offence of * allowing me to pass,' and 
 privately cautioned me to avoid such altercations 
 as being very dangerous. 
 
 * That fellow, for instance,' he added, ' is one of 
 our worst savages, and would think no more of 
 bayoneting you than I would of carving a fowl.' 
 
 And remembering the fierce gleam of the black 
 eyes, I was very much of the same opinion ; more- 
 over, whenever I afterwards had occasion to pass 
 the Intendencia late at night, I took the footpath 
 upon the opposite side of the street. 
 
 My acceptance of the invitation to accompany 
 the expedition soon became known, and I suddenly 
 found myself somewhat a notorious personage. By 
 
TROUBLES OF A SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT 143 
 
 the Oppositionists I was promptly set down as a 
 lunatic, whom my keeper (probably my late secre- 
 tary) had given up in despair. As to being 
 special correspondent of the Times, which every 
 one knew to be a stanch advocate of the revolu- 
 Jtionary cause, that was simply another craze of 
 my wandering intellect, though it doubtless suited 
 Government purposes to palm me off upon my own 
 valuation. By the supporters of Government I 
 was, upon the other hand, extolled as a model 
 correspondent, to whom dangers were as nothing 
 beside the off-chance of witnessing stirring deeds. 
 * Of course the Senor Corresponsal does not want 
 to miss the opportunity of seeing the renegade 
 hlindados torpedoed !' they affirmed. ' Your cor- 
 responsal will sink, or be shot like the rest of you !' 
 retorted the Oposidores. Opinion at last ran so 
 high that I decided to return to Santiago until 
 such time as the expedition might be ready to 
 
 I start. 
 Before leaving Valparaiso I received a letter 
 from my departed secretary, written from Los 
 Andes. By an extraordinary coincidence, he also 
 had been robbed in the train, and had been com- 
 
 Ipelled to borrow one hundred dollars from the 
 governor of that town, on my account ! This was 
 remarkable — so much so that, in forwarding a 
 cheque in repayment, I registered a solemn vow 
 to give a wide berth for the future alike to fighting 
 I secretaries and to lost children. 
 
 b 
 
144 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 In the train I overheard two EngHshmen dis- 
 cussing my unworthy self, they evidently not 
 knowing me by sight. 
 
 ' Oh/ said one, ^ the fellow is Times corre- 
 spondent right enough, unless he murdered the 
 real man and stole his credentials.' 
 
 * Well,' urged the other, * if he is, all I can say 
 is that he is taking a very queer line, backing up 
 this Balmaceda crowd. However, it doesn't much 
 matter. His telegrams have raised such a row in 
 London, that our people are expecting to hear that 
 he is recalled every day.' 
 
 Some other severe criticisms upon my monstrous 
 conduct were passed ; and then, by one of those 
 accidents common enough in a railway-carriage, I 
 became involved in the conversation, which turned 
 upon home topics. We were travelling by the 
 evening mail-train, and at Llai-Llai there is always 
 a halt of twenty minutes or so for dinner. We 
 gravitated together to the same table, dined, and 
 then, somehow, an interchange of cards followed. 
 The look of mingled amazement and of hopeless 
 apology which greeted the perusal of my name 
 was, to me, a physiognomical treat. Thank God,n 
 I can laugh. Fortunately, also, laughter is con-fl 
 tagious, and we were soon laughing in chorus, 
 But the cream of the joke came off at Santiago, 
 where (having converted my quondam critics 
 en route) we drank a farewell glass to ' the suc- 
 cess of the Government squadron.* I may inci- 
 
m TR 
 
 TROUBLES OF A SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT 145 
 
 f dentally remark that these gentlemen, like most^ 
 fl other Englishmen, knew nothing whatever abou 
 the merits of the question at issue. They, lik 
 hundreds of others, had been Oposidores simpl 
 / because it was the fashion to be so. 
 ' Santiago I found pretty much as I had left 
 ■ it, except that the opinion was rapidly gaining 
 ground that, if the forthcoming naval expedition 
 ' should prove a success, the position of the insur- 
 gents would be a desperate one. Hitherto many 
 people, possibly a majority, had supported them 
 f in the full assurance of their speedy triumph. 
 Now that belief had become considerably modified. 
 The revolted ships must, it was argued, be afraid 
 Sof these new torpedo vessels, or they would as- 
 suredly have cut them off in the Magellan Straits. 
 What would happen if these terrible boats, with 
 V^ their marvellous speed and manoeuvring power, 
 ,went upon a mission of destruction ? Was the 
 entire Chilian. fleet to be destroyed, and by Chilian 
 torpederas? /Then, too, the new cruisers, Errazuriz 
 smd Finto, were reported upon their way ; 
 
 Pof 1 
 
 * Upon the all-important question concerning the despatch '"*^ 
 
 of these vessels from France, the Government newspapers lied \ 
 
 consistently and persistently. Three months before the final i\ 
 declsion^of^^he French Supreme Court overrode the nitrate- \ 
 
 inspired hesitation of the Quai d'Orsay, and consigned the I j 
 
 ships to their legitimate owners, the Chilian Government, this [ I 
 inspired press followed their course from port to port with /( 
 
 unequalled mendacity. They were coaling at Lisbon. They Vj 
 
 had reached St. Vincent. They had put in — anywhere you / 1 
 
 like — for provisions. They had had ample time to circum- // 
 
 navigate the globe, but they were on the way out I y 
 
 10 ^ 
 
146 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 Nothing of Balmaceda's regiments, which were daily 
 being increased. \ Truly, matters looked very black 
 for the insurgents, and it behoved prudent citizens 
 to trim according to the wind. And this the 
 clergy, headed by the Archbishop, were also 
 beginning to do. \ 
 
 Political interest at this time centred in the 
 approaching general elections of senators and 
 deputies for a new Congress, in succession to the 
 last Congress, now in revolt, and whpse legal 
 existence would cease upon May 3 1 M At first 
 |jf,the supporters of the revolutionary party avowed 
 i? / the intention of contesting these elections through- 
 V out the country — of fighting the President, as it 
 ,// _ were, upon his own ground. The Government 
 ^/ issued proclamations, enjoining strict neutrality 
 and impartiality upon all intendentes, governors, 
 and other officials, and affirming that every elector 
 should enjoy perfect freedom in voting. But 
 this in Chile, as in all other South American 
 republics, is a mere formula : the party in power 
 .V invariably brings all the influence it can to bear, 
 \>!'so as to secure the return of its own adherents. 
 /yDuring the half-century when the Conservatives 
 held office, the same solemn farce was regularly 
 1 1 gone through)' and it was only owing to the fact 
 that President Santa Maria had personally sup- 
 ported Balmaceda that the Liberals had been 
 able to return their leader to the Presidency and 
 a Liberal majority to Congress. Upon the forth- 
 
r 
 
 TROUBLES OF A SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT 147 
 
 ^ — 
 
 coming occasion it was hoped by the more sanguine 
 Oposidores that the Liberals would rather vote for 
 Conservatives or Montt-Yarista candidates than for 
 supporters of Balmaceda, and that thus the new 
 Congress would be as strongly in opposition as its 
 predecessor. 'But this the Liberals would not do. 
 Such of them as believed in the President's policy 
 would vote for his adherents. Such as did not 
 would refrain from voting at all. Now, the Con- 
 servatives aiid__MiHitt=Yari&tas stood no chance 
 against even that section of the Liberal Party 
 known as Balmacedists. And when they ascer-^^ 
 tained that they could not rely upon the other 
 Liberals, they, too, announced their intention of 
 not voting, giving, however, as a reason their 
 conviction that the elections would infallibly be 
 governed and decided at the point of the bayonet. 
 But why not put this conviction to the test, and 
 so prove its truth ? \Men refraining from voting 
 can surely not be held to invalidate elections 
 made by those who chose to exercise the suffrage.N 
 Such, however, were the tactics of the Oposi- 
 dores ; and it became sufficiently evident that 
 the Government supporters would have a ' walk 
 over.' 
 
 It was, furthermore, clear that whatever claims 
 — based upon moral right and * unwritten law ' — 
 the revolted Congress might be supposed to have 
 to be regarded as the Constitutional Party, those 
 claims would cease to exist upon June 1, when the 
 
148 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 newly-elected Congress would commence its ordi- 
 nary session. 
 
 Yet further ahead lay the election of the Presi- 
 dent destined to succeed Balmaceda. Now, this 
 election is much more complicated than the choice 
 of members for Congress. The voters in each 
 department choose three times as many electors 
 as the department has deputies, and these electors 
 must be persons legally qualified to serve as 
 deputies. This is effected upon June 25 in the 
 year of an expiring Presidency. The electors 
 thus chosen in all the departments assemble upon 
 July 25, and choose the future President, i Such 
 vast powers are, by the Chilian constitution, 
 vested in the chief of the Kepublic, that each 
 recurring interval of five years witnesses strenuous 
 efforts on the part of each political faction to secure 
 the return of its own representative. Each such 
 faction has been in the habit of summoning a con- 
 vention of its supporters, long before the actual 
 voting, to organize measures for the ensuing 
 struggle. 
 
 Here, again, it was open to the numerous factions 
 in opposition to the existing Government to have 
 summoned conventions and to have arranged pro- 
 grammes ; but did they do so, it was clear that 
 there would be, at least, as many candidates in the 
 field as there were factions, and that the Balma- 
 cedists, voting en hloc, would necessarily win the 
 day. Consequently, the only convention actually 
 
DOX CLAUUIO VICUNA. 
 
TROUBLES OF A SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT 151 
 
 summoned was that brought together by that 
 portion of the Liberal Party which had stood by 
 Balmaceda. Here, then, was another prospective 
 * walk over.' In choosing their man the Balma- 
 cedists had shown great judgment. Congress had 
 objected to Balmaceda's alleged favourite, Senor 
 San Fuentes, as an utterly unsuitable person. It 
 would equally have objected to anybody else known 
 to stand well in the President's estimation ; but in 
 the case of Senor San Fuentes it had been possible to 
 point out that he had formerly been d^^jtockhroker ! 
 and as few people in Chile had ever heard of an 
 honest stockbroker, this had proved a home-thrust. 
 Indeed, as we have seen, this gentleman had 
 publicly renounced all intention of standing for the 
 Presidency ; and he had, since the revolution broke 
 out, retired completely into private life. The choice 
 had now fallen upon a candidate against whom it 
 was well-nigh impossible to urge any plausible 
 objection, Don Claudio Vicuna — a member of a very 
 old and distinguished family ; a man whose whole 
 fifty-seven years of life had been passed, sans peur 
 et sans reproche, under the eyes of his countrymen p 
 a man who, commencing life as a gentleman of 
 small estate, had gradually, by pastoral and agricul- 
 tural enterprise, acquired a colossal fortune ; a man 
 whose hands had never been soiled by contact with 
 V those curses in disguise — guano and nitrate of soda ; 
 a man princely in mien, and almost lavish in his 
 hospitality ; a man who had heretofore steered clear 
 
152 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 of politics, but who, during the dispute between 
 President and Congress, had thrown himself heart 
 and soul into the cause of Balmaceda. Against 
 this, all that the Oposidores could assert was that he 
 was a silly, vain old man, who, instead of sticking 
 to his sheep and his wheat, which he thoroughly- 
 understood, had been seduced by the blandishments 
 of the President (who naturally sought the support 
 of his wealth and influence) into partisanship upon 
 questions of which he understood nothing ; that he 
 had been utterly unable to resist the temptation of 
 figuring as Minister of the Interior, just as he was 
 now unable to reject the dazzling prospect of the 
 coming Presidency, but that he would, if elected, be 
 nothing better than a puppet in Balmaceda's hands. 
 Now, these are charges easily made, but nothing 
 in Don Claudio's successful career indicated folly or 
 weakness ; and, speaking from my own personal 
 and, subsequently, intimate knowledge of the man, 
 I have no hesitation in asserting that he could, so 
 far as common-sense, clearness of perception, and 
 strength of character are concerned, have bought 
 and sold the vast majority of his critics many times 
 over. Him, at all events, a convention of a large 
 section of the Liberal Party had chosen as candidate, 
 and, barring accidents, his election seemed a fore- 
 gone conclusion. 
 
 ^ Of course I telegraphed my intention of accom- 
 panying the expedition to London. Two days 
 later I received a reply from the Times, affirming 
 
TROUBLES OF A SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT 153 
 
 [that my messages were ^ so contradictory to all ; 
 private and official notices received as to excite 1 
 ridicule/ and finally bidding me 'return immediately.' . 1 
 The conversation I had overheard in the train at 
 once recurred to me ; the very event foretold by 
 one of my critics had come to pass. Very well, I 
 would return ; but I could not allow the stigma 
 cast upon my messages to lie unchallenged, so I 
 framed the following terse despatch ; ' Your private 
 and official notices are lies. Confirm recall.' This 
 I supplemented by another message, requesting an 
 immediate reply, as the expedition was upon the 
 eve of departure. / — v 
 
 The news of my recall spread like wildfire, and / 
 the Oposidores were in great glee, as, indeed, well _J? 
 they might be. Meanwhile, pending receipt of a"V 
 confirmatory telegram, I had ample leisure to reflect\ \ 
 upon the folly of attempting alone to stem the 1 
 tide of a foreign public opinion that had for months I 
 been carefully educated by revolutionary emissaries / 
 and nitrate rings ; and being pro tern, a ' discredited 1 1 
 correspondent,' I was free to drown my troubles in y 
 such pleasures as Santiago could furnish. 
 
 In four days' time the expected telegram arrived. 
 It was as terse as my own : ' Go, but wire facts ' 
 only.' Seldom has telegram afiPorded greater 
 pleasure to recipient than did this one to me. It 
 was not that I had any irresistible longing to risk 
 my life, or even to see an ironclad blown up ; but 
 there was the comfortable feeling of triumph over 
 
154 DARK DAYS IN CHILE 
 
 my intriguing adversaries, whose joy would now be 
 short-lived. True, the permission was not couched 
 in very flattering terms. That I was to ^ wire 
 facts only ' might be taken to mean that I had 
 hitherto not been wiring facts ; but then, inasmuch 
 as I was the only correspondent in Chile, and the 
 only person with free command of the wires, how 
 could people in London judge of my accuracy ex- 
 cept by comparison with the absurd fictions sent 
 from Iquique and Buenos Aires ? 
 
 Previous to the receipt of this despatch, I had 
 informed the President of the previous message, 
 which he told me he had heard of already. He 
 was politely and, I believe, really sorry that, as he 
 expressed it, I should have * burnt my fingers 
 telling the truth,' adding that, whichever way the 
 Times might finally decide, I was quite welcome to 
 accompany the little squadron if I chose. 
 
 When he now learnt that I was empowered to 
 go, still as special correspondent, he was immensely 
 pleased, perhaps regarding it as a sign that opinion 
 in London was veering round in his favour. If so, 
 
 Che was hugely mistaken. As for the OposidoreSy 
 they simply put it about that the second telegram 
 was a ^ put-up ' job, several even calling, upon 
 various pretexts, to see and examine the despatch. 
 Upon April 1 6th, I left for Valparaiso to take 
 up my quarters upon the Imperial, and found that 
 every possible arrangement had been made for my 
 comfort. Two large cabins had been fixed up en 
 
TROUBLES OF A SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT 155 
 
 suite — the one as bedroom, the other as sitting- 
 room. I had the ^ seat of honour ' assigned to me 
 beside Captain Garin, and was from the first 
 treated by all on board with the utmost courtesy 
 and kindness. We were to have started that even- 
 ing, but certain finishing touches to the torpedo 
 vessels delayed our departure two days longer. 
 The interval most of us spent ashore, and, as cer- 
 tain private entries in my diary testify, in a 
 thoroughly enjoyable manner. 
 
 I profited by the delay also to pay a visit to 
 Rear-Admiral Hotham on board the Warsipite, 
 and with him I had a long conversation. He did 
 not hesitate to avow that his own sympathies, and 
 those of almost all his officers, were strongly in 
 favour of the revolutionists. ^- But when asked 
 upon what grounds these sympathies were based, 
 the only explanation offered was, many of the-" 
 office rs in the revolted fleet had been trained iu^ 
 the British navy, and that a certain amount o£., 
 friendly feeling had thereby been engendered be- 
 tween the British and Chilian naval services. Of 
 the merits of the political questions at issue he 
 admittedly knew nothing beyond what he had been 
 told by the insurgents and their partisans. \ But, 
 in his opinion, the mere fact that naval officers, 
 trained to habits of discipline and of obedience to 
 authority, should have gone the length of openly 
 espousing the cause of Congress, was sufficient \ 
 proof that the cause was a just one.| The Admiral <:^^ 
 
156 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 2 had heard of my projected departure with the tor- 
 pedo vessels, and strongly dissuaded me from going. 
 In plain terms he pointed out the very grave 
 risks that would have to be run, and that all the 
 probabilities were in favour of the three Govern- 
 ment vessels being sunk or captured, cautioning me 
 that, if taken prisoner, I could not hope that my 
 nationality would save me from the fusillading 
 which would ensue. Finally he offered me, if I 
 wished to visit Iquique, a passage thither on board 
 the Champion. Nothing could have been kinder 
 than both the Admiral's words and manner ; and I 
 thanked him very gratefully. But I begged him 
 to remember that I had promised to go with the 
 squadron, and that if I withdrew at the last 
 moment men would say ^ the gringo was afraid.' 
 This consideration clearly had weight with him ; 
 and, finding me determined, he gave up his well- 
 meant efforts to dissuade me, and wished me hon 
 voyage. An inspection of the magnificent cruiser 
 concluded a very pleasant interview. 
 
 Having a steam-launch at my service, I went on 
 
 to have a look at the American cruiser Baltimore^ 
 
 /O^hich had quite recently arrived. ^ I found the 
 
 \ officers, from the captain downwards, very distinctly!! 
 
 partisans of the Government. They regarded the 
 
 alleged causes of the revolution as mere flimsy pre- 
 
 / texts, and believed that the whole affair had been 
 
 / worked up by agitators on behalf of the European 
 
 ^Ji^nitrate syndicates. As regarded the expedition, it 
 
TROUBLES OF A SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT i i59 
 
 1 
 
 was the general belief that, properly handled, the 
 torpedo vessels should sink the hostile ships 
 wherever they found them. I remember a very 
 prophetic remark made by one officer. Lieutenant 
 
 S y : 'If,' he said, '■ the Lynch and Condell 
 
 come to close quarters with the rebel flagship, I 
 
 wouldn't care to be aboard her.' / Now, the rebel ^ 
 
 flagship was the Blanco Encalada ; six days later 
 
 the torpedo vessels did come to close quarters with 
 
 her, and — well, all the world knows the result. I 
 
 should have admired the Baltimore perhaps more 
 
 had I not just quitted the War spite. Both are 
 
 classed as first-class cruisers ; but the British ship ^/r^^'m^M 
 
 is incomparably the better-armed and better-manned, ^ 
 
 to say nothing of having some 2,000 tons more 
 
 displacement. 
 
 A dinner with the captain and officers of H.M.S. 
 JDwphne agreeably wound up my last day (for the 
 present) in Valparaiso. 
 
x5^ 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 MY FIRST CRUISE WITH THE SQUADRON. 
 
 A Difference of Opinion — Practice makes Perfect — The Plan 
 of Operations — A Compromise — En route for Caldera — We 
 lose our Consorts — Stirring News — Fever on Board — A 
 Warning — The Sinking of the Blanco Encalada — The 
 Quartermaster's Yarn — Valparaiso — Captain Moraga' s 
 Account of the Blanco Exploit^' One Good Turn deserves 
 Another ' — The Eevolutionists try Orsini Tactics — A Chilian 
 Heroine — The Elections. 
 
 Next day, April 18th, at 11.30 a.m., the three 
 vessels steamed in company out of Valparaiso 
 Harbour, as everyone ashore believed, direct for 
 Iquique. This, indeed, was also the general belief 
 on board the Imperial; and being myself in the 
 confidence of the leaders of the expedition, I was 
 considerably amused by the calculations of the 
 junior officers as to the exact number of days and 
 hours it would take us to reach the northern 
 capital. Our real immediate destination was 
 Quintero Bay, distant only some thirty odd miles 
 from Valparaiso. Here it was proposed to remain 
 a couple of days for the purpose of torpedo practice, 
 big-gun firing, etc. I may mention that there had 
 been a very stormy council-of-war before this judi- 
 
t 
 
 » 
 
 MY FIRST CRUISE WITH THE SQUADRON 159 
 
 cious preliminary had been decided upon. Captain 
 Moraga, of the Conddl, held the command-in-chief, 
 btrfHe invariably consulted the two other com- 
 manders before taking decided steps. He had 
 been for wasting no more time, but for an imme- 
 diate advance north, and attack wherever oppor- 
 tunity should offer. Captain Fuentes,_^Qf_jthe_ | 
 Lynch^ insisted that his^ torpedists and gunners 
 were raw hands, and needed, at least, a couple of 
 days' practice. Captain Garin supported Fuentes; 
 and a hot discussion ensued. At length, Moraga 
 point-blank refused to concede the point ; where- 
 upon the other two threatened to resign their 
 commissions. Admiral Viel was appealed to, and 
 he persuaded Moraga to consent to the proposed 
 delay. But a certain amount of friction existed 
 after this between him and the others. And much 
 s I afterwards learned to esteem Moraga, I cer- 
 tainly think they were right upon this occasion. 
 Indeed, a few days more fully vindicated Fuentes' 
 judgment. 
 
 What with torpedoes, big guns, quick-firing guns, 
 Gatlings, rifles, etc., the time passed noisily enough. 
 Upon the evening of the second day after our 
 arrival, an important telegram was brought over- 
 land from Valparaiso to Moraga. Reliable informa-*^ 
 tion had reached Government that the insurgent 
 troopship Aconcagua (a sister-ship to the Imperial) 
 was on her way to Caldera, under escort of two 
 ironclads. His orders, therefore, were to proceed 
 
 ha 
 
i6o DARK DAYS IN CHILE 
 
 north, and await a chance to enter Caldera Bay 
 and sink these vessels. 
 
 I was with Moraga when he received this mes- 
 sage, which he read to me, at the same time exact- 
 ing my word that I would not divulge its purport. 
 He then signalled for Fuentes and Garin to come 
 aboard the Condell, remarking that the expedition 
 showed promise of a lively commencement. 
 
 * But, comandante/ said I, ^ if you and Fuentes 
 attack these ships, what share will the Imperial 
 have in the business ? Will it be possible to see 
 what goes on from her deck V 
 
 * I do not expect that any of us will see very 
 much,' answered Moraga, ^ because we shall attack 
 at night. Of course, the Imperial will not accom- 
 pany us inside the harbour ; she will cruise about 
 outside until we rejoin her. That is just what I 
 want to arrange with Garin.' 
 
 * Then may I tranship to the Condell ? I am 
 anxious to see as much of the operations as may be 
 possible.' 
 
 * Well, I hardly know, Sefior Corresponsal. You 
 see, the President's last instructions to me before 
 we left were, " 'No exponga el Imperial y sobre todo 7io 
 exponga el Senor Corresponsal."^ Now, if you shift 
 to the Condell, clearly I shall be disobeying orders 
 in allowing you to run unnecessary risk.' 
 
 I did not much relish the prospect of perhaps 
 
 '^' ' Don't expose the Imjoerial, and, above all, the Senor 
 Correspondent, to any risk.' 
 
CAPTAIN OABLOS MOBAGA. 
 
 11 
 
MY FIRST CRUISE WITH THE SQUADRON 163 
 
 missing the whole performance, and was still urging 
 my plea when Fuentes and Garin made their ap- 
 pearance. Moraga read them the telegram, adding 
 grimly : 
 
 ' Now, then, Fuentes, you'll have a chance of 
 some more torpedo practice.' 
 
 ^ Yes,' retorted the commander of the Lynch ; 
 ' and I hope my fellows will aim a bit better than 
 yours did to-day ' — alluding to some very bad trial 
 discharges from the Condell that morning. 
 
 * That's what we shall see, senor,' said Moraga. 
 ' In the meantime, let us decide upon our plan of 
 operations.' And he produced a chart. 
 
 A long discussion ensued, in which the secretary y" 
 to the squadron, a remarkably smart Anglo- Chilian, 
 named Sartori, had a great deal to say. A very 
 good fellow this same Sartori, and high in favour 
 with Moraga, but regarded with considerable jea- 
 lousy by the other officers. 
 
 I Garin did not much like the inactive role assigned 
 to the Imperial, but it was clearly all that she could 
 do under the probable circumstances. He was to 
 stand off as close as he deemed prudent and await 
 results. Failing intelligence within forty-eight 
 hours of the attack, he was to assume that the 
 enemy's ships had not yet arrived from the north, 
 and was to proceed north himself, slowly, towards 
 Iquique, a northern rendezvous being fixed upon. 
 The three vessels would proceed together to 
 Caldera. 
 
1 64 DARK DAYS IN CHILE 
 
 This being settled, I again submitted my claim. 
 All opposed my leaving the Imperial except Sartori, 
 who only saw one objection to my joining the 
 Condell : there was not even a spare bunk on board. 
 Both torpederas were, indeed, much overcrowded. 
 Garin at last solved the difficulty by proposing that 
 the Corresponsal should go to Caldera in the Imperial 
 and, upon the evening of the attack, tranship to 
 the Condell. And with this compromise I had to 
 be content. 
 
 No one was sorry when we left Quintero, which 
 might at any moment have become a regular trap, 
 should any hostile cruisers have heard our firing and 
 discovered us. But fortunately they did not care 
 to come so far south. 
 
 And here I shall, for convenience, continue the 
 narrative of my experiences at sea in the form of 
 extracts from my diary, supplemented by such ex- 
 planatory remarks as may be needful : 
 
 April 21. — Left Quintero Bay at 8 a.m., 
 the Condell and Lynch hugging the shore, the 
 Imperial standing out about six miles. A very 
 keen look-out is kept for warships or blockade- 
 runners. The orders are, it seems, to capture or 
 sink any vessel found in Chilian waters with nitrate 
 or arms in her cargo. At 4 p.m. passed a steamer, 
 which hove to in obedience to a blank discharge 
 from the 5 -ton Armstrong bow-chaser. She proved 
 to be the Thehen, a German, of Hamburg, bound 
 from Guatemala to Valparaiso. Her papers and 
 
MY FIRST CRUISE WITH THE SQUADRON 165 
 
 cargo corresponding with her alleged course, she 
 was allowed to proceed. No lights are carried at 
 night. We travel in total darkness, the saloon 
 and cabin ports being heavily curtained. 
 
 The Imperial is a most comfortable ship. In 
 addition to all the modern luxuries in the way of 
 costly furniture, etc., music-saloon with piano and 
 harmonium, and large and well-fitted cabins, she is 
 fitted with a spar-deck running her full length, 
 which makes a fine promenade. The cuisine is by 
 no means bad, and the wines very tolerable. We 
 carry about seventy riflemen, a crew of nearly one 
 hundred, and about thirty officers of various grades. 
 I notice that five out of seven quarter-masters are 
 English, as are also all the engineers. 
 
 April 22. — Still heading north. Our consorts are 
 still standing quite close in-shore. Sighted no 
 other vessels all day. After it had become dark, 
 and we had lost sight of the torpederas, we arrived 
 off Caldera and hove to, awaiting signals from the 
 Condell. But none were made, though there were 
 two false alarms in the night, and the officer on 
 watch believed he heard firing in the direction of 
 Caldera before daybreak. 
 
 April 23. — At early dawn all eyes were directed 
 towards land, from which we were distant some 
 eight miles, but not a sign of any vessel was to be 
 seen. All on board in a state of great excitement 
 throughout the day, and anxious to look in at 
 Caldera. But Garin's orders to await signals were 
 
i66 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 imperative, and though he was, perhaps, even more 
 anxious than the others, he obeyed them to the 
 letter. Upon this the safety of the torpederas 
 absolutely depends, since they only carry coal for 
 a week, steaming at high speed, and rely on the 
 Imperial to replenish their bunkers. As the day 
 wore on, the opinion gained ground that the 
 expected enemy's ships had not yet arrived, and 
 that the torpedo-catchers were lurking in some 
 inlet until the forty-eight hours agreed upon should 
 have expired. 
 
 At dinner I proposed the health and memory of 
 St. George, and upon learning that he had been 
 an excellent horseman with a very pretty taste for 
 a fight, he was unanimously voted a very good 
 fellow, and the toast was duly honoured. 
 
 Late at night I found the captain, first lieu- 
 tenant, and the colonel (Pedro Campos) com- 
 manding the troops on board earnestly discussing 
 the situation, and I was unanimously called in to 
 make a fourth. Assuming that the rebel ships 
 had not yet arrived, they could not be very far off, 
 and would probably time themselves so as to enter 
 Caldera Bay early next morning. If daybreak 
 should find the Imperial within range of the guns 
 of an ironclad or of the still more dreaded 
 Esmeralda, she would be in a position of great 
 peril. If, on the other hand, she stood out to sea, 
 she might miss a signal from the Condell. It was 
 finally decided to stand out about five miles further, 
 
MV MRST CRUISE WITH THE SQUADRON 167 
 
 fwith a full head of steam on, and trust to a sharp 
 look-out for timely warning. The probable where- 
 abouts of the torpederas was next discussed, and 
 the weight of opinion favoured the theory that, 
 having drawn Caldera blank, they were lying 
 perdues in some inlet, and would proceed slowly to 
 the northern rendezvous next morning. (Alas for 
 theory ! The Condell and Lynch were at that 
 very moment steaming in half-crippled condition 
 back to Valparaiso, after sinking the rebel flagship^ 
 and crack ironclad, the Blanco Encalada, and 
 leaving us to Providence and our own devices.) 
 
 AiJvil 24. — Still no sign of any vessels, and 
 early we proceeded slowly northwards. Late in 
 the night we made out a steamer's stern lights and 
 gave chase, but they suddenly disappeared and we 
 lost her in the darkness. 
 
 I April 25. — Overtook the Peruvian steamship 
 Maria Rosa, bound north, and brought her to. She 
 was (rather indiscreetly, I thought) allowed to go on 
 her course without any examination of her cargo. 
 
 April 27. — Steaming very slowly, we were over- 
 taken by the German steamship Diana, from 
 southern ports. She, like the others, was stopped 
 and examined, but, having nothing contraband on 
 board, was, upon the return of the search party, 
 signalled 'clear.' Instead of steaming ahead, she 
 deliberately passed close under our stern, and then, 
 stopping her engines, signalled us to send off 
 another boat. This was at once done, all wonder- 
 
1 68 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 ing greatly what ^was up.' We were not long- 
 kept in suspense. Our boat returned almost im- 
 mediately after reachinsf the Diana, the men 
 pulling like fiends, the officer astern standing up, 
 waving a paper and yelling like one possessed. 
 "We held our breath to listen. Then two words 
 were borne to us by the breeze : Caldera, Blanco. 
 The forefinger, pointing in jerks downwards, told 
 the rest — the Blanco Encalada had been sunk in 
 Caldera Harbour! Heavens ! what a yell, what 
 a succession of yells went forth ! A British cheer 
 is a stirring sound to listen to, but for downright 
 deafening noise it can't touch a Chilian viva from 
 two hundred Chilian throats. VE very one embraced 
 everyone else (I thought what a pity it was we 
 had no^ nice '^Chilian girls on board to share the 
 general enthusiasm), and yelled himself hoarse. 
 Then, as the boat drew nearer, two fingers were 
 held up, and the word Huascar became distin- 
 guishable. The Huascar gone also ! Oh, this was 
 too much ! Sore as all throats must by this time 
 have been, the yells were redoubled, and the 
 embracings presented the appearance of a general 
 wrestling-match. ^ My bad luck threw me into the 
 titanic embrace of Colonel Campos (reputed to be 
 the strongest man in Chile), and I esteemed myself 
 fortunate in escaping with a broken eyeglass and a 
 stud embedded in my flesh. / Then the boat came 
 alongside, the paper was quickly passed up to 
 Captain Garin, and he read aloud its contents. It 
 
MY FIRST CRUISE WITH THE SQUADRON 169 
 
 ^as but a brief telegram printed upon a sort of 
 landbill, but it was startling enough : ^ 
 
 //The valiant Captain Moraga has just returned 
 't(y'^ Valparaiso in theJ222:id^Zi^with news of which all 
 loyal Chilians may well be proud. At 3 a.m. upon 
 the 23rd_inst. he, with the gallant aid of Ca£tain 
 Fuentes, of the Lynch, attacked and sunk, by the 
 application^ toirpedoes, the flagship of the 
 revolutionary fleet, Blanco Encalada, Another 
 ship, believed to be the Huascar, was only 
 attacked, and it is believed also sunk. Then the 
 L ynch e ngaged _in_a desperate action with the 
 transport Aconcagua, but unfortunately sustained 
 severe damages to her machinery, as did also to a \ 
 
 less extent the CondelL The Aconcagua escaped, 
 hotly pursued by the LmperiaV 
 
 This last astounding item sent me off into one 
 of my incontrollable fits of laughter, which I had 
 to bolt into the chart-room to smother. And I 
 mentally put the whole story down as one of those 
 holas for the manufacture of which Chilians are so 
 justly celebrated. Not so the others. All the 
 rest of the events recorded were true. The very ^ 
 fact of the disappearance of the torpederas and the 
 non-appearance of the hostile ships was clear 
 evidence. The officer who thought he had heard 
 guns now stood forth quite positive that he had 
 heard them. What more could anyone want ? The 
 only one who appeared to share my doubts was 
 Garin. 
 
I70 DARK DAYS IN CHILE 
 
 ^ It appeared that the captain of the Diana had 
 not been certain of our identity until he saw the 
 ship's name astern ; hence his delay in giving us 
 the tidings. Out of compliment to him, the 
 German flag was saluted, several volleys fired, 
 cheers given and returned, and the Diana pro- 
 ceeded north, in all probability to discharge her 
 freight at Iquique. 
 
 It was generally expected that we would forth- 
 with return to Valparaiso. But Captain Garin s 
 doubts were too strong. Even assuming that the 
 report was substantially correct, where was the 
 Lynch f Might she not have gone north to the 
 rendezvous, trusting to the Imperial for coal ? 
 And what would be her fate if she did not find 
 her then ? If she had followed the Condell back 
 to Valparaiso, both vessels could there refit, refill 
 their bunkers, and start again northwards. The 
 Imperial carried a month's supply of coal and 
 provisions, and could come to no dearth. Besides, 
 she alone would be doing the necessary blockade- 
 cruising. Garin s judgment was sound enough, 
 but the prospect of cruising off Iquique until the 
 torpederas should see fit to join us was not a tempt- 
 ing one. 
 
 It was clear that Moraga must have found a 
 chance to attack too unexpectedly to allow him 
 time to communicate with Garin. Over and over 
 again I bewailed my hard fate in not having carried 
 my point, and joined the Condell at Quintero. 
 

 MY FIRST CRUISE WITH THE SQUADRON 171 
 
 The very action I had so anxiously wished to see 
 ad, probably, taken place, and I had seen no 
 more of it than a man in Fleet Street. I was 
 tolerably easy as to the transmission of the news 
 to the Times J having arranged with a Mr. Loewen-V 
 stein, an Englishman, and also a pressman, to act 
 for me in my absence, and having, thereto, secured 
 the necessary permission from Government. But 
 I had not seen the exploit, and I felt disconsolate. 
 Garin tried to console me by pointing out that at 
 3 a.m. Moraga himself could have seen very little ; 
 but this was sorry comfort, for Moraga, at least, 
 was there. I envied the stokers on the torpedo- 
 catchers. 
 
 April 28. — Off Iquique ; standing out to sea 
 some forty miles, and barely moving. Gun-drill 
 and rifle-practice all day. 
 
 April 29. — Nothing. Ominous rumours that 
 the bottled beer is running short. The champagne 
 also has disappeared so rapidly that the doctor has 
 reserved the balance for the use of the sick. Had 
 slight touch of fever. 
 
 April 30. — Fever no better. Dr. Bravo (a 
 most attentive young medico) congratulates him- 
 self upon his foresight with respect to the cham- 
 pagne. I congratulate him also. We congratulate 
 each other and have some of the ^ medical comfort,* 
 he also feeling at times feverish. He agrees with 
 me that quinine taken alone is lowering to the 
 system. Weather unpleasantly hot. 
 
172 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 May 1. — Colonel Campos has got the fever 
 also, and Major Santiago doesn't feel well. If 
 this sort of thing continues the entire mass will 
 be fever-stricken. The doctor hints darkly that 
 he doesn t believe them, and whispers his suspicion 
 that it's all a trick to get at the champagne./' 
 
 * As to Campos, senor, I felt his pulse, and he 
 
 no more has any fever than ' (I wonder if an 
 
 unpardonable indiscretion will blurt out a 'personal 
 pronoun !) ' than . . . Garin has !' 
 
 At this very moment a steward informs Dr. 
 Bravo that the captain desires to see him. Pre- 
 sently he returns. 
 
 ' Pot Dios, senor /' he exclaims, * this is past 
 belief Garin has the fever too /' 
 
 After this fevers went out of fashion, with the 
 champagne. 
 
 May 4. — The past three days have, like most 
 of their predecessors, been a period of absolute 
 time-killing ; not even a stray steamer to bully. 
 But to-day we sighted one, and gave chase. She 
 was a smart boat, and we overhauled her very 
 gradually. When well within hearing distance 
 she paid no heed to two blank discharges, and 
 Garin, losing patience, was on the point of send- 
 ing a ball after her, when she hove-to. She proved 
 to be an English vessel, the Puno, and, for variety's 
 sake, I accompanied the boarding party, wearing 
 (it being somewhat fresh) a naval cloak and a 
 yachting peaked cap. Whilst the formality of 
 
MV FIRST CRUISE WITH THE SQUADRON 173 
 
 overhauling the ship's papers was being gone 
 through, I got into conversation with the chief 
 mate. 
 
 ' You're Enghsh, aren't you ?' he inquired. 
 
 ' Yes/ I repHed ; * I am the Times correspondent.' 
 
 * Then, sir, perhaps you can tell me what right 
 that armed mail-boat has to stop a British vessel 
 on the high seas V 
 
 ' I regret to say I cannot,' was my answer ; 
 ' unless it be that long gun you see projecting 
 over her bows.' 
 
 * Well, sir,' rejoined the mate, ' it's a good thing 
 for her there's no British man-of-war in sight ; 
 and, what's more, it will be a very bad thing for 
 you if she chances to be captured by one of the 
 revolutionary cruisers.' 
 
 ' Quite possibly, my friend, but then you see she 
 is not going to be captured. It's quite an arranged 
 matter that she'll be blown up first.' 
 
 The mate looked at me doubtfully. 
 
 ' Well, sir,' he said, * I wish you safe out of it.' 
 
 * Thanks,' I replied. ' And now tell me the 
 truth of this Caldera business.' 
 
 He did more ; he brought me several news- 
 papers containing details of the affair, and which 
 I took back with me to the Imperial. Upon 
 examination it appeared that but one ironclad, the 
 Blanco Encalado, had really been sunk, that the 
 Huascar was not in Caldera at all, but that some 
 idea survived that a small vessel called the Bio-Bio 
 
174 DARK DAYS IN CHILE 
 
 had gone down also. The Lynch had returned to 
 Valparaiso, whereupon Captain Garin at last 
 decided to return to Valparaiso too ; and we 
 shaped a southerly course forthwith, standing well 
 out to sea. 
 
 May 5. — At daybreak a large ship was sighted 
 upon the port quarter, which shaped a course in 
 pursuit of us, apparently. Judging from her out- 
 lines and manifest speed, she was strongly sus- 
 pected to be the Esmeralda, and the Imperial was 
 sent along at top-pressure. In about three hours 
 she was out of sight, having presumably abandoned 
 the chase. \A11 on board entertained a very whole- 
 some dread of this ' crack ' cruiser, which upon the 
 last voyage of the Imperial had come very near 
 to sinking her. An English quartermaster gave 
 me the following rather graphic account of the 
 incident : 
 
 * Well, sir, you see it was just this way. We 
 left Valparaiso upon the first Saturday in March 
 to land a regiment at a place called Camarones, 
 right away up north, beyond Pisagua. We got 
 there right enough, but on entering the harbour 
 found one of the enemy's corvettes waiting for us. 
 ^ The Imperial had not got her big Armstrong bow- 
 chaser then, and was, of course, not a match for 
 even a small warship. However, nothing would 
 satisfy the captain but to exchange a few shots. 
 So we let fly our port guns at about 3,000 yards 
 range, and then, slewing round, tried the starboard 
 
MY FIRST CRUISE WITH THE SQUADRON 175 
 
 pieces. But the shots all fell short. Then the 
 corvette replied, sending shot after shot whizzing 
 just over our heads, and steaming towards us. Her 
 guns were evidently too good for us, and so we 
 cleared out at full speed. Well, sir, we next tried 
 to get the troops ashore at Antofagasta, where we 
 arrived late at night upon the 11th. The captain 
 presently sent a steam-launch, well manned, to 
 reconnoitre. Antofagasta was then, of course, 
 still garrisoned by Government troops ; and as 
 the launch seemed in no hurry to return, the port 
 dingy was sent ashore, and we went inside the 
 harbour and anchored. At the first streak of 
 dawn a big hull was made out in the south- 
 eastern corner of the harbour, half hidden behind 
 a sort of small promontory, and not half a mile 
 away. In a few minutes she was recognised. It 
 was the Esmeralda I I never saw an anchor 
 heaved so smartly as ours was that time, and away 
 we ran westward. The Esmeralda made us out 
 just as we got way on, and blazed away with all 
 the guns she could bring to bear. Most of us 
 thought it was all up with the Imperial, 'cos you 
 see, sir, although she's a smart boat, the Esmeralda 
 is a couple of knots faster, and, having two screws, 
 can work her guns to perfection. It was so early, 
 too, that the cruiser would have a daylight chase 
 for fourteen hours or more. However, our only 
 chance was escape, and trust to Providence. 
 Luckily it took the Esmeralda some time to get 
 
1 76 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 steam up properly, and we got a good start of 
 about six miles before she held her own. Then 
 she began to gain on us, and the captain went 
 himself to urge the engineers to crack on more 
 steam. That was the cry, sir, all over the ship, — 
 mas vapor ! But the engineers were doing their 
 best, and the gallant ship was quivering all over 
 like an over-driven horse. Presently we saw a 
 white puff of smoke, and a shot struck the water 
 fair in our track, but a good bit astern. An hour 
 later another shot was fired, but also fell about 
 the same distance short. Our hopes revived : we 
 were holding our own, and, unless some accident 
 occurred to our machinery, we might yet prolong 
 the race until nightfall. It was evident that the 
 Esmeralda was in bad trim, for her, and, indeed, 
 it was pretty well known that her bottom was very 
 foul, for lack of a dock wherein to clean up. At 
 about 6 p.m. we fell off so much in pace (owing, 
 as they said, to raking out the furnaces) that 
 several shots passed over our heads. But soon 
 afterwards we went faster than ever, and got 
 fairly out of range again. Wasn't it the Duke of 
 Wellington that prayed for night, sir? Well, he 
 never prayed harder than we chaps did. And it 
 came at last, dusk, then dark, then black — thank 
 God there was no moon ! The Esmeralda kept 
 her search-light flashing about, but when we altered 
 our course to the northward she didn't seem to 
 know it, for she still headed due west. At day- 
 
MV FIRST CRUISE WITH THE SQUADRON 177 
 
 break she was out of sight, and we veered round 
 to the south again, making Coquimbo Harbour 
 two days later. Nothing saved us that time, sir, 
 but the Esmeralda s foul bottom/ 
 
 May 7. — Arrived in Valparaiso port at 10 a.m. 
 Enormous crowds were assembled upon the wharves 
 and upon the adjacent high ground to witness the 
 return of the Chilian Alabama. At least a dozen 
 bands were playing the stirring national hymn, and 
 all the flags in the place seemed to have been 
 brought into requisition. The Imperial had been 
 reported as having been sunk by the Esmeralda off 
 Iquique, and the authorities had been extremely 
 anxious on her account ; hence probably all the 
 fuss made, for certainly our people had done no- 
 thing to distinguish themselves. Not caring to 
 figure in the show, I slipped into a small shore- 
 boat, and, making a detour, landed unnoticed at the 
 stairs, just in time to see my late companions, in 
 full uniform, and preceded by the inevitable band, 
 march off in triumph to the Intendencia. 
 
 I at once sought out Mr. Loewenstein, and from 
 him learnt that he had at once telegraphed the 
 Blanco affair to the Times, which had replied, asking 
 for full details by post. These, too, he had sent. 
 This was a good hearing, though I still felt very 
 sore at having missed the great event. 
 
 I next visited Captain Moraga, and strongly up- 
 braided him for breach of covenant ; but he pro- 
 tested that events had so fallen out as to make the 
 
 12 
 
178 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 delay incidental to any communication with the 
 Imperial impossible, that had he waited even a few 
 hours the attack must have failed. However, he 
 promised that next time I should have a fair view 
 of operations, and meanwhile he related all that 
 he personally knew of the affair. 
 
 Captain Moraga's Account. 
 
 ' The last we saw of the Imperial was upon the 
 evening of the 22 nd, when, as you know, we were 
 not far from Caldera. About dusk a boat from 
 shore hailed the Lynch, and, from a notice thus 
 sent, Fuentes learnt that, if we wished to catch any 
 of the hostile squadron at Caldera, not a moment 
 was to be lost, inasmuch as three vessels had already 
 left that harbour. Fuentes signalled me, and then 
 came on board, to arrange upon a plan of attack. 
 This was quickly agreed upon. We were to pass 
 Caldera after dark, and at about 3 a.m. to enter the 
 harbour from the north, my vessel leading by about 
 two hundred yards. Once inside, we were to make 
 for the rebel ships, I upon the starboard and he 
 upon the port side ; creep up as close as possible, 
 and let drive the torpedoes. 
 
 * At 3.30 a.m. the Condell entered the bay, the 
 Lynch following close behind. In the dim light it 
 was presently possible to make out one large ship, 
 and astern of her a smaller one. The former I 
 felt certain was either the Cochrane or the Blanco : 
 
Afy FIRST CRUISE WITH THE SQUADRON 179 
 
 the latter I took for the Huascar. Parting com- 
 )any, our two vessels manoeuvred so as to bear 
 )row-on upon the big ship, and upon opposite sides 
 )f her. 
 
 At about one hundred yards' distance I ordered 
 }he bow torpedo to be discharged. It missed its 
 lark, passing astern, but, as the look-out man 
 reported, striking the smaller ship. Putting the 
 helm hard up, I ordered Lieutenant Vargus to let 
 go the foremost of the starboard torpedoes, which 
 was reported as having struck the ship in the bows. 
 The second starboard torpedo followed on. Just 
 then the ironclad opened a heavy fire upon my 
 vessel, having apparently no suspicion that the 
 Lynch was the other side of her ; and I went full 
 speed ahead. Meanwhile, the Lynch crept up un- 1/ 
 observed, and at pistol range put a torpedo fair into 
 the ironclad amidships. In less than three minutes 
 she sank, 
 fc * As we were leaving Caldera, we met the Acon- 
 cagua making for the harbour. Seeing us, she 
 turned and fled westward, opening fire upon us at 
 the same time. Then, seeing that our speed was 
 so superior to hers as to make escape hopeless, she 
 again turned and made for Caldera, still firing away, 
 in hopes, doubtless, of attracting the attention of 
 her consorts inside the harbour. She was crowded 
 with troops, so I ordered that no Gatling guns 
 were to be used, but only the Hotchkiss and rapid- 
 firing guns. She fought manfully against the two 
 
 k. 
 
i8o DARK DAYS IN CHILE 
 
 of US for an hour and a half, when she ceased firing 
 and stopjoed her engines. She carried no flag, so 
 that we accepted this as a sign of surrender, and 
 also stopped our fire. At this moment a ship, 
 which we at once recognised as the Esmeralddy was 
 seen in the distance, apparently steering so as to 
 cut off our retreat. Both the Condell and the 
 Lynch had suffered severely in the action with the 
 Aconcagua, the vibration caused by the discharge of 
 our own guns having burst many of the steam 
 tubes, so we abandoned the prize and steamed as 
 well as we could southward. Shortly afterwards 
 we saw that the approaching man-of-war was the 
 Warspite ; but by the time we returned for the 
 Aconcagua, she had crept under the guns of the forts. 
 i^ I should add that throughout these forts had kept 
 up a heavy but ineffectual fire upon us. Our losses 
 were one killed, ten wounded. Two hundred and 
 forty-five men were drowned in the Blanco. What 
 the losses on the Aconcagua were we do not know ; 
 but certain it is that, but for the unlucky appear- 
 ance of the Warspite at the moment of surrender, we 
 would have brought the transport, with the regi- 
 ment on board, back to Valparaiso.' 
 
 * Ah well,' I replied, ^ better luck next time for 
 both of us. When do you again start upon the war- 
 path V 
 
 * In two or three days,' said Moraga ; ' and if 
 you come another trip, I'll promise that you shall 
 enter Iquique harbour on board the Condell. 
 
MY FIRST CRUISE WITH THE SQUADRON i8i 
 
 There are about fifteen transports, besides men-of- 
 *waT7tn'TIie"nitrate capital, so we shall have lots of 
 sport. We are to do some bombarding of the coast 
 towns also.' 
 
 The interval I decided to spend in Santiago, 
 which I much preferred to Valparaiso. That after- 
 •noon I received the following note from the doctor 
 of the Imperial : 
 
 I 
 
 ♦ Imperial, May 7th, 1891. 
 ' Dear Seiior Hervey, 
 
 ' I desire greatly to visit Santiago, but all 
 leave is stopped. Could you not have a touch of 
 " fever," and get me ashore ? 
 
 ' Yours, 
 
 C^J. Bravo.' 
 Jpon the good old principle that ^ one good turn 
 irves another,' I obtained, without much trouble, 
 the required leave for the worthy medico ; and we 
 ■ travelled to Santiago together. 
 
 /" There had been lately a good deal of Orsini^~^ 
 bomb work going on. Bombs had been hurled at 
 the windows of the President's, library^ -amongst 
 groups ^ of n ewly-elected senators, ministers, and 
 other Government supporters. I arrived in the 
 very nick of time to observe the results of the 
 latest attempt. ^It is not considered * bad form ' to 
 call even as late as 11 p.m. at a house of which one 
 has the entree. I had jestingly promised a member 
 
 £Claudio Vicuna's family that my first visit 
 
1 82 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 upon my return should be to — ]iim\ and as the 
 train reached Santiago at 10.30 p.m., I decided to 
 effect a * surprise call/ taking the house en route, to 
 my hotel. But on approaching Don Claudio's resi- 
 dence, my coachman was stopped by a strong 
 patrol of mounted police, and I had some trouble 
 in substantiating my right to pass. I found the 
 family in a state of considerable agitation, though I 
 was cordially welcomed. 
 
 ' Come, senor,' said Don Claudio, ' and see the 
 latest sample of revolutionary tactics.' And he led 
 me to a long room he used as a sort of study, one 
 window of which gave upon the street. The street 
 window and the contents of the room nearest to it 
 were shattered. Upon a table at the further end 
 lay a metal ball with a short projecting tube, which 
 I at once recognised as the sort of bomb one sees 
 at Madame Tussaud's. 
 
 ' This evening, at about six o'clock,' pursued 
 Don Claudio, ' during my absence at the Moneda, 
 my daughter was writing some letters for me at 
 this table. Suddenly she heard a crash of broken 
 glass, followed by a loud explosion at the street 
 end of the room. There has been so much bomb 
 work lately that she instinctively guessed what 
 had happened. But before she could collect her- 
 self sufficiently to make a rush for the door, a 
 second bomb was hurled in, and rolled almost to 
 her feet, providentially without exploding. This 
 she picked up and threw out of the other window 
 
r 
 
 I 
 
 MY FIRST CRUISE WITH THE SQUADRON 185 
 
 into the 'patio. Then seeing that some brown ^ 
 paper was smouldering in a half-open box of rifle 
 cartridges, she quickly dashed a large jug of water 
 over it. By this time the servants had rushed in, 
 and succeeded in extinguishing the fire, which had 
 caught the curtains and elsewhere. But my brave 
 girl, recollecting that I had gone out unarmed, 
 took my big Colt revolver, and started forth alone 
 to meet me on my way back from the Moneda. 
 '^ Here, papa, take this," she said ; and then she 
 told me what had occurred. Not bad for a sixteen- 
 year-old nina, eh ?' 
 
 ' I assure you, Don Claudio,' I replied, ^ that my 
 indignation at this savage outrage is, if possible, 
 exceeded by my admiration of the senorita's won- 
 derful courage and coolness. This is the work of 
 fiends, not of men ; yet it is almost impossible 
 to believe that even fiends would strike at the life 
 of an innocent girl. The attempt must have been 
 directed against you.' 
 
 ' Ah, senor, they know that they could strike 
 me most fatally through my darling,' said Don 
 Claudio sadly. ' If they merely seek my life, they 
 could easily take it any day. I walk the streets, 
 generally unarmed, and always without an escort, 
 at all hours of the day and night. I have re- 1 
 peatedly and publicly challenged assassination ; bul^,^^-- — 1 
 you see, my foes strike at my home, at those most 
 dear to me, not at myself 
 I Having but one clear day in Valparaiso, Don 
 
i86 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 Claudio insisted upon my dining cliez lui next 
 evening, when, as he gracefully put it, * the 
 English hero of the press will have an opportunity 
 of renewing his acquaintance with the Chilian 
 heroine of the homhas ; though, indeed, I failed 
 to see where the ' hero ' part came in. 
 
 My time was fully taken up next day in 
 receiving and paying visits. My engagements 
 made up a rather varied programme, viewed politi- 
 cally. Three Oppositionists breakfasted with me ; 
 I lunched with my friend Senor Alfredo Ovalle, 
 took afternoon tea with the President, dined chez 
 Don Claudio Vicuna, and wound up with supper 
 amongst some of the most violent partisans of the 
 revolution. Thus, I certainly had opportunities of 
 hearing both sides of the question ; but I neither 
 heard nor saw anything to induce me to alter my 
 previously-formed opinion, either as regarded the 
 merits of the quarrel or its probable results. 
 
 It should be added that the Oppositionists dis- 
 avowed all connection with the Orsini bomb at- 
 tempts, and there can be no doubt that the more 
 respectable among them were in no way connected 
 with those outrageous attacks ; still, the fact re- 
 -— Gained that upon the very day fixed for an inter- 
 view between leading revolutionists and Ministers 
 — a friendly attempt made by certain foreign re- 
 presentatives to bring about peace — a party of 
 Mini sters and senators, including the Premier, 
 Senor Godoy, narrowly escaped assassination by 
 
MV FIJ^ST CRUISE WITH THE SQUADRON 187 
 
 .Orsini bombs in the public streets in broad day- 
 light, upon their way to the proposed conference, 
 which latter, thereupon, fell through. Clearly a ^ 
 
 (section, at all events, of the Opposition did not \i 
 desire any amicable settlement. The revolutionary 1 
 chief, SeJLor Carlos Walker Martinez, who, upon / 
 the strength of a safe-conduct, had emerged from 
 his hiding-place, the British Embassy, and two 
 other delegates, profited by the opportunity to place 
 themselves under the French flag, and secured 
 passages in the French corvette Volta to Iquique. 
 
 The elections had, for the reasons set forth in 
 the previous chapter, resulted in the almost un- 
 opposed return of Liberals favourable to the 
 fcBalmacedist theory of government, though of 
 course the legal existence of the new Congress 
 would not commence until June_J^ The re^ ^^ 
 yojted- Congress still legally existed, but having 
 er^oyed its necessary three months of ordinary 
 sessign,^;from\Juneto September, 1890, its legisla- 
 tive functions had leased with"Tfs IasT~disms^8j^^ / 
 
 tit is most important to remember that, by the 
 express terms of the Chilian constitution, \the 
 President is not bound to convoke Congress for 
 more than these three months in any one year, 
 and that failing such convocation by him, the mem- 
 bers have no more right to assemble for legislative 
 purposes than would have an equal number of 
 .mule-drivers.^ This may be as radically unsound 
 
1 88 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 a system as one may choose to assert ; but it is, 
 for all that, the plain, clearly-expressed law of 
 Chile. The Rump of the Congress had as little 
 right to call itself the Chilian Congress at Iquique, 
 as the Home Rulers would have, during a recess, 
 to call themselves the Parliament of the United 
 Kingdom in Dublin. 
 
CHAPTER VII, 
 
 MY SECOND CRUISE. 
 
 The Plan of Operations — Troops for Coquimbo — Scenes on 
 Board — Coquimbo — British Naval Station — La Serena — 
 Moraga's Advice to Admiral Hotham — En Boute for Iquique 
 — Coaling at Sea — I tranship to the Condell — A Contrast — 
 A Desperate Adventure — ' The Last Watch ' — Captain Cook 
 — Moraga the Wolf — U7i Mauvais Quart d'Heure — In Iquique 
 Harbour — The Union Jack saves the Kebel Transports — An 
 Alarm — A Difficult Torpedo-shot — Moraga's Dilemma — The 
 Ironclad Cochrane bears down — A Harebrained Exploit — 
 What the Prisoners said and did — Northward to sink the 
 O'Higgins in a Peruvian Port — A Sea-Lawyer — The Huascar 
 and theMagellanes — A Naval Skirmish — Adios — Moraga the 
 Lamb — A Clever Euse — Captain Cook saves us — A Naval 
 Duel declined — We rejoin the Imperial — Bombardment of 
 Iquique — Bombardment of Taltal — An Attack in Boats — 
 Capture of Taltal — A Banquet and a Bill — Coquimbo — 
 Valparaiso. 
 
 The sinking of the Blanco Encalada had produced 
 great ' moral effect ' throughout Chile, and, as 
 we afterwards learnt, had created a panic in the 
 revolted fleet. It was therefore decided to renew 
 the attack, and, if possible, to sink a ship or two 
 ,in Iquique Harbour itself A few more such 
 lessons would, it was thought, bring the insur- 
 
 E)0 their knees. It is tolerably oertain 
 it for the active and passive help^g i^n 
 
f 
 
 190 DARK DAYS IN CHILE 
 
 y jj ^ f>>^ rAvnInfinnigfta Ky fr^ypignpra^ ^arirl more 
 
 ^/" es pecially by the British, continued res istance 
 
 ^ WOnlf] hn.VP. hf.F^n iixipnggihli:^^ Q>>Qr>1nf.Aly rJApp^^rj^^ 
 
 as the northern towns were upon sea-borne sup- 
 
 ^ plies. But the help was given, and givelTTiber- 
 
 1 ally. Steamer after steamer left Valparaiso, 
 Talcuhano, Coronel, ^nd other^_ southern ports, 
 laden with coal and provisions of all sorts, clear^ 
 [ -r ing nominally for Callao or some other neutral port, 
 ' but always contriving to call in at, or to be inter- 
 i "^epted off, Iquique. Sometimes, indeed, the in- 
 ,^— ^ surgents made a mistake, and ' intercepted ' the 
 \ / ' wrong vessel, as when Rear- Admiral Hotham 
 compelled them to restore the coal forcibly taken 
 r from a German collier, and to salute the German 
 ji flag by way of apology. But then this German 
 I skipper was an exception. Why, it may be 
 I jiasked, did not Balmaceda temporarily stop all 
 [exports from Chilian ports ? Because such a 
 course would have completely ruined the already 
 severely -crippled southern trade, and because 
 supplies could still have been sent to Iquique 
 from Buenos Aires or from Peruvian ports, to 
 \ say nothing of awkward complications with 
 foreign Governments. yAnd so the Government 
 ,\ had to look on whilst British and German 
 \\ steamers loaded up stores in Valparaiso for the 
 j^rebels at Iquique. ^^ It was open to the Presi- 
 dent to prevent the entry of these vessels into 
 northern harbours, if he could maintain an effec- 
 

 MV SECOND CRUISE 191 
 
 tual blockade ; but how could he do this with 
 the entire fleet against him ? This was the 
 active assistance rendered to the insurgents. 
 Passive aid took the form of an absolute refusal 
 upon the part of shipowners to sell or lend a 
 single steamer to^ the^ Government. _The Souths 
 American Steamship Compa ny had_Jnde£d^-Sup- 
 plied the Imperial, but this ^. th e y had been com;:, 
 pelled to do by the terms of their charter. Nq_ 
 
 J' 
 
 others could be procured for love qrjmoney._ And 
 ifl&eing impossible for troops to cross 200 miles of 
 desertj _Balmaceda was effectually debarred from 
 hurling his legions upon the revolted districts. 
 His hopes for the moment therefore centred in 
 the possibility of destroying the .two remainin^_ 
 /i^^^^dB/ <^Gochr(me^ nd Muascar, and the cruisefx 
 ^^EsmemldcLy-^bj means of ^ the ~~torpederas. Failing X - 
 this, he could only await the arrival of the new | fl-t^;^;^ 
 warships from France, and the off-chance that \ 
 his agents in Argentina^ Uruguay^ and BrazU 
 might succeed in buying up a few tr^Jispacts^ 
 Meanwiiil^--ibe'4iad decided to keep a large force r\A. 
 stationed _ at CogQHmbo (about 160 miles north p^ 
 
 of Valparaiso)^ m readiness for future operations. '^ — ^ 
 f The Lynch had not yet undergone the needful 
 repairs consequent upon the damage inflicted 
 upon her by the guns of the Jjinm:agzia.-BiijCMeY8i,. 
 She was therefore left behind, with orders to 
 follow on as soon as possible to a rendezvous 
 agreed upon off Iquique. 
 
192 DARK DAYS IN CHILE 
 
 Upon May 10th the Imperial and the Condell 
 steamed out of the harbour, amidst loud vivas 
 from the assembled spectators. The spar-deck 
 of the transport had been assigned to the troops, 
 numbering 500 men. A halt was made at the 
 village of Papuro, distant some twenty miles, for 
 the purpose of embarking 800 additional men 
 and two batteries of artillery. By the time this 
 reinforcement was on board, the spar-deck, exten- 
 sive as it was, was literally packed with humanity. 
 V Most of the soldiers appeared to have two or 
 more wives, and each wife a liberal supply of 
 children, so that what the total number of souls 
 came to it was hard to guess within a few 
 hundreds. A small portion of the deck abaft 
 the chart-room was corded off, and a narrow 
 pathway to one of the companion -stairs kept 
 clear by sentries, but the music saloon amid- 
 ships was quite inaccessible, and had, indeed, to 
 be locked up to save it from desecration. Poor 
 devils,' what a good-humoured, merry lot they 
 were ! It gave one appetite to see with what 
 gusto the coarse fare served out (and heaven 
 only knows how this was effected) was devoured! 
 Huge mounds of bread, bucketfuls of beans, and 
 countless junks of half-raw meat appeared and 
 disappeared in interminable relays. And when, 
 later on, all had ' camped ' for the night, what 
 a scene presented itself! Men, women, rifles, 
 children, knapsacks, dogs, in indescribable admix- 
 
MY SECOND CRUISE 193 
 
 Iure. It was good to see how the men had given 
 Lp their ponchos, and often even their coats, to 
 make their female comrades and the ninos more 
 comfortable — for bedding there was absolutely 
 none. I saw one hapless terrier, securely bound, 
 serving as an impromptu pillow for a baby, the 
 mother's head reposing upon the breast of her 
 husband, who in turn reposed upon a comrade's 
 outstretched limbs. My friend the quarter- 
 master viewed the scene with a look of intense 
 disgust. ' By George,' he muttered, ' there'll be 
 a week's work cleaning up after this lot !' 
 
 Fortunately this invasion did not last long, for 
 next day we reached Coquimbo, and the task of 
 disembarkation at once began. The method used 
 of slinging the horses into the tenders struck me 
 as so needlessly brutal that I suggested to Colonel 
 Campos to shove the remainder of the animals 
 overboard and let them swim ashore ; and, upon 
 fcny assurance that it was sometimes done in our 
 service, when the beach is good and not too far 
 distant, my proposal was adopted. It was amusing 
 to see the puzzled look of some of the horses when 
 they found themselves afloat ; they seemed un- 
 willing to leave the side of the ship, but soon 
 struck out for shore, where all arrived safely. 
 
 A fine harbour this at Coquimbo — large, well 
 sheltered, and with deep water^^up to within a 
 furlong of the shore ; for which good reasons it 
 was long ago selected as a depot for the British 
 
 K 
 
194 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 Pacific S q uadrQ ii^___^ We found the Union Jack 
 very much en evidence, the Warspite, Cham'pion, and 
 ' Dap}me.^£iM lying within musket^=range, whilst nearer 
 still was permanently moored that relic of bygone 
 days, the Liffey, dismasted, and now used as a 
 supply-ship. 
 
 Of course, a party of us went ashore, where 
 we were most hospitably entertained by the 
 officers of the garrison, of whom I more par- 
 ticularly remember Colonels Carvalho and Errazuriz. 
 After a regimental lunch one usually sees things 
 couleur de rose, but I confess that Coquimbo struck 
 me as a particularly ugly town. Upon the opposite 
 side of the bay is a town of more ancient date (in 
 fact, some 300 years old), called La Serena — a few 
 years ago, ere the French syndicates brought about 
 a crash, an important centre of the copper industry, 
 a metal which abounds in the neighbourhood. 
 
 Nunc tantum sinus et statio male fida carinis. 
 
 In fact, only vessels of very light draught can 
 approach this side of the bay at all. A dreary 
 place, Serena, which one reaches by rail from 
 Coquimbo. It seemed to be heavily garrisoned ; 
 indeed. Colonel Carvalho informed me that the two 
 towns between them mustered 11,000 troops. Here 
 we dined, and, as usual, very well, returning on horse- 
 back along the beach, which at low-water affords a 
 splendid ten-mile stretch of hard sand for a gallop. 
 
 Captain Moraga always referred with great 
 
L 
 
 MY SECOND CRUISE 195 
 
 bitterness to the inopportune appearance of the 
 Warspite at Caldera, whereby the Aconcagua had 
 been enabled to escape capture ; and he now 
 strongly urged upon the British Admiral the ex- 
 pediency of keeping clear of northern 2^orts, especi- 
 ally Iquique, for at least a fortnight, lest, should ^ 
 he again mistake the Warspite for the Esmeralda, 
 a regrettable disaster might ensue. He made no 
 secret of his intention to scour the northern ports 
 and to torpedo any hostile ships he could discover. 
 Rear- Admiral Hotham took the advice, as Moraga 
 informed me, in very good part, and promised to 
 keep his squadron in southern waters for the period 
 named. yWhereupon the Imperial and Condell started^ 
 together for Iquique. ^ 
 
 Beyond stopping and searching one sailing-ship, 
 nothing of any interest occurred during the run 
 north. Upon May 14 th the two vessels hove to 
 about sixty miles west of Iquique for the purposes 
 of filling up the CondelVs coal-bunkers and deciding 
 upon a plan of attack. Coaling at sea must be a 
 difficult operation in anything like rough weather, 
 since even in the smooth water prevalent in these 
 latitudes the task is a tedious one. Whilst it was 
 in progress I accompanied Captain Garin on board 
 the Condell, taking a portmanteau and some bedding 
 with me. I had previously sent Moraga a line, 
 reminding him of his promise to allow me to 
 accompany him in his next attack, whereto I had 
 received the following reply : 
 
 L 
 
196 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 Condell, May lUh, 1891. 
 * My dear Senor Hervey, 
 
 * I shall probably attack to-night. Come 
 by all means, if you wish to, but I warn you I can 
 only offer you a sofa to sleep on. You know how 
 glad I shall be to have you with me. So if you 
 really are inclined to put up with a rough welcome 
 and share a little danger with your friends on board 
 here, come along. Bring some bedding, especially 
 pillows. 
 
 * Yours cordially, 
 
 ' C. MORAGA.' 
 
 Garin, Campos, and the others had tried hard to 
 dissuade me from going ; but this, as I told them, 
 was mere jealousy because they couldn't go also. 
 And so off I went. I was most enthusiastically 
 welcomed by the officers of the Condell, who re- 
 garded my visit in the light of a personal com- 
 pliment, and especially by the navigating officer, 
 Captain James Cook (a descendant as well as 
 namesake of the great navigator), who remarked to 
 me : ' They say ashore that an English sailor has 
 no right to be aboard a Chilian war-vessel, and IVe 
 had some doubts about it myself But if a Times 
 correspondent comes too, why, it must be all 
 right.' 
 
 A brief council of war was held in the little 
 saloon, wherein it was agreed thatHhe Imperial was 
 to cruise upon the present parallel of longitude and 
 
MY SECOND CRUISE 197 
 
 dthin two degrees of latitude, keeping a sharp 
 look-out for both us and the expected Lynch. And 
 
 jhen, so soon as the last sack of coal had been got 
 
 ►n board, we parted company. 
 
 Compared to the Imperial, the Condell seemed 
 like a little tug-boat. She was, moreover, a dis 
 tinctly dirty vessel, it being impossible upon deck 
 to escape a liberal coating of soot and coal-dust. 
 Yet withal her diminutive * saloon ' was very cosy, 
 and the cuisine even better than that of the Imperial. 
 The promised sofa was soft and comfortable. In a 
 very few hours I was quite at home. 
 
 At about 4 p.m. we spoke an English barque 
 just out from Iquique, and most probably nitrate- 
 laden. But, as Moraga wanted information, no 
 questions were asked about cargo. We learnt that 
 the news of the Blanco disaster had produced a 
 great scare, that every possible precaution was 
 being taken to protect the entrance to the harbour 
 by means of chains and sunken torpedoes in electric 
 communication with the shore, and that a small 
 torpedo-launch had somehow been procured for 
 night-patrol duty. It was also stated that the 
 men-of-war never remained in harbour during the 
 night, standing out to sea and returning in the 
 morning. All this was serious news if correct. 
 Moraga determined, therefore, to reconnoitre that 
 night with a special view to ascertaining whether 
 or not the report concerning the men-of-war were 
 true. And here I may again quote from my diary. 
 
198 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 May 14. — At dusk the Condell steamed full- 
 speed towards Iquique. Onward through the 
 gloom, like a gray shark, a keen look-out being 
 kept for any out-going war-ships, which with her 
 tremendous speed the torpedera might successfully 
 attack even in motion. At all events, Moraga 
 had decided to risk it, should any turn up. At 
 about midnight a light was reported, which was 
 presently recognised as Iquique lighthouse. When 
 about three miles off, speed was slackened and the 
 harbour cautiously approached until, with the aid 
 of night-glasses, a fair idea of the shipping could 
 be obtained. Seven or eight sailing vessels, a few 
 small steamers, but no sign of war-ships or trans- 
 ports. Clearly nothing to be gained by entering 
 the port, so Moraga ran out seaward upon the off- 
 chance of sighting one or other of the absent iron- 
 clads. 
 
 May 15. — Spoke Imperial about forty miles 
 south-west at 10 a.m. She reported having learnt 
 from a schooner that ^he Huascar is at Caldera, and 
 that the Cochrane is expected at Iquique with a 
 flotilla of transports. The skipper of the schooner 
 being apparently friendly to the Government cause, 
 Garin believed his information to be substantially 
 correct. Whereupon Moraga decided to revisit 
 Iquique that night and, as he said, ^ sink something, 
 were it only a pontoon, just to put the fear of God 
 in their hearts.' 
 
 May 16, 1 a.m. — Moving at half-speed straight 
 
MV SECOND CRUISE 201 
 
 for the harbour. / As we draw close, it seems to me 
 that the rays from the Hghthouse will betray our 
 whereabouts, but although the Condell passes it 
 within a few hundred yards, no signal of alarm is 
 given. This seems a somewhat desperate venture, 
 what with chains, booms, submarine mines or tor- 
 pedoes, etc., to say nothing of the forts and possibly 
 the Cochrane; but Moraga is resolved to sink 
 something, and so onward we go. In half an hour 
 more we shall be in the thick of it ; not sooner, 
 because we are feeling our way with great caution. 
 It occurs to me that a cigarette and B. and S. 
 (possibly my last in this vale of tears) would not be 
 amiss, and not being officially tied to the deck, I 
 obey instinct and descend to the saloon, profiting 
 by the occasion to jot down these notes. A few 
 minutes later Senor Sartori came down to fetch 
 something. 
 
 * Well, I'll be hanged !' he exclaimed. ' Writing 
 noiv ! You had better shove your papers into a 
 bottle well corked, if you are so anxious to record 
 the " Last Moments of a Correspondent." That's 
 not a bad idea, though,' he added hurriedly, helping 
 himself to the Martell and disappearing up the 
 companion-stairs. 
 h With some difficulty T groped my way forward 
 and ascended to the bridge, where Moraga, Cook, 
 and others were gathered. Every man was at his 
 post, and a death-like silence pervaded the vessel as 
 she slowly approached the shipping. 
 
DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 ^ I wish they would hurry up,' I whispered to 
 Captain Cook. ^ This suspense doesn't agree with 
 me at all.' 
 
 * Perhaps you'll wish it had lasted a little longer 
 presently/ growled Cook. ^ And look here ! what- 
 ever happensj don't you leave the ship. I mean, 
 even if they sink us.' 
 
 ' Oh, by Jove !' I answered. ' If it comes to 
 sinking, I shall clear out for those rocks over there. 
 I'm a good swimmer.' 
 
 * Were you Webb himself, you'd never reach 
 them. The ivater here is just alive with sharks /' And 
 hurriedly turning to Moraga, he said 'Ahora, senor!' 
 (Now, sir !) 
 
 A rapid vibration of the engine-room bell, and 
 in another minute we were racing into the harbour 
 at top speed. Close in shore it was just possible 
 to make out two lines of vessels, one behind the 
 other. Only one vessel at all resembhng a man-of- 
 war could be discerned, and her we fortunately 
 identified as the Baltimore. Indeed, from the 
 sudden appearance of many lights on board of her, 
 we concluded that she must have seen us and 
 wished to assist us in recognising her. Moraga 
 was savage, and called the rebel warships all the 
 hard names he could think of 
 
 ' A nice fleet this, Sefior Corresponsal, is it not ?' 
 he asked bitterly. ^ To abandon the port it is 
 supposed to protect ! However, when the Cochrane 
 returns in the morning, she'll find that the wolf 
 
k 
 
 MV SECOND CRUISE 203 
 
 I 
 
 has been here during the watch-dog's absence ;' and 
 he pointed significantly to the vessels moored in 
 line. Then, as we got up close to them, he 
 suddenly dashed down his glasses, wrenched the 
 telegraph-handle round to ' Steady,' and proceeded 
 to curse as only a Spaniard in a real rage can curse. 
 The cause of his wrath was soon obvious. The 
 front line consisted of sailing-ships moored broad- 
 side on and in close order, so as effectually to cover 
 the second line, consisting of six or seven fair-sized 
 steamers — evidently the expected transports. What 
 was to be done ? It was clearly impossible to get 
 at the transports without sinking at least one of 
 the sailing-ships. A hot, quick discussion ensued. 
 
 ' D them 1' exclaimed Moraga savagely. 
 
 ' What right have these foreign vessels to shove 
 themselves between me and my prey ? Who could 
 blame me if I sink one of them ?' 
 
 In a very few words I pointed out that these 
 vessels were, to a certainty, British or German, 
 kknd that to torpedo one of them would infallibly 
 involve the Government in a war with Great 
 Britain. Cook backed me up, and vowed he 
 would have neither hand nor part in sinking a 
 British ship. Sartori took the same view. And 
 finally our enraged commander gave in. But a 
 shot at something he would have, and one vessel, 
 apparently a disused steamer, and believed to be 
 employed as a supply-ship, was made out standing 
 apart from the rest. At less than one hundred 
 
 f 
 
 L 
 
204 DARK DAYS IN CHILE 
 
 yards the bow - torpedo was discharged at this 
 vessel, and was reported by the look-out man (a 
 negro, renowned for his good sight at night) to 
 have struck her in the bows. At this moment a 
 rapidly-moving light was seen approaching the 
 Gondell's port quarter, and several rifle-shots were 
 heard from the shore. It seemed probable that 
 the light belonged to the torpedo-launch we had 
 heard of, especially as it almost immediately was 
 hidden ; and should a general alarm be given and a 
 search-light be brought to bear, the forts might 
 open fire upon us. But, above all, no good could 
 could be done if the Condell remained in the 
 harbour all night. And so the engines were 
 reversed, and she steamed astern, full speed, out 
 to sea. 
 
 But when about two miles out, Moraga again 
 stopped the engines and, summoning his principal 
 officers to the saloon, reopened the question of 
 attacking the transports. It was too intolerable, 
 he said, to have run all this risk for nothing, or 
 next to nothing, with all those transports waiting 
 there to be sunk. }' He did not wish to exert his 
 authority as captain and order a return into the 
 harbour, if it were the unanimous opinion that it 
 would be foolhardy. But would no one support 
 him in his desire to have another try ? No one 
 did. I think all had had enough nerve-testing for 
 one night, especially as the captain had no new 
 plan to suggest for getting at the transports 
 
MY SECOND CRUISE 205 
 
 without sinking a sailing-ship. Possibly he himself 
 only asked opinions so as to exonerate himself from 
 any possible future charge of having missed an 
 opportunity. Anyhow, the idea of returning was 
 abandoned, and I am not ashamed to confess that 
 I was very well pleased that it was so. But upon 
 one point Moraga was determined. He would 
 wait outside the harbour till daylight so as to get 
 a clear view of the shipping. 
 
 At 7 a.m. a large steamer was sighted coming 
 from the west, which was soon made out to be the 
 Cochrane returning after her nocturnal cruise. But 
 her advent caused no uneasiness, as it was well 
 known that she could steam no more than nine 
 knots an hour. Then ensued a series of very 
 saucy manoeuvres on the part of the Condell. In 
 full view of the big ironclad and of the people 
 ashore, she went close enough to the port for us to 
 obtain, with the naked eye, a distinct view of the 
 shipping and of the town. When I saw the some- 
 what intricate course he must have followed, in the 
 dark, to reach the back-lying vessels, I paid a 
 mental tribute to the pilotage of Captain Cook. 
 And there plain enough was the BaMmarejJput no 
 other warships. After a fairly long inspection, it 
 I was deemed time to keep out of the way of the 
 approaching Cochrane^ then some three miles off. 
 Meanwhile, a small steamer had been approaching 
 from the north, and as Moraga wanted information 
 upon various points, he steamed off to meet her, 
 
2o6 DARK DAYS IN CHILE 
 
 the Cochrane altering her course in pursuit. A 
 challenge blank-shot was fired, but the steamer, 
 emboldened, doubtless, by the near presence of the 
 ironclad, paid no heed. A second blank discharge 
 was likewise disregarded. With a grim smile 
 Moraga fired a shot with his own hand, which 
 passed within a few yards of her bows. Then she 
 hove to, and ran up the Union Jack. She was a 
 small vessel called (I think, but am not sure) the 
 Juanita, engaged in the water-carrying trade. Her 
 skipper happened to be an old friend of Cook's, who 
 presently hailed him thus : 
 
 * D your eyes. Bill ! why didn't you stop ? 
 
 D'ye want a hole made in your hull V 
 
 * D your eyes, Jim Cook ! what the deuce 
 
 are you stopping for ? Don't ye see that big chap 
 over there ? He'll put a few holes in your hull, if 
 ye stop here much longer. A pretty game you're 
 
 up to, and no mistake, a-piloting a d d pirate I 
 
 You ought to be durned well ashamed of yourself, 
 Jim Cook !' 
 
 Fortunately. Moraga does not understand a word 
 of English ; but Sartori, as I have said, is half 
 an Englishman. 
 
 * Look here, my friend,' he called out, ' you had 
 best keep a more civil tongue in your head. What 
 ships are at Pisagua ?' 
 
 * You'll precious soon find out, if you're going 
 up that way,' was the reply. 
 
 * Que dice f inquired Moraga. 
 
MY SECOND CRUISE 207 
 
 * Oh, the fool knows nothing !' answered Sartori 
 evasively. ' And see, Senor Comandante, the 
 Cochrane will be within range in a few minutes/ 
 
 ' Bueno f said the captain coolly ; * we'll be off 
 as soon as we have spoken that little boat over 
 there,' indicating a small row-boat hugging the 
 coast. ' And, by the way, hoist this signal to 
 the Cochrane.^ 
 
 Sartori showed me the slip, upon which was 
 written, ^ Have a communication for commander,' 
 as he went to the flag-box. 
 
 The row-boat tried hard to escape, but to no 
 purpose, there being deep water right up to the 
 rocks. A hail, followed by a warning rifle-shot, 
 brought the boat's head in our direction. 
 
 ' Quicker !' thundered Moraga ; and very soon 
 the boat was made fast alongside, and the occu- 
 pants, five men and a boy about six years of age, 
 scrambled on deck. 
 
 The Cochrane was now within easy range, but, to 
 our surprise, did not fire. Forgetting the boat 
 alongside, the order was given * Full speed ahead !' 
 and away we went, with the result that the boat 
 swamped and was cut adrift. The unfortunate 
 captives were horror-stricken at the loss of their 
 boat, and loudly bewailed the disaster. 
 
 * Never mind, lads,' said Moraga, ' accidents 
 can't be helped, and I'll make good the value of 
 the boat. Come, now, answer these questions, 
 and turn out your pockets.' 
 
2o8 DARK DAYS IN CHILE 
 
 Then ensued a lengthy cross-examination, which 
 eHcited the information that things were in a very 
 bad way in Iquique, that provisions of all sorts 
 were at famine prices, work almost at a standstill, 
 and money so scarce that almost every tradesman 
 was issuing his own vahs, or paper-money. Of 
 these vales the captives had a miscellaneous assort- 
 ment, signed by all sorts of persons. The owner 
 of the boat had almost sixty dollars in notes, 
 payable at Valparaiso by the Bank of London and 
 Tarapaca ; and these notes, he affirmed, were the 
 only ones esteemed to be of any real value, because 
 \ eve ryone knew th at "^-^^ ^'^g^ish nitrate synd icates 
 were financing the revolution. They all believed 
 that the Huascar and Maget lanes were at Pisagna 
 (about thirty-five miles north of Iquique), and 
 that the O'Higgins was in the Peruvian port 
 Pacocho.' 
 
 * How much of this rubbish do you earn a 
 month in Iquique V queried the captain, indicating 
 the vales. 
 
 About thirty dollars, it seemed. 
 
 ' Biieno,' he said ; ' now I'll give you fifty dollars 
 of good sound Government money if you'll join 
 my crew, besides a suit of clothes apiece, and as 
 much as you can eat three times a day.' 
 ^ Without the least hesitation this offer was 
 joyously accepted by all — the prospect of plenty 
 to eat apparently outweighing even the promised 
 dollars. It was furthermore ao^reed that the value 
 
MY SECOND CRUISE 209 
 
 >f the boat would be paid at Valparaiso. A 
 special meal was ordered for the poor fellows, who 
 seemed to be starving ; and a few minutes later I 
 got a glimpse of the ^^oungster gorging himself in 
 the galley, and ' evidently upon the best possible 
 terms with the cooksJ 
 
 Moraga decided to proceed due north, and to 
 attack the O'Higgins at Pacocho that very night. 
 
 * But,' I remonstrated, ^ that's a Peruvian port^ 
 and therefore neutral.' 
 
 ' I don't care about that,' was the reply. * The 
 Peruvian Government long ago decreed that the 
 rebel ships were not to seek refuge in their ports, 
 and this O'Higgins has no business being there; 
 but as the place is unfortified, and has no guard- 
 ship, it is evident that the authorities there are 
 unable to enforce the decree. T shall enforce it for 
 them.' 
 Jk ' This is very bad international law, captain, I'm 
 afraid.' 
 
 * Perhaps it is,' acquiesced the captain, ' but it 
 is very good sea law, especially when backed up 
 by a couple of torpedoes.' 
 
 l^ Meanwhile the Cochrane was toiling away astern 
 of us, our speed being regulated so as just to keep 
 out of range of her big guns. She hoisted no reply 
 to our signals, but followed us steadily. This 
 conduct was as unaccountable as her previous 
 neglect to fire upon us when within range, since 
 her commander must have known that the Condell 
 
 14 
 
2IO DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 could have left him out of sight in half an hour. 
 
 The generally accepted theory was that he wished 
 
 to get well away from Iquique before opening up 
 
 communication with us. I was extremely curious 
 
 to know what the nature of the communication to 
 
 be made might be, and threw out a hint to that 
 
 effect. 
 
 ^^ * Well, I'll tell you, Senor Corresponsal,' said 
 
 L Moraga ; ' but don't spread it about. I suppose 
 
 / you have heard that the revolutionists sent an 
 
 1 emissary to me offering me $200,000 to join them 
 
 i. with this vessel ?' 
 
 ' Yes,' I replied, * I have been told of that, and 
 of your handing your tempter over to the police.' 
 
 ' Bueno,' he went on, * now I am empowered by 
 Government to offer the commander of the C ochrane 
 ,^QT^ million dollars if he will join us with his vessel. 
 That would finish the rebellion at once.' 
 
 * I see,' I assented. ' But how can you make 
 the offer ? Surely not by signal for all his officers 
 to understand ?' 
 
 ' No, of course not,' rejoined Moraga. * If he 
 replies " All right," I must try and find a crew 
 and an officer who will venture to await the Cochrane 
 in a boat under the white flag.' 
 
 * And failing that ?' 
 
 * Failing that, I must risk it myself . . . 
 unless ' 
 
 ' Unless,' I concluded, laughing, ' the Corre- 
 sponsal hoists British colours and goes instead, eh ?' 
 
 L 
 
MY SECOND CRUISE 2n 
 
 ■ * That's about it/ assented Moraga, echoing my 
 laugh, but looking me very hard in the face. 
 
 The position was becoming a little embarrassing. 
 The risk, such as it might be, I did not mind ; but 
 I felt the utter impossibility of having any share 
 in bribing an officer to betray his trust, rebel and 
 all though he were. A midshipman (Moraga's 
 son) saved me the necessity of explanation by 
 descending into the saloon to announce that two 
 steamers, supposed to be warships, were leaving 
 Pisagua Harbour, apparently to cut us off. We 
 soon made them out to be the JIuascar a nd Maad- 
 lanes, and the Cochrane s reason for folio winof us 
 became more plain. Knowing that her consorts 
 would be informed by telegram from Iquique of 
 the CondelVs route northward, she reckoned upon 
 their pouncing out at us, and perhaps by a lucky 
 shot crippling us, when, of course, she would be 
 ^ in at the death.' 
 
 fc By altering his course a couple of points to the 
 westward, Moraga might easily have distanced all 
 three ships without running the smallest risk. 
 But he must have his joke. He held straight 
 upon his northerly course. * They're burning lots \J 
 of coal,' quoth he ; ' let lis see if we can't tempt 
 them to burn a little powder also.' And he 
 deliberately ordered the engines to be stopped. 
 ' When they put a shot over our heads,' he ex- 
 plained, * we'll move on a bit and lead them a 
 dance to Pacocho if they care to follow.' 
 
 b 
 
212 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 The Magellanes, a wooden sloop, opened fire first, 
 she being a somewhat faster vessel than the Huascar. 
 V There is a certain fascination in being made a 
 target of You watch the puff of white smoke 
 which announces that the iron messenger is on 
 its way, followed, after an interval, by a ^ boom,' 
 faint or loud according to the size of the gun, the 
 distance, and the direction of the wind, and then 
 you mark eagerly where the shot falls. The 
 whistling rush of a ball overhead has an especially 
 thrilling sound until one gets used to it. Of course 
 at long range the odds are greatly against any 
 particular shot striking the ship, and incomparably 
 greater against it striking an individual on board, 
 so that the sense of personal danger is not much 
 felt. We sat upon a skylight smoking and criti- 
 cising the Magellanes performance, whilst she sent 
 us three messages in succession, all of which fell 
 short. 
 
 ^ I don't think much of her guns,' commented 
 Moraga. 'She can't be more than 3,000 metres 
 off. Let us see.' And, carefully sighting one of 
 the Hotchkiss pieces, he fired. The little Condell 
 shivered all over, these guns being really too heavy 
 for a vessel of her light build. The shot passed 
 just over the sloop's bows. A second shot passed 
 clean over her, whereupon she steamed ofi* towards 
 her consort. The Huascar then began to speak, 
 and to more purpose, shot after shot falling around 
 us and ahead. ' No use wasting powder upon an 
 
'COND CRUISE 213 
 
 ironclad,' said the captain. ' I'd fight that wooden 
 tub all day, but I can't stand the hlmdado! And 
 the engines were again set going. The Hiiascar 
 kept firing away fiercely, and for some minutes 
 made really good practice, several shots falling 
 within twenty or thirty yards of the torpedera, 
 but, as luck would have it, none striking her. Soon 
 they began to fall short, and for about two hours 
 we kept at just a safe distance, the ironclad blazing 
 away as fast as her gunners could load. Her 
 commander appeared to have lost his head at sight 
 of the torpedera, and no great wonder, since he 
 had previously commanded the ill-fated Blanco y 
 owinof his life to the fact that he was ashore in 
 Caldera assisting at a banquet when his ship was 
 blown up. The fire was kept up until we could 
 hardly make out the shots falling miles astern. At 
 last even he gave it up, and we saw all three 
 ships heading back towards Iquique. From be- 
 ginning to end, the Cochrane never once fired a 
 shot. 
 
 That night we arrived off Pacocho, and were^ 
 about to enter the harbour, when an extraordinary 
 thing happened. One of the engineers came to 
 Moraga and very humbly begged to be allowed 
 "*jhe use of a boat so soon as the OHiggins should 
 )e struck. 
 ' A boat ? What for, man V asked the captain. , 
 ' My brother is on board the O'Higgins, Senor 
 hmandante/ explained the suppliant ; * and if he 
 
 I 
 

 214 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 is drowned it will break mother's heart. Give 
 me one chance of picking him up, small as it 
 is.' 
 
 Moraga looked at the man for several seconds, 
 and then swore at him roundly. 
 
 * Why didn't you tell me this before, you big- 
 hearted fool?' he asked. 
 \r^ Then, turning to Cook, he merely bade him put 
 jj*^ the vessel's head about and shape a course to 
 
 yfff rejoin the Imperial, and at once disappeared down- 
 . \>^ stairs. 
 Qi/ P * Did anyone ever meet such a mixture of wolf 
 Vlj ^ and lamb ?' ejaculated Cook, half disgustedly. 
 
 But the engineer went his way rejoicing, and 
 spread the fame of the Comandantes good-hearted- 
 ness throughout the ship. A strange character, this 
 captain of the Condell ! After the Peruvian War, 
 in which he had highly distinguished himself, he 
 had retired from active service to devote himself 
 to a quiet country life. But by nature a stern 
 disciplinarian, he had upon the outbreak of the 
 revolution and the mutiny of the fleet at once 
 offered his services to the Government, which 
 eagerly accepted them. He had travelled overland 
 to Buenos Aires to bring round the torpedo vessels, 
 and was now risking his own life and his boy's 
 life in a desperate effort to cripple the rebel fleet. 
 He had distributed his share of the Blanco prize- 
 money (about $20,000) amongst his crew — an 
 example followed by most of his officers ; but he 
 
MY SECOND CRUISE 
 
 215 
 
 as absolutely merciless towards any breach of 
 iscipline — a man equally loved and feared. 
 
 Maxj 1 7. — About abreast of Iquique, en route to 
 ur rendezvous with the Imperial, spoke two small 
 schooners just out from that port. The crews were 
 very sulky, and reluctant to give information. It 
 was ascertained, however, that, as a result of the 
 CondeU's nocturnal visit, the crews of the trans- 
 ports had refused to remain on board at night for 
 the future, whilst in harbour, * until those devil's 
 ships, Condell and Lynchy should be captured or 
 sunk,' and that a battalion, which it had been 
 intended to despatch to Caldera, had absolutely 
 declined to embark. Also that two new forts had 
 been lately erected, and in positions which made it 
 plain that we must have passed unseen within fifty 
 yards of one of them ; that additional sunken 
 torpedoes were being laid down ; and that two 
 more steam-launches had been detailed off for night 
 patrol duty. The pontoon had been struck too far 
 forward (close to the cut-water) for the torpedo to 
 do more than damage her. ^ The Baltimore was^ 
 a vowedly waiting to seize the It at a, which had 
 escaped from Ualiforma with ar cargo of arms and 
 ammunition for the revolutionists. To prevent 
 this seizure, two fast steamers had been despatched 
 to meet the Itata and warn her captain to land his 
 cargo elsewhere. 
 
 At 10 a.m., made out the smoke of two steamers 
 going south, and cracked on high speed to overtake 
 
 ^ 
 
2i6 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 them. So soon as we got near enough to identify 
 them, the larger vessel was pronounced to be the 
 Imperial. The smaller one, some distance astern, 
 and not easily distinguishable against the high 
 brown coast-line, was assumed to be the Lynch. 
 What could they be up to, thirty miles east of the 
 rendezvous parallel ? Then, as we came still nearer, 
 it was evident that the smaller vessel was not the 
 Lynchj having but one funnel. Then a puff of 
 white smoke from her bows, followed at intervals 
 by other puffs, apparently explained matters : one 
 of the enemy's ships was pursuing and firing upon 
 the Imperial ! And, judging from her slow rate 
 of progress, something must be amiss with the 
 Government transport. The excitement on board 
 was intense, as the bugle sounded to quarters and 
 the guns were manned for action. Under forced- 
 blast the CondelPs engines drove the little ship 
 along at a speed of nearly nineteen knots — a danger- 
 ous strain in the patchwork condition of her tubes. 
 Captain Cook — a long telescope glued to his eye — 
 had hitherto expressed no opinion. Suddenly he 
 removed it, and quietly remarked : 
 
 * Senor Comandante, that's not the Imperial at all. 
 It's her sister-ship, the Aconcagua. The other is 
 the O'HigginSj which cannot have been at Pacocho, 
 after all.' 
 
 Captain Cook was known to be almost infallible 
 when he expressed a decided opinion. With a 
 muttered curse, Moraga ordered the engines to be 
 
MV SECOND CRUISE 
 
 slowed down, and altered his course away from the 
 pursuing ship and towards the fugitive vessel. 
 Almost immediately the latter altered her course 
 also, so as to head towards us, and opened fire with 
 her bow-chasers. \The ruse was now apparent, and 
 a very clever one it was. Indeed, but for Captain 
 Cook's coolness and judgment, it would have suc- 
 ceeded perfectly, and the torpedera would have found 
 herself under a double fire./ 
 
 ' Caramha f cried Moraga. ' It shall never be 
 said that the Condell turned tail upon a transport, 
 and it will take the O'Higgins ten minutes to come 
 up.' And, without firing a shot, he bore at full 
 speed down upon the Aconcagua. But the latter 
 had not bargained to tackle the Condell single- 
 handed, and very promptly sheered off to meet her 
 escort. 
 
 ' For Dios f exclaimed the captain. ^ If only the 
 Lynch were here !' 
 
 But alone even he dared not risk fighting the 
 pair.^ Our course was therefore shaped west- 
 wards ; and four hours later we picked up the 
 Imperial, 
 
 * It should be remarked that vessels of the Condell type 
 are not intended to act as fighting ships, as, indeed, the name 
 ' torpedo-catcher ' sufficiently indicates. A shot, or even a ^ 
 rifle-bullet, striking one of the five large torpedoes on deck, 
 would cause it to explode with, of course, destructive results 
 to the vessel. The risk run every time the torpederas came ^ 
 under fire was, therefore, far greater than that of an ordinary 
 warship. Indeed, they were used throughout in a most fool- 
 hardy manner. 
 
 I 
 
 ^ 
 
2i8 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 Captain Garin at once came on board ; but he 
 had nothing of interest to report, nor had he seen 
 any sign of the Lynch. He was specially anxious 
 that I should rejoin his ship, whilst Moraga was 
 equally pressing in his invitation to remain where 
 I was. I hardly knew which way to decide, so as 
 not to give offence to either. But as it appeared 
 that both vessels were to proceed in company upon 
 a bombarding expedition down the coast, I compro- 
 mised by proposing to return temporarily on board 
 the Imperial y with the option of rejoining the Condell 
 should she undertake any specially interesting work. 
 And so I once more enjoyed the luxury of my two 
 cabins. 
 
 At 5 p.m. the Imperial hove to outside Iquique 
 Harbour, and opened a heavy fire upon the forts 
 and barracks, very carefully avoiding the populated 
 portion of the town and the shipping. The Condell 
 had sneaked round from the north, and, getting 
 under cover of some high land, was soon busily at 
 work also. VOf course, no definite results could be 
 expected from this demonstration, which was in- 
 tended chiefly as an insulting reminder of the 
 powerlessness or cowardice of the fleet ; nor do I 
 suppose much damage was done, if any at all. The 
 forts could not effectively reply, as we easily kept 
 out of their line of fire, whilst the Condell was quite 
 concealed from their view. After about an hour 
 and a half of this noisy and somewhat bravado 
 business, the two vessels proceeded southwards, 
 

 MV SECOND CRUISE 219 
 
 parting company, with a rendezvous opposite a town 
 called Taltal for the 21st. 
 
 May 21. — -The Condel l rejoined the Imperial, and— i 
 thetwo^vz^essels^ajichored in Taltal Harbour at 9 a. 
 withiij^^ifle range of the shore. The place was 
 known to be unfortified, and consequently there had 
 been no intention of bombarding ; but no sooner were 
 the shijjs at anchor than fire was opened upon the 
 Imperial from the beach, from a couple of field- 
 pieces, supported by a rattling discharge of 
 musketry. One shot carried aw^ay a portion of her 
 bowsprit, w^hilst the bullets were flying all round. 
 In a trice the two ships replied ; and a shell from 
 the Condell exploding upon the beach, a general 
 stampede of the garrison took place towards the 
 interior of the town. The guns were now brought 
 to bear upon the local Intendencia, and then Moraga 
 signalled that the troops were to land and capture 
 the place. Never saw I men more delighted than 
 the soldiers on board at this unexpected chance of 
 a scrimmage. So far as could be judged, the shore 
 garrison numbered about two hundred men ; and as 
 Colonel Campos had only sixty available after pro- 
 viding for the service of the guns, some very warm 
 work was imminent. Campos himself was in high 
 glee. 
 
 ^' Come along, Mauricio,' he cried, ' and see how 
 y children here will make that rabble run !' 
 This was a liberal proposal enough ; but what 
 right had I to accompany the attacking party ? 
 
 1/ 
 
220 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 Besides, it is no joke to go under fire without the 
 privilege of returning shot for shot ; but, on the 
 other hand, 7iohlesse oblige. If I remained on board, 
 might it not be said that the gringo was over-careful 
 of his skin ? One of the ship's surgeons (we had 
 two this trip) solved the problem for me. ' Here,' 
 he said, ^ tie this red cross on your arm, and come 
 and help me.' A minute later we were both in the 
 Major's boat, Campos leading by several lengths. 
 Four boats started in all, each carrying fifteen men. 
 The garrison were very slow to profit by the advan- 
 tage given them of having boatloads of men to 
 shoot at. The shore was almost reached before 
 they opened fire ; but in a few seconds four men 
 were wounded (two very badly), all in the leading 
 boat. 
 
 ' Esperad canalla /' (Wait a while, you dogs !) cried 
 Campos, standing erect in the stern, and shaking 
 his sword at the foe. 
 
 The men hardly waited for the boats to touch 
 land, so impatient were they to get at the enemy. 
 The garrison did not wait, either, but fled precipi- 
 tately, hotly pursued by the invaders. 
 
 Moraga had meanwhile landed some thirty men 
 lower doAvn. The two forces presently united and 
 formed into column. Parading the men in the 
 Plaza, Moraga announced that the penalty for any 
 outrage to a peaceful inhabitant, or intoxication, 
 would be instant death. The Intendencia was found 
 to be in a sadly ruinous condition, from the efifects 
 
MY SECOND CRUISE 
 
 of the shells which had been put into it. A clean 
 sweep was now made of all official documents ; the 
 telegraph instruments were smashed up, and all dis-V 
 coverable Government property (including the two 
 field-pieces and a miscellaneous collection of old- 
 fashioned rifles) confiscated. 
 
 A telegram addressed to the Intendente from 
 Iquique, and dated the previous day, created much 
 amusement, which was increased by an explanation 
 given to me by an English resident. The telegram 
 announced that the Condell had been sunk by the 
 Huascar, and that the Imperial had surrendered to 
 escape a similar fate. This glorious news had been 
 communicated to the leading residents at once, but 
 it was decided not to make it public until next day ; 
 for be it noted that May 21st is a high holiday in^ 
 Chile, being the anniversary of the death of Captain^ 
 Prat, the Chilian Nelson, who, losing his ship the 
 Esmeralda (a wooden vessel) in a desperate engage- 
 ment with the (then) Peruvian monitor HuascarY 
 w^as slain in a heroic attempt to board the ironclad ; 
 and thus at Taltal it had been arranged to give ad- 
 ditional eclat to the festival by publicly proclaiming 
 the good news received from Iquique. Prepara- 
 tions for a sort of banquet had been in progress, 
 Iphen the identical vessels supposed to be lost for 
 ever to the ' Dictator ' Balmaceda had suddenly 
 made their appearance in the harbour. A more 
 
 £ ludicrous demente has surely seldom been given to 
 •ulous liars. 
 
222 DARK DAYS IN CHILE 
 
 The banquet (perhaps for lack of time for pre- 
 paration) was a hollow fraud so far as eatables were 
 concerned ; but a very fair assortment of fluids was 
 discovered in the local club. My English ac- 
 
 Cquaintance overcame my scruples to follow the 
 "Example of Campos and the others, who were in- 
 dulging in * free drinks ' ad lib,, by gravely entering 
 my name in the visitors' book, being himself a 
 
 [member. This gentleman's description of the con- 
 dition of affairs at JTa}tal w as a very gloomy one ; in 
 fact, it was, like all the other northern towns, com- 
 mercially stagnant and ever hovering upon the brink 
 of famine. The houses were very gay with bunting, 
 in honour of Captain Prat ; but, as he said, the 
 cupboards in most of them were dismally empty. 
 The inhabitants, he affirmed, cared little which side 
 won, but were extremely anxious to see an end to 
 the struggle. 
 
 It was dusk before the troops re-embarked, 
 many of the inhabitants imploring Moraga to leave 
 them to protect the town, alleging that, upon the 
 return of the runaway garrison, all sorts of excesses 
 would be committed. But this, of course, the 
 commander could not do, the Government having 
 no intention as yet of definitely re-occupying the 
 place. 
 V Just as I was leaving the club, the manager, a 
 Frenchman, politely handed me the following * little 
 bill,' earnestly begging me to remit it to the 
 President : 
 
MY SECOND CRUISE 
 
 223 
 
 *The Club, Taltal, May 21st, 1891. 
 
 List of articles destroyed or consumed after the 
 capture of the town : 
 
 1 oil-painting 
 
 - $550 
 
 7 small do., @ $40 
 
 280 
 
 4 sets billiard-balls - 
 
 560 
 
 Sundries . - . 
 
 280 
 
 Wines, spirits, etc. - 
 
 600 
 
 $2,270' 
 
 I thought the man a little out of his mind, but 
 undertook the commission, and in due course 
 executed it. Whether or not a cheque was ever 
 
 ^ent from Santiago, I never heard. 
 
 H May 23. — Touched at Coquimbo. 
 
 May 24. — Arrived at Valparaiso. British 
 shipping gay with bunting in honour of her 
 Majesty's birthday, which I invited my friends, 
 naval and military, to celebrate with me ashore. 
 We celebrated. 
 
CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 MY THIRD CRUISE. 
 
 A Spell Ashore — Chilian News from Abroad — ^Balmaceda 
 believes in Moral Effect — At Sea once more — A Tempting 
 Bait — A Narrow Escape — Pisagua bombarded — Iquique 
 bombarded — Tocopilla captured — Nitrate-duties for Balma- 
 ceda — The British Vice-Consul's Opinion — Antofagasta bom- 
 barded — A Deserted Village — Chanaral — The Condell in 
 Peril — Eeprisals — A Starving Population — Mr. Sherriff's 
 Account — The Imperial becomes an Emigrant Ship — A 
 Delayed Telegram — Earewells. 
 
 I HAD pretty well made up my mind to tempt 
 
 Providence no more in northern waters, but rather 
 
 * to take mine ease • at mine inn/ and await the 
 
 progress of events. With this intention, I .betook 
 
 myself to Santiago and endeavoured to ascertain 
 
 what form the said events would be likely to take. 
 
 (^ The end;^f the struggle appeared to be as far off 
 
 \ as ever. The army at the disposal of Government 
 
 \ now numbered about 40,000 men, and, although 
 
 / Oppositionists boasted that most of the regiments 
 
 I would desert at the first favourable opportunity, 
 
 i my own observations led me to form an entirely 
 
 l^'^'^ different opinion. It was asserted also that the 
 
 revolutionists in the north were only awaiting the 
 
MY THIRD CRUISE 
 
 225 
 
 arrival of several large consignments of repeating 
 rifles, sent to them by their foreign sympathizers,..^,, 
 to attack Balmaceda upon his own ground ; that 
 they ha d sec ured the services of a skilled German 
 tactician, Colonel Korner, and were quite confident 
 of ultimate success. What was quite certain was 
 ^at,' until additional ships were secured, the 
 Government could not send a sufficiently strong 
 force northward to capture and hold Iquique ; ani 
 as yet there was no reliable information concerning 
 the cruisers, nor had any additional transports been 
 procurable. 
 
 I think the Balmacedists were somewhat dis- 
 appointed that no more ironclads had been sunk, 
 and found vent for their feelings in a severe denun- 
 ciation of the cowardly conduct of the rebel ships 
 in abandoning the harbours at night. But, aft 
 all, it was the chief business of these ships to 
 avoid being blown up, and the plan followed was 
 the safest that could have been devised. For 
 instance, had the Cochrane been in Iquique harbour 
 the night the Condell entered, she would, almost to 
 a certainty, have shared the fate of the Blanco. 
 It appeared that the reason the Lynch did not 
 start to join us last time was the serious illness of 
 Captain Fuentes, who, the doctors said, had been 
 poisoned. He certainly looked very ill, poor 
 iellow. 
 
 P Of course, I revisited all my old haunts and 
 looked up my many friends, thus contriving to kill 
 
226 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 a few days pleasantly enough. I derived especial 
 amusement from the perusal of the * Chilian news ' 
 published in various foreign journals. ^ For down- 
 
 ^ right fabrications I divided the first prize between 
 Buenos Aires and Paris, the New York papers 
 being a good way ahead of their London contem- 
 poraries, which, however, at times broke the record. 
 
 r^^^Thus, one of the English illustrated papers pub- 
 
 \ lished sketches of the bombardment of Valparaiso 
 
 ) by the revolutionary squadron, accompanied by a 
 
 (^^ vivid description of the event. The person who 
 
 made the sketches had clearly never seen Val- 
 
 r:::^^ paraiso. But this was a mere detail compared 
 to the all-important fact that Valparaiso had never 
 been bombarded at all ! And when I reflected 
 that these were the sort of fabrications so ' contra- 
 dictory ' to my messages, I began to realize how 
 really ridiculous I must have made myself I 
 could imagine the tame effect of a telegram sent by 
 me announcing perfect quietude in Santiago, as 
 compared with an Iquique or Buenos Aires 
 
 r despatch describing wholesale massacres in the 
 streets, or Balmaceda fleeing for his life to the 
 Moneda. 
 
 During our absence an attempt had been made 
 to secure a Government torpedo-launch, the Aldea, 
 for the insurgents. Three of the crew had been 
 bribed, with some of the spare nitrate money, to 
 run away with the launch, which was to be met 
 out at sea by a warship. The poor wretches ful- 
 
 l^J 
 
MY THIRD CRUISE 1227 
 
 filled their part of the contract, but having only 
 six hours' coal, and the man-of-war not turning up, 
 the launch was recaptured by the Lynch, which 
 had started in pursuit. The three men were tried ^ 
 by court-martial, and of course shot. Yet the 
 Oppositionists worked up tremendous sympathy for 
 these bribed traitors, and perhaps some day will 
 erect statues to their memory. 
 
 A long interview with the President did not \ 
 do much towards clearing away the mists which 
 seemed to overhang the near future. He could 
 take no definite steps towards crushing the rebel- 
 lion so long as the command of the sea remained 
 in insurgent hands. He must await the arrival 
 of the ships from France, which he admitted had 
 not yet started from Havre, but which he was 
 confident would very soon be released by order of 
 the judges of the French Supreme Court, ' who,' 
 he ^Zded bitterly7 * may~1be~supposed to 15e above 
 being influenced by iiitfate"^rings,"or bribed by 
 Jewish holders of Peruvian bonds/ This latter 
 allusion was not quite plain to me, but he explained 
 it. What truth may lie either in the allusion or 
 in the explanation, I do not know. I merely give 
 the latter as I got it. 
 
 ■ ^ You are aware that by the treaty which closed 
 the Peruvian War in June, 1883, Chile became 
 possessed of Tarapacd, definitively, but that, as 
 regarded the two other provinces, Tac^a and Arica, ^) 
 she only received them for ten years, at the end 
 
 k 
 
2 28 DARK DAYS IN CHILE 
 
 of which time the inhabitants were to decide by a 
 plebiscite whether they should remain under the 
 Chilian flag or revert to Peru. Now, the total 
 loss of Tarapacd., and the possible prospective loss 
 of Tacua and Arica, meant little short of national 
 ruin to Peru, which had so long been enriched 
 with the nitrate deposits in these provinces. Her 
 only hope lay in recovering the two provinces 
 when the ten years should have expired. And, 
 of course, the hopes of her foreign creditors lay 
 in the same direction, since thus alone could they 
 ever expect to be paid. It cannot be unknown 
 to you, Senor Corresponsal, that by far the largest 
 of these foreign creditors, the man who has practi- 
 cally held Peru under his thumb for many years, 
 is a wealthy Hebrew capitalist of Paris. Now, 
 for nine years these provinces have been governed 
 from Santiago, that is, by governors and other 
 officials appointed by Chilian presidents, Vnd the 
 policy pursued has always tended towards securing 
 a majority of votes in favour of Chilian nationality 
 at the approaching plebiscite. Beati possidentes, 
 you follow me V 
 
 ' Do I overstep your Excellency's meaning in 
 ii^ferring that the presence of Chilian administrators 
 might be expected to influence the direction of the 
 popular vote V I inquired. 
 
 ^ I believe that some such idea prevails both in 
 Lima and in Paris,' answered Seiior Balmaceda, 
 with a significant smile. ' At all events, it is no 
 
MV THIRD CRUISE 229 
 
 jecret that I have personally used every means in 1. 
 
 ny power towards retaining the provinces. You ' 
 will, therefore^janderstand that my continuance in 
 office, and the possibility^orinybetng succeeded 
 by another_sharing my views, were regarded as 
 very distinct obstacles in the way of Peruvian 
 hopes. In the confusion attendant upon this 
 revolution, Taciia and Arica have passed away 
 from the control of the central Government, and 
 are being administered by nominees of the frag- 
 mentary Congress at Iquique, if indeed they are 
 administered at all. These people must, at any 
 cost, keep upon friendly terms with Peru, since 
 they are dependent upon the good offices and con- 
 nivance of the northern republic for the very bread 
 which they eat. And thus the revolution (espe- 
 cially should I and my Government be overthrown) 
 affords a rare opportunity to Peru of regaining her 
 influence in her lost provinces during the year pre- 
 ceding the decisive plebiscite. Upon no other ,' 
 grounds is the action of the French Government, / 
 in detaining ships ordered and paid for by the 
 Chilian Government, intelligible. But we shall l] 
 see what the French judges have to say upon the_^ 
 subject. '"^ 
 
 r * The President correctly foreshadowed the judgment of the \ 
 French Courts, which decided that the Errazur iz and Pinto 
 were the property of the estabhshed Government of Chile, and 
 must forthwith be handed over to the agents of the President 
 of the Eepublic. But the decision came too late to save | 
 •^almaceda. '■'^*^ 
 
c 
 
 230 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 ' Does your Excellency suppose that the insur- 
 gents would await the arrival of the war ships V 
 I inquired. * Would they not rather risk a descent 
 upon the south, once the departure of the vessels 
 from France became known V 
 
 ' Yes,' replied the President, ^ that would be 
 their only chance ; but for every man they can 
 muster I can put four into the field. I have no 
 fears on that score. Meanwhile the torpederas 
 must again go north and intensify the moral 
 effect produced by the recent expeditions, if they 
 cannot manage to sink a few ships. I shall order 
 Moraga to bombard every fortified port upon the 
 northern coast. What think you of these attacks ? 
 You have witnessed some.' 
 
 ' Well, candidly, your vessels are not powerful 
 enough, or numerous enough, to inflict much 
 damage,' I answered. 
 
 ' But I do not wish to inflict much damage,' 
 retorted Senor Balmaceda. * I merely desire to 
 let the northern populations understand what they 
 may expect later on, and to prolong the scare 
 caused by the sinking of the Blanco, And who 
 knows ? Perhaps the Cochrane and the Huascar 
 may yet be caught napping.' 
 
 ' Perhaps so,' I assented, rising to take my 
 leave. ' But at present they appear to believe in 
 the English proverb, that " discretion is the better 
 part of valour." ' 
 
 Upon June 1st the newly-elected Congress com- 
 
MY THIRD CRUISE 231 
 
 menced its first session, the President opening it 
 in person, and delivering a clever but somewhat 
 over-lengthy inaugural speech, wherein he went 
 over much old ground, and indulged in sanguine 
 hopes for the near future. The first act of the 
 new Chambers was to pass a sort of Bill of 
 Indemnity, legalizing all decrees issued by Senor 
 Balmaceda since the dismissal of the previous 
 Congress. They then proceeded to discuss the 
 question of reforming the existing constitution 
 in accordance with modern ideas — a question 
 which bade fair to keep them fully occupied for 
 many months to come. 
 
 That same evening I received an urgent wire 
 from Captain Garin, stating that the squadron 
 would start next morning, and begging me to 
 make one more cruise on the Imperial, A 
 second followed from Captain Moraga, to the 
 same effect. I was still undecided, when in 
 walked Colonel Campos, to inform me that he 
 had run up to Santiago on purpose to fetch me, 
 deputed thereto by the officers of the squadron in 
 conclave assembled. 
 
 P ^ You've got to come, amigo mio' quoth the 
 stalwart Colonel, ' and that's all about it.' 
 
 k And so it was settled. We decided to have a 
 * look round ' Santiago that evening, and to start 
 by the express next morning, telegraphing the 
 decision to Moraga. 
 
 tmy diary : 
 
232 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 June 2. — Left Valparaiso on board Imperial, 
 accompanied by Lynch and Condell. Three de- 
 serters flogged — pour encourager les autres. 
 
 June 3. — Coquimbo. Went ashore, and ex- 
 perienced same hospitable treatment as before. 
 K Seeking to return on board at 12 p.m., we could 
 find no ship's boat awaiting us. So we lowered 
 a boat suspended upon davits on the jetty, im- 
 pressed four waiters to row, and shoved off". 
 Passing the Lynch, were challenged by sentry. 
 Having no bull's-eye lantern, could not give the 
 night-signal (two long flashes followed by one 
 short one), and passed on, whereupon the sentry 
 fired. We raced on past the Condell, where the 
 same thing happened, and the guard being 
 aroused, a perfect hail of bullets was sent in 
 our direction, but none struck the boat. The 
 impressed waiters were so frightened, that Campos 
 had to threaten them with his revolver to keep 
 them going. Nearing the Imperial we were again 
 challenged. 
 
 * Imperial /' roared Campos. 
 
 ' Halt, Imperial /' cried the sentry. ' The pass- 
 word f 
 
 ' Confound it,' muttered the Colonel, ^ I've for- 
 gotten it !' 
 
 ' Never mind,' suggested Colonel Errazuriz, who 
 was with us, and was somewhat * on ' ; ^ never mind, 
 I'll give it to him. Ratones ! (Eats !) ' he yelled. 
 
 Crack went the sentry's rifle, the bullet crash- 
 ing through the gunwale amidships. 
 
MY THIRD CRUISE 233 
 
 ' Carrajo f roared Moraga. * Don't you know 
 my voice V 
 
 ' Si, comandante,' replied the sentry ; * but 
 your orders always are to allow no one to ap- 
 proach the ship without the password.' And up 
 went the rifle to his shoulder. 
 
 ' Confound you for a fool !' said Moraga. ' Call 
 out the officer of the guard.' 
 
 ' Mey hieUj mi comandante,' was the reply. 
 
 In a few minutes the officer made his appear- 
 ance, and we were relieved from the dilemma. 
 But nothing would induce our scratch boat's 
 crew to return ashore that night. 
 
 June 4. — Left at night for north ; the Imperial 
 ablaze with lights on purpose to attract the notice 
 of hostile cruisers, whilst the torjjederas followed in 
 total darkness. The idea, of course, was that, if 
 challenged or fired at by an enemy's ship, the 
 Imperial was to signal her surrender, whilst the 
 Condell and Lynch were to torpedo the man-of- 
 war. A. clever idea enough, albeit somewhat 
 risky. It was to be kept up the whole way north 
 to Pisagua. 
 
 June 8. — This afternoon all three vessels opened 
 fire upon Pisao^ua, th e forts and the Huascar re- 
 plying ; but the ironclad did not leave the harBour^\3 
 TEis time a good deal of damage must have beenT 
 done, shell after shell falling close to the barracks 
 and forts. The spar-deck of the Imperial was 
 smashed through astern by a ricochet shot, one of 
 her boats destroyed, and her ensign carried away. 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
234 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 No one seriously injured ; a few wounds from 
 splinters. 
 
 June 9. — The same fate befell Iquique, and, so 
 far as could be judged, with considerable effect. 
 It would have been easy to have created awful 
 havoc amongst the shipping, but this, owing to 
 the presence of foreign vessels, was carefully 
 avoided. 
 
 June 10. — Proceeding southward, the vessels 
 entered the undefended harbour of Tocopilla, and 
 j a party was landed to occupy the town. Two 
 sailing-ships had just loaded up with cargoes of 
 nitrate, and the duties thereupon (amounting to 
 $47,000) were exacted. Mr. Williams, the British 
 Vice- Consul, complained that the revolutionary 
 authorities would certainly re-exact these dues ; 
 but this, as Moraga justly remarked, was no 
 business of his. ! ' Those fellows at Iquique care 
 little what they do, so long as they rake in the 
 dollars,' added Mr. Williams. He subsequently 
 begged me to take a message from him to the 
 senior British naval commander at Coquimbo, and 
 gave me his card thus endorsed : 
 
 ' Tocopilla, June 10th, 1891. 
 ' The Senior Officer, H.M. Pacific Squadron. 
 
 ' Sir, 
 
 * Please send one of H.M. ships at once to 
 this port. It is most essential. 
 
 *W. H. Williams, 
 
 ' British Vice-Consul.' 
 
^^^^^ MV THIRD CRUISE 237 
 
 ■ The Intendente had fled, but his wife had sought 
 refuge with Mrs. WilHams, a charming dame, with 
 a pretty taste for ^ writing to the papers/ During 
 the confusion consequent upon our arrival, the 
 local thieves had stolen several articles from the 
 Intendencia. Whereupon Mrs. Williams sent me 
 a note by her husband, saying : 
 
 ^ They have stolen her blankets, pillows, and 
 other things. Ask Mr. Hervey if he can get 
 them back, or I'll have a lovely notice on the 
 Balmaceda crowd.' 
 
 Unfortunately I was unequal to the role of 
 detective-policeman, so that no doubt the threat- 
 ened ' lovely article ' duly found its way into the 
 columns of some home journal. 
 
 June 11. — Keconnoitred Antofagasta and ex- 
 changed about a dozen shots with the forts, but no 
 landing was possible, the place being strongly 
 garrisoned. Proceeding along the brown, bare 
 coast-line, we passed Blanco Encalada, literally a 
 deserted village, for of some hundred cottages not 
 one showed signs of being inhabited. A very 
 picture of desolation, these deserted tenements on 
 that barren, arid shore ! 
 ■ Dined on board Condell, and slept on the 
 sofa. 
 
 June 12, — Early this morning the Condell and 
 Imperial entered Chaiiaral Harbour, the Lynch 
 keeping watch outside. There being a strong ebb- 
 
 ) 
 
 
238 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 current, it was deemed expedient to anchor, and 
 the Condell took up a position about 150 yards 
 from shore. We had previously seen a train start- 
 ing, presumably bearing away the Intendente and 
 the garrison to a place of safety. A second train 
 now followed, and the ImperiaVs big Armstrong 
 bow-chaser was discharged. It was a prettily- 
 directed shot, knocking the engine over like a 
 ninepin ! Then, almost simultaneously, a flash, a 
 thundering report, and the rush of a projectile just 
 overhead, between the funnels of the torpedera : a 
 battery within 150 yards of us ! In a trice the 
 gallant little Condell was vomiting forth a perfect 
 torrent of missiles upon the spot whence the dis- 
 charge had proceeded. But the battery replied no 
 more. Then the boats were ordered out, and a 
 landing effected. Cleverly placed amongst the rocks 
 / were found an old-fashioned seventy-eight pounder, 
 and a smaller piece, of at least equal antiquity, 
 r The gunners had all disappeared, but it was con- 
 jectured that they had been unable to resist the 
 temptation of earning a million dollars by a shot 
 at such close range. Had they fired point-blank, 
 they could not have missed ; but the gun had a 
 slight elevation, and it was this that saved us. 
 Meanwhile, the Imperial, seeing our apparent 
 danger, and, indeed, as we afterwards heard, giving 
 us up for lost, commenced a furious cannonade, 
 which, however, ceased upon seeing our boat go 
 /"ashore. By the townsfolk here Captain Moraga 
 
MV THIRD CRUISE 239 
 
 was received with enthusiasm, and having promised 
 a passage to Valparaiso to several anxious in- 
 quirers, the news soon spread that all who chose 
 could obtain free passages by the Imperial. Such 
 a scramble as ensued ! Whole families turned out 
 of their houses, carrying furniture, bedding, uten- 
 sils, etc., towards the little jetty. I soon ascer- 
 tained the reason of this : the entire population " 
 was literally siarving: An extremely pleasant- " 
 spoken English gentleman, a Mr. Sherriff, invited 
 me to enter his house, when he gave me a most 
 harrowing account of the sufferings of the unfor- 
 tunate people, an account fully confirmed by the 
 ladies of his family. All the able-bodied men hadJ^ 
 long ago been impressed to serve in the revolu- \ 
 lllQnary__ranks at Iquique. No ships ever called -J^ 
 — no supplies were ever sent. The Congression- 
 aitsf leaders had simply seized the bread-winners, 
 and had abandoned the aged and the women and 
 children to starvation. The ladies (and, oh, how 
 pleasant to see refined, well-dressed Englishwomen 
 in this abandoned place !) assured me that their 
 lives were made miserable by the wretchedness 
 they saw around them ; for, of course, do what 
 they would, they could not relieve all. The gaunt, ^ 
 wolfish look of the people one saw in the streets 
 told its own tale also ; and now, when we came 
 to count up heads, nearly eight hundred famine- 
 stricken wretches were clamouring to be taken on 
 board. 
 
 I 
 
240 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 Captain Moraga at once made it known that 
 this number was greatly in excess of what the 
 Imperial could accommodate ; decent women could 
 evidently not be huddled together like troops and 
 camp-followers. Finally, he decided that not more 
 than three hundred would be taken, and that those 
 first on board would have priority of claim. ' That 
 will hurry them up,' he whispered to me. It 
 certainly did hurry them up, and what few boat- 
 men there were were mobbed by the frantic crowd. 
 Some few offered to pay their passages to Val- 
 paraiso, and meth ought Senor Sartori pricked up 
 his ears inquiringly ; but the notes tendered were 
 all Iquique dollar-bills or vales^ and, of course, 
 worthless, so the proposal was magnanimously re- 
 jected. The boatmen reaped, if not a golden, at 
 least a very profitable harvest, naturally selecting 
 those passengers who bid highest for their services. 
 One old lady, who had caused her piano to be 
 brought down (upon Heaven knows what wild idea 
 of getting it on board), was fain to barter the in- 
 strument for seats for herself and family. House- 
 hold gods of every description were being offered 
 upon all sides. It was a regular scramble, and 
 * Deil take the hindmost !' 
 
 Upon the outskirts of the crowd I noticed two 
 young girls, evidently sisters, apparently orphans, 
 leading, as I supposed, their little brother between 
 them. Both were very pretty, and the elder not 
 more than eighteen. I suppose I looked inquir- 
 
MV THIRD CRUISE 241 
 
 ingly at them as I passed, for the elder followed 
 me, and, bursting into tears, besought me to get 
 them on board. Father and mother both dead ; 
 they had no money ; but they had an aunt at 
 Coquimbo. Now, it is very hard to say ^ No ' 
 when two lovely black eyes are tearfully urging 
 one to say ^ Yes ' ; and when the other sister 
 added two more equally charming orbs to the 
 battery, I gave in at once. But how get them on 
 board ? An idea struck me. 
 
 ' Come along, then,' I said ; * jump into the 
 boat which I will show you, and cover yourselves 
 as much as you can with my cloak.' 
 
 And I cautiously stole round to where Moraga's 
 gig was in waiting. His son, a great pet of mine, 
 was middy in charge. 
 P X Carlos,' I explained, ' I want you to take me 
 and these young ladies off to the ImperiaV 
 
 ' Do you, Senor Corresponsal ?' replied Carlos, 
 with a knowing grin, for which I could have boxed 
 his ears ; ' I dare say you do. But what would my 
 father say if he came here and found the gig gone ? 
 He'd flay me !'/ 
 h ' Nonsense, Carlos,' I persisted ; ' I'll come back 
 with you and take all the blame.' 
 
 ^ Oh, all right then — come along ;' and very 
 gallantly handing the girls (whom I at once covered 
 up with my cloak), into the stern, away we went, 
 the crew all on the broad grin.\ 
 
 i Luckily Captain Moraga was too busily engaged 
 
242 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 to notice us, and we soon reached the Imperial, 
 where I safely deposited my fair freight. I ex- 
 plained how matters stood to Garin, and he very 
 good-naturedly caused the ship's boats to be 
 manned and sent ashore, accompanying me back 
 himself in Moraga's gig. We left the girls and 
 the youngster doing ample justice to an impromptu 
 lunch, the first decent meal, doubtless, they had 
 seen for many a long day. 
 
 Moraga never alluded to the absence of his gig, 
 to Master Carlos' great satisfaction, and was glad 
 to see the ImperiaFs boats arriving. A rough 
 selection was made from amongst the remaining 
 applicants, and in less than two hours the stipulated 
 number were on board the transport, whither I also 
 returned with Garin. It was horrible to see the 
 avidity with which our new passengers devoured 
 raw rice, raw peas, and even raw potatoes, whilst 
 the cooks were preparing a meal for them. They 
 were classified so far as possible, about thirty of 
 the more respectable being admitted to the saloon, 
 whilst the rest were located forward. I gave up 
 my own cabins to my protegees, and was more than 
 repaid when the elder archly regretted that 
 Coquimbo was not a few thousand miles further 
 off! 
 
 June 13. — Called at Coquimbo and disem- 
 barked about one-third of our passengers, including, 
 alas ! my pretty young friends. They found their 
 aunt all right, and the old lady entertained my 
 
MV THIRD CRUISE 243 
 
 inseparable chum Campos and myself most hos- 
 pitably. The troops here and at Serena now- 
 numbered nearly 14,000 men. 
 
 y June 15. — Entered Valparaiso Harbour at ^ 
 10 a.m. x^shore I found a telegram awaiting me I 
 from the Times, requiring me to start at once for \ 
 London with certain documentary evidence. -^^"^"^ 
 
 The Andes being quite closed up with snow, my 
 only route lay via Magellan Straits, and upon 
 inquiry at the office of the Pacific Steam Navi- 
 gation Company, I found that the first mail- 
 steamer, the Liguria, would leave upon the 25 th 
 instant. By her I accordingly secured my passage. 
 
 ^xThis second recall did not greatly surprise me, for I 
 had not gone back one single inch upon my original 
 estimate of the political merits of the quarrel, and 
 I still stood alone in that estimate amongst foreign 
 journalists. A review^ of back numbers of leading 
 English journals (including the leviathan which I 
 had the honour to represent) made it abundantly 
 clear that more weight was attached to the fabri- 
 cated intelligence received from Buenos Aires and 
 Iquique than to the bare facts transmitted by me 
 from Santiago, especially supplemented as the 
 former were by grossly inaccurate communications 
 from enthusiastic Oppositionists in the Chilian 
 capital. These gentlemen made no secret of the 
 fact that they were leaving no stone unturned to 
 counteract the pernicious influence I might be 
 supposed to exert. / The surreptitiously-published j 
 
244 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 insurgent organ, La Revolucion, continually boasted 
 \ that, despite the Balmacedist sympathies of its 
 correspondent, the Times still supported the Oppo- 
 sition, and quoted long extracts in proof thereof 
 The local organ of British opinion, the Chilian 
 Times (owned and conducted, oddly enough, by a 
 German), which had contrived to escape suppression 
 by * holding a candle to the devil,' went as far as it 
 safely could in the same direction. I was in a 
 hopeless minority of one. It was hard lines to miss 
 the denouement of the drama. But the decree of 
 I recall had gone forth, and I perfectly understood 
 I why. LMy mission, so far as European opinion was 
 i concerned, had been a coup manque. 
 ^^ The news of my approaching departure had not 
 on this occasion leaked out through the telegraph- 
 office, but became known by the fact of my having 
 engaged a cabin on the Liguria. ^Chilians are 
 extremely warm - hearted, and I got wind of a 
 series of farewell banquets to be given in my 
 honour, which drove me into rural retirement for a 
 week, such demonstrations being obviously so many 
 trump cards in the hands of the Oppositionists. A 
 couple of dinners enfamille with the President and 
 with Don Claudio Vicuna could not, with due 
 respect to their exalted stations, be declined ; and 
 these were all I would accept, apart, of course, 
 from partaking of the hospitality of Senor Alfredo 
 Ovalle and other friends in a private position. 
 
 The departure of the Liguria had been postponed 
 
MY THIRD CRUISE 245 
 
 to the 26th, and upon the previous day I bade 
 farewell to Santiago. The President received me 
 alone and with the utmost cordiality. "*$? 
 
 * You are leaving Chile/ he said, * because your ' 
 judgment has led you to lean towards my side in 
 this civil war, and doubtless the black shadow 
 which has been cast upon my reputation will also 
 bedim your own.' ^J 
 
 ' Possibly, your Excellency,' I replied ; ' but 
 that troubles me very little. I have throughout 
 followed my own judgment, based upon what I 
 read, and heard, and saw. What care I for the 
 opinions of persons who either know nothing of 
 the questions at issue, or who have personal inter- 
 ests to serve ? And now may I venture to offer 
 you some parting advice ? -HQ_JiQt._ underrate the^^U.^^— \ 
 fighting power of the troops at Iquique. Your^NjP 
 ofBc^rs, from the generals down to the corporals, 
 have the idea that one regiment of well -drilled 
 Government infantry is a match for double its 
 number of what they call armed miners ; and 
 equally armed, equally led, so I have no doubt it \ / 
 would be. But these armed miners, inferior as 
 they are in numbers to your large army, are being 
 trained by a German expert, a well-known strate- 
 gist, and they are, or soon will be, provided with 
 repeating-rifles. Now, one regimentj thus armed j 
 J and thus led, is worth three regiments equipped "^ 
 
 with yonv fusils-Gras or Martini - Henry. You/ \l 
 have not a single general who understands modera""'^! 
 
 
246 DARK DAYS IN CHILE 
 
 r tactics ; your Peruvian War veterans are out of 
 date ' 
 
 *■ Pardon me, Senor Corresponsalj but I would 
 like General Barbosa to hear so candid an opinion 
 of his capabilities ; and the President tilted back 
 his chair to press an electric bell. 
 
 ' One moment, your Excellency. I am speaking 
 to you now as a friend and well-wisher who is 
 leaving you, not as an impertinent critic to the 
 President of Chile.' 
 
 Senor Balmaceda did not ring. 
 
 ' That I believe, senor,' he said ; ^ pray proceed ;' 
 and he looked at me straightly, candidly — inviting 
 truth, candour. 
 
 ' I have not much to say, your Excellency,' I 
 went on, warming, up to my work ; ' but that little 
 amounts to thisp the insurgents will not await the 
 arrival of the Errazuriz and the Pinto, which, 
 added to the tor])ederas, would mean annihilation 
 to the revolted fleet. So soon, therefore, as you 
 receive certain information that these vessels are 
 on their way to Valparaiso, look out for an attack.' 
 
 ' Pero, jpor Dios, senor !' exclaimed the President, 
 
 do you know what you are saying ? I have 
 
 41,000 infantry, 4,000 cavalry, and upwards of 
 
 ^0 field-pieces! They, with their paltry 7,000^ 
 
 'or 8,000 rabble, attack Chile ! The thing is 
 
 absurd !' 
 
 Puede ser ahsurdo' I persisted ; * but if those 
 ships start, they will attack — they must attack or 
 
My THIRD CRUISE 249 
 
 [ie like dogs in Iquique. It only concerns you 
 \o provide against that attack. And if my calcu- 
 lation be correct, given their arms and their 
 generalship, you will need odds of five to two 
 against them to win. At anything like even 
 numbers, your men will be shot down like rabbits.' 
 
 Senor Balmaceda left his chair and paced the 
 room. At length he said : 
 
 ' Senor Corresponsal, have you ever been a 
 soldier V 
 
 ' No,' was my reply ; ' but I have seen some- 
 thing of soldiers' work. I speak merely as a 
 civilian, who believes that a repeating-rifle is more 
 than a match for a breech-loader.' 
 
 * I understand,' he replied, still walking to-and- 
 fro. ' And what is your advice, then V 
 
 ^ Simply this,' I answered : * keep all your men 
 within twenty-four hours' reach, and guard all 
 your railway-bridges. ^Withdraw the forces fronT 
 Coquimbo, because Coquimbo is not in rail com- 
 munication with Santiago. The troops there would 
 be simply isolated, and the town is worthless from 
 a strategic point of view.' 
 
 ^ Amigo mio' said Senor Balmaceda, stopping 
 short, * you mean well — that I know. But in 
 these matters I am in the hands of my generals ; 
 and their views do not correspond with yours. 
 What you urge seems reasonable, when one re- 
 flects. Yet I cannot act upon it. How can I, 
 indeed, oppose a civilian opinion against the unani- 
 
 I 
 
250 DARK DAYS IN CHILE 
 
 inous counsel of the leaders of the army ? Politics 
 I understand, because I am a lawyer. Warfare I 
 leave to them, because they are soldiers. Y ya 
 esta !' 
 
 ' Well,' I concluded, * I hope all will turn out 
 well. However it turns out,\one gringo at least 
 will always remember you with sincere regard. 
 AdioSy Senor PresidentCj y que le vaya muy hien /' 
 
 ' AdioSj pues !' replied the President. * Stay — 
 
 keep this in memory of your friend Jose Manuel 
 
 Balmaceda. It is my bribe to the Corresponsal of 
 
 . r^ the Times /' And, with the grace of which he was 
 
 / so consummate a master, he handed me a pretty 
 
 I fluorocco letter-case containing his portrait and auto- 
 
 L^graph. 
 
 I That was my last interview with the ' Bogie- 
 
 1 man' of London journalism — the great leader who 
 I stood between the Chilian people and the triple 
 curse of a bankrupt oligarchy, a depraved Papist 
 clergy, and the insatiable greed ofp anvenus for eign 
 ni trate adventurers . 
 
 From Don Claudio Vicuna and his senora I re- 
 ceived the most cordial wishes for a pleasant voyage, 
 coupled with a hospitable invitation to return to 
 Chile as their guest as soon as I could, and view 
 the country under fairer and peaceful auspices — an 
 invitation which, seconded by the charming heroine 
 of the Orsini bombs and by a round-robin from her 
 brothers, it seemed well worth another long voyage 
 to accept. But, alas ! we none of us then foresaw 
 
 I 
 
 I s 
 
 I 
 

 MY THIRD CRUISE 251 
 
 the dire ruin that would erelong overwhelm that 
 happy household. 
 
 P Poor Colonel Campos mourned over me as over 
 a brother. 
 
 ft * Don't go, Mauricio/ he urged. * Tell your 
 gran diario que vaya al diahlo ! Ask the Presi- 
 dent for a commission, and see the thing through.' 
 But this thing might not be, though I had great 
 difficulty in making the gallant fellow understand 
 ivhy. 
 
 fc Upon the 26 th I left Santiago by the early 
 mail for Valparaiso. But early as it was, my 
 friend Alfredo Ovalle V. accompanied me to the 
 station, to see me off and to bring me the last 
 adieux of his family. He had been elected senator 
 in the new Congress, and had already come to the 
 front as an ardent advocate of constitutional reform. 
 Poor fellow ! the mere fact of having accepted the 
 position of senator was destined to cost him dear, 
 
 Jittle as either of us suspected it then. 
 
 P I looked back sadly enough from the car- window 
 so long as Santiago remained in sight ; for I was 
 leaving many dear friends behind me, and unac- 
 countably gloomy forebodings took possession of 
 me as to how, when, and where I should see any 
 of them again. 
 
CHAPTER IX. 
 
 HOMEWARD-BOUND. 
 
 How I missed the Liguria — A Hot Ten Minutes — A Friend in 
 Need — Travelling made Easy — A Meeting — Concepcion — 
 Coronel — I catch the Liguria — The Old Story — Magellan 
 Straits — A Wreck — Monte Video — Kio de Janeiro — Bahia — 
 A Negro Polyglot — Pernambuco — Lisbon — The Errazuriz — 
 Plymouth — Home, Sweet Home ! 
 
 A CLERK at the office of the Pacific Steam Navi- 
 gation Company had informed me that the Liguria 
 would sail at 6 p.m. Consequently, after farewells 
 innumerable, I started shortly after five o'clock in 
 an eight-oared cutter to go on board. The steamer 
 lay about two miles out, so that there was ample 
 time. Scarcely, however, had the boat left the 
 pier, when the Liguria fired a gun and steamed off. 
 I stirred my boatmen up and they pulled manfully, 
 whilst I signalled as well as I could from the stern. 
 At first we appeared to gain, though she showed 
 no intention of stopping. Then she put on speed, 
 and, after a four-mile race, the case looked hope- 
 less. Still there remained the chance that her 
 commander would understand that the pursuing 
 boat must contain a passenger, and that he would 
 
HOMEWARD BOUND 253 
 
 stop to pick that passenger up ; and to lose one's 
 passage was a serious matter. So I urged my crew 
 to persevere. 
 
 * Look, senor !' cried the stroke, suddenly stop- 
 ping, and thereby causing the others to stop also. 
 
 I looked, and saw the familiar white puff, followed 
 by a splash in the water about fifty yards ahead 
 of us. One of the forts was practising upon 
 us. 
 
 ' Go on !' I said. ' Those chaps couldn't hit a 
 boat of this size in six months.' 
 
 But not an inch would they budge. I expostu- 
 lated, coaxed, bribed ; but all to no purpose. Then 
 I exhausted my fairly copious vocabulary of Spanish 
 maledictions upon them, my at no time very angelic 
 temper rising to boiling-point as I saw the Liguria 
 placidly steaming ahead. Still they would not 
 move. Finally I resorted to very strong measures. 
 Producing my revolver, I swore by all the saints in 
 the calendar that I would empty it amongst them 
 if they any longer disobeyed me. Stroke, not 
 liking the look of the weapon a few feet from his 
 head, growled out a sickly ' Vamos, pues /' and we 
 got way on once more. A very lively ten minutes 
 followed. I was almost certain the Liguria had 
 slowed down, and ' coached ' my crew vigorously, 
 whilst the fort tried pot-shots at unpleasantly 
 frequent intervals. At last the men finally threw 
 up their oars, as who should say, ' Now then, senor, 
 do your worst !' Of course, I had to give in, and 
 
 
254 DARK DAYS IN CHILE 
 
 ordered them to return ashore. So soon as the 
 boat's head went round, the firing ceased. 
 
 I landed at the jetty feeHng, and doubtless look- 
 ing, uncommonly foolish. All my luggage was on 
 board the Liguria, and there would be no other 
 mail-steamer for a fortnight. There just remained 
 one hope. The Liguria would call at Coronel, 
 and it might be possible by taking train to overtake 
 her there. A time-table soon dispelled this hope. 
 She would be off again before to-morrow night's 
 train could arrive. 
 
 ^ Now, although the agent at the shipping-office 
 stoutly maintained that he had told me ^yq, and 
 not six o'clock as the hour for sailing, I took it 
 into my head that I had purposely been left behind 
 as a sort of rap over the knuckles for my Balma- 
 cedist leanings. I know not what suggested the 
 idea, but it took firm root. ' Rit hien qui rit 
 dernier,' was my soliloquy as I entered the Inten- 
 dencia and sent the following telegram to the 
 President : 
 
 ' Liguria has sailed without me. Can you detain 
 her at Coronel V 
 
 In ten minutes the reply came back : 
 
 * Most certainly. I have ordered a special train 
 to bring you up to Santiago, where you will find 
 my own travelling-car awaiting you to take you to 
 
t 
 
 HOMEWARD BOUND 255 
 
 Talcuhano or Coronel, as you may prefer. God 
 preserve you, and a prosperous voyage ! 
 
 * Balmaceda.' 
 
 So matters were looking up. The Liguria had 
 had her joke ; now I was to have mine. I tele- 
 graphed my thanks to the President and proceeded 
 to the railway-station, where I found that the 
 station-master had already ordered an engine to 
 get steam up. In half an hour I was off, en grand 
 seigneur. 
 
 ■ I reached Santiago very early next morning, had 
 a bath and a capital breakfast in the station- 
 master's house, and at nine o'clock took possession 
 of a most luxurious saloon-car, en route for Talcu- 
 hano, where the Liguria was to be detained. All 
 day the special sped along, and seldom indeed have 
 I travelled so enjoy ably. Everything that could 
 be desired in the way of * creature comforts ' had 
 been provided most liberally, and special precautions 
 had been taken to clear the line. Several times we 
 passed passenger and freight trains respectfully 
 drawn up upon a siding, and great was the craning 
 of necks from carriage -windows to see who the 
 distinguished creature might be that was thus 
 delaying the traffic. After all, methought, there 
 are advantages in having lived near the rose. At 
 a small station, the name of which I forgot to note 
 down, we were stopped by signal, and had to shunt 
 in our turn. The station-master showed me a 
 
 I 
 
256 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 telegram from Sefior Domingo Godoy (who had 
 just resigned the Premiership), asking him to stop 
 me,, as he wished to say good-bye. He also 
 was travelling special, but was going to Santiago. 
 He shortly arrived, and we lunched together, 
 finally departing upon our respective routes with 
 mutual good wishes. Later on we were stopped 
 again. This time a telegram from Talcuhano, 
 stating that the sea was too rough to communicate 
 by boat with the Liguria^ which had been permitted 
 to go on to Coronel, to which port I must also 
 proceed. 
 
 At the town of Concepcion I was met by the 
 Intendente, Senor San Fuentes, whose guest I 
 remained for the night. Next morning I was 
 present at an inspection of the garrison, numbering 
 5,000 men, and was especially pleased with the 
 spruce appearance of three batteries of horse- 
 artillery. Senor San Fuentes (a nephew, I learnt, 
 of the Congress bugbear) and a large party of 
 officers accompanied me to Coronel. On the way 
 we passed over a splendid iron bridge, a mile and a 
 quarter in length, which spans the river Bio Bio. 
 
 ' This,' said the Intendente, ^ is another of the 
 tyrant Balmaceda's undertakings.' 
 
 A grand piece of engineering, truly ! 
 
 At Coronel there was the Liguria right enough. 
 
 Many of the passengers had come ashore upon 
 
 \ learning that she would have to await the arrival 
 
 of the special train, and it was proposed to make 
 

 HOMEWARD BOUND 257 
 
 an excursion to Lota to see the locally-famous 
 gardens there. But some of the ship's officers 
 objected to any further delay, alleging that the 
 captain was alread}^ chafing under the detention. 
 
 *• There is plenty of time, gentlemen,' said Senor 
 San Fuentes grimly. ' I have not done with the 
 Liguria yet/ 
 
 The gardens are pretty, but somewhat too much 
 in the Rosherville style for my taste. Indeed, the 
 pavilions, ornamental work, etc., are tawdry to 
 the last degree. Lota by no means justifies its 
 fame. 
 
 Upon boarding the Liguria, the captain was in 
 a state of hardly-suppressed fume. The Inten- 
 dente had got hold of some report that the ship 
 
 »was taking a consignment of jerked beef for tran- 
 shipment to a rebel vessel in the Straits. The 
 captain protested that it was destined for Monte 
 ideo ; and finally, over a judiciously produced 
 bottle of champagne, Sefior San Fuentes accepted 
 the skipper's solemn assurance and allowed the ship 
 to depart. 
 
 I was not exactly a pet on board for the first few 
 ours, especially as I could not refrain from crowing 
 mildly at having all the best of the deal. But all 
 that soon passed over. Captain Hamilton turned 
 out to be a ca]Dital fellow ; and as for the purser, 
 he was simply a paragon, and a model for all 
 others. 
 
 We had quite a diplomatic crowd on board : 
 
*58 DARK DAYS IN CHILE 
 
 Seiior Salinas, late Intendente of Tarapac^, a nd 
 now bound upgn some complicated financial mission 
 s^.^ to Paris and Berlin ; a young gentleman named 
 Poirier, who was bound for Mexico as nothing less 
 than Chilian Minister to that republic ; ^Senor 
 i^ AstaBorruaga, who was being sent to combat the 
 /wily Senor Pedro Montt in New York — besides 
 a dozen or so more, secretaries to legations and 
 diplomatic stop-gaps, bound for I forget how many 
 different places. The strangest thing was that, 
 of the lot, only Poirier and Borruaga spoke 
 English, or indeed any other language than Spanish. 
 What imaginable use such monolinguists could 
 possibly be in foreign legations was a problem I 
 abandoned as insoluble. However, they were a 
 very pleasant set, upon the whole. 
 
 Magellan Straits, which we entered upon July 2nd, 
 are seen at about their best at this time of the 
 year, when winter has fairly set in. Our first views 
 were decidedly the prettiest, and, sui generis, it 
 would be hard to conceive aught lovelier. The 
 weather was bright, clear, and frosty ; the water 
 smooth as glass. Upon either side, as we glided 
 swiftly along, were densely -timbered black-green 
 forests, extending often down to the very water's 
 edge. ^Behind rose tier upon tier of mountains 
 covered with snow of dazzling whiteness, and set, 
 as it were, with glaciers which reflected the rays 
 of the sun like so many huge clusters of diamonds. 
 The foreground of blue water and the background 
 
HOMEWARD BOUND 259 
 
 of blue sky (I hope the terms are correctly appHed 
 • — they read oddly) completed Nature's masterpiece 
 of winter landscape. I wondered if any painter 
 would have the hardihood to tackle the Straits 
 enery between Cape Pillar and Punta Arenas 
 pon a clear day in July. ' 
 
 At Punta Arenas (Sandy Point) some mails 
 ere landed, and a number of the inhabitants in- 
 aded the ship with very ill-smelling guanaco-skins 
 br sale, which were freely purchased, and subse- 
 uently as freely thrown overboard. ^ I secured 
 ome pretty nuggets, proof positive of the auriferous 
 haracter of the district. 
 
 East of Sandy Point the scenery falls off greatly, 
 he timber becomes scantier, the foreground flat 
 nd sandy, and the back-lying hills smaller. Still, 
 he snowy coating lends beauty to what in the 
 ummer time must be a sufficiently dreary prospect. 
 As we neared Cape Virgins, the funnels of a 
 teamer were seen upon the Atlantic side of the 
 ow-lying portion of the promontory in such close 
 roximity to the shore as to induce Captain 
 Hamilton to believe that she must have grounded. 
 He accordingly bore down to render assistance. 
 Upon nearer approach, groups of persons were 
 discerned upon the snow-covered slopes, and the 
 flames of huge bonfires gleamed brightly even in 
 |bhe sunlight. The German ensign, reversed, had 
 been hoisted upon the top of a lighthouse at the 
 extremity of the promontory, and vast piles of 
 
 L 
 
26o DARK DAYS IN CHILE 
 
 cargo were stacked upon the shore. Clearly a 
 shipwreck, and clearly also these people must be 
 taken off. The Liguria hove to as close to land 
 as possible, and the chief mate put off, I accompany- 
 ing him to interpret. We soon learnt that the 
 vessel was the Cleopatra, owned by a Hamburg 
 company, that she had struck on a sunken rock 
 unmarked in the chart the previous day, and that 
 she had been run aground to save her from founder- 
 ing in deep water. But assistance they would not 
 accept, either in the form of rescue for themselves 
 or salvage for the cargo. They had, they said, 
 communicated with Punta Arenas by means of 
 a cutter, and would await the arrival of aid from 
 that port. No women were to be seen, but it was 
 evident that many of the people were passengers. 
 There accordingly remained nothing to be done 
 but pull back to the Liguria, which at once pro- 
 ceeded on her voyage. Upon rounding the Cape 
 we got a full view of the Cleopatra, which was 
 breaking up very fast, and the sea for a consider- 
 able distance was littered with wreckage and cargo. 
 Captain Hamilton stated that most of it would 
 drift back ashore at the next flood-tide, and would 
 probably afford some nice pickings for the native 
 inhabitants. 
 
 The Liguria reached Monte Video upon July 8 
 after a smooth and eventless run. Here we had 
 the best part of a day to stretch our limbs ashore 
 and look up old friends. With my usual fatal 
 
HOMEWARD BOUND 261 
 
 _ ^^ ^ 
 
 kcility for dry nursing, I took one of the Secretaries 
 o Legation under my wing, and had been in the 
 ociety of the friends aforesaid to the very last 
 moment consistent with catching the ship's tender, 
 when my protege took it into his head to fall down 
 in a fit. At first we all thought he was dead, 
 and sent messengers ofip for a doctor and an under- 
 taker. They arrived together. The medico said the 
 patient would perhaps come round by-and-by, and 
 
 pinsisted on his removal to the hospital. But this 
 I would not hear of \ Dead or aliv^e, that secretary 
 
 fcwas the property of the Chilian Government, and 
 must be restored to his superior on board ship./ 
 
 \ The undertaker broadly protested that the fellow 
 
 I was as dead as Pharaoh, nor do I doubt that 
 he would forthwith have proceeded to bury him, 
 but for the doctor's hesitation to pronounce life 
 extinct. 
 Time was pressing, so I cut the matter short by 
 requesting the man of coffins to send four of his 
 ^ men with a stretcher to carry the patient down 
 pto the wharf This was accordingly done, and 
 having with great difficulty and at a cost of £6 
 secured a steam-launch, I finally deposited my 
 hapless charge on board just as the ship was about 
 to start without us. Whatever the fit was, it was 
 a bad one. /The poor fellow did not recover con- 
 sciousness for nearly eighteen hoursj 
 
 Nothing of the smallest interest occurred during 
 the run to Rio de Janeiro, where we arrived upon 
 
 I 
 
262 DARK DAYS IN CHILE 
 
 the 12th. Here, although we had but a few hours 
 to stay, everyone made it a point to go ashore, 
 as passengers always do, to wander about the very 
 uninteresting and unsavoury streets of the Brazilian 
 capital. I took my party (no more secretaries ; 
 ladies this time) to Carson's Hotel, where, knowing 
 the ' son of the house,' we fared sumptuously. 
 V From the Chilian consulate came the news that 
 the Errazuriz was at last clear of French ports 
 and on her way, to be followed immediately by the 
 Pinto. This threw the diplomats into a frenzy of 
 excitement, and when we returned on board, how 
 the corks popped and the vin d'honneur flowed in 
 celebration of the glad tidings ! Vgut I placed no 
 reliance upon a wicked rumour current next morn- 
 ing, that more than one ambassador mistook the 
 floor for his bunk, and finished the night under 
 the table. 
 
 \ Bahia was reached upon the 1 6 th. This time I 
 made a solitary expedition, and can confidently 
 recommend the Hotel de^ Etrangers, situated a 
 couple of miles out of town, for an excellent break- 
 fast, and the very funniest waiter I ever met. For 
 facial expression, for repartee, and for powers of 
 mimicry, I doubt if his equal exists. His very 
 colour was unique ; the most highly-polished ebony 
 could scarce vie with it. 
 
 I gave my order in Spanish, my Portuguese 
 being of the weakest. He replied in such good 
 Castilian that I concluded he must know something 
 

 HOMEWARD BOUND 263 
 
 of Cuba, and spoke to him of Havannah. He had 
 
 —never been there. 
 
 W * Surely,' I said in Enghsh, ' you are not 
 American V 
 
 P * No, sir,' he repHed, in the same tongue and 
 without a trace of foreign accent ; * I'm a German.' 
 /To hear a full-blooded negro lay claim to Teu- 
 tonic origin was somewhat startling, and I pro- 
 ceeded to expose the imposture ; but I couldn't. 
 He spoke German like a Berliner — very much 
 better than I did. The intense enjoyment de- 
 picted on his sable visage at my evident bewilder- 
 ment amused me vastly. It said plainly : * Try a 
 few more languages, and see who will give in first.' 
 I ordered an omelette, and weighed the chances. 
 Just then he passed me, as I supposed, on his way 
 to the kitchen, throwing and catching three eggs 
 juggler fashion. By some mischance he missed one, 
 and, trying to save it, missed also the next. Both 
 fell shattered upon the floor. He stood looking so 
 comically at the debris that I laughed aloud, to his 
 evident satisfaction. 
 
 \ ' Comma je suis maladroit 1' he chanted, in exact 
 imitation of the refrain of one of M. Paulus' cafe- 
 concert songs. * Mais, apres tout, monsieur sait 
 tres-bien que ^pour faire des omelettes il faut hien 
 casser des ceufs /' And away he ran for more eggs. 
 I could not leave the mystery of this dark-hued 
 polyglot unsolved, and asked him to explain. He 
 did so in English. 
 
 L 
 
264 DARK DAYS IN CHILE 
 
 * You see, sir, none of us remember our parentage 
 from the start, v^y earliest recollections are of 
 Natal, and the only father and mother I ever knew 
 were Germans. I suspect they adopted me as a 
 baby ; but, anyhow, they were good parents to me, 
 and I was a son to them. Y The old man had been 
 a professor of languages, and so, what with what he 
 taught me and knocking round the world a bit, I 
 can tackle most of them ; and whilst you are having 
 your coffee, I'll show you the sort of people I some- 
 times wait upon here.' And this original genius 
 kept me in roars of laughter at a series of vocal 
 impersonations which McCabe himself could not 
 have surpassed. /And this phenomenal ^ darkie ' 
 was content to grin his way through life as a waiter 
 in a Bahia hotel ! Truly, 'tis a strange world, my 
 masters ! 
 
 From him I purchased a raonkey and _£iur 
 parrots, and took them on board. I had this 
 menagerie on my hands until I reached London, 
 when I gave away the lot. Memo for travellers : 
 / never be seduced into adding birds, beasts, or fishes 
 to your impedimenta. /They are infinitely (the 
 word is all too weak) more trouble than they are 
 worth. 
 
 Between Bahia and Pernambuco I find but one 
 
 entry in my diary : ^ B still on high horse, and 
 
 carrying on with the Cub.' y Taxing my memory, I 
 recall that B was our most charming lady- 
 passenger, and that the ^ Cub ' was fifteen years my 
 
I 
 
 HOMEWARD BOUND 265 
 
 junior, and (what women call) good-looking. I 
 must have been jealous when I wrote that memo. 
 
 My diary further informs me that ' the Liguria 
 arrived at Pernambuco upon the 18 th. Some of 
 our crowd went ashore. I, knowing the hole, 
 refrained.' 
 
 July 28th found us at Lisbon, where quarantine*^ 
 regulations absolutely prohibited any shore-going ;,^ 
 but the presence of the _Erraz2iT-iz evoked fresh 
 bursts of Chilian enthusiasm. Some officers came 
 off from the cruiser, but, carefully watched by 
 Portuguese launches, could not come on board ; 
 conversation was consequently carried on at a disad- 
 vantage. It appeared that the poor Errazuriz had ^ 
 been knocking about Europe, trying in vain to pick 
 up a working crew of engineers and stokers, espe- 
 cially the latter. France, England, Germany, Spain, 
 ind Portugal had successively blocked her at all 
 ports. All our diplomats volunteered round abuse 
 of the said Governments, but that did not carry 
 counsel. Then I was appealed to, and I tendered 
 cynical advice : 
 
 1' You will never get your stokers here. Go 
 round to one of the Morocco or West African ports 
 and hire a hundred niggers ; they may last long 
 enough to see you through. If not, try St. 
 Vincent ; and if that fails, stoke yourselves.' 
 
 Captain Hamilton did not hesitate to characterize 
 this counsel as 'barbarous.' I think he was right, 
 and, were I not a slave to truth, would not publish 
 
 1 
 
 cMy? 
 
266 DARK DAYS IN CHILE 
 
 it ; but somehow my sympathies were all with the 
 President, who had all Europe against him. I 
 advised the course which / would have pursued had 
 I been commander of the Errazuriz, 
 
 I did not land at Bordeaux, where many of our 
 passengers left us, because Captain Hamilton 
 courteously consented to call at Plymouth. There 
 we arrived upon August 1st, and I bade farewell to 
 the good ship Liguria. \VHow is it, by the way, 
 that one feels regret at quitting one's late ocean 
 home, instead of feeling unmitigated joy at the pros- 
 pect of terra Jirma once more? Is it some ill-defined 
 feeling of gratitude towards the gallant vessel 
 which has borne us so speedily and so safely across 
 the wilderness of waters ? I think it isT/ Anyhow, 
 I believe that most persons feel this regret. Cer- 
 tainly in my case there was superadded the sorrow 
 of saying ' good-bye ' to genial Captain Hamilton, 
 Mr. Phillips, the paragon of pursers, and Dr. 
 Boyce, the very prince of physicians. 
 
 Home, sweet home ! Ay, after all, there is no 
 place like it. To feel one's foot once more upon 
 English soil, to hear around one the sounds of 
 one's native tongue, and to know that, within 
 measurable distance, a tankard of ' bitter ' is to 
 be had upon demand — these are feelings which 
 must have been floating (in a converse sense) in 
 Byron's mind when he penned * My native land, 
 good-night !' 
 
 The usual rudeness^, of coursepat jb he C ustom- 
 
I 
 
 HO. 
 
 BOUND 
 
 267 
 
 house. Nothing will ever alter that. .Why go 
 through the farce of asking ^ Have you anything 
 to declare ?' if, upon a reply in the negative, 
 every single article of baggage has to be rum- 
 maged at the caprice of a person called Snooks, 
 of alcoholic visage ? This is the sort of gratuitous 
 insult which, during some twenty years of travel, I 
 have never been subjected to outside of England. 
 And it is reserved for the * free trade ' mother 
 country to levy a duty of two shillings upon a 
 monkey ! Home, sweet home ! 
 
CHAPTEE X. 
 
 THE TRIUMPH OF THE REVOLUTION. 
 
 * Back from the Grave ' — Smart Paragraphing — News from 
 Chile — The Gumming Incident — The Invasion — A Close 
 Shave — Barbosa the Eash — The Battle of Colmo or Concon 
 — The Attack upon Vina del Mar — Strategy — The Insurgent 
 Army receives Accessions — Balmaceda a Bad Strategist — 
 The Battle of Placilla — Kesults — Sauve qui pent — The Lynch 
 caught Napping — A * Eevel of Fiends ' — How the Triumph 
 was celebrated in Santiago — Balmaceda vanishes — Senor 
 Montt and the Eump — * Convey, the Wise it call ' — A 
 Model Correspondent — Balmaceda's Alleged Suicide — Pro- 
 spects of Future Peace — The Trouble with the United States 
 — How to bring about a Conservative Eeaction — Con- 
 clusion. 
 
 It must be confessed that I did not arrive in 
 
 London in such good spirits as I had started 
 
 upon my South American expedition six months 
 
 before. The uncomfortable feeling of a coup 
 
 manque hung over me. I felt that I had been 
 
 running my head against the stone wall of public 
 
 opinion, and need not feel surprised if a few 
 
 bruises were the result. Not for one moment 
 
 did I doubt the justice of the conclusions at 
 
 which I had arrived and which I had advocated, 
 
 but it is distinctly depressing to find one's self 
 
 in a minority of one. The British public is prone 
 

 THE TRIUMPH OF THE REVOLUTION 269 
 
 to believe in the existence of b loodthirsty t yrants 
 and mei^esg ' despotsTandTTiad unhesitatingly ac- 
 cepted Balmaceda as~'an almost unuxamplcd-Gom- 
 binatioiTofnBoiEE Such a fii'sL-class bugie-man i s , 
 moreover, al ways a godsend to the smaller f ry 
 of the press which follow in the wake of th eir 
 pondero us contemporaries , and love nothing so 
 d^Rrly f^ ff t^ toRr ^rpt another scrap from the 
 corpse^ofa. reputation. A-nd thus, as I was not 
 prepared to add to the already-published list of 
 atrocities which had done such yeoman's service 
 for 'extra-special editions,' but was, on the con- 
 trary, quite ready to give the lie to the entire 
 miserable chronicle of lies, I found myself, from 
 a Chilian news point of view, a great deal worse 
 than useless. 
 
 ^From my landlady I received a greeting almost 
 orth while coming back for. The good old 
 creature had long ago given me up for lost. It 
 appeared she had abandoned her Daily Telegraph 
 in favour of the Times, in order to get some news 
 of me. 
 ■ * They did print a few letters, which I knew 
 imust be from you,' she told me, ' because they 
 Iwere from their " Special Correspondent." I read 
 every word of them, and made out that you didn't 
 think much of them revolution chaps. Then you 
 [wrote that you were going upon some blowing-up 
 )usiness, and that's the last I heard of you. How- 
 ever, thank God, you're safe back again ; which it 
 
2 70 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 did ought to be a lesson to you not to go shoving 
 yourself again into foreign folks' throat-cutting. 
 And what's more, there's been very hard things 
 said about you in 'most all the papers. My old 
 man he reads them down at the Workmen's Club, 
 and he's told me often that the way they was 
 abusing you was something awful.' 
 
 ' Oh yes, Mrs. W ,' I answered her, * I 
 
 know all about that, ^ on srp^, the__ Fleet S treet 
 penn y-a-liners knew far more about the merits of 
 
 J\\9^. qnpstinn ibnn T rlirl, as \yaft b^^^- TiaWRl^ATi- 
 
 si dering they had the w1i € 4p nitr at£__iiiterest to 
 coach t hem.' 
 
 * Yes, sir, I suppose so,' assented Mrs. W ; 
 
 ' though I don't quite see the use of sending you 
 all that way to find out things that were already 
 fixed up, as a body may say, in London. But 
 there's one bit of print as I think you ought to 
 take up. My old man cut it out of a paper called 
 the Haivk (which he'd have been fined had they 
 caught him at it), and gave it to me to keep. I'll 
 fetch it in half a minute.' 
 
 In something more than the covenanted time, 
 
 Mrs. W ■ reappeared with the ' bit of print ' 
 
 in question. It was from the Hawk of June 2nd, 
 and as about the most outrageously-worded com- 
 ment upon the action of an absent man which has 
 ever fallen under my notice, but at the same time, 
 ^ in substance, reproducing the yelp of many publica- 
 tions sui generis, I quote it : 
 
THE TRIUMPH OF THE RE VOL UTION 2 7 1 
 
 I am not surprised to hear that Enghsh 
 residents in Santiago are annoyed at the sympathy 
 shown by some of their fellow-countrymen for 
 President Balmaceda. I think the Times corre- 
 spondent has a good deal of responsibility in that 
 respect. He was sent out there specially to rep.ort 
 on the state of affairs ; evidently he has come 
 under Balmaceda's spell, for his telegrams reacl 
 very much as if he was ^' nobbled," or his messages 
 edited in Chile. It must be the latter ; the tyrant 
 is master of the posts and telegraphs ; letters are 
 examined by his minions, and if they contain any- 
 thing supposed to be in opposition to his wishes 
 are suppressed. The Lisbon correspondent of the 
 Times acts as a very wholesome check on his 
 Chilian confrhre, and has let a lot of light into the 
 President's doinofs, and the reiofn of terror which 
 he has instituted. The wonder is that Balmaceda 
 has not been assassinated longf aofo. He is ex- 
 tremely careful of his person ; his mother, I believe, 
 ^oks all his food to prevent him being poisoned.' 
 ' T ' is quite right in feeling no surprise at thj 
 annoyance of t he English nitrate agents in Sa n- 
 tiago^ TMs furthermore correct in saddling the 
 Ti^es correspondent with ^ a good deal of responsi- 
 bility inT^S^Hpespect/ And he was sent out there 
 specially to report on the state oF affairs. Hu~did 
 so. But he neit her ' fell under Balni acec[a*s spe ll,' 
 nor'^was he ' nobBleH,' nor were^JJ^^ telegrams 
 iited in Chile ' ; they correspond verbatim with 
 
272 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 J 1 
 
 hose which he sent. The adoption of the latter 
 theory is clearly a ' hedge ' (to adopt ' I's ' sport- 
 ing phraseology) against the libellous ' nobbling * 
 suggestion. The light let into the President's 
 doings and the reign of terror by the Lisbon 
 correspondent of the Times, was the light reflected 
 from the news-factories at Buenos Aires, the plan 
 being that the contents of the Buenos Aires 
 journals were epitomized and telegraphed on to 
 London by the said Lisbon correspondent. It is 
 truly a subject for wonder that Balmaceda escaped 
 assassination ; but either the Orsini bombs sent 
 out were defective, or unskilful artistes were em- 
 ployed. -^ Chilian ladies are not cooks. The Presi- 
 I dent partook of the same dishes as the other 
 / members of his family and his guests, and, more- 
 / over, his c/ie/was a very good one. 
 
 ' Is all this, by the way, what the reading public 
 now accepts as ' smart ' paragraphing ? To stab 
 a brother journalist, absent, and therefore incapable 
 of retort, and to join in the general howl against 
 a ruler engaged in a life-and-death struggle upon 
 a question of the merits of which the paragraphist 
 evidently knew no more than did the mule I rode 
 across the Cordillera — and this upon the testimony 
 of a correspondent at Lisbon: is this really what 
 the race for sixpences has culminated in ? Mais 
 passons. 
 
 Before quitting Chile I received promises from 
 certain of my friends of occasional letters to keep 
 
I 
 
 THE TRIUMPH OF THE REVOLUTION 273 
 
 me informed of subsequent events. In London, 
 moreover, I have had access to much other Chilian 
 correspondence, chiefly favouring the revolutionary 
 party. And over and above these sources of in- 
 formation there have, of course, been the telegrams 
 and letters published in the press. It has there- 
 fore not been a difficult task to follow the struggle, 
 at least in its main incidents, to its bloody and 
 temporary conclusion. The first letter from which 
 I shall quote extracts was written at Santiago 
 under date July 14 th : 
 
 ^ Since your departure, several events of im- 
 portance have occurred, but almost all of them sad 
 in their results, and some terribly sinister in design, 
 as, indeed, are most of the revolutionary proceedings. 
 ^m-fpi'r> r»apiffl1igfg f^f f^a ritiago. who sg ^ namcs are 
 so mething more than suspected, entere d into re- 
 lations with a half-breed (mestizo) Englis hman of 
 Valparaiso, one Kicardo Gumming, and olfered~or 
 sent jiim $300,000 in order that by means of 
 treachery and dynamite he might bringa Bout~fee 
 
 destru^ojx o£.JJoLQ_Im]oerial, the Lynchy and the 
 
 Conc/e//.^^This— mis o rabl o- ^natic Cu nnning got - 
 hold^ of some Austrians and Italians, gave them 
 some money, and finally offered them $30,000 for 
 each vessel blown up by dynamite. These persons, 
 acting in concert with one Sepulveda, who had 
 engaged as a steward in the Imperial^ managed to 
 get aboard and to stow away behind the bolster 
 on Sepulveda's bunk an infernal machine containing 
 
 18 
 
 
2 74 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 several pounds' weight of dynamite, with time-fuze 
 and everything ready to set it off in the ship's 
 hold. With equal success they contrived to get 
 similar infernal machines on board the Condell 
 and Lynclij supplemented by quantities of dynamite 
 neatly stowed away in large loaves of fresh bread 
 from which they had removed the crumb. Bread 
 thus prepared is, it seems, known as " Greek 
 bread" [pan griego). You see to what cowardly 
 extremes the Chilian revolutionists resort. Fortu- 
 nately, however, for the Republic and the vessels, 
 ^ one of the Italians bribed into this plot betrayed 
 his accomplices to the authorities, who discovered 
 the infernal machines, the dynamite loaves, and 
 the other appliances, half an hour before the time 
 agreed upon for the explosions. 
 
 ' The chief quartermaster of the Imperial, who 
 also belonged to the conspiracy, did himself justice 
 and hanged himself in his cabin. Gumming, an 
 Austrian named Politio, and Sepulveda (a Ghilian), 
 having been tried and convicted, and having con- 
 fessed their guilt, were shot the day before yester- 
 day in Valparaiso, for the trifling offence of having 
 attempted to blow up the squadron and to as- 
 sassinate the crews, numbering 600 men, who 
 were aboard. 
 
 ' This execution was worked up into a political 
 scandal. ''Several members of the corps diplo- 
 matique, headed by the British Minister,^ whom 
 I believe you know (though I am not certain 
 
I 
 
 THE TRIUMPH OF THE REVOLUTION 275 
 
 whether he accompanied them personally), requested 
 and obtained an interview of President Balmaceda, 
 in order to intercede for the life of Ricardo Cum- 
 ■ming, in the most imperious manner, even carrying 
 Btheir audacity to the point of threatening Balma- 
 ■ceda with the personal reprisals he might have to 
 suffer should the revolution triumph. The Pre- -^ 
 sident haughtily refused a pardon, observing that 
 the fate of traitors and assassins did not depend 
 on him, and that mercy in such a case would be 
 complicity in their guilt. He added that he was ^ 
 much surprised that the diplomatic body (four 1 
 
 members of which were then present) should come ) 
 
 to intercede only for Gumming, who was a gentle- / 
 man and rich, and not also for the others, who were (/ 
 poor wretches whose very names they did not //) 
 know, any more than they had known the names / 
 of the crew of the torpedo-boat who had been shot / 
 for treason committed under the instigation of gold / 
 supplied by Santiago capitalists. For none of^ 
 these had the diplomatists interceded, and yet they 
 now did so for an Englishman, Gumming, the head 
 of a most horrible conspiracy. That as for the 
 threats of personal reprisals made to a Ghilian 
 President, whilst he was amazed to hear them 
 uttered by a diplomatic Minister, they were in no 
 possible sense a sufficient reason to make him fai] 
 
 !in his duty, for that as President of Ghile he had. 
 staked both his life and his fortune ever since the 
 1 7th of January, when the revolution broke Qut. 
 
2 76 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 If he lost both, they would be sacrificed for the 
 Fatherland, like his other efforts for the well-being 
 of the country. 
 
 ' Now, what do you think of foreign diplomatists 
 in Chile ? And what would the Queen of England 
 have replied to a foreign Minister in a similar case? 
 ' The other principal event has been an engage- 
 ment at Vallenar between 300 Government troops 
 with a somewhat superior revolutionary force. The 
 result was a total rout of the rebels, who lost more 
 than half their nupiber in killed and wounded. 
 
 This happened upon the 9th instant ' 
 
 Of other letters which I saw at this time I 
 cannot give extracts, as they were not addressed to 
 me. Coming from revolutionary sources, they 
 were generally fairly moderate in tone politically, 
 and spoke of the final outcome of the struggle as 
 very dubious, the chief hope of the insurgents 
 being in the superiority of their leader (Korner) 
 and of their rifles, added to the all-important co- 
 operation of the fleet. 
 y^ A Santiago letter, bearing date August 18 th, is 
 \f^ interesting as having been written but two days 
 I \ before the revolutionary troops landed at Quinteros, 
 I and as showing the perfect confidence 6f~theHjro- 
 \ \ .vernment Party up to the last moment in its own 
 \\ strength. It is addressed to myself 
 ^ * . . . . The_J2residency of Don Claudio Vicuna, 
 yqur good friend and my very good uncle, is now a 
 
THE TRIUMPH OF THE REVOLUTION 277 
 
 fact, nothing being wanted save the formal scrutiny j 
 by the Senate upon the 30th instant. ^ 
 
 * The war, although showing but a poor prospect 
 for the revolutionists, is not over yet. They talk 
 very big about a forthcoming disembarkation of 
 B their troops and of a great battle, but I believe 
 these are all " Portuguese yarns." They have 
 contented themselves so far with following up 
 their dastardly dynamite campaign like so many 
 cowardly Russian Nihilists. During the past few 
 days they have made repeated attempts to blow 
 up several bridges in the south, such as those at 
 Lontua, Lircay, Teno, and Putagan ; and they 
 have tried dynamite upon the San Pedro tunnel 
 between Santiago and Valparaiso. But all this 
 without other result than the shooting of six or 
 eight of their number, which will probably scare 
 away the others. 
 
 I' To-day the Esmeralda fired eight shots upon 
 Valparaiso, but at a distance of 18,000 metres, 
 more or less, so that the shots fell into the sea. 
 Prom which it may be inferred that they were 
 merely some signal, or that the ship wished to 
 show us that she still carries guns. 
 
 ' I have been laid up with neuralgia, and thus 
 debarred from taking part in the hard-fought 
 debates in Congress upon the proposed consti- 
 I tutional reforms. . . .' 
 I Judged by the light of the events which 
 I immediately followed, this letter is a pitiful illus- 
 
278 DARK DAYS IN CHILE 
 
 tration of overweening confidence, almost apathy, 
 upon the Government side, and of timely energy 
 ^ upon the part of the insurgents. |^The formal 
 ratification byjbh.e Senate of Don Claudio Vicuna's 
 election never came off : had the rebels allowed the 
 yv^Oth to slip by without taking action, the Presi- 
 dency during the next five years would have been 
 legally and definitively settled. The dynamite 
 attempts were, of course, made to cut off railway 
 communication, and so prevent the troops in 
 Santiago from supporting those in Valparaiso, or 
 the numerous large bodies down south from 
 helping either. The shots fired from the Esme- 
 ralda were signals to let revolutionary partisans 
 ashore know that the hour for the final struggle was 
 at hand. And meanwhile the new Congress was 
 tranquilly discussing constitutional reform ! What- 
 a sauve qui pent scatter those debates ended in a 
 couple of days later ! 
 j:^ The accounts of the short, bloody, and decisive 
 j campaign which commenced upon August 20th 
 I do not materially disagree, but whereas the revo- 
 j lutionists attribute their victory to the superior 
 / fighting powers of their men and to the skill with 
 / which they were led, the Balmacedists unhesi- 
 
 \ tatingly attribute their defeat to the repeating- 
 
 I rifles with which most of their foes were armed, 
 
 \ and to the deadly havoc wrought in their ranks at 
 the battle of Concon by the fire from the rebel 
 war ships. That both sides fought desperately is 
 
THE TRIUMPH OF THE REVOLUTION 279 
 
 P 
 
 ■ evidenced by the fact that, out of rather less than 
 
 ■ 2 M combatant s^ 2,700 w ere killed and 4,800 
 
 _ wounded. 
 
 m Early upon the morning of the 20th, the revo- 
 lutionary transports, twenty in number, a nd escorted 
 by the Qochrane, Esmeralda, and Magellanes, sud- 
 denly appeared in Quinteros Bay, distant, as I have 
 elsewhere stated, about thirty miles by sea from 
 Valparaiso to the north. The Cochrane remained 
 at Quinteros to cover the disembarkation of the 
 troops, whilst the other two war ships proceeded 
 towards Valparaiso to cut off the Lynch and the 
 Condell should they attempt to leave harbour. 
 Being a foggj morning, two small Government i 
 torpedo-boats which were out upon patrol duty did 
 not discover the whereabouts of the war ships until, 
 the fog lifting, they found themselves right under 
 the Esmeralda s guns. It was a touch-and-go \ 
 affair for the Aldea and Quale, but their smallness 
 and speed enabled them to get safely back into port. 
 Clearly the Condell, the Lynch, and these small 
 torpedo-boats should at once, at all hazards, have 
 been let loose amongst the transports. With their 
 high speed, they stood an excellent chance of 
 dodging the men-of-war ; in any case, it was not 
 likely that all four would be sunk without inflicting 
 serious damage. But this was not done^; the rebelsl- 
 were allowed to land unmolested^ a task which they 
 had accomplished by nightfall. The force thus dis- 
 
28o DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 1 800 Naval Brio^ade men, three batteries of field- 
 I ^artillery, and a battery of twelve Gatlings of the 
 / Gardner model, together with a corps of engineers 
 l\ — in all about 10,600 men. By this time, of 
 7 ^ bourse, the Government was fully informed as to 
 I the situation, and decided upon opposing the over- 
 
 l land march of the rebels at a place called Colmo, 
 
 X^ twelve miles south of ^uinteros. By this selection 
 Balmaceda's generals secured the advantage of being 
 enabled to take up a strong position upon high 
 ground, with the river Aconcagua running between 
 them and the enemy. Their only fear was lest the 
 insurgents should decline to attack upon such 
 apparently disadvantageous terms. If they should 
 attack, their defeat was regarded as a foregone con- 
 clusion. "^ The Government forces numbered 8,000 
 infantry, 950 cavalry, with twenty-two field-guns, 
 and were led, in two divisions, by Generals Barbosa 
 and Alzerreca, between whom there unfortunately 
 existed considerable ill-feeling. President Balma- 
 ceda was himself nominally Commander-in-chief, but, 
 not being a soldier, naturally, subject to his express 
 orders, left everything to his military chiefs, and 
 had^ indeed, not yet left Santiago. It was calculated 
 
 ""^ * It is clear, now that fuller information is to hand, that 
 both Balmacedist general entirely underrated the quality 
 of the invading troops. Balmaceda's distinct orders were 
 not to fight at less odds than three to two (and this recalls 
 vividly to my mind my last interview with him). But Barbosa's 
 fiery temper outweighed such injunctions. ' Cmialla !' he 
 exclaimed, * I shall sweep them into the sea !' .6JUitfi_Con- 
 gressional account, moreover, describes his troops as * scSircely 
 8,000 tired, hungry, dispirited men.' 
 
I 
 
 I 
 
 THE TRIUMPH OF THE REVOLUTION 281 
 
 that, when defeated, the insurgents would neces-^ 
 sarily fall back upon Quinteros, where they would 
 be cut to pieces before they could re-embark. -^ 
 Additional troops were upon the way from I 
 Santiago. The beginning of the end appeared to 
 be in sight. J 
 
 But in these calculations two fatal errors Ead ^ 
 been made. The position supposed to be so strong \ 
 was within easy range of the sea, and of the guns I 
 of the Esmeralda and Magellanes, The firmly- I 
 believed-in superiority of the Government troops, | 
 man for man, was a delusion ; the insurgents were 
 better trained, better armed, better led, and were / 
 animated by the conviction that their only hope of / 
 safety lay in winning. The Aconcagua was their ' 
 Rubicon ; once they crossed that, they must do or 
 die. ^ 
 
 The invaders started from Quinteros at day- 
 break, and came within artillery distance of the 
 Government forces at nine o'clock. ^They were 
 formed in three brigades, under Colonels Frias, 
 Vergara, and Enrique Cantos, the uncle of the last- 
 named, also a Colonel Cantos, commanding-in-chief, 
 assisted by the Prussian strategist. Colonel K orner. ^ 
 An advanced guard of Balmaceda's force, consisting " ; 
 of two regiments of infantry and a battery of 
 artillery, occupied some rising ground just beyond 
 the river ; whilst, behind, the main body was spread 
 [over a line nearly four miles in length. ' 
 
 At 11 a.m. the left wing of the insurgent army 
 
DARK DAYS IN CHILE 
 
 commenced the battle by directing a heavy can- 
 nonade against the Government advanced guard, 
 and in a few minutes the artillery upon both sides 
 was hard at work. Then the Esmeralda and 
 the Magellanes came in close to the mouth of the 
 river, and commenced a furious cross-fire upon the 
 advanced guard, also with deadly effect. The latter 
 small force stood to its guns and its ground bravely 
 for two hours, and, by some fatal blundering or 
 difference of opinion amongst the Balmacedist 
 leaders, was left unsupported. Then their fire 
 slackened somewhat, and seeing this, Colonel 
 Cantos ordered a general advance to storm the 
 position. Through the icy waters of the Acon- 
 cagua dashed the insurgents, horse and foot, and up 
 the steep ascent they charged with cries of ' Viva 
 el Congreso P under cover of their artillery in the 
 rear and of the war vessels' cross-fire. Reinforce- 
 ments were now hurriedly sent forward from 
 Balmacedas main body, and a terrible struggle 
 ensued. It was a case of ' Greek meeting Greek ' 
 — of Chilian against Chilian ; and for an hour the 
 Balmacedists, favoured by the ground, held their 
 own. But at the end of that time numbers, backed 
 by artillery, prevailed, and the advanced guard, 
 reduced to a few hundred men, fell back, being 
 compelled to abandon their guns, which the vic- 
 torious insurgents at once turned against Balma- 
 ceda's main body. Had the Government leaders 
 now responded by a general down-hill advance, 
 

 THE TRIUMPH OF THE REVOLUTION 283 
 
 supported by tlieir artillery, it is probable that the 
 Congressional troops, fatigued by their late attack, 
 would have been driven pell-mell into the river 
 Aconcagua, nor could the insurgent batteries or 
 war ships have ventured to fire when once hand-to- 
 hand fighting commenced. But, instead of so 
 doing, the President's army remained entirely upen 
 the defensive — the very worst use that excitable 
 Chilian soldiers can possibly be put to. I have\ 
 over and over again heard their officers declare that 
 one Chilian attacking is worth two defending ; and 
 yet, upon this occasion, this seemingly recognised 
 fact was wholly ignored by those very leaders.^ 
 Colonel Cantos, at all events, profited by it, and 
 pressed his men forward, the artillery still thunder- 
 ing away in the rear, and the war ships dropping 
 shell after shell into the Government position. 
 After two more hours' fighting, Balmaceda's lines 
 broke and retreated, abandoning eighteen field-guns 
 and a large supply of ammunition to the victors. 
 Upwards of. 2,500 Government troops were left 
 upon the field, and of these nearly one -half were 
 
 P * The Chilian soldier is a peculiarly-organized fighting 
 machine. He is by race more than three parts Auracanian, 
 than which no more indomitable nation ever existed. He is 
 pre-eminently and literally bloodthirsty, and he loves to see 
 blood flow from wounds inflicted by his own hand. He uses 
 the rifle, and even the bayonet, as it were, under protest, and 
 can hardly be restrained, when at close quarters, from throw- 
 ing down his fire-arms and hurling himself upon the foe knife 
 in hand. An Englishman attached to the Ambulance told me 
 that after the battle at Pozo al Monte scores of men lay 
 locked in the death-grip, their knives plunged into one another's 
 bodies. 
 
 L 
 
284 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 killed. The slaughter in some of the regiments 
 was terrific. Thus the Temuco regiment lost 520 
 men out of 600. The San Fernando regiment 
 fared even worse, losing 550 out of 600. These 
 were the troops which so long defended the ad- 
 vanced position, and it will be confessed that they 
 did their duty well. Colonel Korner himself, a 
 staff-officer during the Franco-Prussian War, subse- 
 quently declared that he had never heard of, much 
 lless witnessed, such bloody work as took place in 
 Wiis battle. Besides the killed and wounded, 
 /nearly 2,000 men were taken prisoners, and these 
 / all volunteered or were impressed into the insurgent 
 J army. The losses upon the side of the victors 
 \ were considerably less, 1,100 men being placed 
 liors de combat, of whom 360 w^e^TillectT Such 
 was the battle of Colmo or Concon. 
 
 /^^ So soon as news of the disaster reached Santiago, 
 
 / the President made strenuous efforts to despatch 
 reinforcements to Valparaiso, and ordered the 
 
 \ southern garrisons to hasten up to the capital. 
 
 ' But now were seen the results of the dynamite 
 tactics spoken of by my correspondent. Acting in 
 consort wdtli the invaders, and counting the time 
 very exactly, the revolutionary emissaries so 
 wrecked the railway-lines as to render a rapid 
 despatch of troops from the south impossible, and 
 Balmaceda had practically only the garrison of 
 Santiago available. This force, to the number of 
 
L 
 

 THE TRIUMPH OF THE REVOLUTION 287 
 
 I 
 
 about 6,000 men, was sent to the front, he himself 
 announcing his intention of accompanying the 
 southern reserves to Valparaiso, and of command- 
 ing in person at the inevitable decisive battle. 
 Meanwhile his generals were bidden to act entirely 
 upon the defensive, pending his arrival. 
 
 Upon August 22nd the revolutionary army made 
 a determined attack in force upon Vina del Mar, a 
 watering-place five miles east of Valparaiso. This 
 township being~strongly fortified, and possessing an 
 almost impregnable stronghold known as Fort 
 Callao, the Esmeralda and the Cochrane assisted 
 in the bombardment. But here the Government 
 artillery more than held its own ; and as the nature 
 of the ground did not favour an assault with 
 infantry, the Congressional leaders found themselves 
 compelled to retire. This was claimed as a victory 
 by the Government, and inspired renewed hopes 
 amongst its supporters. The President thought 
 so highly of the repulse that, over-sanguine as 
 ever, he did not hesitate to inform the world that 
 the insurgents had got themselves into a trap from 
 which escape would be impossible. And, indeed, 
 had he been able to advance his reserves rapidly 
 from Santiago, and act in consort with General 
 Barbosa's forces from Valparaiso, the situation of 
 the invaders would have been extremely critical. 
 But Colonel Korner knew his business too well to V 
 be thus caught. Upon the 2 4th he fell back upon 
 Sal to, about fifteen miles eastward of Vina del Mar, 
 
2 88 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 where there is a wide railway-bridge spanning an 
 impassable chasm. This bridge was cut, and thus 
 rail- communication was effectually cut off between 
 Santiago and Valparaiso. A desperate and novel 
 attempt was made to prevent the destruction of the 
 bridge by the despatch from Llai-Llai of an iron- 
 clad train bearing artillerymen and Gatling guns. 
 But the artillery of the insurgents proved too 
 strong, and the train was forced to retreat. 
 
 The reader will understand that the failure to 
 capture Vina del Mar having rendered a direct 
 advance upon Valparaiso impossible, it had been 
 decided to make a detour and to attack the mari- 
 time capital from the back. This detour involved 
 a march nearly due east as far as jQiiilpue (twenty- 
 "^ve miles), a south-easterly slant to Las Palmas 
 (twelve miles), a_w.esterly course to Placilla (fifteen 
 1 miles), and a straight march north upon Valpa- 
 raiso (seven miles). Quilpue was accordingly occu-~ 
 r^ pied upon the 25 th, and then the troops rested 
 \ all day, starting at midnight for Las Palmas. 
 This is a superb country~seat belonging to Don 
 Claudio Vicuna, the President-elect ; and, as may 
 be supposed, it suffered pretty severely at the hands 
 of the invaders. The extensive stud-farm was 
 forthwith converted into a shambles. Of this 
 stud-farm poor Don Claudio had always been 
 especially proud, and he had spared no expense in 
 securing the very best cattle and sheep procurable 
 in England. Alas ! prize Herefords and costly 
 

 THE TRIUMPH OF THE REVOLUTION 289 
 
 merinos were ruthlessly slaughtered, and when even 
 the appetites of 12,000 hungry men had been 
 satisfied, the butchery was continued from sheer 
 spite. One report which has reached me states 
 that the chateau itself was pillaged and burnt 
 down ; but this act of vandalism, occupied as the 
 house was by the revolutionary leaders, I cannot 
 bring myself to believe. 
 
 The army remained at Las Palmas all day uponC » 
 the 26th, and was joined by 400 cavalry which had I 
 deserted from the GovernmentTand coolly informed \ 
 Colonel Cantos that they had only awaited a favour- 
 able opportunity for murdering their commanding- I 
 officers to do so. A nice precedent, truly, for a I 
 -Commander-in-chief to condone ! j 
 
 The marches were all made at night, for some~^ 
 not very apparent reason ; and accordingly at mid- 
 night the troops started for Placilla, near which 
 they encamped upon the 27 th, upon a farm known 
 as Las Cadenas. It was then decided to attack "^X 
 the Government troops next day, they occupying I 
 a strong position upon the heights overlooking the / 
 village of Placilla. From deserters it was ascer- 
 tained that they numbered about 9^X100 men. The \ 
 revolutionary army had swollen to \%^^^ in addi- \ 
 tion to the enormous advantage given by the 1 
 field-guns captured at Colmo. - -"""^^ 
 
 Meanwhile the President had mustered about 
 7,000 men, with three batteries of field-guns, but 
 only to find his communication by rail with Valpa- 
 
 19 
 
290 DARK DAYS IN CHILE 
 
 raisQ-idUt^ off. Yet additional reinforcements were 
 coming up from Concepcion, and if he could get 
 within striking distance before the decisive battle 
 all might yet be well. But at this juncture he dis- 
 played a fatal want of decision. His rail-communi- 
 cation was still open up to within twenty-five miles of 
 Valparaiso. There was nothing to have prevented 
 him from making a detour, as the revolutionary 
 army had done, and debouching upon Vina del Mar, 
 whence his road to Valparaiso was but a five-mile 
 march. And he had had four clear days to do 
 this. Yet the plan seems never to have occurred 
 to him or to his advisers ; and absolutely nothing 
 was done. The Congressional leaders were per- 
 fectly well aware of the possibility that Balmaceda 
 might reach Valparaiso by imitating their own 
 tactics, and hence resolved to attack the Govern- 
 ment army at Placilla, before reinforcements should 
 
 Lve. It is known that a strong difference of 
 opinion existed between the Balmacedist generals, 
 Barbosa and Alzerreca, as to the advisability of 
 accepting battle with inferior numbers and inferior 
 artillery ; b ut as both, together jwith nearly their 
 whole-staflfey-were^Jdlled, the' merits of the dispute 
 will probably never be known. Of the battle itself, 
 the following description, from the pen of a Congres- 
 sional staff-officer, is the best which I have seen : 
 
 *Long before daybreak on the 28 th, the first and 
 third brigades were in motion, marching in the 
 direction of Placilla. \The third brigade was 
 
THE TRIUMPH OF THE REVOLUTION 291 
 
 posted on the right wing, 'the first on the lefti 
 while the second was to occupy the centre. 
 Owing to the undulating ground, the first and 
 third brigades were able to get into place without 
 being perceived by the enemy. The latter were 
 posted on high ground overlooking the Placilla 
 plains, occupying two miles in length. Their 
 artillery was massed in the centre, overlooking tEe 
 village, with infantry posted on the slopes below 
 in front of the artillery, as well as all along the 
 heights. On their extreme right was posted 
 another battery of artillery. The cavalry were 
 well out of sight in reserve. This arm fatally 
 neglected their duty before the battle, not a scout 
 being out to observe the enemy's movements. 
 ^About a quarter-past seven the enemy opened an 
 artillery fire on the second brigade, who were ad- 
 vancing across the plains, having been the last to 
 leave the camping-ground. These the Government 
 forces mistook for the leading columns of the Op- 
 position army. The second brigade, however, ad- 
 vanced at the double, and quickly got into their 
 position ; the right and left wings at the same time 
 advancing and opening their fire on the enemy 
 caused the fire to become general, and at half- 
 past seven exactly the battle began. The Iquique 
 regiment on the left, ably seconded by the Con- 
 stitution regiment, were the first to show in the 
 battle. Step by step they could be plainly seen 
 ascending the hill, driving back the enemy's 
 
 L 
 
V 
 
 292 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 infantry, and getting nearer every minute to the 
 enemy's artillery, which was thundering away with- 
 out ceasing from the top of the hill. All this time 
 the right wing had been engaging the enemy's 
 left, and soon began to advance. After about an 
 hour and a half's fighting, the Government left was 
 in such danger that the guns in the centre were 
 turned round, and began firing at the Opposition 
 right wing, which was already outflanking the 
 enemy, the infantry holding the Opposition left 
 wing in check. At this period of the battle the 
 Tarapac^ regiment began to suffer dreadfully from 
 the effects of the enemy's artillery fire, which had 
 been suddenly turned to oppose the advance of the 
 right. To their aid were sent the Esmeralda and 
 Pisagua regiments, under the command of Korner, 
 and, by making a long detour, they completely 
 turned the Government left flank, and, with the 
 Opposition successful on their own left, and the 
 steady advance of the second brigade in the centre, 
 there was nothing left but to send the cavalry 
 forward, who, climbing up the steep hills by the 
 road and on all sides of the heights, came unex- 
 pectedly on the shaken infantry at the top, and 
 turned their defeat into utter route, cutting off the 
 retreat of the two generals, Alzerreca and Barbosa, 
 who were both killed, the latter preferring death 
 surrender. By half-past ten the battle was 
 over, 3,000 men having been taken prisoners. 
 The Government besides must have lost 1,000 
 

 THE TRIUMPH OF THE REVOLUTION 293 
 
 killed and about 1,500 wounded, while the Opposi-^ 
 tion losses are put down at 400 killed and nearly \ 
 1,000 wounded. The battle being over, the vie- ^ 
 
 ptorious troops were quickly reorganized, and the 
 army, preceded by the cavalry, started on its march 
 to Valparaiso, a distance of seven miles from the 
 battle-field. All resistance being now at an end, 
 there only remained to take possession of the town, 
 which was accomplished at one o'clock, and by five 
 o'clock the whole army were in peaceful occupa- 
 tion. Half an hour later the Almirante Cochrane 
 anchored in the bay for the first time since the 
 outbreak of the war.' 
 
 Of course, as soon as the news became known in ^ 
 Valparaiso of the defeat of the Government troops, / 
 there was a rush of leading Balmacedists to place I 
 themselves beyond the reach of Congressional \ 
 vengeance, and such foreign war ships as happened / 
 to be in port were invaded by eager applicants for ^J 
 safe asylums. \The Americans had heretofore stood fHt 
 well-nigh alone in evincmg sy mpathy with the cause . I 
 
 pof the Presi dent, and had given practical proof of 
 this sympathjLJ^y jrohibiting the despatch of arms 
 to Iquiq ue from United States ports, and by a subse- 
 quent determined effor t to capture the arms- freight ed 
 Itata. They had, indeed, been almost as avowedly 
 partisans o f Balma cedp «« t.Hp k^ntia h war sh ips 
 had been o f Congress ; and ha.d th py b^pn rp>prp>- 
 sented;Jy^^anyother living man than Mr. Patri ck 
 Egan, a s Resident Minister, their moral support p 
 
294 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 would have carried far more weight than it did. 
 For reasons to o wp11 iTnown t^ — nood ropntitji]^ 
 he re^ this ill-chosen representative has for ma ny 
 yeajs iStQOfi_l^e; ^nd the pale of British soci ety , 
 a nd the mere fact of his being;-, even as the mou th-_ 
 ^e ce of the Washington G over n Tnftnt^ npnn the 
 P residential side, very greatly intensified th e 
 Briti sh feeling, both in and out of Chile, against 
 Balmaceda. / However, the United States cruiser 
 BaMmore was recognised by the fugitives as their 
 safest place of refuge, and thither very many be- 
 took themselves, amongst others Captain Fuentes 
 of the Lynch i which had been mainly instrumental 
 in sinking the Blanco Encalada upon April 23rd. 
 Knowing that their lives would not be worth one 
 minute's purchase if caught, he and his officers had 
 left the torpedera moored near the jetty, with a 
 scratch crew of twenty men, who had orders to 
 surrender the vessel when summoned to do so. 
 But no such summons came. The Congressional 
 troops no sooner saw the execrated * devil's ship ' 
 than they opened a murderous rifle-fire upon those 
 on deck. The unfortunate crew soon realized that 
 they were doomed men, and in desperation replied 
 with the Catling guns. So hot was the fire from 
 shore, however, that nothing on deck could live. 
 Five tried to escape in a boat, but were riddled 
 almost immediately. Two poor wretches swam 
 for their lives, but foolishly climbing upon the 
 mooring-buoy, were promptly ' potted.' Finally, 
 
I 
 
 THE TRIUMPH OF THE REVOLUTION 295 
 
 all were killed except two, who hid in a stoke-hole, 
 and contrived to swim ashore at night. The other 
 torpederaj the-J Jondellj h ad previously put to sea, 
 still under the command of Captain Moraga, whilst 
 the Imperial was known to be cruising in northern 
 waters, in happy ignorance as yet of recent events. 
 I may anticipate so far as to state that both vessels 
 subsequently surrendered in the Peruvian port of 
 Callao. ^ 
 
 After many hair-breadth 'scapes, Don Claudio ] 
 Vicuna, the President-elect ; Senor JuITo B aiiadT^s / 
 Espinosa ^ Prime Minister : Senator Alfredo Ova lle 1 
 V. ; Ad miral Viel, Intendente of Santiago, and a U 
 few other leading" supporters of the late (jrovern- i] 
 ment, maciiag ed to ^et aboard a German^ man-of- 
 war, and aithouo^h the Congressional leaders tried | 
 hard, upon various pretexts, to get ho ld of them, 
 the German Admiral, by direct comma nd of the 
 "Flnipf^rnr, i^p.rf^m ptorilv refused to give the m up. .1 
 The editor of the Valparaiso Government organ V \ 
 and se veral others were less fortunate, for, bei ng 
 caug ht, they were summarily shot, witho ut 
 even the semblance of a leo^al trial. My friend ^ 
 Mr. Lioewenstein, also a Balmacedist editor, and 
 English, was saved by his nationality. As for \ 
 the populace of Valparaiso, it vivad and cheered 
 pthe victors just as it had, four months previously, 
 vivad and cheered the destroyers of the Blanco 
 \Encalada. Nay, its enthusiasm was now morer 
 ■ genuine, since it was allowed free license to pillage \ 
 
296 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 ythe houses of known Government adherents. The 
 following graphic account of the behaviour of the 
 mob eight hours after Valparaiso had been occupied 
 by the revolutionary troops, taken from a letter 
 ! published in the Times upon October 26th, from an 
 j enthusiastic Congressional adherent in Valparaiso, 
 \ tells its own tale. And this, he adds, is but one 
 \)f the ^ terrible nights ' which ensued. 
 
 * Masses of lurid smoke, and showers of sparks, 
 and tongues of flame poured upwards into the still 
 clear sky. Every now and then, across the open 
 space visible to us, figures rushed wildly, and some- 
 times fell, as we heard the rattle and saw rifles 
 flashing with dire suggestiveness. Presently the 
 firemen's bells tinkled along the street leading to 
 the square, one side of which was roaring with 
 eddying flame and the fall of roofs and timber. 
 Then the cracking of shots increased, the mob, 
 which was bent on plunder, actually opening fire 
 on the engines as they vainly attempted to take 
 up their positions. Meanwhile, by the flaring 
 light of the conflagrations, shops were being burst 
 open and emptied of their contents, no lock or pad- 
 lock being proof against the riddling with rifle- 
 bullets to which they were subjected. With many 
 of the rioters, no doubt, plunder was the main 
 object, but a large proportion of those engaged in 
 the fiendish mischief of these nights acted in a 
 spirit of mere reckless devilry. To speak of the 
 scenes then taking place as " a revel of fiends " is 
 
m 
 I 
 
 THE TRIUMPH OF THE REVOLUTION 299 
 
 no exaggeration of language. People whose houses 
 were situated in the broader streets, in the neigh- 
 bourhood of the lanes crowded with the dens of 
 infamy, describe how both men and women came 
 out from these haunts in the more open spaces, 
 and as they danced frantically the cueca, the 
 national dance to which the lower-class Chilians 
 turn by a sort of instinct in their excitement, 
 every now and then one of those armed with 
 rifles would suddenly raise his weapon, and as a 
 piece of mere wanton sport shoot down, it might 
 be, the unfortunate woman who was gesticulating 
 opposite to him, or perhaps one of the comrades 
 who was accompanying him in his debauch. It ~1 
 has been calculated that by daybreak on the / 
 morning after the decisive battle from 300 to 
 400 corpses were strewed about the streets in I 
 the main body of the town, and that perhaps / 
 fifty of these were the mangled remains of women.* J 
 
 There was no such revelling of fiends in Balma-^ 
 ceda's time, at all events. 
 
 In Santiago the news of the total rout of the ^ 
 Presidential troops was received with the wildest 
 enthusiasm — never during Chilian history had 
 such an opportunity for wholesale plunder, raping, / 
 and destruction presented itself Balmaceda's dim- ^ 
 I culty as to what he should do with his men was 
 speedily solved by the men themselves, who, throw- 
 I ing discipline to the winds, joined with the mob in 
 i the work of devastation. The police, powerless 
 
 I 
 I 
 
300 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 against the revolted soldiery, either joined in also 
 or threw away their uniforms. A division of 
 Congressional troops speedily arrived, but, so long 
 as only the property of Balmacedists was being 
 destroyed, made scarcely a pretence of restoring 
 order. The houses of all supporters of the late 
 Government, from those of the President and of 
 Don Claudio Vicuna to those of their most insig- 
 nificant adherents, were wrecked, and in many 
 cases burnt to the ground. 
 
 Balmaceda disappeared. In vain he was sought 
 for, hunted for ; nowhere could he be discovered, and 
 the belief gained ground that he was attempting to 
 cross the Cordillera into Argentine territory. In- 
 
 Ldeed, an apparently well -authenticated report stated 
 that he had been shot in the snow in an altercation 
 with his muleteer. 
 ^^ The Congressional leader, Senor Jorje Montt, at 
 I once assumed the office of President, the Rump of 
 the old time-expired Congress forming itself pro- 
 visionally into the legislative body known as the 
 Junta^ or Assembly. It was announced that fresh 
 general elections would be held as soon as possible, 
 meaning, of course, as soon as the Balmacedist 
 governors, intendentes, and other officials should 
 be replaced by Senor Montt's nominees. And 
 these elections were to be quite * free.' Of course ; 
 as free, possibly, as they had been at the last 
 voting. Certainly not more so — probably a good 
 deal less. 
 
THE TRIUMPH OF THE REVOLUTION 301 
 
 Then began the game of confiscation. By what 
 shadow of right a self-elected ' President ' and the 
 tag-end of a Congress, whose legal existence had 
 expired three months before, proceeded to annex 
 the goods, chattels, and bank balances of their 
 defeated political opponents is a hopeless and 
 useless question to inquire into. Whatever can 
 be urged in justification thereof might with equal 
 legal weight secure a general amnesty for the 
 inmates of Dartmoor. They had not even prece- 
 dent to go by, since the late Government had 
 carefully refrained from injuring or stealing the 
 property of the enormously wealthy Congressional 
 partisans, with the exception of certain horses 
 requisitioned for cavalry and artillery purposes. ^^ 
 ,/ Upon September 18th Balmaceda's tenure of the 
 Presidency legally expired, and upon the 19th the 
 news went forth that he had shot himself in the 
 Argentine Legation at Santiago. At this period 
 the outside world was almost entirely dependent 
 upon a highly-imaginative correspondent of the Neiv 
 York Heixdd for its Chilian news, and he certainly 
 ' kept the pot boiling.' But a few days previously 
 he had telegraphed a circumstantial* description of 
 Balmaceda's escape to a foreign man-of-war, dis- 
 guised as a drunken sailor, and he had specially 
 emphasized the histrionic skill displayed by the 
 fugitive President on the occasion ; an eye-witness 
 could not have been more exact. The suicide 
 version he also telegraphed in extenso, together 
 
 > 
 
 J 
 
302 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 with farewell letters alleged to have been written 
 by Balmaceda. Subsequent telegrams confirmed 
 the intelligence ; but the body would seem to have 
 been buried with uncalled-for secrecy and speed. 
 By the time this book is published the exact truth 
 will be known, but upon the date on which I write 
 these lines (October 26th) I confess to still entertain- 
 y-ijig doubts as to the ex-President's demise. It is clear 
 
 / that the best possible way of checking inquiry and 
 pursuit would be by announcing the hunted man s 
 death ; and it is clear also thatVno indisputable 
 evidence of his death has as yet been adduced. 
 The nearest approach to such evidence is contained 
 in a letter said to have been left in charge of Senor 
 Uriburu, the Argentine Minister, and of which the 
 following is a resume. It is addressed to his three 
 brothers. After stating that his term of office was" 
 ended that dav, he said he had reviewed the whole 
 affair, and . had arrived at the conclusion that he 
 would be no longer able to continue in his asylum 
 
 / in the Argentine Legation without compromising 
 his protector, Senor Uriburu. He expressed the 
 fear that his enemies were about to bring about a 
 tragedy which would damage the Argentine Lega- 
 tion. He disdained making any further attempt to 
 escape. He had intended to give himself up, but, 
 owing to his belief that the insurgent leaders would 
 respect nothing, he had altered his mind and would 
 make a personal sacrifice. This course was the 
 onlv one left him to lessen the misfortunes of his 
 
THE TRIUMPH OF THE REVOLUTION 303 
 
 friends. H^ had written letters to Senor Claudio 
 Vicuna, Senor Baiiados Espinosa, which would be 
 
 ^sent in^charge of Senor Uriburu, and had asked 
 
 "the last-named to deliver to Senor Eusebio Lillo for j 
 publication a document which would prove of his- 1 
 
 ^ tonc3_valiifi. * Europe/ the writer proceeds, * will^^^~~^^2~— 
 then comprehend my conduct. There are moments 
 iiTone's life when its sacrifice is the only course 4eft 
 to a gentleman of honour. I set about the final .- / 
 act~of my career with a calm mind. . My death may '^'^\ y 
 alleviate the rage of my enemies against those who 
 
 "supported me. Watch over my children. I have 
 cliarged Espinosa t6~write a history of my adminis- 
 tration. I never told Emila that his wife should 
 lend her assistance to his task. The distance from 
 this world to the other is less than we imagine. 
 We shall see one another again, when we shall be 
 without the grief and bitterness which now sur- 
 round us. Watch oyer__ouiLmother. Befriend our 
 friends.' 
 
 »0f course if this letter (dated September 1 8th) be 
 genuine, it is highly probable that the intention of 
 suicide implied in the * personal sacrifice ' was 
 carried out ; but the reference to the late ^rime 
 Minister as * Espinosa ' instead of as * Banados ' 
 looks more like the work of a foreign than of a 
 Chilian hand."^ However, time will tell. 
 
 f * A somewhat curious old Spanish custom survives in Chile, " 
 
 lof adding the mother's maiden name to the patronymic. Thus 
 
 the name of the Minister in question is JuffbrHBafi^iSos. But 
 
 his mother's family name being Espinosa, he is known as Julio 
 
304 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 The outlying garrisons had, of course, no option 
 /tut to place themselves at the disposal of the 
 victorious Congressional authorities. Such of the 
 officers as could made their escape ; the rest were 
 thrown into prison, for the crime, apparently, of 
 having remained loyal to the legally-established 
 Government. \One unfortunate, an . especial friend 
 of mine. Colonel Carvalho, commanding the forces 
 at Coquimbo, got aboard a British steamer bound 
 for Callao ; but at Iquique, where the vessel called, 
 an armed party came on board and forcibly removed 
 him, the protection of the Union Jack being ap- 
 parently reserved for rebels. Needless to add that 
 the splendid army at Coquimbo never had a chance 
 of firing a shot, and the regiments stationed there 
 were the yery flower of Balmaceda's troops.. 
 
 The triumph of the revolution has been viewed 
 in Europe as a guarantee for future peace and pro- 
 gress in Chile, and Chilian stocks at once rose from 
 74 to 91. Upon what this hopeful hypothesis is 
 based I do not know. In a previous chapter I 
 have gone at some length into the condition of 
 political parties in the Republic, and to that chapter 
 I would ask the reader to refer. The victory of 
 the insurgents means the victory of the Clericals, 
 the aristocratic (for want of a better term) Montt- 
 VaristaSj and the plutocrat ConservadoreSj aided 
 
 Banados Espinosa, commonly written Julio Banados E. 
 Where but one name is employed in speaking to or of a person, 
 the first or second is used — never the third. 
 
THE TRIUMPH OF THE REVOLUTION 305 
 
 by dissatisfied factions of the Liberal Party. The 
 object striven for has been accompHshed. Balma- 
 ceda has fallen. But what next ? Into whose 
 hands is the administration to pass ? Who are to 
 enjoy the loaves and fishes of office, Liberals or 
 Conservatives ? The acting ' President ' is Jorje | 
 Montt, son of Manuel Montt, who for ten years i 
 (1851-61) governed Chile with a rod of iron in 
 conjunction with his chosen Prime Minister, Varas. 
 In his day also a revolution was attempted, but was 
 crushed with pitiless severity. He was the great 
 apostle of government of the masses by the classes, 
 and his political descendants, the Montt- Yaristas, 
 revere his policy. \ It may be possible for the three 
 sections of the Conservative Party to act in some 
 sort of unison, but how is it possible for the 
 Liberals to bow their heads to the Conservative / 
 yoke ? Now, with all the influence which the ^ 
 existing position of Senor Montt as acting Presi- 
 dent confers, the Conservatives in the recently held 
 elections have secured but thirty-seven seats in the 
 Chamber of Deputies, as against fifty-five won by 
 the Liberals, whilst in the Senate the Liberal vote 
 is still more preponderating. The election of a 
 new President has not yet even been mooted, but 
 sooner or later it must be done. Will he be Con- 
 servative or Liberal ? If the former, how can he, 
 with a Liberal majority in Congress, govern upon 
 Conservative principles without overriding the 
 ■Chamber, as Manuel Montt openly did, and as 
 l_ 20 
 
3o6 DARK DAYS IN CHILE 
 
 Balmaceda is said by his enemies to have done ? 
 
 /^If the future President be a Liberal, as he almost 
 
 "^ certainly will be unless force be brought to bear 
 
 \ upon the electors, how will he govern in the teeth 
 
 \ of a strong Conservative minority, aided, as before, 
 
 by discontented or disappointed Liberal factions ? 
 
 The man does not live who could reconcile these 
 
 factions, simply because the loaves and fishes are 
 
 not numerous enough for all, and the ' outs ' will be 
 
 rin chronic opposition to the * ins.' Upon this rock 
 of attempted unification of the national Liberal 
 Party Balmaceda came to grief, and so, assuredly, 
 will any succeeding President, were he the veriest 
 miser of public money, who shall attempt the same 
 task. 
 
 For a short time, no doubt, the newly-elected 
 Congress will be unanimous enough in plundering 
 Balmacedist adherents and undoing the legislation 
 of Balmaceda's last Congress. But then will begin 
 the struggle for supremacy. Quite possibly Senor 
 Montt will prorogue the Chambers until June, and 
 so have a free hand for arranging the details of the 
 inevitable Presidential election. If not, the contest 
 will commence earlier ; that is all. 
 ^ As I write these concluding lines, there would 
 / appear to be a possibility of serious trouble arising 
 ^ V between Chile and the United States. At 
 least one American sailor, Regan, has been mur- 
 dered, and several more of the crew of the Balti- 
 more savagely assaulted by sailors of the Chilian 
 
V TI. 
 
 THE TRIUMPH OF THE REVOLUTION 307 
 
 fleet, aided and abetted by the Valparaiso new 
 police. Moreover, an impression prevails that the 
 authorities have deliberately connived at these 
 attacks. Why, it may be asked, should Senor 
 Montt and his advisers expose the country, still 
 palpitating from the effects of the late bloody civil 
 war, to the danger of a war with a power so over- 
 whelming as the United States ? Well, as a matter 
 of national policy it would be ultimately most 
 disastrous ; but as a matter of Conservative policy 
 it would temporarily serve a turn, especially if it be 
 done quickly. Senor Montt, and the Conservatives 
 generally, must now see clearly that, although they 
 figure so prominently as leaders of the revolution 
 which deposed the Liberal leader, Balmaceda, the 
 Chilian people is ungrateful enough to remain 
 Liberal when it comes to the ballot-boxes. They 
 may, furthermore, be credited with sufficient judg- 
 ment to realize that their only chance lies in regain- 
 ing the popular affections by some dashing cowp. 
 Now, the great Chilian national idol is CaptainV 
 Prat, who lost his wooden ship, the Esmeralda, his 
 whole crew, and his own life, in an insane attempt 
 to fight the Peruvian ironclad Huascar. The 
 Americans are just now absolutely detested in 
 Chile, and any statesman bold enough to defy the 
 American squadron would bid fair to depose Prat 
 in the popular estimation. Besides, the American 
 ships now in Chilian waters are no match for the 
 Chilian fleet. The Baltimore and San Francisco 
 
 J 
 
 b 
 
3o8 DARK DA YS IN CHILE 
 
 are very fine cruisers, but they are not ironclads. 
 Two smaller American war ships are also within 
 hail. But the Chilians have available two ironclads, 
 three first-class cruisers, five well-armed wooden 
 corvettes, two torpedo-catchers (my old friends, the 
 Lynch and Condell), and several torpedo-boats. As 
 regards fighting qualities, the Chilians have given 
 abundant proofs of their courage ; nor was I much 
 impressed by the large percentage of negroes which 
 I saw amongst the crew of the Baltimore. Finally, 
 Chilians cannot be expected to understand Great 
 Britain's policy in dealing with great Powers ; it is 
 commonly understood that a deadly international 
 feud exists between England and the United States, 
 and the wish might easily father the thought into 
 believing that the Warspite would be dragged into 
 the quarrel. I do not venture to hazard a conjec- 
 ture as to how the difficulty which has arisen will 
 be settled. Most probably, I suppose, an apology 
 will be made and an indemnity paid. But I firmly 
 believe that, were the soul of Napoleon in the body 
 of Senor Jorje Montt, a popular naval war would 
 be hazarded as the only possible means of bringing 
 about a Conservative reaction. 
 
 My task, such as it has been, is done. I have 
 endeavoured to chronicle a dark chapter in Chilian 
 annals by the light of such individual powers of 
 judgment and observation as I possess. Other 
 pens will doubtless treat the same questions from 
 
p 
 
 THE TRIUMPH OF THE REVOLUTION 309 
 
 entirely different aspects. And this is quite in the 
 fitness of things. My chief regret is that I cannot 
 see the silver lining to the cloud which so many 
 others have seen reflected from the revolutionary 
 bayonets. My chief sorrow is that so many persons'/ 
 endeared to me during my stay in Chile are dead 
 or in exile. 
 
NOTE ON THE CONSTITUTION AND POLITICAL 
 PARTIES OF CHILE. 
 
 The Chilian Constitution. 
 
 {Extracts bearing upon questions at issue between President and 
 
 Congress.) 
 
 Article I. — The Government of Chile is popular-represen- 
 tative. 
 
 Aet. XIII. — The legislative power is vested in the national 
 Congress, composed of two Chambers, one of Deputies, the 
 other of Senators. 
 
 Art. XVIII. — The Chamber of Deputies is composed of 
 members elected by the departments by direct vote. 
 
 Art. XX. — The Chamber of Deputies shall be wholly re- 
 newed every three years. 
 
 Art. XXIV. — The Senate is composed of members elected 
 by direct vote of the provinces, at the rate of one senator for 
 every three deputies. 
 
 Art. XXVI. — Senators shall be renewed every three years ^ 
 (with certain modifications). 
 
 Art. XXXVI. — The functions of Congress are (principally) — 
 To approve or reject ann ually the Supply Bill for the 
 expenses of the public administration submitted by 
 the Government. 
 To approve or disapprove a declaration of war proposed 
 by the President. 
 1/ To pass special temporary laws to restrain the liberty 
 of Individuals or of the press. 
 
■ NOTE ON THE CHILIAN CONSTITUTION 311 
 
 B Art. XXXVII. — Only by virtue of a law can — 
 
 H Taxes be imposed or removed. 
 
 ^B The expenses of administration be annually fixed. 
 
 ^K The forces by land and sea be regulated as to number. 
 
 ^B Debts be contracted, or previously-incurred debts be 
 
 H sanctioned. 
 
 ■ (Expenses are decreed for eighteen months only, as are 
 f likewise the land and sea forces fixed.) 
 
 Art. LII. — Congress shall commence its ordinary sessions 
 upon June 1st of each year, and shall close them upon 
 September 1st. 
 
 Art. LIII. — When convoked to an extraordinary session, 
 Congress shall occupy itself with the business for which it is 
 convoked, to the exclusion of all other business. 
 
 Art. LVII. — Before concluding its ordinary sessions,' each 
 Chamber of Congress shall annually elect seven members to 
 form the Constitutional Committee^ which shall form a single 
 body, and whose functions shall expire on the 31st of the 
 following May. 
 
 Art.LVIII. — It is the duty of the Constitutional Committee — 
 To watch over the due observance of the constitution 
 
 and of the laws. 
 To bring under the President's notice such statements 
 as may conduce to this object. And if these state- 
 ments hinge upon the evil-doings of the authorities 
 immediately dependent upon the President, and he 
 shall not pay heed thereto, it shall be understood that 
 the President and the Minister in fault accept full 
 responsibility for such conduct of inferior authorities.^ 
 To give or withhold its approval with respect to the 
 
 actions of the President. 
 To request the President to convoke Congress to extra- 
 ordinary sessions should circumstances, in its judg- 
 ment, render such course necessary. 
 To render an account of its stewardship to Congress, to 
 which it is responsible. 
 Art. LIX. — A citizen, with the title of * President of the 
 KepubHc of Chile,' shall govern the State, and is the supreme 
 chief of the nation. 
 
 k 
 
312 NOTE ON THE CHILIAN CONSTITUTION 
 
 Art. LXI. — The President of the Eepubhc shall continue in 
 the exercise of his functions for a period of five years, and 
 cannot be re-elected for the ensuing period. 
 
 Art. LXIII. — The President of the Eepublic shall be elected 
 by electors nominated by the people by direct vote. ^The 
 number of electors shall be three times the number of deputies 
 returnable by each department. 
 
 Art. LXIV. — The nomination of electors shall take place in 
 departments upon June 25th in the last year of a Presidency. 
 The electors must possess deputy-qualifications {i.e., enjoy all 
 rights of citizenship and of franchise, and have an income of 
 at least $500 a year). 
 
 Art. LXV. — The electors, assembled upon the ensuing 28th 
 day of July, shall proceed to the election of a President. 
 
 Art. LXXX. — The President-elect, on taking office, shall 
 take the following oath, in the presence of his predecessor and 
 of both Houses of Congress : ' I, N. N., swear by our Lord 
 God and the Holy Gospels, that I shall faithfully discharge 
 the office of President of the Eepublic ; that I shall observe 
 and protect the Catholic, Apostolic, Eoman religion ; that I 
 shall maintain the integrity and independence of the Eepublic, 
 and that I shall safeguard and cause to be safeguarded the 
 constitution and the laws. And so may God help me and pro- 
 tect me ; and if not, may He call me to account.' 
 
 Art. LXXXI. — To the President of the Eepublic i? entrusted 
 the administration and government of the State ; and his 
 authority extends to everything having for its object the pre- 
 servation of public order internally, and the external security 
 of the Eepubhc, observing and enforcing the constitution and 
 the laws. 
 
 Art. LXXXII. — The following are the especial functions of 
 the President : 
 
 To take part in making laws as sanctioned by the con- 
 stitution ; to approve and promulgate them. 
 TsL,issue decrees, regulations, and instructions which he 
 may deem advantageous towards the execution of 
 laws. 
 To prorogue the ordinary sessions of Congress for a 
 period not exceeding fifty days. 
 
^^^ POLITICAL PARTIES IN CHILE 313 
 
 tv To summon Congress to extraordinary sessions, with 
 
 the approval of the Council of State. 
 
 i-^ To appoint and remove at his pleasure all Cabinet 
 
 Ministers and their subordinates, the Councillors of 
 
 ^k State of his selection, Envoys, Consuls, and other 
 
 ^B agents abroad, Intendentes of provinces, and Governors 
 
 ^P of towns. 
 
 \/To appoint the judges both of higher and inferior courts, 
 upon the recommendation of the Council of State. 
 To dispose of the sea and land forces, organize them, 
 
 and distribute them as he may deem advisable. 
 To declare one or many places in the Eepublic in a 
 state of siege, in case of foreign attack, with assent 
 of the Council of State. (,In case of civil strife, such 
 declaration resides with Congress ; but if the latter 
 be not in session, the President may declare one or 
 more places in a state of siege, with assent of Council 
 of_State,, and for a specified time. 
 Abt. LXXXIIl. — The President of the Eepublic can be 
 impeached, (only within one year of quitting ofi&ce^for all acts 
 of his administration in which he may have seriously compro- 
 mised the honour or the security of the State, or have openly 
 violated the constitution. 
 
 Art. CII. — There shall be a_Counci l of State composed in 
 the following manner : 
 
 Thrae members shall be elected by the Senate, three by 
 the Chamber of Deputies, and five by the President, 
 who shall preside at the Council. 
 
 The other Articles need not be quoted, as they do not touch 
 upon disputed grounds. 
 
 PoiiiTicAL Parties in Chile. 
 
 It has been said that Chile has never been a Republic in 
 aught save name. The natural division of parties under a 
 really Eepublican regime would be into Eepublicans and Demo- 
 crats. In Chile the rival parties are broadly grouped as Con- 
 servatives and Liberals. [Neither Conservatives nor Liberals 
 are united in political ideas.) The former are split into three 
 
314 
 
 POLITICAL PARTIES IN CHILE 
 
 Conservatives. 
 
 Liberals. 
 
 <y 
 
 sections ; the latter into four. And these sections at the 
 period of the outbreak of civil war may be enumerated and 
 defined as follows : 
 
 Montt-Varistas, who believed in aristo- 
 cratic government. 
 Glericales, who advocated government 
 
 through priestly influence. 
 Conserv adores, who held what may be 
 termed Conservative opinions, without 
 , extreme views. 
 
 'Liberates del Gobierno, who approved Bal- 
 maceda's efforts to reconcile all shades 
 of Liberal opinion by distributing, as far 
 as possible, the loaves and fishes of office 
 all round. 
 Nacionales, who scouted this pohcy as 
 unfair to supporters of the old Liberal 
 Party which had returned him to office. 
 Sueltos, i.e., Free Lances who went, each 
 faction, for its own hand.^ Hence there 
 were as many varieties of Sueltos as dis- 
 satisfied leaders of cliques. 
 Badicales, who were out-and-out Demo- 
 crats, and came to view Balmaceda's 
 policy as (to quote Senor Mclver, a well- 
 known public man) * favouring a Con- 
 ^ servative reaction.' 
 In the end, the Liberates del Gobierno found the other 
 Liberal sections arrayed against them as well, of course, as 
 the Conservatives. And hence the political dead-lock. 
 
 \J 
 
APPENDIX A. 
 
 THE TEANSANDINE EAILWAY. 
 
 The traveller will, in the not distant future, be spared the task 
 of crossing the Andes on muleback ; and this, to many, will be 
 a source of unmixed satisfaction. Those whose business takes 
 them frequently to and from Buenos Aires and Valparaiso are 
 apt to grow weary of the slow-moving macho, and to inveigh 
 against the discomforts of the mountain posadas. But the 
 tourist can generally enjoy a somewhat rough * outing,' 
 provided it be compensated for by sublime scenery and novel 
 experiences, and to him I speak words of warning: * Contrive 
 your trip within the next two years, or you will miss the mule 
 part of the programme, and be unable to narrate to your 
 grandchildren how you crossed the Cordillera ' (for the railway 
 is going through, not over, the highest peaks). To me it is 
 matter for considerable surprise that the trip across the South 
 American continent so seldom enters into the plans of my 
 globe - trotting fellow - countrymen, nor have I the slightest 
 hesitation in afl&rming that no one could ever return dis- 
 appointed from such a tour. The difficulties and dangers 
 which formerly existed have disappeared before the skill and 
 energy of the engineer, and perhaps were the route more 
 generally known, more travellers would enjoy the opportunity 
 of beholding Nature at her grandest and most sublime. 
 I But it is not only the tourist who reaps, and will reap, 
 
 ■ the advantages conferred by the Transandine Kailway. The 
 
 ■ business man and the speculator (ever upon the look-out for a 
 
3i6 APPENDIX A. 
 
 ♦ good thing ') also look forward to the completion of the 
 gigantic undertaking with keen interest. Indeed, I have been 
 asked more questions relative to the progress and prospects of 
 the iron road, destined to connect the Atlantic with the 
 Pacific, than about even Balmaceda and the sinking of the 
 Blanco Encalada. And this is why, in the interests alike of 
 intending travellers and of intending investors, I append a 
 short descriptive account of the enterprise. 
 
 Buenos Aires is nearly 850 miles distant from Valparaiso, of 
 which 760 miles are in Argentina and 90 miles in Chile. The 
 traveller does the first 430 miles of the journey by the Buenos 
 Aires and Pacific Eailway, as far as Villa Mercedes. Here the 
 line of the Argentine Great Western commences, terminating 
 at Mendoza, 220 miles further on. I At Mendoza the Tran- 
 sandine ascent commences, and for 110 miles the line (not yet 
 completed) belongs to an English company, which purchased 
 the concession from Messrs. Clark, still retaining the services 
 of these gentlemen as contractors for the work. At the 
 Chilian frontier this English - owned section meets the final 
 Chilian section, which runs to Santa Eosa de Los Andes, a 
 further distance of 40 miles, and which is still owned by the 
 Messrs. Clark. From Santa Eosa to Valparaiso is a distance 
 of nearly 54 miles, covered by the Chilian Government line. 
 The entire distance from ocean to ocean will consequently be 
 accomplished by five difi'erent railway lines. The line to 
 Mendoza has a gauge of 5 feet 6 inches. The Transandine lines 
 (Mendoza to Los Andes) are 3 feet 3 inches in gauge. And the 
 Chilian Government gauge is 5 feet. So that passengers and 
 cargo will have to be transferred twice on the journey. 
 I Mendoza is 2,376 feet above sea -level, and Santa Eosa 
 2,704 feet ; but the lowest pass between the two towns attains 
 an altitude of 12,467 feet, and consequently an elevation of 
 nearly 10,000 feet has to be overcome. To add to the difficulty, 
 the ascent from t^e Chilian side is three times as steep as 
 upon the side from Argentina ; and it was at first believed 
 that a considerable detour would have to be made, involving, 
 probably, frequent use of the * zigzag ' system adopted in New 
 South Wales in crossing the Blue Mountains. But the intro- 
 duc tion of what is known as the * Abt ' system rendered this 
 
APPENDIX A, 
 
 deviation unnecessary. This * Abt ' system overcomes steep 
 gradients by means of a longitudinal rack laid between the 
 rails and strongly bolted to the sleepers. The locomotives are 
 provided with toothed wheels, which work in this rack in such 
 a manner that six teeth are constantly engaged, and a firm 
 grip thus secured. Gradients as high as 8 per cent, can thus 
 be easily surmounted. The * Abt ' plan will be used for a 
 distance of 12 miles upon the Chilian side, and the last 
 10 miles approaching the summit from the Argentine side. 
 
 It will readily be understood that the engineering difficulties 
 upon a line crossing ranges abounding in mountain torrents, 
 and passing an altitude far above the winter snow level, are 
 enormous. Many large bridges of the strongest and most 
 costly description have to be provided, Nature having, 
 however, supplied one (and an extraordinary phenomenon it 
 is) at Puente del Inca. v The track has to be of the most solid 
 character, often, indeed, a mere ledge cut out of the mountain 
 side. V And the tunnels would long ago have disheartened less 
 daring pioneers than the Messrs. Clark. Of these the longest 
 will be 5,540 yards, passing through the summit of the 
 Cordillera, 2,000 yards below its highest peak, from the 
 Argentine side. Following this will comeUhe Calavera tunnel, 
 4,100 yards long, upon the ChiHan side, and then the Portillo 
 tunnel, which will have fair claims to be regarded as the most 
 remarkable example of railway mining in the world. It will 
 be 1,840 yards in length, in the course of which it will make a 
 double spiral turn, corkscrew fashion, to overcome the exces- 
 sively steep gradients, one terminus being 440 feet lower than 
 the other. Two other tunnels, one 1,395, and the other 1,207, 
 yards long, will follow in succession until El Juncal (7,218 feet 
 above sea-level) is reached. When one reflects that thesejive 
 tunnels, to say nothing of several shorter ones, mean per- 
 forating more than 14,000 yards of soUd rock, one is fain to 
 admit that the task is a stupendous one. Drilling has been 
 found necessary, and has to be effected under every possible 
 disadvantage. In the great tunnels of Mont Cenis and 
 St. Gothard drilling machinery was also used, the motive 
 power being air compressed by the aid of steam-engines and 
 water-power. But in the Andes absolutely no fuel exists near 
 
3x8 APPENDIX A. 
 
 the summit, and the cost of transport from the nearest source 
 of supply would be ruinous. Water-power, indeed, exists 
 abundantly, but at considerable distances from the sites of the 
 proposed tunnels. How utilize it? It has been done by 
 adopting a system of electrical transmission, which has been 
 found to answer admirably. \ls there not something grand 
 about modern science, which can thus bring one great power of 
 Nature to overcome the obstacles thrown in the path of 
 progress by Nature herself? Ail the machinery had to be 
 conveyed, of course, on muleback. The weight of iron pipes 
 made it necessary to substitute steel ones, of 20-inch diameter 
 and of thicknesses varying with the pressure of different 
 portions of the conduit. The water, forced along at consider- 
 able pressure through these pipes, is used for driving Girard- 
 turbines, each of 80 horse-power at 700 revolutions per 
 minute, and working a dynamo giving 135 amperes at 400 
 volts. From such installations the power is transmitted by 
 copper cables, specially insulated, to the points where the 
 drilling operations are in progress. 
 
 The line is now available from Mendoza to Punta de Las 
 Vacas. Upon my trip, it will be remembered, it only went as 
 far as Uspallata. So that, actually, the only mule -riding 
 involved is between Las Vacas and Juncal, about 40 miles. 
 At Juncal a carriage may be procured to Santa Eosa. 
 
 It may be stated that the Transandine line should, according 
 to first estimates, now be completed. But the disastrous 
 financial troubles in Argentina, followed by the outbreak of 
 civil war in Chile, have so far retarded the works that, at the 
 very least, two years more will be required to finish them, the 
 tunnels being the chief source of delay, coupled with the still- 
 existing difl&culties in the way of securing sufficient capital to 
 press matters on to completion. And here, naturally, the 
 pertinent question arises : Will the line pay ? One can only 
 estimate the comparative probabilities. 
 
 When once the Transandine line shall have been completed, 
 the systems which go towards forming the Transcontinental 
 Eailway will enter into competition with the sea-route vid 
 Magellan Straits, both as regards passengers and freight. ^ At 
 present the charge for a first-class fare by steamer from 
 
APPENDIX A. 
 
 Buenos Aires to Valparaiso is £40, the time occupied averaging 
 fourteen days. When the railway is through, however, the 
 first-class fare would not exceed £10, of which £5 would 
 represent the sum paid to the Transandine lines. The time 
 would be about sixty hours, probably considerably less. Of 
 course the steamships would have to lower their fares, but the 
 gain in time would still be an important factor in favour of the 
 railway. 
 
 At present, as has been stated elsewhere, the Cordillera is 
 passable for but five months in the year, during which time 
 about 8,000 persons cross it on muleback. It may fairly be 
 assumed that this number would be at least doubled were the 
 Une completed, and, moreover, the journey could be performed 
 all through the year. Upon this assumption, about 38,000 
 persons would cross, paying £190,000 per annum to the Trans- 
 andine lines. Again, the cattle trade between Argentina and 
 Chile {via Uspallata) now aggregates 50,000 head annually, the 
 losses suffered during the rough and pastureless Journey being 
 enormous, and several months' fattening being necessary to fit 
 the survivors for market. The railway will obviate these losses 
 and delays. It is proposed to charge £2 per head, so that, even 
 at present numbers, a gross income of £100,000 may fairly be 
 expected from this source. 
 
 It is estimated that about 2,000 tons of goods will cross 
 monthly from Mendoza to Santa Eosa, and vice versa. This, 
 at £4 per ton, should yield £96,000 a year. Considerable trafific 
 is also expected from the silver and copper mines of the Argen- 
 tine Andine provinces. This, together with carriage of produce 
 and sundries, may reasonably be estimated at £30,000 per 
 annum. The profits from mail-service are not taken into 
 account. 
 
 The total estimated gross earnings would thus amount to 
 £416,000 per annum, of which, allowing 60 per cent, for work- 
 ing expenses, £166,400 would represent net income. The 
 guaranteed interest on the preference share and debenture 
 capital amounts to £133,870, leaving a credit margin of 
 £32,530. 
 
 One other important point remains to be noticed. The New 
 Zealand Government proposes to establish a mail-service, vid 
 
320 APPENDIX B. 
 
 Magellan Straits, with London, and some time ago invited 
 tenders for the construction of the necessary vessels, yt would 
 obviously be more expedient to run the mail-ships between 
 New Zealand and Valparaiso, whereby not only would trade 
 spring up between Australasia and South America, but, by 
 means of the Transcontinental railway, a saving of eight or nine 
 days would be effected vici Buenos Aires. It would, moreover, 
 be a pleasant alternative route for colonists visiting England, 
 or for Englishmen proceeding to the Australasian colonies, and 
 would probably be well patronized. 
 
 Hence it would appear that, from every point of view, the 
 Transandine Eailway will do good work, and will start with 
 excellent prospects as the final link between the Southern 
 Atlantic and the Southern Pacific. \Most assuredly, if ever un- 
 daunted courage in overcoming obstacles deserved success, 
 Messrs. John and Matthew Clark should reap it in full 
 measure. 
 
 APPENDIX B. 
 
 THE VALUE OF TOEPEDOES IN NAVAL WAEFAEE. 
 
 Ever since the introduction of the Whitehead torpedo as a per- 
 fected factor in naval warfare, expert opinions have differed 
 widely as to the advisability of continuing to construct costly 
 ironclads, which apparently lie at the mercy of these submarine 
 monsters. The contest had previously lain between size of 
 guns and thickness of armour-plating, each additional inch of 
 muzzle diameter being met by a corresponding increase in 
 armour ; and as it has been found that there is a limit to the 
 size of guns, so far as their effective working at sea is con- 
 cerned, and that this limit does not exceed the potential 
 resisting-power of a ship's sides, the advocates of heavily- 
 armoured ironclads held their own in the discussion, and 
 floating fortresses of the 'Nile and Boyal Sovereign types con- 
 tinue to be added to our fleet. But to the potential destruc- 
 tive power of the torpedo there is practically no limit ; the 
 most powerful war ship afloat would, if smitten fairly by one of 
 
APPENDIX B. 321 
 
 these deadly missiles, disappear under water within a few 
 minutes. Indeed, an ironclad is more at the mercy of a 
 torpedo than is an unarmoured vessel, the superior buoyancy 
 of the latter offering at least the chance of sufficient time to 
 save the crew. 
 
 The opponents of the costly, heavily-armoured type of war 
 ship emphasize the folly of constructing a vessel costing three- 
 quarters of a million sterling, when three or perhaps four un- 
 armoured and (so far as torpedoes are concerned) safer ships 
 could be built for the same money. The value of the ironclad 
 as a battleship against other ironclads, or against forts, is not 
 disputed ; but it is held that the risk incurred from torpedoes 
 more than outweighs the fighting advantages. 
 
 To this the advocates of the armour-plating system retort 
 that ironclads of the most powerful type are absolutely indis- 
 pensable to a modern fleet, which without them would be 
 powerless to act against a hostile squadron or to come within 
 range of a fort ; that the risk resulting from torpedoes would 
 have to be run were it even far greater than it is, and that pre- 
 cautions are available to minimise this risk. 
 
 There cannot, it would seem, be much doubt that this latter 
 view is the correct one. The idea of opposing a fleet of un- 
 armoured ships, however numerous, to even a moderate 
 squadron of ironclads is, upon the face of it, preposterous, to 
 say nothing of the forts. Armoured ships are essential. They 
 have a terrible and unseen foe to guard against ; but they must 
 do it as best they can, and take their chance. Moreover, that 
 chance is a very much better one than alarmists seem disposed 
 to believe. 
 
 I think that too much importance has been attached to the 
 sinking of the Blanco Encalada. The ill-fated flag-ship was 
 taken completely unawares. Her commander displayed a want 
 of caution, which many persons would regard as criminal neg- 
 ligence. I may mention that a telegram from me appeared in 
 the Times upon April 21st, stating that the Condell, Lynch, and 
 Imperial were starting to attack rebel ships in northern ports, 
 and that I was accompanying the squadron. This telegram 
 I was at once repeated from London to Iquique, and appeared in 
 
 L 
 
 \ 
 
322 APPENDIX B. 
 
 \ 
 
 La Patria of that town upon the 22nd. The northern ports 
 being all in telegraphic communication with Iquique, it is in- 
 conceivable that the news should not have been sent along the 
 coast. ^ Yet the commander of the Blanco (Captain Gonie) and 
 his principal officers left the ship anchored in Caldera Bay, 
 without netting, without patrol-launch, without even her 
 electric search-light in use, to enjoy themselves at a banquet 
 given on shore in honour of Seiior Jorje Montt's saint's day. 
 A very sad St. George's day it proved, when, at early dawn, the 
 flagship went down with well-nigh all hands on board. And, 
 even despite this gross carelessness, her crew had timely 
 warning of the presence of the Condell, upon which they opened 
 a fire sufficiently hot to have driven her off without having suc- 
 ceeded in her object ; but they never thought of looking for 
 her consort, the Lynch, upon the other side, which vessel, 
 stopping dead-short at pistol-range, launched the torpedo which 
 did the work of destruction. Surely this cannot be accepted 
 as a fair test of ironclad against torpedo vessel, or as a prece- 
 dent for the future. With the example of the Blanco Encalada 
 before their eyes, few captains, it may be assumed, are likely 
 to follow in the footsteps of Captain Gonie. 
 
 Two points are especially worthy of note in connection with 
 this Caldera affair. * Torpedoes, unless very skilfully handled, 
 are very uncertain in their action. The first one discharged 
 from the Lynch went straight to the bottom ; the second 
 steered wide; the third (No. 811, I think it was) had always 
 borne a bad name at practice, but on this occasion behaved 
 admirably. Of three torpedoes discharged from the Co7idellf 
 all missed the mark, most likely because the Condell was 
 travelling when they were sent. To insure accuracy of aim it 
 would seem that both torpedo vessel and ship should be sta- 
 tionary ; but this, like snipe shooting, may be merely a matter 
 of skill and practice, of which neither Moraga nor Fuentes had 
 had much. 
 
 As regards beating off or sinking the attacking boat or boats, 
 it is, on the other hand, fair to note that the Condell and Lynch 
 were doing work for which they were not originally intended. 
 Both are torpedo-catchers^ that is, vessels designed to protect 
 ships from torpedo-boats, not themselves to attack ships> At 
 
APPENDIX B. 323 
 
 I 
 
 torpedo range (limited to 600 yarda, and very uncertain at more 
 than half that distance) they offered a target for the Blanco's 
 guns, which the diminutive torpedo-boat proper would not have 
 afforded. It seems probable, indeed, that a man-of-war could 
 not safely rely upon her guns against a simultaneous attack 
 by several of these deadly launches. 
 
 A war of words is now raging between torpedo makers and 
 those who manufacture the anti-torpedo metal netting, de- 
 signed to encircle a ship crinoline-wise. Torpedists claim to 
 have overcome the netting by increasing the velocity of the 
 torpedo, and by providing it with a projecting knife capable 
 of severing the strongest crinoline now in use. Whereto the 
 netting makers reply that the crinoline can be increased to 
 any required degree of strength. In this dispute the tor- 
 pedists have apparently the best of it, since there must be a 
 near limit to the weight of the netting with which a ship could 
 hamper herself, whereas it is not easy to foresee where the 
 penetrating power of a torpedo will stop. Nets, it is to be 
 feared, will ere long be of little value. 
 
 The success attending the attack made by the Lynch and 
 Condell has naturally directed considerable attention towards 
 vessels of this type. Here, again, opinions differ. Most of 
 the British naval officers whom I consulted appeared to view 
 them with something very like contempt. The notion of a 
 British war ship being in any dread of a couple of torpedo- 
 catchers was very generally scouted. They were, I was often 
 assured, useful merely as a sort of police-boat, to keep a sharp 
 lookout for and sink torpedo-launches ; and had they to deal 
 with the Warspite or the Champion, they would very soon dis- 
 appear from the scene. Upon the other hand, Captain Schle y / 
 and most of the officers of the Baltimore held the two vessels 
 in high estimation, averring that, with their speed and destruc- 
 tive power, they should, in resolute hands, give a good account 
 of a hostile squadron. 
 
 To me, personally, it seemed rashness, justifiable only by 
 necessity, to employ them, as they were employed, for attack- 
 ing purposes. They appeared to be mere boxes of delicate 
 and complicated machinery, which was continually in immi- 
 nent danger of breaking down. Their steam-tubes needed 
 
324 APPENDIX B. 
 
 repairs after every trip. The chief engineer of the Condell 
 told me that he never knew at what moment enough of these 
 tubes would burst to leave the vessel like a duck with a broken 
 wing. At Caldera, although none of the Blanco's shots struck 
 her, the concussion caused by replying with her own Hotchkiss 
 guns burst sufficient pipes to reduce her speed to seven or eight 
 knots an hour. Outside Pisagua, in the encounter previously 
 spoken of with the Huascar and Magellanes, her engines had 
 to be stopped before it was deemed safe to fire. sBoth the 
 Condell and the Lynch had, it is true, been very badly handled 
 since the English engineers left them at Buenos Aires; but 
 surely bran-new vessels intended for warfare ought to be able 
 to stand rough usage for a few mpnths, at all events. And 
 machinery which is liable to break down when guns are dis- 
 charged is, as one would suppose, sadly out of place in a war 
 vessel. 
 
 But apart from this, and given the most skilful engineering, 
 it is not clear where the advantage of this class of torpedo-boat 
 may be assumed to lie. As mere torpedo-catchers they are 
 unnecessarily large, since one torpedo-launch can perfectly 
 well tackle another. Moreover, they are themselves fitted 
 with torpedo-tubes. Is it proposed to sink torpedo-launches 
 by means of torpedoes ? If so, the idea has never yet been 
 formulated, nor does it seem to be a very sensible one. 
 "^~>As fighting-ships, they are little better than floating coffins. 
 They are, of course, unarmoured, and it would 6e difficult for 
 a shot to strike one of them without smashing up some of the 
 ubiquitous steam-gear or machinery. Should a missile hit one 
 of the five torpedoes, which, with their tubes, take up consider- 
 able space on deck, the vessel would at once be hoisted with 
 her own petard. Taken all round, a more unsatisfactory way 
 of risking one's life than cruising in a torpedo-catcher in war- 
 time, I cannot well imagine. 
 
 It was never made clear to me why some use was not 
 made of the three regular torpedo-boats or launches lying 
 throughout the war in Valparaiso. A torpedo discharged 
 from the Aldea or the Qicale would be just as deadly as one 
 fired from the Condell, whilst from their small size, their high 
 rate of speed, and their flushness with the water, they would 
 
APPENDIX B, 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 » 
 
 have offered an extremely difficult target for a ship's guns. 
 So far as I could make out, they were kept in port in order 
 to protect it from attack; but this did not seem necessary, 
 because, in the first place, the forts were numerous enough 
 and powerful enough to have blown the entire rebel fleet out 
 of the water; in the second place, a bombardment of Val- 
 paraiso, even if practicable, would have chiefly damaged the 
 property of sympathisers with the revolution; and lastly, 
 the shipping was entirely foreign owned. Just before starting 
 upon the third cruise up north, a petition, signed by several 
 officers of the torpedo-catchers and of the Imperial, was sent 
 to the President, asking that at least the Aldea might be 
 allowed to accompany the squadron, manned by volunteers. 
 But the request was not complied with. 
 
 In this connection, it is to be remarked that torpedo-boats 
 are not intended for service out of port, although men-of-war 
 carry launches fitted with torpedo-tubes, for use should occa- 
 sion offer. Vessels of the Aldea type cannot, with crammed 
 bunkers, carry more than eight to ten hours' coal, and would 
 run considerable risk of being swamped in a heavy sea. But 
 north of Coquimbo heavy seas are almost unknown, and to 
 Goquimbo the Aldea might have been towed by the Bnperial^ 
 choosing fair weather for the run. Once in calm northern 
 waters, the torpedo-boat might, keeping in touch with the 
 Imperial, have lain in wait for outgoing ironclads at night, 
 or have paid nocturnal visits to ports with possibly destructive 
 results. 
 
 The limited coal space and unseaworthiness of small torpedo 
 vessels have apparently caused them to be relegated almost 
 entirely to coast and harbour defence. \ Modern battleships 
 are fitted with torpedo gear, and are expected to do their 
 own torpedo work. If, however, we draw a mental picture 
 of a modern naval battle, it is impossible to overlook the enor- 
 mous advantage which the assistance of a flotilla of torpedo- 
 boats would bring to the side owning them. Such a flotilla 
 could not accompany a squadron to any considerable distance 
 from shore, in the turbulent seas of the northern hemisphere ; 
 the boats would need to be carried, and only launched during 
 an engagement. The only way to accomplish this would be by 
 
326 APPENDIX B. 
 
 constructing a torpedo-boat store-ship of considerable speed, 
 capable, at the right moment, of discharging a flotilla of the 
 destructive launches. The construction of such a vessel pre- 
 sents no difficulty. \The only subject for wonder is that it is 
 not already in existence, if, indeed, the Vulcan may not claim 
 to be such a ship. The presence of such a flotilla would place 
 the enemy's ships in a situation of peril, from which escape 
 would seem to be impossible. For the crews of the torpedo- 
 boats the service would be one of extreme danger also. A 
 proportion — possibly a large proportion — of the launches 
 would be sunk, but some of them would assuredly get within 
 torpedo range, and would dearly avenge their consorts. It 
 would be desperate, almost forlorn hope, work, but such con- 
 siderations do not weigh one single grain in modern warfare, 
 and the race of naval heroes is not yet extinct. Torpedo work 
 must infallibly be the especial field for the reckless, dare-devil 
 element in a navy which in former times used to man the boats 
 in * cutting-out ' operations. Given a torpedo, the means of 
 launching it, and the knowledge that if the missile but strikes 
 an enemy's ship that ship is doomed, and, unless the records 
 of the past wholly belie the exploits of the future, the task 
 will, over and over again, be accomplished. \Englishmen, 
 thank God, have never been backward where danger was to be 
 incurred and glory won, and our gallant tars are little likely to 
 fall astern of the heroic traditions of the service? But let not 
 England, on that account, rely too much upon the, at best, 
 uncertain results of individual pluck acting upon the spur of 
 , an emergency. Let her realize that torpedoes are essentially 
 the weapons ^ best fitted for the hands of absolutely fearless 
 men, and that the greatest danger which threatens her mari- 
 time superiority lies encased in the terrible tubes. A few 
 store-ships, each one carrying a small flotilla, could not fail to 
 play an important part in the offensive and defensive naval 
 operations of the future, and should be constructed without 
 delay. The manning of torpedo-boats should, furthermore, 
 be recognised as service of special danger, and volunteers, 
 therefore, would be fairly entitled to extra pay and privileges. 
 
APPENDIX a 327 
 
 APPENDIX C. 
 
 CHILIAN CHARACTEEISTICS AND CUSTOMS. 
 
 As a race, the Chilians may fairly be said to take the lead 
 amongst the nations of South America, a fact which may be 
 traced to several clear and well-marked causes. Their ances-'' 
 tors, centuries ago, came chiefly from the hardiest of the Spanish 
 communities, the Basques and Biscayans ; the aboriginal 
 inhabitants of the western sea-board of the continent were, 
 perhaps, the most indomitable, virile tribes of which Ameri ' m 
 history furnishes a record, the famed Araucanians, anc' h 
 them the early settlers intermarried freely ; the moun' is 
 character of the country itself tended to beget those ' es 
 
 of physical vigour and sturdy independence distinctr ill- 
 
 dwellers all the world over; the chmate, temp and 
 
 bracing, did not favour those habits of indolence r less- 
 
 ness so distinctive of the Spanish races in wan ler regions ; 
 the very soil, fruitful under good husbandry, ^5 [as not of the 
 sort which ^tickled with a hoe, laughs with a harvest'?^ And 
 thus, from fathers to sons, the Chilians have been an indus- 
 trious, manly, frugal peoplel The epithet commonly and 
 lovingly bestowed by them upon their native land speaks for 
 itself : ' Poor Chile ' {pobre Chile). 
 
 Chilians are essentially good-natured and hospitable. It is 
 rare to hear ill-natured remarks made, even by girls speaking 
 about other girls. For instance, the word ' ugly ' (Jeo) is never 
 used with respect to human beings, and our term ' plain ' has 
 no exact equivalent. Where it is clearly impossible to describe 
 a person as handsome, he or she is spoken of as * very sym- 
 pathetic' Almost all the young ladies of my acquaintance 
 were wont to refer to each other as muy simpatica, in a sort 
 of interrogative fashion ;\ whereto I, knowing the unwisdom of 
 praising one daughter of Eve in presence of another, used to 
 assent with an ambiguous smile:;^ Nor did it add to my 
 I personal vanity to overhear myself mentioned, a dozen times 
 K in the course of an hour, as ' muy simpatica ' also ! But then 
 1 I deserved it, and the pretty girls didn't. 
 
 » 
 
328 APPENDIX a 
 
 When a native has emphasized the fact that he is Ghileno, 
 further evidence of his excellence is held to be superfluous ; 
 which is my mild way of hinting that Chilians have an un- 
 commonly good opinion of themselves) But, after all, is not 
 this common to all peoples ? I don't think that Englishmen, 
 at all events, are very backward on this score, even admitting 
 the satire in H.M.S. Pinafore to be unduly severe. Besides, 
 the Ghileno is quite ready to admit the existence of good 
 qualities in foreigners, andXhe has a very especial admiration 
 for the English.* The names of Lord Cochrane, O'Higgins, 
 Lynch, McKenna, etc., are held in high honour as those of 
 distinguished founders of Chilian greatness ; whilst our great 
 naval heroes are almost as famous in Valparaiso as in London. 
 I had frequently heard the statement questioned, before I 
 visited Chile, as to the bona fides of the Chilian boast, that 
 
 * they are the English of the South.' I made it a point to 
 verify this as often as I could, and the almost unfailing reply 
 was : Es cierto, sefior ; somos los ingUses del Sur. Sundry 
 U.S. scribes have attempted to substitute * Yankees ' for 
 
 * English ;' but I do not think that the officers and crew of 
 the Baltimore would endorse the amendment. It is a note- 
 worthy fact that children of English parentage, born in Chile, 
 are (in exact analogy with the historical precedent of early 
 English settlers in Ireland) Chilenis Chileniores. 
 
 Implicit confidence in the future of the little Eepublic is an 
 article of national faith. -^That Bolivia and Peru must sooner 
 or later be annexed is regarded as inevitable, as also that a 
 slice of Argentine territory (the provinces of Mendoza and San 
 Juan, for choice), and, at least, a fair moiety of Patagonia will 
 some day follow suit. (National ambition is, it may be pre- 
 sumed, the natural outcome of national self-confidence. 
 \ Education is held in deservedly high esteem by those of 
 more advanced and modern views ; (whilst by the Conservatives 
 and, above all, by the Clericals it is regarded with considerable 
 
 * Into no foreign language with which I am acquainted can the word 
 British, used as a noun, be translated. The Welshman, Scotchman, Irish- 
 man, or Colonial, becomes an Englishman as soon as his foot toucltea 
 alien soil. N^ritish is reserved exclusively for home consumption, unless, 
 indeed, we admit the Americanism * Britisher ' as a semi-f oreigu modification 
 of the rule. 
 
APPENDIX C, 
 
 329 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 distrust, as being radically inconsistent with Governments^ 
 the classes /or the masses) So far as the bulk of the people is 
 concerned, education can scarcely be said to have taken strong 
 root ; but the higher classes are, as a rule, remarkably well- 
 informed. As one result of this, political controversy is con- 
 fined to the latter, and in perhaps no other country is it more 
 freely indulged in. Chilians of all classes love argument, from 
 the roto, who affects the argumentum ad hominem pointed by 
 his ready cuchillo, to the Senator, who is never so happy as 
 when he is denouncing a political opponent, or expounding his 
 views of national progress. , 
 
 Judged from an English stand-point, [ women must be 
 regarded as occupying a backward position. National usage 
 tends to deprive them of all liberty of action; Hampered by 
 an extremely severe code of etiquette, the Chilian young lady 
 has but few chances of studying that most interesting of all 
 subjects to the female mind — the male sex. She sees, and is 
 seen by her father's guests ; but courtship must be carried on 
 in a roomful of people ; a solitude h deux would be regarded 
 as a scandalous impropriety. English girls resident in Chile 
 are working manfully to emancipate their dark-eyed sisters, 
 and, as there are signs of lawn-tennis coming into vogue, 
 perhaps freer times are in store for the pretty senoritas. 
 They make, however, admirable wives and mothers under the 
 existing social code ; and the absence of the independence, not 
 to say audacity, of the modern Englishwoman, is not without 
 a certain charm of its own. \The Chilian women are the back- 
 bone of the church, as, indeed, women appear to be in other 
 countries. The average Chilian seldom troubles to put in 
 appearance at church ; but his womankind must go, and that 
 too under most depressing millinery conditions. Bonnets are 
 absolutely prohibited, being replaced, for church-going occa- 
 sions, by the black 7nanta, a shawl worn hood-fashion upon 
 the head and long enough to conceal the dress. Of this manta 
 it is difficult to speak in terms of reprobation too strong. 
 Perhaps the assurance that it makes a pretty girl plain, and 
 a plain girl downright ugly, will be deemed sufficient. It 
 certainly reduces church-goers of whatever rank to the same 
 sumptuary level, and may, for that reason, be of value in 
 
330 APPENDIX C. 
 
 increasing the attendance. But why Chihan ladies, who upon 
 all other occasions dress elegantly enough, should consent to 
 descend to the level of their kitchen-maids upon Sunday, I 
 could never understand. N^trangest of all, Chilians admire, or 
 profess to admire, this fearsome garment. Perhaps if the 
 jpadres could persuade men to wear the national poncho upon 
 the Lord's Day, they also would attend the services. Of the 
 clergy, by the way, I know nothing except that common report 
 does not credit them with the possession of all the apostolic 
 virtues. 
 
 The houses are built in the old-fashioned Spanish style, the 
 rooms being arranged in the form of a quadrangle round a court- 
 yard called the patio. For tropical climates this plan answers 
 well enough, but for Chile the English system would answer 
 far better. In particular, Chilian architects do not recognise 
 the necessity for windows to every room, and absolutely ignore 
 fire-places. Hence it is customary in the winter-time to dine 
 in overcoats and furs ; and I have known a lady excuse herself 
 from playing upon a three-hundred guinea pianoforte in a most 
 palatially furnished drawing-room, upon the ground that her 
 fingers were numbed with cold. ^The universal belief is that 
 fires are most unwholesom^. And every time I quoted English 
 experience to the contrary, I was met by the retort : * Yes, but 
 then everyone knows that half the people in England die of 
 consumption !* 
 
 One soon gets used to Chilian cooking, which, indeed, is 
 rapidly becoming Gallicised. Of specially Chilian dishes, 
 which one meets everywhere and always, may be mentioned 
 cazuela, a chicken broth flavoured with many vegetables ; 
 puchero, boiled beef ; and porotos (called in Spain judias), 
 hsi^icot-beans, which latter are the staple food of the peasantry 
 and labourers^ In good houses the minus are of inordinate 
 length, and that guest must be hard indeed to please who 
 cannot find at least half-a-dozen dishes to his taste. Sweets 
 are served in great variety, i, Chilian wines are excellent/ I 
 recall one called Urmeneta, a hock of rich flavour and bouquet, 
 as of exceptional merit. A liquor called Chicha, a sort of wine- 
 cider or unclarified champagne, is much esteemed as being 
 very wholesome. It is, at all events, very strong. Pisco, a 
 
APPENDIX C. 
 
 I 
 
 white-grape brandy, is the best of the locally-made alcoholic 
 beverages. There would seem to be a great future in store for 
 the Chilian wine-industry. But, of course, even there, the 
 European vintages hold their own as vins de luxe. y. 
 
 To sum up. I do not think it possible for a healthy and 
 healthily-minded traveller to carry awajjr with him aught save 
 good opinions of Chile and the Chilians, [and he must be indeed 
 sadly antipatico if he fail to leave behind him many and 
 sincere friend^ My best wishes will, at all events, ever be 
 forthcoming for the future prosperity of the bonny little 
 Eepublic, a prosperity well-assured, if the Chilians themselves 
 will but bear in mind that political intrigues are death-blows 
 to national welfare, and that he is the true patriot who 
 sacrifices personal ambition upon the shrine of the public good. 
 Let but the countless factions of political parties disappear or 
 harmonize, and it will be possible with a well-grounded feeling 
 of hopefulness to re-echo the national cry, Viva Chile ! 
 
 THE END. 
 
 BILI.INO AND SOKS, PRINTERS, GUILDrORD. 
 
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