general Valdez, when he learned once that Miller had no cigars, sent the patriot commander a box of his own Havanas!

When the War of Liberation had been victoriously concluded the South Americans made it abundantly clear that they did not look upon General Miller in the light of a mere soldier of fortune. He was named prefect of the province of Potosi, and was thus given authority over a population of some three hundred thousand people. The scope of this civil and military authority, moreover, was extraordinarily wide. Miller's office included the posts of superintendent of the mint, director of the bank, vicepatron of the Church (who had the power of displacing clergy from their office, and without whose ratification no clerical appointment was valid) and involved the filling of over a hundred civil appointments!

Miller held this post with all success until reasons of health made it urgently necessary for him to return to England. His parting from his colleagues, both civil and military, was of the most affectionate description, and it was with a deep sense of mutual esteem that Miller and the inhabitants of Potosi took leave of each other. After this Miller, bearing high and cordial testimonials from General Bolivar, rode down from the mountains to the plains of Buenos Aires on his way to Europe. His material rewards, although not munificent, were not to be despised. He had received five thousand pounds from the Peruvian Government, and a grant of land from Argentina.

It is said that an English merchant, traveling in the interior of Peru at that period, made a point of announcing himself as a countryman of Miller, because the usual answer was, "A countryman of Miller's must have the best house and the best fare that an Indian village can afford."

It is in one sense regrettable that Miller's public career cannot be closed with this triumphal homecoming of his

to England. But after eight years he returned to Peru again, and this time found the new State in the throes of its internal dissensions. Becoming involved in these, he was banished from the country in 1839. This afforded a tragic contrast to the manner in which his first departure had been effected. Decidedly it was not the fate anticipated by one of whom General Bolivar had said that, "South America will always claim as one of her most glorious sons." But Bolivar's own lot was very little brighter than Miller's. The changes in Peru had

been rapid!

Miller subsequently obtained an appointment as British consul-general and commissioner in the Pacific, and, again returning to Peru, he endeavored, without success, to make good his financial claims against the Peruvian Government.

In 1861 he felt that his end was near, and, having been taken on board H.M.S. Frigate Naiad, he died, as he had earnestly wished, under the British flag. Notwithstanding his difficulties with the Government, his popularity with the Peruvians seems to have been practically unimpaired, for during his illness he was publicly prayed for -a very unusual circumstance in the case of a non-Roman Catholic-and, buried in the British cemetery at Lima, he was accorded a public funeral. He appears, indeed, to have been genuinely mourned.

No people have proved themselves more generous than the South Americans in the erection of monuments to their heroes. O'Higgins, Cochrane, Mackenna, Brown, and the rest have been very freely honored in this way. But Miller lacks his adequate measure of commemorative stone-probably for the reason that his services were spread over several frontiers and that no country can take undivided charge of his fame.

CHAPTER XI

BRITISH FIGHTERS IN THE CAUSE OF SOUTH AMERICAN

INDEPENDENCE

(III)

Captain Hall-His friendship with San Martin-San Martin's lofty attitude-Expression of his views to Captain Hall-Sentiments of a great South American patriot-His philosophical temperament-A deckwashing episode-Incidents at the fall of Lima-The British fleet on the Pacific coast-Popularity of the officers-Part played by them— Benavides-Some incidents of a sinister career-The renegade's escape from death at the hands of a firing-party-Further betrayals-Benavides becomes a leader of the fierce Araucanian Indians-Increase of his power-He succeeds in capturing British and North American whaling ships-His windfalls in men and munitions-Preparations to invade Chile-How cavalry trumpets were made-Captain Hall is sent to negotiate for the rescue of the British and North American seamen -Captain Hall's adventures among the Araucanian Indians-Experiences at a native orgy-Description of the savage chief Peneléo-A dangerous interview-Execution of Benavides-Adventures of Captain Roberton-His feud with the Italian desperado Martilini-His home on the island of Mocha-His capture by Martilini and subsequent escape-Martilini, captured by a French vessel, is sent as a prisoner to France-Roberton is imprisoned by Bolivar-His escape-Subsequent movements of Roberton and Martilini-Cruelties attending a Spanish imprisonment Further atrocities committed by Benavides-Colonel O'Carrol and Lieutenant Bayley as victims-Captain Brown finds shelter on a British warship-The manner in which Colonel Ferguson's life was saved-Colonel O'Connor-Dr. Moore-Colonel O'LearyColonel Wilson-His remarkable journey—A justly popular officerThe Scottish captain of the Spanish brig La Vigie-A determined sailor -Improvised ammunition-A daring escape-Admiral Brown-His early career-He establishes a packet service between Buenos Aires and Montevideo-Founder of the Argentine navy-Some naval facts.

C

APTAIN HALL, as an unprejudiced eye-witness,

is one of those who have borne the most convincing testimony to the real greatness of San Martin-who, by the way, has been referred to by Had

field as of Irish descent, a claim which would seem doubtful. A warm friendship appears to have sprung up between the two men. As Hall watched the chivalry and self-effacing genius of San Martin, his admiration deepened for the man who solemnly declared that when his task in the field should be concluded he intended to retire from the scene of his glory into private life, and who, to the astonishments of the skeptical world, fulfilled his intentions to the letter!

San Martin, for his part, spoke very freely to Captain Hall. Decidedly he did not permit his quarrels with Cochrane to influence his cordial relations with other Englishmen. His own aide-de-camp was the very tall and stately General O'Brien, who subsequently became the Uruguayan consul-general in London. Incidentally it may be remarked that O'Brien obtained at least one priceless curiosity as a reward of his services; for Mr. W. Bollaert relates that in 1859, when in London, that the General showed him the large and rich umbrellashaped canopy which used to be held over Pizarro when he went in state. This was given to O'Brien when the South Americans entered Lima in triumph.

In the course of one of his conversations with Captain Hall, San Martin revealed very fully the reasons for the policy which he was then carrying out in Peru. The nature of this conquest of Peru, he maintained, differed entirely from that of Chile. It was not a war of conquest and glory; it was a war of new and liberal principles against prejudice, bigotry, and tyranny. No doubt San Martin's mind was running at the time upon the heated criticism of the impetuous Cochrane, to whom this species of campaign was gall and wormwood. "People ask," said San Martin to Captain Hall, "why I don't march to Lima at once; so I might, and instantly would, were it suitable to my views-which it is not. I do not want military renown-I have no ambition to be the conqueror of Peru-I want solely to liberate the country

from oppression. Of what use would Lima be to me, if the inhabitants were hostile in political sentiment? How could the cause of independence be advanced by my holding Lima, or even the whole country, in military possession? Far different are my views. I wish to have all men thinking with me, and do not choose to advance a step beyond the gradual march of public opinion.

Surely these words, delivered in San Martin's usual quiet tones, would in themselves be sufficient to stamp their speaker as one of the world's great men. Like his brilliant colleague, Bolivar, San Martin was at least as much of a philosopher as a soldier. He was keenly alive to the value of local influences, and fully appreciated the distinctions which geographical situations must impose on policy. He was one of the few of his age and race who realized the perils which lay in the path of too headlong attempt at indiscriminate progress. It was in reference to this that he wrote:

"If all Europe enjoyed the liberty of the English nation, the greater part of the Continent would writhe in chaotic agony; on the other hand, the English nation would consider itself enslaved were it governed by the Constitution of Louis XVIII. It is right that the American peoples should be free; but it is also right that they should enjoy their liberty in that proportion which is best suited to their needs. A departure from this rule would mean the triumph of their enemies."

The quotation of a last reference to San Martin by Captain Hall will show that the General possessed the temperament, as well as the words, of a philosopher—a combination that is probably rarer than would be imagined. When the final capitulation of Lima was at hand, San Martin took up his quarters on a yacht which was lying off Callao. "I had occasion," explains Captain Hall, "to visit him early one morning on board his schooner, and we had not long been walking together when the sailors began washing the decks. 'What a