The main body of the insurgent troops began to move to the front,
headed by General Pierola and the priest marching to the most
unearthly music I ever heard. Women were conspicuous and cheered as
the men marched past. "Viva Pierola!" was heard on all sides.
Then came an order to double quick. The outposts were driven in a
short distance, and the enemy was in a valley, surrounded on both
sides by a chain of hills with a huge mountain in the background. When
I saw the position of the government troops, I was satisfied they
would be defeated and the battle become a rout. There were two
regiments of infantry and one of cavalry in the valley. Pierola
stationed his troops on each side of the pass and in front, reserving
his cavalry. In a short time the engagement became general. The
priest encouraged the insurgents by displaying the cross. He was a
courageous fellow, always to be found in places of danger. I mounted a
huge boulder and could easily see all that was going on. The
government troops would waver and fall back, and again they would
renew the attempt to scale the hillsides, which was impossible as long
as the insurgents held their position.
There was a strange happening just when success seemed assured. The
insurgent cavalry had taken no part up to this time, as both sides of
the valley had been actively engaged. The insurgents along the pass
were running short of ammunition. An order was sent to the captain of
the cavalry to send a company back to Torato and assist in hurrying up
supplies. There was a brief cessation of hostilities. I could plainly
see the government troops carrying their dead and wounded to the rear,
but still holding their position. When another charge was made to take
the heights, the firing again became general. Suddenly arose the cry,
"They come! They come!" Firing along the sides of the pass ceased, and
I looked in amazement. Evidently, something was wrong. The insurgents
were throwing away their arms and running. There was a cloud of dust
in the direction of Torato, and I could easily distinguish a company
of cavalry, which I knew was the company sent to hurry up the
ammunition. The insurgents saw them and imagined that the government
cavalry had succeeded in getting to their rear. The panic became a
rout. In vain did Pierola plead, as he threw himself in front of his
demoralized men, in vain did the priest hold his crucifix on high,
threatening and pleading, but no persuasion could stop those runaway
cowards. The government troops realized something was wrong, and began
to scale the heights. Still, if the cavalry which had done no
fighting, could have been led to the side of the pass, the day would
still have been with Pierola, and probably the stampede would have
been checked. But unfortunately for the would-be president, there was
no one in command capable of meeting the emergency.
I became excited, and snatching a cutlass from the hand of a
retreating soldier, threw myself in front of a column in a vain
endeavor to stop them, but they ran over me like so many sheep. Terror
had lent them wings of flight and deprived them of reason. By this
time the government infantry had reached the plateau and was forming
into companies. Their cavalry had seized the heights and the day was
lost.
I saw General Pierola shake hands with the priest and leave the field.
The priest mounted and he, too, was gone. The ground was strewn with
arms; even the discordant musical instruments were discarded.
Thus an army of revolutionists, who, a few hours before paraded
through the streets of Torato, cheered by fair women, and shouting
"Viva Pierola," had won a battle by natural surroundings and lost it
by their cowardice. I, too, thought it was time to retreat, as my
escort of twenty soldiers had long since disappeared. I rode to
Torato.
Along the way I overtook straggling bands of insurgents going into
town to hide, while others were scaling the tallest mountains. I went
to my quarters, and soon the town was surrounded.
The next morning about two hundred insurgents were captured. The
others were hid in some mysterious way and the commanding officer of
the government troops was made to believe that the main body of the
insurgents was in the mountains.
I sought the general of the government troops to inform him of my
presence. He replied that he knew of my being a prisoner, and asked me
to return to Moquequa at once and help to get the railway in operation
to convey his troops and prisoners.
I was glad no other questions were put to me, and after pleading with
the general for my kind host who had treated me with great kindness in
Torato, and who was not in sympathy with the revolutionists, he agreed
to exempt him from the payment of money levied on nearly all the
inhabitants.
[Illustration: THE EARTH BEGAN TO ROCK AND REEL. (Page 33)]
Soon after this a troop ship arrived in Ilo to convey prisoners and
escort to Lima. I felt sorry for the prisoners. Many of them
recognized me and kept calling, "Don Juan, please try and help us,"
but of course I was powerless to do anything for them. I was glad when
they were aboard the transport for I felt miserable in the midst of so
much suffering. But I knew they would not suffer long. Another
revolution would set them free.
The railroad was again in running order and everything progressing
smoothly when one morning at breakfast I was informed that Pierola had
broken out again. This time his party had, by means unknown, captured
the Peruvian ironclad ram, Huascar. He must have been aided by the
officers, or at least one of them who declared in his favor. Howbeit,
he had possession. The Peruvian fleet was sent in pursuit, but as the
Huascar was the most powerful vessel of the fleet, they had to give
her up.
The fortunes of Pierola were brighter now than ever. He could, with
the exception of Callao, have entire command and control of all the
sea ports along the coast. But unfortunately for him, he began to stop
the British mail, and later the French mail on the high seas, his
object being to intercept mail for the Peruvian government.
The British government dispatched H. M. S. Amythist and the Shah to
compel him to surrender, the Huascar having had full sway along the
coast for a month.
The Huascar finally made her appearance in the port of Ilo, and almost
immediately the Amythist and Shah hove in sight. I had a good view
from the beach and saw a boat lowered from the Shah and pull directly
to the Huascar, I supposed for the purpose of demanding her surrender.
However, if that was the object, it failed, for upon the return of the
boat to the Shah, the Amythist cleared for action.
The afternoon was calm; not a ripple on the ocean. The Huascar was
nearest the shore, less than a mile from where I stood. The Shah was
over a mile distant seaward. A signal flashed from the Shah and the
Amythist steamed toward the Huascar. The Amythist was a wooden
corvette, equipped with twin screws. The Shah was a commerce
destroyer. Neither vessel was a match for the modern ironclad
Huascar.
Suddenly a shot came from the Shah. The flag and pole at the stern of
the Huascar dropped overboard. The Huascar, equipped with a revolving
turret, sent a shot at the Amythist, but it went wide of its mark. The
Amythist circled and sent a broadside full on the Huascar, every shot
taking effect. With the aid of a glass I could see the decks of the
Amythist plainly from my position on a huge rock. The British sailors,
stripped to the waist, cutlass in hand, stood eagerly awaiting orders.
The gunners' crews were engaged in firing rapidly. The Huascar replied
by slow but heavy reports from her turret. The object of the British
was to disable the Huascar's turret, and they succeeded by directing
all shots against it.
The Huascar, finding she could not effect the enemy by shots, turned
to ram her. The Amythist, being equipped with twin screws, awaited the
Huascar and when within a short distance ran alongside and poured her
whole broadside on the rebel. That was the last act before the Huascar
surrendered.
I was aboard the Huascar a few months afterward at Mollendo and she
presented a most dilapidated appearance.
Thus again was General Pierola frustrated, and by a British wooden
vessel against a crack ironclad of Peru. Pierola escaped as usual, and
the Huascar was turned over to the Peruvian government.
A few days after the Amythist-Huascar battle I discovered the people
of Ilo were cold and distant towards me, and I soon learned the cause.
Although they were in favor of the existing government, they did not
relish the idea of their people being beaten by the British. I could
not condemn the acts of my own country and I felt it would be better
to leave Ilo, which I did, little dreaming of the exciting events
which were soon to follow.