three
o'clock in the afternoon before
There were numerous rumours flying about the _ Blanco _ as to the object of the cruise northward ; but the one which obtained most credence was to the effect that the Chilian fleet had been instructed to find and destroy the _ Huascar , Union _ , and _ Pilcomayo _ , which were waging a destructive war against the Chilian commerce , and which , it was very strongly suspected , had been guilty of certain acts against Chilian and other craft which more nearly resembled piracy than civilised warfare . So much damage , indeed , had been wrought by them that the Chilian Government had decided to hunt down the obnoxious craft ; and for this purpose there were now assembled in Valparaiso harbour the _ Almirante Cochrane _ and _ Blanco Encalada _ , both battleships , the corvette _ O'Higgins _ , and the armed merchant-steamers _ Loa _ and _ Mathias Cousino _ . The little gunboat _ Covadonga _ had also been intended to sail with the squadron , but , as has been seen , she had been too badly damaged in her gallant fight with the Peruvian vessels to permit of her doing so . Mid-day came , but it brought no sign of the commodore ; and it was three o'clock in the afternoon before his launch was seen to steam away from the naval steps at the jetty . The side was then piped , and Riveros came on board , to the accompaniment of the flagship 's band and a crashing salute from the other vessels in the harbour . Upon his arrival on board he immediately went below to his cabin and sent for his captain , with whom he was in close conference for about an hour . Apparently he informed him as to the plan of campaign , for soon after Captain Castello came on deck it became known , all over the ship , that a telegram had been received from a Chilian spy in Arica to the effect that the _ Huascar _ and the _ Union _ were to call in at that port in about three days ' time , and that they would be detained there for about a week in order to effect certain repairs .