In the latter part of October, 1851, I was at the port of Valparaiso, Chili, having command of the barque Florida, of New Orleans, of about two hundred tons burden. My orders from my owners were to take the Florida through the Straits of Magellan to Rio Janeiro, where we were to take in freight for the United States; and my first business was to secure my officers and crew. One of my owners was now at Valparaiso, and would accompany me on the voyage. To a sea-faring man like myself, such a voyage was no new thing, and I looked forward with some interest, but with no excitement, to the prospect of many days’ tiresome battling with the wind and waves, to the annoyances of clearing, and to the perils and labors of a tedious navigation through the Straits. Had I known what perils and sufferings awaited me, with what different feelings should I have left the beautiful city where I had received much kindness and hospitality, and trusted myself to the treacherous elements, and to men far more treacherous than they! But, happily, Providence has given to us only a knowledge of the present, and the blessing of hope for the future, without any foreshadowing of coming evil. The barque Florida was a long, low, straight-built vessel, and a fast sailer. She had been employed formerly in sailing between Panama and San Francisco, conveying passengers to and fro, and was well fitted up for that purpose, with a large cabin, extending as far forward as her mainmast, and fourteen well furnished state rooms. She was also furnished with four brass cannon, four pounders, and one iron swivel mounted forward. Her owners were Capt. John Lovett, of Beverly, Mass., and his brother-in-law, Mr. Benjamin G. Shaw; Mr. Shaw being the principal owner. On board of her were Mr. Shaw, the owner, and one cabin passenger, Mr. Ramon Buela, belonging to New Orleans. The vessel having at that time no cargo, we were applied to by the government of Chili, to convey certain State prisoners, charged with political offences, to the penal colony established by that government at Sandy Bay, Straits of Magellan. This was at the time when the Chilians, disaffected to the government at Santiago, had risen, under General Cruz, and had seized the Province of Conception; and the political offenders whom we were to convey to Sandy Bay, were, some of them, implicated in that rebellion. After some consideration, Mr. Shaw determined to accept the offer of the government, and to allow it to charter the Florida for the conveyance of the prisoners to Sandy Bay, where we were to leave them, and proceed on our voyage. The authorities were to send with the prisoners a sufficient number of troops to secure us against any disturbance during the voyage, and accordingly, Captain Pedro Avalos, with a corporal and twelve soldiers were drafted on that service.