Page:A history of Chile.djvu/310

 282 A HISTORY OF CHILE fear of striking submerged torpedoes. A battery on the shore opened fire and obliged the "Esmeralda" to come out. At the same time a shell from one of the "Huascar's" three hundred-pounders burst in her engine room, killing the engineers and disabling the engine. As the "Esmeralda" had sustained the fire of her an- tagonist for over four hours, with little damage save the bursting of the shell in the engine room. Captain Grau determined to ram her. The "Huascar's" engines were reversed too soon and the intended blow was with- out effect, but as the two vessels came together Cap- tain Prat leaped upon the "Huascar's" deck, sword in hand and followed by only one man, Sergeant Aldea. At the foot of the turret he was pierced by a musket ball, having first himself killed a signal officer. Aldea also died heroically. Lieutenant Uribe then assumed the command of the "Esmeralda." Grau made a second attempt to ram and struck the "Esmeralda," but inflicted only slight damage. Lieu- tenant Serrano boarded the "Huascar" with a company of men, but they shared the fate of their heroic com- mander. A third time the "Huascar" rammed, and this time with better result; the "Esmeralda" was struck squarely on her starboard side and went down with colors flying. From one hundred and twenty to one hundred and fifty of her officers and crew were lost, about fifty or sixty saving themselves by clinging to wreckage until they were picked up by the "Huascar's" boats. This naval action, though resulting in the loss of the "Independencia" to the Peruvians, raised the blockade of-Iquique, and enabled General Prado to throw about four thousand troops into the town. Captain Grau proceeded south to Antofagasta where he exchanged shots with the "Covadonga, " which lay