Two weeks later he was once again embarked on board the corvette "Esmeralda" sailing to Talcahuano, in order to continue for Caldera to bunk. The Commanding Officer was Commander Manual Segundo Escala. He later made several trips southbound carrying troops.

While at Valparaiso, on 01 October 1861, around noon, a thick, black smoke arose from the French pontoon "Infernal" at anchor in the Bay. This transport from the French Navy was kept as a floating warehouse with coal, naval items, and as was learned from the French Admiral embarked on board the "Douguay Trouin", which was also at port, it had explosives and munition on board. Consequently, the pontoon, whose name was "Infernal" might rapidly honor her name and become a real inferno.

All the boats from the "Esmeralda" and the steamship "Maipú", were soon sent with their crews carrying as many elements as possible to combat fire. One barge from the "Esmeralda" carried a bilge pump, and on the steam launch there was a gun and munition. The latter was under the command of Lt. Junior Grade Enrique Simpson, and Arturo Prat commanded one of the boats. Other boats and launches from the French vessel "Douguay Trouin", together with several vessels at port in that moment, also cooperated carrying bilge pumps, and they were all soon involved in action.

The vessel's deck was invaded by officers and crewmen that pumped water abundantly by the ship's hatches and deck. Among them was Arturo Prat, with his face black with soot and smoke and almost suffocated by the heat. After more than two hours of heavy battle against the fire, the flames made it practically impossible to stay on board and they had to abandon ship.

Without any hope of saving her, the steam launch from the "Esmeralda" started to fire to the side, but were unable to sink her. Both the "Maipú" and the "Esmeralda" started to heat the engines and move away from the pontoon, that had become a real fire ship that might burst in any moment.

All the warships, including the "Douguay Trouin", started firing against the pontoon, but she just would not sink. The efforts were useless and about five thirty evening, before the eyes of 10,000 people watching from the shore, the ship's magazine finally bursted.

A quietly controlled Arturo Prat remained on his feet and even helped others to stand up, while pieces of wood and shrapnel fell around them. After the blast the pontoon slowly went underwater. On this occasion the young Midshipman's spirit and control in the face of danger were clearly appreciated.

The "Esmeralda" continued with her southbound trips and one of them was to the Juan Fernández Archipelago. She was also sent in search of the British steamship "Lima", that had ran aground and wrecked at the Lagartos Shallow off the Mejillones Peninsula. All the passengers were saved and carried to Cobija by an American clipper.

Prat returned to Valparaiso and then followed to Talcahuano, Valdivia, and next to Caldera. Very soon later, the "Esmeralda" had a change of command. The new Commanding Officer was Lieutenant Commander Galvarino Riveros. The ship headed to Tenglo Island in Chiloé for careening. This was on July 1863 and the ship was already quite deteriorated. When repairs were finished she returned to Valparaiso, and Lieutenant Commander Juan Williams took office as Commanding Officer. He made a trip to Mejillones, in order to defend chilean interests abused by the bolivian authorities from Cobija. Some time later the ship made a trip to the same place, to disrupt a guano drawing operation, that was being carried on by a brazilian on chilean soil with the authorization of the bolivian Government.

On 21 July 1864 Arturo Prat was appointed examined Midshipman.

Finally, 1865 arrived and with it the War against Spain. Embarked on the "Esmeralda" Prat participated in the Naval Combat of Papudo, seizing the Spanish two-gun baldhead schooner "Virgen de Covadonga" on 26 November 1865. When Manuel Thomson took office as her Commanding Officer, Prat became one of his officers and took the Spanish prisoners to Papudo. Once the "Covadonga" was repaired at Los Vilos, she continued to Lota to bunk, and from there continued her voyage to Chiloé.

Ultima Modificación: Lunes 30 de Abril de 2001