280 KETURN TO ENGLAND. 



afterwards, when George had comprehended Trevi- 

 thick's locomotive, and desired his son's return to 

 England to assist him in making it useful, Robert 

 Stephenson, grown to manhood, met his father's friend 

 in the wilds of Central America, both of them having 

 been engaged in mining operations, and both on their 

 return to England. George Stephenson's son made for 

 himself a fortune and a name, his friend earned poverty 

 and neglect. These two men, though well known to the 

 engineering world, had no mutual attraction, and in 

 their native land remained strangers to each other.' 



" MY DEAR SlK, " 42, ST. MARY AXE, January 13*7*, 1828. 



" 1 had very unexpectedly a letter from Costa Eica this 

 morning by the way of Jamaica, including two for you, which I 

 have the pleasure of transmitting. Mine is from Montelegre, 

 begun on the 25th of August, and finished on the llth of Sep- 

 tember, when Don Antonio Pinto, with some people from the 

 Alajuela, was to start by the road of Sarapique on his way to 

 Jamaica. His intention was to find a better route as far as 

 Buona Vista, after which he would probably nearly follow our 

 course to the Embarcadero of Gamboa. 



" Whether he succeeded in finding a less rugged road to 

 Buona Yista I do not know. That he reached his destination 

 seems clear from our letters having come to hand; but from 

 their old date it would appear that he had either met with 

 difficulties on the road or with considerable detention at San 

 Juan. Montelegre writes me that Don Yonge had effected a 

 compromise on your account with the Castros. Gamboa got 

 back to San Jose on the 18th August, twelve days after he 

 parted from us, to the great joy of our mutual friends. Mr. 

 Paynter had been unwell after our departure. Both lie and 

 Moutelegre desire their kindest recollections to you. 



" Yours most sincerely, 



" J. M. GEKARD. 



" CAPT. TEEVITHICK."-' 



