A RUN TO NICARAGUA. 331 



can be found in any other house of the same limited 

 dimensions, and he will only have himself to blame 

 if he is contented to confine his experiences to the 

 range of his lorgnette; should he extend them beyond 

 it, he will in all probability find himself lingering in 

 the Crescent City, long after the secret conviction has 

 been forced upon him that, as a resolute and con- 

 scientious traveller, he is bound to prosecute the ob- 

 ject, whatever it may be (and we will give him credit 

 for having one), which has induced him to start upon 

 his travels. But if I would not fall into the very sin 

 against which I am warning others, I must not remain 

 dallying any longer at New Orleans. It was quite 

 inexcusable to diverge from the St Charles Hotel to 

 the opera, seeing that we are on our way to Nicaragua ; 

 and so, as Walter Gay said when he finally tore him- 

 self away from the affectionate embraces of Cap'en 

 Cuttle, " now I am off." The departure of the steamer 

 Texas for Greytown, with recruits for Walker's army, 

 was the cause of the excitement which prevailed in all 

 the places of public resort in the city, which I have 

 already described an excitement which derived an 

 additional interest from the fact that it was partly 

 increased by some rumours which had been current 

 for a day or two previously, that the United States 

 Government had determined to lay a veto upon the 

 departure of the steamer at the last moment a pro- 

 ceeding to which the free and independent citizens of 

 New Orleans were by no means disposed tamely to 



