340 TRAVEL, ADVENTURE, AND SPORT. 



Morgan. The San Juan river forms a sort of lagoon 

 before entering the sea. On the northern shore is 

 the town of Greytown, on the southern a flat spit of 

 land runs out to the bar, and is called Point Arenas. 

 Upon this are situated the Company's buildings, and 

 thither were all glasses directed as we rounded the 

 Point, and came slowly up to our anchorage in a 

 state of extreme perplexity and indecision, for we 

 could not see the Costa Ricans anywhere. At last 

 we perceived a miserable bit of red bunting, said to 

 be the Costa Rican flag, flying over a hut about two 

 hundred yards off, in front of which was anchored 

 a small river-steamer, and on board this craft, we 

 were assured, was the redoubted Captain Spencer and 

 his Costa Bicans. Immediately on this becoming 

 certain, preparations were made for taking the said 

 boat, which was in fact the one by which we had 

 been destined to pursue our own voyage up the river. 

 The men, who, from the moment of our crossing the 

 bar, had not been allowed to show themselves on 

 deck for fear of allowing the enemy to perceive the 

 extent of our force, were now all drawn up on the 

 lower deck. The coffin-shaped boxes were opened, 

 arms and ammunition were served out to the men, 

 who were now on the tiptoe of expectation. Indeed, 

 we all looked forward to some excitement after the 

 monotony of the voyage. While these preparations 

 were in progress, and matters were beginning to 

 assume a warlike aspect, Captain Cockburn, of 



