A EUN TO NICARAGUA. 341 



H.M.S. Cossack, came on board to learn the state 

 of affairs. He found a few peaceable-looking indi- 

 viduals strolling about the deck, and was assured 

 that no violence would be resorted to. On the other 

 hand, he expressed the utmost desire on the part of 

 the British naval authorities to maintain a strict 

 neutrality, in so far as the rival claims in the property 

 of the Transit Company were concerned, but at the 

 same time wished it clearly to be understood that, in 

 waters under British protection, no bloodshed or 

 destruction of life or property would be allowed. 

 As the capture of the steamer could scarcely be 

 effected without a struggle, the partisans of Walker 

 would have probably found themselves in a dilemma, 

 had not the difficulty been solved by the prompt 

 departure of Captain Spencer, who had simply waited 

 to inspect our appearance, and not liking the prox- 

 imity of a large steamer, which he had good reason to 

 suspect contained a strong hostile force, he slipped 

 quietly away up the shallow waters of the river, 

 where it was impossible, without another river- 

 steamer (which we did not possess), to follow him, 

 and was no more seen. To add to the difficulty of 

 the position, we found that all the river and lake 

 steamers, to the number of seven, were in the pos- 

 session of the gallant captain and his Costa Eican 

 associates, and that all possibility, therefore, of pro- 

 ceeding up the river to join Walker was at an end. 

 This disastrous intelligence was communicated to us 



