346 TRAVEL, ADVENTURE, AND SPORT. 



squadron at Greytown, to protect the property of 

 Captain Joseph N. Scott, agent for Messrs Charles 

 Morgan & Son of New York, from a forcible seizure 

 by a force of Costa Ricans, under the command of 

 Colonel Joaquin Fernandez. 



"To this, Captain John C. Erskine, senior officer, 

 replied from on board the Orion, dated 24th Dec. 

 1856, that 'he had taken steps, by landing a party of 

 marines from one of her Majesty's ships, to protect 

 the persons and private property of Captain Joseph 

 Scott, his family, and all citizens of the United States 

 of America ; which the officer of the Costa Rica force, 

 now at Punta Arenas, also assured him should be 

 placed in no peril.' Then, as regards the capture of 

 the steamers, Captain Erskine, in continuation, very 

 judiciously expressed himself as follows : 



" ' To prevent all misapprehension, I think it, 

 however, right to state that the steamers and other 

 property belonging to the Accessory Transit Company, 

 being at this moment the subject of a dispute between 

 two different companies, the representatives of which 

 are on the spot, and one of them authorising the 

 seizure, I do not feel justified in taking any steps 

 which may affect the interests of either party. 



" ' With respect to the participation of a force of 

 Costa Ricans in the seizure and transfer of the steamers 

 alluded to, I must observe that these steamers, hav- 

 ing been for some months past employed in embark- 

 ing in this port and conveying to the parties with 



