352 TRAVEL, ADVENTURE, AND SPORT. 



little Anglo-Saxon courage and energy on one side or 

 the other would terminate the struggle in favour of 

 the faction who could secure it ; while so tempting 

 an appeal was not likely to be made in vain, to men 

 who were only longing for an excuse to enter the 

 country as permanent occupants, which they had 

 coveted when transit passengers. But in order to 

 understand the circumstances under which the Nicar- 

 aguans applied to the Californians for assistance, it 

 will be necessary to glance summarily at the history 

 of the country for a few years preceding this event. 

 In 1815, Nicaragua, then a Spanish colony, attempted 

 an insurrection to throw off the dominion of the 

 mother country. This, however, proved abortive, 

 and it was not until six years after that Guatemala, 

 Honduras, San Salvador, Nicaragua, and Costa Eica, 

 declared their independence of Spain. In 1822 they 

 were incorporated with Mexico under the Emperor 

 Iturbide. Upon his overthrow, which happened soon 

 after, a federal republic, similar to that of the United 

 States, was formed, composed of the five central 

 American States, with a national assembly at Guate- 

 mala. Upon this occasion the republic only existed 

 two years, the most important feature in its legisla- 

 tion being the abolition of slavery throughout the 

 States ; but it was reconstituted in 1829 by General 

 Morazan, and destroyed by Carera ; indeed, during 

 a period of twenty years, all these States were a prey 

 to a series of devastating revolutions, sometimes 



