A RUN TO NICARAGUA. 361 



valour. Their loss in killed and wounded amounted 

 to about 130, that of the Costa Eicans was estimated 

 at over 500. Although remaining masters of the 

 field, the latter evacuated it eighteen days afterwards, 

 and returned precipitately to Costa Eica ; the reason 

 assigned in the public proclamation by General Cafias 

 being the alarming outbreak of cholera. 



Meantime General Walker determined to make a 

 second attempt, to convince the authorities at Wash- 

 ington that the government of Nicaragua had the 

 approval of its citizens ; and for this purpose he 

 despatched thither Padre Vijil, a native of the coun- 

 try, who succeeded in inducing the Secretary of State 

 to recognise him as Nicaraguan minister, although 

 the political condition of Nicaragua was precisely the 

 same as when, two months before, he had refused to 

 recognise French. 



It may be remembered that, before Walker's arrival 

 at Nicaragua, a Transit Company had been formed 

 by Mr Vanderbilt with the then existing Nicaraguan 

 Government, upon terms which I have above described. 

 Not one farthing, however, of the twenty per cent 

 due to the Nicaraguan Government out of the annual 

 net profits, which were well known to be large, had 

 ever been paid by the Company ; and President Eivas 

 at last, at the instigation of General Walker, upon 

 the refusal of the Company to explain matters, or 

 liquidate the large debt due to the State, abrogated 

 the old grant, and regranted the route to fresh 



