A RUN TO NICARAGUA. 367 



and daring attack, formed a junction with Henning- 

 sen, though with the loss of nearly half their number. 

 The allies, disheartened, drew off in despair, and 

 occupied the following day in quarrelling among 

 themselves, so that Henningsen was enabled to em- 

 bark his guns without having a shot fired at him. 

 Many of the sick and wounded from the siege of 

 Grenada arrived at Greytown while I was there, and 

 described to me in vivid terms the horrors of that 

 event. Such was the position of matters at the 

 period of my visit, and it was then said that Walker 

 had altogether 1000 men in good fighting order. 

 Since then, various attacks have been made, during 

 the end of January and the beginning of February, 

 upon General Cafias, whose headquarters are a few 

 miles from those of Walker, but without any marked 

 result. So long as the river San Juan is in the hands 

 of the Costa Ricans, Walker will be prevented from 

 undertaking any expedition on a large scale, while his 

 army will dwindle away for want of reinforcements. 

 It is possible, indeed, that by early intelligence we 

 shall hear of the success of the filibusters, who have 

 already attacked the Costa Ricans upon the river, 

 and who may succeed in forcing their way up ; but 

 the protracted struggle has already had the effect of 

 disheartening many of Walker's men, and it is now 

 becoming doubtful whether, under any circumstances, 

 he will be able permanently to maintain his position 

 of President in Nicaragua. His ultimate success is 



