Gabti.] 4 JO [Aug. 20, 



It seems that Marcliena's plan was to put a creature of liis own over 

 the Indians, so as to gain access to the supposed rich mines and thereby 

 benefit himself. Instigated by a " Christian," the savage, nothing loth, 

 conspired with his people, but Santiago learned of it and made efforts to 

 arrest him. Learning of this, he fled to the mountain fastnesses of 

 Bri-bri where, broken down by disease and hardships he died, leaving, 

 Indian like, his revenge as a legacy to his adherents. Santiago, who was 

 a drunkard and, when intoxicated, a tyrant, gradually eustranged his 

 people from him, and his relatives, Birche and Willie, placed themselves 

 at the head of the opposition. The occasion sought for was not long in 

 being found, and one morning Santiago was shot in the woods by an am- 

 bushed party, who at once took j)ossession of the government, burnt their 

 victim's house, appropriated his effects, including his three wives, and 

 defied his friends. Birche, as the oldest of the two cousins and claimants 

 to the chieftainship, took precedence and Willie became second chief. 

 Mr. John H. Lyon, an American from Baltimore, who had lived in the 

 country since 1858, had acted as secretary to Santiago, and only their re- 

 spect for an upright man who had always treated them justly, coupled 

 with the fact that he was not a " Spaniard," prevented them from vent- 

 ing their resentment on him, in common with the other friends of the 

 murdered man. He remained at his house for some weeks despite the 

 storm. But at last, thinking discretion the better part of valor, he left 

 the country with his Indian family and remained absent some months. 

 On his return he found matters settled after a fashion : the Birche party 

 in power, but by no means secure against an outbreak from the friends 

 of Santiago, who only wanted a leader. They urged Lyon to head them 

 but his better couocil prevailed, and they perforce accepted the situation. 

 I visited the country first in March, 1873. accompanied by the Command- 

 ante of Limon, Don Federico Fernandez. He then formally approved of 

 Birche as chief, Willie as second, and re-appointed Lyon as Secretary. 

 This was a great step in advance for Birche who now, for the first time, 

 felt himself secure. The assassination of Santiago was practically ig- 

 nored, but they were told "to be good and not do it again." This was 

 succeeded by an infinite number of petty quarrels between the two 

 chiefs ; each disliking the other, and each wishing the other out of the 

 way. By dint of constant interference on the part of the foreigners, they 

 were prevented from coming into actual collision, although one attempt 

 was made by the friends of Willie to kill Birche, Lyon, myself and my 

 assistants at a blow by planting an ambush for us on one of our journeys. 

 However, in December, 1873, business taking me to San Jose, I induced 

 Birche to accompany me. On my advice, Don Vicente Herrera, the 

 Minister of Interior, gave to Birche a formal commission as " Jefe Polit- 

 ico " of Talamanca, confirmed Willie as second chief, and appointed Mr. 

 Lyon "Secretary and Director of the tribes," fixing suitable salaries for 

 each. This was the first time that the tribe had formally submitted to 

 the Costa Rican government. The action of Santiago was purely an in- 



