CARRERA TRIUMPHANT. 235 



was not easily raised ; the treasury was bankrupt, and 

 the money was not very cheerfully contributed by the 

 citizens. The madness of consenting to put in the 

 hands of Carrera a thousand muskets was only equalled 

 by the absurdity of making him a lieutenant-colonel. 



On the afternoon of the third day the money was 

 paid, the muskets delivered, and Carrera was invested 

 with the command of the province of Mita, a district 

 near Guatimala. The joy of the inhabitants at the 

 prospect of his immediate departure was without 

 bounds ; but at the last moment an awful rumour 

 spread, that the wild bands had evinced an uncontrol- 

 lable eagerness, before leaving, to sack the city. A 

 random discharge of muskets in the plaza confirmed 

 this rumour, and the effect was dreadful. An hour of 

 terrible suspense followed, but at five o'clock they filed 

 off in straggling crowds from the plaza. At the Plaza 

 de Toros they halted, and, firing their muskets in the 

 air, created another panic. A rumour was revived that 

 Carrera had demanded four thousand dollars more, and 

 that, unless he received it, he would return and take it 

 by force. Carrera himself did actually return, and de- 

 manded a fieldpiece, which was given him ; and at 

 length, leaving behind him a document requiring the 

 redress of certain grievances, to the unspeakable joy 

 of all the inhabitants he left the city. 



The delight of the citizens at being relieved from 

 the pressure of immediate danger was indeed great, 

 but there was no return of confidence, and, unhappily, 

 no healing of political animosities. Valenzuela was 

 appointed chief of the state ; the Assembly renewed its 

 distracted sessions ; Barundia, as the head of the now 

 ministerial party, proposed to abolish all the unconsti- 

 tutional decrees of Galvez ; money was wanted, and 



