382 



INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL. 



falling back into despotism. He had been persecuted, 

 heavy contributions had been laid upon his property, 

 and four years before he had vsrithdrawn from Cartago 

 and retired to this hacienda. But political animosity 

 never dies. A detachment of soldiers was sent to ar- 

 rest him, and, that no suspicion might be excited, they 

 were sent by sea, and landed at a port on the Pacific 

 within the bounds of his own estate. Don Juan re- 

 ceived an intimation of their approach, and sent a ser- 

 vant to reconnoitre, who returned with intelligence that 

 they were within half a day's march. He mounted his 

 horse to escape, but near his own gate was thrown, and 

 his leg badly broken. He was carried back insensible, 

 and when the soldiers arrived they found him in bed ; 

 but they made him rise, put him on horseback, hurried 

 him to the frontiers of the state, and left him, commu- 

 nicating to him his sentence of banishment, and death 

 if he returned. The boundary-line of the State of 

 Costa E-ica is a river in the midst of a wilderness, and 

 he was obliged to travel on horseback to Nicaragua, a 

 journey of four days. He had never recovered the 

 use of his leg, which was two or three inches shorter 

 than the other. He remained two years in exile ; and 

 on the election of Don Manuel de Aguila as chief of 

 the state, returned. On the expulsion of Don Manuel 

 he retired again to his hacienda, and was then busily 

 engaged dn making repairs for the reception of his fam- 

 ily ; but he did not know at what moment another or- 

 der might come to expel him from his home. 



While sitting at the supper-table we heard a noise 

 over our heads, which seemed to me like the opening 

 of the roof. Don Juan threw his eyes to the ceiling, 

 and suddenly started from his chair, threw his arms 

 around the neck of a servant, and with the fearful 



