102 
DOTTINGfS ON THE ROADSIDE. [Chap. VII.— B. S. 
their inhabitants as heathens who have never had the 
benefit of Christian sacraments, believe their republic 
to be in the van of civilization; and they are never 
tired of asking foreigners to confirm that delusion. 
I tried to escape telling such an untruth by dwelling 
on the vast resources and great natural beauties of 
Nicaragua, and avoiding the point they wished me to 
be eloquent upon; because, like all Spanish Ameri¬ 
cans, they are extremely thin-skinned, and regard 
every unfavourable opinion as an ill-natured depre¬ 
ciation. One who desires to stand well with them 
should therefore be careful of what he says and writes. 
Travellers who have been simple-minded enough to 
speak out, have had their books burnt in the public 
square, as such things ought to be in countries the 
history of which has not yet passed the period of 
the dark ages. 
I had several interviews with the President of the 
Eepublic, General Martinez, to whom the country is 
indebted for ten years of peace. I found that he and 
the Ministers of State were men of intelligence, 
and were fully impressed with the high responsibili¬ 
ties they had undertaken. In early life General Mar¬ 
tinez travelled over every part of his native country, 
and thereby obtained that practical knowledge which, 
in after years, was destined to be of incalculable value. 
Actuated by that patriotism which every true lover of 
his country must feel in her hour of need, he joined, 
in 1854, the army formed to repel the invaders under 
the filibuster Walker. That he was eminently suc¬ 
cessful, both on the field of battle and in the Cabinet, 
