Chap. XVI. — B. P . J OPINION OF YANKEES. 271 
bert’s ‘Journey up the River San Juan and passage 
across the Lake of Nicaragua;’ and I noticed a 
book called ‘ Waikna, or Adventures on the Mosquito 
Shore, by Samuel A. Lard (E. G. Squier),’—a par¬ 
tisan attack on the King and people of the Mosquito 
coast, published by Samuel A. Bard (E. G. Squier), 
the late American minister to Nicaragua. The King, 
on seeing me look at this book, said that he would lend 
it to me to read, and that until he had read it, he could 
not have believed it possible for any one to string to¬ 
gether for any purpose such a pack of lies; especially 
when it was notorious that the author had never 
visited the Mosquito Coast, “ I am told,” said the 
King, “ that Mr. Squier has written other books, I 
only hope with a greater regard to accuracy and truth 
than that entitled ‘ Waikna,’ for if not, they are worse 
than worthless, I fear.” The King, moreover, told 
me that he had heard a good deal about Mr. Squier 
from a foreigner whom he occasionally saw at Great 
River, a trader from Matagalpa, who told him that the 
American minister was known in Nicaragua as “un 
alegre menteroso ” (a playful liar). I was curious 
to see the contents of this book, and therefore bor¬ 
rowed it, telling the King I had no personal know¬ 
ledge whatever of Mr. Squier, but that surely lie 
must be mistaken in supposing that any one in so 
responsible a position, the representative of a great 
country, could be so foolish as to write what must 
sooner or later be proved false, and bring dishonour 
and discredit upon himself and country. 
“That may be all very well,” said the King; 
