Chap. XXI.—B.P.] NICARAGUA versus MOSQUITO. 339 
hoisted their flag in Grey town. This occurred on the 
9th of January, 1848. 
It now became an imperative necessity to put a stop 
to such trifling, and accordingly Lord Palmerston 
notified his intentions to Nicaragua in unmistakable 
terms, and in the meantime H.M.SS. Alarm and Yixen 
were dispatched from Jamaica, permanently to rein¬ 
state the King of Mosquito in his rights. 
Unfortunately, this was not accomplished without 
bloodshed. The Nicaraguans having seized two of¬ 
ficers in official position at Greytown, conveyed them 
into the interior, for safe custody, as the British 
approached, it therefore became necessary to pursue 
the retreating forces up the river San Juan. This was 
done by Captain Loch and Commander Eyder, at the 
head of 260 officers and men in twelve boats, viz. 24 
officers, 130 seamen, 30 marines, and 70 soldiers of 
the 38th Begiment, piloted by two canoes with two 
Indians in each. 
With this force, on the 12th of February, 1848, the 
Nicaraguans were overtaken at a famous strategical 
point where the Seripiqui empties itself into the San 
Juan. Here they had erected six angular stockaded 
entrenchments, eight feet high and four feet thick, and 
their guns completely swept the long reach by which- 
the point is approached; nevertheless, the attacking 
force, in spite of a current against them, running nearly 
five miles an hour, and the exposure to a galling fire 
for one hour and forty minutes, during which fifteen of 
their number were killed and wounded, and the boats 
riddled with shot, succeeded, ten minutes after landing, 
z 2 
