362 DOT-TINGS ON THE ROADSIDE. [Chap. XXII.—B.P. 
prise must bow in the nineteenth century; when 
assuredly, if the money prospects are good, it will he 
adopted, whether it tends to promote national interests 
or the reverse. 
In November, 1864,1 was again en route for Central 
America, accompanied on this my fourth journey by the 
Consul-General for Nicaragua, a mining engineer of 
repute, and a well-known artist, Mr. George Chambers. 
My object was thoroughly to examine the mineral re¬ 
sources of the Chontales district, of which the most 
encouraging reports had been received. The results 
of this journey were important. 
In the first place, my concession received at the 
hands of Congress and the President certain amend¬ 
ments, tending greatly to improve it, although not to 
the extent desired (see Appendix). I also caused a 
road to be cut from the lake to overlap that portion 
left unfinished by my expedition of the previous year. 
And on going over it, I found that the section afforded 
as easy a gradient as that of the other part, and there¬ 
fore, practically, the entire feasibility of the route was 
proved. The explorations in Chontales also turned out 
satisfactorily, disclosing a very large amount of auri¬ 
ferous and argentiferous deposits in the district, only 
requiring capital and prudence in their development, 
to ensure a rich return. 
In May, 1865, I returned home once more, appa¬ 
rently with every prospect of a successful termination 
of my labours, but I speedily learned the truth of the 
adage, “There’s many a slip ’twixt the cup and the 
lip,” for I found that neither the concession itself nor 
