The Nevada journal., 1857-02-06

two eannens, at that moment steamer
was heard coming down the river. The
men were made to lie down on the raft.
1t was moment of peril The steamer
passed without any one on board having
seen or suspected the lurking danger.
| A road or track was cut towards the
flank and rear of Walkers post, which
they silently reached. The signal-a
single shot was given, and the Costa
Ricans rushed with the bayonet with
horrid yells upon their surprised foes,
and in half minute resistance was at
an end. A panic had seized them.
A number were bayoneted, the rest
sprung off the bank into the deep and
rapid river. One brave officer, Capt.
Thompson, did all that mortal man
could do, to rally the men, but in vain.
The onslaught was too sudden and over
powering to admit of a resistance. Capt.
Thompson only ceased his exertions af-
ter he received second severe bayonet
wound.
His very enemies, admiring his signal
gallantry, liberated him subsequently at
Greytown, where also, they did all in
their power to alleviate his suferings
One man besides Capt. Thompson, was
saved from the river, and five escaped
into the forest The rest are said to
have perished. A sufficient force hav-
ing been left to guard Hipp's point, the
rest of the adventurous band again com
mitted their lives to the perilous chances
of the river, upon the same RATS, which
had now become rickety and insecure.
They arrived close to Greytown about
2 O'Clock on the morning of the oath.
Here again. fortune favored them, for
a steamer was just getting up her steam
to asc end the river. She was immedi-
ately taken with three others.
Had the expedition been delayed an
hour longer in its descent, it must have
perished. 1t would indeed have been
"touch and so" the slightest touc h
= for the steamer would have separat-
ed the slightly bound pieces of the RATS,
and sent the Costa Ricans instantly to
watery grave. By dawn of day the
steamers were taken without loss, and
the Costa Ricans, also in possession of
Punta Castillo, or Punta Arenas, which
they have always claimed as belonging
to their country.
AT the same time the inhabitants of
Greytown became aware of the presence
of this unexpected invasion. The place
was soon in confusion and commotion,
one party, the most numerous, threaten
ing violence to the foreigners in the
place, mostly Americans, under the cry
of "Viva Costa Rica"
However, the officers commanding
the expedition discountenanced any and
every hostile attempt against the inhab-
itants of Greytown. and left the place
next morning in the captured vessels.
In the meantime, the T. S. consul
made al application to the officer COM
manding the British squadron at Grey
town to protect the property of Capt.
Joseph n. Scott, agent for Messrs.
Charles Mogan & Son, of New York,
from a forcible seizure by force of
Costa Ricans, under command of Col.
Joaquin Fernandez. To this Captain
John c. Erskine, senior officer, replied
from on board the Orion, dated oath
December, 1856, that che had taken
steps by landing party of mariners
from one Of her Majesty's ships, to pro-
tect the person and private property of
Capt. Joseph Scott, his family, and all
citizens Of the U. S. of America" which
the officer of the Costa Rcan forces,
now at Punta Arenas, also assured him,
should be placed III no peril. Iheh as
regards the capture of the steamers,
Capt. Erskine, in continuation, very .ju-
diciously expressed himself, as follows:
TO prevent all misapprehension, think
it however right to state that the
steamers and other property belonging
to the Accessory Transit Co. being at
this moment the object of a dispute be
tween two different Cos, the represen-
tatives Of which are on the spot, and
one of them authorizing the seizure, do
not feel justified in taking any steps
which may effect the interests of either
party. With respect to the participa-
ton of force of Costa Ricans, in the
seizure and transfer of the steamers al
luded to, | must observe that these
steamers having been some months past
emnloved in embarkine in this port and