Nicaragua

DEPARTURE FOR THE UNITED STATES—AN AMERICAN HOTEL IN GRANADA—LOS COCOS—VOYAGE THROUGH THE LAKE—DESCENT OF THE RIVER—SAN JUAN—CHAGRES—HOME—OUTLINE OF NICARAGUAN CONSTITUTION—CONCLUSION OF NARRATIVE.

In the month of June succeeding the events detailed above, having received leave of absence from my Government, I started from Leon on my return to the United States. It was the commencement of the rainy season, and already the vegetable world was putting on new robes of green. I found, as I rode from one town to another, that a year had wrought a wonderful change in the aspect of the country. The intervention of the United States, and the probable speedy opening of Californian transit, had contributed to restore public confidence, and had given a new impulse to industry. I observed that fully one-third more ground had been put under cultivation than the year previously, and that in other respects considerable improvements had been made.

In Granada an American hotel had been established, and I found that my old and excellent friend Dr. S. was no longer the sole representative of the United States in that hospitable city. I need not add that I took up my quarters at the “Fonda Americana.” But my stay was brief. The novelty of a residence amongst orange and palm trees had quite worn off; life had become tame and monotonous; and I longed for the action and bustle of home. The playa of Granada was not less cheerful than when I landed; the tropical winds were as bland, and the sun as brilliant. The Indians girls were not less arch, nor the languid Señoras less beautiful; the Señorita Terisa sang operas quite as well as before; but still there was a vacancy to be supplied. The essential element of vitality was wanting; and however much I had been taken at the outset with the primitive aspect of society, and the quiet, dreamy habits of the people, I was now more than ever convinced that life, to be relished, must be earnest, and that its highest and keenest enjoyments are involved in what is often called its “warfare.”

Three days after my arrival in Granada, I embarked at “Los Cocos,” in a bongo loaded with Brazil wood, for San Juan. We dawdled, day after day, along the northern shore of the lake, after the immemorial fashion amongst the marineros, stopped again at “El Pedernal,”“El Pedernal,” and the Bahita de San Miguel, and on the morning of the sixth day reached San Carlos. My rotund friend, the Commandante, arrayed in a new uniform, and reinstated in his old quarters, welcomed me with all the warmth of his genial temper; and again I was installed, amongst the pigeons and chickens, in his house on the promontory.

I was impatient to proceed, but we did not get away until the sun was setting behind Solentenami, throwing a flood of radiance over the lake, while the river flowed dark and silent beneath the shadows of the dense forests on its banks. The descent of the San Juan is an easy matter compared with the ascent. It is usually accomplished in two days; but on the morning of our second day, our patron Antonio, in an attempt to “shoot” the central channel of the Rapids of Machuca, ran us upon the rocks, where we remained for thirty hours, until relieved by the united crews of six bongos, which, in ascending and descending, had, in the meantime, reached the rapids. Our situation during this time was perilous in the extreme, and had not our boat been new and staunch, it must inevitably have gone to pieces. After the first excitement was over, I amused myself by shooting alligators, in their attempts to ascend the rapids. A dozen of their ugly heads might be seen above the water at the same moment. By keeping in the eddies, they contrive to get up, but it is a long process for them, and requires an entire day.

San Juan had undergone very little change since my previous visit. My friend, the Consul General, had gone home, and the supreme authority was vested in a little man named Green, one of those who, in conjunction with McDonald, Walker & Co., had invented the Mosquito Kingdom! The two wan policemen were also gone; one had absconded with a quantity of the Consul’s papers, and the other, I believe, had died. Their place was now filled by a dozen negroes from Jamaica, not particularly prepossessing in their exteriors, or agreeable in their manners. Captain Shepherd still swung in his hammock, clinging tenaciously to his parchment grants; and Monsieur Sigaud, upright, honest-hearted Frenchman, was my host. His titled countryman, the Viscomte, oblivious of slaughtered pigs, had made his peace with the English authorities, and in conjunction with a German Jew, of doubtful antecedents, had now the control of the Custom House.

There was a large party of Americans in San Juan. They had brought the news of the ratification of the Clayton and Bulwer treaty, and the people were ecstatic under the belief that they were thereby to be relieved from British rule. But Dr. Green cooled their ardor by producing a letter from the Foreign office, in which the treaty was interpreted to be an implied if not an express recognition of the British establishments on the coast, by the American Government.

The British steamer Dee arrived in port the morning after my arrival. She stayed but a single day, and on the 26th of June, 1850, I bade farewell to the shores of Nicaragua.^[43] Twenty-four hours brought us in sight of Chagres, where, beneath the old Castle of San Felipe, the “Georgia” and “Philadelphia,” with steam already up, were taking on board their last passengers, for the United States. I had barely time to get my baggage on board the former, before the anchor was lifted, and we were under way, “homeward bound.” A brief and pleasant passage of eight days to New York, offered a striking contrast to our month’s imprisonment in the little “Frances,” outward bound. The captain was right; that voyage to San Juan was really her “thirty-seventh and last,” she was condemned on her return, and has probably gone “where all good vessels go.” Peace to her venerable timbers!

The preceding rapid narrative of incidents connected with my residence in Nicaragua might be greatly extended; but so far as my principal purpose of conveying some idea of the geography, scenery, resources, and antiquities of the country, and of the character, habits, and actual situation of its people, is concerned, it is probably unnecessary to add anything to what I have already said. A few words in respect to the Government and present constitution of the country may not be unacceptable, and with these I shall close this portion of my work, and pass to the consideration of other, but collateral, subjects.

The dissolution of the Federal Republic of Central America, in 1838, left the various States which had composed it in a singular and anomalous position. Some of them still adhered to the idea of nationality, but could not disguise the fact that the Federation no longer existed. Under those circumstances, they severally assumed the powers and responsibilities of independent sovereignties. Their respective constitutions, framed to conform to the federal system, now required to be altered to suit their new conditions. The Government of Nicaragua convened a Constituent Assembly for that specific purpose, which, on the 12th of November 1838, proclaimed a new constitution. It was accepted in due form by the people, and has since constituted the fundamental law of the State.

This instrument is thoroughly republican in its provisions. It provides that the Executive Power shall be vested in an officer styled the “Supreme Director,” who is elected directly by popular vote, for the term of two years, but is ineligible for two consecutive terms. He must be a native of Central America, a resident for five years in the State, and have attained the age of thirty years. The legislative power is vested in an Assembly, composed of a Senate and House of Representatives. The Senate consists of two members from each of the six districts into which the State is divided; they must possess all the qualifications of the Supreme Director, besides actual property to the value of $1000. They hold their offices for four years, and are so classified that the term of office of one-fourth of the number expires annually. They are not eligible beyond two consecutive terms, nor can any ecclesiastic be elected to their body. The Representatives are apportioned on the basis of every twenty thousand inhabitants. They must have attained twenty-five years of age, have resided one year in the State, and may be either secular or ecclesiastic. They are eligible for only two consecutive terms. No officer in the employ of the Government can be elected to either branch of the Assembly; nor can any member accept a public appointment. The acts of this Assembly require a vote of two-thirds of each branch, and the approval of the Supreme Director, in order to have the force of law. All males of the age of twenty years, born in the country, are electors. Exceptions are made in favor of married males and persons who have obtained a scientific degree or acquired a liberal profession. These secure the privileges of electors at the age of eighteen years. All persons convicted of criminal offences, who traffic in slaves or are privy to such traffic, or who accept employment, or titles, or pensions, from other Governments, forfeit their citizenship. This right is also suspended in certain cases, one of which is rather extraordinary. An individual who accepts the position of personal servant to another, is incapable, for the time being, of exercising his political privileges.

The rights of the citizen are defined to be “Liberty, Equality, Security of Life and Property, all of which are inseparable and inalienable, and inherent in the nature of man.” Their preservation is declared to be the primary object of all society and government. “Every man is free, and can neither sell himself nor be sold by others.” And although the Catholic religion is recognized by the State, and protected by the Government, yet all other religions are tolerated, and their free and public exercise guarantied. Entire liberty of speech and the freedom of the press are also guarantied, but individuals are subject to arraignment for their abuse. The right of petition, the principle of the inviolability of domicil, the security of seal, etc., etc., are recognized in their full extent, and are placed beyond the reach of the legislative or administrative powers.