ome
time their marines and seamen occupied it, and assisted in placing it in
a better position of defence.

CHAPTER SEVEN.

EXPEDITION TO SAN JUAN DE NICARAGUA.

CAPTURE OF FORT SERAPAQUI--21ST FEBRUARY 1848.

The state of Nicaragua will be found towards the southern portion of
that narrow neck of land which joins the two continents of North and
South America. A variety of outrages and insults having been offered to
British subjects,--two individuals especially having been carried off
from San Juan by Colonel Salas, of the Nicaraguan army,--Mr Walker, Her
Majesty's Consul-General and Agent stationed at Bluefields, requested
Admiral Austen, the Commander-in-chief on the West India station, to
send some ships-of-war to support and protect British interests in that
part of the world.

In consequence of this request, the admiral despatched HMS _Alarm_,
Captain Granville G. Loch, and HMS _Vixen_, Commander Ryder, to
Bluefields. They reached the mouth of the river the following day,
where the ships came to an anchor. The nearest Nicaraguan settlement
was at Serapaqui, about thirty miles up the river, but this, owing to
the strength of the current and various rapids, was generally a four
days' journey by boats. It was understood that Colonel Salas was
stationed at this fort with a considerable body of troops. Nothing
daunted by this, by the known strength of the fort, or by the difficulty
of approaching it on account of the rapidity of the current of the river
which there flows by the place, Captain Loch resolved to insist on
Colonel Salas making all the reparation in his power, or, in the event
of his refusal, to compel him to do so by force.

The fort of Serapaqui was situated on a point projecting into the river
very abruptly, and rising to the height of fifty feet. It was protected
in the rear by a dense forest, and in the front by an abattis formed of
large trees felled, with their heads and branches reaching into the
river. The defences of the fort consisted of six angular stockaded
entrenchments, formed of very tough timber, eight feet high and four
feet thick, one side of each stockade looking across the river, and the
other down the reach. The principal stockade commanded the only
landing-place, on which also a gun was at the time mounted. The fort
was only to be approached by heading a rapid current of nearly five
knots an hour, in order to pass the fort and descend towards the
landing-place, wh