ments of cavalry and a white flag, to hear their complaints; but while conferring with the insurgents they were surrounded, and almost all of them cut to pieces. The number of the disaffected increased to more than a thousand, and Galvez sent against them six hundred troops, who routed them, plundered and burned their villages, and, among other excesses, the last outrage was perpetrated upon Carrera's wife. Roused to fury by this personal wrong, he joined with several chiefs of villages, vowing never to lay down his arms while an officer of Morazan remained in the state. With a few infuriated followers he went from village to village, killing the judges and government officers, when pursued escaping to the mountains, begging tortillas at the haciendas for his men, and sparing and protecting all who assisted him. At this time he could neither read nor write; but, urged on and assisted by some priests, particularly one Padre Lobo, a notorious profligate, he issued a proclamation, having his name stamped at the foot of it, against strangers and the government, for attempting to poison the Indians, demanding the destruction of all foreigners excepting the Spaniards, the abolition of the Livingston Code, a recall of the archbishop and friars, the expulsion of heretics, and a restoration of the privileges of the Church and old usages and customs. His fame spread as a highwayman and murderer; the roads about Guatimala were unsafe; all travelling was broken up; the merchants were thrown into consternation by intelligence that the whole of the goods sent to the fair at Esquipulas had fallen into his hands (which, however, proved untrue); and very soon he became so strong that he attacked villages and even towns.

The reader will bear in mind that this was in the

DISSENSIONS IN CENTRAL AMERICA. 227

State of Guatimala. The Liberal party was dominant, but at this critical moment a fatal division took place among its members; Barundia, a leading member, disappointed of a high office for a profligate relative, deserted the administration, and appeared in the Assembly at the head of the opposition. Party distraction and the rising of Carrera stirred up all who were dissatisfied with the government; and the citizens of the Antigua, about twenty-five miles distant, sent in a petition for a decree of amnesty for political offences, allowing exiles to return, and a redress of other grievances. A deputation of the Assembly was sent to confer with them, which returned unsuccessful, and the Antiguans threatened to march against Guatimala.

On Sunday, the twentieth of February (1838), proclamations of the Antiguanos were found strewed in the streets, and there was a general alarm that the Antiguanos were on their march to attack the city. The troops of the general government (less than five hundred in number) and the militia were mustered; cannon placed at the corners of the square, and sentinels in the streets; and General Prem published a bando, calling upon all citizens to take up arms. Galvez, the chief of the state, mounted his horse, and rode through the streets, endeavouring to rouse the citizens, and giving out that Morazan was on his march, and had defeated three hundred of Carrera's gang. On Monday all business was suspended. Galvez, in great perplexity, reinstated some officers who had been dismissed, and appointed Mexia, a Spaniard, lieutenant-colonel; which gave such disgust that Prem and all the officers sent in their resignations. Galvez begged and implored them to continue, reconciling himself to each individually; and at length, on his revoking the commission of Mexia, they

consented. At two o'clock it was rumoured that Carrera had joined the Antiguanos. Prem published a decree that all males from fourteen to sixty, except priests and persons labouring under physical imbecility, should take up arms. At nine o'clock at night there was an alarm that a party of Carrera's gang was at the Aycetuna. The square was garrisoned, and sentinels and cannons placed at the corners of the streets. To add to the excitement, during the night the provesor died, and news was received that the Livingston Code had been publicly burned at Chiquimula; and that the town had declared against Galvez. On Wednesday morning fossés were commenced at the corners of the public square; but on Thursday the Marquis of Aycinena, the leader of the Central party, by a conference with the divided Liberals, succeeded in inducing a majority of deputies to sign a convention of amnesty, which gave general satisfaction, and the next day the city was perfectly quiet.

At midday this calm proved the forerunner of a dreadful storm. The troops of the Federal government, the only reliable force, revolted, and with bayonets fixed, colours flying, and cannon in front, left the barracks and marched into the plaza. They refused to ratify the convention by which, it was represented to them, Galvez was to be deposed, and Valenzuela, the vice-chief, and a tool of Barundia, appointed in his stead. They refused to serve under any of the opposition, and said they could give protection, and had no occasion to ask it. Deputies were cited to attend a meeting of the Assembly, but they were afraid to convene. The officers had a conference with the soldiers; and Merino, a sergeant, drew up a document requiring the President Morazan to be sent for, and Galvez to

remain chief until his arrival. This was assented to. Deputies were sent requesting Morazan to come to Guatimala, and also to the Antigua, to explain the circumstances of violating the convention; but they were un successful, and the same night the alarm-bell announced the approach of eight hundred men to attack the city. The militia were called to arms, but only about forty appeared. At half past five Galvez formed the gov ernment troops, and, accompanied by Prem, marched from the plaza to meet the rebels; but before he reached the gate a conspiracy broke out among the troops, and with the cry "Viva el General Merino, y muera el Gefe del Estado, qui nos ha vendido-fuego, muchachos!" "Live General Merino, and die the chief of the state, who has sold us-fire, boys," the infantry fired upon the etat major. A ball passed through Prem's hat; Galvez was thrown from his horse, but escaped, and took refuge behind the altar of the Church of La Concepcion. Yañez succeeded in dispersing the troops with his cavalry, and returned to the square, leaving fifteen dead in the street. Merino, with about a hundred and twenty men, took possession of the small fieldpiece of the battalion, and stationed himself in the square of Guadaloupe. Parties of the dispersed troops remained out all night, firing their muskets, and keeping the city in a state of alarm; but Yañez saved it from plunder by patrolling with his cavalry. In the morning Merino asked permission to march into the plaza. His number had increased by the return of straggling parties; and on forming in the plaza he and three or four of the ringleaders were ordered to leave the ranks, and sent to prison in the convent of San Domingo, where, on Monday afternoon, he was tied to a stake in his cell and shot. His grave at the foot of the stake, and blood

spattered on the wall, were among the curiosities shown to me in Guatimala.

On Sunday morning the bells again sounded the alarm; the rebels were at the old gate, and commissioners were sent out to treat with them. They demanded an evacuation of the plaza by the soldiers; but the soldiers answered, indignantly, that the rebels might come and take the square. Prem softened this into an answer that they could not surrender to rebels, and at about half past twelve at night the attack commenced. The rebels scattered in the suburbs, wasting powder and bullets, and in the morning Yañez, with seventy cavalry, made a sally, and, routing three hundred of them, returned into the plaza with lances reeking with blood. Probably, if he had been seconded by the citizens, he would have driven them all back to the Antigua.

On Wednesday Carrera joined the rebels. He had sent his emissaries to the villages, rousing the Indians, and promising them the plunder of Guatimala; and on Thursday, with a tumultuous mass of half-naked savages, men, women, and children, estimated at ten or twelve thousand, presented himself at the gate of the city. The Antiguanos themselves were struck with consternation, and the citizens of Guatimala were thrown into a state bordering on distraction. Commissioners were again sent out to treat with him, from whom he demanded the deposition of Galvez, the chief of the state, the evacuation of the plaza by the Federal troops, and a free passage into the city. Probably, even at this time, if the Federal troops had been supported by the citizens they could have resisted the entry; but the consternation, and the fear of exasperating the rebellious hordes, were so great, that nothing was thought of