Page:Letters from the Battle-fields of Paraguay (1870).djvu/400



370 FROM humaitA to guardia tacuAra.

mitted to pass the Brazilian lines without promising that the neutral flag should not cover Marshal-President Lopez, whom all naively expected to run away from their valours ; or to convey his treasure, which was afterwards reported to have been embarked in the French gunboat La Decidee. In this matter the Brazilians acted unwisely : they should have been the first to build the golden bridge for a flying foe. But the old salt well knew that the President of Paraguay would make capital out of the appearance of the Wasp, and that other nations would also send up cruisers to visit their representatives ; effectively the North American craft was followed by four others within a few weeks.

Lieutenant-Commander Kirkland objected to pledge him- self, and a reference was sent to Rio de Janeiro. There the U.S. representative, General Webb, whose friends urged him not to endure Brazilian outrecuidance, and whose enemies accused him of a passion for ultimatums, declared that he would suspend relations unless Mr. Washburn was communicated with by a U.S. cruiser. The Empire vainly off'ered to embark the Minister at Paraguay in one of the Imperial vessels, but this was rejected; and finally, in her hour of need, she yielded to the Republic, or rather to its representative.

Lieutenant-Commander Kirkland then came up the river in triumph. He had lived long and had married in Monte Video, where he was considered to be a sympathizer with the Blanco party — that is to say, with Paraguay against the Allies. Arrived at Guardia Tacuara, he called upon the Vice-Admiral, and officially requested to be accompanied by a Brazilian ship of war carrying a white flag : when this was refused he dropped a few words touching his being uncourteously hindered in the performance of his duty. This offence, of course, rankled deep. Moreover, he steamed slowly up stream, anchoring (August 29) off the Tebicuary

FROM humaitA to