Page:The woman in battle .djvu/606

544 They imagined that we were a band of pirates, who were coming to take possession of the country.

A messenger was now despatched to the city of Bolivar to notify the governor of our coming, and, with considerable uncertainty as to the reception we were likely to meet with, the next morning we resumed our slow progress up the river. At Los Tablos we were commanded to stop, and a most primitive piece of artillery was pointed at us, which excited some derision in my breast, but which appeared to inspire terror in that of Captain Johnston, for he was in much agitation lest the authorities on shore should take a notion to fire on us. After some parley, however, we were permitted to pass on to the city of Bolivar unmolested. On arriving off that place, the order was given that nobody should go ashore, much to the dissatisfaction of every one, for there was not a man, woman, or child on the steamer but was anxious to leave her at the earliest practicable moment.

After a time, the United States consul, Mr. Dalton, boarded us. He denied being the consul when my husband spoke to him, and said that he was heartily ashamed of such a shabby expedition. In spite of his denial, however, I knew that he was the consul, and determined to demand his assistance in case it should be necessary.

I now resolved to land and look out for myself, and appealed to my husband to come with me, saying that I had money enough about me for all our present needs, although the other members of the expedition were not aware of the fact, and that I could draw more, if it should be wanted, through the consul.

My husband, however, refused to go, and said that he would stick by the expedition to the last. I suggested that they would be far from sticking to him in case he was left destitute, and, thoroughly disgusted with the whole business, I left the schooner and went to the hotel.

At the hotel I met several very nice people, with whom I was soon on friendly terms, and was rejoiced to find myself once more in reasonably comfortable quarters, after what I had gone through with. The hotel was kept by a German, who had married a Venezuelan woman, and it was very well managed.