Arrived at Rivas, we found that a change was taking place in the character of the war.  The town had been threatened by the enemy during our absence, and General Henningsen was busy putting it into a state better suited to repel any sudden attack.  Pieces of artillery looked down all the principal approaches, from behind short walls of adobe blocks, raised in the middle of the street with open passage-ways on either side.  Native men with machetes, watched by armed guards, were clearing away the fine groves of orange, mango, and plantain, which everywhere surrounded Rivas, and were fitted to cover the approach of an enemy.  Others were tearing down or burning the houses in the outskirts, to narrow the circle of defence.  The tenants of these houses—­when they had any—­were moved up nearer the plaza, or, if native, sometimes into the country.  The native population of Rivas, however, was scanty, consisting mostly of a few women,—­of the kindest and most affable sort.  In what direction the men had all, or nearly all, gone, I am unable to say.  Doubtless some of them were with the Chamorristas.

So many of the houses were marked out to be pulled down, that General Walker was obliged to quarter his new recruits in the church, a large stone building, and curious from the head of Washington, easily identified, carved in relief on its facade.  Hitherto some native women had been accustomed to assemble in this church and worship, under care of a fat, unctuous little padre, very obsequiously courteous toward filibusters;—­and well he might be; for General Walker was suspicious of all padres, and kept a stern eye upon them.  Once he caught one of them, who had preached treason against him within reach of his arm, and released him again only upon payment of five thousand pesos.  Another, for a like offence, was put into the guard-house, and required to ransom himself at twenty-five hundred.  What became of this one, whether he paid his ransom and got out, or whether he stayed there until he lost oil and became lean on the small ration furnished him, was not rumored.  Yet, with all this in his memory, when the present padre came again with his flock of women and found the church occupied by soldiers, he went away scowling, and never even lifted his shovel-hat to me when I met him.

On the night succeeding our return from San Juan, General Walker determined to try a night attack on San Jorge, hoping much from the fresh spirit and muscle of his forty Californians.  To assist in this, our company had orders to be on the plaza at two o’clock, afoot, with clean rifles and forty rounds of ammunition.  At one o’clock we arose and went down on the plaza, in number about twenty, the rest of the company remaining behind on account of sickness.  On the way, however, the number was augmented by a second company of near twenty dismounted rangers, with Colonel Waters at their head.