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Show 54 APPE:"\DIX TO PAH r IlL, >June, wl1ich I then rotH'"i' ('(1 to hC' the ~o"' t rc c: s of the Hu l 1'1\ er, uut· in lmmn•ion tll al...ing t J.c l.'l tLt' t '-. ~e n d t l1 1.! wl ,ole c! i..,t<tllCc be· l\\ ( I' ll tlte r () t'l\1('1' and thr A •·k msaw, althou gh its ' OU I'C t:S arc bOll lC hund red n t i · c~ bc tr ·.v ei ~ h t• i' o f t h<' o ti iL' t ~ . H ere I " as cncouut crcd l1y '' 11 , , fTi~ L· rs and I 00 m en,\\ ItO hot·e ot dc t::, !roll\ the f.on.:n .0r ol i\ cw .:\Iex ico, to c ~\lh<,; 111e and my p.11·ty t<J Jltarrh to t lse capital of ~. u ill pro\itl rc; bul his request was in tis ~.,; most polite ::,t} lc, <tlHI in fac t, the conlll l<ltHl i11g ofliccr uss urcd me th ere was 11ot rl1e lm.\·l cot~.'ltmin l hut th at his <.;x cellency dcsirTd a conference, and t hat 1 then Rhoulcl he conductet! by the most di· rrct route, to the n .l\i ~·al>le pan of the l{cd rin:r, from whence 1 t.ould inllll<'diatdy d ~ ::,ccnd to Nachitoches. Althou gh dubious of the fuith of the ill\ it.ttion, and in a situation from wh ence 1 could h a re dl'I'L'nded myself as long as my pro\ j..,ion lasted or until I 1 11i ~· ht prub ... bly have escaped in the Jligltt, yet knc;witlg the pacific itt tcn ti on~ of out· );O\t;l'llment, aud the partic ular i n~truction s of my g·cnlr.d, as to nty collduct in case of a rcncount cr with a body of Spanish troops, 1 conceived it most proper to comply wi th the de· mand and n· p ~1i r to Santa Fe; and, as the balance of my party who r emained in the mountains, were, nwny of them, invalids, and not in a !:litu.ttion to be able to return, I conceived it most proper to le.n e orders for them to follow, aceom put ,icd by an escort of Span· Ish troops left fur that purpose. Un my nnival at Santn Fe, his excellency governor Allencastcr infomted me it was necessary that 1 should immediately march to C hibualnw, pro\ ince of Biscay, in ol'dcr to present myself to his c x rc lk nrv the comrnandant-P·encral N. Salcedo, fol' flll'thcr orden:;. ' 0 This being so clif1'crent from what I had beeu tau ght to expect, th<~t l t cm anclccl of' govcmor Allencaster, in a written communication, to know if I w a ~ to consider myself anu party as prj soncrs of war ? lie J'eplicd in the negative. vV e marched on the following clar, and anived at this place on the ~ d instant, from whence, I am in· iormcd by the general, I shall march, on the an·iral of the remain· dcr of my party, fot· Nachitoches. I mu~t here acknowledg·e myself and party under infinite ouli· g-ations to the ft·icncbhip and politeness of all tit<.: Spanish ofliccrli, 4nd in a partic ul~u· manner to the commandant-general of those provillces. Should the politics of om country make it necessary to augment the army pr<'vious to my an·ival, I hope the general will npprove of my aspi1 intr, to a considerable promotion in the new corps. Shollld the line of demarcation be amicably adjusted between tlw APPENDIX TO PAHT I1I. 55 Cnited States and Spain, I hope to obtain the appointment of one of the commissioners, as I make l>olcl to a!,scrt t ha t, wi th respect to the anang{.tnents necessary, and a knowledge of the country thJ·ough which the line must pass, I am be tter instructed th an any other oflicer of my age in our servi ce ; and, if join ed to a colleag-ue of profound astronomical knowl edg-e, we could surmount eve ry diffi culty. I likewise beg leave to ~ ug·gest to yuur excellency that [ conceive the information 1 hold of considc r·ahle consequence in the dctcJ·mination of the line of limi ts, nnd that if not already determined) I can tiH·ow considc r·hb le li g·ht on the su bj ect. I hope yom e;:.xcellency will l>c pleased to for" ar·cl orde rs fot· me to Nachitoches, informing me if am to descend to 01·ll'an8 or proceed to the fcclen1l city, and, if the latter, pcnn itting me to pass by Louisiana, in order to visit and arrange the a fl'uir'l of my farnily, to whom I b.cg the favor of my general to communirate the ccnainty of d1e cxtstcnce of myself and Dt·. Rol>in:-.un, who begs to be since rely remembered to you. ~he general will pardon the requests I have made of him knowing t~1e confidence of my heart, in the pate rnal and su ldicl'l): c~lccm wh1ch he has manifc!:ited for him, who has the honor to be, with every sentiment of cstc<:m, re spect, and hig-h con:,idPration, dear o·cncral ~ ' your obedient huntl>le servant, (Signed) llis c .. x:cctlency gen. 1 Vilkinson. Z . M. PucE. N. ll. Please to present my respectful compliments to your lady, a.nd the doctor's; and n1 iuc to James, who, I hope, has longere tlus arr.i,·cd in safety. (Signed) P. -·- [ No.4. J DEAR s1n, .Ne•w Orlf'ans, llfay 20t!t, tsor. AftP.t' having counted you among the dead I was most ao·ree-abl · ' " r Y surpnsed to find, by a letter fl'om general Salcedo received a. 'cw <lays since tl1 · t · h. · ' · ' a you were ln IS possessiOn and that he pro-l> osec} senclir1 S' · h . ' you, W!t your .party, to om· front1cr post. I lament |