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Show 2 14 JOUHNAL OF A VOYJ\GE eJ my papers ; I t~ld him, I understood my trunk ~as taken possession of by his guard: he expr"ssed surpnse, and immediately ordered it in, and also sent for one Solon1on Colly, forn1erly a serjeant in our army, and one of the w1fortunate company of Nolan. We were seated, when he ordered Colly to den1and my name, to which I replied ; he then demanded in what province I was born; [ answered in English, and then addressed his excellency in French, and told him that I did not think it necessary to enter iuto such a catechising ; that if he would be at the pain of reading my commission from the United States, and my orders from my general, it would be all that I presumed would be necessary to convince his excellency that I came with no hostile intentions towards the Spanish governnlent, on the contrary, that I had express instructions to guard against giving then1 offence or alarm, and that his excellency would be convinced that myself and party were 1·ather to be considered objects, on which the somuch- celebrated generosity of the Spanish nation might be exercised, than proper subjects to occasion the opposite sentiments. He then requested to see my con1n1ission and orders, which I read to him in French; on which he got up and gave n1e his hand, for the first time, and said he was happy to be acquainted with me as a man of honor and a gentleman; that I could retire this evening, and take my trunk with me ; that on the morrow he would make further arrangements. 4/b Marcf,, vrcdncsday. - V\Tas desired by the goYL'rnor to bring up my trunk, in order that he might make '->ome observation on my route, &c. When he ordcrcJ me to take my trunk over night, I had conceived the examination of papers was over, and as many of my documents werC' entrusted to the care of my 111L'n, and I found TliROUGII THE INTERIOR PROVINCES, &c. 215 that the inhabitants were treating the men with liquor ; I was t 'arful they would become intoxicated, (and through inaclvt·rtancy) betray or discover the papl'rs; I haJ ther efore obtained several of them and had put them in the trunk, when an officer arrived for myself and it, and I had no oppo~tunity of taking them out <1gain before I was taken up to the palace. I discovered instantly that 1 was deceived, but it was too late to remedy the evil. After examining the contents of my trunk, he informed me, I must (with my troops) go to Chihuahua, province of Biscay, to appear before the commandantgeneral; he adde?, you have the !cey of your trunk in your own possessiOn; the trunk w1U be put under charge of the officer who comn1ands your escort. TI:e following conversation then took place. Pike. If we go to Chihuahua we must be considered as prisoners of war ? Governor. By no n1eans. Pike. You have already disarmed my men without my knowledge, are their anus to be returned or not? Governor. They can receive then1 any n1oment. Pike. But sir, I cannot consent to be led three or four hundred leagues out of n1y route, without its being by force of arms. Governor. I know you do not go voluntarily, but L will give you a certificate from under n1y hand of rny hav~ ing obliged you to 1narch. '~ Pike. I will address you a letter on the subjcct.t · Governor. You will dine with me to day, and march afterwards to a village about six miles distant, escorted by captain Anthony D' Almansa, with a detachtnent of dragoons, who will accompany you to where the remainder • Sec Appcnc!ix to Part Til. [No.9·] page 70. ·~Sec .t\ppcndix ro P:u t III. [No. 8.] page 69. |