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Show :::!46 JOUl{NAL OF A VOYAGE whon1 we boarded during our stay in Chihuahua. When we came to the city we went to his quarters, (by order of the general) and considered ourselves as guests, having not the least idea that we should be charged with board, knowing with what pleasure any American officer would receive and entertain a foreign brother soldier situated as we were, and that we should conceive it a great insu It to be offered pay under similar circumstances. But one day after we had been there about a week he presented to 1ne an account for Robinson's atld n1y board, rerciptcd, and begged if (he general enquired of me, that I would say I l1ad pa1d it. This naturally led me to demand how the thing originated; he with considerable embarrassment obsenrcd, that he had taken the liberty to remark to the general, that he thought he should be allowed an extra allowance, in order to be enabled to treat us with son1e little distinction. The general flew into a most violent passion, and demanded if I had not paid him for our board? to which the other r eplied no, he did not expect pay of us. lie ordered him in1mediately to demand pay, to receive it, sign a receipt and lodge it in his hands ; and added, he would consult n1e if the thing was done, but which he never did, yet I took care every Sunday after that, to deposit it1 the hands of Wallter, a sum which was considered the proportion for Robinson and myself. Malgares and several other of the Spanish. officers having heard of the thing, waited on ns much mortified-saying, with what pleasure they would have entertained us had not the designation of the general pointed out his will on the subject had living with him an old negro, (the only one l saw on that side of St. Antonio) who ·was the property of some person who re~ided ncar Natchez, who had been taken with N alan. Having been acquainted with him in the Mississippi country, solicited and obtained permission THROUGH THE INTERIOR PROVINCES, &c. !2.17 for old Cresar to live with him. I found him very communicative and extren1cly useful. The day I arrived,. when we were left alone he catne in, and look ed around at the walls of the ro01n and exclaimed, "What! all gone." I demanded an explanation, and he informed me that the maps of the difte rent provinces as taken by and other surveyors, had been hung up against the walls, but the day we arrived they had all been taken down and deposited in a closet which he designated. W-gave various reasons for his having left the United States and join d the Spanish service ; one of which was, his father havinrr been 0 ill-treated as he conceived by G. at Natchez. ..l\t Chihua-hua he had charge of the military school, which consisted of about 15 young men of the first fan1ilies of the provinces; also of the public water-works of the city, on a plan devised by the royal engineer of Mexico ; of the building of a new church ; of the casting of small artillery, fabrication of arms, &c. &c. Thus, though he had tendered his resignation, they knew his val uc too well to part with him, and would not accept of it, but still kept him in a subordinate station, in order that he n1ight be the more dependant and the 1nore useful. And although he candidly confessed his disgust to their service, n1anners, morals, and political establishments, yet, he never made a communication to us which he was bound in honor to conceal· ' but on the contrary fulfilled the station of informer, which in that country is considered no disgrace, with great punctuality and fidelity. In this city the proverb was literally true, that " the wall had cars," for there was scarcely any thing could pass that his excellency did not know in a few hours after. ln the evening I was notified to be ready to 111arch the nt·.xt day at thret> o'clock. |
