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Show GO APPENDIX TO PART III ing which I kept a journal, made meteorological observations, took courses and distances, from the time I entered thcit· countt·y until my arrival at this place, all of which I brought safe off in the men's guns (where I finally secret~d my papers) without detection. From our unremitting attention day and night, the immense tcnitory they led us through, the long time we were in their country, I have been able to collect (I make bold to assert) a correct account of their military force, regular and irregular; also, important and interesting information on geographical situations, political sentiments, and dispositions of the people of every class, manners, arts, resources, riches, revenues, value and productions of their mines~ situation, &c. &c. abo, with the annual revenues paid Bonaparte, and had we possessed as great a knowledge of the Spanish language when we entered the tcl'l'itories as when we left them, out· information would have been neal'!y as complete as I could have wished it, if sent expressly for the purpose of acquiring it, by the open authority of his majesty. llut the French Jauguage was greatly beneficial, in which my communications were sometimes made. Dy the serjeant, who is still in the rear and never su{l'ered to join me, as general Salcedo conceived he \roulcl probably procut·e some information from him, which he could not if immediately under my orders, I expect m~mr other communications of importance from many iudividuals, who pt·omised to fonvard them by him. But I presume the general has found himself iu nn error, a!:. I perceive by a Jette!' from him to governor Cordero, the serjeant killed one of his men, in consequence o[ some improper conduct, and the general accuses hin\ of gnat intractibility, a~ he is pleased to term it. From the fore going statclllcnl your excdlency ''ill obserre that I yet possess immense matter, the result of one year's travel, in a country desert and populate<l, which have borh bec.n long- the subject of curiosity to the philosopher, t!~ e anxious desires of the miset·, and the waking thoup,hts and sleeping· dreams or the man of ambition and the asj ziring soul, and in out· present c ri!ical situ ation, I do conceive, immensely important, anc) which opens a scene fot· the gener o,qity and aggraudisement of 011r country, with a wide and splendid field for han·ests of honot· for indiricluals. But my papers are in a mutilated state, from the absolute necessity I was uudct· to write on small pieces in the Spanish country; al so, from bciug injured in the gun barrels, some of which I filed three times off tO take out the papers. These circumstances would make it necessary, in the first place, to take a rough copy as they stand; then it will be necessary to assort the mutter1 as military, political, moral, trade, clime, APPENDIX TO PART III. 61 soil, &c. all now form an undigested mass: then, sir, the combining each, the plotting, &c. would take up a time of considerable extent fat· one man ; and to make duplicates after they were in order could not be done in three months. The general may recollect it was nearly that period before my reports were completed last year, althoug·h nssisted by Mr. Nau and the set'jcant-major, and sometimes by lieutenants vVilkinson and G1·aham. Also, with res~ ect ~o the Spanish country, I must know the extent of the objects in VIew, In order to embrace those points in my reports; and further, my dear sir, my health is by no means the most perfect, my eyes extremely weak; that it is almost impossible fot· me to continue for one holll· with the pen in my hand, and by that time have a considerable pain in my breast. From those circumstances my general will perceive the almost imjzmcticabitity of my complying with the contents of his letter as to duplicate reports frorn this place; b~1t I .shall immediately commence the business of arranging ancl <hgcstmg my papers, and will proceed with the labour with e\·ery pet~sevcrancc my situation will permit of until the arrival of my serJeant and the balance of the party (should they not retard more than 20 uays) when I shall proceed immediately to St. Louis, and from thence through Kentucky, Viq~·inia, &c. to the federal city, making no unnecessary delay, and all the whole of the route prosecuting my business at every leisure moment. 'Vhcn at \Va~hington I flattet· myself with yom a:>sistance and advice. As I propose taking· courses, distances, &c. ft·om thence to St. Louis, it will be making· the tour of the greatest part of Louisiana, crossing- the main rivers at different points, when I am certain with the survey of the Missomi by captains Lewis and Clark, my own of the l\lississippi, lieutenant 'Yilkinson's of the lower Arkansaw (which river I surveyed to its sout·cc), and 1\'IJ·. Dunbar's of Red river, can be formed the completest survey of Louisiana ever yet taken. The instruments I hacl with me I wish the general to inform me in what light they stoou, as the most of them" ct·e ruined in the n10untains by the falling· of the horses from precipices, &c. and I left an order at Chihuahua for the sct'jeant to sell them at a certain price, ns the aclclilion of a laud carriage of 500 leagues would not add to their benefit. llat·oncy, if alive, is with my serjeant, and has prored a noble fellow in his line, and I beg· libcrly to recommend him to some appointment 11ear the Kans, should any otrcr. 1 must further add the following anecdote of my men, in whose breasts lay the whole sect'et of my papers, and whom I frequently, when in the · pan ish territories, w~s obliged to punish scvcrals for outrages .. |