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Show 86 APPENDIX TO PART III. [ No. 19. J EXCELLENT SIR, ON the 16th of February last, John Robinson appeared before the governor of New Mexico, saying that he was a Frenchman, inhabitant of St. Louis, which place he left on the 15th June last year, with the view of going to the country or the Pananas to make recoveries; that having received information that his dc·htor!> had cJirccterl their strps to said province, he had concluded to follow them, in company with lS othel' persons, who went for the purpose o( hunting on the rivers of At·cs, Arkansaw and Colorado; ( Heel river) that in the neighbouring mountains the two last of his company had left him, for which reason he saw himself under the necessity of proceeding to the Yutas Tndians, to whom he exposed his situation, and who arconlin~;Iy ag-reed to conduct him. On the 25th of the same month of Febnwry, at the distance of·L days march from the town of Santa Fe, and 9 leagues west of its settlement, al the place called the Ojocalientc, (Ilot Spring) ncar the confh.1ence of Rio Grande del Norte, (Great North river) and that known undct· the name River de los Conejos, (of Rabbits) a cletachmem of the garrison or said province of New Mexico, met Montgomery Pike, first lieutenant of the infantry of the Uuitcd States, with eight men of the said infanu·y; who on being given to understand that he must be conducted to said town, conseuted to accompany them . It was then setllcrl that two of his rncn should remain on the spot with half of his cath.olic majesty's detachmeHt, to wait fot· six: othct·s who had uot yet arrived, and he pt·oceeded to the g-overnor's, to whom he declared, that his being in that neighbourhood was owing solely to his having been lost, and having mistaken the H.io del ~orte for the Colorado. Dut this officer in compliance with the orders of this, his superior officer, forwarded the said first lieutenant with the si x: men of the American army, and the above mentioned John Hohitlson to this capital. They arrived here on the 2d instant, and said offlcct· on being presented to me, l.1id befot·e me in the same manner as he had done to the governor of Santa. Fe, the papers relative to his mission; the correspondence he had catTicd on with yom· excellcucy since il com. mcncetl, with his jomnals and note books. Your excellency is not ignorant of the repeated representations m::1dc by the kin~;'s mini stet· in the United States, and by the mar· quis of Cassa Culya while he was in Louisiana, summoning the uu ' APPENDIX TO PART Ill. American government to carry into e!Tcct any projects of extending its expeditions into ten itOries unquestionably belonging to his ma· jesty; you must therefore, without any furthet· observation') or remarks on my part, be satisfied, that the documents contain evident, unequivocal proofs, that an o!Tcnce of magnitude has been committed against his mnjesty, and that every individual of this party ought to have been considered as prisone rs on the very spot, notwithstanding such substantial and we!l grounded motives that would have war· ranted such a measure. ' •Vishing to give the widest latitude to the subsisting- system of harmony and good understanding, and above all, finally persuaded that your excellency will take such steps as your judgment may suggest, as best calculated to prevent any bad consequences on the occasion, I have concluded to keep in this general government, all the papers presented by lieutenant Pike, and to give him and his men full liberty to return to your excellency, after having treated them with attention, and offered them e\'cry as.sistancc they stood in need of. I am without reserve, and beyond expression, your most obedient, humble, and respectful and faithful servant, and prayeth God may 1weserve your excellency many years. (Signed) Chihuahua, 8th .!lj1ril, 1807. General Jame8 1Vilkinson. .. . . . . u " • ' ..~. -.: ·. : ·.· fl • • fl ~ .. . ..... • 4 • • .. • • • ro t t • • • .·. .• . e .. •, .. • ... ·.. ... . . . . .. . . • t #. . •• • . . ... :: : . • • ~ . . . S~LCEDO : .. : -·. d ... .... . .. . . • • • .. • . .. |