as a deserter from the
Mexicans. He had been chief of the staff and cavalry, bore the name of
_compadre_,--adviser and rascal-in-general to Telles--but having had the
sagacity to cram his filthy pockets with fifty thousand wheels of
fortune, of course had no further wish to remain. He pointed out all the
weak positions, avenues of attack, and general information concerning
the force of the outsiders--more, I was convinced, to vent his spite on
those whom he had already betrayed, than from regard to us. On parting,
the gallant major favored me with a note of introduction to one of his
lady-loves, coming from the interior, and remarked, with a pecuniary
sigh, that when commanding my little post he never made less than a
thousand pesos a month. It was upon the Mexican system--where the strong
steal from the weak: but here was my captain of battalion, Mr. Mitch and
myself--with all the trouble of guarding, examining, quarrelling, and at
times beating, hundreds of paisanos daily, and devil the _centavo_ could
we ever extort; on the contrary, our exchequer was at a deplorably low
ebb, so much so that we were scandalously accused of playing monte for
_quartillos_--fippennybits;--and we discussed the alternative of taking
to the road, robbing a _conducta_ of mules laden with money, or
remaining in the port until peace should be declared, inciting a
pronunciamento, and declaring ourselves commandantes of the province.

The united force of the Mexicans who had assembled in Rosario, amounted
to one thousand, three hundred of which were cavalry, and seven pieces
of artillery. They talked bravely of driving the Yankees on board the
ships, and were constantly drilling and exercising their troops and
guns. Vegas' proclamations were clear and business-like; he established
an internal _duana_, or custom house; declared a specified and moderate
scale of duties--having the sense to perceive that soldiers must be fed,
and although rich himself, he had no inclination for playing commissary
at his own expense--and besought the merchants of the port to send their
merchandize to the interior. All these warlike preparations caused us
neither alarm nor trepidation. Our works were near completion, and we
had twenty-six guns mounted, besides the additional security of some
small hulks, moored at a ford of the estero, mounting a battery of
Paixhans. The garrison had been slightly increased, and, altogether, we
felt confident of holding the port aga