having withdrawn his
guns and disbanded the troops in Culiacan, was threatened by Romero with
an attack, in case the artillery was not sent back. For this piece of
mutiny Romero was dismissed the army, and the military command of the
province devolved on a respectable officer named Don Juan Pablo Anaya,
who made his headquarters at the Presidio, with, however, but a mere
handful of soldiers.

On the last day of March the official notification of the armistice was
promulgated in the port. A few days previous, late in the afternoon,
some arrieros informed me that a number of Mexican soldiers were
collecting a little revenue, a short distance up the road, and then I
perceived a signal flying from the rancho of Madre Maria. This was a
heinous offence, to come within long range of our guns; so sending a
small party by the beach, I rode out myself. We arrived a minute too
late--the dust from their horses was just subsiding. The patrona was in
a towering passion, said there had been a brace of officers, and four
dragoons, making merry in the house; knocking the necks off poultry and
bottles, and demanding toll from the paisanos. Juanita added, that one
of the gentlemen had desired his _memorias_ left at the Garita! a piece
of politeness I was quite unprepared for. Returning to town, I forthwith
went in quest of the Governor. He was afloat, nor was the Captain of the
Cuartel to be found. What to do I knew not; it would have been a great
breach of decorum not to repay the courtesies of my afternoon visitors,
so I concluded to consult with a _compadre_. Towards midnight I met
Captain Luigi, who being in want of exercise, agreed to take the
relief-patrol, and accompany me; the officers on duty, Mr. Baldwig and
Earl, made up the party. Ten was our number, and the horses half wild
with spirits. We had an inkling of the whereabouts of our _amigos_, as
there was to be a grand fiesta on the morrow, some leagues up the
Culiacan road, at the village of Venadillo; and as there was to be
dancing and frolicking, it did not seem improbable that the Mexican
advance-guard should bivouac in the neighborhood. There was a round
white moon to light us, and away we leaped at a slapping pace towards
the hamlet. A league this side we fell in with a couple of paisanos, one
of whom not replying to our questions, with any due regard to truth,
concerning the locale of the troops, was speedily forced to mount behind
one of the patrol. In three bounds, he