!--when you knew the armistice had been signed!" However, in the
end, the Governor, who was a good amiable gentleman, consented to
believe that no disrespect was intended, and received our apologies.
Whereupon we wrote a letter that brought tears to his eyes; he asked us
to dinner, and so the affair terminated. Mr. Valverde had all his arms
and chattels restored--very much to the chagrin of Mr. Baldwig, who had
already apportioned a saddle unto his own keeping--got a good breakfast,
and was escorted beyond our lines with _muchos cumplimientos_. The
red-headed wretch never passed me afterwards without a face full of
sardonic winks and grins. But from that moment, we resolved never to be
again patriotic on our own responsibility; and our only consolation was
in knowing that we had made the last prisoner during the war.

Some days after, one of our men deserted. He was intercepted by the
Mexicans, and since the armistice had been declared, a message was sent
to the Governor, expressing a willingness to give him up. I attended the
flag of truce, as interpreter. Not finding the escort at the place
designated, we were requested by a Mexican officer to proceed along the
Presidio road. Passing Urias, we gallopped on, league after league,
until within a mile of headquarters, where we were politely received by
a guard and an officer, sent to conduct us to the General. The old town
of Mazatlan, or Presidio, is situated on a broad plain, with a rapid,
shallow, limpid stream, coursing beside it. In times past, it was a
place of some importance; and the ruins of large _almacens_, a
dilapidated church, spacious dwellings, barracks and plazas, still keep
up the belief. Yet, as the port was found to possess such manifest
advantages for all commercial purposes, the old town was nearly
depopulated for the new, and the residents were even induced to leave
their pure stream of water, for the brackish element nearer the sea. The
road is excellent, and adapted for artillery, but every road presents
capital spots for ambuscades, and it would have required much caution to
have approached and surprised the Presidio, as we had originally
intended. As we forded the stream, and entered the town, the whole
population turned out to behold _los Yankees_--dogs barked--mothers held
up their children--and dirty troops tried to stare us out of
countenance. We were conducted to a range of buildings facing the plaza,
and presented to the commander-in-chief,