en-hearted old man."
Having said this, he spurred his new horse, and soon rejoined his men.
We returned to the encampment, and two hours afterwards we saw the
Mexicans in full retreat towards the rising sun.
That night was one of mourning; our success had been complete, but
dearly purchased. The Arrapahoes alone had not suffered. The Apaches
had lost thirty men, the Shoshones one hundred and twelve, killed and
wounded, and the Montereyans several of their most respected young
citizens. On the following day we buried our dead, and when our task
was over, certain that we should remain unmolested for a considerable
time, we returned to San Francisco--the Indians to receive the promised
bounty, and I to make arrangements for our future movements.
By the narrative I have given, the reader may have formed an accurate
idea of what did take place in California. I subsequently received the
Mexican newspapers, containing the account of what occurred; and as
these are the organs through which the people of Europe are enlightened,
as to the events of these distant regions, I shall quote the pages, to
show how truth may be perverted.
"_Chihuahua--News of the West--Californian Rebellion_.--This day arrived
in our city a particular courier from the Bishop of Senora, bearer of
dispatches rather important for the welfare of our government. The
spirit of rebellion is abroad; Texas already has separated from our
dominions; Yucatan is endeavouring to follow the pernicious example, and
California has just now lighted the flambeau of civil war.
"It appears that, excited by the bad advices of foreigners, the
inhabitants of Monterey obliged the gallant governor to leave his
fireside. This warlike officer found the means of forwarding dispatches
to Senora, while he himself, uniting a handful of brave and faithful
citizens, landed in the bay of San Francisco, in order to punish the
rebels. By this time the governor of Senora, with the elite of the
corps of the army under his orders, having advanced to his help, was
decoyed into the rebels' camp under some peaceful pretext, and
shamefully murdered.
"It is yet a glory to think that even a Mexican rebel could not have
been guilty of so heinous a crime. The performer of that cowardly deed
was a Frenchman, living among the Indians of the west, who, for the sake
of a paltry sum of gold, came to the aid of the rebels with many
thousands of the savages. His next step was to enter Sa
|