s punish all traitors to the Mexican government!"

I regret to say that the last paragraph was true. The brave Martinez,
who had stood to the last, who had faced death in many battles, had been
foully murdered, but not, as was reported, by an Indian; he had fallen
under the knife of an assassin--- but it was a Mexican who had been
bribed to the base deed.

Up to the present all had prospered. I was called "The Liberator, the
Protector of California." Splendid offers were made to me, and the
independence of California would have been secured, had I only had two
small vessels to reduce the southern seaports which had not yet declared
themselves, either fearing the consequences of a rebellion, or
disliking the idea of owing their liberation to a foreign condottiere,
and a large force of savages.

The Apaches returned homes with eighty mules loaded with their booty; so
did the Arrapahoes with pretty nearly an equal quantity. My Shoshones I
satisfied with promises, and returned with them to the settlement, to
prepare myself for forthcoming events.

A few chapters backwards I mentioned that I had despatched my old
servant to Monterey. He had taken with him a considerable portion of my
jewels and gold to make purchases, which were firmly to establish my
power over the Indian confederacy. A small schooner, loaded with the
goods purchased, started from Monterey; but, never being seen
afterwards, it is probable that she fell into the hands of the pirate
vessels which escaped from San Francisco.

I had relied upon this cargo to satisfy the just demands of my Indians
upon my arrival at the settlement The loss was a sad blow to me. The old
chief had just died, the power had devolved entirely upon me, and it was
necessary, according to Indian custom, that I should give largess, and
show a great display of liberality on my accession to the command of the
tribe; so necessary, indeed, was it, that I determined upon returning to
Monterey, _via_ San Francisco, to provide what was requisite. This step
was a fatal one, as will be shown when I narrate the circumstances which
had occurred during my absence.

Upon hearing the news of our movements In the west, the Mexican
government, for a few days, spoke of nothing but extermination. The
state of affairs, however, caused them to think differently; they had
already much work upon their hands, and California was very far off.
They hit upon a plan, which, if it showed their weakness, prove