t by the captors. It remains, then, for us to see what other
means are practicable for their recovery. In the mean time, it is our
desire that the disbursements hitherto made for their subsistence,
by the Spanish Consul or others, be paid off, and that their future
comfortable subsistence be provided for. As to past disbursements,
I must beg the favor of you to write to Mr. Carmichael, that you are
authorized to pay them off, pray him to let you know their amount,
and to whom payments are due. With respect to future provision for the
captives, I must put it into your hands. The impossibility of getting
letters to or from Mr. Carmichael, renders it improper for us to use
that channel. As to the footing on which they are to be subsisted, the
ration and clothing of a soldier would have been a good measure, were
it possible to apply it to articles of food and clothing so extremely
different as those used at Algiers. The allowance heretofore made them
by the Spanish Consul might perhaps furnish a better rule, as we have it
from themselves, that they were then comfortably subsisted. Should you
be led to correspond with them at all, it had better be with Captain
O'Bryan, who is a sensible man, and whose conduct since he has been
there, has been particularly meritorious. It will be better for you to
avoid saying any thing which may either increase or lessen their hopes
of ransom. I write to our bankers, to answer your drafts for these
purposes, and enclose you a duplicate to be forwarded with your first
draft. The prisoners are fourteen in number: their names and qualities
as follows; Richard O'Bryan and Isaac Stephens, captains; Andrew
Montgomery and Alexander Forsyth, mates; Jacob Tessanier, a French
passenger; William Patterson, Philip Sloan, Peleg Lorin, John Robertson,
James Hall, James Cathcart, George Smith, John Gregory, James Hermel,
seamen. They have been twenty-one or twenty-two.

We are in hourly expectation of hearing the event of General Scott's
irruption into the Indian country, at the head of between seven and
eight hundred mounted infantry. Perhaps it may yet be known in time
to communicate to you by this opportunity. Our bank was filled with
subscriptions the moment it was opened. Eight millions of dollars
were the whole permitted to be subscribed, of which two millions were
deposited in cash, the residue to be public paper. Every other symptom
is equally favorable to our credit.

The President has returned f