every thing sacred, that they would return, if life was spared them. I
told them to follow their own inclinations, as to returning, for that I
would as willingly be buried by the side of my father, as any one else;
that, however, I did not believe the laws of the country would bear the
general out, in putting me to death. The general now bade us arrange
every thing to start early in the morning. I was again locked up in
my prison, though my companions spent the greater part of the night
in conversing with me. In the morning, when they were ready to start,
they came and shook hands with me. When the Dutchman, as good hearted a
fellow as ever lived, took my hand he burst into tears, and said, 'goot
py Jim, if I ever does come {198} back, I will bring an army mit me,
and take yours and your daddy's bones from dis tammed country, for it
is worse as hell.' I should have laughed heartily at him, had not his
tears prevented me, for I knew, that they came from his heart. Mounting
their mules they now set off. Their only arms were old Spanish muskets,
which, when fired, I would almost as soon have stood before as behind.
Under such circumstances, knowing, that they would be obliged to pass
through numbers of hostile tribes of Indians, I was very doubtful of
their return.
On the 8th, Captain Bradshaw came to my prison, and asked me, why I was
in prison, and my companions at liberty? I told him the whole story.
When he had heard it, he expressed doubts in regard to their returning.
I replied to him, that I was not at all in doubt of their return, if
they lived. He then told me, that he intended to go to the general,
and demand his papers on the 11th, and if they were not given up to
him, he would cut cable, and run out in spite of any one, adding his
advice to me, which was, that I should write to the consul at Wahu and
inform him of my imprisonment. He seemed to think, I might thus obtain
my release. Mr. R. Perkins would undertake, he said, to place it in the
hands of the consul, as he was acquainted with him. I answered, that I
had neither ink nor paper. He said I should have some in a few minutes,
and took leave of me. A soldier soon entered with writing materials,
and I wrote my letter to Mr. Jones, for that was the name of the
consul, stating every circumstance relative to our imprisonment, and
the death of my father, giving the names of all our party, and begging
him, if it was not in his power to obtain our freedom, that he would
inform our government of our situation. I supposed it was in his power
to grant my first request, placed as he was, in the midst of a foreign
nation.
On the 11th, at the request of the general, I was conducted to his
office, to serve as interpreter for the captain and Mr. P. The papers
were now demanded by them. The general refused to comply with the
demand, and told them, that both the vessel and cargo were condemned,
but that if they would discharge {199} the cargo, and deliver it to
him, he would allow them to clear the vessel, to go and seek redress,
wherever they pleased. The captain's answer to this was, that it was
not in his power to do so, and that the laws of his country would
hang him, if he thus gave up his ship and cargo at the request of an
individual. The general now became enraged, and repeating the words,
at the request of an individual, added, the ship and cargo have both
been lawfully condemned, and if they are not given up peaceably, I have
soldiers enough to take the ship, and every thing belonging to it. In
reply the captain remarked, that he came to trade on the coast, and
not to fight, that if he was disposed to seize the vessel or cargo,
he had nothing to say farther, than that he should not aid, or advance
in any shape the unlading of the vessel himself, and taking up his hat
walked away. I asked permission of the general to go to Miss. Peaks,
to get a change of clothing, which was granted. He, however, told me
to be in haste. My principal business there was to give my letter to
Mr. P., for I knew that captain B., would set sail with the first
breeze, of which he could avail himself. I found both the gentlemen in
the house, when I entered. I was assured by M. P., that he would give
the letter to the consul, and endeavor to interest him in my behalf. I
thanked him, and was upon the point of taking leave, when captain B.
asked me to take a note from him to the general, and to tell him that
he would like to have an answer, and would wait an hour for it. I took
the note and went to the general's office, gave him the note and told
him what the captain had said. He bade me sit down, after he had read
the note, for a few minutes. I obeyed, and he passed into the adjoining
room, and ordered his porter to call the ensign Ramirez. The porter
hastened to execute his commission, and in a few minutes the ensign
entered. The general and ensign then began to converse, drawing near
the door, behind which I was seated. I heard distinctly the former tell
the latter, that captain B., and Mr. P., were both at Peak's awaiting
an answer from him, and that he would send me to tell them that he was
engaged at {200} present, but at the expiration of an hour and a half
they should have their answer through me. Meantime he, the ensign, was
to provide a guard of soldiers, with which to take them prisoners, and
then the vessel and cargo would be sure. All this, as I have said, I
heard distinctly. He then came in, and told me to go and inform them,
as he told the ensign, he should direct me. I hastened to captain
B., and told him what I had heard from the general concerning him. I
advised him to go to the vessel immediately, for that the ensign and
guard would soon be upon the spot. Both he and Mr. P. went directly to
the vessel, and I returned to the general, to inform him that I had
delivered his message. He then ordered me to return to prison. It was
now three o'clock.
In a few hours the ensign returned from the pursuit of captain B., and
as he passed the prison on his way to the general's office he shook his
sword at me with vengeance in his face, saying, 'Oh! you traitor!' I
inferred from this, that he supposed I had informed the captain of the
projected attempt to take him prisoner. My situation now seemed to me
desperate. I thought more of my comrades than myself, for I could not
expect to live. Concluding that I should soon be executed, I feared,
that when they returned, they would be put to death also. In a few
minutes I was summoned to the general's office. I expected to hear my
sentence. When I entered the general bade me stand by the door, near a
large table, at which several of his clerks were seated writing, and
he then gravely asked me if I had overheard the conversation which
took place between himself and the ensign, after he had read the note
brought by me to him from captain B? I replied that I did not see the
ensign at that time, and furthermore could not say positively, whether
he had held any conversation with the ensign, since my arrival on the
coast or not. The general proceeded to question me, as to the fact of
my having advised the captain to go on board his ship, and if I knew
the motives, which induced him to do so, after saying that he would
wait for an answer to his note.
{201} He tried to extort an answer from me such as he wished,
threatening me with death if I did not relate the truth. I regarded all
this as no more than the threats of an old woman, and went on to state
what was most likely to be favorable to my cause. I was now remanded
to prison with the assurance, that if found guilty, death would be my
doom.
A few days only elapsed before, the breeze serving, the Captain slipped
anchor, and ran out of the port.[101] He was compelled to perform
this under a heavy shower of cannon balls poured forth from the fort,
within two hundred yards of which he was obliged to pass. When he came
opposite it, he hove to, and gave them a broadside in return, which
frightened the poor engineers from their guns. His escape from the
port was made without suffering any serious injury on his part. Their
shots entered the hull of the vessel, and the sails were considerably
cut by the grape. I was greatly rejoiced when I heard of their escape
from these thieves. The General pretended great disgust at the cowardly
conduct of the engineers, but, I believe, had he been there, he would
have run too. I have no faith in the courage of these people, except
where they have greatly the advantage, or can kill in the dark, without
danger to themselves. This in my view is the amount of a Spaniard's
bravery.
But to return to myself, I remained in prison, until a sufficient time
had elapsed, as I thought, for the return of my companions. I still
did not entirely despair of seeing them; but the Spaniards came daily
and hourly to my prison with delighted countenances to tell me that my
companions had deserted me, and that the General would soon have me
executed. Some consoled me with the information, that at such an hour
or day, I was to be taken out, and burnt alive; and others, that I was
to be stationed at a certain distance, and shot at, like a target,
or hung. These unfeeling wretches thus harrassed and tormented me,
until the arrival of my companions on the 30th Sept. put an end to
their taunts, with regard to their desertion of me. They brought no
fur however, it having been all spoiled {202} as I had expected, by an
overflow of the river. Our traps which they did bring, were sold, and a
part of the proceeds paid to the old priest for the hire of the mules.
I have failed to remark, that my comrades had returned with the loss
of two of their number, one of whom we learned, had married in New
Mexico.[102] When the party reached the river, these two concluded that
rather than return to prison, they would run the risk of being killed
by the Indians, or of being starved to death; and set forth on their
perilous journey through the wilderness to New Mexico on foot. The
probability of their reaching the point of their destination was very
slight, it being a great distance and through great dangers. Happily
for us, their not returning, did not appear to strengthen the General,
in his opinion of our being spies. I had the pleasure of conversing
with my companions an hour, or more, after which they were again
disarmed, and all of us returned to our separate places of confinement.
I had now no prospect before me, but that of lingering out a miserable
and useless life in my present situation; as I was convinced, that
the only inducement, which operated in the General's mind, to allow
a part of us to go in search of our property was the hope of taking
a quantity of furs and other valuables from us. I was thankful that
he obtained nothing but the traps, which, as he knew no more how to
use, than a blind horse, could be of no utility to him. This feeling
may seem a poor gratification, but it was certainly a natural one.
In this condition we remained for months, never seeing the outside of
our prison, deprived of the pleasure we had received from the visits
of the charitable young lady, formerly allowed entrance to us, and the
advantage we had derived from the generous nourishment she so kindly
furnished us, and compelled by hunger to eat the food set before us by
our jailors; and confined principally to dried beans, or corn boiled in
water, and then fried in spoiled tallow.
At length the small pox began to rage on the upper part of the coast,
carrying off the inhabitants by hundreds. Letters {203} from the
distressed people were continually arriving, praying the general
to devise some means to put a stop to the disease, which seemed to
threaten the country with destruction. The general was thus beset by
petitions for several weeks, before he could offer a shadow of relief
for them. He was much alarmed, fearing that the disorder might extend
its ravages to that part of the coast where he resided.
One day the soldiers, through mere inquisitiveness, asked the Dutchman
if he knew any remedy for the complaint? He answered that he did; but
that he had none of the article that constituted the remedy. He added,
however, that he thought that my father had brought some of it with
him, as he recollected his having vaccinated the people at the copper
mines. This conversation was communicated to the general immediately,
who sent a sergeant to me to inquire if I had any of the remedy
spoken of by the Dutchman, as brought by my father? I answered in the
affirmative; I then showed him where I had been vaccinated on the right
arm, and assured him that it had effectually protected me from the
small pox. Upon his demand whether I knew the method of applying it, I
again answered in the affirmative; but when he asked me to show him the
remedy, and let him have it to apply to his own arm, as he was fearful
of losing his life from the spread of this dreadful disease, I told
him I would not. This sergeant, who wished the matter, was my friend,
and brother of the charitable young lady who had procured my father's
burial, and for whom I would have sacrificed my life.[103] But thinking
this my only chance for regaining liberty, I refused it to him,
saying, that I would neither show it to any one, nor apply it, unless
my liberty and that of my companions was rendered secure; and that in
sustaining this resolution I would sacrifice my life. I also mentioned
that I must be paid, over and above my liberty. My object in this, was
to influence the fears of the general. If he acceded to my proposition,
my friend and his sister would share the benefit in common with others.
If I granted the request of the sergeant to inoculate him, I might
lose my advantage; but my gratitude decided me {204} against allowing
himself and his sister to be exposed to an imminent danger, which I
could avert. I told him that if he would pledge himself, solemnly, for
his own part, and that of his sister, that he would not communicate
the matter to another individual, I would secretly vaccinate them.
He replied that I need not fear his betraying me, as he would much
rather aid me in my design, which he thought excellent, and likely to
accomplish my wishes. He then left me to communicate the result of our
conversation to the general.
This incident, so important in its influence upon my fortunes, occurred
December 20th. The sergeant had not been absent more than a half hour,
when he returned and told me that the general said he would give me a
passport for a year, if I would vaccinate all the people on the coast;
and furthermore, if I conducted properly during that period, that he
would at the expiration of it, pay me for my services, and give me my
liberty. His countenance was bright with delight, as he related this
to me, not dreaming that I could refuse what seemed to him so good an
offer. When I repeated, in reply, my resolution not to vaccinate any
one, except on the conditions I had stated, and added that I would not
agree to any terms without an audience from the general, his pleasure
vanished, giving place to gloom as he told me he did not think the
general would accede to the proposal to set my companions and myself
at liberty upon parole for one year, for any consideration; but that,
if I persisted in my refusal, he feared I should incur some violent
punishment, and perhaps death. My answer was, that in my present
situation I did not dread death. I then requested him to tell the
general I wished to talk with him personally upon the subject.
He went, and in a few minutes returned with orders to conduct me to the
General's office. Upon my arrival there, the General questioned me with
regard to the efficacy of the remedy of which he had been much informed
in the same manner as I have related in the conversation between the
sergeant and myself; and he then repeated the same terms for the matter
{205} and the application of it, that he had transmitted me through my
friend, to which I replied as before. When I had finished, he asked me
in a surly manner, what my own terms were? I told him, as I had done
the sergeant, that I would vaccinate all the inhabitants on the coast,
provided he would allow myself and companions to leave our prison on
parole for one year, with liberty to travel up or down the coast,
in order to find some occupation, by which we could obtain food and
clothing. Upon hearing this his rage burst forth. He told me I was a
devil; and that if I did not choose to take the offer he had made,
he would compel me to perform its conditions, or put me to death. I
replied, that he could take my life; but that it was beyond his power
to compel me to execute his commands, adding, that life or liberty
would be no object to me, if my companions were denied the enjoyment of
them with me. They had had the alternative in their power of leaving me
in prison to suffer alone, or returning to share my captivity, and had
chosen the latter; I concluded by saying, that rather than accept of
liberty while they remained in prison, I would undergo all the torments
his _excellency_ could devise. He said he might as well let loose
so many wolves to ravage his country, as give myself and companions
the liberty I required; adding, that he gave me twenty-four hours
to reflect on the alternative of his wrath, or my liberty upon the
conditions he had proposed. I was now remanded to prison. As I walked
out, I remarked to the General, that my resolution was fixed beyond the
possibility of change. He made no reply, and I proceeded to prison.
The soldiers who accompanied me, tried to induce me to conform to the
General's wishes, saying, that he was a terrible man when enraged. I
made them no answer, and entered my prison, where I remained until 8
o'clock the next day; when I was again escorted to the office, and
asked by the General, what security I would give for the good behaviour
of myself and companions, if he let us out on parole for one year? I
told him I would give none, for no one here knew me. He then ordered
me back to prison, where he said I should lay and rot, calling me a
_carracho_ {206} _picaro_, and similar names, which I did not regard.
I walked to my prison as undauntedly as I could. I now felt somewhat
encouraged; for I perceived he was not inflexible in his resolutions,
and by adhering firmly to mine, I hoped finally to conquer him.
In the course of the night he received a letter containing information
of the death of one of his priests, and that great numbers were ill of
the small pox. Early in the morning of the 23d I received a summons
to attend him at the usual place. When I arrived, he said he wanted
to see my papers, that is, those I had mentioned as being my father's
commission, and his discharge from the service of a ranger. I told him
they were at Miss Peak's, which was the name of the young lady who had
been so kind to me. He sent a soldier for them, who soon returned with
them. I translated them to him. He said that was a sufficient proof of
my being an American; and asked if my companions could produce proofs
of their belonging to the same country? I replied that I did not know.
He sent orders for them to come to the office; and before their
arrival, told me that all he now wanted, was proof that they were
Americans, to let us go on a parole, as all Americans were tolerated
in his country. My opinion with regard to his motive in the case was,
that he was less unwilling to grant our liberty, as the payment for my
services in spreading the vaccine disease, now that he knew we had no
property for him to extort from us.
He talked, too, about rendering himself liable to suffer the rigor
of the laws of his country, should he set us free, without our
establishing the fact of our being Americans.
My companions entered: I was glad to see them. Their beards were
long, and they were haggard and much reduced in flesh. I gave them to
understand what was wanting, and they readily produced some old black
papers, furnishing in themselves proof of any thing else, as much as
of their owners being American citizens. I, however, so interpreted
them, that they established the point with the General. I believe he
{207} had as firmly credited this fact from the first hour he saw us,
as now. He concluded to let us out a week upon trial, before he gave us
freedom on parole, although he compelled me to engage to vaccinate all
the people in the fort. He then directed us to endeavor to find some
employment around the fort, which would procure us food, and to return
every night to the guard house to sleep. The guard bell now tolled
eight o'clock, and according to the permission given, we walked in the
direction of our inclinations.
I went directly to Miss Peak's, who was much astonished, and apparently
delighted to see me at liberty. She had expected, she said, every day
to see me on my way to be shot, or hung. The manifestation of kindness
and benevolence to us having been forbidden by our jailors, she now
indemnified her humanity and good feeling by telling me how much she
had regretted not being allowed to send me proper food, asking me if
I was not hungry? and proceeding, before I could answer, to spread a
table with every thing good, of which I partook plentifully; after
which we had a pleasant conversation together. My enjoyment of my
fortunate change of situation was, however, mingled with uncertainty,
as to the length of its duration. I felt that I was still in the lion's
jaws, which might close upon me from the first impulse of petulance or
anger.
I therefore, endeavoured to devise some way of availing myself of my
momentary freedom, to place myself beyond the possibility of losing
it again. That one which suggested itself to me, was to prevail upon
the officer, who had our rifles in charge to allow us possession of
them for a short time, to clean them. When we should once more have
them in our hands, I hoped we would have resolution to retain them,
until death rendered them useless to us. I went to my companions, and
imparted my plan to them. They agreed with me upon all points. The only
difficulty now was, to lay our hands upon our arms. I went directly to
the apartment of the officer, in whose care they were, one of the best
hearted Spaniards I have ever seen. I appealed to his goodness of heart
in order to obtain my purpose, telling {208} him, that we only wanted
the rifles a few minutes, in order to rub off the rust, and dirt, which
must have accumulated upon them. I told him after this was done, they
should be returned to him. He did not answer for some minutes; and
then said, that if he complied with my request, and was discovered by
the General to have done so, he should be punished. I replied that
there was no danger of an act of this kind, a mere kindness of this
sort being known by any, but those immediately concerned; concluding
by slipping ten dollars in silver, which had been given me by Capt.
B., into his hand. He then handed me the rifles, and all belonging to
them, through a back door, cautioning me not to let my having them in
possession be known. I answered, that I would be upon my guard. I was
now joined by my companions. We found an old and unoccupied house, into
which we entered, and soon put our guns in order, and charged them
well, resolving never to give them into the hands of a Spaniard again.
We had been so treacherously dealt with by these people, that we did
not consider it any great breach of honour to fail in our promise of
returning our arms, particularly as the officer had taken my money.
We then concluded to conceal our rifles in a thicket near at hand, and
to keep our pistols, which the officer had also given us as a part of
our arms, concealed around our persons. At night we went to the guard
house to sleep, as we had been commanded to do. The officer who gave
me the rifles, came to me, and asked why I had not returned the arms
according to promise? I told him that I had not finished cleaning them,
and repeated, that the General should not know I had them. He charged
me to fulfil my former promise of returning the arms on the succeeding
morning. I satisfied him, thinking as before, that it made no great
difference what is said to such persons, in a position like ours.