391
PAPERS OF iJRABEAU Buo .\PARTE LAMAR
he and his other companions D riding briskly to and fro. soon suc- ceeded in driving the cattle- under the hill, The Mexican army I supposed 5000 in number had displayed column to the right and left, as we approached- following their General they -came to a present- a few hundred yards through their columns and we found ourselves safely landed at the threshold of the commander, we were, asked to light, at the ame time the General remarked that it was, not at all improbable we should loose our horses, such- sometimes is the iriavoidablc case h re, as the Indians are excessively troublesome (I howeve[r] found that this pisitlanse orriginated more amongst them selves, than, amongst the vagrant Indians,) Their men, were deserting diurnally, conse- quently stoled horses to make their retreat- Filisola- stated, hould the misfortune, occur, that we should have such a number of his best horses, as, we might loose, our cavah·y, then was delivered to the servant, onr bagagc carefully laid in one corner of the house, we were asked to wash, which we did, Chocolate, a favourate beverage was then set on the table, our hunger ,vas soon relieved, a variety of new dishes was placed before u -at first I was rather tenacious of participation~ until I saw their own offic[e]rs, copiously supplying their own almost insatiable appetites at least. half a dozen diffirent kind of spirits, and wines, were uncorked before us of which I participated quite freely, more so than is usual. I felt much the inebriating effect pro- duced which gave firmness & con,fidence to what I might say I was by Felisola introduced to most of the commanding officers. 'l'he most Genteele and courtious of their military was Genl. Tolsa, the farther of Manuel the interpreter. Genl. T . ... is a ·fine figure six feet two & a half or three inches tall. A man of appearant phisical powers, he is a little bronzer, but appearantly more the affects of the sun than of nature he was courteous in explaining every thing which I might inquire after. I think he told me his wife was a native of America. bis son Ianuel was educated in the City of r ew York I having visited the City I found it quite a subject of conversation. I was told by their commander not to · put myself under any restrant for I was welcome to all the privileges of the Camp, I was presented with the be t article of cigars, that I ever have seen, some which were taken, I presume, from some texian deserted store.-My attention was now deverted from the ubject of conversation, by the sound of music- The General observing this: invited me to walk ·when we would have a better opportunity of listening to the band.-The music was good; it- was the largest and most accomplished band of Martial Music that I ever witnessed.- the Division was on parade,: they were drilled by Battalion. They drill handsomely, perform their evolutions with (?reat precision, but much after the old English style, they shoulder arm , omething like a weary Hunter carries his gun, carelessly thrown across his shoulder, a position which is not as uniform, nor handsome- but the difference felt by the performer, more than pre- ponderate the difference in beauty- (Ease forever in an army of operations- We remained but a few minutes and returned to Head quarter -The subject of my mission was aO'ain·introduced.-He, Fil- isola tated, that he would comply with the Most of the requisitions, contained in Genl. Rusk's letter- some he could not,- others he was constitutionally forbid to do, the. constitutional prohibition act was.
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