arms, anrl one of them namer! Smith, was shot hy one of the solrliers and wounder!. They took a dal!gcr from one, and he and the others were made pri~oners, and the collector immediately carried his complaint to the Jucl~e of the First Instance, who came and made inv<'sligation. He took one of the men under his charge and immediately liberated him on bond: and the other one, since he had not taken any part in Lhe fight, the Collect himself released the following clay. l\lr. Briscoe was simply making fun of the Collector witb all this business, for when the box was opened, it was found to be full of mere rubbish. Thr. audacity of this man who has only been in the colony a short time is extraordinary and so decieded that the Judge instituted a suit against him and hopes that he will be punished. This event alarmed the neighborhood, but the Judge calmed them, so that thanks to him the tranquillity was not disturbed. ln Brazoria, however, according Lo the testimony of a man who has come from there, it is nol the same; and the Judge even fears that the Colonists of the Department of San Felipe wish lo come lo this Department to fight. They, by reason of the capture of the sloop Columbia are very much excited, and I have been informed that they are arming a sloop for the purpose of lighting the Moctezuma. This may be very serious for the harm that they fear from this vessel is of importance lo their clandestine commerce; and there would be no lack of desperate men who, well paid, would lend their sen~ces, particularly as many of those individuals are banished from the country for crimes committed there. And that kind of people are capable of anything, particularly as many of those individuals are banished from their country for crimes commited there. And that kind of people are capable of anything, particularly as they know the benevolent character of lht! l\Jexicans who will pardon them. If they may gain the upper hand in Texas they care for nothing. For which reason I believe it prudent lo manage the ships with precaution, because, as J have said, it will not be difficult in the bay, taking advantage of a dark night, to burn the ships or harm them in some way. I Antonio Tenorio I [To Domingo de Ugartechca I
16H
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