COUNT RAOUSSET BOULBON. 41 



On learning that the Consul, Mr. del Valle asked for 1,000 

 immigrants, Count Raousset rejoiced, thinking that the 

 Mexican Government would soon tire of supplying the 

 necessary funds for the maintenance of so many immigrants, 

 and the dissatisfaction produced amongst these men would 

 facilitate the success of his projects. But things did not take the 

 course he thought. Mr. del Valle sent only 300 immigrants of 

 all nationalities ; although the French were still in the majority. 

 Count Raousset not considering this number as sufficient and 

 not being able to depend upon all of them, relinquished for a 

 short time his projects against the Sonora, but a casual cir 

 cumstance compelled him to leave San Francisco. 



An American colonel of the name of Walker, had also 

 attempted the conquest of Sonora and Lower California, but 

 beaten by the Californians, he had been obliged to return to 

 the United States and to appear before the authorities of his 

 country. His deposition incriminated Count Raousset as an 

 accomplice of the Colonel, engaged to act in accord with him. 

 Warned in time, Raousset fled to escape arrest, and perhaps 

 condemnation. 



At that time, many of his former followers who had gone 

 to Sonora, trusting in the promise he made that he should 

 meet them there, wrote to him to come. He bought a schooner 

 and left San Francisco at night. The ist of July he arrived 

 in Guaymas. 



On landing, he learned that the new Governor was a 

 good and generous man, who had won the affection of the 

 French, and that his influence with them was such, that for a 

 moment he was disconcerted, but he quickly rallied, and went 

 directly to see the Governor, Mr. Yanez, and told him that he 

 had come to avenge himself on the Mexicans ; but that he 

 had been so noble in his conduct respecting his compatriots, 

 that -he renounced his designs, and offered him his spade and 

 services. Governor Yanez, well aware of the services that 

 such a man could render to his country, if it was possible to 

 gain him over, praised him for his good resolve, and told 

 him that he was going to ask instructions from his Govern 

 ment. The volunteers of the foreign regiment, who did not 

 know the character of the new comer who posed himself as 

 their chief, distrusted him at first, but soon rallied entirely 

 round him, convinced that he desired peace, which gave them 

 all that which the conquest could procure, but a minority, 

 composed of bad characters, ambitious, and illiterate, were 

 hostile to Yanez and so arrogant towards the Mexicans, that 



