182 Ten Years of my Life. 



volley after me, but fortunately they did not wound either me 

 or my horse. 



*As I heard afterwards the battery was manned with raw %-e- 

 cruits — Indians — who did not know anything about the mean- 

 ing of the white handkerchief attached to my riding-whip, and 

 when I came on the officer commanding was just talking a 

 drink. Marquez heard that they had fired on a flag of truce, 

 without knowing, however, that it was I, and the officer was 

 punished. 



Twentv-five men and five or six Liberal officers came to 

 meet me ; all were very much concerned, and would scarcely be- 

 lieve that I had not been wounded. As I would not again risk a 

 volley, I resolved to enter the garita where Colonel Campos 

 commanded, and General Porfirio Diaz was kind enough to 

 give me an escort of ten men. 



Before, however, we reached the garita I was overtaken by 

 a tremendous thunderstorm and rain, which thoroughly 

 drenched me, and, instead of going to Mexico, I went to Tac- 

 ubaya, where I was received by Madame Hube with open 

 arms, for her husband had told her on what kind of adventures 

 I had been out. 



Next day (April 19) was Good Friday, when no horse, mule, 

 or carriage is permitted to show itself in the city of Mexico. 

 It was necessary to hear the opinion of Baron Magnus and the 

 colonels, and I was therefore obliged to walk many miles in 

 the heat of the sun. 



I saw first Baron Magnus and afterwards the colonels, and 

 told them the offer of Porfirio Diaz, but they said they could 

 not accept it without first knowing the will of the Emperor. I 

 proposed then to go on my own responsibility to Queretaro, 

 but Baron Magnus opposed this, and would not even consent 

 to my leaving Mexico again. He wished that I would at least 

 remain a few days, hoping that we might hear in the mean- 

 while something positive from Queretaro. As I had promised 

 Porfirio Diaz to return, I did not like to stay so long in Mexico, 

 but at last I yielded to the urgency of the Baron. The latter 

 seemed to be afraid that Marquez had received some intelli- 

 gence of what was going on, and that I might be arrested on 

 my way. 



When I was in the camp of the Liberals, Colonel Leon told 

 me that he had under his charge a number of Imperialists, 



