without knowing it. Mr. Speyer had in the meanwhile arrived with his — 
> caravan, an i 
Wee 
-. disarmed before they entered the city. At first, he should not leave Chi | 
s 
Ss ‘ 5 
- haranguing speeches were made, the alarm-bell was rung, and with tre- 
2, tendous enthusiasm the mass moved towards the Americal hotel, selected 
‘as the first point of their attack. The large front-door was forthwith 
bolted, and we awaited their attack within the yard. Our whole garrison, 
.» myself included, consisted of but four men, all well armed, and resolved 
to defend themselves to the last. The mob commenced by throwing rocks 
- against the door; but when they found it too strong, they satisfied themselves 
with abusive [#fguage and with patriotic songs. At last the governor in- - 
e 
'. icans for these outrages; but, at the same time, I cannot conceive why he 
_.. did not entirely prevent the mob, as it had become a topic of conversation | 
-» during the day, and he must have known about it. . ; ( 
.. Although the first mob had failed, the excitement continued, and new 
-. threats and insults were of daily occurrence. Six American residents of 
» Chihuahua, mostly merchants, who were princi ally exposed, applied 
therefore to the government of Chihuahua, which either could not or 
- governor of Chihuahua. ; 
~~ On September 6, the Americans left Chihuahua for Cosihuiriachi, es- 
+» eorted there by a military detachment. | thought it time now for myself — 
to leave the place, which had become too hot for scientific researches, and to ; 
look out for some safer point; but when I asked for my passport, i was for 
the first time informed that I could not at present leave either the State _ 
_ or the city of Chihuahua; in other words, I was a prisoner of state, | 
‘ was also exposed to numerous vexations. is men were all — 
.~ huahua at all; at last, they allowed him to go to the southern frontier of the 
» State, but without any Americans in his service, &c. Mr. Speyer was to0 
well acquainted with Mexican manners and character, and had too much , 
at stake, not to hold out against all those molestations; and by manage- 
- ment he gained one concession after another, till hé was at last out of © 
their power and on his way towards the south of Mexico. But, I for my | 
part had no inducement to go further south. Some of my friends, respect 
~~» able merchants of Chihuahua, called once more, in my behalf, on the gov" 
<ernor, and.offered even their personal security for me, but to no avail. 
hae this dilemma I considered myself privileged to take “ French leave,’’ and 
ad already made my preparations, when, on the eve of starting, an En- 
. glish f Chihuahua, Mr. J. Potts, offered me his intercession with 
the : . Mr. Potts is proprietor of the mint. I had made his ac 
was,-of all the foreigners there, the most i- 
‘rom the ghort acquaintance I had with him, 
such a favor; but when voluntarily offered to me, t did not 
passport for Cosihuiriachi,inder the samie conditions as the other Amet- 
: 
