PREFACE. IX 



Portions of which I have had occasion to insert in the 

 present volumes. In Captain Manyat's recent work, en- 

 titled "Monsieur Violet," I was not a little annoyed 

 (when I presume I ought to have been flattered) to find 

 large portions of this correspondence copied^ much of it 

 feriaft'm, without the slightest intimation or acknowledg- 

 ment whatever, of the source from whence they were pro- 

 cured. The public are already so familiar with the Ion 

 series of literary larcenies of which that famous work was 

 the product, that I should not have presumed to empha- 

 size my own grievance at all here, but that the appearance 

 of the same material, frequently in the same w ords, in these 

 volumes, might, unless accompanied by some explana- 

 tion, expose me to a charge of plagiarism mj-self, amono- 



cr 



those who may never have seen my original letters, or 

 who are not yet aware that " Monsieur Violet" was an 

 offering which had evidently been intended for the altar of 

 Mercury rather than of Minerva, 



In my historical sketches of New jVIexico, it might hare 

 been naturally expected that some notice would be taken 

 of the Texan Santa Fe Expedition of 1841, the events of 

 which are so closely connected with the history of that 

 country. I declined, however, to enter upon the topic ; 

 for I considered that none who had seen Mr. Kendall 

 count of that ill-fated enterprise, would have any induce- 

 ment to consult these pages upon the subject ; and for 

 those who had not, I felt sure the best thing I could do, was 

 to direct their attention at once to its attractive pages. 



The maps which accompany the present work will be 



found. I believe. Suhstantiallv Cnn-Prt • nr mnra an a+ ^a^^^ 



s ac- 



