APPENDIX. 



473 



his particular friend, from whom, late in the evening before he 

 left Palenque, he received the following note (translation) : 



« Mr. (I do not know your surname), at his house, June 3, 1840. 



" My most respected Sir, 

 « I have just arrived, because my wife sent me notice yesterday 

 that you (permit me to address you on the footing of a friend*) 

 and your estimable companion depart to-morrow without fail. 

 If it is really true, continue your journey with all the felicity 

 which my great affection desires. I send you, together with my 

 gratitude and affection, this raw silk from the ruins to keep for 

 my sake. 



" Farewell, my friend and dearest sir. Command whatever 

 you wish, and from whatever distance. 



" Your most affectionate friend, 



" Santiago Froncoso. 

 " Senor ex-plenipotentiary envoy near the government of Cen- 

 tral America from the government of North America." 



The author feels assured that, if he had been on the spot him- 

 self, Don Santiago would have been the last man in the place to 

 embarrass his operations. He is now violent against foreigners. 

 The author has received no letter from Mr. Pawling, and fears 

 that he has in some way got into difficulty with the people of the 

 village, or else the author's plans have been defeated, and his casts 

 are detained and kept from being introduced into the United 

 States, by the agency and offers of Mr. William Brown, In 

 the absence of any farther information than what appears in these 

 documents, the author makes no comments ; but he mentions, 

 that this Mr. William Brown is an American, known in this 

 city as Captain William Brown, having been for several years 

 master of a vessel trading between this port and Tobasco. 



It was the hope of the gentlemen before referred to, with 

 the monuments of Quirigua, casts from Copan and Palenque, 

 or the tablets themselves, and other objects from other places 

 within their reach, to lay the foundation of a Museum of Amer- 

 ican Antiquities which might deserve the countenance of the Gen- 

 * Don Santiago apologizes for not using the title your excellency. 



Vol. II. — 3 O 



