Doc. No. 75. 



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taiise, I believe, it did not find its way to our capital in the time required 

 for its ratification. Now^ I desire to be instructed in this particular. May 

 I engage, at the expense of the government, a bearer of despatches to 

 carry to Wa^sliington sucli treaty or treaties, or sucli other despatches^, as I 

 in my discretion may deem of importance to our government? It would 

 hardly be prudent to intrust important despatches from our government 

 to such mail conveyance as can be found in Guatemala, if indeed there 

 beany, if sent to Isabel, it would be next to impossible to find an 

 American vessel at that place to carry despatches to the United States. 

 We have no consul there— (by the way, I have an idea of appointing one 

 there)— we have no commerce there; the English have already in their 

 hands nearly all the trade in these ports, on the coast of Yucatan, Hon- 

 duras, and the Mosquito kingdom. Unless I am permitted to employ a 

 bearer of despatches, at the expense of the government, to carry home 

 such as I may deem important^ I do not know that I can communicate 

 with the government at home from the city of Guatemala with any cer- 

 tainty at all, 



I take occasion here to speak of Mr. Ptobert Campbell, our consul at 

 Havana. I arrived there in a low state of health and in a most depressed 

 state of mind. He was kind, courteous, and attentive to me — rendered me 

 considerable service, especially in aiding me to procure a suitable secre- 

 tary, and in procuring from the governor-general of the island a written 

 permission to enter Havana, and to leave that port at discretion, though 

 without a passport from any Spanish consul, as required by the law or 

 usage of the island. I feel gratetid to him, and should hope that he may 

 be continued consul at Havana; the duties of which office, as I learned 

 upon inquiring of the American residents there, he discharged with ability 

 and fidelity, By-the-by, I should hke to say something on tlie Cuba 

 question— a question upon which 1 think I am pretty v/eli informed — but it 

 would be out of place here. I would certainly give my support most cor- 

 dially to an administration that should be in favor of, and knew huiv to 

 effect^ the annexation of Cuba to the United States. 



November 1, 1848. — We have, after a passage of twenty days, arrived in 

 the Golfo Dolce, and when within tv/enty-five or thirty miles of Isabel 

 and two hundred yards of the shore, our vessel, ^'LiCgunoLempromana," 

 Captain Joaquin Slehe, of Saba, Vv^ent upon the rocks, where we now re- 

 main. The captain and crev/(a!l old Spaniards) are making every effort to 

 get her off, and I trust they will succeed; though I doubt, if this letter 

 reaches you, they will have succeeded, as I propose sending this by the cap- 

 tain to our consul at Havana, to be forwarded by him to the State Depart- 

 ment, Whether the vessel is or is not extricated from her present rather 

 perilous position, I have no fears for the safety of her passengers and crew. 

 We can get to the shore with our baggage, in the boats, two of which we 

 have— quite sufUcient for the purpose. I shall, when I get there, set off from 

 Isabel as soon as possible for Guatemala. * # # # # 



I have the honor to remain, with sentiments of high regard, your very 

 obedient, humble servant, 



ELIJAH HISE. ' 



To the Hon. James Buchanan, 



^ecretm^y of State of the United States, 



