456 
ILLNESS AND 
and estimable gentleman. Our intercourse had been 
of the most friendly and agreeable character ; and he 
had ever shown himself ready to aid the American 
Commission, while we were within the jurisdiction of 
Mexico, in any way that lay in his power. He had 
filled many important positions under his government, 
among which I may mention those of Secretary of War 
and the Navy, Director of the Military College, and Dep- 
uty from the State of Sonora to the Mexican Congress. 
I received a letter to-day from Dr. Webb, announc- 
ing the safe arrival of his party at Magdalena. He gave 
me an accouilt of an American named English, whom 
he had found at the village of Rayon, where he was 
kept in bondage by a Mexican. This man, who pro- 
fessed to be of a respectable family, had found his way 
into this country during the war, and had been taken 
into custody by the man he was still with. He stated 
that he was not permitted to communicate with his 
friends, and had no means of escaping. I made the 
facts known at once to Governor Cubillas, and request- 
ed him to investigate the matter, which he assured me 
he would do immediately. 
Decemher 26th. General Flores, Commander of the 
military forces in Sonora, Colonel Garcia, a gentleman 
whom I had before seen in Arispe, and Captain Morfi, 
arrived from Arispe and called on me in the evening. 
From them I learned additional particulars of General 
Conde’s illness and death. 
Decemher 2Qth. Time was now hanging heavily on 
my hands. I felt extremely anxious to get off, but was 
still unable to sit upon a horse. The usual mode of 
travelling through Sonora is on horseback, while pack- 
