* 
68 SCENES IN THE PACIFIC. 
strued into a disguised attempt to gather his friends for the 
purpose of overthrowing Alvarado’s Government, This sug 
gestion was made to the minor leading interests, civil and 
military, and a Junto was formed for the safety of the State; 
or in plain truth, for the gratification of the several personal 
enmities and jealousies of half a dozen scoundrels, who, 
disregarding the most sacred pledges to their friends, would 
rob them of their property and sacrifice their lives. 
This Junto marshalled their forces at Monterey, and 
adopted the following plan for accomplishing their fiendish 
designs:—The soldiers were detailed into corps of tw T o, 
three and four in number, to which were attached several 
civilized Indians. These bands were secretly sent to the 
abodes of the foreigners, with instructions to convey them 
with dispatch before the Alcaldes of the neighboring mis¬ 
sions. This they accomplished. The victims, on receiving 
information that the Alcaldes desired to see them, repaired 
to their presence, willingly, and without suspicion of evil 
intentions against them. As soon, however, as they arrived, 
they were loaded with irons, and cast into the loathsome 
cells of these establishments in which the Padres formerly 
confined their disobedient converts ! 
Thus, one by one, they succeeded in arresting one hundred 
and sixty odd Americans and Britons—brave old trappers, 
mechanics, merchants, whalemen and tars—men who, if em¬ 
bodied under Graham, with their rifles in their hands, could 
have marched from San Francisco to San Lucas ; conquered 
nine hundred miles of coast, and held the Government of the 
country in spite of the dastards who were oppressing them. 
But they were caught in a net skilfully thrown over them, 
and were helpless. After each man was bolted safely in 
his dungeon, the harpies proceeded to his house, violated 
his family, plundered his premises, and drove away his live 
stock as private booty—the reward of the brave ! 
Having in this manner collected these unhappy men in 
ne prisons of the several missions, Alvarado and Castro 
