TRAVELS IN THE CALIFORNIA S. 81 
again, for he feared that his life would be taken by the sub¬ 
alterns of the insulted government!! 
This message was intended to prevent him from appear¬ 
ing before the grates, and encouraging the prisoners to bear 
their sufferings like men worthy their high extraction; and 
also to deter him from interfering with the unholy purposes 
of the Government against their lives. It failed of its object. 
His reply was, that he did not at that time comprehend the 
necessity of Captain Castro’s anxieties in regard to him, and 
that as he should have business in the streets about sunset, 
those who felt disposed would have an opportunity at that 
time to make any demonstrations congenial with their feel¬ 
ings. At sunset he walked down to the prisons, heard 
again through the grates the cries of their tenants for air and 
water, and returned to Mr. Larkin’s, to pass a miserable 
night—a night of unavailing compassion. 
The next day he went into two of the cells, took the 
names and residence of a portion of the prisoners, and learn¬ 
ed their general condition. They had nothing on which to 
sleep or sit except the wet ground; were emaciated, pale 
and sickly; some of them could scarcely walk to the grate 
to get fresh air; one could not stand, and his fellows from 
time to time held him up to breathe ! They said in their 
despair, that they could keep hope alive as long as he 
dared to walk frequently before the prison, for his presence 
obtained them better treatment from their enemies, and 
encouraged the more desponding to expect through him 
deliverance from their sufferings ! 
Graham’s cell was under a double guard. It could not be 
approached. People were even forbidden to pass it. I oc¬ 
casionally approached near enough to hear the lion-hearted 
old man roar out his indignation. A great and brave soul 
had that man. Its best energies had been bestowed on the 
ingrate Alvarado. He had made the rascal into a gover¬ 
nor ; and this was the beginning of his reward. 
The afternoon was spent in much perplexity by the officers 
13 
