396 IMPORTANT INTELLIGENCE. Book II. 
to dine with him in his tent. The party was cheerful and 
unconstrained, and the conversation quite on a par with 
that of men of the same class in Europe. I was asked my 
birthplace in Germany — " Rudolstadt." " Ah, Schwarz- 
burg-Rudolstadt," remarked one of the officers. " There is 
also a principality Schwarzburg-Sondershausen." I looked 
surprised. " Do you think we Mexicans are savages, who 
know nothing of geography ? " he added laughingly, 
as he remarked my surprise. The knowledge of this 
Mexican, as regards Germany, went so far that he had 
heard of the old and younger lines of the house of Eeuss. 
On the 14th we were encamped at Punta del Agua, a 
very interesting spot, when a Chihuahuan courier arrived 
with despatches from Mexico, the capital. They con- 
tained the intelligence that Santa Ana was president, and 
that he approved the expedition for the protection of 
Mesilla. Our camp immediately became a scene of fes- 
tivity. A band played the whole evening before the 
General's tent, and the soldiers, though with no relaxation 
of discipline, were in the highest spirits. Some who, in 
spite of the prohibition, had ventured to play at cards 
were severely punished. While the general came to the 
entrance of his tent, and himself gave some of the soldiers 
wine in his own silver cup. I cannot take upon myself to 
say whether the rejoicings at Santa Ana's elevation were 
sincere or not. 
The audacity which the Indians displayed during the 
march of so large a body of soldiers proves how difficult 
it is to restrain them. As soon as our encampment for the 
night was chosen, the cavalry had to ride in all directions 
in order to clear our neighbourhood from them ; but as 
soon as it became dark, the grass was on fire at some little 
distance all round us. Almost without exception, we had 
