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 to repel any invasion of Mexican territory by Guatemalans—instructions, doubtless, due in part to the destruction of Mr. Romero's plantation, which had created considerable interest in Mexico, and had been the subject of two official investigations. Colonel Ponce de Leon naturally wished to become acquainted with the line generally considered as the actual frontier with Guatemala, and invited Mr. Romero to accompany him. With an escort of ten soldiers they visited, in November, 1874, the "Cafetal Juarez," and adjacent localities, taking care not to pass the reputed frontier of Guatemala. Nevertheless, this reconnaissance gave great alarm to the frontier authorities of Guatemala, and was magnified by General Barrios into an outrage against that republic.

Previous to this event, and immediately after his return from San Márcos, in July, 1874, Mr. Romero, in fulfillment of a promise made to Colonel Lopez, addressed communications to the municipalities of Tajomulco and Sibinal, the authorities of which had participated in the destruction of his property. In these documents he gave his reasons for considering the lands in question to be Mexican territory, and, without entering further upon subjects of controversy, offered to pay the damages caused by the reprisals made by Maldonado at Altaná. These documents were sent by the municipalities to Colonel Lopez, at San Márcos, and by him to General Barrios. They elicited an angry reply from Colonel Lopez, in which the tenor of these documents was treated as an offense of sedition against Guatemala, which should be dealt with by the courts, and it was insinuated that Mr. Romero was an accomplice of the recent filibustering expedition.