Page:History of California, Volume 3 (Bancroft).djvu/587

Rh those gentlemen that if he heard of their crossing the line as threatened with a Mexican force, he would first shoot ten prominent men of the south, and then march to defeat the invaders! On the other hand, cheering rumors came from Honolulu by the Don Quixote, brought by the Clementine from San Blas, that Captain Robbins of the California spoke of having favorable despatches for Alvarado, having been himself made a naval captain by Alvarado's recommendation. Severe earthquakes were felt in the north late in June.

In July there were no new developments of a political nature. August was a more eventful month. In its earliest days Cárlos Carrillo, the 'Pretender,' escaped from Santa Bárbara in company with his son Pedro and José María Covarrubias. They fled in a boat, probably with the connivance of Dana and other foreigners during the governor's absence; but Don Cárlos, whose management and luck were equally unfortunate on sea and land, was driven by stress of weather to land near Point Dumetz, whence he was aided by friends to join the 'Carlist' conspirators on the San Diego frontier. Carrillo's alleged motive for flight was the fear that he would be one of the ten men whom Alvarado had threatened to shoot on the approach of Mexican troops. Yet Don Cárlos forgave his persecutors, and promised to do all in his power to have them pardoned when the supreme government should have enforced his recognition! He even had the assurance to recommend his family to Alvarado's care.