Page:Memoir of a tour to northern Mexico.djvu/50

[ 26 ] haranguing speeches were made, the alarm-bell was rung, and with tremendous enthusiasm the mass moved towards the AmericalAmerican [sic] hotel, selected as the first point of their attack. The large front door was forthwith bolted, and we awaited their attack within the yard. Our whole garrison, myself included, consisted of but four men, all well armed and resolved to defend themselves to the last. The mob commenced by throwing rocks against the door; but when they found it too strong, they satisfied themselves with abusive Language and with patriotic songs. At last the governor interfered, and the crowd, though for hours yet collected around the hotel, abstained from further violence. I must so far do justice to the governor as to say that he disapproved in public of the mob, and blamed the Mexicans for these outrages; but, at the same time, I cannot conceive why he did not entirely prevent the mob, as it had become a topic of conversation during the day, and he must have known about it.

Although the first mob had failed, the excitement continued, and new threats and insults were of daily occurrence. Six American residents of Chihuahua, mostly merchants, who were principally exposed, applied therefore to the government of Chihuahua, which either could not or would not afford sufficient protection for passports to retire to Sonora. After some negotiations they received passports for Cosihuiriachi, an out-of-the-way place about 90 miles west of Chihuahua, under the condition that they had to stay there under the control of the prefect, and that they were not allowed to leave the place without special permission from the governor of Chihuahua.

On September 6, the Americans left Chihuahua for Cosihuiriachi, escorted there by a military detachment. I thought it time now for myself to leave the place, which had become too hot for scientific researches, and to look out for some safer point; but when I asked for my passport, I was for the first time informed that I could not at present leave either the estate or the city of Chihuahua; in other words, I was a prisoner of state, without knowing it. Mr. Speyer had in the meanwhile arrived with his caravan, and was also exposed to numerous vexations. His men were all disarmed before they entered the city. At first, he should not leave Chihuahua at all; at last, they allowed him to go to the southern frontier of the State, but without any Americans in his service, &c. Mr. Speyer was too well acquainted with Mexican manners and character, and had too much at stake, not to hold out against all those molestations; and by management he gained one concession after another, till he was at last out of their power and on his way towards the south of Mexico. But, I for my part had no inducement to go further south. Some of my friends, respectable merchants of Chihuahua, called once more, in my behalf, on the governor, and offered even their personal security for me, but to no avail, In this dilemma I considered myself privileged to take "French leave," and had already made my preparations, when, on the eve of starting, an English resident of Chihuahua, Mr. J. Potts, offered me his intercession with the governor. Mr. Potts is proprietor of the mint. I had made his acquaintance in Chihuahua, and found him quite a scientific and obliging gentleman; besides that, he was, of all the foreigners there, the most influential with the governor. From the short acquaintance I had with him, I could not ask such a favor; but when voluntarily offered to me, I did not hesitate to accept it. By his kind intercession I received that same day a passport for Cosihuiriachi, under the same conditions as the other