Page:Vol 4 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/823

Rh from Southampton on board the brig Spring accompanied by his wife and two younger sons, padres Lopez and Treviño, Malo, and Beneski, a Pole, who had served under Iturbide in Mexico and now followed him as his aide-de-camp. On the 14th of July the vessel came to anchor off the bar at Soto la Marina.

The Mexican liberator's days were now numbered and few in count. Beneski was sent ashore to gain information about the later occurrences in Mexico, and presented himself to Garza, who was still comandante at Soto la Marina. Provided with a letter from Padre Treviño, he represented himself as having come with a companion as the agent of commercial houses in London, to propose to the government a plan for the establishment of an English colony, and having received permission to land, and a written answer to Trevino's communication, he returned on board. Beneski's report of his reception by Garza was so favorable that on the following day Iturbide landed with the intention of visiting him in person. He was accompanied only by Beneski, and arrived a little before sunset at the