Page:Vol 5 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/117

Rh to conjecture — Picaluga came to Mexico in December, 1830, and offered to Facio to remove his vessel from the control of the government's opponents, and place her at its disposal at Guatulco for the sum of $50,000, which would pay all damages he had already sustained, and compensate him for her use in the future. This is the story told by the government and by Picaluga himself. But the general belief is that Facio and Picaluga struck a bargain upon the spot for the latter to betray Guerrero into the government's hands. Soon after Picaluga's departure, orders were issued to Captain Miguel Gonzalez to station himself with a force at Guatulco to receive the Colombo, or if enemies landed there to capture them. The enemies of the government have charged that the orders given Gonzalez were to receive Guerrero from on board the vessel as a prisoner. Gonzalez accordingly went to Guatulco, having with him two other officers, one of whom it is believed was expressly appointed to act as prosecutor and the other as his clerk. The plotter Picaluga soon found an opportunity to earn his blood-money. Manuel Primo Tapia and Manuel Zavala, who were in Acapulco, commissioned on the part of the government with General Barragan to make conciliatory proposals to the chiefs of the south,