his character.3 We had supposed him to be some rough bandit, who dealt in robbery and murder from habit or choice. Justice both to him and ourselves requires us to say that we have not met in Mexico a more intelligent, humane, and accomplished officer. The following note to him will give the reader a more correct knowledge of our estimation of his worth:

We remained six days at Monterey, which is a beautiful city, containing a population of about twenty thousand, situated high up on the Rio San Fernando, and between two elevated mountains. It is the capital of New Leon, over which Governor-general Ortega presided. At this city we were treated with every kindness which our situation would allow. Our table was supplied from the best French restaurant in the city; and our kind host, old Colonel Bermudez, was all the time apologizing for not having things good enough for us.

We call Colonel B. old, as the highest encomium [133] we can bestow upon him; for, with one exception, and that one Colonel Terris, of the 4th regiment of infantry, we never met an old officer in Mexico who did not possess the highest sense of magnanimity and humanity. Colonel Bermudez is about sixty-five years of age, has seen much service, and is a gentleman of the old school model, of which I have a far better opinion than of the new. He has an interesting family, and several beautiful daughters. These amiable ladies, to beguile our heavy hours, would sing, and play upon the guitar and piano for us, and at evenings would invite the élite of the city, some of whom doubtless came to see us Texians, whom they would introduce as "muy valiente," very brave. At these evening coteries we would endeavour to appear as if nothing had happened to us, and