remarked that "there were many larger stock estates in Mexico; that he had twenty-seven hundred brood mares, which required sixty-eight stallions, and about fifty jacks to serve, as they did not allow more than twenty-five to each; ten thousand black cattle, and forty thousand sheep." [180] Stock of all kinds are very cheap in Mexico, and we fear we lost credit with the count by telling him the immense high prices at which our best bloods sold for in the United States; but perhaps we are in more danger now, by telling of his immense numbers. We parted reluctantly from the count, after extorting a promise from him to visit our country as soon as the war should end, and he desiring us to call freely upon him for every necessary in Mexico.

February 18th. Marched for San Luis Potosi, a distance of thirty leagues, which place we reached on the 20th; kept standing in the street, opposite the governor's quarters, in the hot sun, without permission to dismount, about twenty minutes, when we were marched off to a room in the hospital barracks. Being exceedingly fatigued, the sun having been excessively hot, and the dust in the road almost suffocating, we had procured a flask of vino mascal, when a corporal stepped up, and, in the most contemptuous manner, took it from us: this privilege had never before been denied us. In a few minutes we heard Colonel Terris order a sentinel to lock us up: this was done with as little ceremony as the taking away of our flask. Upon our remonstrance, the governor had our door unlocked, and promised a reprimand to the old brute. We remained in this city eight days, in which time the following correspondence was held with the governor: [181]