crew fled below and went to prayers to supplicate the Holy Virgin to stand between them and danger. He gave it to me as his opinion that, had the breeze lasted for Commodore Moore to come to close quarters at that time, the Mexican navy would have fallen an easy prey. Extremely farcical and ludicrous as prayers at such a time must have appeared to a British officer, a repetition of them could not be submitted to when the reputation of a British officer was concerned. This officer then quitted that service with as much disgust as he, on the other hand, entertained [200] admiration of the naval skill and gallantry of our commodore.

This day the officer of our guard proved himself to be a most finished young savage. On several occasions he refused us water when it was entirely convenient, for no stopping of our guard interfered at all with the movements of the regiment, we being kept far enough in the rear to have the full benefit of the most intolerable dust. In no country have I witnessed the dust comparable to the dry season in Mexico. At noon this day we were stopped for three hours in the road, exposed to the heat of a broiling sun, while the officers were eating and taking their siesta in the houses.

March 8th. Marched four leagues to a hacienda, where we were stopped at noon and placed in a stable, while the officers, as usual, were enjoying all the luxuries of the spacious buildings. In the evening the march was continued four leagues more, and we, with the Mexican prisoners, were lodged in a strong stone house, used as a granary. To-day our officer of the guard was more humane, and, from the small gold ring he wore in his left ear, it was evident he had been one of our San Jacinto prisoners. This mark of distinction, I was informed, is honorary, and observed by most of the officers who survived the perils of that day.

March 9th. This day we had the good fortune again to have another humane officer of our guard. He refused to let the guards follow us on occasions [201] which need not be specified. He would stop with us at the pulque stands on the roadside and partake of that delightful beverage, and showed us all the kindness in his power. This night we were halted at the end of five leagues, and quartered in a strong stone granary.

March 10th. Marched five leagues to San Juan del Rio, a beautiful town of about ten thousand inhabitants. At this place Adjutant Murry was taken very ill, insomuch that we did not expect him to survive many minutes. When Colonel Terris came into our quarters, pretending to sympathize on the occasion, he was told by Colonel Fisher, Dr. Shepherd, and others, that it was his cruelty which had brought on his illness; that he had taken the old man's mule from him, and the rapid gait he had been forced in his lame condition was the cause of his attack. In fine, the abuse that we poured upon him was by no means