burst forth from men, women, and children, officers, soldiers, and culprits; for they all, from the governor to the smallest child, came to satisfy themselves of what their astonishment mixed up with miracle.6

While the best-informed Mexicans will admit our superiority in war, both in daring and the use of arms, the more uninformed entertain the strangest notions of us. Many believe that we have magic power, and have near kinship with the devil. Others believe us to be northern barbarians, of one of two tribes of white Indians, who form the connecting link between mankind and the other world.

The northern Mexicans have frequently thus inquired of different Texians, "Do you belong to the tribe of How-do-do's, or the God-damn-me's?" this being the first English which they are apt to learn of our people. They are generally answered that "my mamma was a How-do-do, and my daddy was a God-damn-me." Thus pedigreed, the Texian is [363] looked upon by them with far more astonishment than the Kentuckian who was sired by a steamboat and come out of a penitentiary.

My letter to Santa Anna was handed to the governor, with a request from me that it should be forwarded immediately to his excellency; and as it exonerated the governor and officers from any neglect of duty, he was not slow to comply in sending it by an extraordinary courier.

The surprise which our escape had created caused another hour to pass before the cavalry were mounted and sent in pursuit. They traced us to where we had the night before separated, but could follow no farther. Then they separated in different commands, and took different roads and mountain-passes.

We have already given an account of those recaptured, and as they were brought back to the castle, they were locked in the dark calaboose, except poor John Young, who had fallen over a precipice and was badly crippled: he was sent to the hospital in the village, where, after the most excruciating sufferings, his iron constitution survived his injuries.7

The balance of our countrymen were reironed, and all huddled together in one room under double guard and increased vigilance. The officers now thought that nothing was impossible with Texians; and one of my friends, writing from the castle, said that "they even believe that we will escape in a letter."[364]

After our escape, some of our friends circulated the report that we had gone, under the conduct of five Mexican robbers, to join Commodore Moore, in Yucatan. The consequence of this report was highly beneficial, as the greatest search was made after us in that direction.

Santa Anna, as I learned, pretended not to believe my statement, and very unjustly arrested all the officers of the castle, the governor, Limpy, and Guts inclusive.8