"Charles King, of Natchez, works at the carpenter's trade, is confined by night to the quartel at Chihuahua—in good health.
"Ephriam Blackburn, of Natchez, is in some of the procedios of the province of Biscay—situation unknown.
"Joel Pears, of North Carolina, deceased at Chihuahua.
"John Waters, of Winchester, Virginia, a hatter, and carries on his business at Chihuahua, has embraced the Roman Catholic faith, after betraying a well concerted plan of his companions to effect their escape, and in which it is supposed they would have succeeded: his treachery caused them a close confinement in irons, and in a loathsome prison for three months—he is hated and despised, not only by his own countrymen but by every honest Spaniard in the place.
"Ellis Bean, of Granger county, state of Tennessee, a hatter, formerly carried on his business in the city of Chihuahua, but being detected in an intrigue with the daughter of an officer, and refusing to marry her, was in close confinement at St. Jeronime [San Jeronimo], a few leagues distant, in good health.
"Thomas House, of Jefferson county, Tennessee, blacksmith, confined to the quartel at night, but at that time was at the hospital, in a very bad state of health.
"Stephen Richards, of Natchez, has inlisted in the Spanish service, was lately at Baton Rouge with his father, in the quality of a citizen—belongs to the troops at Nagadoches."
[Here follows the above-mentioned letter from Pike to his Excellency, General Salcedo, given beyond, [pp. 810-812].]
This letter I presented personally, & after the general had learned its contents, through an interpreter, he observed in reply That having found those men, on his arrival from Europe, to take the command of the internal provinces of New Spain, in the dungeons of St. Louis Potosi, he had demanded them of the Vice-Roy, and brought them to Chihuahua, where their irons were struck off, and every indulgence allowed them which his responsibility would admit—that he had felt a particular desire to serve Fero, but whose haughtiness of soul would not permit him to be under any obligation to the government, further than his allowance of twenty-five cents per day. That he had reported their situation to the King, and consequently must await the orders of his majesty; that with respect to the letters, they had always been permitted to correspond through him, with their friends—but that I might use my own pleasure as to taking letters, but he thought the peculiar delicacy of my own situation, should prevent me from taking any written communication out of the country.
Thus ended the conference, and thus stands the situation of those unfortunate men at present. But as I knew some part of the general's information to be incorrect, and especially as it related to the freedom of communication with their friends, I felt no such peculiar delicacy as to prevent my bringing out letters—but brought every one intrusted to my care.