Washington sentinel., 1856-08-05
Escape of Americans from Mexico.


Joseph B. Smith, Of Virginia, Charles Brown,
Of Ohio, and eleven other men Of the Ameri-
can passengers by the Archibald Oracle, from
San Francisco, who were seized at La Paz, in
Alta California, by the Mexican authorities,
and detained SO long in prison and in irons,
arrived at New Orleans last week in a state of
great destituton. The Picayune says:
The whole number of persons thus seized
was originally eighty-seven. This was about
the middle of November of last year. They
we're kept in confinement in room about forty
feet square, until the 9th of December, when
they were taken out, and ironed two and two,
and put on board of vessels, to be sent to
San Bias. This horrible voyage, by reason of
the calms, occupied twenty-iour days. On the
arrival at San Bias the irons were Immediately
ordered to be taken off. The prisoners were
then marched first to Topic, and then further
distance of 300 miles to Guadalajara, which
place they reached on the 9th OF February.
Leaving that on the 18th of March, they were
marched on foot to Guanaluato, where they
arrived March 10Th, and on the 18th Of April
reached Escapasaco, a small town in the
vicinity of the city of Mexico. This long jour
ney was made on foot, distance Of thirteen
or fourteen hundred miles.
At Escapasalco they were not put into close
confinement, but were allowed to 90 at large
all day. with an allowance of Fifty cents day
for their support. The allowance on the jour
ney was only twenty-five cents day. They
remained here several months unable to get
trial. A number escaped with little obstruc-
ton, sand went back to CALIFORNIA;; others
escaped, and have heretofore arrived in the
United States. They were tired of waiting for
the trial, and the compensation which was due
them for their Imprisonment aud detention.
| The present company, consisting Of thirteen,
started July 9th, and found no interruption in
walking down to Vera Cruz or in getting on
the Texas. Several met friends in the city of
Mexico who paid their passage.
The WRAPPING OF THE MUMMIEs.-A news.
paper came to us yesterday, from Syracuse,
New York, made from rags imported directly
from Egypt, and which had once wrapped with
in their folds the mummifed remains of the
descendants Of Mizraim. They were imported
BY Mr. g. w. Ryan, paper manufacturer at
Marcellus Falls, and he thinks them quite as
good as the general run of English and French
rags. The paper is certainly of very good
quality, rather superior to that generally used
in this country for newspaper purposes. What
are thousands Of bodies in Egypt wrapped up
in linen folds, it is quite probable that the rags
are as cheapy imported as those from any
other country. 1t is little curious that na
ton dead for thousands Of years, and which
could not perpetuaie knowledge of its own
language, though engraved upon granite,
should furnish from lis grave material by
which a living nation is enabled to embalm its
history in print, aud spread knowledge Of its
progress in arts and sciences, its politics and
its religion over the entire world. The pre-
cious funeral robe which wrapped an Egyptian
King, may, viyi6ed by the power Of the print
ing press, become a sheet inspired with living
information from all quarters of the globe, and
be sold at the corner of the streets for penny
by the soiled sons Of generation Of people,
OF whom Pharoah, in the pride Of his power,
never dreamed.-PhiladeLphia Ledger