San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1883-10-04
Written for the FRsx PRsu.
"reminiscences Of q Texas veteran..-The
Santa Fe Expedition, etc.
BY g. ERHARD.
(Copyriahted.l
XII.
KENnALL's NARRATIVE CONTINUED.

Van Ness, Lewis, and myself, arrived in
the valley some ten minutes before Howard
and Fitzgerald, While our eyes were turn
ed toward the hillside, waiting their ap-
proach, we were suddenly surrounded by
more than hundred roughly dressed but
well mounted soldiers, armed with lances,
swords, bows and arrows, and miserable
escopet0s, or old fashioned carbines. The
leader of this band, whom I will at once In
troduce as the notorious Dimasio Salezar,
Instantly rode up, and addressed us as amigos
or friends, with the greatest apparent cor
diality. He asked us who we were, and
whether we were not from Texas. Lewis
at once informed him that we were, and that
we had been detached from the main body
then some thirty miles from the Gallinas,
for the purpos of consulting with the auth
critics, either at San Miguel or Santa Fe,
and that he was anxious to see the Govern
or. To this Salezar bowed, as much as to
say all was right, and we fairly congratulat-
ed ourselves upon our reception There
was frankness, a plausibility about the
mscreant, that completely concealed his
real intentions.
On the arrival of Howard and Fitzgerald,
we remounted our horses, and in company
with our new acquaintances, rode to the
first house that presented itself. Here Sal
ear called halt, and after his men had
completely surrounded US on every side, rs
If to hear any conversation that might en-
sue but with no other intentions, their lead
er remarked, with the utmost blandness,
that we must be aware that we could not en-
ter their territory with arms in our hands
that it was contrary to the laws and usages
of civilized nations-and that he hoped we
would have no objections to placing our
rifles and pistols in his keeping, each label
ed SO that its owner might know il again,
until the business we had with the authori-
ties should be arranged. He appeared deep
ly to regret that his duty compelled him to
make this request of persons evidently gen.
tlemen, and whose objects he doubted not,
were of the most friendly nature; he had
been ordered by superiors, he said, to re-
quest us to give up our arms, and sincerely
hoped we would excuse him.
Finding themselves surrounded by force
at least twenty times their number, without
the remotest chance of escape by fight, even
if they felt disposed, and completely impos-
ed upon by the apparent fairness and open
ness of Salezar's conduct, my companions
gave up their arms. 1t was now necessary
to inform Salezar as to my position and in
tentions. Through Van Ness told him
that was q citizen of the United States,
that was merely traveller on journey
through Mexico. and that had a passport
from the Mexican consul at New Orleans,
which took from my pocket and handed
him. Not word could the fellow read,
but placing the document in the hands Of
his second in command, Don Jesus, who
wanted only natural talents to make him
even a greater villain than his master, Sale
gar. told him to examine il. After reading
the passport the worthy lieutenant and sec
retary returned Il TO his captain, who re-
marked that he presumed IL was all right,
but be was reluctantly compelled to demand
my arms and retain them until I had seen
the Governor. wifh,eveR more reluctance
I gave up my rife and pistols into the pos
session Of the miscreant although my CON-
panions openly expressed their confidence
tha; tbey vols Ne released in good faith,
Nov III Be had our arms in his pos 1fon,
thoaght eczia CT yvfr CLEAN Of satis-