his position and wishes to the president in confidence—no one being present but Santa Anna and his secretary. The president received him most graciously, and condescended to caution him emphatically against making his journey known, or communicating to any one the secret of his wealth; further advising him to secure his treasure in secret boxes, and proposing to provide him, as an English merchant whom he highly respected, with an escort of his own trusty soldiers.
The escort was duly provided, and the English merchant soon began his journey. He had not proceeded far, however, before his guards fled, at sight of a band of heavily armed men with blackened faces, who seized upon his goods, quickly discovering the secret boxes and slides, despoiled him of all his treasure, and decamped. The plundered merchant complained to the President of the treatment he had received, and many protestations of indignation and sympathy were made in reply; nevertheless, he had shortly ample reason to believe that the whole affair had been covertly planned by President Santa Anna himself: that the robbery had been executed under his private orders, and that the proceeds
