Since that time nothing has been
heard of them.
Fonseca, now certain of his fate, proved to be as mean and cowardly as
he had been tyrannical before his defeat. He made me many splendid
offers if I would but let him go and try his fortune elsewhere: seeing
how much I despised him, he turned to the Mexicans, and tried them one
and all; till, finally, perceiving that he had no hope of mercy, he
began to blaspheme so horribly that I was obliged to order him to
be gagged.
The next morning two companies arrived from Monterey, a council was
convened, twenty of the citizens forming themselves into a jury. Fonseca
was tried and condemned, both as a traitor and a pirate; and as shooting
would have been too great an honour for such a wretch, he was hanged in
company with the few surviving Sandwichers.
Our party had suffered a little in the beginning of the action, three
Mexicans had been killed and eighteen wounded, as well as two Apaches.
Of my Shoshones, not one received the smallest scratch; and the
Arrapahoes, who had been left to scour the prairie, joined us a short
time after the battle with a few scalps.
The people of San Francisco were true to their promise; the rescued
booty was divided into two equal parts, one of which was offered to the
Indians, as had been agreed upon.
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