we discover his motive for taking a military position at a con- venient distance from Monterey. This was in March, 1 846. After waiting some time for the anticipated attack, but nothing occurring to furnish a pretext for commencing hostilities, he proceeded, without the slightest molestation from the Government, on his route to Oregon.
In Oregon, he Avas annoyed by hostile Indians, who, as the Secretary informs us, but without condescending to furnish a particle of proof, " had been excited against him by General Castro." Again the Captain received alarming intelligence, but from what source does not appear, " that General Castro, in addition to his Indian allies, was advancing against him with artillery and cavalry at the head of four or five hundred men !" He also heard that " the American settlers in the valley of Sacra- mento were comprehended in the scheme of destruction, meditated against his own party."—" Under these cir- cumstances (continues the Secretaiy), he determined to turn upon his Mexican pursuers, and seek safety both for his own party and the American settlers, not merely in the defeat of Castro, but in the total overthrow of THE Mexican Government in California, and the ESTABLISHMENT OF AN INDEPENDENT GOVERNMENT IN THAT EXTENSIVE DEPARTMENT."