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Updated: May 4, 2025
While a song was being sung, I heard one of the Pastucian officers near me say to a companion, looking meanwhile at Captain Pinson, who had on a uniform with a large amount of lace about it, "I have made up my mind to have that fellow's coat for my share." As the Pastucian officer appeared already to be half-seas over, I thought that he had spoken in jest, or that I had misunderstood him.
I was on the point of moving towards the door, hoping to leave the room without being questioned, when I saw Captain Pinson start up; and turning to the other Patriot officers, he exclaimed, "Gentlemen, we are betrayed treachery is intended fly for your lives!" As he said this he drew his sword, when several of the Pastucian officers set upon him.
Not only our own lives, but the safety of the army, might depend upon our getting back. There was no doubt that the Pastucians intended to attempt surprising our forces; but this, if I should make good my escape, would be prevented. Reaching the summit of rising ground, we now saw before us a Pastucian outpost.
So friendly, indeed, were we, to all appearance, that the Pastucian officers sent an invitation to the officers of the flank company of the regiment of the Cauca to dine within their lines.
They had been induced to rise by no less a person than Don Salvador Ximenes, the Bishop of Popayan; and it was said that that illustrious prelate, armed cap-a-pie, and accompanied by his stalwart secretary, was at the head of the Pastucian army.
An English officer, a Captain Brown, to whom I was paying a visit, and who was unwell at the time, begged that I would go instead of him, as I might be amused the Pastucians having the credit of being a set of rough diamonds. The next day about a dozen of us set out for the Pastucian lines, two leagues off Captain Pinson, the commander of the company, being our leader.
Half our number had already fallen dead on the floor; most of the others were desperately wounded, as was Captain Pinson. I saw him plunge his sword into the breast of a third Pastucian, who was making a lunge at me with a spear. This decided me.
The dinner-hour was to be two o'clock. The Pastucian officers, who were more than treble our number, received us with every mark of courtesy, though a less attractive set of gentlemen I had never met. Indeed, they greatly resembled a party of banditti. Their complexions were swarthy, many of them having Indian blood in their veins.
The rim of my hat was shot away, and two of the leaden messengers passed through my servant's jacket; but as neither ourselves nor our steeds were hit, we were soon beyond range of the Pastucian lines. We had, however, two leagues to ride before we could reach the Patriot encampment.
The horrible treachery of the Pastucian officers showed that, even though I had come under a flag of truce, it was very probable that other parties of the enemy whom we might encounter would not scruple to shoot us down. I saw, therefore, that I must endeavour to avoid any of their posts; not an easy matter, as all the roads would be guarded.
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