If Alvarado was not very seriously alarmed at the flight of Don Cárlos, he was indeed troubled by letters from the north announcing the partial defection of no less a personage than General Vallejo. José Antonio Carrillo had utilized the time of his imprisonment at Sonoma by holding long interviews with the general, and had succeeded in convincing that dignitary of his good faith, and of the genuineness of his brother's appointment. So Vallejo stated in his letters of August 10th-11th, and in them advised the recognition of Don Cárlos, or at least the holding of a convention at Santa Clara with a view to such recognition. Of the real motives for delay in giving up the command, he said little or nothing. The point of his long and able argument addressed to Alvarado was to this effect: Carrillo's title being valid, it would be necessary to yield sooner or later; Alvarado and his associates had from the first good faith disclaimed any purpose to retain the command; with all his triumphs he had been so fully occupied in quelling revolts, that he had had no time to introduce needed reforms; experience proved there was no hope for a cessation of sectional iroubles; to yield voluntarily while in the full tide of success would not only be flattering to their own pride, make a good impression in Mexico, and check
A., excusing himself for not having prevented Carrillo's flight. He had watched the vessels, but never thought of his attempting a boat voyage. Id., iv. 223-4. Aug. 18th, A. tells Vallejo it seems to be his fate to act the part of papa to the families of his adversaries while they are absent on a campaign against him. For instance, Zamorano and others whom he won't mention. Vallejo, Doc. Hist. Mex., MS., v. 145; Alvarado, Hist. Cal., MS., iv. 74-82. Capt. John Paty of the Plymouth carried the news to the Islands, where it was published in the Honolulu S. I. Gazette, Nov. 17, 1838. Paty said that Carrillo escaped on the Kamamalu's launch in the night. Alvarado took no notice, except to fine Carrillo $100 for departing without a passport. Alvarado asserts that about the same time correspondence was seized bearing the mysterious sign Fu...u.' Carrillo's escape is mentioned in Pico, Hist. Cal., MS., 70; Ord, Ocurrencias, MS., 114-15; Pinto, Apunt., MS., 38-9. The Hawaiians were somewhat disposed to ridicule the course of events in California; witness the following in the account just cited: 'The task of recording great political events, of taking the profiles of revolutions, and sketching the contour of national changes, falls to the lot of our brethren of the quill in more enlightened realms; ours only is the duty of the historian of mighty deeds! It is for us to tell of the bloody revolutions of California, to portray the magnificent characters of her champions, and to chronicle the deeds of glory which cluster around the brows of her sons!'
