We planned to use our general letter from the governor.

When the officials assembled we presented our order and explained it; we told them what we needed for the night, and arrangements were at once made for supplying us; we then told the _presidente_ of the work we had before us, and informed him that, because his town was small, we should ask for only thirty-five men for measurement, and that these must be ready, early in the morning, with no trouble to us.
The _presidente_ demurred; he doubted whether the people would come to be measured; we told him that they would not come, of course, unless he sent for them.

When morning came, although everything had been done for our comfort, there was no sign of subjects.

That no time might be lost, we took the _presidente_ and three or four other officials, who were waiting around the house; then, with firmness, we ordered that he should bring other subjects.

The officials were gone for upwards of an hour, and when they returned, had some ten or twelve men with them.