Rev A Brandram No.137
Veracruz, Mexico, 17th October 1843
My Dear Friend,
Agreeable to intimations in my last, I left the city of Mexico on the 4th instant, and on the 7th arrived in this place. My Yucatan friends were here before me. I had left them in Mexico about a week before our intended starting together in company, and crossed our lake to pay a visit to Tescoco, but on my return I found to my surprise that my friends were off. I anxiously made inquiry into the cause, and learned that they were ordered to leave Mexico for Veracruz in 48 hours by our present Emperor, against whose perfect rule it seems some things had appeared in a Yucatan periodical which had reached this quarter, and brought, it was said, by the Commissioners who returned for instructions. I hastened after my friends, lest by the same said mandate and personage they should have been shipped off for Yucatan before their luggage arrived. I was glad however to find them here on my coming; and now we are all waiting for a vessel, for it seems the Commissioners must now hire one, instead of being conveyed in a government steamer as before, our chief, being highly displeased, will not give them a steamer, although there are three now in this port, and doing nothing but pulling at their anchors.
The Packet arrived here yesterday, but unfortunately my letters have gone on to Mexico. They may however returned before we can sale, and I shall therefore leave this letter unfinished till I see, until I can say something definite as to our voyage.
Veracruz, 24 October 1843.
My letters returned from Mexico yesterday, and in one sense fortunately I have been detained here till they came. Yours of the 31st August is among them. I observe your doubts about the number of Books ordered, and I find I have anticipated it in some measure in the letter No.134, by saying the 5000 might be sent by halves rather than altogether. As to my sanguineness, you must rather say the Bookseller's, for it is his view rather than my own I have given, and in fact I have detailed to you our conversation in my letter; and believing he knew better than I these buy–and–sell–book matters, I was willing to follow his suggestions as I have done. But I shall apprise him of your "misgivings," and bid him try by a quick sale to demonstrate to you their groundlessness, and to find which you yourselves, I am sure, will be well pleased. The supply for Guatemala is my own arrangement, and is grounded on the former, and some other circumstances. I may have overshot in the case, but I wish to over rather than undershoot, as I should feel sorry to be unable to meet all the openings that peradventure may occur there, and should much rather some were sent home again than that there should be too few.
Since I wrote on the 17th as above I have met with an American Gentleman who lives in the State of Tabasco, and close on the borders of Chiapa, Yucatan, and Guatemala respectively. This is a sort of a central and an interesting spot, and into which I may say the Bible has not yet come. This gentleman offers his services to help us in the circulation of the Scriptures. I gave him one of the two cases I have here, and leave myself only one for Yucatan. I wish I had more on hand. I have sold the books to him, leaving him as a merchant to do his best with them.
In the month of May last I had a communication from an Englishman of the name of William Boord living not far from this city at a place called Paso de Obejas, intimating that there were some openings there for the Scriptures. I sent him forthwith some Books of the small size by the Diligence, and afterwards gave him an order for several copies at the Bookseller's here, and begging him to advise me when these copies were disposed of, intimating to him at the same time our desire to effect sales rather than to give gifts. I have not heard from him from that date till now, and on my coming down here learn that he had not applied for the copies ordered till recently. I do not know that I should have mention these things to you a tall had I not seen here in the Consul's hands a case of Books from you to him.
Probably my correspondence may be less regular for some time than hitherto, on account of the difficulties and irregularities of sending letters from Yucatan for the Packet.
I remain, Very Truly Yours,
James Thomson.