commercial success in a distant land, and he seized that chance. A
Norwich friend, Allday Kerrison, had gone out to Mexico, and writing
from Zacatecas in 1825 asked John to join him. John accepted. His salary
in the service of the Real del Monte Company was to be L300 per annum.
He sailed for Mexico in 1826, having obtained from his Colonel, Lord
Orford, leave of absence for a year, it being understood that renewals
of that leave of absence might be granted. He was entitled to half-pay
as a Lieutenant of the West Norfolk Militia, and this he settled upon
his mother during his absence. His career in Mexico was a failure. There
are many of his letters to his mother and brother extant which tell of
the difficulties of his situation. He was in three Mexican companies in
succession, and was about to be sent to Columbia to take charge of a
mine when he was stricken with a fever, and died at Guanajuato on 22nd
November 1838. He had far exceeded any leave that his Colonel could in
fairness grant, and before his death his name had been taken off the
army rolls. The question of his pay produced a long correspondence,
which can be found in the archives of the Rolls Office. I have the
original drafts of these letters in Borrow's handwriting. The first
letter by Borrow is dated 8th September 1831; it is better to give the
correspondence in its order.[20] The letters speak for themselves, and
require no comment.

I

To the Rt. Hon. The Secretary at War

WILLOW LANE, NORWICH, _September 8, 1831._

SIR,--I take the liberty of troubling you with these lines for
the purpose of enquiring whether there is any objection to the
issuing of the disembodied allowance of my brother Lieut. John
Borrow of the Welsh Norfolk Militia, who is at present abroad.
I do this by the advice of the Army Pay Office, a power of
Attorney having been granted to me by Lieut. Borrow to receive
the said allowance for him. I beg leave to add that my brother
was present at the last training of his regiment, that he went
abroad with the leave of his Commanding Officer, which leave of
absence has never been recalled, that he has sent home the
necessary affidavits, and that there is no clause in the Pay
and Clothing Act to authorize the stoppage of his allowance. I
have the honor to remain, Sir, your most obedient, humble
servant,

GEORGE BORROW.

II

To