text:  Our Yankee friends at Brazoria however laughed at our dilemma and told us that we were only in the same plight as hundreds of our countrymen who had come to Texas in total ignorance of this condition but who had not the less taken possession of their land and settled there; that they themselves were amongst the number and that although it was just as likely they would turn negroes as Roman Catholics they had no idea of being turned out of their houses and plantations; that at any rate if the Mexicans tried it they had their rifles with them and should be apt they reckoned to burn powder before they allowed themselves to be kicked off such an almighty fine piece of soil