August 14.[19]  By this time, also, all Mexican traders had been released and furnished with passports to the Río Grande, but their property had not been restored. The government's order for the restitution of the property taken from them or its equivalent could not be carried out, because, consisting largely of mules and horses, it had been divided amongst the captors and was within a few hours scattered throughout the western country and could no longer be identified. The only recourse that seemed to be open to the traders was to bring suit in court against the individuals who had made off with it, or for the government to compensate the rightful owners for their losses.