OCR Text |
Show HISTORICAL SKE'rCI-I~S J OF THE SEVERAL INDIAN TRIBES IN LOUISIANA, SOUTH OF THE ARKANSA RIVER• AND SETWEJ:N THE JYIISSISSIPPI AND RIVER GRAND. CADDOQUES, live about 35 miles west of the main branch of Red river, on a bayau or creek, called by them Sodo, which is navigable for peroques only within about six miles or their village, and that only in the rainy season. They are distant from Natchi~ taches about 120 miles, the nearest route by land, and in nearly a north west direction. They have lived where they now do only five years. The first year they moved there the small pox got amongst them and destroyed nearly one half of them; it was in the winter season1 and they practised plungiug into the creek on the first appearance of the eruption, and died in a few hours. Two years ago they had the measles, of which several more of them died. They formerly lived on the south bank of the river, by the course of the river S75 miles higher up, at a beautiful prairie, which has a clear lake of good water in the middle of it, surrounded by a pleasant and fertile country, which had been the residence of their ancestors from time im· memorialf 67 They have a traditionary tale which not only the Caddos, but half a dozen other stnaller nations believe in, who claim the honor of being descendants of the same family; they say, when all the world was drowned by a flood that inundated the whole country, the great spirit placed on an eminence, near this lake, one family of Caddogues, who alone were saved; from that family all the Indians originated. 1'he French~ for many years before Louisiana wastransferred to Spain, h<.td, at this place, a fort and some soldiers ; sev ral French families were likewise settled in the vicinity, where they had erected a good flour mill with burr stones brought fron1 France. These French families continued there till about 25 years ago, when they moved down and settled at Campti, on the Red river, about 20 miles above Natchitoches, where they now live ; and the Indians lf'ft it about 14 years ago, on account of a dreadful sickness that visited them. They settled on the river nearly oppo .. site '-'Vhere they now live, on a low place, bqt were driven thence on account of its overflowing, occasioned by a jam of tin1ber choaking the river ~t a point be .. low them. 'fhe whole number of what they call warriors of the ancient Caddo nation, is now reduced to about 100, who are looked upon somewhat like knights of Malta, or some distinguished military order. 'They are brave, despise danger or death, and boast that they have never shed white man's blood. Besides these there are of old men and strangers who live amongs't them, nearly the same number., but there are 40 or 50 more women than men. This nation has great influence over the Yattassees, Nandakoes Nabadaches Inies or Yachies, Nagogdoches, Keychi~s, Adaize and Natchitoches, who al~ speak the .C:addo language, look up to them as. t~1CJP fath7rs, VISit and intermarry among them, and JOm them 111 all their wars. T'he Caddoques complain of the Choctaws incroach .. ing ~1pon their country; c(lll them lazy, thievish, &:.ev |