Account of expeditions to the sources of the Mississippi, : and through the western parts of Louisiana, to the sources of the Arkansaw, Kans, La Platte, and Pierre Jaun Rivers; Volume 2

Page 224

1~ APPENDIX TO PART HI. gree that they made a genet·al charge, in which the Indian cavalry again retreated notwithstanding the entreaties of their gallant leader. In another instance a small smoke was discovered on the prai­rie; three poor savages were sunounded by 100 dragoons and or­dered to lay down their arms : they smiled at the ofliccr's demand ::111d asked him if he c:ould suppose that men who had arrns in theit· hands would ever consent to become slaves. The oflicer, being loath to kill them, held a conference fot· an hour, when finding thal his threats had as little effect as his enll·enties, he ordered his men to attack them <tt a distance, keeping out of the reach of their ar· rows, and fu·ing at them with theit· carabines, which they did, the Indians nevet• ceasing to resist as Ion~; as life remained. ln a truce which was held a Spanish captain was ordered to treat with some o( the bands. He received theit deputies with hau­teur, and they could not come upon terms. The truce was broken and the ludians retreated to their fastnesses in the nwuntains. Jn a d:ty or two this same olflcer pursued tbcm: they were in a place calted the door in the mountain, where but two OL' three dretgoons co\tld cntet· at a time, and there were rocks and caves on the flanks bt.:uind which the Indians secreted themselves until a number of the 1paniards had come in, when the Indians somHicd a trumpet and the attack bc~an ancl continued on the side or the Appaches until the Spanish captain fell, when the Indi.m chief caused the fir~ ing to cc:ttsc, saying Llmt " the man who had so haughtily spurned the prolfered peace was now dead." < )n this occasion they devi­ated front their accustomed rule or warf,\I'C ancl made prisonel' of a younv uffLcet·, who, durin 1~ the tr·uce, had tt·cated tbt!tn with grc.tt kindness, and sent him home safe and unhurt. Some or the bando; have maue tCIIlJ)Ol'ctry truces with the Spauianls and received from them 25 cents per diem each. Thosc people ha11 1~ round the forti· fit.:aLiorts of the> country, drink, shoot, and dissipatc their time i they ure haughty und illdepenclctn. Great jej.\lousy exists between them and the Spaniards. An ofTtcct· was under trial, when I was !n the country, for antici;>ating· an attack on his fol'tress by attacking the chiefs of the bupposccl conspit·acy, and putting them to death before they had tin1e to rnatu1·c and can·y theit· pl ~t ll iuto execution. The dccbion or his case I llCYCI' it<ll'llt; but those savag-es who have bcen for some time about the fons and villag·es, become by far the mol:>t d.lll!;CI''>US enemies the Spauiarcls have, wla;n hostile, JS l~lCY ac<;uirc the Spanish latq~uag·c, manners, and habits, ~n~. paslll~~ through t)1e populated pal'ts ln.dc:J· the clis~uisc of the civthzed a APPENDIX TO PART IlL tHendly fndians, commit murders and robberies and are not sus~ pee ted. There is in the province of Cor,qu ilia a pa1·tisan by the !lame of Hatrh, wh.o, they calculate, has killed mot·c than soo pct·­sons. H~ ~omes Jnto the towns nndcJ• the c!isf{uise of u peasant, bu,s prov1s1ons ~ocs to the g-ar ihling table'> unci to mas..,, and b fore lw leaves the village, i. sure to kill some person o1· car•·y off a wo­nwn, ~hich he has f•·cquently done. Sometimes he joins pcoplr travclhn)~ on the l'oad, insinuates himself into thci1· confidence, a 11 d takes his opponunity to assa:'sinatc them. He h<.tS only six follow­e~ ·s, ,uH1 f'rolll tncit· knowledg-e of the CO\llltry, acti,·ity, and cun­mng, he keeps about 300 Sp<tni•;h dr:1g-oons co11tinually employed. The govcrnmcnt h ~tvc offered I ouo dollars f()t' his head. Tl e civilizecllndians of the p rovincc of New 1 Icx1co are of what was f(H·mcrly twenty-four diffcrcut bands, the diflcrcnt na 111 es of which I did not bccoUlc acquainted with, but the Kct·es wne one of. he most powerful; they form at presen t the population of St. D o­mm~ o, St. Philips, and Dcis, and one ot· two other to" ns. T hey arc men of larfSC stnturc, round full vi sage, fin e teeth, appear to be of a ge~tle, tt·act,tble disposition, and resemb le the Osage more th an any nauon of whom I possess :.my knowlecl~e. They are not the vas. sals of llldividuals, yet may propcl'ly be tcr·n•ed the slaves of the state, for t.hey arc COlllpellcd to do military duty: ~lri1·e mules, caJTy Io~ds, or ll1 fact perfo1·nr any other act of duty or bondage that the Will of the commandant of the district, or a11y passing military ty~ rant chooses to ordain. I was myself eye-'' itncss of a scene \\ hich made my heart hleecl for those poor wretches, at the same time that it excited my indignation aud contc:.mpt, thut they would suffCI' thcm­se~ vesr with arms in thcit' h~1ncl s, to be beat and knocked about by betnt~') no ways their superiors, unless a small tint of corn plcxion could be supposed to g-i\'e that superior·ity. Bt'forc we arri\'(~ cl at Santa. Fe, one night, we were uear one of the ,·illngcs where rc:-;iclcd the fJn u!ics of two of ou1· Indian horsemen. Th~y took the li!Jertv to ~ay thc111 a \'i~it in the nig·ht. Next morning the whole of th~ lnd~<tn hot·scmcn were called up, and IJecause they t•cfusccl to testify ag-<IIJlst their imprudent companions, scveJ·al were knocked down fl'om their horses by the Spanish dJ·ag'OOtls with the lmtt of theit• !allccs; yet, with the blood strcami11g dcjwn their viso.gcs, and arms ln thei1· hands, they stood cool :mel u·anquil : not a ft·own, not a wor·cl of discont en t Ol' pa 11I· at·w u CSC<lpec 1 theu· · ll· ps. Yc t what rnust have-been the boiling- indignation of tht:iJ· sou ls at the indignities oflct eel by t.he Wl'elch clothed with a little b1·ief Clllt hOJ'ify; out the day of I'Ctr b • ' l Utton Will come in thunutJ' ami i11 vcng-~:uncc.