OCR Text |
Show eh lila, - ee a LEADING FACTS OF NEW MEXICAN TERRITORY HISTORY ie ae Peal * Sa s CF ee ee ee oe ee eel ee ee ee ee ee ee ee telnet ee ee Oo . * co - e t See Ewe -#- er bb <6-6-4~+6—8 °% aa Soa foot and seemed to be on a horse-stealing expedition. They pretended friendship, but, accustomed to the practices of these wily savages, only a guarded intercourse took place. The Indians, however, were bent on mischief and while Colonel Viscarra was holding conversation with one of the Comanche chiefs, the latter being a few steps off, presented his mfle and fired at Viscarra. One of the Pueblo Indians from New Mexico, belonging to the escorting party, who had been most suspicious of the Comanches and stood by closely watching, with heroic devotion, sprang between, just in time to receive the ball through his own heart. Near by stood a brother, who, as the Indian chief turned to fly, sprang upon him like a tiger, and buried his knife to the hilt in his back. Almost at the same instant another chief fell, shot by one of the traders, who had marked him in anticipation of the result. The Indians fled and many of the Mexican escort together with the traders pursued back. them on horse- The ammunition of the Indians soon gave out, and their pursuers would overtake them in succession, dismount, fire, take the scalp — without being particular whether the man was dead or not — reload, and pursue again. In this manner many were slain by UA OF THE REPUBLIC OF MEXICO 23 Ce 22 se tial ee eee Pe ee ee ee ee) ee ee ee ee oe oe bes ee oe | * A Da iat the Mexican Indians and the traders, and nothing but nightfall saved the entire band from utter annihilation. The Mexican regulars did not participate in this slaughter, but the cruelty and barbarity of the American traders disgusted the Mexicans and Spanlards. One Indian was shot down, unarmed, and, while yet alive and able to contend against it, was brutally scalped by the trader who had overtaken him. On the evening of the arrival of the caravan Captain Wharton, one of the American officers, extended an invitation to Colonel Vis i Montana. bear. bus They Kindly n te gS sn 3 petit ss haa Yan earlier. ; As a people 206» the Arapaho a Servances. The annual sun-dance is the a ce ceremony, ete cea an Were active propagators of the ghost-dancir ce greatest religion tribal a few years ago. In arts _olpnandagey until within a few years past, they were a typical plains tribe. deposit pl eir dead in the ground, unlike the Cheyenne and Sioux, wh? upon scaffolds or on the surface of the ground in boxes. They have the militar izati y no traee of the Apaminasig common to most of the plains tribes and hav¢ See Mooney,y, Ghost D ance Rel Kroeber, Traditions of the ton paho, v, 1903; Dorsey, gion, in 14th B. A. E., ii, 1896; Dorsey and Mus. Anthrop. se Arapaho Sun-Danoe, Field ibid, Columb. iv, 1903. °° carra and some of his officers, among them Captain Obrazo and Captain Lobato, to dine at his tent. This was in all probability the first time that Mexican officers, on duty, and in command of Mexican troops, ever partook, on American soil, of the hospitality of an American officer. The account of this dinner and the one given in return by Colonel Viscarra has been preserved to us by General Cooke. Seated cross-legged around a green blanket in the bottom of a tent, the assembled guests were treated to a feast of bread, buffalo meat, and, as an extraordinary rarity, some salt pork, and crowning all were several large raw onions, of the El Paso variety, for which the American captain was indebted to the arrival of the escort, as they were brought from Santa Fé and had doubtless been raised in the Rio Abajo. Accompanying this delicious repast and served in a tin-cup was a liberal allowance of whiskey, which like the pork had been reserved for an unusual occasion. Colonel Viscarra was a man of commanding appearance, dignified, with perfect manners. His horsemanship, extraordinary for a COLONELVISCARRA, Spaniard, cers. was witnessed by the American offi- An immense drove of horses, the caballada INDIAN FIGHTER with the escort, became suddenly frightened and disposed to run away. Colonel Viscarra, mounted upon a magnificent horse, rode at full speed to prevent it and Seemed in many places at once; stopping his horse, with the aid of the unmerciful Spanish bit, in full career, more suddenly than if shot, and throwing him on his haunches, he would whirl him around and cause him to plant the fore foot, with equal speed, in an opposite direction. On the march from Santa Fé Viscarra pursued 4 noble wild horse, which had baffled all others, and both being at utmost speed, had thrown his riata for a fore-foot and Unfortunately the shock broke the poor animal’s leg, colonel drew an arrow and shot him through the heart. On this occasion there Probability the strangest was gathered collection of men upon the eaught when frontier, it. the in all and animals ever assem- bled. There were a few Creoles, polished gentlemen, magnificently clothed in Spanish costume; a larger number of grave Spaniards, exiled from Mexico, on their way to the United States, with much Property in stock and coin, their entire equipage being Spanish; there was a company of Mexican Regulars, as they were called, in |