Our Catltolic Heritage in Texas
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to the end of the Spanish regime, regarded as particularly dangerous to mariners on that perilous coast, not a few of whom succumbed to their savage attacks."• The men were tall and well formed, the women shorter and fleshier. Their hair was very coarse and the men usually wore it long, reaching sometimes as low as their waist. Being nomads, who spent most of the time going from the main coast to the islands, they did not practice agriculture, depending for their food supply on fish, oysters, crabs. clams. game, and roots during the winter. Their appetite for human flesh is attested by all those who came in contact with them from the time of Cabeza de Vaca to as late as the Anglo-American period of colonization. "Head flattening and tattooing were practiced to a considerable extent," declares Hodge, and adds that little is known concerning their tribal government. 5 "The Karankawa nation," says Morfi, "is vile, cowardly, treacherous, and very cruel." 6 Little wonder that it was not until the close of the eighteenth century that a part of this tribe was at last reduced to mission life. Tlze Bidai, Arkokisa, and A ttacapa. Along the coast from Gah·eston Bay to the mouth of the Sabine River and slightly beyond, occupying the region between the Hasinai Confederacy and the Gulf coast. were the Bidais, the Arkokisas (Orcoquisas, Orcoquisacs), the Deadoses, and the Attacapas. The first three of these lived mainly on either side of the lower Trinity, while the last mentioned tribe had its habitat chiefly on the lower Neches and Sabine Rivers, extending to the east into present Louisiana. These tribes were formerly thought to be of Caddoan stock, but more recent studies have definitely established that the Bidais, Deadoses and Arkokisas form a distinct group.7 The Arkokisas lived chiefly along the lower Neches and Trinity Rivers. They were given mainly to fishing and hunting, knew little or nothing about agriculture, and the general level of their culture was but slightly 4 8olton, Atlzanase de Mezieres, I, 19-20. 5 Hodge, Handboolt of A1,urican Indians Nortl,, of Mexico, part I, 657-58. 6 Castaiieda, e'cl. Morfi's History of Texas, in Quivira Society Publication!>, Voi. VI, part 1, 79. For additional details concerning this group of Indians see Gatschet, "The Karankawa Indians," in A rclzaelogical and Etlmological Papers, I, no. 2, 1 891 (Peabody Museum Publications); Chabot, ed. Indian Excerpts from the Memorias 'by Morft; Rivet, "Les Indiens des Texas et !es expeditions Francaises de 1720 et 1722 a la Baie Saint Bernard'' in Journal de la Societe des Americanistes de Paris,
nouvelle serie, XI, 1914-1919, pp. 433-442. 7 8olton, Atl,anase de Me•ieres, I, 20, note 4.
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