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Our Catholic Heritage in Texas
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dome. To celebrate the completion of the house and to honor Alarcon the Indians held a native dance. At this celebration the initiation of the governor was completed. The Indians came decked in bright feathers and dressed in skins. They built a large fire in front of the hut, placed a special seat near it, and spread a number of buffalo skins on the ground in place of rugs. The principal chiefs then entered the house, where the governor was and adorned him carefully with white feathers plucked from the breasts of geese, wh!ch they placed on his head after their own fashion. They then painted a broad black stripe upon his forehead, which came down each side of his face to about the middle of his cheeks. He. was now taken before the fire, made to sit down on the buffalo skins and to lean back on one of the chiefs who sat on the specially prepared seat and placed his hands upon the governor's shoulders. The ceremony had thus far been conducted in silence. Now they began to beat on a big drum made out of an old kettle partly filled with water and covered with a piece of wet rawhide. The beating of the drum was accompanied by the swish of rattles. The Indians all sat on the ground and arranged them- selves in groups, the men, women, and children each seated separately. When the drum began to beat and the rattles to swish, they all began to sing in unison. Four additional large fires were now built and the leaders, who held lighted torches made out of bamboo, diligently went about the crowd to keep order. From time to time the din ceased and one chief or another would stand before the governor and make a long talk with forceful gestures. They declared they were glad the Spaniards had come back, that they considered the new governor one of their own, that he was their Caddi, or chief, that they would always be friendly to him and his people and that they wanted him to help and to protect the Indians against their enemies. Alarcon replied to these manifestations of attachment by declaring he would help and protect them, but they must swear allegiance to the king to whom they should always be grateful for all he had done, for it was he who had sent the soldiers to shield them, and the missionaries to instruct them in our holy religion. The ceremony lasted until three o'clock in the morning, according to the chronicler. Alarcon remained at Concepcion during the next thirteen days, making an inspection of the mission and planning the organization of a pueblo for the Indians that were now living there. A large delegation of natives from San Jose Mission arrived on October 18. They marched in perfect order and fired a salute which was answered by the garrison, but it was noted that ihe Indians had more guns than the soldiers. Father Espinosa
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