Indian Papers of Texas and the Southwest, Vol. II

TEXAS INDIAN PAPERS, 1844-1845

156

Superintendant, then at the Falls of the Brazos, that a party of Waco, about 60 in number, had left there villages for ma- rauding purposes, and were to make a descent, on the settle- ments of that frontier-The superintendant immediately caused preparations to be made for protection of the trading house, and in Company with a few Citicens, ranged up the Brazos to above the Bosque, thence across to the Navasota, above Parker's Fort, and returned to the Falls without having seen an indian or dis- covered any sign on the route - The Council convoked for the 15th of September did not take place until the 7th of October, at the Falls of the Brazos, where the Comanche Chiefs, Po-chan-a-quarhip (Buffalo Hump) and two others with a few warriors, met President Houston in Council, it lasted three days and ultimately a Treaty was con- cluded on the 9th of that month, in presence of all the friendly tribes who were on the Spot, Presents were then distributed to them all, except the Waco, who were directed to bring in the horses they had stolen which they promised to do, and an agent with others were sent with them to their villages to receive them. The agent returned with seven horses which they deliv- ered to him; they have been restored to their owner. Occasional depredations continue on our Western and South- western Frontier, the former, are attributed to the Waco, but from the best information I am inclined to the opinion, that much mischief is done on that as well as on our Northern bor- der, by the Wichita or Tawehash and perhaps other tribes from the U States. The attacks upon the Settlement at Corpus Chris- ti, have been made, as it is believed, by "Kiowa" a tribe hitherto little known to us-they are not residents of Texas. Our Indian affairs nevertheless are, in general terms, in a healthy condi- tion; the prospect of permanent peace continues to brighten the Tribes on our borders already find it to their interest to cherish peaceful relations with us, and they are too shrewd to lose sight of their own interests. Licenses have been granted by our late Executive for two Trading Houses, one to Messr. Torrey & Co. established last Spring on Tehuacana Creek 25 miles above the Falls of the Brazos, and is still in successful operation-the other to Messr. Kennedy and Chatfield, to be located on the Elm or South Fork of the river Trinity. Agents have been dispatched to recover the two children abducted by Indians at the City of Austin-they are instructed

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