256
TEXAS INDIAN PAPERS, 1825-184!1
These girls had been about ten years among our people and imbibed the same prejudices against the indians that our own cnildren have, and I doubt not feel as much dread of them. Jose Maria having invited us to accompany him, we mounted and in about three miles reached his village. I was informed by our guides that it is situate[d] on a western branch of the Trinity about eight miles from the main river. There are but few lodges and those of an inferior description. I observed they had planted considerable corn. I cvuld form no estimate of their numbers several parties being absent on hunting expedition. Reports reach us here that.the Conanche have just returned from Matamoros where thPr ha\·e concluded a peace with Mexico and since reaching home the Small pox has appeared among them, carrying them off by the hundreds, this report frightened Shaw and Conner who evinced some disinclination to proceed. I gave but little credence to tilese various contradictory reports, believing the Delaware to trump them up as occasion required to suit their own pur- poses of trade and mislead me as to the reason for their delays. On the 30th Bin-tah the Caddo Chief and some others arrived in camp and were introduced with the same ceremonies as those who had preceded them. About 12 o'clock on the 31st I met the several chiefs "in council. Those present were Nah-ish- to-wah and A-cab-quash Waco, Bin-tah-Caddo, Jose Maria A- nadarko, Bedi Ioni Sah-sah-roque and Kah-te-ah-tic Keechi and their several escorts of chiefs of Warriors. Of the pro- ceedings of this council and the insolent behavior and refusal of Shaw to interpret I informed your Excellency in a despatch dated June 2d 1843. All the chiefs looked for presents, and al- though the articles sent by your Excellency were designed solely for the Comanche, yet as I found it would give great offence to neglect them I distributed some few articles among them, with which they seemed satisfied. · On the 3d of June we left this village and following up the trail of the Santa Fe Expedition arrived in the neighborhood of the Tawakoni and Waco villages on the 5th and encamped. A-cah-quash rode over to the village and on his return informed me that the Chiefs would meet us on the Morrow.
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