TEXAS INDIAN PAPERS, 1825-1843
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with great dignity. The Chief received us with a great deal of kindness and appeared pleased to see us. Upon learning that I had brought two prisoners he expressed great anxiety to see them. I sent for them and after having shook them cordially by the hand, he motioned them back to my tent. In personal appearance the Chief is large and portly, weighing I should suppose upwards of two hundred pounds with a pleasing ex- pression of countenance, full of good humor and joviality. After our reception he threw himself on a buffalo skin, and his wives proceeded to strip him of his moccasins leggins and hunting shirt, after which he went into council with his Chiefs and war- riors and remained in earnest debate until nearly sun set. The council tent was but a short distance from mine and I was en- abled to see and hear all that passed. Many of the warriors in tr:eir speeches were much excited and violent in their gesticula- tions and manner, I learned from an interpreter that these had relations slain at San Antonio when their chiefs went in to make a treaty and were strongly advocating a retaliation upon us, after which they were willing to listen to terms of peace. This was argued against by A-cah-quash in a long and ani- mated speech in which as I afterwards learned he laid partic- ular stress upon the fact that our head chief was not the same chief who ruled in Texas at the time of the massacre but was the friend of the red man. I also learned that Pah-hah-yuco objected to this course and advocated a more pacific policy but the majority were against him and at midday it was uncertain how our fate would be decided. Our apprehensions were greatly increased during the afternoon by a visit from the Sec- ond Chief who informed me that a Wichita and Tawakoni had just arrived in their camp and told them that since we left their villages a number of their people had been taken s"ick and died and they believed we had poisoned them and that the Co- manche must not make peace or attend our council, for if they did we would either give them poisoned food or blow them up with gunpowder. I told h'im these men must be liars, that A- cah-quash had been with me the whole trip and would tell him that so far from poisoning them I had entirely cured his wife of a violent fever and a Keechi who was afflicted with white swell- ings, which I had lanced and before leaving the village entirely healed. With this he was apparently satisfied and returned to the Council. Towards evening Pah-hah-yuco sent me word that it was decided to hear what I had to say; as the day was so far
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