TEXAS INDIAN PAPERS, 1846-1859
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sioned by the brutal treatment they receive; as they are looked upon as slaves and beasts of burden, and every degrading serv- ice that can be inflicted upon them falls to their lot; yet, strange to say, they seemed contented. They are not prolific-a woman seldom having more than three children, which, if male, are nurtured with great care; whilst the females are abused, and often beaten unmercifully. The greatest compliment a Comanche can pay his guest is, to assign him one of his wives, for his use during his stay in camp--a custom, to my taste, more honoured in the breach than the observance; as, I am sure, the most anim.al appetite would revolt at such a banquet. The wild Indians never travel twice upon the same trail; and, upon leaving a camp, separate into small parties, each one taking a different route, and arriving at some appointed place. Always travelling on an empty stomach, they ride fast and far; then halting, they eat enormously, and afterwards sleep immediately, when they are again ready for the road. In trading, they are careful to have a good price fixed for a herd of horses and mules, when all the rest are expected to be taken at the same price; they also prefer variety rather than quantity, even though the goods are not so valuable. They are all fond of ardent spirits--an acquired taste, as I am informed by an intelligent Delaware, as he says he can recollect when they would not drink it, saying that it made fools of them, and they did not like it. The young man is not admitted into the ranks of the braves until he has stolen a number of horses and mules, and taken scalps; the consequence is, that small parties will go off, and sometimes be gone two years, until they can return with these marks of their manliness. They require no equipment, on these expeditions, but their horses and weapons--subsisting upon what they can find on their route. When a Comanche chief wishes to go to war, he mounts on horseback, holding erect a long pole, with a red flag, tipped with eagle's feathers attached, and rides through the camp, singing his war song. Those who wish to go fall in, in rear; and, after going around for awhile, they dismount, and the war dance commences. This routine is gone through with several days, until sufficient vol- unteers are collected.
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