TEXAS INDIAN PAPERS, 1846-1859
348
The Comanches know nothing positively of their origin, and their traditions on this point are very vague and unsatisfactory. They believe they have always lived near the same country they now occupy, and they know of but one migration of their tribes; this took place many years since, when they travelled from the w~t, and met with what they term the "Mountain Spaniards" in the mountains of New Mexico. They lived with them many years, and intermarried with each other. The first chief they recollect was named "lsh-shu-ku," (Wolf-house) ; he was a great. and wise chief. At the time he lived, they still resided in Mex- ico. From thence they visited the prairies for the purpose of hunting, and intermarried with the other tribes inhabiting those regions. These were the Wacos, Tah-wac-car-ros, Toriuash, and branches of the Pawnee tribes. They call themselves "Na-iini," which sig!lifies-first alive, or live people. They are called Comanche by the Mexicans, Nar- a-tah, by the Wacos, Tah-wac-car-ros, &c., Par-too-ku by the Osages, and Sow-a-to by the Caddoes. When they came from the west, there were no people living on the lands they now oc- cupy. The first white people they saw were on the west side of the Rio Grande or Del Norte. They lived there at that time, and made a treaty with the white traders tl':.at they met. The first guns they ever saw they got from the Spaniards; tl:ey were common shot-guns. The first rifle, they saw with American traders. The first cloth or dry goods was bought from the French "many years since." They had never heard of it until that time. They got the first tobacco from the Wacos, who raised it themselves; but they are ignorant at what time this took place. Afterwards, they bought from the French who traded them, the cloth, &c. They have an imperfect tradition that another race of people inhabited this country before them, and that there was a great flood of waters which covered the whole earth, and that the in- habitants, who they suppose were white and civilized, were metamorphosed into "white birds" and flew away; by which means they saved themselves from being destroyed. After this, they believe the Great Spirit made the Comanches on this con- tinent. They have never heard of any animals except those which are generally known in this region; neither are they aware of anything connected with crossing the large waters. The first war they recollect was with the Lipans, a branch of the Apaches.
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