La Salle's Colony in Texas, 168-1-1689
which La Salle and some of his companions who attempted to cross on a raft, almost drowned. It is difficult to tell just what stream this was, as there are no swift rivers between the Brazos and the Trinity. There are, however, numerous creeks and small streams, which during the rainy season often assume the proportions of regular torrents, any of which might fit the description. After crossing this stream with much difficulty, I.a Salle and his companions continued their march eastward, and shortly thereafter, came to the ranc/1erias of the Cenis, known as the Asinais or Tejas Ind ians to the Spaniards, whose main pueblos were along the Trinity. "Nothing could surpass the friendliness of their welcome. The chiefs came to meet them, bearing the calumet, and followed by warriors in shirts of embroidered deerskin. Then the whole village swarmed out like bees, gathering around the visitors with offerings of food and all that was precious in their eyes. La Salle was lodged with the great chief; but he compelled his men to encamp at a distance, lest the ardor of their gallantry might give occasion of offence. The lodges of the Cenis, forty or fifty feet high, and covered with a thatch of meadow grass. looked like huge beehives. Each held several families, whose fire was in the middle, and their beds around the circumference. The spoil of the Spaniards was to be seen on all sides,-silver lamps and spoons, swords, old muskets, money, clothing, and a bull of the Pope dispensing the Spanish colonists of New Mexico from fasting during summer. These treasures, as well as their numerous horses, were obtained by the Cenis from their neighbors and allies, the Comanches, that fierce prairie banditti who, then as now, scourged the Mexican border with their bloody forays . A party of these wild horsemen was in the village. Douay was edified at seeing them make the sign of the cross in imitation of the neophytes of one of the Spanish missions. They enacted, too, the ceremony of the Mass; and one of them, in his rude way, drew a sketch of a picture he had seen in some church which he had pillaged, wherein the friar plainly recognized the Virgin weeping at the foot of the cross. They invited the French to join them on a raid into New Mexico; and they spoke:: with contempt, as their tribesmen will speak to this day, of the Spanish creoles, saying that it would be easy to conquer a nation of cowards, who make people walk before them with fans to cool them in hot weather.' ': 9 The last part of this statement was no doubt dictated by French pride. \,Vhilc among the Cenis, La Salle and his nephew were confined to
2 9Parkman, op. cit., 4 I 3-415.
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