282
WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1834
They are proud, conscious of their strength, and sagacious, while all their movements are executed with great celerity. Their policy is to retain the control of the Prairies, in such manner as will enable them to keep up a correspondence with the British Traders of the North West, from whom they derive many a1;- ticles of great use to them. To accomplish this object, intelli- gence relative to the whites, and Indians on Arkansas, is of primary importance to them. In the absence of all friendly in- tercourse with either, their only source of information is to take prisoners from both, whenever it is in their power,- retain them as slaves and so soon as they can learn the language of the Paw- nees, to make interpreters of them. We are therefore led to the conclusion that Mr. Abbay is yet a prisoner among them, as it will be their policy to preserve his life.! To ascertain whether, or not, Mr. Abbay yet lives or by whom he was really captured- if by those Indians, it will be in- despensibly necessary to open a communication with them, by the most safe, and direct mode! This can never be done by the employment of military force! It is a custom with all Indians with whom we are acquainted, when they hold a prisoner, and are invaded, or apprehend serious danger, to put their prisoner to death, that they can boast the first trophy, and influence the superstition of their warriors, by claiming the first victim, as a good omen; as well .as to inflame their fierce passions, by the exhibition of ·the bloody spectacle! Furthermore, there is no force that can be sent against the Indians, with any prospect of success! The display of a force in the Prairies, would, unite all the Indians that inhabit them, and over whelm it at once! Ee- sides, if the Pawnees, alone, could succeed in decoying a force to a proper distance in the Prairies, they wou'd steal their horses, and defeat, wou'd be the certain consequence! The undersigned are impressed with a firm conviction, that any warlike display, wou'd prove prejudicial to the object to be attained, if it did not prove·fatal to the life of Mr. Abbay. We therefore take leave to suggest, as the most feasible plan, which presents itself to us, is to appoint, some two or three men, well acquainted with Indian character, possessing courag~, sagacity, and skill as woodsmen, with a few others; as they might think proper! but not more, than ten, or twelve, in number and dispatch them to the Pawnee nation, accompanied by such pre- sents as might be thought fit, to send to the Indians. If they
Powered by FlippingBook