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Our C at/10/ic II eritage in Texas
In search of the Tawakoni, he halted on October 17, after travelling eighteen leagues to the east, and stayed in camp a day. Resuming his march, he crossed several tributaries of the west branch of the Brazos and once came upon tracks of Indians on the hunt, before he arrived, on October 24, in a deserted Tawakoni pueblo six leagues west of the main stream of the Brazos. Here he stopped to rest again. Continuing his march, he next arrived at the Quiscat pueblo of the Tawakonis in the vicinity of Waco. He had travelled approximately fifty leagues over an irregular route going either by Hamilton, Cranfill's Gap, and Clifton or by Hamilton and Gatesville to Waco. The village was not on the Brazos but on a small stream, perhaps the Bosque, that flowed into the river. Vial and his companion were welcomed by Chief Quiscat. The Tawak- onis were surprised to see the visitors and inquired of them where they were going. Vial said he was on the way to visit the Comanches and to find a way to Santa Fe. The Indians were apprehensive that they might be held responsible for the recent depredations committed in San Antonio by the Taovayas and asked the newcomers what they knew. Vial explained that he was in San Antonio when the Taovaya chief and a band of Wichitas stole a drove of horses; that at first the Spaniards thought the marauders were Apaches; but that the next night they doubled the sentinels, and shot one of the robbers. The captain of the presidio had asked Vial to identify the nation of the victim and he had satisfied himself that the Indian was a Taovaya. Much relieved by the information, the Tawakoni chiefs emphatically disclaimed all participation in recent raids and assured Vial they had maintained the peace negotiated with the Spaniards. It is of interest to note that these Indians told Vial of the visits of De Mezieres to their villages more than twenty years before and related how they had, in tum, visited San Antonio to make peace with the Spaniards, and how Governor Ripperda had given their chief a suit of clothes and a medal. The faithfulness with which these events were narrated is indicative of the deep impression made upon them by De Mezieres and of the preserva- tion, through tradition, of events among the Indian nations of the north. Vial did not know of De Mezieres and what he set down in his diary is what the Indians told him. Chief Quiscat was glad to permit the medicine man of the tribe to treat Vial who was very sick when he arrived on October 20. He remained
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