269
WRITINGS OF 5AM HOUSTON, 1831-1832
Bands and whose authority, is much respected. They are in the habit of daily councils, or rather they are "always in council." They seldom remain more than two or three days at any one point, and from the time that the signal is given, for striking their tents, until they are on their march, will not exceed two hours. Their movements are rapid, always in a sweeping trot or Gallop. I have learned from a man who has made three trad- ing trips to the Kimanchies, that in the months of May & June, they can be found, about three hundred miles above this; ori the Red River. They are sometimes, on either side passing as far North as the cross Timber; continuing no stationary encamp- ment longer than a few days! My informant states that, in the month of may, he once found them about 300 miles above this point on the South side of Red River on a water course called the "Big Witchetaw." In the month of November my informant once went in pursuit of the Kimanchies, and did not reach them until he passed the River Brasos about three hundred miles heaving South West and distant from this point between, seven, and nine hundred miles, on a rout, as directly, as it could be well travelled, from the nature of the country, over which, it wou'd be necessary to pass! There is little doubt of the correctness of this information, as he states that the Indians, always precede, the Buffaloe, in their retreat to the South. The reason is ob- vious, the Indians possess great numbers of horses and require much range, to sustain them, the Buffalos, travelling pretty much the same r~>Ut, wou'd strip the country so bare of grass as to de- prive their horses of plentiful subsistence. The Indians always retire to the South, with confidence and do not, require any ad- vance, because their enemies, are to the North, and East. In Spring when the Buffalos, start North, vegitation is growing, and is so abundant that the horses of the Kimanchies find a sufficiency unto [u] ched by the Buffalos, while they have passed, on; and serve, as an advanced guard to the Indians,-indicating, by their, alarm, many times, the advance of an enemy to the wild Indians, from the North, and East. I am induced to think that the intercourse, between, the I<iman- chies, & Pawnees; and the Indians, of the North, West, if any, is but very partial. I am assured that, some Knives, Guns, and Blankets, such as the "N. West fur company" furnish, have been seen among the Pawnees, and Kimanchies but to no considerable amount,-that would sanction the belief, of any thing like gen- eral intercourse, between the Pawnees, of the South, and those
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