generally by arbitration. On foot the Comanche is ungainly and awkward, but is perfectly at home on horseback. They are considered the best horsemen in the world. The women perform the drudgery, and as described by Mr. Catlin, in 1833, wore slips made of dressed skins. They practiced polygamy, and divorces could be readily obtained, especially by the husband. Mr. Catlin said they had no system of worship, and but very indistinct ideas of a future state. But Captain Marcy, who spent months in the tribe, says they are Theists, worshipping one Supreme Being, and believe firmly in a future state. Various estimates are given as to their numbers. In 1833, Mr. Catlin estimated them at from 30,000 to 40,000; but Captain Marcy puts the number at from 12,000 to 18,000. "They have," continues the Captain," three local grand divisions: Northern, Middle and Southern; designated by them as, Tennawas, Yamparicks and Comanches. These again, are subdivided into smaller bands, each having its separate chief or captain. The southern Comanches alone. remain permanently in Texas. They consist of two bands. The names of their two principal chiefs in 1854, were Shascahco aud Ketumse. The aggregate number in the two bands at that time was about 1,100 souls. The middle band numbered 3,500, and resided on the Canadian river, but sometimes followed the buffaloes to the Brazos river. The northern band, which was much larger than either of the others, seldom entered Texas."

APACHES.-A brave and warlike tribe of hunters, whose principal village was at the Bandera Pass. For a century this tribe depredated upon the citizens of San Antonio. They were generally in close alliance with the Comanches, a kindred tribe.

LIPANS. This was a numerous and warlike tribe of migratory Indians, inhabiting the country between the Nueces and Rio Grande rivers. They belonged to the same great family with the Comanches and Apaches. They early acquired the Spanish language and became Spanish subjects. In 1811, 300 Lipan warriors fought in the ranks of Mr. Menchaca, when he captured Hidalgo In 1813, 100 of them fought in the Republican ranks at the battle of Rosillo, near San Antonio. The Lipans, being Mexican subjects, found a home on the west side of the Rio Grande. It is supposed that they still occasionally visit Texas in small thieving bands.

TONKAWAS.-A small tribe on the Colorado. They were in mortal dread of the Comanches, and always lived near the American settlements. They sometimes committed petty thefts, but were never openly hostile. Their principal chief, Placido was implicitly trusted by Burleson and other Texans, when fighting the Comanches and other hostile tribes. During the late war a number of the Reservation Indians enlisted in the Union army; Placido absolutely refused to enlist, as he said he could never fight against Texas. In a melee which ensued, he and a number of his men were killed. There is a small remnant of this band in the Indian Territory, that desires to return to Texas.

KICKAPOOS.-A band of this tribe, belonging to the great Algonquin family-came first from Illinois to Missouri, thence into the Indian Territory, and finally into Texas, and established a village in the neighborhood of Crockett, in Houston county.

KIOWAS. This brave and powerful tribe did not belong to Texas. Their home is in the Indian Territory and Arizona. They, however, occasionally followed the buffaloes to the Brazos, and committed depredations on Texas settlements.

We have now enumerated the principal tribes of Texas Indians. When the Spanish and French adventurers and explorers visited the country, they found these Indians friendly, and were treated with hospitality. Are the Indians alone responsible for subsequent scenes of blood and carnage? We subjoin the testimony of one American:

Captain Randall Jones, one of Austin's first colonists, and a gentleman of unimpeachable veracity, spent the years from 1813 to 1818 as a trader among the Indians of Texas. In his journal he says: "I have now been five years trading among the Indians and Mexicans. During the whole of this period, I can say with truth, that I was always treated with respect and attention. In all my transactions, either with Mexicans or Indians, I endeavored to act justly, and was never insulted or mistreated by them."

CHAPTER II.

BATTLES IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER-ON GALVESTON ISLAND, 1818-1821-ON THE COLORADO, 1822-23-CARANCHUAS BANISHED, 1825-FIGHTS FROM 1826 TO 1829BOWIE'S FIGHT IN 1831-WILBARGER SCALPED IN 1833-ON RED RIVER IN 1834PARKER'S FORT MASSACRE 1836-MRS. PLUMMER'S CAPTIVITY-CYNTHIA PARKER RECLAIMED, AFTER A CAPTIVITY OF TWENTY-FIVE YEARS.

ANN

I

NDIAN BATTLES, ETC., IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER.-1818.- While Galveston Island was occupied by Lafitte, some of his men stole a Caranchua squaw. To revenge this injury, about 300 of the Indians landed on the island, near the Three Trees. The pirates, to the number of 200, with two cannon, immediately proceeded down the island to meet them. After a severe fight and the loss of about thirty, the Indians were glad to withdraw to the main land.

1821. After Lafitte had left the island, a company, under Dr. Parnell, visited it to hunt for treasures supposed to have been buried by the freebooters. Parnell found some Indians on the island, and attacked and drove them off. Mr. Yoakum suggests that it was these attacks that made the Caranchuas so hostile towards Austin's colonists.

1822.-Two vessels arrived at the mouth of the Colorado with immigrants. While the main party went up the river by land, the goods were left in charge of four young men at the landing. These young men were killed by the Indians, and the goods destroyed. Two of them were sons of Mr. Clopper, who afterwards settled on Buffalo bayou.

1823. The next year, three young men were hunting on the Colorado, below Eagle lake, when they were surprised by the Caranchuas, and Messrs. Loy and Alley were killed. John Clark, though badly wounded, plunged into the stream and escaped by swimming. He lived until 1861. His large estate is still in litigation.

1824. While surveying, Captain Chriesman had several skirmishes with the Caranchuas on the San Bernard river and Gulf Prairie. The severest encounter was with a company under Captain Randall Jones. This was on a creek in Brazoria county, since called Jones' creek. Fifteen Indians were killed. The whites lost three: Messrs. Bailey, Singer and Spencer.

1825.-The colonists were now sufficiently strong to rid themselves of this small band; and Colonel Austin requested Captain Abner Kuykendall to collect about one hundred militia and expel them from the colony. While pursuing them, Colonel Austin was met at the Menawhila creek, a few miles east of Goliad, by the priest of the Mission, who went security for the good behavior of the Indians. It was agreed that the latter should not

come east of the San Antonio river; an agreement to which they all adhered. This was strictly in accordance with American policy; first extinguish the Indian's title to the land and then expel him from it, either by banishment or extermination.

1826.- A new settlement had been formed on the Guadalupe river, near Gonzales, in Dewitt's colony. While a number of men were on the Colorado to celebrate the Fourth of July, the settlement was attacked by the Indiais. John Wightman was killed, and Ba-il Durbin badly wounded. The houses were burned and the settlement for a time broken up. Deaf Smith went to San Antonio, Henry S. Brown to Brazoria, James Kerr to the Lavaca river, and others scattered to different parts of Texas.

1829.-Captains A. Kuykendall and Henry S. Brown conducted a scouting party up the Colorado. Near the mouth of the San Saba they found an encampment of, the Waco and Tehuacana Indians. The Indians were defeated and their camp destroyed.

1831.-BOWIE'S FIGHT.-In 1830 the celebrated James Bowie became a citizen of San Antonio and married the daughter of Don Veramendi, the Vice-Governor. On the 2d of November, 1831, he and his brother Rezin P. Bowie, and seven other Americans and two negro servants, started to hunt for the San Saba silver mines. When in the neighborhocd of the old mission, on the San Saba river, they were attacked by 161 Tehuacana and Caddo Indians. The Bowies threw up temporary breastworks, which the Indians repeatedly and vigorously attacked. Falling in these assaults, the Indians next attempted to barn them out by setting fire to the long prairie grass. The Americans, however, sternly held their ground. The fight lasted from sunrise in the morning until dark, when the savages sullenly retired, having lost nearly one-half their number. One of Bowie's men was killed and three wounded.

The citizens of Bexar, in a memorial to the General Government, state that from 1822 to 1832, ninety-seven citizens, besides the soldiers killed in battle, had been murdered by hostile Indians.

1833.-Josiah Wilbarger and two companions were out hunting on Walnut creek, east of the city of Austin, when they were surprised by Indians and one of their number instantly killed. Wilbarger was shot and scalped and left for dead. Young Hornsby escaped upon a fleet horse to the settlement. A party went out the next day and buried the one who was killed. Wilbarger was still living, and though weak with the loss of blood, he had crawled to a water-hole. He lived twelve years and married; but finally died from the effects of the scalping.*

1834.-The Kiowas killed Judge Gabriel N. Martin, on Red river, and took Matthew N. Martin, his son, prisoner. Mr. Martin's brother-in-law, Travis G. Wright, with three companions, started to recover the lost boy.

*The night young Hornsby reached home, his mother had a singular dream; she dreamed that she saw Wilbarger lying at a water-hole, faint and bleeding, but still alive. This dream was twice repeated, and made so strong an impression upon her that she persuaded the party going out to prepare a litter, which they did; and the suffering man was conveyed in on that litter.