par Pedro de Castaneda de Nagera." The work contains an account of the journey of Francisco Vasquenz Coronado, from Cicuyé, New Mexico, in search of the "golden city" of Qui

vera.

Some days after leaving Cicuyé, the expedition arrived at a large river, which was also very deep. Here they built a bridge, which consumed four days. The writer, with the expedition, then proceeds: "Ten days after, we discovered some huts inhabited by Indians, who lived as the Arabs, and we named them Quereches. We had seen their traces for ten days. These Indians live in tents of the skin of bison, tanned, and live by the chase." Marching in a north-easterly direction, the expedition encountered "such a multitude of bison, that it appeared almost a thing incredible." They found numerous villages. The country was very flat." The people had great numbers of dogs. They had no horses, but used dogs for packing. Castaneda closes by saying, "the Spanish were well treated, and the journey, though it cost many days of fatigue, and was profitless in lands abounding in wealth, there was much knowledge gained of the country."

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It is probable, from other evidences gathered, in descriptions of localities, met with in the narrative alluded to, that the travels of the party extended to the stream now known as the Red river, if they did not cross it. The accounts answer for that section. The country along its banks is a favorite resort for innumerable bison or buffaloes. The people, too, answer in every respect. They still live in huts or lodges, made of the skin of the bison, and possess numerous dogs. Their traditions, also, show that an early day there were no horses, and dogs were used instead for transporting all the effects of the village. Accepting this testimony, we must accede to the Spanish adventurers of Mexico, over three centuries ago, the honor of first laying eyes upon the country of which we are now speaking. About the same time that De Soto, from the east, was traversing the extensive country of the present states of Florida, Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi, overcoming numerous and powerful

armies of warriors, climbing mountains, penetrating trackless forests, crossing rivers, wading interminable swamps, and crowning his work by the discovery of the great river of the continent, Coronado, from the golden lands of Mexico, crossed pathless, treeless wastes, under parching heats, and gave to the world the first knowledge of that vast region, the American plains.

Whatever may have been their motives, to such daring adventurers as De Soto and Coronado, we must, at least, offer a passing tribute of admiration for their courage, their perseverance, and their success as explorers.

In the early years of French dominion, on the lower waters of the Mississippi, a party was sent out under the auspices of the imperial government, to explore the Red river regions. Meeting with numerous hindrances in the hostility of the people, and the impassable nature of the country, and having reached the present town of Natchitoches, in Louisiana, they returned after a fruitless expenditure of time, energy, and money. In 1806, the Territory of Louisiana, having become a portion of the United States, Captain Sparks, Lieutenant Humphrey, a Dr. Curtis, Mr. Freeman, and seventeen soldiers, started from near Natchez to ascend the Red river. The expedition was known as the exploring party of the Red river. They had proceeded but a short distance above the great "raft," when they were confronted by a force of Spanish, probably on the same mission. Being refused passage through the country, and unable to insist, the party retraced their steps.

In the same year, another government exploring expedition set out under Lieutenant Pike. The instructions were to ascend the Arkansas to its source, thence to strike across the country to the head waters of the Red river, and return down that stream. After a toilsome journey, attended with numerous privations and great suffering, they reached the head waters of the Arkansas. From this point they marched across country until arriving at a stream flowing east. Taking this to be the Red, they commenced its descent. Subsequent events showed it, to be the

Rio Grande. They were taken prisoners by the Spanish and sent to the governor of New Mexico, by whom they were held for some time.

In the summer of 1820, Major Long conducted an exploration along the Canadian river, the middle stream between the Arkansas and the Red. Thirty years later, Captain, (now General) R. B. Marcy, accompanied by Captain, (General) George B. McClellan, Lieutenant J. Updegraff, Dr. R. G. Shurnard, and fifty-five men of company D, 5th infantry, were detailed to make an exploration of the Red river and country adjacent from the mouth of Cache creek. The party having laid in a stock of provisions at Fort Belknap, on the Brazos river, in Texas, got started early in the spring. On May 9, 1852, they were at the mouth of Cache creek. The explorations were very thorough. Up to this time the section set apart as the field of their labors was entirely unknown. They returned laden with stores of information of the character of the country, its topography, its soil, and its productions. In later years, other expeditions have been sent out, each of which has contributed its share to the general stock of geographical knowledge.

The plains, according to the unsatisfactory and indefinite assertions of Indian legends and traditions have, for ages, been the home of various tribes of Indians. The peculiar physical features of the country, soon had an effect upon their habits, thoughts, and superstitions. Whatever may have been their characteristic development previously, a long occupation of the country unquestionably, not primitively, inhabited by the present representatives of the race, produced a type of the American Indian, distinct in his mode of living, tribal, and individual relations, superstitions, religion, government, and war.

By the wild Indians, I mean those still following the habits, customs, and mode of life inherited from their ancestors, unmodified by the least step towards changing their condition— the enemy to progress, and the implacable foe to civilization.

These tribes, in the south, are the Kiowas, Comanches, Cheyennes, Arrapahoes, and Apaches, (Lepans). Although

several bands of Sioux frequently move south of the Platte, and hunt along the head waters of the Republican, mingling with the northern bands of Cheyennes and Arrapahoes, properly they belong to the plain country northward, in Nebraska and Dakota.

Midway between the Platte and Red rivers, flows the Arkansas, having its fountain sources in the heart of the Rocky mountains of Colorado, following a general easterly direction almost the entire width of the plains, and dividing them into two almost equal divisions. The stretch of territory south of the Arkansas is not only the home of the largest Indian population of any section of equal area, but also constitutes the chosen hunting-grounds over which the wild tribes roam.

None of these tribes claim this country as the primitive seat of their people; but the more powerful nations, in their migrations, taking possession by force, the weaker were pushed along in search of new abodes, and, in turn, also displaced an earlier population.

From a comparison of the respective claims of the wild tribes, upon the authority of tradition and the recollections of the oldest men, the Comanches, as they are improperly designated, were the first of the present occupants to make their appearance in the country. In general terms, these people say that they came from the south, and, within the memory of their living men occupied the immense and fertile region bordering on the Brazos and the Colorado, and thence extended in the direction of the Rio Grande and the Rio Pecos, now embraced in western Texas. The Brazos was the seat of their council-fires, and from this section, remote from pursuit, for years these renowned horsemen and warriors of the plaius kept up a state of unrelenting hostility against the Mexicans. Their war-parties penetrated beyond the Rio Grande, into Chihuahua and Sonora, and even down into the heart of old Mexico, spreading terror and devastation almost to the very gates of the capital. Cities and towns were taken, and the alcaldes and chief men, upon their knees, time and again, implored clemency at the hands of the savage con

querors. Even to this day, large war-parties fit out, and, from their present distant seats, carry on predatory wars across the Rio Grande. In these forays, they follow what is familiar to the frontiersman as the Grand Comanche War-trail, crossing the Pecos and the Rio Grande, and the Horse-head hills.

There seems to be little doubt, that, several centuries ago, the Comanches were a portion of the primitive Mexican population, and lived upon the frontiers of a nation of people possessing a superior civilization. It is easy to trace out the circumstances which would conduce to their present savage condition. Their mode of life, their isolation and indolence, relying principally upon the success of marauding expeditions, and the chase, as the means of gratifying their spirit of adventure, all tended to that end.

The name "Comanche," by which these people are known, is a term of Mexican origin, meaning "wild men." In their own language, applied to their nation, the Comanches call themselves “Neum," "our people." When speaking of others of their race, they say “Ab-ta-witche," meaning a "different people." When they see human figures at a distance and are unable to distinguish them from their own people, they use the expression "No-hinne-neum," meaning "people we do not know." But when they discern them to be of their own nation, they say "Neum," 99.66 our people."

The occupation of Texas by the whites, and the wars which led to the acquisition of that region by the United States, forced the largest bodies of the Comanches to fall back, and ultimately they occupied the country north of the Red river, while some settled in the Llano, Estacado, or Staked plains, north of the Pecos.

Of late years, the Comanches have, from various causes, become divided into a number of bands, more or less powerful, and known by different names, suggested by some characteristic. All these fragments of the original people recognize an identity of origin. They exhibit no marked dissimilarity of customs and habits. Still there is no other union than that natural feel