Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1836-05-20

valley which makes a deep notch into the
mountain surrounded by high and impassa..
bic ridges, and which can only be entered
BY q narrow pass from the south west.-
They are represented by trappers and hunt.
ers Of the west--known to the writer Of
this TO be men of veracitv--to be innocent,
inoffensive people, living by agriculture.
and raising great numbers Of horses and
mules. both of which are used by them
for food. They cultivate maize, pumpkins
and beans, in large quantities.
These people are frequently deprecated
upon by their more warlike red neighbors.
to which they submit without resorting to
deadly weapons to repel the aggressors.
Not far distant from the Mawkeys, and
in the same range Of country. is another
band Of the ssme description, called Vdbbe
hoes. A description of either Of these tribes
will answer for both. They have been de-
scribed to the writer by two men in whose
verscity the fullest confidence may be
placed and they say The men are Of the
common stature, with light blue eyes, and
their skin is OF the most delicious white.
ness. One Of my informants who saw
seven of these people at Santa Fe in 1921,
in describing the Mawkeys, says, "they
are as much whittier than me as am whittier
than the darkest Indian in the Creek ma
tion," and my informant was of as good
complexion as men generally are.
A trapper on one occasion, in a wander.
ing excursion, arrived at a village Of the
hawkes.. He was armed with 4 rifle.
pair of belt pistols, knife and tomahawk !;
all CT which we're new to them and appear
ed TO excite their wonder and surprise. AT
ter conversiDg some time by signs. he fred
one of his pistols; instantly the whole
group around him fell 10 the earth in the
utmost CONSERVATION they entreated him
not 10 hurt them, and showed in various
ways that they thought him superior nat
ural being. He saw vast numbers of hors
es and mules about the village.
Query. May not these people be a REM
nant Of those who inhabited this country
prior to the present race Of Indians? the
traces Of whose Notifications and cultiva
ted fields and gardens are still 10 be seen
throughout the whole western country.
The Camanches. The following letter
has been addressed to The government, by
aperson long resident among these Indians,
and competent 10 form accurate opinions:
"For the last five years have had in
tercourse with the Camanche Indians and
their allies. They inhabit the country from
81 deg North on Red River 10 the Rio
del Norte, extending to tho road tina. leads
from 81. Louis, Mo. 10 Santa Fe, South to
the head waters OF Trinity, Gaudaloupc,
Brszos. and Colorado rivers of Texas. A
country in length six hundred miles, and
In A.,
prairie. The different tribes are Canaan
nees, Caddoes, Wacoes, and Skiddles -
They number about IS thousand in all, and
can muster from seven 10 eight thousan nd
restless warriors. In this great western
prairie, free as the Buffalo themselves, u ey
acknowledge no superior. Deprcdating
upon the Mexcans of the interior States,
ravaging and burning their towns, murder
ing their people, sometimes taking prison.
ere. which they either torture to death OF
make slaves of, carrying off immense herds
Of mules and horses, naturally prompts
these wandering hordes to look upon them
selves as the most powerful of nations,
which opinion the visit of sick and exhaust
ed troops among them was far from re-.
moving. I left their country on the 5th OF
December last. They had then torn up
the Treaty made by our Commissioners,
and SAID they had no treaty with us, and
those that had contracted had no right to
treat. They were thed1at war with the
people OF Texas, and had two American
boys (Texians) prisoners. They also ex-
hibted rifles ofAmerican make, while they
said The owners they had killed.
at is desirable 10 make lasting Treaty
with those people they have from time Ia
time murdered more than fifty of our PEG
pie on the Santa Fe road and frontier oil
Arkansas, and as that frontier appears Ii
be the place land hope permanent home
for our peaceful Indians, it is desirable or
their account alone that we should have Q
good understanding with these Land Phi
rates Of the great prairies. The way L
effect this object in my opinion 10 10 send ,
mission without an armed force. flor thes.
people are jealous of troops.) Some ont
who knows them, who has hunted the Buff
falo and the Wild Horse with them, whit
has undergone fatigue and suffering il
those wild and fearless hunts and SPORTS
Such a person always attracts the atten
ton of those wild children Of the prairie
and they will be apt TO believe what h
tells them. Let him hold q council an,
invite them to our country. [they will come
and the wonders they will behold will con
vince them that we are powerful and great
They will 60 home in despair. al compare
tive llt1eness, and they will tell :heir peo
pie that they have seen more men in on,
Of pale faces villages, than grass on th,
prairies, and leaves on the trees, and the,
will believe"