San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1878-05-11
THE EA RLY DAYS IN SOUTH
WESTERN TEXAS.
Interesting Narrative by Capt.
Peter IrumlinsOn.
lFrom the Pleasantou Journal ]

lFrom the Plessanton Journsl.l
A party Of US consisting of thirty.
three persons started from near the
mouth of the Kiaitia river in the fall
OF 1921. The members Of our party
were j. Trumlinson, (my father) and
family, James Trumlinson and family,
Martin Varney and family, VIM. Styles
and wife, Henry Jones aud family, two
young men, one named - Strickland,
the other Simnel Carter. John Fowler,
Jesse Sheldon and son, and a negro
man. We crossed Red River Decem-
ber 7th, 1921. We had some two hun
dred head of cattle and about the same
number of hogs. We conveyed our
packs on horses, and proceeded west
ward until we struck the Brazos river
lust above the falls. The country on
our route was an entire wilderness and
abounded with game, such as deer,
turkey and buffalo, and full Of lndi-
ans. Ours were the first white women
seen by these Indians and greatly ex-
cited their curiosity. Here we remain.
ed ten days to rest our horses and pre-
pare to turth.r advance. ln February,
1922, we crossed the Brazos. That day
about sunset about thirty Caddoe war
riors charged upon us, but Mexican,
with them, perceiving that we were
whites, and preparing to resist, called
out, Don't be afraid. we are friends"
We engaged this Mexican to conduct
us to the old San Antonio road.
Thence we journeyed to the place where
Independence now stands. 1t was then
wilderness over which vast quantities
of cattle, horses and buffalo roamed.
Althoulh these cattle were the finest
| ever saw, the males were all of the
same color, viz: dark brown with a
dun stripe down their backs. These
cattle were the descendants of cattle
imported from Spain through Mexico,
long anterior to even this early date.
This country had evidently been Occu-
pied by civilized people for more than
a century prior to our advent, for we
frequently saw remains of acqueducts,
forts, hearths, etc., all very old and OF
Spanish origin. The narrator "cut and
split" the first rails, and built them
into cattle pens, on the identical spot
where Independence now stands. 9th
er families soon came. Our food was
meat alone, no salt; bread or coffee
could not be had. We dressed our
selves in buckskin and wore moccasins
after the orthodox Indian style. Our
women. also, were often compelled to
wear buckskin. Quite a number OF
families in this vicinity lived on horse
flesh without salt, much less bread.
The Indians were quite numerous here,
Lipans, Tonquawas, Coronquawas and
Creeks. The Lipans were the most
powerful from both bravery and mum
bers. The Tonquawas claimed to have
fifteen hundred warriors; the Coron-
quawas and Creeks together about one
thousand. These Indians were eleva'
ted but little above the brutes' The
adults we're almost naked; the young,
up to about fourteen years were entire
Ily nude. They lived for the most part
on meat, and ate it raw. Upon killing
a deer have seen them eat the liver
yet warm, dripping in the blood, just
as we can eat bread and gravy. The
Coronquway. as a race, were OF larger
stature than any other human beings
1 ever saw; most Of their men were
nearly seven feet tall. Each mans
bow was Of the same length as bis
body. and so strong that 1 have failed