One morning, Roche, Gabriel, and myself were summoned to the Great
Council Lodge; there we met with the four Comanches whom we had rescued
some days before, and it would be difficult to translate from their
glowing language their warm expressions of friendship and gratitude. We
learned from them that before the return of the Cayugas from the prairie
they had concealed themselves in some crevices of the earth until night,
when they contrived to seize upon three of the horses and effect their
escape. At the passage of the great chasm they had found the old red
sash of Roche, which they produced, asking at the same time permission
to keep it as a token from their Pale-face brothers. We shook bands and
exchanged pipes. How noble and warm is an Indian in his feelings!
In the lodge we also perceived our friend of former days, "Opishka
Koaki" (the White Raven), but as he was about to address the assembly,
we restrained from renewing our acquaintance and directed all our
attention to what was transacting. After the ordinary ceremonies,
Opishka Koaki commenced:--
"Warriors, I am glad you have so quickly understood my messages, but
when does a Comanche turn his back on receiving the vermilion from his
chief? Never! you know I called you for war, and you have come; 'tis
well. Yet, though I am a chief, I am a man. I may mistake; I may now
and then strike a wrong path. I will do nothing, attempt nothing,
without knowing the thoughts of my brave warriors. Then hear me!
"There live under the sun a nation of Redskins, whose men are cowards.
Never striking an enemy but when his back is turned, or when they number
a hundred to one. This nation crawls in the prairies about the great
chasms, they live upon carrion, and have no other horses but those they
can steal from the deer-hearted Watchinangoes. Do my warriors know such
a people? Let them speak! I hear!"
At that moment a hundred voices shouted the name of Cayugas.
"I knew it!" exclaimed the chief, "there is but one such a people with a
red skin; my warriors are keen-sighted; they cannot be mistaken. Now,
we Comanches never take the scalp of a Cayuga any more than that of a
hedge-hog; we kick them out of our way when they cross our path; that's
all. Hear me my braves, and believe me, though I will speak strange
words: these reptiles have thought that because we have not killed them
as toads and scorpions, it was because we were afraid of their poison.
One thousand Cayugas, among other prisoners, have taken eight Comanches;
they have eaten four of them, they would have eaten them all, but the
braves escaped; they are here. Now, is an impure Cayuga a fit tomb for
the body of a Comanche warrior? No! I read the answer in your burning
eyes. What then shall we do? Shall we chastise them and give their
carcasses to the crows and wolves? What say my warriors: let them
speak? I hear!"
All were silent, though it was evident that their feelings had been
violently agitated. At last, an old chief rose and addressed Opishka:
"Great chief," said he, "why askest thou? Can a Comanche and warrior
think in any way but one? Look at them! See you not into their hearts?
Perceive you not how fast the blood runs into their veins? Why ask? I
say; thou knowest well their hearts' voice is but the echo of thine own.
Say but a word, say, `Let us go to the Cayugas!' Thy warriors will
answer: `We are ready, shew us the path!' Chief of a mighty nation,
thou hast heard my voice, and in my voice are heard the thousand voices
of thy thousand warriors."
Opishka Koaki rose again. "I knew it, but I wanted to hear it, for it
does my heart good; it makes me proud to command so many brave warriors.
Then to-morrow we start, and we will hunt the Cayugas even to the
deepest of their burrows. I have said!"
Then the four rescued prisoners recounted how they had been taken, and
what sufferings they had undergone. They spoke of their unfortunate
companions and of their horrible fate, which they should have also
shared had it not been for the courage of the three Pale-face brothers,
who killed five Cayugas, and cut their bonds; they themselves killed
five more of their cowardly foes and escaped, but till to-day they had
had no occasion of telling to their tribe the bravery and generosity of
the three Pale faces.
At this narrative all the warriors, young and old, looked as though they
were personally indebted to us, and would have come, one and all, to
shake our hands, had it not been for the inviolable rules of the council
lodge, which forbids any kind of disorder. It is probable that the
scene had been prepared beforehand by the excellent chief who wished to
introduce us to his warriors under advantageous circumstances. He waved
his hand to claim attention, and spoke again.
"It is now twelve moons, it is more I met Owato Wanisha and his two
brothers. He is a chief of the great Shoshones, who are our
grandfathers, far--far under the setting of the sun beyond the big
mountains. His two brothers are two great warriors from powerful
nations far in the east and beyond the Sioux, the Chippewas beyond the
`Oposh-ton-ehoe' (Americans), even beyond the deep salt-water. One is a
`Shakanah' (Englishman), the other a `Naimewa' from the
`Maha-mate-kosh-ehoj' (an exile from the French). They are good and
they are brave: they have learned wisdom from the `Macota Konayas'
(priests), and Owato Wanisha knows how to build strong forts, which he
can better defend than the Watchinangoes have defended theirs. I have
invited him and his brother to come and taste the buffalo of our
prairies, to ride our horses, and smoke the calumet of friendship. They
have come, and will remain with us till we ourselves go to the big stony
river (the Colorado of the West). They have come; they are our guests;
the best we can command is their own already; but they are chiefs and
warriors. A chief is a chief everywhere. We must treat them as chiefs,
and let them select a band of warriors for themselves to follow them
till they go away from us.
"You have heard what our scouts have said; they would have been eaten by
the Cayugas, had it not been for our guests, who have preserved not only
the lives of four men--that is nothing--but the honour of the tribe. I
need say no more; I know my young amen; I know my warriors; I know they
will love the strangers as chiefs and brothers. I have said."
Having thus spoken, he walked slowly out of the lodge, which was
immediately deserted for the green lawn before the village. There we
were sumptuously entertained by all the principal chiefs and warriors of
the tribe, after which they conducted us to a new tent, which they had
erected for us in the middle of their principal square. There we found
also six magnificent horses, well caparisoned, tied to the posts of the
tent; they were the presents of the chiefs. At a few steps from the
door was an immense shield, suspended upon four posts, and on which a
beaver, the head of an eagle, and the claws of a bear were admirably
painted--the first totem for me, the second for Gabriel, and the third
for Roche. We gratefully thanked our hospitable hosts, and retired to
rest in our rich and elegant dwelling.
The next morning, we awoke just in time to witness the ceremony of
departure; a war party, already on horseback, was waiting for their
chief. At the foot of our shield were one hundred lances, whose owners
belonged to the family and kindred of the Indians whom we had rescued
from the Cayugas. A few minutes afterwards, the owners of the weapons
appeared in the square, well mounted and armed, to place themselves at
our entire disposal. We could not put our authority to a better use
than by joining our friends in their expedition, so when the chief
arrived, surrounded by the elders of the tribe, Gabriel advanced towards
him.
"Chief," he said, "and wise men of a brave nation, you have conferred
upon us a trust of which we are proud. To Owato Wanisha, perhaps, it
was due, for he is mighty in his tribe; but I and the Shakanah are no
chiefs. We will not decline your favour, but we must deserve it. The
young beaver will remain in the village, to learn the wisdom of your old
men, but the eagle and the bear must and will accompany you in your
expedition. You have given them brave warriors, who would scorn to
remain at home; we will follow you."
This proposition was received with flattering acclamations, and the
gallant army soon afterwards left the village on its mission of revenge.
The Cayugas were, before that expedition, a powerful tribe, about whom
little or nothing had ever been written or known. In their customs and
manners of living, they resemble in every way the Club Indians of the
Colorado, who were destroyed by the small-pox. They led a wandering
prairie life, but generally were too cowardly to fight well, and too
inexpert in hunting to surround themselves with comforts, even in the
midst of plenty like the Clubs, they are cannibals, though, I suspect,
they would not eat a white man. They have but few horses, and these
only when they could be procured by stealth, for, almost always
starving, they could not afford to breed them, always eating the colts
before they could be useful.
Their grounds lie in the vicinity of the great fork of the Rio Puerco,
by latitude 35 degrees and longitude 105 degrees from Greenwich. The
whole nation do not possess half a dozen of rifles, most all of them
being armed with clubs, bows, and arrows. Some old Comanches have
assured me that the Cayuga country abounds with fine gold.
While I was with the Comanches, waiting the return of the expedition, I
had an accident which nearly cost me my life. Having learned that there
were many fine basses to be fished in a stream some twenty miles on, I
started on horseback, with a view of passing the night there. I took
with me a buffalo-hide, a blanket, and a tin cup, and two hours before
sunset I arrived at the spot.
As the weather had been dry for some time, I could not pick any worms,
so I thought of killing some bird or other small animal, whose flesh
would answer for bait. Not falling in with any birds, I determined to
seek for a rabbit or a frog. To save time, I lighted a fire, put my
water to boil, spread my hide and blanket, arranged my saddle for a
pillow, and then went in search of bait, and sassafras to make tea with.
While looking for sassafras, I perceived a nest upon a small oak near to
the stream. I climbed to take the young ones, obtained two, which I put
in my round jacket, and looked about me to see where I should jump upon
the ground. After much turning about, I suspended myself by the hands
from a hanging branch, and allowed myself to drop down. My left foot
fell flat, but under the soft sole of my right mocassin I felt something
alive, heaving or rolling. At a glance, I perceived that my foot was on
the body of a large rattle-snake, with his head just forcing itself from
under my heel.
Thus taken by surprise, I stood motionless and with my heart throbbing.
The reptile worked itself free, and twisting round my leg, almost in a
second bit me two or three times. The sharp rain which I felt from the
fangs recalled me to consciousness, and though I felt convinced that I
was lost, I resolved that my destroyer should die also. With my
bowie-knife I cut its body into a hundred pieces; walked away very sad
and gloomy, and sat upon my blanket near the fire.
How rapid and tumultuous were my thoughts! To die so young, and such a
dog's death! My mind reverted to the happy scenes of my early youth,
when I had a mother, and played so merrily among the golden grapes of
sunny France, and when later I wandered with my father in the Holy land,
in Italy and Egypt. I also thought of the Shoshones, of Roche and
Gabriel, and I sighed. It was a moral agony; for the physical pain had
subsided, and my leg was almost benumbed by paralysis.
The sun went down, and the last carmine tinges of his departed glory
reminded me how soon my sun would set; then the big burning tears
smothered me, for I was young, very young, and I could not command the
courage and resignation to die such a horrible death. Had I been
wounded in the field, leading my brave Shoshones, and hallooing the
war-whoop, I would have cared very little about it, but thus, like a
dog! It was horrible! and I dropped my head upon my knees, thinking how
few hours I had now to live.
I was awakened from that absorbing torpor by my poor horse, who was busy
licking my ears. The faithful animal suspected something was wrong, for
usually at such a time I would sing Spanish ditties or some Indian
war-songs. Sunset was also the time when I brushed and patted him. The
intelligent brute knew that I suffered, and, in its own way, showed me
that it participated in my affliction. My water, too, was boiling on
the fire, and the bubbling of the water seemed to be a voice raised on
purpose to divert my gloomy thoughts. "Aye, boil, bubble, evaporate,"
exclaimed I; "what do I care for water or tea now?"
Scarcely had I finished these words, when, turning suddenly my head
round, my attention was attracted by an object before me, and a gleam of
hope irradiated my gloomy mind: close to my feet I beheld five or six
stems of the rattlesnake master weed. I well knew the plant, but I had
been incredulous as to its properties. Often had I heard the Indians
speaking of its virtues, but I had never believed them. "A drowning man
will seize at a floating straw." By a violent effort I got up on my
legs, went to fetch my knife, which I had left near the dead snake, and
I commenced digging for two or three of the roots with all the energy of
despair.
These roots I cut into small slices, and threw them in the boiling
water. It soon produced a dark green decoction, which I swallowed; it
was evidently a powerful alkali, strongly impregnated with a flavour of
turpentine. I then cut my mocassin, for my foot was already swollen to
twice its ordinary size, bathed the wounds with a few drops of the
liquid, and, chewing some of the slices, I applied them as a poultice,
and tied them on with my scarf and handkerchief. I then put some more
water to boil, and, half an hour afterwards, having drank another pint
of the bitter decoction, I drew my blanket over me. In a minute or less
after the second draught, my brain whirled, and a strange dizziness
overtook me, which was followed by a powerful perspiration, and soon
afterwards all was blank.
The next morning, I was awakened by my horse again licking me; he
wondered why I slept so late. I felt my head ache dreadfully, and I
perceived that the burning rays of the sun for the last two hours had
been darting upon my uncovered face. It was some time before I could
collect my thoughts, and make out where I was. At last, the memory of
the dreadful incident of the previous evening broke upon my mind, and I
regretted I had not died during my unconsciousness; for I thought that
the weakness I felt was an effect of the poison, and that I should have
to undergo an awful lingering death. Yet all around me, nature was
smiling; thousands of birds were singing their morning concert, and, at
a short distance, the low and soft murmuring of the stream reminded me
of my excessive thirst. Alas! well hath the Italian bard sung:--
"Nesson maggior dolore
Che riccordarsi del tempo felice
Nella miseria!"--DANTE.
As I lay and reflected upon my utter helplessness, again my heart
swelled, and my tears flowed freely. Thirst, however, gave me the
courage which the freshness and beauty of nature had not been able to
inspire me with. I thought of attempting to rise to fetch some water;
but first I slowly passed my hand down my thigh, to feel my knee. I
thought the inflammation would have rendered it as thick as my waist.
My hand was upon my knee, and so sudden was the shock that my heart
ceased to heat. Joy can be most painful; for I felt an acute pang
through my breast, as from a blow of a dagger. When I moved my finger
across the cap of my knee, it was quite free from inflammation, and
perfectly sound. Again there was a re-action. Aye, thought I, 'tis all
on the ankle; how can I escape! Is not the poison a deadly one? I
dared not throw away the blanket and investigate further; I felt weaker
and weaker, and again covered my head to sleep.
I did sleep, and when I awoke this time I felt myself a little
invigorated, though my lips and tongue were quite parched. I remembered
everything; down my hand slided; I could not reach my ankle, so I put up
my knee. I removed the scarf and the poultice of master weed. My
handkerchief was full of a dried, green, glutinous matter, and the
wounds looked clean. Joy gave me strength. I went to the stream, drank
plentifully, and washed. I still felt very feverish; and, although I
was safe from the immediate effects of the poison, I knew that I had yet
to suffer. Grateful to Heaven for my preservation, I saddled my
faithful companion, and, wrapping myself closely in my buffalo hide, I
set off to the Comanche camp. My senses had left me before I arrived
there. They found me on the ground, and my horse standing by me.
Fifteen days afterwards I awoke to consciousness, a weak and emaciated
being. During this whole time I had been raving under a cerebral fever,
death hovering over me. It appears that I had received a
coup-de-soleil, in addition to my other mischances.
When I returned to consciousness, I was astonished to see Gabriel and
Roche by my side; the expedition had returned triumphant. The Cayugas'
villages had been burnt, almost all their warriors destroyed, and those
who remained had sought a shelter in the fissures of the earth, or in
the passes of the mountains unknown to any but themselves. Two of the
Mexican girls had also been rescued, but what had become of the others
they could not tell.
The kindness and cares of my friends, with the invigorating influence of
a beautiful chine, soon restored me to comparative health, but it was a
long time before I was strong enough to ride and resume my former
exercise. During that time Gabriel made frequent excursions to the
southern and even to the Mexican settlements, and on the return from his
last trip he brought up news which caused the Indians, for that year, to
forsake their hunting, and remain at home. General Lamar and his
associates had hit upon a plan not only treacherous, but in open
defiance of all the laws of nations. But what, indeed, could be
expected from a people who murdered their guests, invited by them, and
under the sanction of a white flag? I refer to the massacre of the
Comanche chiefs at San Antonio.
The President of Mexico, Bustamente, had a view to a cessation of
hostilities with Texas. The Texians had sent ambassadors to negotiate a
recognition and treaty of alliance and friendship with other nations;
they had despatched Hamilton in England to supplicate the cabinet of St.
James to lend its mighty influence towards the recognition of Texas by
Mexico, and while these negotiations were pending, and the peace with
Mexico still in force, Lamar, in defiance of all good faith and honour,
was secretly preparing an expedition, which, under the disguise of a
mercantile caravan, was intended to conquer Santa Fe and all the
northern Mexican provinces. This expedition of the Texians, as it would
pass through the territory of the Comanches, whose villages, etcetera,
if unprotected, would, in all probability, have been plundered, and
their women and children murdered, induced the Comanches to break up
their camp, and return home as speedily as possible.