PUEBLOS. 55 



92. 



A COMANCHE GAME. 



(Painted 1844.) 



This game is played exclusively by the women. They hold in 

 their hand twelve sticks about six inches in length, which they drop 

 upon a rock ; the sticks that fall across each other are counted for 

 game : one hundred such counts the game. They become very 

 much excited, and frequently bet all the dressed deer-skins and buf- 

 falo-robes they possess. 



PUEBLOS. 



History of the " Pueblos of San Diego de Tesuque," and their 

 customs — written by their present chief: ^ 



" The origin and antiquity of the country and of our first ancestors 

 date many ages back. We are wholly ignorant of the year and the 

 time past by which to regulate the history correctly, nor is my ability 

 sufficient to give information of a nation so ancient. 



" Without doubt, this nation from its beginning was called Tegua. 

 It was a rude, infidel nation, without religion — idolatrous, and without 

 the observance of any worship ; but their customs were extremely 

 good and agreeable to the inhabitants of this Pueblo. 



" They were governed by the cacique and a war captain, and other 

 principal men of the Pueblo. So good were the customs which they 

 themselves had chosen and established for the common-weal, and 

 which they loved and embraced rigorously, and with much pleasure, 

 that all were happy. Their crops were in abundance, all their goods 

 in common, and they were favoured by the Almighty with union and 

 good conduct. 



" They lived under the rule of their magistrates and chiefs 

 from among themselves, during the first conquest. At that time 

 they knew religion, and were Catholics. In a short time the Spa- 

 niards were driven from the country to their own land by the Indians, 



