256 ELDORADO 



deed was perpetrated, has ever since borne the name 

 of McNiece's creek. 



It was but a few days after this sad occurrence that 

 a party of twenty Comanches rode up to the com- 

 rades of the murdered man, evidently anticipating no 

 trouble ; but the whites, in order to avenge their com- 

 panions, fired upon them, only a few of the savages 

 escaping the close and unexpected volley. From that 

 day to this, the Comanches have been the implacable 

 enemies of the whites, though before they had, with 

 the exception of the two men, been very friendly. 



In 1826 a party of seventy men, under the command 

 of Captain Le Grand, had started from New Orleans 

 to Santa Fe, for the purpose of hunting, trapping and 

 trading, and missed their way upon the terrible desert 

 plateaus of the Llano Estacada, or staked plains. They 

 had wandered for days over this terrible tract, and 

 fully one-half their number perished of famine, be- 

 fore they were discovered by the Comanches ; who, 

 after nursing them back to health, clothed them suit- 

 ably, and conveyed them to Santa Fe, without de- 

 manding ransom or reward. 



A party under command of a Captain Means, of 

 Howard countv, Missouri, and whose descendants still 

 live in that county, were traveling along a few weeks 

 behind the partv which had fired upon the Indians, 

 in return for the murder of Monroe and McNeice. 

 Ignorant of the change in the attitude of the Co- 

 manches, and having everv confidence in their friend- 

 ship, these men rode confidently into a large encamp- 

 ment of these savages, and were surprised bv a fire, 

 thnt cut down Captain Means and several others. 



Retreating as well as they could, thev entrenched 



