144 MYTHS OF THE CHEROKEE [eth.anx.19 



occupied by thein, but without specification as to })Oundaries. The 

 Fredonia movement soon collapsed and nothing' tangible seems to have 

 come of the negotiations.' 



In the fall of 1835 the Texan revolution began, resulting in the seces- 

 sion of Texas from Mexico and her establishment as an independent 

 republic until annexed later to the United States. General Samuel 

 Houston, a leading member of the revolutionary body, was an old 

 friend of the Cherokee, and set forth so strongly the claims of them 

 and their confederates that an act was passed by the convention pledg- 

 ing to these tribes all the lands which they had held under the Mexican 

 government. In accordance with this act General Houston and John 

 Forbes were appointed to hold a treaty with the Cherokee and their 

 associated bands. They met the chiefs, including Bowl and Big-mush 

 (Gatun'wa'li, " Hard-mush"), of the Cherokee, at Bowl's village on Feb- 

 ruary '23, 1836, and concluded a formal treaty by which the Cherokee 

 and their allies received a fee simple title to all the land lying '• west of 

 the San Antonio road and beginning on the west at a point where the 

 said road crosses the river Angelina, and running up said river until 

 it reaches the mouth of the lirst large creek below the great Shawnee 

 village, emptying into the .said river from the northeast, thence run- 

 ning with said creek to its main source and from thence a due north 

 line to the Sabine and with said river west. Then starting where the 

 San Antonio road crosses the Angelina and with said road to where it 

 crosses the Nechesand thence running up the east side of said river in 

 a northwest direction." The historian remarks that the description is 

 somewhat vague, but is a literal transcription from the treaty." The 

 territorjf thus assigned was about equivalent to the present Cherokee 

 county, Texas. 



The treaty provoked such general dissatisfaction among the Texans 

 that it was not presented to the convention for ratification. General 

 Houston became President of Texas in November, 1836, but notwith- 

 standing all his efforts in behalf of the Cherokee, the treat}' was 

 rejected by the Texas senate in secret session on December 16. 1837.^ 

 Texas having in the meantime achieved victorious independence was 

 now in position to repudiate her engagements with the Indians, which 

 she did, not only with the Cherokee, but with the Comanche and 

 other wild tribes, which had been induced to remain neutral during 

 the struggle on assurance of being secured in possession of their 

 lands. 



In the meantime President Houston was unremitting in his efiort to 

 secure the ratification of the Cherokee treaty, but without success. 

 On the other hand the Cherokee were accused of various depreda- 

 tions, and it was asserted that they had entered into an agreement with 



1 Thrall, Texas, p. 46, 1879. 3 ibid., p. 143, 1840. 



2Bonnell, Texas, pp. 142,143, 1840. 



