256 CALENDAR HISTORY OF THE KIOWA [eth.ann. 17 



tion agrees with the Indian statement, and his account explains also 

 how the whites happened to be traveling in such an unfrequented place. 

 The Kiowa statement was obtained without any reference to Gregg. 



It was somewhere iu this vicinity that a small party of Americans experienced a 

 terrible calamity in the winter of 1832-3 on their way home, and as the incident had 

 the tendency to call into play the most prominent features of the Indian character, 

 1 will digress so far here as to relate the facts. 



The party consisted of twelve men, chiefly citizens of Missonri. Their baggage 

 and about ten thousand dollars in specie was packed upon mules. They took the 

 route of the Canadian river, fearing to venture on the northern prairies at that sea- 

 son of the year. Having left Santa F^ in December, they had proceeded without 

 accident thus far, when a large body of Coraanches and Kiowas were seen advancing 

 towards them. Being well acquainted with the treacherous and pusillanimous dis- 

 position of these races, the traders prejjared at once lor defence; but the savages, 

 having made a halt at some distance, began to approach one by one or in small par- 

 ties, making a great show of friendship all the while, until most of them had col- 

 lected on the spot. Finding themselves sunounded in every direction, the travelers 

 now began to move on in hopes of getting rid of the intruders, but the latter were 

 equally ready for the start, and mounting their horses kept jogging on in the same 

 direction. The tirst act of hostility perpetrated by the Indians proved fatal to one 

 of the American traders named Pratt, who was shot dead while attempting to secure 

 two mules ■which had become separated from the rest. Upon this the companions 

 of the slain man immediately dismounted and conmieuced a fire upon the Indians, 

 ■which was warmly returned, whereby another man of the name of Mitchell was 

 killed. By this time the traders had taken off their packs and piled them around 

 for protection, and now falling to work with their hands they very soon scratched 

 out a trench deep enough to protect them from the shot of the enemy. The latter 

 made several desperate charges, but they seemed too careful of their own personal 

 safety, notwithstanding the enormous superiority of their numbers, to venture too 

 near the rifles of the Americans. In a few hours all the animals of the traders were 

 either killed or wounded, but no personal damage was done to the remaining ten 

 men, with the exception of a wound in the thigh received by one, which was not .at 

 the time considered dangerous. 



During the siege the American.'* were in great danger of perishing from thirst, as 

 the Indians had complete command of all the water within reach. Starvation was 

 not so much to be dreaded, because in case of necessity they could live on the flesh of 

 their slain animals, some of which lay stretched close around them. After being 

 pent up for thirty-six hours in this horrible hole, during which time they had seldom 

 ventured to raise their heads above the surface without being shot at, they resolved 

 to make a bold sortie iu the night, as any death was preferable to the death which 

 awaited them there. As there was not an animal left that was at all in a condition 

 to tr.avel, the proprietors of the money gave permission to all to take and appropri- 

 ate to themselves wh.atever amount each man could safely undertake to carry. In 

 this way a few hundred dollars were started with, of which, however, but little 

 ever reached the United States. The remainder was buried deep iu the sand, in 

 hopes that it might escape the cupidity of the savages, but to very little purpose, 

 for they were afterward seen by some Mexican traders making a great display of 

 specie, which was without doubt taken from this unfortunate cache. 



With every prospect of being discovered, overt.akeu, and butcheied, but resolved 

 to sell their lives as dearly its jiossible, they at last emerged from their hiding place 

 and moved on silently and slowly until they fouuil themselves beyond the ]uirlieu9 

 of the Indian camps. Often did they look back in the direction where from three 

 to live hundred savages were supjiosed to watch their movements, but much to their 

 astonishment no one appeared to be in pursuit. Tlie Indians, believing, uo doubt, 

 that the property of the traders would come into their hands, and having uo aiiia- 



