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



a iimiihi'r of Kiowa, who liad ac-ted iusoleutly, and were apparently 

 respou.sible later on for several nii.ssing horses and mules. 



On the -'Sth the Texans had crossed the stream and couie suddenly 

 upon the maiu camp of the Kiowa, who fled at their approach. 



Scarcely bad we unsaddled our horses aud turned theui loose before one of onr 

 hunting parties came in .and reported that a large body of Indians were iu our imme- 

 diate vicinity, aud that they h.id driveu off au immense cavnUada or drove of horses. 

 Soon another party arrived with information that they bad met a small body of 

 Indians, one of whom spoke .Spanish. They said that they were Caygiias, and on 

 being interrogated concerning the direction towards Santa ¥(•, gave equivocal 

 answers. They jiointcd to the southwest, however, to what appeared a passage 

 through the bills, aud said that was the direction to Cbibuabua. They pretended to 

 know nothiug about Rio Colorado or Red river. These Indians were mounted on 

 fine horses, were dressed in buckskin, and armed with lances and bows and arrows. 



The stream upon which we were now encamped appeared to have its source in the 

 long chain of bills upon our left and ran in nearly a northeast direction. A short 

 distance above us, occupying a beautiful situation on the same stream, the main 

 camp of the Indians in our neighborhood w.as discovered. It had .apparently been 

 just deserted, the inhabitants in their great haste to drive oft' and secure their 

 horses not having time even to cache their other property. Tent poles, skins, 

 numerous rough utensils, besides a quantity of dried buffalo, mustang, and deer 

 meat were found precisely as they had left them. The latter we appropriated to our 

 own use, and iu our half-starving condition was found extremely palatable. . . . 



Two days later they were preparing for their morning start, when suddenly a 

 young man came dashing into camp from the northward, evidently uuich agitated, 

 and announced that a large body of Indians were pursuing a i)arty of our men 

 directly towards us. Scarcely had be finished speaking before firing was heard but 

 a few hundred yards distant, a slight roll of the prairie concealing the combatants 

 from our sight. Fast as they could mount horses a party of some fifty of our men 

 dashed oft' toward the scene of strife, while the w.agous were drawn up iu S(|uare, 

 the cattle and horses brought inside, and every preparation made to resist an attack, 

 which w.as now considered certain. The first impression was that the scouting 

 parties had been entirely cut oif aud that these successes would induce the Indians 

 to attack our main body. 



.Just as the party of our men who had gone out to the relief of their compauions 

 reached the spot the Indians retreated; but their Idoody work was done. Scattered 

 about within the circumference of a few yards were the dead bodies of Lieutenant 

 Hull and four of our men, stripped, scalped, and horribly mutilated, while the appear- 

 ance of the ground gave strong evidence that manfully and with strong hearts they 

 had resisted the attack of their adversaries. They had left camp but a short time 

 previous, probably with the hope of finding water, .and in returning had been thus 

 cruelly murdered. Rut one look at their mangled bodies was sufficient to stir dee]i 

 feelings of revenge iu every heart, aud madly did our men spur their horses iu pur- 

 suit, with the vain hope of avenging the death of their companions. The Indians 

 were at least four times their number, yet they retreated, aud being far better 

 mounted were able to keep out of the way. So near, however, were our men that 

 they could plainly see the dead bodies of several of the Indians packed U]iou extra 

 horses they had with them for that purpose. The prairie warriors always have 

 horses trained especially to carry oft' their dead or wounded companions, which they 

 take with them on goiug Into action, and it is considered one of the greatest calami- 

 ties that can befall them if they are compelled to leave one of their number in the 

 hands of an enemy. 



The pursuit of the bloodthirsty Caygiias, for such the Indians proved to be, was 

 continued by our men until it was evident that they could not bo overtaken, and 



