ROYCE | TREATY OF AUGUST 6, 1846. 308 
government, resolyed to seek for themselves anew home on the borders 
of Mexico. A council was therefore held at which a delegation (con- 
sisting of forty-three members of the Treaty and eleven of the Old 
Settler party) was chosen to explore the country to the south and west 
for a future abode. They rendezyoused! at the forks of the Canadian 
and Arkansas Rivers, and, after electing a captain, proceeded via Fort 
Washita, crossing the Red River at Coffee’s trading house, and follow- 
ing the ridge dividing the waters of Trinity and Brazos to the latter 
river, which they crossed at Basky Creek. Here they found a small 
settlement of sixty-three Cherokees, who had moyed in the preceding 
June from a place called by them Mount Clover, in Mexico. 
Among their number was found Tessee Guess, the son of George 
Guess. Leaving Brazos? the explorers traveled westward to the Colo- 
rado, reaching it at the mouth of Stone Fort Creek,’ beyond which they 
proceeded in a southwesterly direction to the San Sabba Creek, at a 
point about 40 or 50 miles above its mouth. They returned on a line 
some 60 miles south of their outgoing trip,‘ and with their friends held 
a council at Dragoon Barracks in the Cherokee Nation. At this meet- 
ing it was decided to ask the United States to provide them a home in 
the Texas country upon their relinquishment of all interest in the 
Cherokee Nation, or in case of a refusal of this request that the terri- 
tory of the nation be divided into two parts, and a moiety thereof be 
assigned to them with the privilege of adopting their own form of goy- 
ernment and living under it. 
The governor of Arkansas® and General Arbuckle* both concurred 
in the conclusions reached by this council, and urged upon the author- 
ities at Washington the necessary legislation to carry the same into 
effect. 
MORE POLITICQL MURDERS. 
Shortly after the delegation selected by the foregoing council had 
proceeded to Washington in the interest of the adoption of the scheme 
proposed, another epidemic of murder and outrage broke out in the na- 
tion. On the 23d of March, Agent McKissick reported to the Indian 
Department the murder of Stand, a prominent member of the Ross 
party, by Wheeler Faught, at the instigation of the “Starr boys,” who 
were somewhat noted leaders of the Treaty party. This murder was 
committed in revenge for the killing of James Starr and others during 
the outbreak of the preceding November. It was followed’ by the 

1 September 1, 1845. 
2 October 22, 1845. 
8’November 12, 1845. They explored up the valley of Stone Fort Creek a distance 
of 30 miles. ; 
+ Report of the exploring party to their council. 
* January 19, 1846. 
° Letter to the President, February 10, 1846. 
7 Letter to the Secretary of War, February 12, 1846, 
8 April 2, 1846. 
