RETURN OF THE DRAGOONS. 41 
ried into effect. The few who have penetrat- 
ed as far as Fort Gibson, or perhaps to a fron- 
tier village, have probably left with more un- 
favorable impressions than they had before. 
Believing the former to be our great Capital, 
and the most insignificant among the latter, 
our largest cities, they have naturally come to 
the conclusion that they surpass us in num- 
bers and power, if not in wealth and grandeur. 
I have no doubt that the chiefs of the Co- 
manches and other prairie tribes, if rightly 
managed, might be induced to visit our verita- 
ble ‘Capitan Grande, and our large cities, 
which would doubtless have a far better effect 
than all the treaties of peace that could be 
concluded with them for an age to come. 
They would then ‘see with their own eyes 
and hear with their own ears’ the m 
cence and power of the whites, which would 
inspire them at once with respect and fear. 
This was on the 7thof June. About noon, 
Lieut. Bowman and his command finally took 
leave of us, and at the same time we resume 
our forward march. This separation was 
truly painful: not so much on account of the 
loss we were about to experience, in regard to 
the protection afforded us by the troops (which, 
to say,the truth, was more needed now than 
it had ever been before), as for the necessity 
of with a friend, who had endeared 
himself to us all by his affable deportment, 
his social manners and accommodating 
position. Ah! little did we think then that 
we should never see that gallant officer more! 
4* 
