256 THE GEORGE CATLIN INDIAN GALLERY. 



which had been held by -them for some years as prisoners, and Avhich he had brought 

 the whole way home, and had here ready to be delivered to their friends and rela- 

 tions, but whom he certainly would never show until the little boy was produced. 

 He also made another demand, which was for the restoration of a United States 

 ranger, by the name of Abb^, who had been captured by them during the summer 

 before. They acknowledged the seizure of this man, and all solemnly declared that 

 he had been taken by a party of the Camanchees over whom they had no control, and 

 carried beyond the Red River, into the Mexican provinces, where he was put to death. 

 They held a long consultation about the boy, and seeing their plans defeated by the 

 evidence of the negro, and also being convinced of the friendly disposition of the 

 colonel by bringing home their prisoners from the Osages, they sent out and had the 

 boy brought in from the middle of a corn-field, where he had been secreted. He is a 

 smart and very intelligent boy of nine years of age, and when he came in he was 

 entirely naked, as they keep their own boys at that age. There was great excite- 

 ment in the council when the little fellow was brought in, and as he passed amongst 

 them he looked around and exclaimed, with some surprise, "What! are there white 

 men here?" To which Colonel Dodge replied, and asked his name ; and he promptly 

 answered, "My name is Matthew Wright Martin." He was then received into Col- 

 onel Dodge's arms, and an order was immediately given for the Pawnee and Kiowa 

 girls to be brought forward. They were in a few minutes brought into the council- 

 house, when they were at once recognized by their friends and relatives, who em- 

 braced them with the most extravagant expressions of joy and satisfaction. The 

 heart of the venerable old chief was melted at this evidence of white man's friend- 

 ship, and he rose upon his feet, and taking Colonel Dodge in his arms, and placing 

 his left cheek against the left cheek of the colonel, held him for some minutes with- 

 out saying a word, whilst tears were flowing from his eyes. He then embraced each 

 officer in turn in the same silent and affectionate manner, which form took half an 

 hour or more before it was completed.* 



From this moment the council, which before had been a very grave and uncertain 

 one, took a pleasing and friendly turn. And this excellent old man ordered the women 

 to supply the dragoons with something to eat, as they were hungry. 



The little encampment, which heretofore was in a woful condition, having eaten 

 up their last rations twelve hours before, were now gladdened by the approach of a 

 number of women, who brought their "back-loads" of dried buffalo meat and green 

 corn and threw it down amongst them. This seemed almost like a providential 

 deliverance, for the country between here and the Camanchees was entirely destitute 

 of game, and our last provisions were consumed. 



The council thus proceeded successfully and pleasantly for several days, whilst 

 the warriors of the Kiowas and Wicos, two adjoining and friendly tribes, living 

 farther to the west, were arriving; and also a great many from other bands of the 

 Camanchees, who had heard of our arrival, until two thousand or more of these wild 

 and fearless-looking fellows were assembled, and all. from their horses' backs, with 

 weapons in hand, were looking into our pitiful little encampment of two hundred 

 men, all in a state of dependence and almost literal starvation ; and at the same time 

 nearly one-half the number too sick to have made a successful resistance if we were to 

 have been attacked. 



The command returned to this village [the great Comanche] after an absence of 

 fifteen days, in a fatigued and destitute condition, with scarcely anything to eat, or 

 chance of getting anything here; in consequence of which Colonel Dodge almost in- 

 stantly ordered preparations to be made for a move to the head of the Canadian River, 

 a distance of one hundred or more miles, where the Indians represented to us there 



* The little boy of whom I have spoken was hroxight in, the whole distance to Port Gibson, in the 

 arms of the drajroons, who took turns in carrj'ing him ; and after the command arrived there he was 

 transmitted to the Red Eiver by an officer, who had the enviable ssitisfaction of delivering him intij 

 the arms of his disconsolate and half-distracted mother. 



