238 NUTES TAKEN. 
he believed the Major to be a very clever fellow, and he 
particularly admired the coat he wore, whereupon the Major 
pulled it off and gave it to him, Another then admired his 
vest, another his pantaloons, another his. boots, and so on to 
his cravat and stockings, thus completely denuding the Major 
of a new outfit he had made in Washington, and leaving him 
in his shirt. He says, however, that naked though he was, 
he laughed heartily at the grotesque appearance of these 
fellows, strutting about, each with some portion of his ward- 
robe upon his tawny figure. They were so much pleased with 
his generosity, that they insisted upon his going along with 
them, and told him that if he would join their horse-stealing 
expedition, they would adopt him into their tribe,—thinking 
he might prevent them from depredating, he went with them. 
A few days afterwards, they came to the rancho of an old 
Mexican, where the Major applied for some beef for them, 
telling the Mexican that he would see him paid ; the old man 
refused unless the money was paid beforehand, when the chief 
told him that he wanted two beeves, and if they were not 
forthcoming in half an hour, he would burn his rancho and 
kill his stock, it is needless to say the beeves were handed 
over. The Major remained a few days longer with them, but 
getting tired persuaded them to let him go. This anecdote 
illustrates how completely the Camanches have ruled in the 
plains, the terror of the other wandering tribes, and the, 
scourge of the frontier settlements, their reign it is to be 
hoped is at an end. 
