72 OLD INDIAN VILLAGES. 



CHAPTER VIII. 



OLD INDIAN VILLAGES BEAUTIFUL SCENERY TRAP FORMATION LOST MULE 



BEAVER CREEK PRAIRIE GUIDES RUSH CREEK WITCHITA AND WACO VIL- 

 LAGES MEXICAN PRISONERS TALK WITH THE INDIANS CROSS TIMBERS — KICKA- 



POOS STRIKE WAGON TRACK ARRIVAL AT FORT ARBUCKLE. 



July 1 9. — At daylight this morning we crossed the ereek after having 

 excavated a passage for the wagons in the high hanks, and travelled 

 down the valley along the outer border of the timber in the bottom. 

 The country over which we marched was of a similar character to that 

 described about our last camp, and equally beautiful. We passed two 

 old Indian villages, which John Bull, one of the hunters, says were 

 formerly occupied by the Witchitas and Keechies ; several of the lodges 

 were still standing, with their old corn-fields near by. 



Our camp is upon the creek about a mile above the village last occu- 

 pied by the Witchitas before they left the mountains. Here they lived 

 and planted corn for several years, and they have exhibited much taste 

 and judgment in the selection of the site for their town. It is situated 

 at the eastern extremity of the mountains, upon a plateau directly 

 along the south bank of the creek, and elevated about a hundred feet 

 above it, commanding an extended view of the country towards the 

 north, south, and east. From its commanding position it is well secured 

 against surprise, and is by nature altogether one of the most defensible 

 places I have seen. 



The landscape which is here presented to the eye has a most charm- 

 ing diversity of scenery, consisting of mountains, woodlands, glades, 

 water- courses, and prairies, all laid out and arranged in such peculiar 

 order as to produce a witching effect upon the senses. 



This must have been a favorite spot for the Indians ; and why they 

 have abandoned it I cannot imagine, unless it was through fear of the 

 Comanches. It is only two years since they removed from here, and 

 their lodge-frames are still standing, with the scaffolds upon which they 

 dried their corn. 



The soil, in point of fertility, surpasses anything we have before seen, 

 and the vegetation in the old corn-fields is so dense, that it was with 

 great difficulty I could force my horse through it. It consisted of rank 

 weeds, growing to the height of twelve feet. Soil of this character must 

 have produced an enormous yield of corn. The timber is sufficiently 



