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known ; are a warlike people, though badly 

 armed. They have large numbers of horses, 

 asses, and mules, and considerable quantities of 

 buffaloe, deer, elk, black bear, antelope, and large 

 horses, as well as the skins of many animals of 

 the fur kind. 



Aliatans, La Plays, principally inhabit the rich 

 plains, from the head of the Arkansas, embracing 

 the heads of Red river, and extending to the 

 mountains on the borders of New Mexico. They 

 possess no fire arms, but are warlike and brave ; 

 for the Spaniards fear these people, and take care 

 not to furnish them with the implements of war. 

 Their country abounds with wild horses, and 

 raise immense numbers of horses, asses, and 

 mules themselves. The number of these people 

 is great, but not ascertained. These, as well as 

 all the other Aliatans, are wandering people, 

 and have no fixed place of residence. 



The Caddo, or Caddoques, residing on Red 

 river, have already been mentioned. These peo- 

 ple, some years ago, left their ancient villages, 

 called Caddo old towns, and settled on another 

 part of Red river, nearer to Natchitoches, where 

 they were visited with sickness, particularly the 

 small pox and measles, by which nearly one half 

 of them died. They had the small pox in the 

 winter season, and as soon as the eruption ap- 

 peared, they plunged into the water, which often 

 proved fatal, in a few hours. The number of 

 warriors of the ancient Caddo is reduced to 



