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INCIDENTS AT THE 
he had no authority. He promised that his people 
should not trouble us or the Mexican Commission, and 
that he would send back any mules or cattle that might 
be taken by his young men ; and furthermore, if any 
strayed away, he would have them caught and sent back 
to us. I then informed him and the other chiefs, that 
to show our good feelings towards them, I would make 
them some presents, and accordingly directed the Com- 
missary to distribute among them some shirts, cotton 
cloth, beads, and other articles, which pleased them 
much. They asked for whiskey, which I positively 
refused, denying that I had any. Although this was 
the simple truth, they did not believe it, not being 
able to imagine how a party of Americans could be 
without that indispensable article.^ They were con- 
stantly on the look-out for it, and when they saw a 
bottle they asked if it did not contain the coveted 
liquor. I one day handed them a bottle of catsup and 
another of vinegar, and told them to ascertain for them- 
selves. A taste put a stop to their investigations, and 
they were afterwards less inquisitive. On one occa- 
sion a party of Indians were found to be drunk shortly 
after coming in, which induced me to believe they had 
obtained liquor somewhere about our camp; but of 
whom, or where, I could not ascertain, as all denied 
having given it to them I communicated the fact to 
Colonel Craig, who was equally determined with my- 
self to put a stop to the practice. He believed he 
^ In all my intercourse with the Indians, during the two and a half 
years I was in their country, I never gave one of them a drop of ardent 
spirits. I also prohibited others from doing so ; but on a few occasions, 
had reason to suspect that my orders were disobeyed. 
