Chap. V. VISIT OF CHIEFS. 265 
Indians ; having, according to the expressions of the chiefs 
who visited us, exceeded their expectations. The distribu- 
tion of these gifts is a wise stroke of policy in the Indian 
department of the government of Washington, as the 
savages by these means become gradually dependent on 
the wants of civilized life. 
In the afternoon we descried on the opposite side of the 
river a large Indian encampment of tents, nearly opposite 
to which we pitched our corral ; and soon a great number 
of men and women came riding through the river to 
visit us. 
On this occasion several of the principal chiefs of the 
northern Comanches honoured us with their presence, all pro- 
vided with written certificates of their names and character, 
given them partly by the government agents and partly by 
some officer of the United States army, who holds the com- 
mand in these parts. These documents, which they eagerly 
showed us, are intended as vouchers to travellers for the 
character of the native chiefs, and present, in fact, a 
ludicrous reverse of the passport system in the Old World, 
being at the same time the only passports met with in the 
United States. The wording of these certificates reads 
ludicrously enough ; take, for instance, the following : — 
" The possessor of this paper is the lied Sleeve, a celebrated 
chief of the Apaches, who is on friendly terms with the 
whites. Travellers will do well to show him kindness and 
respect, but they must at the same time be on their guard." 
Under this is written the visa of travelling traders : " The 
Red Sleeve has visited our camp, and conducted himself, 
with his followers, respectably." Further on : "Do not 
trust this fellow — he is a rascally Indian." When such a 
voucher is presented to you, with that taciturn gravity of 
which an Indian only is capable, you are obliged to control 
