The Indian Races of North and South America

supplying the loss of a horse prevents that regard for his safety and care for his welfare elsewhere furnished by selfinterest.

The Camanches are essentially a warlike race, and the whole history of the settlement and occupation of Texas is replete with tales of their courage and prowess. There seems to be reason to fear that difficulties will still continue to arise between them and the white settlers of the country until the whole tribe, like so many in the older states, shall be driven from their territory or exterminated. Almost the only man who has ever been able to command their enduring admiration and respect, and to exercise a parental control over these wild rovers of the west, is the redoubted champion of Texan independence, General Houston. Numberless tales are told of the influence of his presence, or even his name, in quieting border troubles between whites and Indians. No one knows the Camanches better than Houston, and he gives abundant testimony to many excellent traits in their character. According to his representations, the generality of disturbances which have arisen upon their borders are attributable rather to injustice and violence, on the part of the white settlers, than to the native ferocity or treachery of the Indians.

The dwellings of the Camanches, like those of other prairie tribes, consist of tents of buffalo-skins, and are transported from place to place in the manner described in a former chapter. The tribe next adjoining them, the Pawnee Picts, living about the extreme head-waters of the Red River, on the borders of the Rocky Mountains, inhabit wigwams of poles thatched with prairie grass, of very picturesque form and arrangement. These people are said to be entirely distinct from the Pawnees on the Platte river; they are in a state of friendly alliance with the Camanches. Unlike the latter tribe, they cultivate large

quantities of maize, beans, pumpkins, &c., and, what with their abundant supply of game, enjoy no little prosperity.

In New Mexico, besides the Utahs, Apaches, and other Indian tribes heretofore mentioned, are two very singular communities: the Nabajos and Moques. The first of these lead a pastoral life between the rivers San Juan and Gila. They are spoken of in a communication of Governor Charles Bent, in 1846, as "an industrious, intelligent, and warlike tribe of Indians, who cultivate the soil, and raise sufficient grain and fruits of various kinds for their own consumption. They are the owners of large flocks and herds of cattle, sheep, horses, mules, and asses. It is estimated, that the tribe possesses 30,000 head of horned cattle, 500,000 head of sheep, and 10,000 head of horses, mules, and asses. * They manufacture excellent coarse blankets, and coarse woollen goods for wearing apparel.

They have in their possession many men, women and children, taken from the settlements of this territory, whom they hold and treat as slaves. The Moques

are neighbors of the Nabajos, and live in permanent villages, cultivate grain and fruits, and raise all the varieties of stock."(Schoolcraft's Historical and Statistical Information concerning the Indian Tribes.)

The Nabajos number from seven to fourteen thousand souls; the Moques between two and three thousand. The two tribes are at enmity with each other, and the Moques have been, by this cause, much reduced.

The following description of the personal appearance of these Indians, (their names being corrupted into "Nabbehoes," and "Mawkeys,") is cited by McIntosh, in his "Origin of the North American Indians," from the Western Democrat: we cannot undertake to vouch for its accuracy. After describing the location of the smaller tribes,

the article proceeds: "Not far distant from the Mawkeys, and in the same range of country, is another band of the same description, called Nabbehoes, a description of either of these tribes, will answer for both. They have been described to the writer by two men in whose veracity the fullest confidence may be placed: they say the men are of the common stature, with light flaxen hair, light-blue eyes, and that their skin is of the most delicate whiteness."

INDIAN POPULATION

OF THE

UNITED STATES AND TERRITORY.

www.

ACCORDING to the census taken, under the agency of Mr. Henry R. Schoolcraft, in pursuance of the act of Congress passed in March, 1847, the following returns were made of the numbers of the Indian tribes subject to the jurisdiction of the United States.

The grand total was set down at 388,229, and about 30,000 more was considered a probable estimate of tribes inhabiting districts yet unexplored. The "Ultimate Consolidated Tables of the Indian Population of the United States," containing the results of the proposed investigation, are given substantially as follows, in Schoolcraft's "History, Condition, and Prospects of the Indian Tribes of the United States :

1. "Tribes whose vital and industrial statistics have been taken by Bands and Families, under the direction of the act of Congress," including Iroquois, Algonquins, Appalachians, and Eastern Sioux.

2. "Tribes of the new States and Territories, South and West, including the acquisitions from Mexico, under the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo," viz.: of Texas, New Mexico, California, Oregon, Utah, and Florida, and consisting of Camanches, Apaches, Utahs, Shoshonees or Snake Indians, &c.

34,704

183,042

3. Tribes between the Mississippi and the Rocky Mountains, to the

northward of Texas and New Mexico, viz. :