No. 303.
Mr. Schuchardt to Mr. Hunter.
Piedras Negras, Mexico, September 1, 1872. (Rec’d Oct. 9.)
Sir: Since I wrote my No. 86, dated August 29, three Indians, one Comanche chief, whom they call Takirera, and two Lipans, came in. One of the latter, an old man, called by the Mexicans Costalito, lived for a number of years in one of the villages of this district, planting corn and raising stock. He speaks the Spanish language tolerably well. He sometimes hunts up his tribe to trade with them or carry messages. He says that his companion, the Comanche chief, comes from way up north, from that country east of New Mexico; that the Kiowas and many other tribes are preparing for war against the United States, who keeps some chiefs of them prisoners in the penitentiary of Texas. That they have plenty of repeating-arms and needle-guns, and the corresponding ammunition; that they had attacked near the railroad, several times, trains, and took from them all the arms, together with the ammunition; and Costalito, pointing to a blue blanket, with a narrow white stripe on the edges, in which Takerera is wrapped, said that up there Takerera’s people were receiving all the time plenty of clothing and provisions from the United States Government. Costalito says that now only twelve families were coming, but that in case peace was granted to them by the [Page 707] Mexicans, and the cold season was over and the grass growing, then very many would come down here.
There is all probability that peace will be granted to them by the Mexican authorities, the country being without the means to offer resistance to their coming. The Comanches have been ever the most savage enemy Mexico had, murdering her people and carrying into captivity their children. They also were enemies of the Lipans, Kickapoos, and other tribes who live in Mexico. Now they select the Lipans as their mediators to obtain peace for them. The Lipans were also bitter enemies of the Kickapoos and Pottawatomies, but on meeting them while in town they saluted them very friendly, shaking hands with each other.
May all this not mean an invitation by the Kiowas, through the Comanches, to all these tribes to unite against the United States; or is their intention, by selecting this part of the country to be peaceable in, for the purpose to establish their headquarters nearer the field of their operations in the intended war with the United States, to be carried on in Texas; or is it because they (the Comanches) are opposed to that war, and by coming here keep out of it? But, then, why did they not apply for peace in Chihuahua, which is much nearer to their country? The locality of their present selection is only forty miles distant from the Rio Grande, that insurmountable barrier for our brave soldiers when in pursuit of depredating Indians. The good men among the Mexicans oppose granting peace to these Indians. They say it only would increase the trouble which the Kickapoo Indians are causing them already with their neighbors the Texans; but, at the same time, they are unable to see how the Mexican government could prevent them from coming in the country.
I am, &c.,
United States Commercial Agent.