ered his emissaries
among the Pawnees to endeavour to meet us, and concert together as to
what measures could be taken so as to secure a general league, defensive
and offensive, against the Americans and the Texians, and which was to
extend from the Mississippi to the western seas.

Such a proposition of course could not be immediately answered. I
therefore obtained leave from the Comanches to stake the two strangers
with us, and we all returned together. It would be useless to relate to
the reader that which passed between me and the emissaries of the
Mormons; let it suffice to say, that after a residence of three weeks in
the village, they were conducted back to the Pawnees. With the advice
of Gabriel, I determined to go myself and confer with the principal
Mormon leaders; resolving in my own mind that if our interview was not
satisfactory, I would continue on to Europe, and endeavour either to
engage a company of merchants to enter into direct communication with
the Shoshones, or to obtain the support of the English government, in
furtherance of the objects I had in view for the advantage of the tribe.

As a large portion of the Comanches were making preparations for their
annual migration to the east of Texas, Roche, Gabriel, and I joined this
party, and having exchanged an affectionate farewell with the remainder
of the tribe, and received many valuable presents, we started, taking
the direction of the Saline Lake, which forms the head-waters of the
southern branch or fork of the river Brasos. There we met again with
our old friends, the Wakoes, and learned that there was a party of sixty
or seventy Yankees or Texians roaming about the upper forks of the
Trinity, committing all sorts of depredations, and painting their bodies
like the Indians, that their enormities might be laid to the account of
the savages. This may appear strange to the reader, but it has been a
common practice for some time. There have always been in the United
States a numerous body of individuals, who, having by their crimes been
compelled to quit the settlements of the east, have sought shelter out
of the reach of civilisation. These individuals are all desperate
characters, and, uniting themselves in small bands, come fearlessly
among the savages, taking squaws, and living among them till a
sufficient period has elapsed to enable them to venture, under an
assumed name and in a distant state, to return with impunity and enjoy
the wea