lth acquired by plunder and assassination.

This is the history of the major portion of the western pioneers, whose
courage and virtues have been so much celebrated by American writers.
As they increased in numbers, these pioneers conceived a plan by which
they acquired great wealth. They united together, forming a society of
land privateers or buccaneers, and made incursions into the very heart
of the French and Spanish settlements of the west, where, not being
expected, they surprised the people and carried off great booty. When,
however, these Spanish and French possessions were incorporated into the
United States, they altered their system of plunder; and, under the name
of Border's Buggles, they infested the states of the Mississippi and
Tennessee, where they obtained such a dreaded reputation that the
government sent out many expeditions against them, which, however, were
useless, as all the principal magistrates of these states had contrived
even themselves to be elected members of the fraternity. The increase
of population broke up this system, and the "Buggles" were compelled to
resort to other measures. Well acquainted with Indian manners, they
would dress and paint themselves as savages, and attack the caravans to
Mexico. The traders, in their reports, would attribute the deed to some
tribe of Indians, probably, at the moment of the attack, some five or
six hundred miles distant from the spot.

This land pirating is now, carried to a greater extent than ever. Bands
of fifty or sixty pioneers steal horses, cattle, and slaves from the
west of Arkansas and Louisiana; and sell them in Texas, where they have
their agents; and then, under the disguise of Indian warriors, they
attack plantations in Texas, carrying away with them large herds of
horses and cattle, which they drive to Missouri, through the lonely
mountain passes of the Arkansas, or to the Attalapas and Opelousas
districts of Western Louisiana, forcing their way through the Lakes and
swamps on both shores of the river Sabine. The party mentioned by the
Wakoes was one of this last description.

We left our friends, and, after a journey of three days, we crossed the
Brasos, close to a rich copper mine, which has ages been worked by the
Indians, who used, as they do now, thin metal for the points of their
arrows and lances. Another three days' journey brought us to one of the
forks of Trinity, and there we met with two companies of Texian rangers