The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 31, July 1927 - April, 1928 Page: 57
390 p. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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Description of Tejas or Asinai Indians, 1691-1722
secure from the French. They plant tobacco. The women are
all more intent upon work than the men. The most of the time
the men spend in visiting and in planning their wars, which
usually occur during the winter time. For the two functions
mentioned above the Indians choose a leader, but in all other
matters they are their own bosses. They wear the scalps of their
enemies at their belts as trophies and hang them from reeds at
the entry to their doors as signs of triumph.
They bury their dead, after bathing them, interring with them
the trophies they have captured, with the deer skins they possess,
and with all the gifts their relatives supply. They place there
something of everything they have to eat as well as buffalo hides.
They bury the scalps so that their enemies may go along to serve
them in the other life. They place there provisions for the journey
and other possessions to serve for clothing. They like clothes;
but what His Majesty has given them has been of but little
use to them because they immediately divide it with their friends.
All these nations are closely united. They visit each other con-
tinually. The people are numerous and spread out over the dis-
tricts above mentioned. Because of the small force of the Span-
iards, which the Indians know full well, it is not possible to con-
sider the plan of locating them together in pueblos. The nature
of the country does not favor this because of the woods and other
conditions existing. It is necessary to consider this point care-
fully and, according to my limited understanding, I propose the
following plan so that everything may come out well in the course
of time.
[Expansion of Settlements Proposed; Upper Trinity and Bahia
del Espiritu Santo]
It is necessary to explore the plains which lie a little more than
two days travel to the northwest of this mission. Here, accord-
ing to the reports of these Indians, I judge the Trinity River
Falls. I believe there are similar seasons there to those here be-
cause of its proximity. In these open spaces it will be possible
to raise horses, cattle, and small stock. It will be possible to win
these people gradually by presents and by the friendly intercourse
we have with them, while the forces placed there will serve as a re-
straint upon them. Time will finally smooth all things and the
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 31, July 1927 - April, 1928, periodical, 1928; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101088/m1/63/?rotate=90: accessed April 23, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.