The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 62, July 1958 - April, 1959 Page: 371

Notes and Documents

371

Account of the Yourney of Iliard de la Ilarpe
Discaery fMade by aim of Several Anatio#s
Situated ii the West
Translated and annotated by RALPH A. SMITH
[The following is a continuation of the account of Bdnard de la
Harpe (1718-1720), the first section of which appeared in the July,
1958 Quarterly.]
THE i 2th, a Nassonite nobleman having assured me that
he had seen some metallic stones in the mountains,
which are to the north of the Cadodaqious, at forty
leagues distance, of which rocks the Spaniards were making
much of importance, I begged him to lead me to it. I had much
difficulty persuading him to do it, because of the fear that he
had of meeting on this route some enemy party; I took three
soldiers with me, with whom we put ourselves on the way. The
first two days our guide was brave, but the third some tracks of
men, which he found upon the route, which he recognized to
be those of the Anahons [Osages],"48 disconcerted him entirely.
It was necessary to use threats in order to make him advance for
some leagues. We came down into vast prairies then, in the sight
of mountains, from where we perceived the fire of the enemies.
Then it was not possible to reassure our guide; nothing could
engage him to lead us further; it was necessary to decide to turn
back the same evening. We camped in the prairie; we were ob-
served by the Anahons. They drew near to us in the night, with
the idea of surprising us. My she dog barked, we were alerted,
but a little later the savages stole two horses from me, which
obliged us to return in part on foot.
The 2oth, I sent four soldiers and six of my men well armed
4sThe Osage Indians were the most dreaded enemies of the Caddoan tribes. They
were known to them as "shaved heads," because of their custom of cutting off the
heads of their enemies to take to their villages. Drawing a finger across the throat
was a reference to the Osage in the sign language.