en on the prairies. The eagerness with which the savage regarded
the gun led Crockett to apprehend that he intended to appropriate it to
himself.

The Comanches, though a very warlike tribe, had held much intercourse
with the Americans, and friendly relations then existed between them
and our Government. Crockett, addressing the chief, said:

"Is your nation at war with the Americans?"

"No," was the reply; "they are our friends."

"And where," Crockett added, "do your get your spear-heads, your
rifles, your blankets, and your knives?"

"We get them from our friends the Americans," the chief replied.

"Well," said Crockett, "do you think that if you were passing through
their country, as I am passing through yours, they would attempt to rob
you of your property?"

"No," answered the savage; "they would feed me and protect me. And the
Comanche will do the same by his white brother."

Crockett then inquired of the chief what had guided him and his party
to the spot where they had found him? The chief said that they were at
a great distance, but had seen the smoke from his fire, and had come to
ascertain the cause of it.

"He inquired," writes Crockett, "what had brought me there alone. I
told him I had come to hunt, and that my mustang had become exhausted,
and, though I thought he was about to die, that he had escaped from me.
At this the chief gave a low chuckling laugh, and said that it was all
a trick of the mustang, which is the most wily and cunning of all
animals. But he said that as I was a brave hunter, he would furnish me
with another. He gave orders, and a fine young horse was immediately
brought forward."

The savages speedily discovered the dead body of the cougar, and
commenced skinning him. They were greatly surprised on seeing the
number of the stabs, and inquired into the cause. When Crockett
explained to them the conflict, the proof of which was manifest in his
own lacerated skin, and in the wounds inflicted upon the cougar, they
were greatly impressed with the valor he had displayed. The chief
exclaimed several times, in tones of commingled admiration and
astonishment, "Brave hunter! brave man!" He also expressed the earnest
wish that Crockett would consent to be adopted as a son of the tribe.
But this offer was respectfully declined.

This friendly chief kindly consented to escort Crockett as far as the
Colorado River. Crockett put his saddle on a fresh horse, and having
mounted, the chie