On our return we passed through the Arrapahoes, who had already received
my messengers, and had accepted as well as given the "brides," which
were to consolidate an indissoluble union. As to the Comanches, seeing
the distance, and the time which must necessarily be lost in going and
returning, I postponed* my embassy to them, until the bonds of union
between the three nations, Shoshones, Apaches, and Arrapahoes, should be
so firmly cemented as not to be broken. The Arrapahoes followed the
example of the Apaches; and a hundred warriors well mounted and
equipped, joined us to go and see the fathers, the Shoshones, and, smoke
with them the calumet of* eternal peace.
We were now a gallant band, two hundred and fifty strong and in order to
find game sufficient for the subsistence of many individuals, we were
obliged to take a long range to the south, so as to fall upon the
prairies bordering the Buona Ventura.* Chance, however, led us into a
struggle, in which became afterwards deeply involved. Scarcely had we
reached the river when we met with a company of fifteen individuals
composed of some of my old Monterey friends. They were on their way to
the settlement, to ask my help against the governor of Sonora; and the
Indians being all unanimous in their desire to chastise him, and to
acquire the good-will of the wealthy people of Monterey, I yielded to
circumstance and altered our course to the south.
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