What Comanche ever scalped women and
children? Stoop, I say, and behold--a shame on thy colour and race--a
race of wolves, preying upon each other; a race of jaguars, killing the
female after having forced her--stoop and see.
"The bodies of the young women have been atrociously and cowardly
abused--seest thou? Thou well knowest the Indian is too noble and too
proud to level himself to the rank of a Texan or of a brute."
Twenty of our Comanches started on the tracks, and in the evening
brought three prisoners to the camp. They were desperate blackguards,
well known to every one of the soldiers under Captain Hunt, who, in
spite of their Indian disguise, identified them immediately. Hunt
refused to punish them, or to make any further pursuit, under the plea
that he had received orders to act against Indian depredators, but not
against white men.
"If such is the case," interrupted the Comanche chief, "retire
immediately with thy men, even to-night, or the breeze of evening will
repeat thy words to my young men, who would give a lesson of justice to
the Texans. Away with thee, if thou valuest thy scalp: justice shall be
done by Indians; it is time they should take it into their own hands,
when Pale-faces are afraid of each other."
Captain Hunt was wise enough to retire without replying, and the next
morning the Indians armed with cords and switches, gave a severe
whipping to the brigands, for having assumed the Comanche paint and
war-whoop.
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