We waited for the Texan army, determined to give them a good
drubbing if they dared to attempt to molest us. Notwithstanding the
security of our position, we kept a good watch during the night, but
nothing happened to give us alarm. The next morning, two hours after
sunrise, we saw the little army halting two miles from us, on the
opposite shore of a deep stream, which they must necessarily pass to
come to us. A company of the Comanches immediately darted forward to
dispute the passage; but some flags of truce being displayed by the
Texans, five or six of them were allowed to swim over unmolested.
These worthies who came over were Captain Hunt, of whom I have before
made mention, and General Smith, commanding the Texan army, who was a
certain butcher from Indiana, who had been convicted of having murdered
his wife and condemned to be hanged. He had, however, succeeded in
escaping from the gaol, and making his way to Texas. The third eminent
personage was a Colonel Hookley, and the other two were interpreters. As
an Indian will never hurt a foe who comes with a flag of truce, the
Comanches brought these gentlemen up to the camp.
As soon as General Smith presented himself before the Comanche chief, he
commenced a bullying harangue, not stating for what purpose he had come,
telling us gratuitously that he was the greatest general in the land,
and that all the other officers were fools; that he had with him an
innumerable number of stout and powerful warriors, who had no equal in
the world; and thus he went on for half an hour, till, breath failing
him, he was obliged to stop.
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