Bison

en estas lagunas ay alguna yerba cresida fuera de ellas toda es muy chica de un geme y menos es la tierra de hechura de bola que donde quiera que un hombre se pone lo çerca el çielo a tiro de ballesta no tiene arboleda sino en los rios que ay en algunas barrancas que son tam encubiertas que hasta que estan a el bordo de ellas no son bistas son de tierra muerta tienen entradas que haçen las bacas para entrar a el agua que esta honda

Around these ponds there is some tall grass. Away from them all the grass is very short, a span high or less. The land is shaped like a ball: wherever a man stands, the sky closes around him at a crossbow shot. There are no trees except along the rivers, which run in ravines. These are so hidden that you cannot see them until you are at their edge. They are of bare earth, and the bison have made paths into them to reach the water, which lies deep.

por estos llanos andan gentes como tengo dicho en la primera parte en pos de las bacas haçiendo caça y adobãdo cueros para lleuar a bender a los poblados los inbiernos porque ban a inbernar a ellos cada compañia a donde mas çerca se halla unos a los poblados de cicuye otros haçia quiuira otros haçia la florida a los poblados que estan haçia aquella parte y puerto estan gentes que los llamã querechos y teyas dan relaçion de grandes poblados y segun lo que de estas gentes se bio y de otros que ellos daban notiçia que auia por otras partes ella es harto mas gente que no la de los poblados mas dispuesta y mayores hombres de guerra y mas temidos

Peoples roam these plains, as I said in the first part, following the bison. They hunt and dress hides to take and sell in the towns in winter, because they go to spend the winter there. Each band goes to whatever town is nearest: some to the towns of Cicuye, others toward Quivira, and others toward Florida, to the towns in that direction. These people, called Querechos and Teyas, tell of great towns. From what we saw of them, and of others they told us lived in other places, there are far more of these people than of the town people. They are better built, greater warriors, and more feared.

ay por estos llanos muy gran cantidad de lobos que andā tras de las bacas tienen el pelo blanco los sieruos son remendados de blanco el pelo ancho y que muriendo ansi con la mano se pelan en caliente y quedan como puerco pelado las liebres que son en gran numero andan tan abobadas que yendo a cauallo las matan con las lanças esto es de andar hechas entre las bacas de la gente de pie huyen.

On these plains there are a great many wolves, which follow the bison. They have white fur. The deer are patched with white and have coarse hair. When they are killed, the hair can be pulled out by hand while the body is still warm, leaving them like a scalded pig. The hares are very many and so dazed that men on horseback kill them with their lances. This is because they are used to moving among the bison. From people on foot they run away.

13. Sunday. Travelled 7 Miles S.W.b.W. Level land, and ledges of woods; and numbers of Buffalo. Indians killed a great many. In the evening we were joined by 7 Archithinue Natives on Horse-back, who informed us we should see the Great Leader, & numbers of Archithinue Natives to-morrow.

13. Sunday. Traveled 7 miles southwest by west. Level land, and strips of woods, and numbers of buffalo. The Indians killed a great many. In the evening we were joined by 7 Archithinue natives on horseback, who told us we would see the Great Leader, and numbers of Archithinue natives, tomorrow.

15. Tuesday. Froze a little last night. Our women employed dressing Beaver skins for cloathing. About 10 o'clock A.M. I was invited to the Archithinue Leader's tent: when by an interpreter I told him what I was sent for, & desired of him to allow some of his young men to go down to the Fort with me, where they would be kindly received, and get Guns &c. But he answered, it was far off, & they could not live without Buffalo flesh; and that they could not leave their horses &c: and many other obstacles, though all might be got over if they were acquainted with a Canoe, and could eat Fish, which they never do. The Chief further said they never wanted food, as they followed the Buffalo & killed them with the Bows and Arrows; and he was informed the Natives that frequented the Settlements, were oftentimes starved on their journey. Such remarks I thought exceeding true.

15. Tuesday. It froze a little last night. Our women were busy dressing beaver skins for clothing. About 10 o'clock in the morning I was invited to the Archithinue leader's tent. There, through an interpreter, I told him what I had been sent for. I asked him to allow some of his young men to go down to the fort with me, where they would be kindly received and get guns and so on. But he answered that it was far off, and they could not live without buffalo meat, and that they could not leave their horses, and so on. He gave many other obstacles, though all might be overcome if they knew how to use a canoe and could eat fish, which they never do. The chief further said that they never lacked food, as they followed the buffalo and killed them with bows and arrows. And he had been told that the natives who went to the settlements were often starving on their journey. Such remarks I thought exceedingly true.

16. Wednesday. Women employed as yesterday. With the Leader's permission, I rode a hunting with twenty of his young men. They killed 8 Buffalo, excellent sport. They are so expert that with one, or two, arrows they will drop a Buffalo. As for me I had sufficient employ to manage my horse. When I came home I was invited to the Leader's tent again where were all the Asinepoet Leaders, etc., I thought it very curious as there were four different languages among us. The Leader gave orders to pitch away from him, and that we would see him again in the Spring, when they came down after the Buffalo. He gave one of the Leaders two young slaves as a present and 40 Buffalo tongues; they were both girls.

16. Wednesday. The women were busy as yesterday. With the leader's permission, I rode hunting with twenty of his young men. They killed 8 buffalo; excellent sport. They are so skilled that with one or two arrows they will bring down a buffalo. As for me, I had enough to do to manage my horse. When I came home, I was invited to the leader's tent again, where all the Asinepoet leaders were. I thought it very curious, as there were four different languages among us. The leader gave orders for us to move camp away from him, and said that we would see him again in the spring, when they came down after the buffalo. He gave one of the leaders two young slaves as a present, and 40 buffalo tongues. They were both girls.

After smoaking, the eatables were produced, consisting chiefly of wild meat; such as venison, bear, and buffalo; tho' I cannot much commend their cookery, every thing being greatly overdone: there were likewise potatoes, pumpkins, homminy, boiled corn, beans, and pease, served up in small flat baskets, made of split canes, which were distributed amongst the croud; and water, which, except the spirituous liquor brought by the Europeans, is their only drink, was handed about in small goards. What contributed greatly to render this feast disgusting, was eating without knives and forks, and being obliged to grope from dish to dish in the dark.

After smoking, the food was brought out. It was mostly wild meat, such as venison, bear, and buffalo. I cannot say much for their cooking, though, as everything was greatly overdone. There were also potatoes, pumpkins, hominy, boiled corn, beans, and peas, served in small flat baskets made of split canes, which were passed around the crowd. Water, which is their only drink apart from the liquor the Europeans bring, was handed about in small gourds. What did most to make this feast disgusting was eating without knives and forks, and having to grope from dish to dish in the dark.