The Kiowa are generally regarded as an independent stock (see Bureau of Ethnology _Report_, 1885-86, p. 84), whose pristine territory was rather indefinitely located on the upper Arkansas and Platte. The Comanche were closely associated. There are now about eleven hundred Kiowa in Oklahoma.—ED. The party was led by the most distinguished brave of the village, and half brother of the Metiff chief, but of unmixed blood, and a principal supporter of the influence of that chief. The party, who were all on foot, were on their way to capture horses, but they were badly armed for a contest, and had but {86} twelve guns amongst them. They were proceeding cautiously along in the prairies between the head waters of the Arkansa and the Rio del Norte, when one party of their runners, or discoverers, came in with information that a great body of the enemy were ahead, and had not seen them; another party of runners soon came in with the same information. The whole now halted to wait for night to capture horses, and busied themselves in preparing their ropes and halters, and in putting themselves in the best order in case of attack. One of the party ascended a small eminence, and perceived three of the enemy mounted and coming on in full career; presently more appeared, and soon after they began to show themselves in every quarter. It was now evident to the party, that the enemy were the first discoverers, and that they were now necessitated to contend against a vastly superior force, better armed than themselves, and possessing also the advantage of being all mounted on good horses. It was obvious also that there was no hope for them, but in the display of desperate valour. Their first wish had been to gain a creek at some distance in the rear, which was margined with small timber; but as their enemy now completely surrounded them, this was impossible. The battle commenced about ten o'clock A. M., and soon raged with great fury. Every muscle was called into action in our little band, who hung firmly together, discharging their arrows and occasionally a fusee at the enemy with the steadiest aim. The dead and wounded were falling in every direction in both parties. The enemy were so numerous that numbers of their braves, armed only with a shield, having rejected their offensive weapons, hovered in front of their companions, intent only' upon the acquisition of the renown dearest to the heart of the warrior, that of first striking the body of a fallen enemy; many of them however were killed, even by their own people, as they rushed along and intercepted the flight of the {87} arrow or bullet from its destined mark. The combatants were at very close quarters, and the arrow had its full effect. They were for some time intermingled, and contended with their war-clubs and knives. The partizan, who had been wounded severely early in the action, and had received several more wounds during its continuance, now was struck by an arrow, which buried itself to the