The Thrilling Mission of Commissioner Joseph C. Eldridge to the Wild Tribes in 1843, by Authority of President Houston -- Hamilton P. Bee, Thomas Torrey --- the three Delawares, Jim Shaw, John Connor and Jim Second Eye --- The Treaty. (Part 2a of 2b) As soon as the blind chief's boy -- a beautiful child, handsomely dressed in ornamented buckskin -- gathered a supply of plums, they mounted and returned to their town, accompanied by a few of the Delawares, In the afternoon a delegation of the Comanches visited Eldridge and invited him and his party to visit their town. Promptly saddling up and escorted by about 500 Comanche warriors, in abut two hours' ride, they entered the town of the great chief Payhayuco, and for the first time beheld the pride and the glory of the wild tribes -- the Comanche Indian in his Bedouin-like home. with considerable ceremony they were conducted to the tent of Payhayuco, who was absent, but the honors were done by the chief of his seven wives, who caused the best tent to be vacated and placed at the disposal of her white guests. It was hot, August weather, and such crowds of Comanches, of all ages and sexes, pressed in and around the tent that it became so suffocating as to necessitate the erection of their own tent, which was open at both ends. First getting the consent of their hostess, this was done. Finding that the chief would be absent a week yet to come, and their business being with him, they could only patiently await his arrival. They were ceaseless curiosities to all the younger Comanches, who had never seen a white man, and who continued to crowd around and inspect them; rolling up their sleeves to show their white arms to the children, etc. While thus delayed the Comanches twice moved their town, and our people were astonished at the regularity with which each new location was laid off into streets and the precision with which each family took its position in each new place. Mr. Bee accompanied the warriors on two or three buffalo hunts, and was surprised at their wonderful dexterity. Payhayuco arrived on the afternoon of August 9, (1843), and occupied the tent adjoining the whites. They were soon informally presented to him and courteously received, but no clue was obtained as to the state of his mind. At sunrise next morning about a hundred warriors met in council in a large tent, sitting on the ground in a series of circles diminshing from circumference to center wherein Payhayuco sat. Our friends, not being invited, took a brief glance at them and retired to their own tent, leaving their case with the Delawares, who attended the council. About 10 a.m. a sort of committee from the council waited on them to say that a report had come from the Waco village, where they had tarried so long, charging that they were bad men and had given poison to the Wacos, and wanted to know what they had to say about it. This was supremely preposterous, but it was also gravely suggestive of danger. They repelled the charge and referred to the old Waco chief, Acoquash, then present, their companion on the whole trio, and whose wife they had cured. Whart a hazard they had passed! Had that poor squaw died instead of recovering under Bee's treatment, their fate would have been sealed. A Choctaw negro, who understood but little Comanche, told them the council was deliberating on their lives and talking savagely. They sent for the Delawares and told them of this. The Delawares denied it, and reassured them. But half an hour later their favorite Delaware hunter, the only one in whose friendship they fully confined, informed them at the Comanches were going to kill them. They were, of course, very much alarmed by this second warning, and, again summoning the trio, told Jim Shaw they were not children, but men, and demanded to know the truth. Shaw replied that he had desired to conceal their peril from them as long as possible, and for that reason had told them a lie; but in truth the council was clamorous and unanimous for their death; that all the chiefs who had a right to speak had done so, and all were against them; that they (Shaw and Connor) had done all they could from them; had told the council they would die with them, as the had promised the White Father they would take care of them and would never return without them; and that Acoquash had been equally true to them. They added that only Payhayuco was yet to speak, but even should he take the opposite side they did not believe he had influence enought to save theri lives. "Next came into our tent" (I quote the language of Gen. Bee on this incident), "our dear old friend Acoquash, where we three lone white men were sittng, betraying the most intense feeling, shaken all over and great tears rolling from his eyes, and as best he could, told us that we would soon be put to death. He said he had told them his father was once a great chief the head of a nation who were lords of the prairie, but had always been the friends of the Comanches, who always listened to the counsel of his father, for it was always good, and he had begged them to listenm to him as their fathers had listed to his father, when he told them that we (Eldridge, Bee and Torrey) were messengers of peace; that we had the 'white flag,' and that the vengenace of the Great Spirit would be turned against them if they killed such messengers; but he said it was of no avail. We had to die and he would die with us for he loved us as his own children. Poor old Indian! My heart yearns to him yet after the lapse of so many years." [Gen. Bee to his children.] Acoquash then returned to the council. Our friends, of course, agonized as brave men may who are to die as dogs, but they soon recovered composure and resolved on their course. Each had two pistols. When the party should come to take them out for death, each would kill an Indian with one, and then, to escape slow torture, empty the other into his own brain. From 12 to 4 o'clock not a word was spoken in that council All sat in silence, awaiting the voice of Payhayuco. At 4 o'clock his voice was heard, but no one reported to the doomed men. Then other voices were heard, and occasionally those of the Delawares. A little later confusion seemed to prevail, and many voices were heard. Bee said to Eldridge: "See the setting sun, old fellow! It is the last we shall ever see on earth!" At the same instant approaching footsteps were heard. Each of the three sprang to his feet, a pistol in each hand, when "dear old" Acoquash burst into the tent and threw himself into the arms of Eldridge. Bee and Torrey thought the old Spartan had come to redeem his pledge and die with them, but in a moment realized that his convulsive action was the fruit of uncontrollable joy. The next moment the Delawares rushed in exclaiming. "Saved! saved!" "Oh! God! can I ever forget that moment! To the earth, from which we came, we fell as if we had been shot, communing with Him who reigns over all -- a scene that might be portrayed on canvas, but not described! Prostrate on the earth lay the white man and the red man, creatures of a common brotherhood, typified and made evident that day in the wilderness; not a word spoken; each bowed tothe earth -- brothers in danger and brothers n the holy electric spark which caused each in his way to thank God for delieverance." [Gen. Bee to his children.] After this ordeal had been passed, succeeded by a measure of almost heavenly repose, the interpreters, now fully reconciled to Eldridge, explained that after that solemn silence of four hours, Payhayuco had eloquently espoused the cause of mercy and the sanctity of the white flag borne by the messengers of peace. His appeal was, perhaps, as powerful and pathetic as ever fell from the lips of an untutored son of the forest. Upon conclusion, amid much confusion and the hum of excited voices, he took the vote per capita and was sustained by a small majority. The sun sank at the same moment, reflecting rays of joy upon the western horizon, causing among the saved a solemn and inexpressibly grateful sense of the majesty and benignity of the King of kings -- our Father in Heaven. As darkness came, the stentorian voice of Payhayuco was successively heard in the four quarters of the town, its tones denoting words of command. Our countrymen demanded of the interpreters to know what he was saying. The latter answered: "He is telling them you are under his protection and must not, at the peril of their lives, be hurt." A hundred warriors were then placed in a circle around the tent, and so remained till next morning. No Indian was allowed to enter the circle. When morning came they were invited to the council, when Capt. Eldridge delivered the message of friendship from President Houston, and invited them to accompany him in and meet the council at Bird's Fort; but this was the 11th of August, a day after the date heretofore fixed for the assemblage, and a new date would be selected promptly on their arrival, or sooner if runners were sent in advance. The presents were then distributed and an answer awaited. On their arrival the little Comanche boy had been given up. He still remembered some of his mother tongue and at once relapsed into barbariasm. But now Capt. Eldridge tendered to the chief little Maria, a beautiful Indian child, neatly dressed, who knew no word but English. A scene followed which brought tears to the eyes of not only the white men, but also of the Delawares. The child seemed horrified, clung desperately and imploringly to Capt. Eldridge, and screamed most piteously; but the whole scene cannot be described here. It was simply heartrending. She was taken up by a huge warrior and borne away, uttering piercing cries of despair. For years afterwards she was occasionally heard of, still bearing the name of Maria, acting as interpreter at Indian councils. (Note: To be continued ...... Part 2b)