The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 2, July 1898 - April, 1899 Page: 306
[335] p. : ill. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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306 Texas Historical Association Quarterly.
These Tejas Indians have always had among them an old Indian
who was their minister, and presented their offerings to God. They
observed the custom never to taste any eatable without first taking
a portion of it to their minister for sacrifice; they did this with the
produce of their lands-as corn, beans, watermelons, and squashes
-as well as with the buffalo meat they obtained by hunting. Their
minister had a house reserved for the sacrifices, and when they en-
tered therein they behaved very reverentially, particularly during a
sacrifice. They never sacrificed to idols, but only to him of whom
they said that he has all power and that from him come all things,
which is recognising a first cause.
The captains as well as the governor himself, all treat this min-
ister with much consideration, and in order to induce him to visit
us, as well as to avoid hurting his feelings, the governor sent out
the captains with orders to do honor to the Indian priest and bring
him with them. They went, and during three days and nights
they entertained him with songs and dances, as is their custom,
and when they returned home, he accompanied them. They arrived
at noon, just as we were about to have dinner. Since I was eager
to see the ceremonies of these people, I suggested that we should
wait for that priest of theirs and ask him to eat at our table. He
came advancing slowly, and bearing himself with much dignity,
and with him was a crowd of Indians, men, women, and children.
He appeared extremely serious and reserved, and, as soon as he
reached the place where we were the governor bade him kiss our
robe. This he did, and when we sat down to dinner I asked the
governor to let our visitor sit by his side.
When this Indian priest took his first mouthful, instead of ask-
ing a blessing, he made with the food, as he took it out of the dish,
a sign like that of the cross, pointing, as it were, to the four winds,
or cardinal points. After dinner we gave him clothing for himself
and his wife, and he was quite pleased.
Later we were told by an Indian who was then with the Tejas
but came from the country beyond - from Coahuila - and who
spoke Mexican, that the abovementioned priest of the Tejas had
told all the captains and other Tejas:-"Now you will no longer
heed me, for these priests who have come to you are the true
priests of Ayimat Caddi"-which last name signifies, in their lan-
guage, "The Great Captain." This was the name he gave to God,
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Texas State Historical Association. The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 2, July 1898 - April, 1899, periodical, 1898/1899; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101011/m1/310/: accessed May 1, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.