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1689.] ERA OF DISCOVERIES AND MISSIONS.
11
against the whites, they divided their strength, some
few favoring the Spaniards, many more siding with the
French, while others, Ishmael-like, turned their hands
against every man.*
Spanish Search for La Salle.-At the time of the
capture of La Salle's ship, the Spanish did not know
where the French were going, yet they feared that Texas
was the point of destination.t Months afterward it was
learned from the Indians that strange white men had
settled near the Gulf coast. After some time, De Leon
(la on'), governor of Coahuila (ko ah wee' la), with about
one hundred men, was sent to find and destroy the
French. He found Fort St. Louis, but it was in ruins,
with little to show that it had once been a town with
comfortable homes. Search being made among the In-
dians, two of the French were discovered, and sent as
slaves to the silver-mines of Mexico.
* At the head of the Texas tribes stood the Comanches. In addition to bows
and arrows, they had long spears, tipped with as sword-point; this made them more
formidable in war than the warriors of any other tribe. They had one great chief,
and several subordinates. Four times a year councils were held in various vil-
lages, but once a year, a grand council of the whole tribe convened. Here all im-
portant matters were discussed, all general movements decided, and all criminals
tried.
t The word Texas is used here only for the convenience of the pupil, since at
this date there was no territory bearing that name. Historians differ as to the
origin of the name. The most plausible theory seems to be this: the Spanish word
teja (tay hah') means a roof. De Leon, hearing of a tribe of Indians called the
Tejas on account of the extra quality of their thatched roofs, called all the country
over which these red men roamed Tejas. In course of time the j was corrupted
into x and the name was applied to a larger territory. Some authorities state that
the Spanish records in San Antonio show that De Leon and his men, on meeting
the Indians, were affectionately embraced and greeted as "Tehias! Tehias!"
(Friends I Friends 1) As other tribes also proved friendly, De Leon called them
all " Tehias," and their lands Texas.
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Pennybacker, Anna J. Hardwicke. A new history of Texas for schools : also for general reading and for teachers preparing themselves for examination, book, 1895; Palestine, Tex.. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth2388/m1/23/: accessed March 28, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .