James Bowie by Clifford Hopewell

Author:Clifford Hopewell [Hopewell, Clifford]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Biography & Autobiography, Military
ISBN: 9781940130194
Google: v84mngEACAAJ
Publisher: Eakin Press
Published: 1994-01-15T01:00:47+00:00

Although Bowie was a very happily married man with an adoring wife and living with a family that considered him more of a son than a son-in-law, the state of marriage did not change the restless nature of this frontiersman. He still had to be where the action was. He was frequently gone for long absences, indulging in business deals, chasing Indians with the Rangers, or in his never-ending quest for the lost San Saba silver mines.

From the early days of Spanish colonization there had been reports of marvelously rich silver mines near the site of the old San Saba Mission, which, according to John Bowie, were 200 miles northwest of Bexar. The mines apparently were first operated by the Indians, then seized by the Spaniards, who kept operations going with Indian labor. Emperor Agustin de Iturbide was interested in operating the mines, but after his abdication on March 19, 1823, government interest in them fizzled out.16

The area swarmed with hostile Indians, chiefly the Comanches, Lipan Apaches, and Karankawas, and the operation of the mines by Mexicans was practically impossible without the aid of government troops. The Indians had had a taste of what life had been like under the Spaniards, and they were quite content to have nothing further to do with the white man. Indians of the Lipan Apache tribe repossessed the mines and were working it when Bowie first began making his search, and frequently Indians would appear in San Antonio wearing some silver. This intrigued Bowie.

On one of his trips to the Indian country, Bowie had met Xolic, chief of the Lipan Apaches. The chief had broken a leg, and James had successfully set it. Xolic was so pleased that he had Bowie made a member of the tribe.17

Bowie was intelligent enough to know he had to ingratiate himself with the Lipans if he expected their cooperation in finding the silver mines. He knew if he could get their permission to enter their country he could then devote most of his time and energy to seeking the mines, and not have to worry about suddenly finding an arrow in his back. He carefully cultivated Chief Xolic, who had forbidden any of his tribe to reveal the location of the mines on pain of death by torture. The old man was grateful to Bowie for setting his leg, and might have eventually revealed the secret. Unfortunately, he died and was succeeded by Tres Manos (Three Hands), who distrusted all white men completely.

Tres Manos is said to have angered Bowie by bluntly telling him of his distrust of white men, and warning him to stay out of Lipan Apache country. James had spent months hunting and fighting with the tribe, and he didn’t appreciate suddenly being told by Tres Manos to leave the tribal lands. He had never told the Indians he was on the search for the mines, but he thought they had discovered that he was, in fact, searching for them. He also thought he knew their location, or perhaps he had actually seen the fabulous lode.

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