Page:Don Coronado through Kansas.djvu/213

■900 PREPARING POIl THE COMBAT. others ot the party, to get their assent, which wg,s liealrtily j^ven, and with few eiicoptions all desired to tafe part, tut it was finally arranged that twelve on each side would be the practical number, or a total of twenty-four, Father Padilla, who was a soldier before becoming a priest, consenting to act as herald, ehoos' ing his own assistants from the men who did not take part in the sport. Ysopete is then instructed in the .necessary arrangements, which are requisite to the carrying out of the program^ which is set for two days thereafter so as to give; the men an opportunity to prepare, and then the guide goes to Chief Tatarrax and informs him. of the wishes of Corcnado. The chief at once enters into the spirit of the matter and concludes he will give an exhibition of his warriors' sldll in the various sports of the country: so hastily the lieutenants of the chief are caUed into council, and a plan of procedure is agreed upon which is to take place the day following the new-comers' display. Now all is bustle, not only among the Spaniards, who are procuring nice, straight, hickory saplings to make their lances, but swords like single sticks must be improvised for the joust; then their armor must be poUshed; in fact, the best foot must be put forward by everybody, both red and white. Word is hurriedly transmitted aU over the country of the comin'.? cere- monies, and rest assured that every man, worn m and child wiU be present within fifty miles from Manhat- tan (except Padoucas, who must not shu .v themselves on pain of death), and word has been sent up the Blue, up and down the Kansas, to bring their racing canoes, as there are to be prizes awarded; also the