While we know our northern friends may not feel it, in the South, Spring is
here. So we thought we'd share a few of our gardening sites appropriate
for this time of the year. Along with gardening, there's grilling, and getting
ready to diet so that you can fit back into that bathing suit this summer!
Yatasi. A tribe of the
Caddo confederacy, closely affiliated in language with
the
Natchitoch. They are first spoken of by Tonti, who states that in 1690
their village was on Red river of Louisiana, north west of the Natchitoch, where they
were living in company with the Natasi and Choye. Bienville and St Denys, during
their Red river trip in 1701, made an alliance with the Yatasi and henceforward the
tribe seems to have been true to the friendship then sealed. The road frequented
by travelers from the Spanish province to the French settlements on Red river and
at New Orleans passed near their village. During the disputes incident to the
uncertain boundary line between the Spanish and the French possessions and to
the Spanish restrictions on intertrade, they proved their steadfastness to the
French interests
by refusing to comply with the Spanish demand to close the road. The Indians
maintained that "the road had always been theirs" and that it should remain
open. St Dent's' invitation to the various tribes dwelling in the vicinity of
the post and fort established among the Natchitoch in 1712-14 to settle near by
under his protection was opportune, for the
Chickasaw were then waging war along
Red river and the Yatasi were among the sufferers. A part of the tribe sought
refuge with the Natchitoch, while others fled up the river to the
Kadohadacho
and to the Nanatsoho and the Nasoni. The wars of the l8th century and the
introduction of new diseases, especially smallpox and measles, had such an
effect on the Yatasi that by 1800, according to Sibley, they had become reduced
to 8 men and 25 women and children. This remnant was then living in a village
midway between the Kadohadacho and the Natchitoch, surrounded by French
settlements. In 1826 (U. S. Ind. Treat., 465, 1826) they numbered 26 on Red
river
Little more than the name of the Yatasi now survives, and those who claim descent
from the tribe live with the Caddo on the
Wichita
Reservation in Oklahoma.
