WHO WERE THE PADOUCA? BY GEORGE BIRD GRINNELL
A CCOUNTS of early exploration in the West seem to show 2~\^ that the Padouca, under their various similar names, occupied the central plains from the Black Hills region south to the Arkansas or beyond. The name was familiar for one hundred years, and then passed out of use. It appears on early maps, but not in a way to indicate much about the tribe's relation- ship to other peoples. Some of these maps are mentioned here:
D'Anville's map, said to be drawn in 1732, published in 1755, has the Kansas river marked "R. des Padoucas et Kansez."
du Pratz's map of Louisiana, 1758, shows Padouca villages in four places:
1. On north bank of Arkansas river about northeast of Santa Fe.
2. On the head of a southern branch of the Kansas river possibly
the Smoky Hill. This village is marked "Gr [and] Village of the Padoucas."
3. On the n. bank of the n. fork of Kansas river [(?) Republican
river] about due north of the Grand village.
4. On a southern branch of the Missouri, which probably is intended
for the Platte.
He says the distance from the Padouca village to the Kanzes village on the Missouri is 65 > leagues. The length of a French league is uncertain, but it was not more than 2.75 miles. This would make the distance perhaps 180 miles or less and would put the Grand Padouca village about as far above the forks of the Kansas river as Ellsworth, Kansas.
This map shows no Apaches at all in the plains east of New Mexico and north of Texas.
Palairet's map, 1755, marks Kansas river, "R. Padoucas." Sets down village of the Padoucas as situated 232 miles west of the
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