Karankawa

The Karankawa were seasonally wandering bands along the Gulf coast of southern Texas, from Galveston Bay toward Corpus Christi, including the Capoque. They paddled dugout canoes between camps, pitched hide-covered wigwams, and used natural asphalt to fix arrowheads and waterproof baskets.

In 1528 Cabeza de Vaca, wrecked on Galveston Island, was cared for by the Capoque and lived seven years among the coast peoples. After La Salle's Frenchmen stole their canoes and built Fort St. Louis, the Karankawa overran it and spared five settlers; a Spanish expedition rescued them in 1689.

Spain established the presidio and mission system of La Bahía from 1722, but the Karankawa fled the missions and raided Mission Rosario. After Stephen Austin's colonists arrived in 1821 they were hunted, and some who fought for Mexico at the Alamo in 1836 drew Texan retaliation, beginning their final dispersal.