CHAPTER XIll.

Indians, concluded.—‘‘The Waiilatpu massacre.”—The thrilling story of
one who, as a girl, was an eye witness and then taken away as a
prisoner.—Forebodings of the murderous outbreak.—Friendly warn-
ing given.—-The dying hours of Dr. and, Mrs, Whitman.—Mission life
among the Indians.—As the Indians were in 1852 and then in 1856,—
Death of chief Kanaskat.—How Indians are preserved.—How “ civili-
zation” was introduced to the natives of South and Central America.

THE WAIILATPU MASSACRE,

[Mrs. Clark Pringle, whose maiden name was Catherine Sager, and
who was one of the children adopted by Dr. and Mrs. Whitman, was 13
years old at the time of this notable massacre. She was an eye witness to
all that preceded it, as well as to much that occurred, Her experience was
dreadful in the extreme. The following article was written by her and
sent to Mr. S, A. Clarke, as a contribution to his history of ‘‘ Pioneer Days,”
and by him furnished to THe OrEGonIAN. Some new facts are learned
from her account, although, even were not this the case, the narrative it-
self would prove of sufficient interest to attract the reader.

Mr. Clarke says: ‘‘I consider this the most valuable description of that
sad and terrible affair that ever has been written. Mrs. Pringle possesses
rare ability as a writer, as ali must concede.”’]

In the year 1836 Dr. Marcus Whitman and his wife, in com-
pany with Rev. H. H. Spalding and wife, crossed the Rocky
mountains and settled among the Nez-Pereés and Cayuse Indians
as missionaries. Dr. Whitman’s location was among the latter
tribe, in the Walla Walla valley. He and his bride had left civi-
lization immediately after their marriage and settled among
savages, with the intention of raising themfrom their degradation.
For eleven years they toiled with pleasing success, and were led
to think that ere many years should pass their dreams would be
realized, that the heathen tribe would be a Christian people.
Their only child, a daughter, was drowned when two years
old, but they had filled their house with children whom they had
adopted. These children were as follows: A nephew of Dr. Whit-
man; three half-breeds, named Mary Ann Bridger, Helen M.
Meek and David M. Cortez. In 1844 my parents died crossing the
plains on their way to Oregon, leaving seven children, the eldest
14 years old, and the youngest a babe of six months. We were at
their request taken to the station of Dr. Whitman, and he and his
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Mission LIFE AMONG THE INDIANS. 181

wife adopted the seven. Here we lived the happy, careless life of
childhood. It mattered not to us that our associations were con-
fined to members of the family; there were enough of us to keep
the house ringing with mirth from morning until night. Three
years this life lasted, and then a storm began to gather and cast
its shadow over this happy home. First it was but a small cloud,
in the distance; then was heard low, muttering thunder; finally
the whole horizon was overcast and the storm broke with a fury
that wrecked and scattered the household forever, casting a gloom
over all coming time to those who survived its ravages.

SOME OF THE CAUSES.

In the fall of 1847 the emigration over the mountains brought
the measles. It spread among the Indians, and owing to their
manner of living it proved very fatal. It was customary for emi-
grant families who arrived late, to winter at the station, and some
seven or eight families had put up there to spend the winter of
1847. Among the arrivals was a half-breed named Joseph Lewis,
who had joined the emigration at Fort Hall. Much against his
will, the doctor admitted this person into his family for the
winter. None of us liked him; he seemed surly and morose.
There was also a Frenchman named Joseph Stanfield, who had
been in the doctor’s employ since the year 1845. Up to the year
1847 the Protestant missions had been the only religious influence
among the Indians. In the fall of this year the Catholic church
established missions among them, and the teachings of the two
clashed. The Indian mind is so constructed that he cannot re-
concile the different isms, consequently they became much worked
up on the subject. Many long talks occurred between them and
Dr. Whitman, in reference to the two religious systems. Owing
to the sickness, and these other causes, the natives began to show
an insolent and hostile feeling. It was now late in the season and
the weather was very inclement. Whitman’s large family were
all sick and the disease was raging fearfully among the Indians,
who were rapidly dying. I saw from five to six buried daily.
The field was open for creating mischief and the two Joes im-
proved it. Jo. Lewis was the chief agent; his cupidity had been
awakened and he and his associate expected to reap a large spoil.
A few days previous to the massacre Mr. Spalding arrived at the
station, accompanied by his daughter, 10 years old. She was the
second child born of white parents west of the Rocky mountains,

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182 Inprax Massacre.

Dr. Whitman’s child being the first. She had lived her ten years of
life among the natives and spoke the language fluently. Saturday,
after his arrival, Mr. Spalding accompanied Dr. Whitman to the
Umatilla, to visit the Indians there and hold a meeting for wor-
ship with them upon the Sabbath. They rode nearly all night, in
a heavy rain. Dr. Whitman spent the next day visiting the sick,
and returned to the lodge, where Mr. Spalding was staying, late
in the afternoon, nearly worn out with fatigue. The condition of
his family made it imperative that he should return home, so
arrangements were made for Mr. Spalding to remain a few days
on the Umatilla, to visit among and preach to the Indians.

A CONSPIRACY UNFOLDED.

As Dr. Whitman was mounting his horse to leave, Stickas, a
friendly Christian Indian, who was the owner of the lodge, came
out and told him that “Jo Lewis was making trouble; that he was
telling his (Stickas’) people that the doctor and Mr. Spalding were
poisoning the Indians, so as to give their country to his own
people.” He said: “I do not believe him, but some do, and I fear
they will do you harm; you had better go away for awhile, until
my people have better hearts.”

Doctor Whitman arrived at home about ten o’clock that night,
having ridden twenty-five miles after sundown. He sent my two
brothers, who were sitting up with the sick, to bed, saying that he
would watch the remainder of the night. After they had retired
he examined the patients, one after the other. (I also was lying
sick at the time.) Coming to Helen, he spoke and told his wife,
who was lying on the bed, that Helen was dying. He sat and
watched her for some time, when she rallied and seemed better.
I had noticed ti.at he seemed to be troubled when he first came
home, but coneluded that it was anxiety in reference to the sick
children.

Taking a chair, he sat down by the stove and requested his
wife to arise, as he wished to talk with her. She complied, and he
related to her what Stickas had told him that day; also that he
had learned that the Indians were holding councils every night.

After conversing for some time, his wife retired to another
room and the doctor kept his lonely watch. Observing that I was
restless, he surmised that I had overheard the conversation. By
kind and soothing words he allayed my fears, and I went to sleep.
I can see it all now, and remember just how he looked.

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Mission Lire AMONG THE INuIANs. 183

The fatal 29th of November dawned, a cold, foggy morning.
It would seem as though the sun was afraid to look upon the
bloody deed the day was to bring forth, and that nature was
weeping over the wickedness of man. Father’s (Dr. Whitman)
brow was serene, with no trace of the storm that had raged in his
breast during the night. He was somewhat more serious than
usual, Most of the children were better, only three being danger-
ous; two of these afterwards died. We saw nothing of mother
(Mrs. Whitman). One of the girls put some breakfast on a plate
and earried it to her. She was sitting with her face buried in her
handkerchief, sobbing bitterly. Taking the food she motioned
the child to leave. The food was there, untouched, next morning.

LAST HOUR AT WHITMAN’S STATION.

An Indian child had died during the night and was to be
brought to the station for burial. While awaiting the coming of
the corpse, Dr. Whitman sat reading and conversing with his
assistant, Mr. Rodgers, upon the difficulties that seemed to sur-
round him, the discontent of the Indians, the Catholics forcing
themselves upon him, and the insinuations of Jo Lewis. He
made plans for conciliating the natives and for improving their
condition. He said that the bishop was coming to see him in a
few days, and he thought that then he could get the Indians to
give him leave to go away in the spring, adding:

“Tf things do not clear up by that time, I will move my
family below.”

Being informed of the arrival of the corpse, he arose, and
after calling his wife and giving her directions in regard to the
sick children, he wended his way to the graveyard.

A beef had to be killed for the use of the station, and my
brother Francis, accompanied by Jo Stanfield, had gone early to
the range and driven it in, and three or four men were dressing
it near the grist-mill, which was running, grinding grist for the
Indians.

Upon the return from the funeral the doctor remarked that
none but the relatives were at the burying, although large num-
bers were assembled near by; but it might be owing to the beef
being killed, as it was their custom to gather at such times. His
wife requested him to go up stairs to see Miss Bewley, who was
quite sick. He complied, returning shortly with a troubled look
on his countenance. He crossed the room to a sash door that

184 INDIAN MASSACRE.

fronted the mill, and stood for some moments drumming upon
the glass with his fingers, Turning around, he said:

“ Poor Lorinda is in trouble and does not know the cause. I
found her weeping, and she said there was a presentiment of evil
on her mind that she could not overcome. I will get her some
medicine, and, wife, you take it up to her, and try and comfort
her a little, for I have failed in the attempt.”

As he said this he walked to the medicine case, and was
making a selection. His wife had gone to the pantry for milk tor
one of the children; the kitchen was full of Indians, and their
boisterous manner alarmed her. She fled to the sitting room,
bolting the door in the face of the savages who tried to pass in.
She had not taken her hand from the lock when the Indians
rapped and asked for the doctor. She said, “Doctor, you are
wanted.” He went out, telling her to fasten the door after him;
she did so. Listening for a moment, she seemed to be reassured,
crossed the room and took up the youngest child. She sat down
with this child in her arms. Just then Mrs. Osborn came in from
an adjoining room and sat down. This was the first time this
lady had been out of her room for weeks, having been very ill.

THE STORM BURSTS ON WAITLATPU.

She had scarcely sat down when we were all startled by an
explosion that seemed to shake the house. The two women
sprang to their feet, and stood with white faces and distended
eyes. The children rushed out doors, some of them without
clothes, as we were taking a bath. Placing the child on the bed,
Mrs. Whitman called us back ani started for the kitchen, but
changing her mind, she fastened the door, and told Mrs. Osborn
to go to her room and lock the door, at the same time telling us
to put on our clothes. All this happened much quicker than I
can write it. Mrs. Whitman then began to walk the floor wring-
ing her hands, saying, “ Oh, the Indians! the Indians! they have
killed my husband, and Iam a widow!” She repeated this many
times. At this time, Mary Ann, who was in the kitchen, rushed
around the house and came in at a door that was not locked ; her
face was deathly white; we gathered around her and inquired if
father was dead? She replied, “Yes.” Just then a man from
the beef came in at the same door, with his arm broken. He
said: “Mrs. Whitman, the Indians are killing us all.” This
roused her to action. The wounded man was lying on the floor

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Mission LIFE AMONG THE INDIANS. 185

calling for water. She brought him a pitcherful from another
room, locked all the doors, then unlocking that door she went into
the kitchen. As she did so, several emigrant women, with their
small children, rushed in. Mrs. Whitman was trying to drag her
husband in; one of tie women went to her aid, and they brought
him in. He was fa.ally wounded, but conscious. The blood was
streaming from a gunshot wound in the throat Kneeling over
him, she implored him to speak to her. To all her questions he
whispered “Yes,” or “ No,” as the case might be. Mrs. Whitman
would often step to the sash door and look out through the win-
dow to see what was going on out of doors, as the roar of guns
showed us that the blood-thirsty fiends were not yet satisfied. At
such times she would exclaim: “Oh, that Jo Lewis is doing it
all!” Several times this wretch came to the door and tried tc
get into the room where we were. When Mrs. Whitman would
ask, “ What do you want, Joe?” he would run away. Looking
out we saw Mr. Rodgers running toward the house, hotly pursued
by Indians. He sprang against the door, breaking out two panes
of glass. Mrs. Whitman opened the door and let him in, and
closed it in the face of his pursuers, who, with a yell, turned to
seek other victims. Mr. Rodgers was shot through the wrist and
tomahawked on the head; seeing the doctor lying upon the floor,
he asked if he was dead, to which the doctor replied, “ No.”

MRS. WHITMAN FALLS !

The school teacher, hearing the report of the guns in the
kitchen, ran down to see what had happened; finding the coor
fastened, he stood for a moment, when Mrs. Whitman saw him,
and motioned for him to go back. He did so, and had reached
the stairs leading to the school room, when he was seized by a
savage, who had a large butcher knife. Mr. Sanders struggled,
and was about to get away, when another burly savage came to
the aid of the first. Standing by Mrs. Whitman’s side I watched
the horrid strife, until sickened, I turned away. Just then a
bullet came through the window piercing Mrs. Whitman’s
shoulder. Clapping her hands to the wound she shrieked with
pain, and then fell to the floor. I ran to her and tried to raise
her up. She said, “Child, you cannot help me, save yourself.”
We all crowded around her and began to weep. She commenced
praying for us, “Lord, save these little ones.” She repeated this

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186 INDIAN MASSACRE.

over many times. She also prayed for her parents, saying:
“This will kill my poor mother.”

The women now began to go up stairs, and Mr. Rodgers
pushed us to the stairway. I was filled with agony at the idea of
leaving the sick children, and refused to go. Mr. Rodgers was too
excited to speak, so taking up one of the children he handed her
to me, and motioned for me to take her up. I passed her to some
one else, turned and took another, and then the third, and ran up
myself. Mr. Rodgers then helped mother to her feet and brought
her up stairs, and laid her on the bed. He then knelt in prayer,
and while thus engaged, the crashing of doors informed us that
the work of death was accomplished out of doors, and our time
had come. The wounded man, whose name was Kimball, said
that if we had a gun to hold over the bannisters, it might keep
them away. There happened to be an old broken gun in the room
and this was placed over the railing. By this time they were
smashing the door leading to the stairway. Having accomplished
this they retired. All was quiet for awhile, then we heard foot-
steps in the room below, and a voice at the bottom of the stairway
called Mr. Rodgers.

SAVAGE TREACHERY.

It was an Indian, who represented that he had just come; he
would save them if he would come down. After a good deal of
parleying he came up. I told mother that I had seen him killing
the teacher, but she thought I was mistaken. He said that they
were going to burn the house, and that we must leave it. I
wrapped my little sister up, and handed her to him with the re-
quest that he would carry her. He said that they would take
Mrs. Whitman away and then come back for us. Then all left
save the children and Mr. Kimball. When they reached the room
below, mother was laid upon the settee, and carried out into the
yard by Mr. Rodgers and Jo Lewis. Having reached the yard,
Jo dropped his end of the settee, and a volley of bullets laid Mr.
Rodgers, mother, and brother ‘‘rancis, bleeding and dying, on
the ground. While the Indians were holding a council, to decide
how to get Mrs. Whitman and Mr. Rodgers into their hands, Jo
Lewis had been sent to the school room to get the school children.
They had hid in the attic, but were ferreted out and brought to
the kitchen, where they were placed in a row to be shot. But
the chief relented, and said they should not be hurt; but my

Mission LIFE AMONG THE INDIANS. 187
brother Francis was killed soon after. My oldest brother was
shot at the same time the doctor was.

Night had now come, and the chief made a speech in favor of
sparing the women and children, which was done, and they all
became prisoners. Ten ghastly, bleeding corpses lay in and
around the house. Mr. Osborn’s family had secreted themselves
under the floor, and escaped during the night, and after great
hardships reached Fort Walla Walla. One other man escaped to
this fort, but was never heard of again. Another fled to Mr.
Spalding’s station; Mr. Kimball was killed the next day; Mr.
Spalding remained at Umatilla until Wednesday, and was within
a few miles of the doctor’s station when he learned the dreadful
news. He fled, and after great suffering reached his station,
which had been saved by the presence of mind and shrewdness of
his wife. Mr. Canfield was wounded, but concealing himself until
night, he fled to Mr. Spalding’s station.

HOW DR. WHITMAN FELL.

The manner of the attack on Doctor Whitman I learned
afterwards from the Indians. Upon entering the kitchen, he took
his usual seat upon the settee which was between the wall and the
cook stove; an Indian began to talk with him in reference to a
patient the doctor was attending. While thus engaged, an Indian
struck him from behind on the head with a tomahawk; at the
same moment two guns were discharged, one at the doctor, and
the other at brother John, who was engaged in winding twine for
the purpose of making brooms. The mei. at the beef were set
upon; Mr. Kimball had his arm broken by a bullet and fled to
the doctor’s house. Mr. Hoffman fought bravely with an ax; he
split the foot of the savage who first struck the doctor, but was
overpowered. Mr. Canfield was shot, the bullet entering his side,
but he made his escape. The miller fell at his post. Mr. Hall
was laying the upper floor of a building; leaping to the ground
he wrested a gun from an Indian and fled to the fort. He was
never seen or heard of afterwards, and it is surmised that he was
murdered there. The tailor was sitting upon his table sewing, an
Indian stepped in, shot him with a pistol and then went out; he
died at midnight after great suffering. Night came and put an
end to the carnival of blood.

The November moon looked down, bright and cold, upon the
scene, nor heeded the groans of the dying, who gave forth their

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188 Ixpran Massacre.

plaints to the chill night air. Mr. Osborn’s family was coi.cealed
where they could hear Mr. Rodger’s words as he prayed to that
Saviour whom he had loved and served for many years. His
last words were, “Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly!” The clock
tolled the midnight hour ere death came to the relief of these victims
of savage brutality. The dead bodies lay where they fell, from
Monday night until Wednesday, when the Christian Indians,
among whom the doctor and his wife had labored for eleven
years, and from whom the natives have received nothing but
kindness, gave consent to have them buried, but not one of them
would help in the task. Jo Stanfield was set at the work. A
grave three feet deep and wide enough-to receive the eleven
victims was dug, and the bodies placed in it. Wolves excavated
the grave and devoured the remains. The volunteers who went
up to fight the Indians gathered up the bones, placed them in a
wagon box, and again buried them, and this is all the burial
these martyrs of Americanism in Oregon have ever received. <A
monument is now being built to their memory.
CATHARINE 8S, PRINDLE.

PIONEER Days.

A brief history of the Whitman mission-life at Waiilatpu.—The murderous
tribe of Cayuse Indians and their ideas of treachery, The final scene
of massacre.

[ Written for the Sunday Oregonian. |

Endowed with a pure religious devotion, Mareus Whitman, a
physician of good repute, and Narcissa, his wife, in the prime of
a life of activity and usefulness, devoted themselves to missionary
work among the Indians of Oregon.

There was something above the ordinary demands for such
service in the cireumstance that attended this act of devotion on
their part. A story that bordered on romance, and partook of the
old crusaders’ spirit, called for recruits to go to the far Columbia,
and attempt to Christianize the heathen tribes that had lived so
many ages in ignorance upon the farthest waters of the great
river of the West. A message sounded on the Missouri frontier
that resounded through the United States like the Macedonian
ery for help. A small company of Flatheads and Nez-Percés found
their way across the intervening wilderness and arrived at St.
Louis one half century ago, who said they came to ask that some

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Mission Lire AMONG HE LNDIANS. 189

man competent to teach the true religion of the Whites should
come to make their people acquainted with the Saviour that the
Christians worshipped. One of them had died on the journey to
the East. It is hardly possible to imagine how this little com-
pany of seekers of the light made up their minds to take this
journey, and finally accomplished it. There must have been
careful selection of the most competent for the mission; much
advice as to the methods to be followed, and much caution as to
the best course to be pursued. Certain it is that this embassy
was entitled and commissioned for this purpose, and found its
way as far east as St. Louis. They probably accompanied some
returning party of furtraders, and made themselves usefui on the
way. St. Louis was the metropolis of the fur trade, and they
naturally reached that city in such company. It was like an
electric shock to the Christian people there to know that from the
farthest West there had come to them this message and demand
for Christian teaching for the tribes beyond the Rocky moun-
tuns.

A CHRISTIAN FUR TRADER.

Among the few fur traders who found their way to the
Pacific, there were a very few who were zealous Christians and
lived lives of fervent piety, surrounded though they were by men
whose impiety was proverbial. One of these was Jedediah Smith,
the partner of Sublettes, himself one of the best known men be-
yond the Western frontier. Jedediah Smith spent much time
among the Flatheads, which tribe was very closely related, it is
said, with the Nez-Pereés. The language spoken is the same, or
similar. During his association with these tribes Smith gave
them some information of the Christian religion, and of Christ,
the Saviour. These teachings fervently impressed the minds of
both tribes, for they had traits of character readily impressed by
religious instruction. They were by nature far superior to most
of the natives of Oregon of that day. It is said that it was in
consequence of the words and work of Jedediah Smith that they
finally equipped and sent eastward the embassy that asked for
Christian teachers to expound to them the true story of the white
man’s God. So this word reached the frontier and thence tra-
versed Christendom, and resulting in the sending hither the
several missions first established among Oregon Indians, When
Jason Lee and his company came, they intended to locate among

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190 INDIAN MASSACRE.

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the Flatheads, but concluded to winter here in the Willamette.
The result was that they located here permanently. But the first
Methodist mission came in response to the appeal we have men-
tioned, and was turned from that purpose after arrival in Oregon.
Whitman came for the same purpose, and his associate went to
the Nez-Percés, whilst he planted the standard among the
Cayuses,

It is related of the four who came on this wonderful mission
to the East, only one finally returned to his hoiae and his people.
Two were taken ill and died while at the East, and another died
on the way home. Their mission was one of peace, but it was
fraught with unseen and unapprehended danger to those who bore
it. They ventured far from home, and laid down their lives in
the service of their people, and in the cause of true religion.
They sounded the cry from a far country for help, and did not
live to see the realization of their hopes.

ANSWERING THE CALL.

Dr. Whitman, in company with Rev. Samuel Parker, com-
menced the journey to Oregon in the spring of 1835. They
journeyed as far west as the American rendezvous, on Green
river, where they found a party of Nez-Percé Indians, who hailed
their coming joyfully. They agreed to take Mr. Parker with
them to the Columbia, and meet Dr. Whitman on his return the
next year, with reinforcements strong enough to do good work.
A young Nez-Percé, who was called “Lawyer,” heard of their
presence, and went to see them at their rendezvous. Dr. Whit-
man took back with him two Indian boys to be educated at the
East. As the tribe was well represented at the rendezvous, the
missionaries were able to make arranr ments of a satisfactory
nature for the establishing of missions .n their country.

In 1836, Dr. and Mrs. Whitman, and Rev. and Mrs. Spalding,
with W. H. Gray, as financial agent of the missions, crossed the
plains to Oregon. They journeyed with fur traders to Green
river, where they found their Nez-Pereé allies in waiting. The
Indians proposed making quite a detour to carry out their plans
for buffalo hunting, and as Whitman found a party of the Hud-
son’s Bay Company going direct towards the Columbia, he
accepted an invitation to accompany them. One of the Nez-Percé
chiefs went with them as an honorable escort,

So they reached the Columbia, where the Whitmans located

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Mission LIFE AMONG THE INDIANS. 191

a mission on the Walla Walla river, five miles below the city that
now bears that name. Mr. and Mrs. Spalding went a hundred
miles east and made a station at Lapwai, in the heart of the Nez-
Pereé country. It is not necessary to furnish particulars of their
journey across the continent. Enough has been said on that sub-
ject in reciting the adventures of many others. They were
warmly welcomed and immediately went to work to build stations
and erect mills and establish schools. It was a great event to
these native tribes to have Christian teachers, as well as civilized
workers, among them. They, for a while, appreciated their ad-
vantages, but in time became accustomed to them as a matter of
course. This was especially true of the Cayuses, who were among
the most savage and barbarous of all savages. They constantly
imposed upon the good nature and forbearance of ()iciy teachers
and made life distressing to them.

LOCATING THE MISSION STATIONS

Dr. Whitman lived and labored among these people for
eleven years, from 1836 to 1847, He taught many of them the
rudiments of education and the arts of civilized life. They were
ins(vaeted in the use of tools to some extent, furnished lumber, and
were received and entertained at the mission. Much pains were
taken with the young, and much kindness shown the older
ones. In 1838 another mission was established in the vicin-
ity of Fort Colville, among the Spokanes. In 1839 a print-
ing press was at work at Lapwai, and a number of books
and pamphlets were published for the use of different
Indian schools. Still another mission station was established
farther up the Clearwater, at Kamiah. So the natives of that
region had efficient teachers and good schools. Only at Whit-
man’s station was there ever any serious trouble or ill feeling.
Individual cases of rudeness or misconduct occurred, but there
was fair appreciation and good feeling, except among the Cay-
uses, whose religious sentiments and convictions never overcame
their savage natures to make them reliably peaceful, and con-
sistently kind and honest.

DIFFICULTIES AND DANGERS.

From 1836 until 1841, for five years, there was no opposition
to the Protestant missions or outside interference with the
mission work. The Hudson Bay Company was in full accord.

192 INDIAN MASSACRE.

Though himself a Catholic, Dr. MeLoughlin was truly a Christian
man, and treated Whitman with the truest sympathy and person-
al kindness. [Dr. McLoughlin was the Father of Oregon.] The
two men naturally accorded in their personal relations, and
the officers of that company generally were friendly. But about
1841, the disturbing cause that was to be so potent for harm, be-
‘ame established among the natives on the Upper Columbia in
the presence of Catholic priests, who secured a hold, and left no
means untried to increase it. Among Cayuses there were not
only differences of belief in the tribe, but some families
were of divided allegiance. Up to this time there had been no
serious trouble, but now the record we have shows that these in-
famous Cayuses foreed indignities upon Dr. Whitman that he
could not resent. His Christian character was at stake. He must
bear and forbear, and some of these wretches took advantage of
this fact to impose upon him fearfully. At one time he was
struck, or had his ear pulled, by a man he had taught the
Christian virtue of forbearance. He turned the other ear and the
savage pulled thatalso. It was one man and a defenseless family,
among a horde of miscreants. It would seem that the confidence
shown by comiug there, so defenseless, with no object but their
good, would impress even the soul of a savage, but not so with
Cayuses. I cannot believe that the presence and teachings of a
rival religion had not some part to account for these indignities
and massacre towards which they culminated.

DISTURBANCE IN THE FOLD.

The history of missions proves the weakness of human nature.
Differences occur even among those who devote their lives to the
elevation of humanity. This is especially true of missions in far-
off places, where the missionary is altogether removed from the
influences of society. Thus it happened in this Indian mission
that at an early day disagreements occurred.

In 1841, A. B. Smith and wife left for the islands. Letters
had gone home to the American board, derogatory of the working
foree. The natives very possibly saw that differences existed
among their religious teachers, and that fact may have worked to
a disadvantage. There is no reason to believe that these differ-
ences lasted longer than when several who were dissatisfied had
withdrawn. You have published already a letter from Rev. E.
Walker to the board that treats boldly and plainly of the dis-

eT

RA aA

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Mission LIFE AMONG THE INDIANS. 193

turbing cause. It is not necessary to repeat it now. The Cayuses
were veritable savages. They would at times become enraged for
some cause and be dangerous to all at the mission. Whatever
irritated them made them ferocious and long for blood. After a
war trip towards California, where they murdered many of their
old enemies, they returned home to dance around their bloody
scalps, and threaten death promiscuously. At that period the
mission party was in great fear, but time passed and the Indians
became good tempered. At one time they were much impressed,
because one of their chiefs on his death bed professed Christian
faith, and in his last hours experienced an ecstacy of joy, and
gave them good counsel.

CAYUSE ILL NATURE.

In all the upper country there were in 1840 to 1850 only a
few trading posts and a few mission stations, with no settlers and
no military posts. The missions were defenseless, save as the
Hudson Bay Company’s agents bravely espoused their cause.
Mr. Gray had built a new house; an Indian one day came in and
placed himself between the cook and the fire, and would not leave.
Mr. Gray very properly put him out, after kindly asking him to
stand aside. Then he went to the corral and took a horse. When
Whitman was appealed to he supported Gray. This led to an
angry talk; Telonkait, an Indian chief, pulled the doctor’s ear ;
the man of peace turned the other, and he pulled that. He threw
the doctor’s hat three times in the mud and struck him on the
breast. Having been unable to force Whitman to some resist-
ance that would be an excuse for a massacre, he desisted. Arch-
ibald McKinlay was chief trader at Wallula. He called the
Indians there, shortly after this occurrence, under pretense of
wishing to buy horses, and gave them aterrible overhauling for
this treatment of one who came among them only for their good.
He said it was the conduct of “dogs,” which they bitterly re-
sented. They finally admitted they had done wrong. McKinlay
threatened that a force should come up from Vancouver to punish
them if they did any harm. They had gone to the fort at this
time with the apparent intention to capture it. They had made
threats to that effect that Whitman reported to McKinlay by a
courier, This trouble was tided over, and for some years there
Was no particular cause for complaint. In 1842, Whitman went
East, making the midwinter journey heretofore related. He
13

194 INDIAN MASSACRE.

returned in the summer of 1843, with the large emigration that
permanently settled the status of Oregon as an American country.
He found his mill burned, and that his wife had been obliged to
take refuge at Vancouver from the insolence of the Cayuses.
The Indians were doubtless disturbed by the interest Whitman
took in peopling the couniry with white settlers. They looked
with alarm on this great invasion of Americans, and their preju-
dice against Whitman was somewhat effected for that reason.
‘So the three years passed, from 1844 to 1847, and whilst their
prejudice was more confirmed, Whitman was unwilling to aban-
don the field. He saw, and frequently spoke of, this hostile senti-
ment, and expressed an intention to abandon Waiilatpu, but
unhappily did not make the movement.

DISAFFECTION INCREASES.

At this time a change had taken place in the officer in charge
at Fort Walla Walla. McKinlay, Whitman’s fast friend, was
living at Oregon City, and his successor at this post was Wm. Mc-
Bean, who was also a Catholic. Both at Whitman’s and Spalding’s
stations there had been considerable improvement among the In-
dians in their occupations, and a number had joined the church.
But in 1847 disaffection became more manifest among the Cayuses,
and Whitman thought seriously of submitting the question of his
leaving or staying to their popular vote. He felt, however, that
to leave would be to abandon the field to the Catholics, and that
was something his pride could not submit to. This season was
unfortunate, because disease spread among the natives and many
died of it. Whitman, in his capacity of physician, did all he
could for them, but their habits of life were such that he could not
treat them satisfactorily.

i
4

PEE

Whitman’s place was on the line of travel taken by theemigrants, ]
and was a place of general rest for the weary sojourners fresh from usefu
the plains. The presence of so many Americans there and the man
fact of so many others passing through to occupy the country, may priva
have had an unfavorable effect. his de

witho
A VIEW OF WAIILATPU. chara

It is necessary to take a viewof the mission and its occupants great
in the autumn of 1847 to understand the situation, as well as to mM rel
appreciate what the mission had accomplished for the practical politic

welfare of the Indians. The mission was a resting-place, refuge While

large
was
1. Me-
ling’s
ne In-
urch,
Vuses,
of his
, that

that
mn was
many
nll he
Id not

rants,
from
d the
» may

pants
as to
ctical
efuge

Mission LIFE AMONG THE INDIANS. 195

or hospital for emigrants or Indians alike who might need its
care. Here was the church where the principles of religion were
taught and schools were established to educate white and Indian
children, besides which every effort was made to teach the Cayuses
and Walla Wallas the common arts of civilization and the best
methods for cultivating the soil. For their benefit not only
church, school and library were sustained, but there were labor
lessons given, and saw- and grist-mills, shops and granaries had
been erected. A valuable cabinet of specimens of natural history
had been collected at the superintendent’s residence. There was
a spacious building for the Indians, another for travellers. The
saw-mill was eight miles up Mill creek.

On the 5th of September, 1847, seventy-two persons occupied
these premises, consisting of the Whitmans and Rodgers, the mis-
sionary, with ten adopted children, waifs from the plains, whose
parents had perished by the way. Seven of them were the Sager
family, and there were three half-breed children. Twenty-two
persons occupied the superintendeni’s house. Joseph Stanfield
was a Canadian and Joseph Lewis was a half-breed Indian who
had crossed the plains from Canada the preceding year, and had
received employment after he recovered from a serious illness.
He was a wretch, who should have had some love for his benefac-
tors instead of being the fiend he soon proved. There was Miss
Bewley and her brother; Mr. Hoffman, Mr. Soles and Eliza Spal-
ding, daughter of the missionary. There were fifty others of the
last immigration resting there on their way to Western Oregon.
Bewley and Sales were sick patients. Ten of the emigrants also
were sick patients. Such was the composition of the mission
family.

WHITMAN’S WORK.

It can be seen that Whitman’s work was most beneficient and
useful to all mankind. Here, in the midst of savages, Dr. Whit-
man had lived through eleven years and had patiently endured
privations and hardships to benefit a race that could not appreciate
his devotion. To them he brought civilized life and its comforts
without any resulting benefits to himself or to his family. His
character commended him so greatly to Dr. McLoughlin that the
great chief factor felt for him the warmest friendship. Differing
in religion, they respected each other; strongly differing in all
political and national purposes, they were more than friends.
While the Hudson’s Bay Company was bringing over colonies to

196 InpriaN MASssAcRE.

people Oregon and make it British by occupancy, Dr. Whitman
went East to lead back a great emigration that should make this
country distinctively American. In all things, save personal re-
gard, these men were at swords’ points and antagonized. It shows
the nobility of soul that each possessed; that, laying aside these
points of difference, they met as something more than friends.
McLoughlin invited Whitman to Vancouver when the troubles of
1841 occurred, and recommended that he should withdraw from
Waiilatpu for some time until the Indians should feel his absence
and ask his return. This was sound advice. A few weeks before
the massacre Dr. Whitman was at Oregon City and visited his
friend Archibald McKinlay. When he told the latter that a chief
had jestingly said to him that “the Cayuses had considered
whether they ought not to kill off all the medicine men, and that
as he was greatest among doctors, if they did so they should be-
gin with him,” McKinlay was alarmed. He told Wuitman that
behind a savage jest there was always deeper meaning; that he
was in great danger if such a remark had been made. But Whit-
man answered that he knew it was only a jest, though he did not
like his position and did not intend to long retain it. When re-
turning from that trip, after receiving the deepest warning Mc-
Kinlay could give, Dr. Whitman met a company of emigrants on
the way down to Tne Dalles and was invited to talk to them over
the evening camp fire. He did so, and Judge Grim remembers
well that he spoke very plainly of his danger among the Cayuses
and said it was his intention to remove before many months.

A TREACHEROUS VILLAIN,

Joe Lewis was employed by Dr. Whitman as an act of kind-
ness, and was therefore about the house and with the family. So
the Indians found it convenient to believe the various stories he
told them of what he saw and overheard. It is not easier to ima-
gine a blacker soul than this wretch possessed, and less easy to
depict in words the vileness and blackness of the treachery and
falsehoods he proved capable of. He had been the recipient of
kind treatment during illness,and when able to work was furnish-
ed employment. All the instincts of common humanity would
have been roused to appreciate this kindness, but Joe Lewis had
no such capacity. He was ina position to do the greatest possible
harm. Asan inmate of the mission house he was privileged to
hear the ordinary conversation that occurred there. As a half-

pa

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a, half-

Mission LIFE AMONG THE INDIANS. 197

breed Indian he could and did ingratiate himself with the Cayuses
and obtained not only their confidence, but a certain power over
their minds that came from his acquired abilities among the Whites.
Lewis insidiously repeated to these credulous and prejudiced be-
ings who could not hear a story they were not willing to believe,
conversations that he pretended to have overheard in the doctor’s
house. It was a time of terrible trial among them all. At the
mission there was a hospital of sick patients and many of the
Cayuses were sick; thirty had died and the voice of lamentation
and mourning was all around them.

CAYUSES IN COUNCIL.

After the massacre occurred, Gov. Ogden, of the H. B. com-
pany, came up in the interest of humanity to secure the safety
and return of the numerous captives held by the Cayuses. Before
his arrival on December 20th, the Cayuse murderers held a coun-
cil at Umatilla, where Bishop Blanchet was present. He said their
object was to prevent war, and if they had met in council before
the massacre, most likely it would not have occurred. Several In-
dians made speeches and explained their various complaints. The
Chief Telan-Kaiht spoke for two hours. He recounted the killing
of the two Nez-Pereés who went east with Mr. Gray in 1887.
(They were killed by the Sioux.) Also that the young Chief Eli-
jah was killed by Americans in California. He claimed that as
the Indians forgot these things so the Whites could forget the
massacre at Waiilatpu. They sent word to Gov. Abernethy “that
a young Indian (Joe Lewis) who understands English and who
slept in Dr. Whitman’s room, heard the doctor, his wife and Mr.
Spalding express their desire of possessing the land and animals
of the Indians; that Mr. Spalding said to the doctor: ‘Hurry
giving medicine to ths Indians that t..ey may soon die;’ that the
same Indian tolc Cayuses: ‘If you do not kill the doctor soon
you will all be dead before spring;’ that they buried six Cayuses
on Sunday, November 24th, and three the next day; that the
schoolmaster, Mr. Rodgers, stated to them before he died that the
doctor, his wife and Spalding poisoned the Indians; that for seve-
ral years past they had to deplore the death of their children;
that, according to these reports, they were led to believe that the
Whites had undertaken to kill them all, and that these were the
motives that led them to kill the Americans.”

198 InpIAN MassAcreE.

THE MASSACRE.

The morning of the massacre, matters were proceeding as
usual at Waiilatpu, and there was no indication of unusual feel-
ing on the part of the Cayuses. There had been numerous deaths
among them from measles, caused greatly by their indiscretion
and methods of treatment that made the medical advice of Dr.
Whitman and his prescriptions of small avail. Many of the
Whites at the mission were also in hospital, and only that native
superstition was roused and controlled reason, they should have
seen that they had no cause for suspicion that Joe Lewis told the
truth when he said that he had overheard Mr. and Mrs. Whitman
and Mr. Spalding plan their wholesale poisoning. They believed
Whitman possessed supernatural powers, and were incensed that
he did not exercise them for their benefit.

Early in the afternoon of November 29, 1847, school had been
called, an ox had been slaughtered and was being dressed at a
little distance from the house, and quite a number of Indians
came about the same, as was their custom when an animal was
slaughtered and acarcass cutup. This unusual number attracted
the attention of Dr. Whitman, but caused no alarm. The con-
spirators assembled in this manner, with arms concealed under
their blankets. One of them called the doctor out, complained of
illness and demanded medicine. When the doctor was attending
to this man, Ta-ma-hos came behind and felled the doctor with
two heavy blows of a tomahawk. This initiated a general butch-
ery, and once let loose, the demoniac nature of the Cayuses had
full sway. They killed Dr. and Mrs. Whitman, Missionary Rod-
gers, Schoolmaster Saunders, two Sager boys, Messrs. Marsh, Kim-
ball, Gill, Gittern, Young, and the two sick men, Bewley and
Sales. Mrs. Whitman was the only woman slain; the iives of
other women and children were spared. Mr. Hall, Mr. Canfield,
and Mr. Osborn and family, a child of Mr. Hayes, and two adopted
children concealed themselves in the confusion and escaped in
safety, after much suffering and anxiety, to Fort Walla Walla,
twenty-five miles north.

CHIEF TRADER M’BEAN’S LETTER.

The families of Smith and Young were at the saw-mill, eight
miles away, and were brought to the station the next day. The
intercession of peaceable Nez-Pereé chiefs was influential to save
their lives. There were four men, including two grown up sons.

Su
im,
net
of
0ce
pro
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pas
g00
cha
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and
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The
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his

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feel-
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f Dr.
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have
d the
tman
ieved
| that

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racted
e con-
under
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nding
with
buteh-
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Rod-

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and

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nfield,
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| eight
The
save
sons.

Mission LIFE AMONG THE INDIANS. 199

The Cayuses had in their hands fifty-one prisoners. The young
men of the tribe appropriated the women and girls among their
captives to their own lust, and to a fate worse than death. On
arrival of the fugitives at Fort Walla Walla, Chief Trader Me-
Bean sent an interpreter and man to Waiilatpu to rescue any sur-
vivors, and forwarded letters to Fort Vancouver with a statement
of the facts es he heard them, and wrote as follows: “ Fever and
ague have been raging here and in this vicinity, in consequence of
which a great number of Indians have been swept away, but more
especially at the doctor’s (Whitman’s) place, where he attended on
the Indians. About thirty of the Cayuse tribe died, one after
another. The survivors eventually believed the doctor had poi-
soned them, in which opinion they were unfortunately confirmed
by one of the doctor’s party (Joe Lewis). As far as I have been
able to learn this has been the sole cause of the dreadful butchery.
In order to satisfy any doubt as to their suspicion that the doctor
was poisoning them, it is reported that they requested the doctor
to administer medicine to three of their friends, two of whom
were really sick, but the third only feigning illness. All of these
were corpses the next morning.”

GOV. DOUGLAS’ ACCOUNT.

The leaders in the massacre were Telo Kaikt, his son, Tarn
Sucky, Esticusand Tamahos. The Walla Walla Indians were not
implicated. Governor Douglas wrote thus to Governor Aber-
nethy: “The Cayuses are the most treacherous and intractable
of all Indian tribes in this country, and had on many former
occasions alarmed the inmates of the mission by their tumultuous
proceedings and ferocious threats; but, unfortunately, these evi-
dences of a brutal disposition were disregarded by their admirable
pastor, and served to arm him with a firmer resolution to do them
good. He hoped that time and instruction would produce a
change of mind, a better state of feeling towards the mission, and
he might have lived to see his hopes realized had not the measles
and dysentery, following in the train of immigrants from the
United States, made frightful ravages this year in the upper
country, many Indians having been carried off through the vio-
lence of the disease, and others through their own imprudence.
The Cayuse Indians of Waiilatpu, being sufferers in this general
calamity, were incensed against Dr. Whitman for not exercising
his supposed supernatural power in saving their lives. They

200 INDIAN MASSACRE.

carried this absurdity beyond that point of folly. Their super-
stitious minds became possessed with the horrible suspicion that
he was giving poison to the sick instead of wholesome medicine,
with a view of working the destruction of the tribe, their former
cruelty probably adding strength to this suspicion. Still some of
the more reflecting had confidence in Dr. Whitman’s integrity,
and it was agreed to test the effect of the medicines he had furn-
ished on three of their people, one of whom was said to be in
perfect health. They all, unfortunately, died. From that
moment it was resolved to destroy the mission. It was immedi-
ately after burying the remains of these three persons that they
repaired to the mission and murdered every man found there.
This happened at 2 o’clock in the afternoon. The Indians arrived
at the mission one after another, with their arms hid under their
blankets. The doctor was at school with the children. The
others were cutting up an ox they had just killed. When the
Indians saw they were numerous enough to effect their object,
they fell upon the poor victims, some with guns and others with
hatchets, and their blood was soon streaming on all sides. Some
of the Indians turned their attention towards thedoctor. Hereceived
a pistol shot in the breast from one, and a blow on the head with
a hatchet from another. He had still strength enough remaining
to reach a sofa, where he threw himself down and expired. Mrs.
Whitman was dragged from the garret and mercilessly butchered
atthedoor. Mr. Rodgers was shot after his life had been granted to
him ; the women and children were also going to be murdered
when a voice was raised to ask for mercy in favor of those whom
they thought innocent, and their lives were spared. It is reported
that a kind of deposition made by a Mr. Rodgers increased the
fury of this savage mob. Mr. Rodgers was seized, was made to
sit down, and then told that his life would be spared if he made a
full discovery of Dr. Whitman’s supposed treachery. That person
then told the Indians that the doctor intended to poison them;
that one night when Mr. Spalding was at Waiilatpu he heard
them say that the Indians ought to be poisoned so that the
Americans might take possession of their lands. That the doctor
wished to poison all the Indians at once, but that Mr. Spalding
advised him to do it gradually. Mr. Rodgers, after this deposi-
tion, was spared, but an Indian who was not present, having seen
him, fired at and killed him. An American made a similar de-
position, adding that Mrs. Whitman was an accomplice, and de-

a. 7 tb |

per-
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Mission LIFE AMONG THE INDIANS. 201

served death as well as her husband. It appears that he con-
cluded by saying that he would take the side of the Indians, and
detested Americans. An Indian then put a pistol in his hand,
and said to him, “if you tell the truth, you must prove it by
shooting that young American,” and this wretched apostate from
his country fired upon the young man shown to him, and laid
him dead at his feet. It was on the evidence of that American
that Mrs. Whitman was murdered, or she might have shared in
the mercy extended to the other females and children.”

“Such are the details as far as known of that disastrous
event, and the causes which led to it. Mr. Rodgers’ reported
deposition, if correct, is unworthy of belief, having been drawn
from him by the fear of instant death. The other American, who
shed the blood of his own friend, must be a villain of the darkest
dye, and ought to suffer for his aggravated crime.”

A LITTLE CRITICISM.

In McBean’s letter to Vancouver he gives the Indian version
of their case, and alludes to Joe Lewis as “one of the doctor’s
party.” The letter of Douglas calls this infamous Joe Lewis re-
peatedly “an American.” The fact was that-Joe Lewis was a
Canadian half-breed, accidentally at the mission. He came there
ill and was nursed in hospital. When he recovered he was furn-
ished work. All the tenor of Mr. Douglas’ letter is unfair, be-
cause it gives the Indian version throughout. The Cayuses were
too sharp to believe Joe Lewis’ story that he was in the same room
with Mr. Spalding and Dr. and Mrs. Whitman when they planned
to poison the Indians. They knew better than to credit such a
story. Itis not probable that any well Indian would go up with
two sick ones to receive medicine from Dr. Whitman and then
take the medicine, as is related by both McBean and Douglas.
That story is too thin for credence. The story of Mr. Rodger’s
deposition and treachery to the Whitmans is not even plausible.
All these matters the Hudson Bay Company officials repeat so
confidently, could be easily manufactured as evidence by the
Cayuses. Joe Lewis undoubtedly betrayed the mission, and told
infamous lies to the Cayuses that led them to the massacre. Their
own bad natures and the unhappy intrigue and rivalry of another
religious party were the chief causes of the massacre.

GOV. OGDEN TO THE RESCUE.
On the 7th of December, Peter Skeen Ogden, associate chief

Pacific N. VW. History Dept,

PROVINCIAL LIBRARY
VICTORIA, B.C,

202 INDIAN MASSACRE.

factor of the Hudson Bay Company, with a party of sixteen men,
left Vancouver for Walla Walla, to rescue and ransom the fifty-
one captives held by the Cayuses. It required until the 23d to
collect a council of the Cayuses, and then several days were spent
in talk and arranging preliminaries. They were anxious to avoid
war, and afraid the Americans would come in force from Western
Oregon to punish them, and that fear was soon realized. Mr.
Ogden would make them no promises of peace, but did arrange
for the ransom of their prisoners on December 31. He wrote as
follows: “I have endured many an anxious hour, and for the
last two nights have not closed my eyes, but thanks to the
Almighty I have succeeded. During the captivity of the prisoners
they have suffered every indignity, but fortunately were well
provided with food. I have ‘en able to effect my object without
compromising myself or others. It now remains with the Amer-
ican Government to take what measure it deems most beneficial ;
to restore tranquility. This, I apprehend, cannot be finally
effected without blood flowing freely. So as not to compromise
either party, I have made a heavy sacrifice of goods, but these,
indeed, are of trifling value compared to the unfortunate beings I
have rescued from the hands of these murderous wretches, and I
am truly happy.”

It is agreeable to find one officer of that great company who
could write in plain Anglo-Saxon, and make no half way excuses
for Cayuse savagery. The active interposition of the Hudson’s
Bay Company alone could have effected the noble object Governor
Ogden so generously accomplished, and we must give Mr. Douglas
full credit for his interest in the work; even though we criticise

the seeming unfairness of his relation of the massacre and at- o
tendant circumstances.

The Nez-Percés remained peaceful, but their mission, as also
that of Spokane, was broken up and never resumed their effi-
ciency. All the property at Waiilatpu was destroyed, and the M
burning of Dr. Whitman’s papers caused a loss to history that J
cannot be replaced. The faithful and earnest labor of many F
years was thus worse than lost. The tragic story that attaches xy
to the Walla Walla river, will remain one of the many legends of ey
the past, and it is hardly possible any other can ever equal it, as be
the history of the Cayuses is almost closed. :

S. A. CLARKE.

nen,
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Mission LIFE AMONG THE INDIANS.

INDIANS OF PUGET Sounp, IN 1852.

“AN INSPIRED SPECULATOR.

So pleased was Captain Sayward with the natural beauties of
the country—the virginal beauties, yet unrifled by commerce— that
he hired a canoe, with an Indian and his squaw as the propelling
power, and set out down the Sound to Port Ludlow, a distance of
one hundred miles from Olympia. He was in search of a mill site.
In all these many miles there was not a white man to be seen.
Only the Indian had

‘A lodge in this vast wilderness,
This boundless contiguity of shade.’

One hundred and more miles of an unbroken forest of magni-
ficent timber, running back to the Olympian range some fifty or
sixty miles! Although used to the pine forests of the Penobscot
in Maine and the St. John in New Brunswick, the sight of so
much unclaimed ligneous wealth affected our speculator’s brain a
trifle, and he could scarcely contain himself. ‘My God! what a
country,’ he exclaimed, rising in the canoe at the same time, to the
imminent danger of an upset. ‘I'd like to turn all the people of
the State of Maine in here, each man carrying a narrow axe.’
With arms extendc? and eyes dilated, Sayward gave the Indians
the impression that they had a crazy man for a passenger, and ex-
changing a few words they rested on their paddles. But he soon
got over his ecstasy and bade them go to work again. Simple
savages! Accustomed to look from Nature up to Nature’s God,
they did not know they were introducing to these magnificent
scenes the pioneer of a race that only looked from Nature to a
market.

THE INDANS ON THE SOUND.

The site was chosen at Port Ludlow and the mill erected in
March, 1853, the machinery for which was made by the brothers
James and Peter Donahue, then in the foundry business in San
Francisco. The Captain remained at the Sound till 1858. There
were about 300 Chimicum and Clallam Indians on the site Sayward
selected, but they gave no trouble. They moved away quietly
when requested, especially as they were promised all the lumber
they needed to build more substantial huts than those to which
they had been accustomed. The testimony of Captain Sayward
is interesting as to the habits and disposition of the Sound Indians

204 INDIAN MASSACRE,

at this early period, before the Whites came in such numbers as
to impinge upon their freedom and narrow hunting grounds,
causing the famous war of 1855—56, when the redskins of Wash-
ington Territory held a grand powwow to consider the advisability
of driving all the white invaders into the sea. At that time Gen-
eral I. I. Stevens—afterwards killed at Ball's Bluff with Colonel
Baker—was Governor of the Territory, and McClellan was on his
staff. General (then Lieutenant) Grant was in the field fighting
the Indians, and so was Lieutenant Scott, son of Dr. Scott, long
pastor of Calvary Church, in this city. But this is a digression.
Captain Sayward had no trouble with the Indians. He employed
a great many in and about the mill, and always found them in-
dustrious and trustworthy. They were singularly tenacious in
fulfilling a trust. Often, when the supply of whiskey ran short—
for it is next to impossible that a saw-mill can be run without the
“Kentucky brew”—he would send a couple of his Indians with
money to Olympia, by canoe, to get a barrel. This is about as
severe a test as can be given an Indian. But they brought the
whiskey home and delivered it intact. It is true, that if the Cap-
tain’s back was turned, after the trust was fulfilled, they would not
hesitate to steal the liquor. They had but dim ideas of the law of
meum and tuum. But they never broke their faith, no matter how
strong the temptation, when intrusted with a mission. In the
subsequent troubles, when the life of every white man on the
Sound was in danger, Captain Sayward found the benefit of his
kindness and confidence in the Indians during his early intercourse
with them. The hostiles never menaced him, and his property re-
mained undisturbed. In his opinion, so far as concerns the In-
dians who came under his innmediate observation in his experiences
on the north-west coast, the poet spoke as much truth as poetry,
when he said:

I love the India: ; ere the white man came

And taught hir; vice and infamy and shame,

His soul was nc e. In the sun he saw

His God, and wo thipped him with trembling awe.

RELIG JUS PECULIARITIES.

And this poetic expression leads naturally to the fact that the
Sound Indians used to be very religious, in their way; religion
being defined as the observance of certain forms, whether Christian
or pagan. Certainly, the Chimicums and Clallams, simple sons of

nn, ee

ee ee eee, eee eee ee 7 ee

a—_— ii SS

he
on
an
of

Mission Lire AMONG THE INDIANS. 205

the forest and the sea, had their time pretty well divided between
providing for their physical wants and worshipping deities, seen
and unseen. The moon in its twelve changes represented to the
Indian twelve gods, and, when it was full-orbed, a grand festival
was held in honor of the deity of that particular month. The
annual festival was in honor of the sun, that luminary being
dignified by the name, in the Chinook jargon, ‘Hyas tyee Tema-
nowos,’ or the god of all, the god of gods. At these festivals,
monthly as well as annual, all the Indians on the Sound gathered;
there were thousands in 1852, where there are hundreds now.
Each, squaws as well as bucks, vas provided with a piece of split
log called in the Eastern prairie States ‘puncheon” It was un-
dressed and full of splinters. Seated in a circle, the size of which
depended on the number of worshippers present, they waited in
silence fur the rising of Luna—to these savages a god, to the
pagans of old a goddess. As soon as the silver disk showed above
the horizon, the chief, or leader of the ceremonies, led off with a
short, weird chant, which was taken up by the whole assemblage,
until, from the exact time kept by beating on the ‘puncheons,’ a
kind of rhythm resulted—not exactly as harmonious as that de-
scribed by Milton, when he said of the heavenly host that they
‘Sang hallelujahs as the sound of seas,’

but a rude chorus, rising with each repetition till the eighth was
reached, and then da capo. Some of the notes were drawn out like
the wail of a banshee, and others dropped on the ear like the stac-
ce‘o of musketry fire. It is impossible to describe the effect pro-
duced by this chant as it rang through the solemn aisles of the
stately forest, while the lapping waves (their circle was always
formed on the seashore) at the feet of the dusky singers murmur-
ed a subdued accompaniment. This kind of worship was a test of
endurance. All night long it was sustained, all the next day, the
next night and the day following, sometimes—no food passing the
Indians’ lips in the meantime—until one or more of the number
were used up.

THE NEW BIRTH.

It was at the grand annual festival of the Sun, held at Clal-
lam Bay, that this interesting ceremony was witnessed. There
were thousands of Indians present, and the chanting had lasted
for two days, when one of the number succumbed to sheer ex-
haustion, falling supine and apparently lifeless. Then the chant

i}

206 InpIAN Massacre.

ceased and he was taken to the sweat-house. After undergoing a
hot air bath for some fifteen minutes, he was rolled in a blanket,
and put ona shelf to dry. He remained in this state for hours,
sometimes days—in fact it was doubtful if he could revive.
From tests made, the cataleptic redskin was quite insensible to
pain. One of the Indians, who spoke a little English, was asked:

“ Does the man ever die?”

“Sometimes,” he replied; “sometimes the spirit lose his way
and cannot come back. Then Indian die.”

The present subject, when he did recover consciousness, was
led forth by his friends to a position in the circle near the chief.
And now another interesting part of the ceremonies began. The
restored Indian looked about him for a while in a dazed sort of
way, and presently spoke, at first in a low tone, raising his voice
by degrees. There was a reverential hush throughout the
circle, and every head was bent, eager to catch the words of the
speaker. He was considered the favorite of the god of the month,
and the communication he had to make was given him while he
lay unconscious. Often his speech lasted an hour, and it was
generally an exhortation or tribal lesson to his fellows on their
simple duties, and whether the god was pleased or displeased with
their conduct. As soon as he had ceased he commenced to part
with his worldly possessions. To one he gave his canoe, to another
his Hudson Bay Company gun or his bow and arrows, to another
his wickiup, to a fourth his cooking utensils, his horses, ete. At
last, stripped of all his goods, he stood with only the old blanket
covering him; then the principal chief advanced, and, withdraw-
ing the fastening at the throat, let this drop about the heels of
the messenger from the unseen, and he stood before his tribe
naked as when he first came into the world. This was the new
birth. He was considered as born again by the ordeal through
which he had passed, and ready to commence life once more.
After a pause the medicine man, taking a brand new blanket,
approached the “infant adult ” and covered his nakedness, manip-
ulating his head with every sign of affection, and crooning a song
of rejoicing at the same time. A mighty shout went up from the
tribe as they also welcomed the new chief—the favorite of their
god. Such was the scene to be witnessed at Port Ludlow, or Port
Gamble, Olympia, or some other selected spot on the Sound, before
the white man invaded the “forests primeval.” It is to be pre-
sumed the “noble red men” are too busy nowadays attending to

going a
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revive.
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MiIssIoN LIFE AMONG THE INDIANS. 207

theslabs and scantling of the saw-mills ; and his chants to the moon,
if he indulge in any, are drowned by the scurr of a thousand
circulars, converting his forests into money for the pale-face.
‘There is not much romance or sentiment, Indian or other, about a
saw-mill.

THE SQUAWS’ LECTURE.

There was another curious practice among the Indians on
the Sound in the early days. It was the lecture or sermon that,
at stated periods, was delivered exclusively to the Indian women.
An important member of the tribe, the big chief or the medicine
man, would select a promontory or island remote from the main-
land, perhaps in the vicinicy of Port Ludlow, and paddle himself
there, solitary and alone, on a fine day. Soon all the squaws
would be seen following him, paddling vigorously toward the
common point. No bucks were among them; they all remained
on the mainland. The preacher, instructor, exhorter, or whatever
he was, often stood in the water up to his knees for a full hour
or more while he delivered his discourse; but the Indian maidens
aid squaws gathered as close around him as their canoes would
permit, so as to catch every word that fell from his lips. Savona-
rola was never more in earnest than this dusky preacher ; his
face and action showed he realized the importance of his k. wor
He was supposed to be instructing the women as to their proper
duties in their savage life; but whatever he said, they were eager
to hear it all. There was no noise save the occasional chafing
of one canoe against another as they moved with the slight sweii
of the water. It is an exciting spectacle to see the dusky women,
when the service was over, start in an emulative race for the
mainland, their dark sinewy arms plying the flashing paddle as
the light canoe cut swiftly the placid waters of tne Sound, until
with laughing banter the prows touched the shore and they re-
joined the bucks, who were idly awaiting them.

Too grateful for the blessing lent
Of simple tastes and mind content.”
GEO. E. BARNES.

INDIANS OF Puget SouND AND CoLUMBIA RIVER, IN 1856.

General Wool sent Keyes’ conipany over to Steilacoom during
the following week, where he found the inhabitants in a wild state

ona ae a GANT ET Be a eat
REE anemia a

208 InpiAN Massacre.

of alarm,as many families had been murdered by the Indians. On
the fourth of December, Lieutenant Slaughter was killed by the
Klickitat Indians, headed by the famous chief Kanaskat.

DEATH OF KANASKAT.

On the morning of the 25th of February, 1856, at Lemon’s
prairie, about nine miles above Tacoma, on the Puyallup, Ser-
geant Newton posted a private named Kehl and two others as‘a
picket guard of Keyes’ company. The cooks had already lighted
the fires, and the watchful soldier saw a gleam of light reflected
from a rifle barrel about a hundred yards up the trail beyond the
bend. Then he saw five Indians in single file creeping stealthily
down the hill, the one in front waving his hand backward to
caution his followers. Kehl waited till the leader was nearly
abreast of him, and then fired, when the great chief Kanaskat
fell, shot through the spine, which paralized his legs, but his
voice and arms were not affected. ‘“ At the report of Kehl’s shot,”
writes General Keyes, “I ran out to the bridge, where I heard
Sergeant Newton crying out, ‘We've got an Indian.’” It took
two soldiers to hold him as he tried to draw a knife, and as
they dragged him across the bridge he continued to call out in a
language I did not understand. Some one came who recognized
the rounded Indian, and exclaimed, “ Kanaskat.” “ Nawitka!”
said he with tremendous energy, his voice rising to a scream—
“ Kanaskat -Tyee—mameloose nika mika mameloose Bostons.”
He added, “ My heart is wicked to the Whites, and always will be,
so you had better kill me.” Then he began to call out in his
native tongue which none of us could understand. He appeared
to be yelling for his comrades, and two shots were fired from the
pickets on the hill when Corporal O’Shaughnessy, who was stand-
ing by, placed his rifle close to the chief’s temple and blew a hole
through his head, scattering the brains about. Regarding the
carcass of the dead chief as that of an unclean animal which men
hunt for the love of havoe, we left it in the field unburied, and
went on our way to fight his people. The death of their most
warlike chief and the decisive victory we achieved, dismayed the
redskins, and thereafter their energies were exerted to avoid
battles with the regulars, though they afterwards fought with the
volunteers. We hunted them almost night and day, over hill and
dale, and through the densest thickets. It rained more than half
the time, and the influence of Mount Rainier and its vast covering

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Mission LIFE AMONG THE INDIANS. 209

of eternal snow upon the temperature made the nights excessively
cold. Such was our liability to surprise that we were obliged to
be ready to fight at all times. The hardships of that campaign, in
which the pluck of Kautz, Mendell, Sukely, and others was tested,
caused us later to regard the Wilderness battles as recreation.

In the Indian war of 1856 Lieutenant Sheridan served under
Col. George Wright of the Ninth Infantry, whom he describes as
an able officer. In this campaign he captured thirteen Cascade
Indians, nine of whom were afterwards hanged for their participa-
tion in the massacre at the ‘ blockhouse.’

In illustration of the insane hatred of the Indians which per-
vaded the people of Oregon at this time, Sheridan mentions the
hanging in cold blood of the family of a friendly Chinook chief,
Spencer, the interpreter of Col. Wright. His wife, two young
boys, three girls and a baby were hanged by some white bar-
barians. The babe was strangled by means of a red silk hand-
kerchief taken from the neck of its mother. These poor creatures
were killed in the spirit of aimless revenge by citizens who knew
that their victims were the family of a notoriously friendly and
peaceable chief, who had nothing to do with the ‘Block House
Massacre.’ Spencer's family had walked into the settlement under
the protection of a friendly alliance, and Sheridan declares that
this wholesale murder of innocent and helpless victims was the
most dastardly and revolting crime he ever knew to be committed
by Whites.

PRESERVING THE INDIAN IN C'ALIFORNIA,

A gentleman explains the real cause of the recent Indian troubles at Mono
Lake, California, 1889,

“A few days since a San Francisco dispatch stated that Indians in
Mono county, California, had killed a settler and three Italians, and that
trouble was feared, and Governor Waterman had been asked to send
troops there.

A gentleman who has resided for several years in Mono county, in the
Bodie section, and in the vicinity of Mono lake, has lately arrived here and
gives an account of the origin of the trouble with the Indians, which goes
to substantiate the saying of some of the old settlers of this state ‘that
every outbreak of the Indians has been brought on by outrages they have
suffered at the hands of the Whites.

The Mono lake region is a desolate, sterile section, much resembling
the country around the Dead Sea. The waters of the lake are thoroughly
impregnated with borax, salt and magnesia, and the only animal life found

14

210 Inpran MASSACRE.

in it is a sort of a worm, about one-fourth of an inch in length, resembling
in appearance a shrimp. This worm is of an oily nature, and forms, when
blown on the shore by the winds, by combining with the alkaline water a
soapy mixture, and frequently a bank of this soapsuds several feet in depth
is deposited along the shore of the lake.

The Piute Indians, who live in the country around Mono lake are very
fond of these worms or shrimps, which they call ‘‘kitchavie’”’ and eat
all they can get of them ; in fact ‘“‘kitchavie ” and pine nuts are their food
staples.

On the western shore of Mono lake lived a settler named Louis Sam-
man. He had resided there for over twenty years, raising cattle on the
stunted pasturage around the lake, leading a lonely life.

Occasionally he would kill a Piute and cast the body into the alkaline
waters of the lake, where it would soon petrify. This fact was well known
to the Whites residing in that section, and the gentleman who gives this
information says he has seen four of these bodies calmly reposing at the
bottom of the lake. Samman’s avowed intention was to use the bodies, as
soon as they became sufficiently hardened, for hitching posts and door
steps.

The Indians, however, were ignorant of Samman’s eccentricity, or at
least had only heard unconfirmed stories of it. A few days before the
killing above mentioned, a party of Piutes were fishing for ‘‘kitchavie,”
scooping them off the surface of the water with willow baskets. In the
vicinity of Samman’s place they saw the bodies of their murdered brethren
lying on the gravelly bottom.

Then the stories they had heard were confirmed. They became
frenzied for revenge, and going to Samman’s cabin took him out (he was
alone) and shot him through the heart, carried the body into the cabin,
laid it on the bed, and to make sure that he was dead, fired another shot
through his brain. They then went several miles to a place where four
Italians were and killed three of them, one escaping to Bodie and alarm-
ing the citizens, telling them at the same time not to go out there for a few
days, as the Indians had sworn to kill any white man that came out. The
Indians were very much excited, and eager to avenge the death of the
petrified Piutes, A request was made on Governor Waterman for arms
and ammunition, and he offered to send troops, but the offer was declined.
The request for arms and ammunition has since been countermanded, and
things have quieted down considerably, but still the vigilance of the people
has not relaxed. An effort to arrest the guilty Indians will shortly be
made.”

How “CIVILIZATION” WAS INTRODUCED TO THE NATIVES OF
SOUTH AND CENTRAL AMERICA.

The second volume on Central America just issued, is one of
the most interesting of H. H. Bancroft’s “ History of the Pacific

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NATIVES OF CENTRAL AND SoutH AMERICA. 211

States.” It deals mainly with a period of which the simple recital
of its events reads like a romance. Mr. Bancroft has no sympathy
with the Spanish methed of colonization and he never neglects an
opportunity to point out the greed and villainy which lies under
the thin veneer of religious zeal in the Spanish-American con-
querors. He also dehghts in laying bare the hypocrisy of the
priestly chroniclers, who never fail to find a good excuse for the
methods of the men who carried the cross with bloody hands
among the ill-starred natives of Central and South America. He
can see no redeeming qualities in Francisco Pizarro, Alvarado and
the other Spanish conquerors, save their superb courage, which
never faltered, even in the face of the most appalling dangers.
He has none of that half-concealed fondness for these picturesque
pirates which is shown by many writers. He gives the plain
truth about them, stripped of all the glamor which the Church has
cast over their cruelties. The single chapter devoted to Pizarro
is an admirable review of the methods of one of the bravest and
meanest of the great adventurers of the world. Of infamous
origin and brutal instincts, his low cunning and unsurpassed
courage placed him at the head of the lawless crew in Panama and
made him surpass in Peru the crimes with which Cortez marked
his bloody march through Mexico. Nothing in history is more
cruel than the massacr > of the natives and the capture of the Inca,
which delivered into uc: hands of these freebooters the rich em-
pire of Peru. In a half-hour 5000 defenseless Peruvians were
butchered, without the loss of a single Spaniard. The massacre
was precipitated by the action of the Inca, who, when the Priest
Vicente de Valverde was urging upon him the beauties of the
Catholic faith, flung the Bible to the earth and trampled upon it.
The effect was similar to that which would follow a curse on the
religion of Mohammed uttered in an Arabian mosque. As the
author says, “To their brutal instinct was added a spiritual
drunkenness which took them out of the category of manhood and
made them human fiends. We wonder how men could so believe;
but greater still is our wonder that men so believing could so be-
have.” This massacre was followed by the usual sequence—a
forced levy on the kingdom for treasure as the ransom of the
captured monarch; the accumulation of treasure, which is estimat-
ed as worth $20,000,000, in one day, and finally the farcical trial
and condemnation of the captive Inca when no more gold and sil-
ver and precious stones could be wrung from the people. The

—

ERNIE

212 InpIAN MASSACRE.

trial and the death scene of the unhappy Inea are told in these
few words, made more impressive by their brevity :

The accusations and the trial woidd both be laughable were
they not so diabolical. Pizarro and Almagro acted as judges.
Among the charges were attempted insurrection, usurpation and
putting to death the lawful sovereign, idolatry, waging unjust
warfare, adultery, polygamy and the embezzlement of the public
revenues since the Spaniards had taken possession of the country.
What more cutting irony could words present of the Christian
and civilized idea of humanity and the rights of man then enter-
tained, than the catalogue of crimes by which this barbarian must
unjustly die, every one of which the Spaniards themselves had
committed in a tenfold degree since entering these dominions.
The opinion of the soldiers was taken. It is unnecessary to say
that the prisoner was found guilty. He was condemned to be
burned alive in the plaza.

At the appointed hour the royal captive, heavily chained, was
led forth. It was nightfall, and the torchlights threw a dismal
glare upon the scene. By the Inca’s side walked the infamous
Father Vicente, who never ceased pouring into the unwilling ear
of his victim his hateful consolations. Upon the funeral pile,
Atahualpa was informed that if he would accept baptism he might
be kindly strangled instead of burned. “A cheap escape from
much suffering,” thought the monarch, and permitted it to be
done. The nameof Juan de Atahualpa was given hiva. Theiron
collar of the garrote was then tightened, the Christians recited
their credos over the new convert, and the spirit of the Inca hied
away to the sun. Thus one more jewel was added to the immortal
crown of Father Vicente de Valverde !

Soon after Pizarro falls in a bloody brawl, a victim to the lust
for gold and power of the man whom he had made rich and
powerful. He was nearly eighty years of age when he met his
fate, yet so great was his vigor and courage that he killed five
persons and wounded others before he was subdued.

In the succeeding chapters are related the exploits of the
Spanish conquerors in the various States of Central America, and
on the Isthmus of Darien. The expeditions of Alvarado, the work
of the ecclesiastics in Guatemala and Chiapas, of Herrera in Hon-
duras, the raids of Drake and Oxenhun on the Isthmus, the
descents of the buccaneers, the outrages of Morgan at Darien, and
the exploits of other cut-throats, who dignified rapine and murder

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NATIVES OF CENTRAL AND SouTH AMERICA. 213

by the title of exploration—these furnish the materials for a story
as thrilling as can be found in the pages of romance. The history
is brought down to the close of the eighteenth century and shows,
with its wealth of detail, the stagnation which has always marked
the colonies of Spain. Those of the natives who objected to the
cruel domination of the Spaniards were killed. In Guatemala
alone Las Casas estimated the number of those who were massa-
ered or driven to death by this brutal treatment at between four
and five millions. The aim of the invaders was to wring the
uttermost farthing from the natives. Some of them glossed this
mercenary motive under religious zeal, but this did not alter its
character. Even a man of high character like Las Casas, whose
soul revolted at the cruelties perpetrated in the name of religion,
was responsible for the worst curse that ever befell this continent
--African slavery. There are absolutely no redeeming features in
the history, except the dauntless courage and iron endurance of
the men who ravished and depopulated 1 fair territory in the holy
name of the Church.

“Twelve years after the discovery of Hispaniola, as Columbus
himself writes, six-sevenths of the natives were dead through ill-
treatment.”

‘*Born by the law that compels men to be,
Born to conditions they could not foresee,
Fashioned and shaped by no will of their own,
Aad helplessly into life’s history thrown.”