The Sun.
London, England, 1848-06-22 00:00:00

(Copy.)

"TO THE BOARD OF MANAGEMENT AT FORT VANCOUVER.
" Fort Nez P,rce, Walla Walla,
Nov. 30, 1847.
. _ .

" Gentlemen,—lt is my painful task to make you ac-
quainted with a horrid massacre which took place yes-
terday at Wauletpu, about which I was first apprised
early this morning by an American who bad escaped, of
the name of Hall, and who reached this half naked and
covered with blood. As he started at the onset, the in-
formation I obtained was not satisfactory. He, however,
assured me that the Doctor (Whitman) and another man
were killed, but could not tell me the persons who did it,
and how it originated.
" I immediately determined on sending my interpreter
and one man to Dr. Whitman's to find out the truth,
and, if possible, to rescue Mr. Chief Trader Manson's
two sons and any of the survivors. It so happened that,
before the interpreter had proceeded half way, the
two boys were met on their way hither, escorted
by Nicholas Finlay, it having been previously
settled among the Indians that these boys should not
be killed, as also the American women and children. Pc-
loquoit is the chief who recommended this measure. I
presume you are well acquainted that fever and dysen-
tery have been raging here and in this vicinity, in con-
sequence of which a great number of Indians have been
swept away, but more especially at the Doctor's place,
where he attended upon them. About thirty of the
Cayuses tribe died one after another, who eventually
believed the Doctor had poisoned them; and in which
opinion they were, unfortunately, confirmed by one of
the Doctor's party. 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 on that point, it is re-
ported that they requested the Doctor to administer me-
dicine to three of their friends, two of whom were really
sick, but the third only feigned illness, and that the three
were corpses the next morning. After they were
buried, and while the Doctor's men were employed
slaughtering an ox, the Indians came one by one
to his house, with their arms concealed under their
blankets, and, being all assembled, commenced
firing on those slaughtering the animal, and in
a moment the Doctor's house was surrounded. The
Doctor and a young man brought up by himself were
shot in the house. His lady, Mr. Rogers, and the
children had taken refuge in the garret, but were
dragged down and dispatched (excepting the children)
outside, were their bodies were left exposed. It is re-
ported that it was not their intention to kill Mr. Rogers,
in consequence of an avowal to the following
effect, which he is said to have made, and which
nothing but a desire to save his lite could have prompted
him to do. He said, " I was one evening lying down,
and I overheard the Doctor telling the Rev. Mr. Spald-
ing that it was best you should all be poisoned at once,
but that the latter told him it was best to continue slowly
and cautiously, and between tbia and spring not a soul
would remain, when they would take possession of your
lands, cattle, and horses.'

" These are only Indian reports, and no person can
believe the Doctor capable of such an action without
being as ignorant and brutal as the Indians themselves.
One of the murderers not having been made acquainted
with the above understanding shot Mr. Rogers.
"It is well understood that eleven lives were lost and
three wound, d. It is also rumoured that they are to
make an attack upo❑ the tort. Let them come
If they will not listen to reason, though I have only
five men at the establishment, I am prepared to
give them a warm reception ; the gates are closed
day and night, and bastions in readiness. In com-
pany with Mr. Mansoti's two sons was sent a young
half-bred lad brought up by Dr. Whitman ; they are all
here and have got over their fright. The ringleaders in
this horrible butchery are Peloquoit, his son Big Belly,
Tamsuchy, Estacie, Toumonlish, &c. I understand from
the interpreter that they were snaking one common
grave for the deceased.

" The houses were stripped of every thing in the shape
of property, but when they came to divide the spoil,
they fell eut among themselves, and all agreed to put
back the property. lam happy to state the Walla
Wallas had no hand in the business ; they were all the
Doctor's ()an people (the Cay uses). One American
shot another, and took the Indians' part to save his own
life.

" Allow me to draw a veil over this dreadful affair,
which is too painful to dwell upon, and which I have
explained conformably to information received; and with
sympathizing feelings.—l remain, with much respect,
gesitlemen, your most humble servant,

" WILLIAM M'BEAN.

" N.B. I have just learned that the Cayuses are to
be here to-morrow, to kill Serpent Jaune,' the Walla
Walla chief."

" Fort Vancouver, Dec. 7, 1847.

" Sir,—Having received intelligence last night, bp
special express from Walla Walla, of the destruction of
the missionary settlement at \Vaulctpu by the Cayuse
Indians of that place, we hasten to communicate the
particulars or that dreadful event—one of the most atro-
tholls which darkens the annals of Indian crime.
" Our lamented friend 1)r. Whitman, his amiable and
7iccomplished lady, with nine other persons, have fallen
victims to the fury of these remorseless savages, who
appear to have been instigated to this appalling crime by
a horrible suspicion which had taken possession of their
superstitious minds, that in consequence of the number
of deaths from dysentery and measles, Dr. Whitman
was silently working the destruction of their tribe by
administering poisonous dregs under the semblance of
salutary medicines.
_ _ _

" With a goodness of heart and benevolence truly his
own, Dr. Whitman had been labouring incessantly since
the appearance of the measles and dysentry among his
Indian converts to relieve their sufferings ; and such has
been the reward of his generous labours.
" A copy of Mr. M‘Bean's letter herewith will give
all the particulars known to us of this indescribably
painful event.

" Mr. Ogden with a strong party will leave this place
as soon as possible for Walla Walla to endeavour to
prevent further evil; and we beg to suggest to you the
propriety of taking instant measures for the protection
of the Rev. Mr. Spaulding, who, for the sake of his
family, ought to abandon the Clear Water Mission
without delay, and retire to a place of safety, as he can-
not remain at that isolated station without imminent
risk, in the present excited and irritable state of the
Indian population.

" I have the honour to be. Sir,
" Your most obediPnt servant,

JAMES DOUGLAS.

" Mr. George Abernethy."

THE CATAMARAN.

It having been announced by advertisement that on
Tuesday last this patent lib-preserver would make a
trip from Dover to Boulogne, on that day, long befori-
the hour appointed for the " demonstration," the beach
in front of Waterloo-crescent was thronged with all
sorts of people. A tent was erected on the beach, under
which the catamaran was put together and prepared
for sea. During its progress, and after its completion,
vast numbers of people inspected it; anal it is only justice
to Mr. Hely, the inventor, to say, that his courtesy
and kindness to all visitors and inquirers were emi-
nently conspicuous. The hour of sailing arrived ;
but, as there was a stiff adverse breeze blowing, it
was deemed impracticable to launch the catamaran.
Indeed, the highest nautical authorities declared
it was quite impossible for such a craft to
reach Boulogne on that day (Tuesday) ; and Mr. Hely
was, therefore, reluctantly compelled to abandon the
idea of taking ,the trip that day. On Wednesday the
wind was equally adverse ; and it was not till Thursday
morning at six o'clock that he could attempt the pas-
sage. At this early hour our drowsy citizens were
disturbed by the booming of cannon—the given signal
for the departure of the expedition; and those who un-
derstood the signal, and could muster sufficient courage
to throw off death's counterfeit, hied them to the beach
to witness it. All having been got ready, the catamaran
was carried down to the water's edge by a few sturdy
boatmen, and in a trice launched for the first time on the
briny deep amid the roar of artillery and the plaudits of
the people. The catamaran, being now fairly afloat, lay
at anchor in the oiling for a short time. The anchor
being got, the life preserver was pulled clear of the land,
and then she was put under the pressure of a lug sail,
and took her course across the channel, with an expres-
sion of the hearty good wishes of the spectators. the
was accompanied by a lugger, with some 30 people on
board. The catamaran showed evident symptoms of
her sea-going qualities so long as she remained in
sight, and it was doubted by none but that
she 'would make the trip at a reasonable rate.
The catamaran is exceedingly simple in construe--
tion. This specimen is 30 feet long by 8 feet wide.
The cylinders were stuffed with different sorts of
munitions, and when on the water it looked in shape
not unlike an elongated basket, through the bottom and
sides of which the water has free ingress and egress.
Its flexibility protects it from damage on rocks or sink-
ing ships, and it woula seem next to impossible for any
sea to upset it. It will, therefore, be serviceable where
no boat could live; and thotfgh it dces not keep its crew
dry-footed, this is a matter of minor import in cases of
life or death. We have no doubt of the success of Mr.
tlely's invention, and believe that every sea-going vessel
will shortly adopt the catamaran as a life-preserver for
passengers and crew in case of need. In the case of a
vessel taking fire at sea, getting on a sunken rock, or in
any way becoming in a sinking state, were each sailor
provided with a cylinder case, he could bundle his
clothes and a little "grub " into it, and the strength of
the united crew could very soon construct the cata-
maran raft. The catamaran arrived safe at Boulogne
at seven o'clock P.M. Here Mr. Heiy was received
most cordially by the authorities, and presented to
the French Government, through them, a model
of his invention. The return voyage was favour-
able as far as Blackness, when the catamaran fell in
with heavy calms, and did not arrive on Dover-bay
beach until eleven r at., having about five miles encoun-
tered a heavy north-east breeze, with much rain and a
heavy sea. A great number of persons assembled on the
beach opposite the baths to greet the catamaran, as she
beached in gallant style on the shingle. W e understand
every lashing was as secure as at the hour of her start-
ing from Dover-bay, and she was only an inch or so
deeper in the water. All her wood-work remains per-
fectly stau-ich. She shipped no water over her bulwarks,
steered steadily, and held her wind by means of her
shifting-keel with wonderful nicety. She has been pro-
nounced a craft of first-rate sea-worthiness and safety,
and the result of this salt-water trial, during which about
ninety miles of water were traversed, may be considered
as conclusive as successful. This day she will be taken
to pieces on the beach. We understand that two offers
to purchase the catarman were made to the inventor by
parties at Boulogne, previous to her departure from that
spot.—Dover Chronicle.