, 1856-02-15
Fat Kanim and The Indian War.

Last week, it VIII be remembered, We
made mention of the departure from
Holmes IIarbor, Island county, on Mon
day, the 4th inst, of. Pat Kanim, head
chief of the Snoqnalmie and Skokomsh
tribes of Indians, with ffty-fve well armed
members of those bands, accompanied by
Col. NJ. r. Simmons, L. NJ. Collins and Mr.
Fuller, for q journey up the ShoquaImIc
river, in pursuit of the Indians who have
been engaged in the late scenes Of butchery
robbery, destruction of property by the
torch and rifle, and brutal savage warfare
in general. Since that time, l.. NJ, Col
Hns Esq, has returned to the Sound-vls-
tied this place on Tuesday last, bringing
with him the heads of two Clickitat lndi-
ans captured, tried, condemned and execu-
ted by Pat Kanim and party which pro-
ceeding We are now compelled to regard as
an earnest of his fidelity to our cause, as
| well as Of his future usefulness to our vol
unteer and regular forces in these times oil
gloom and peril We are indebted to Mr..
Collins for the following narration of events
since the party have been out, so far as he
is cognizant Of them:
On Friday of last week, when within
about five miles Of the Snoqualmie falls
some eighty miles east of Seattle, (near
the base of the mountains), Pat KaniIn OBJ
taincd information of an Indian encamp'
mcnt Immediately below the falls. Col
Simmons, Messrs Collins and Fuller, then
encamped in small prairie called Wap
pitu," whilst Pat Kanim and party ap
preached the Indian encampment referred
to-surrounded it, and captured all belong
ing to it, (seventecn( without the firing o.
gun; but it so transpired, on investiga
ton that all but three (Clickitats) belong
ed to Pat Kanim's band; and that the
ClickitatS, perhaps in the capacity of spies
had accidentally entered their encampment
where, for three days, they had been en-
deuvoring TO induce these Indians to joiI
them and their hostile brethren. Pat Ka
MIN, however, ordered them all TO be tieC
took them down to Wappitu" prairie
tried them all liberated the members o
ll-his-ow tribe--condcmned and executed
two of the Cliekitats, asAbove. The thirt
one turned Estates evidence" and his lif,
was spared on conditions that he woulC
join Pat Kanim's party, and do good ser
vice during the war; and that he would a
once lead thcm to the head quarters Of th'
hostile camp, with the understanding tha
the first symptom Of treoehery should b.
visited with death. Mr.. Collins thinks b.
cannot dc otherwise than prove true.
The execution, (by hanging) and be
heading occurred on Saturday last, and a
Mr. @, left Immediately afterwards, TO
supplies of provisions, &c, he had but I
short time to obtain much Important in(or
nation from the Indian who was permittet
to survive. 1t was aseertaincd, however
that he and the others had been living OIL
this side of the mountains all the fall anC
winter; that they, in common with som'
FIVE or six hundred fighting men, had a
different times and places, taken part il
the war, and in all the massacres and rob
berries that had been committed; that {
l part of Nelson's (half Clickitat) )aud Lcschi'
bands participated in connection with th'
Sababs and Duwamish Indians, in the re
cent attack on Seattle, although neither
Nelson or Leschi were present; that it wal
the purpose of the Clickitats and Yakimas
as early as practicable in the spring, t.
cross the mountains in foUe, and continue
the war. He appeared to DO thoroughly
acquainted with the intended movement
Of the hostile Indians, and the exact posi-
ton and whereabouts Of their encampments
He represented that,there were four differ
ent camps on the eastern side Of Whit,
river, but short distance apart, abov'
whore the military road crosses it; that tn,
middle one is where Leschi and others o
the ring-leaders are encamped and tha
the fourth one is almost directly on tn,
road, below, on the river; that the road i
completely guarded at the crossing Of Whit
river. He has pledged himself to escori
Pat Kanim and party directly to Leschi''
camp, under forfeiture Of his life. HI
states that there are now only about thirty
armed Indians in the immediate vicinity O
Seattle, near the lake, and Mr.. Collins
thinks that Pat Kanim attacked them OF
Monday last-that being his intention; and
he also thinks it probable that by yester
day, lie had made an attack on Leschi''
camp. The distance Is not to exceed forty