Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1858-11-25
Overland Journey from Oregon.
ADVENTURES AMONG INDIANS.
Crossing the Rocky Misunderstanding
DoWn the Missouri.
Narrative OF DR.. Perkins, Of Oregon.

Narrative OF DR.. Perkins, Of Orego,
l started from the Dalles on the 18th
June, in company with Major John Owe
who had been appointed by Col. Nesmi,
Indian Superintendent in Oregon, to il
quire into the causes of Col. Steptoe's d.
feat. Our party proceeded to Wall
Walla, $50 miles, where saw Col. Ster
toe. just one month after his defeat. A
Wnlla Wala ! had long talk with Co
s., and with his men. with regard to tn
cause of this fight, and how it happene
that they were defeated and the genera
impression seemed to lie that Col. Stepto
was betrayed by his guide into this ira,
for the express purpose Of giving him thi
whipping. ] staid at Walla WasM tw,
days, and consulted with them whether i
was best to go up the country OF. En-.
result was that determined to b.
old Iludsons Bay trail; so crossing th,
Snake river at its mouth, the second nigh
afterwards We left the main Columbis
river and struck out INTO the old Hudson.
Bay trail throj h coulees OR sand
hills, where, as NJ as the eve could reach
there was nothing to be seen but white
sand. and for the whole distance there
was hardly a spear of grass or any kind OF
vegetation. The reason for taking tn is
trail was that we we're told at Walla that
the Pelouse, Spokane, lakama, and Coeur
Alene Indians were on the south side of
the Snake river at the Pelousc crossing.
and it would be impossible for us to pass
up through them. BY taking this trail
we left them about hundred miles to the
eastward of us. and passed through a
country where it would have been impos-
sible for any one to have traced US fifteen
minutes alter We passed. as the sand blew
so that We all had to wear some covering
over the face to keep it out of our eyes,
We kept on through th, portion of the
country, and came to the mouth Of the
Spokane river, about so miles from For.
.o, We reached the oroka"s '''e'
y ,Ls;: Ifh%sss, Who Seemed 10 ! be friend
and comfortable. They gave us some
fresh salmon, and put us across the river.
We staid there all night. and the mex,
morning about FIVE o'clock, when the order
was given to strike camp, the bro'her-ln-
law of Quil'anena tbeing one If the muir
derers OF the Indian agent Berlandl came
to the camp and said that Qnitamena had
been murdered below by the whites on the
opposite side OF the Columbia river, and
there was q white chief there named Major
.Iohn Owen, (the Fia,iIesd Indian agent,
and they were going to have his life to pay
for Cuil,amena's. This created considers
able excitement among our party. We
having only seven white men, and nc
means of defending ourselves but we had
one of the hest guides in that country
George Mantour. and through his instru,
mentality we managed to escape from the
hostile Indians with merely having pis
tol drawn upon one of the party. We
made a forced march that day to withif
7 ten miles of Fort Colvile-a distance o
abou, seventy miles. The mex, morning
we went into Fort Colyiite. This was ths
lth of July last, and Of course the nation
al anniversary was appropriate celebrated
by our party.
| We remained at Fort Colville four days
and during that time thirty of the Coeu
d'Alencs, with their head chief, were occu
pying room in the Fort. 1t will be re
membercd that these were the ones VIII
had defeated Col. Steptee; and they ha
with them a great number Of America
"U. S. d." mules and horses. which wer
sold 10 the chief Of the Hnason's Ra
Company at Fort Col,ille for a small non
nal price-he thus furnishing marke
for stolen goods, knowing them to be sucl
and that they had been taken at Col. s'el
toes defeat. While We we're at Fort Co
vile every night the Indians would hav
their scalp dance, with their drums bea
ing and war whoop sounding. They di
exactly rs they pleased there. and woul
20 into the kitchen and take smut off I
the kettles to black their faces, which is
well known sign Of hostility, indica.in
war to the knife.
In connexon with this subject, vi
mention that the chief in charge at Fo
Colville made he remark that if the Unite
States government would not allow him
sell the Indians ammunition there, |
would do it at Fort Forty mine, which
! three miles north Of the line, in the Britis
possessions. Heretofore there has been
very small amount Of amunitioL sent !
< from Fort IlSpe to Fort Colyille for Il
/: winter; but this year it amounts to fl
; hundred pounds of powder, nearly doub
the amour, sent any previous year. Whe
= the Indians have procured the ammuniii,
with which they have fought Col. Siept'
Y and the whites do not pretend to sa.
u but the fact that the Hudson's BAY Co.
d pany have sent up so much more th'
usual this year, when they have no mo
= call for it than before, is suggestive, Al
i. every man can draw his own deductio
how this ammunition is to be used. No
Sa