, 1858-07-16
Fnrt6er about nat Indian Attack.

week, OF an attack made upon company
Of miners, few weeks since, by the upper
country hostile Indians. The last Portland
papers-particularly the Standard and
Christian AdrOeate, contain lengthy ac-
counts of the affair-in the former, as given
by the captain of the cOmpauy-MORTnlERI
RoBERrsoN-and in the latter, as detailed
BY "a California miner" The main facts
set forth in the statement Of the affair, as
published in those papers. approximate so
closely to that received and presented by us
that we deem it unnecessary to go into fur
ther general detail. A few corrections,
however, would not be amss
1t appears that the difficulty commenced
on the goth Of Juue, near the crossing Of
the HenateIee, and not the Nah-ehes, as Civ
en- in the account received by us, and that
FIVE Indians were killed-among them, old
Ouhps son. This statement we learn is cor
roborated by " Nelson, "-of White river
massacre notoriety-who, we lern, in com
pany with "Stahi," and other hosties,
we're on the east side Of the Cascades at
the time the attack was made. "Stahi" is
said to have Joined the hostiles, but they
refused, from some cause, to accept the SER
vices Of "Nelson )" consequently, he was
obliged to return. .....
The conductors of the Portland press
and their correspondents, have remarka-
BILE faculty of dressing up the route to the
mines, rid the Dalles and the Columbia riv-
er in its best clothes; aud, indeed, in clothes
that does mol belong to IL. Even consistency,
and sometimes truth is made 10 suffer in re-
laton to matters connected with it.
The Oregoaian Of July Sd, says that " so
far as safety of life and property is concern
ed, the Dalles route has great advantages
over any other" and in support Of his po-
sition the editor Of that paper quotes the
correspondence published in this paper a
few weeks since-of Col. Ed. @. Fitzhugh
and o. P. Meeker, ESQ.,, with Gov. McMul-
lin-the former, in relation to the murder,
by the northern Indians, of q party Of six
men near Bellingham Bay, the menace
against the steamer FaantelrOy, &c.-and
the latter to the effect that "Kitsap" and
Joe" informed Nelson" that if he-"Nel-
son ~" took the Bostons cucr the mountains
that they loOuld be soalped i" 3-e. u
Now, what does all this parade Of the
OrtgOuian amount toR Simply this: the
murder Of the six persons referred to, took
place in the immediate vicinity of Frazer't
river, and where l5, 900 or 20, 900 person;
have landed within the last three months
Northern, British-Russio Indians, perhaps
from Sitka, perpetrated the murders, and
it is well known that they never lose sight
of their canoes, or penetrate into the inte-
rior. Therefore, the mining region is ex.
empt from an attack from them.
The assertion that there is less danger Of
miners being attacked by Indians by way
ofthe Dalles, than by way Of the SnOqual
mie pass, or any other route through the
mountains from Puget Sound, has no foun.
dation whatever in truth At present, nc
apprehension is felt Of an attack until the
eastern base of the mountains is attained
after which, all is common, and parties are
as liable to be attacked at one place, M
more nor no less than at another-come they
by way of the Dalles, Walla-walla, Priests
Rapids, Ft Simcoe, SOqualmis pass, or any
other route.
But the SnOqualmie pass has the adVan
tage in the distance Of hostile Indian coun
try to be traVersed by mining parties. A
glance at the map will serve to satisfy any
person that the Wenatchee river, where thr
late Indian attack was made, is but a shor
distance from the SnOqualmie pass, where
as an extensive belt Of Indian country in
tervenes between that river and the Dalles
and we repeat, that there is no danger Of az
Indian attack This sids of that pass If tn,
Indians undertake to keep miners out of th
country east, we feel quite sure that the,
will not stop to inquire By tOhat route the.
: entered the country.
We observe nothing in the last Oregon
an about the Indian attack upon the mi
ming party at the Wenatchee, but mention
|, is made Of another attack, at or near Priest
Rapids.
MILITARY Posi- ON THE WENATCHEE Ry