The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-10-31

l started from the Dalies on the 18th of June in
company with Major John Owen, who had been APP
pointed by Col. Nesmith Indian superintendent in
Oregon, toinqnire into the causes of Col Steptoes
defeat. Our party proceeded TO Wala Waa, $50
miles, where saw Col Steptoe, just month after
his defeat. AT Walla Walla had a long talk with
Col s., and with his men, with regard to the cause
of this fight aud how il happened that they were
defeated and the general impression seemed to be
that Col Steptoe betrayed by his guide into this
trap for the express purpose Of giving him this whip
ping. staid at Walla Walla two days, and con
suited with them whether it was best to go up the
country or not. The result was that determined
to take the old Hudson's Bay trails SO crossing the
Snake river at its mouth, the second night after
wards we left the main Columbia river, and struck
out into the old Hudson's Bay trail through the
Coulees sand hills where, far the eye could
reach, there was nothing to be seen but white
sand, and for the whole distance there was hard
Iy spear Of grass or any kind Of vegetation. The
reason for taking this trail that told
Walla Walla that the Pelouse, Spokane, Yakima and
Occur Alene Indians were the south side of the
Snake river at the Peouse crossing and it would be
impossible for US to pass up through them. BY Ia
king this trail we left them about hundred miles to
the eastward Of US, and passed through country
where IL would have been impossible for any to
have traced us fifteen minutes after we passed. as
the sand blew so that we all had to wear COW
ering over the face to keep it out of eyes. We
kept on through this portion of the country, and
came to the mouth of the Spokane river, about
80 miles from Fort Coville. We reached the Spo
kane river towards night, and met q small band of
Spokanes there who seemed to be friendly and glad
60 see us, and did everything in their power
to make our visit pleasant and comfortable. They
gave us some fresh salmon, and put us across the
river. We staid there all night, and the next
morning about five o'clock, when the order was
giren 70 strike camp, the brotherinlaw of Quta-
mena (being ono Of the murderers of the Indian
agent Borand) came to the camp and said that Quill
tamena had been murdered below by the whites on
the opposite side of the Columbia river, and there
was white chief there named Major John Owen
lthe Flathead Indian agent) and they going to
have his life to pay for Quiltamena's This created
considerable excitement among our party, we having
only seven white men, and means Of defending
ourselves but we had one OF the best guides in that
country George Mantour, and through his insru-
mentality managed to escape from the hostile In
dams with merely having pistol drawn upon one
Of the party. We made forced march that day
to within ten miles of Fort Colvillea distance Of
about seventy miles. The next morning went into
Fort Colville This was the 4th of July last and of
course the national anniversary was appropriately
celebrated by our party. sF.l@ -, b ... :
We remained at Fort Colville four days. and du-
ring that time thirty of the Occur dAlenes, with
their head Chief, were OCCUPYING room in the fort,
1t viii be remembered that these the very ones
who had defeated Col. Steptoe and they had with
them great number of American ~. S. D." mules
and horses, which We're sold to the chief of the
Hudson's Bay Company ct Fort Colville for small
nominal price-he thus furnishing market for
stolen goods, knowing them to be such, and that
they had been taken at Col. Steptoes defeat. While
we were at Fort Colville every night the Indians
would have their scalp dance with their drums beat
ing and war-whoop sounding. They did exactly as
they pleased there, and would go into the kitchen
and take smut of of the kettles to black their faces
which is well-known sign Of hostility, indicating
war to the knife; In connection with this subject,
will mention that the chief in charge at Fort Col
vile made the remark that if the United States gov
ernment would not allow him to sell the Indians am
munition there, he would do it at Fort Fory-nine,
which s three miles north of the line in the British
possessions. Heretofore there has been very
small amount of ammunition sent UP from Fort Hope
TO Fort Colville for the winter but this year it
amounts to five hundred pounds of powder, nearly
double the amount sent any previous year. Where
the Indians have procured the ammunition with
which they have fought Col. Steptoe and the whites
do not pretend to say but the fact that the Hud-
sons Bay Company have sent up so much more than
usual this year, when they have more call for it
than before, is suggestive and every man can draw
his own deductions how this ammunition is to be
used Now, il the United States troops to occu-
Ply Fort Coville during the coming winter the whole
Of that trade would be stopped because the Indians
must pass almost within gunshot of Fort Coville to
reach Fort Forty-nine. a. Mo- ..,.a..a
2 On the morning of the 9Th of July, Major Owens
party. with whom was travelling, started out from
Fort Coviile to go about thirty miles for the pur-
pose OF making our meat for the trip into the Flat
mead country. There was very fine horse tied by
q lariat, and an Indian came in and, merely saying
II want horse got on to him and rode him out of
the fort; and all the influence of the Americans and
the Eudsons Bay people not sufficient to get
that horse back again. We got away with the rest
OF our equpage and went about twelve miles up the
valley TO place called White Mud, where three
other indians rode into the train and took another
very hne horse and rode him off. Our own party,
as before remarked, consisted Of only seven white
men, and we had three women and five children with
US In that valley there were perhaps one hundred
whites and their families, perfectly unprotected
scattered about through the whole valley, and sub
jscted to the danger of attack from tile Indians at
any time and it seems reasonable to suppose that
this was done for the express purpose of getting
to draw the first blood, so that they might have an
excuse for massacring all the occupants of the val
ley. Indeed, heard it so stated after the thing
had occurred. We had no more trouble with the
Indians however, until we got to Strangers Ranch,
70 miles from Fort Colville where our animals were
placed in the charge of friendly Indian, who
carried them off into the hills where he said
that no white man or Indian either could ever find
them. We remained there three days curing meat
for our trip. On the afternoon of the second day
Mrs. Mcdonald the wife of the old chief at Fort COL
vile, came into the house where Major John Owen
and myself were sitting, and told him not TO go out
aide OF the door, as there was an Okonagan lndian
who had sworn to kill him that night So Major
Owen remained in his room all that night being
guarded by IL friendly Indians. During the night
there was ALARM and eight ten shots were
fired, but nobody was hurt. On the morning of the
14th Of July left Strangers Ranch for the chutes
Of the Spokane river, for the purpose of holding
council with the hostile Indians. We arrived there
on the morning of the 18th, and were received in
lodge where we were kept in suspense for eighteen