Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1861-03-30

VlOllS, anu tney were ucteTUilHcu "
kill a Mackah chief to pay for it. And
the other reason was, that Swell had
taken his squaw away, and would not
return either the woman or the fifty
blankets he had paid for her. lie was
particular in telling me all the circum-
stances of the affair, and added that he
was sorry there were white mems goods
III the canoe.
The Elwha's then pretended to bring
me all the things they had saved from
the wreck, which consist Of couple
of kettles, some buttons and other trim
kcts. and a couple of squaws pctticoats.
As I had no authority to make them
disgorgc any other plumber, was con-
tent to take what | could get, but |
suggested to them the propricty of their
paying my Indians for the expense Of
our visit. which they demurred at, but
finally added to the heap, Il few blankets
and a dozen yards of calico, to "mam-
oke close tumtums.' They were the
most frightened set of rascals ! ever
met with. Their fear arising from the
expectation of an attack from the
Nackah and Nittinat Indians. how
ever uuictcd them down by promising
TO law the matter before the Indian
Agent. and to advise the Makah's to do
the same. Charcy's fears were so much
allavcd, that he consented to sell me Il
bow and couple of beautiful copper
headed arrows. which this villainous
rascal kept at his bed side, ready to
use should his musket miss fire, or he
be suddenly surprised. lie told me
that the green paint (verdigris) that
would come on them when he dipped
them into salt water, would make amy
one htus Sick, if they got scratched with
the arrow. and if it went into them it
would kill them.
could not help feeling while stand
ing up alongside this murderer, sur
rounded by the residents OF the village,
(somc Is pcrsons,) that | would gladly
give pull at the rope that should hang
him. and if l had not been fully aware
of the consequences that might cnsnc.
would have shot him where lie stood,
surrounded by his people. But my
object was not topunish orkill Indians.
bnt to recover property, and knew
that any hostile expression on my part,
particularly as they were looking to
me for advice in the matter. would pre-
vent any further negotiations, SO | was
lain to gather up such articles as they
were pleased to give me. and return to
Port Pownscnd, where | arrived on the
morning of the 1lth.
Shortly after my arrival, Mr.. j. s.
Maggs came in from Neah Bay with
some Macah Indians, consisting OF two
brothers of Swell, and five other lndi-
ans, and on the following morning
went with him in the Mackal canoe to
the Puvallup Reservation, and laid the
matter before Col. Simmons, the Indian
Agent. Although Col. Simmons has
been removed from the Indian service,
he has not vet been relieved, and is
therefore in office as the de .facto agent
for this district. Col. Simmons said
that this outrage was one that the de-
partmcnt, as we'll as the citizens, felt
bound to see rcdrcsscd. Swell was too
good an Indian, and too valuable man
both to the department and the white
settlers, to have his murder go una
vcngcd. The many acts of Kindness
he has done the white men, the ship
wrecked mariners he has relieved, and
the peculiar tact he had in impartirg
the information of the whites to his
tribe, made him person of the first
Importance, particularly in the coming
of the payment of the annuitics.
Swell was the Indian who saved the
ship-wrccked crew of the Brig !S~iss Boy,
wrecked some two years or more since,
at Nittinat. at the entrance of Fuca
Straits. lie saved them from bondage,
and landed them safe among their
friends. Our government in acknowl-
cdgcmcnt of his services, made him a
handsome present through the Indian
Agent. In fact, said Col. Simmons,
Swell was the nearest to a white man,
of any Indian on Fuca Straits. But
Col. Simmons could do nothing about
the matter. True, he told us how to
place the claims for damages, and loss
of the goods IN the canoe, 40 that they
should be paid from the Indian annui-
ties; but, he said that now his hands
are tied. Although the appropriations
for the Indian service have been made,
not one dollar has came to hand, or if
the money has come, no one knows
where it is. The annuity goods have
come, but he has neither funds nor
goods, to pay the expense Of distribut-
ing them, nor even enough to hire an
Indian to go in a canoe, without pay