, 1866-04-13

J.
as composed manner AS possible, cast more
kthan ore glance aside and behind at the knives,
pistols and guns, in order to assure myself
whetbg there were not some Of them directed
toward me.
The bodies we're all deposited 10 common
grave, fhich had neeu dug the day previous BY
Joseph Stan6eld and before leaving saw that
they Ege covered with earth. Bat have since
learard that the grave not having been soon
en0tEh enclosed, had been molested by the
Boly .haa, .salne of The eorpses had been
de4Sfing hnsied the lead hastened to prepare
Ifor my return to my nAissien IN order sfri
Mr. Spalding with the danger which threatened
| him; because, on Monday evening, when be
supped with US he said tbat it was his intention
to return to Dr.. Whitman's on the following
Wednesday or Thursday and 1 wished to meet
him in time~to give him chance to escape.
This repeated several times to the unfortunate
widows of the slain, and expressed to them my
desire of being able % save Mr.. Spaldng Be-
fore leaving the women aud children, / spoke to
the son of Tilokaikt, who seemed to be acting
in the place of his father, asking him to promise
me that they should not be hurt, and that he
would take care of them. Say to them, said
he, that they need fear nothing they shall be
taken care of aud well treated / then left
them, after saying what l could to encourage
them, slthough l was not myself entirely exempt
| from fear upon their account.
|
that the son of Tilokaikt followed me in compa-
ny with nay interpreter, who himself was an Iu-
l dian, his friend aad his relative by his wife.
4 did not think that be had the intention Of com
| ing far with us; l believed that he was merely
coming 10 the river to point out some new place
for crossing, and that he would afterwards re-
turn. But when afterwards having crossed the
river be still continued going on with us, be-
gan strongly to fear for Mr.. Spslding. knew
| he In Hian wit hal
and more enraged against Mr.. Spalding than any
other But what could do in such a circum-
| stance2 | saw no remedy; | could not tell the
| Indian to go back, because he would have sus-
] pected something, and it would have been
worse; could not start ahead Of him, because
| be had much better horse than mine; | re-
! solved then to leave all in the hands of PrOYi-
dence. Fortunately, few minutes after cross
ing the river the interpreter asked Tilokaikt's
son for a smoke. They prepared the calumet,
but when the moment came for lighting it, there
was nothing to make hre. You have pistol
said the interpreter, fire it, and we will light.
Accordingly, without stopping, he fired his pis-
tOl reloaded it and fred it again. He then
commenced smoking with the interpreter with
out thinking Of reloadng his pistol. A few
minutes after, while they were thus engaged in
mokiug, l saw Mr.. Spalding come galloping to-
wards me. In a moment he was at my side, ta-
king me by lne hand, and asking for news,
'llhve you been to the Doctors be inquired.
'Yes,' l replied. What newS?' Sad news.
IS any person dead2 Eyes, Sir Who is
dead is il one of the Doctors chilreng lie
had left two of them very sick.) No, replied.
who then is dead| | hesitated to tell him.
wait a moment, SAID !, Il cannot tell you now.
While Mr.. Spalding was asking me those differ
ent questions, | had spoken TO my interpreter,
telling him to entreat the Indian in my name,
not to kill Mr.. Spalding, which begged of him
a special favor, aud hoped that be would not
refuse it to me. was waiting for his answer,
+ and did not wish to relate the disaster to Mr..
Spalding before getting IT, for fear that he might
by his manner discover to the Indian what | had |
told him for the least motion like flight would |
have cost him his life and probably exposed |
mine also. The son of TilOkafkt, after hesita- |
ting some moments, replied that he could not
take it upon himself to save Mr.. Spaldng butl
that he would,go back and consult the other In |
dians; and so he started back Immediately to |
hiscamp Ithen avaied myself Of his absence |
to satisfy the anxiety Of Mr. Spalding. | rela-
ted to him what had passed The Doctor is |
dead said |, the Indians have killed him, to-
gether with his wife aud eight other Americans, |
on Monday last the 29th, and have buried |
them before leaving to-day the Indians have |
killed the Doct0rp cried Mr.. Spaldng; 'they |
will kill me also, if go to the campp Il fear it |
very much, said |. What then shall do?' Il
know not | have told you what has happened, |
decide now for yourself what you had best do |
| have no advice to give you in regard to that
why has that Indian started backE he inquired. |
Il begged him to spare your life said |, aud |
be answered me that be could not take it upon |
himself to do So but that he would go and take |
the advice Of the other Indians about Is; that is |
the reason why be started back Mr.. Spaldng |
seemed frightened and discouraged is it pos |
sible Isit possibleP he repeated several times |
they will certainly killsme; and he was unable |
to come to any decision. But what could have |
prompted the Indians to this2' he inquired 4
know not said !, but be quick to take decis- |
ion you have no time to lose. If the Indians |
should resolve not to spare your life, they will |
be here very soon, we are only about three
miles from their camp .tBut where shall go? |
Il know not, you know the country better than |
]; all that know is that the Indians say the or
der to kill Americans has been sent in all direc-
tons. Mr.. Spalding then resolved to ny. lie |
asked me if | was willing to take charge OF some
loose horses that he was driving before him.
told him that could not for fear of becoming |
suspicious to the Indians. told him, however, |
that if the interpreter was willing to take them
under his charge at his own risk be was per- |
fecty at liberty to do 80. To this the lnterpre-
ter agreed. gave AFR. Spaulding what pfoyis- |
ions had left, and b ,Gened to take leave ot
him, wishing him with all my heart happy |
escape, and promising to pray for him. In quit |
ting him was so much terrified at the thought
of the danger with which he was threatened,
that trembled in every limb, and could scarcely |
hold myself upon my horse. left him with my |
Interpreter, to whom be again put many ques-
tions, aDd who pointed out to him by-road
which be would be able to follow with most
safety. i thought he advised him to go to the
Dalles, but l am not certain. Mr.. Spalding still
continuing to ask new questions, and hesitatinE
to leave, the Interpreter advised him to hasten
his fight, and he left him a monient before he
had decided to quit the road. The interpreter
had not .left Mr.. Spalding more than twenty
minutes when he saw three armed Cayuses ri
ding hastily towards him, who were in pursuit
of Mr.. Spalding. Upon coming up to the inter
prefer they seemed much displeased that bad
warned Mr.. Spalding Of their intentions, and
thereby furnished him Ethan opportunityto to es-
cape. .lThe priest oushtto have attended to his