The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1878-08-22
TFE INDIAN WAR OF 1866.

Il
numbered less than two hundred and fifty
men, and as it was understood that the
Indians outnumbered us fully three to
one. il will not be wondered at if state
that some of our officers entertained
doubts as to the result should We meet
the enemy. Yet few seemed to antici-
pate a battle with the Indians, aud, for
one, I know / did not. We were ac-
companied by Johnny MeB-, half
breed, as Interpreter and guide, and
who, though loud in his protestations Of
loyalty TO he whites, was thought by
some to be in sympathy with the saw
ages. And would it be astonishing If
this were the case He had been born
and reared among them. They were
his kindred, and, if the Indians had
suffered injustice at the hands of the
dominant race, which will neither
affirm nor deny, would it be strange if
he should share any vindictive feeling
engendered thereby But Johnny had
a failing that was a serious one-he was
a dear lover of whisky. Whether he
had stipulated for a regular daily allow
ance Of that commodity as consideration
in part for his lingual services, l cannot
say, but 1 do know that he quite
frequently managed to put himsef out
side of enough to excite his combative-
ness, and to inflame the jealousy Of his
half-caste comrades under Captain Con-
noyer. They could see no good reason
why he should have the privilege Of
"getting a head put on him" almost
daily, and they be denied the luxury.
The first day after leaving the fort We
proceeded to McKay's place, the scouts
as usual travelling in advance. After
making camp, rather an amusing col
loquy took place between an American
and one Of the scouts who spoke little
English.
"Well, Baptiste," said the American,
"did you get any hair (meaning scalpsl
to-day ?n
"You bet We kill plenty"
"Did you, though? How many did
you see? How many did you kill ?"
"Who? Me? l tink l see bout
tousaH. 1 kill one, my cousin, she
kill one, all re half-breed, she kill some.
Come, 1 show you. We eat him for
suppcre."
what? Eat an Injun for supper ?"
"Injum !' said Baptiste, interfering a
a word of four letters, 81 thought you
say hare"
Two days later we arrived at old Fort
Walla Walla, now Wallula, and there
learned that the Indians were fortified
on the Touchet, some forty miles dis
tant. Proceeding to that point, we
were again disappointed, and began to
think that the reports we had been
listening to for weeks were altogether
unfounded. Late in the afternoon,
however, three mounted Indians were to
be seen leisurely descending the hill
toward camp bearing a white flag, and
one of them was recognized as the notO-
rious Pe-pe-mox-mOx yellow snake.
He hastened to inform our officers that
neither he nor his people had "bad
hearts, against the whites, but were
anxious that the amicable relations
that had so long existed between the
two great nations should be perpetu-
ated, and that, as token OF theiI
friendship, he had condescended to come
in person and extend an invitation tC
Colonel Kelly and his command Il
visit his village, but a short distance
away, and partake Of a bounteous repast
that his people were preparing for US
regardless Of trouble or expense. Thi.
sounded well, and, as we had been farins
somewhat roughly for some weeks, tn,
temptation to join that dignitary il
discussing rare dishes Of house, camai
ana crickets, prepared by the def
fingers Of the dark-eyed maidens Of IN,
tribe, was, Of course, irresistible. And
Notwithstanding doubts were enter
tanned by some as to the ehieftain's sin
cerity, he was pressed TO remain th,
guest of our kind-hearted Colonel unit
the following morning, when it was un
derstood that we were to accept his in
vitation. Morning dawned, aud we be
gan our march for the village, whicl
we expected to reach in an hour or two
secret watch being kept over tn
doughty MOx-mox and his attendant
the while. Nothing transpired TO con
firm our suspicious until we reached
point where the bills close in on boil
sides Of the creek in a somewhat abrup
manner. Here our officers proposed t,
leave the creek and keep upon the higl
ground. To this Mox-mox objected
He argued long and eloquently agains
the course decided upon by his "whit
brothers," but in vain. At this junctur
two mounted savages appeared in view
and, yelling in voice that no one bu
an Indian can approach, expressed
desire to talk with the great Mox-mOx
/ Nor was he by this time 10th to quit on
company and join them. Just wha
Johnny McB- replied to them no on
knew, but, judge of our feelings on see
ing nude and painted savages sprinI
from the ground on all sides of US, and
/ yelling like demons, discharge thei
/ guns with telling effect into our expose
ranks. Here we halted and prepsre
for defense, aud, darkness coming on
we lay ou our arms during the night.
Morning dawned with no Indians il
sight, and, as old Mox-mox proteste
that his warriors had received the i'm