The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1878-08-29

pegging away at some redskins ful
forty rods distant. Turning his hea'
however, he caught a glimpse Of scar
let streamer floating in the air at NJ
great distance from him, the interva
speedily lessening. Then, to his ex
cited eyes the environing bushes begar
to bristle with savage lances. Thinking
the Indians had the upper-hand of him.
that he was completely "sewed up"
and that hour was to be his last, his
heart went down into his boots, and be
heeled it down the hill with all his
might, measuring eight or ten feet at a
stride, and reached his quarters out OF
breath, by tight rub, as he supposed.
But as it was generally known that the
single streamer that had so suddenly
dissipated his bravery was carried by
the friendly hands Of Captain Con-
noyer's scouts, the boys eagerly
grasped the opportunity of hammering
the poor soul in manner calculated to
rasp the feelings Of anybody who was
not as Obdurate as lap-stone or a pair
of pincers.
The fourth and last day the Indians
had dispersed into small bands, and our
boys scattered over the valley, each
squad fighting in their own way, and,
except the capturing of a few horses
and the "rOusan'" Indians the half
breeds slew, the day was immeasurably
barren of results. Next day not a hos
tile was to be found. Why they had
withdrawn when they had been proven
fully able to hold us in check, if not
eventually TO completely overthrow US,
was mystery. But, when scouting up
the valley of Mill Creek we found
where their village had stood but a few
days previous, we understood all. They
had completely Outgeneraled us. While
We had been beating about, misled by
false reports as to their whereabouts,
they were removing their families and
property out Of the country. And, al
though We did not see it before, it was
patent now that the reason why they
so stubbOrnly contested every inch of
ground with US when the four days
fight began, and gradually became less
and Tess determined, was because the
danger to their property aud their fam
lilies was diminishing with each sue
ceeding day, and at length disappeared
altogether. But if any proof of the du-
plicity of old Mox-mox was wanting
before, it was now apparent enough.
The direction he attempted to lead Us
led away from, rather than toward, his
native village.
As to the comparative losses Of the
opposing forces in this engagement,
have no positive information. Our loss
was about a dozen. Theirs was es-
timated at a much larger number, but
none certainly knew. / have since
taken some pains to learn the facts
from tue Indians themselves, but with
Indifferent success. Stock Whitley,
who led the Desehuttes Indians during
the first two days, stated to me some
time afterward that their loss in killed
during that time was about twenty,
and that his band suffered most because
led by the most expert and daring COM
mander. He stated that he was to
have received a large contribution of
horses for his services from the Una
tiIlas, but that they failed to keep their
T promise, and he withdrew from the al
lance before the beginning of the third
days fight, aud bad no personal
knowledge of affairs aftef that time.
N ha