Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1886-06-04
Pioneer "reminiscences.
a Giimpso ef Territorial Life i'm IsiG.
Cor. Ledger.


When I arrived at Tumwater in
the fall of 1916, l found that the
settlers felt somewhat discouraged,
for the season had been very unfavor.
able for their crops. There had
been in the month of June a very
heavy frost, which had cut down
their buck~hear and potai oes, and
injured their wheat very much, and
to support their families for another
year in the same manner as during
the past was not to be thought of.
They found that they must obtain
some supplies from the Hudson Bay
company or send to the Wallaniet
Willamstte] valley. NJ. T. Sim.
mons and John McAllister were ac-
cordingly delegated to call upon DR..
Tolmie, the chief factor at Fort Ms
qually, and see what could be done.
Tue doctor told them he would help
them all that he could. upon certain
conditions, and that the only objec-
tions he had 10 letting the settlers
have goods was that the company
was in the country for the purpose
of trading with the Indians, and they
feared that if the whites were sup.
piled with goods that they would. in
terfere with that trade, and prices
would become unsettled; but If the
Americans would have nothing to do
with the fur trade, pay such prices
as he paid for labor, grme, etc.. and
give in payment for goods, shingles
delivered at Fort Nisqually landing
at So 80 per thousand, he would let
them have all the groceries that he
could spare. As for clothing and
blankets he would let them have
sufficient to keep them from starving.
THIS being all we could ask, meet
ing of the settlers was called and
after O thorough discussion as 10
what was to te given to the Indians
as an equivalent for services rendered
and for game, fish, berries, etc., they
agreed upon scale Of prices or
rates. In lieu of money the Indians
were paid in articles of clothing,
powder, bullets, muskots, etc. The
rates as agreed upon, as near as l
can remember, were as given below /:
PRICES FOR INDIAN LABOR.
One days work IL cotton handkerchief
One weeks work. .......l hickory shirt
One months work Il 3point blanket
.........1 Il cotton handkerchief
Each Indian in canoe "
/ deer ham ....... 4 load powder and ball
] bbl. cranhprres. .5 yds white Gotten cloth
50 Chinook salmon. ...... L hickory shirt
good horse ............... musket
And it was further agreed that we
should see that no Indian was unfair
ly dealt with or abused, and that We
would in all cases in dealing with
them be guided by their customs
and usages. That we would be Lon
est with them, and as far as possible
force them to be honest with US. 1t
was a common practice with the
chiefs, when the parents o! family
of children died, even of their own
tribe, of taking the children and sell
ing them into slavery. This we de.
termined TO put stop to. Another
custom they had was that upon the
death of man having slaves and
horses they would kill the horses
and slaves, excepting the favorite
slave, whom they would bind upon
the body OF the dead man aud place
both in a canoe, which would be
placed on high poles. and thus the
poor wretch was left to starve to
death-consigned to living tomb.
These practices we also determined
should cease and the Indians be com.
PEELED to bury their dead. To salts
fy the Indians so they would submit
to our demands peacefully, we also
agreed to protect them in all cases
where the lower Sound Indians at
tempted to raid their country
When we made known the result ol
our meeting to old Gray Head, the
chief of the Tumwater branch of the
Nlsqually tribe, he was well pleased
and assured us that he would assist
US in carrying out our idoas, and
that We could depend upon him as
friend and supporter, and such w
found him afterwards to be. Ii
pursuing the course thus laid dowr
with The Indians, we had no trouble
or cause for complaint against thos'
living Immediately about us. 1t wa
not until 1S49 that we saw any cause
for fear. In said year the Snoho
mish tribe
ATTACKED TORT NI.QUALLY,
And in the fight ensuing, Mr.. Wal
> lace, one of our people, lost his life
(At some future time l will give ID
history Of this outbreak.) In al
these years there was but one com
2 plant made Of the wrongs done by
8 Boston man," las the Indian
Q called the Americans), and that wa
t done by man who was living o
the Chehalis river. Al soon the tsc