Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1918-09-20

STANDARD. OIL
miles from the wreck where we wer
to remain during captivity. Afte
the eiapse of Is days and after niue
evasion the Indians consented to sen
canoe with one of our number an
three OF the crew to Simpson 10 ne
gotiate for our release. l was select
ed for the mission and authorized t.
make all necessary terms and condi
lions with Captain Mcneil, then il
charge of the Hudson Bay Company
post, Fort Simpson.
Accompanied by Captain Melvin
/ late first mate of the sloop. Be-
Gibbs. sailor. Tamoree, the Kanak;
cook. and 4 crew of seven Hqdah In
dams, we set out for that post ant
safely reached it after voyage Of
five days in dead of winter and with
out blankets. The arrival of such a
party at such time and in such a
condition created quite an excitement
among both whites and the natives
I'VE were at once furnished some
ing and felt that our suffering COM
panions were soon to be relieved, but
in this we were sadly disappointed
We remained at Simpson about four
weeks. We importuned Captain Nc
Neil at all fitting opportunities to
send assistance to our unfortunate
to send canoes for them but never
made the slightest attempt at keep
ing his word.
when we were ultimately relieved
by the arrival at Fort Simpson of the
'Damaris Cove there was not one of
the party who entertained the slight
ton of Captain Mcneil to send for
US without pay for his services or
certainty thereof being secured. This
was the more CALLING to us from the
fact that Captain Mcneil claims to
have been born in Boston. He even
required us. while waiting for him
to dispatch relief to the captives, to
stand guard at night as return for
the blankets and subsistence we re-
ceived at the fort.
Objected to Order.
when that kind gentleman, John
Work, Jr., whom we shall always re-
member with gratitude, commune
Gated to us this order of Mcneil, that
we must earn these blankets by
standing guard, we told him we did
not object to making ourselves useful
in any manner while there, but did
not like the compulsion of exacting
service as a compensation for the ne
cessities to preserve us from the win
ter's cold or starvation.
with the exception of Captain
Mcneil, all the servants and employees
of the company treated us with great
kindness and attention and we CRATE
fully acquit the companionship of any
censure for McNeil's failure to dis
play the feelings of a Christian or a
gentleman; and further we have no
doubt that had any other officer been
in charge, the necessary steps would
have been promptly taken to render
assistance and terminate the captivity
and suffering of our comrades"
Colonel Moses having resolved to
act upon the recommendation of Gov
ernor Work as the only efficient
means to secure the relief so press
ingly demanded. chartered the AM
erican schooner 'Damaris Cove,
mounted with four pieces of cannon
and requested, December 18th, Cap
tain HilFs cooperation, suggesting
the detail of an officer and as many
men as could be spared To which
invitation Captain Hill responded
December 18th:
GAS Queen Charlotte's Island is the
territory of Great Britain, l do not
feel ct liberty to send there the SOL
dicrs of the United States, except on
the most urgent necessity, which
does not appear by your letter of the
18th instant, and in case their neces-
sity is made apparent to me, the
party OF citizens together with the
must be under the COM
mand of the military officer who is
sent and to whose prudence and judg-
ment must be intrusted the negotia-
lions with the Indians"
The correspondence continued be-
tween Colonel Moses and Captain Hill
which resulted in Lieutenant Dement,,
U. s. A., accompanying the expedition
to whom letter of credit was given
by the collector to enable him to pur-
chase blankets. etc, of the Hudson
Bay Company's posts to ransom the
captives. The "Damaris Cove" sailed
nera