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Show 110 JOURNEY FROM OREGON , . Serpent's son-and an American, concerning a mule w~1ich Eli~ah said he bad caught among the wild horses. The Am.eriCan claim~ d the mule, and a quanel ensued. Afterwards, wh1le ~hey were disputinrr about the matter, Elijah went away, and got hts gun, for the purp~se, as his people said, of shooting a hawk. The Arn~rican supposed, or at least he said that he was s.ure th~ gun wa~ ~~tended for him; and taking the hiPt, withdrew unmedmtely. Th1s happened in the camp of the Walawalas. On the following day, Elijah came to Captain Sutter's Fort, where the Ame'l:ican was; who, as soon as he saw the Indian en· ter, determined upon an immediate and more than savage revenge. Taking his gun, he entered the room where the Indian was sittin.g, presented the muzzle to his breast, and told him to prepare to dte. No explanation or defence was pe rmitted. It was said, that the Indian, who professed Christianity, kneeled to pray; and that, while enga(Ted in that act of final preparation fot· another world, • '-· 0 he was shot dead bv the American. He was kill ed in the presence of his father, wh~, flying from the Fort, collected his people in· stantly, and hastened out of the country. They left a great por· tion of their property, which they feared to take time to collect; and although it was in the Winter, they rushed on, over mountains and snows, and through the files and ambuscades of other hostile tribes, and came, after suffering great loss of property, into their own country. This affair was frowned upon by almost the whole white population of Oregon. There were few persons in the country, unfriendly to the Indian who had been killed. And a letter was dispatched by the authorities, to the friends of the desceased, and Chiefs of his tribe, offering their services, whenever a favorable opportunity would present, to regain the property, and bring the offender to justice. The son of the Yellow Serpent, had been taught at the Mission, by Dr. Whitman, and had always been on tet·ms of most intimate friendship with him. But because his son had been killed by an American in California, the Walawala Chief demanded the life of Dr. Whitman. He araued that b it would be no more than just and equal, since his son was a preach· er, to take the life of a preacher for satisfaction. This equivalent they all considered, must be given, in order to make the hearts of their people good. In addition to this, they accused him of another crime; which was, that two Snake Diggers-Indians, living on the lower pa1·t of WITH SOME OF ITS INCIDENTS. 111 Snake River, East of the Blue Mountains-had lately been killed by Americans. This was mude an important ite:n in the charge, although they were not on very friendly terms with the Snake Indians. The circumstances of this a trail', were thU$: Two A mer· ican s , who had remained at one of the trading posts, in the mountains, through the Winter, were coming down to the settlements on Willammette. While traveling up the Brule Rivet·, their horses were taken, in the night, from their encampment; and in the morning, they found themselves on foot, fat' from any Foet, Mission, or settlement; sul'l'ounded by mountains, in the midst of an unfeeling · people, and without the means of carrying their ba~gage and prov1s1ons. In this situation, they determined to follow the Indians, and regain, if possible, the horses that had been stolen. Arming themselves with all the weapons they had, they pt·oceeded on the track of the horses. They passed by, where one had been killed, and after seve1·al hours of rapid pursuit, came up with the thieves. They found them, with the flesh of the horse they had killed, packed upon the other. They attempted flight, but the horse was so loaded that it could not run; and rathe1· than surrender their stolen property, they presented their guns, and offered battle. Sadly to their discomfiture, their fusees refused to be discharged; but the rifles of the Americans, were sure and deadly: both of the Indians remaining with the horse, fell when .they reported, yelled, and died. The Americans returned to thei1· encampment, with the horse, placed upon hirn their baggage and provisions, and proceeded for Dr. Whitman's! where they at length arrived in safety. · They were allowed to lodge in one of the M!ssion houses, a~d to eat at the Doctor's table. This the council also regarded as a cnme. But their object, however, was not to punish; it was rather to have an equivalent. They only wished that th~ Americans sho~ld suffer a loss, ns great as their own. Dr. Whttman reasoned w1th them, and appealed to them, by every means, which he th~ught would tend, in the least, to affect them in his favor; and so dtd all the others.' but it was in vain. After a long consu. ltati.o n., by which they appeared to be not the least shaken in theu· op1~10ns, they went away, saying that they themselves, would n~t d1sturb the Missionaries; but, that they could not help, what then· young men might do. After the council was ended, several of our party, who were present, expressed their opinions to the the .gentlemen of the Mission; saying, that they considered it, both Imprudent, |