Page:Centennial History of Oregon 1811-1912, Volume 1.djvu/597



eyes snapped more vigorously than usual, and muttered words escaped from under the old dragoon's mustache that did not sound like prayers. His squadron looked beautiful, but alas, they could render us no assistance. I sat down on a log close to old Chief Jo, and having a sharp hunting knife under my hunting shirt, kept one hand near its handle, determined that there would be one Indian made ■good" about the time the tiring commenced.

In a few moments General Lane stood up and commenced to speak slowly but very distinctly. He said: 'Owens who has violated the armistice and killed Jim Taylor, is a bad man. He is not one of my soldiers. When I catch him he shall be punished. I promised in good faith to come into your camp with ten other unarmed men to secure peace. Myself and men are placed in your power; I do not believe that you are such cowardly dogs as to take advan- tage of our unarmed condition. I know that you have the power to murder lis, and you can do as quickly as you please, but what good will our blood do you? Our murder will exasperate our friends and your tribes will be hunted from the face of the earth. Let us proceed with the treaty, and in place of war, have la.sting peace. ' Much more was said in this strain by the general, all rather defiant, and nothing of a begging character. The excitement gradually sub- sided, after Lane promised to give a fair compensation for the defunct Jim Tay- lor in shirts and blankets.

The treaty of the 10th of September, 1853, was completed and signed and peace restored for the next two years. Our party wended their way among the rocks down to where our horses were tied, and mounted. Old A. J. Smith gal- loped up to his squadron and gave a brief order. The bugle sounded a note or two. and the squadron wheeled and trotted off to camp. As General Lane and party rode back across the valley, we looked up and saw the rays of the setting sun gilding the summit of Table Rock. I drew a long breath and remarked to the old general that the next time he wanted to go unarmed into a hostile camp he must hunt up some other one besides myself to act as interpreter. With a benignant smile he responded, 'God bless you," 'luck is better than science. "

"I never hear the fate of General Canby at the Modoc camp, refen-ed to, that I do not think of our narrow escape of a similar fate at Table Rock. Kickreall. April 20, 1879.'"

Of this account, General Lane wrote to Colonel Nesmith as follows:

"RosEBURG, Monday April 28, 1879.

"My Dear Sir — Your note of the 23rd instant, ent-losing a copy of an ar- ticle giving an account of our council or treaty with the Rogue River Indians on September 10, 1853, was received two or three days ago and would have l)een answered on receipt, had I not been too feeble to write. I am feeling quite well this morning, though my hand trembles. You will get this in a day or two, and the article will be published in the Star on Friday and will reach you an Saturday. Dates and incidents in the article are in the main correct. You could, however, very truly have said, that neither you nor myself had a single particle of fear of any treachery on the part of the Indians toward us, and the proof was they did not harm us.

"We had at all times been ready to fight them, and to faithfu