Page:History of Oregon volume 1.djvu/148

Rh This murderous attack upon travellers caused no small excitement at Fort Vancouver. An expedition was proposed to destroy the savages, but the scheme was not undertaken, and it was left for American settlers, miners, and United States troops to consummate the destruction of this tribe at a later date.

If John McLoughlin for political or commercial reasons, or Jason Lee for other cause, had thought to discourage the settlement of the Willamette Valley by independent parties from California or elsewhere, they must ere now have been convinced of the hopelessness of such an effort. McLoughlin, at least, was wise enough gracefully to accept the situation, and extend a helping hand—a conciliatory course for a time imitated by Lee with good results. As to Ewing Young, though Governor Figueroa in due time returned a letter of exculpation, explaining that the real thieves had attached themselves to Young's party, but on finding themselves suspected had deserted it; and though McLoughlin was willing to make amends, Young chose to remain sullen and unyielding, and employed his time in disseminating those anti-British monopoly sentiments which Kelley had so strongly expressed in their stormy interviews at Fort Vancouver. In this spirit, and rendered desperate by the social outlawry to which he was subjected on the part of both the fur company and the Mission,