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arrival of the rescued captives and the recital of their wrongs greatly accelerated the preparations for war. The letter of Spalding counselling peace would have been suppressed but for the request of Ogden that all if any of the correspondence should be published. But it was easy to see that Spalding had written as he did, because, as the natives said, "he was in a hole," and could not otherwise get out. He had heard, through the Nez Percés, of the escape of Hall, and supposed he would have reached Vancouver or Oregon City, and that steps would be taken for the relief of all who were left alive. He rightly surmised that his countrymen would wish to be avenged, and he took measures to warn them not to precipitate him and all the other Americans in ruin by coming with an army to fight the Cayuses. No humane and reasonable being could blame him for dissembling to the Indians when so many lives were at 700