Page:History of Oregon volume 1.djvu/774

Rh fled with the rest of the Cayuses down the Tucannon with the intention of crossing the Snake River into the Palouse country.

To many commanders this strategic division of the enemy would have boded ill, but Gilliam seems not to have been daunted, and taking as verity what might well have been doubted, determined to act without loss of time. Mounting his men after dark, he marched for the mouth of the Tucannon, arriving before daybreak near the Indian camp. As soon as the morning dawned he advanced, but was arrested when within four hundred yards of the lodges by the approach of an old unarmed Indian, with one hand on his head and the other on his heart, who hastened to assure Gilliam that he had made a mistake, and that this was the camp of Peupeumoxmox, who would not fight the Americans. The murderers, he said, were gone, and the only recourse for the Americans was to take possession of their stock which was feeding on the surrounding hills. The volunteers proceeding into camp, found only a few warriors painted and armed, who appeared friendly. Disappointed in his purpose, Gilliam could see no better course than to follow the old man's suggestion and drive off the enemy's stock, thus crippling him in his resources.

The Tucannon runs through a deep canon, and to reach the hills where the cattle were grazing required a toilsome march up a steep ascent for a quarter of a mile. No sooner was this elevation gained than they beheld the cattle swimming across the Snake River. The enemy had outwitted them, and there was nothing left but to collect about five hundred head of stock, mostly horses, and return to the Touchet.

They had not proceeded more than a mile in that direction when they were attacked in the rear by four hundred Indians, the majority being Palouses. A running fight began, which lasted all day, the army being obliged to encamp several miles from the Touchet, on a small stream, where without food or fire they passed