Page:Journal of John H. Frost, 1840-42 part 1.pdf/11

60 Ps. 16.8. Mrs. F. is afflicted with the ague & fever at present. Emory not well.

24. This morning a party of men left in a large boat, and canoe to cut off the Indians who instigated and committed the murder of McCay. They took with them two women which were found yesterday in an encampment on Young's bay, These women were taken as guides, being wives to the men who were implicated in the crime, they of course knew where their hiding place was. It was quite trying to my feelings to see the boats depart, the men, about 26 in number, all singing, and keeping time with their paddles, while a sister of the two women, left in a canoe for young's bay with a child of one of the women, and two female associates, crying and singing the Indian death song as they proceeded.

26. Dr. Tolmie returned yesterday in the afternoon with a part of the men, having seen nothing of the murderers. The Dr. left again in the evening to join Dr. McLaughlin who is lying at Pillar rock on board of the Bark from Vancouver. This difficulty with the Indians will have a tendency to retard my opperations among them. But it is necessary for the safety of the community that they should be punished. It is very evident that the reason why any farther depredations are not committed, is not because they love the whites, but because they fear punishment. There are no doubt a few exceptions.

27. A canoe arrived this morning from the party of men who are in search of the murderers, bringing in it a slave girl wounded, a ball having entered her arm between the shoulder & elbow, and lodged under her shoulder. The men in the canoe also informed us that one of the murderous slaves was shot, and another woman was slightly wounded in the arm. However necessary it may be to avenge the death of the white man, and to prevent these savages from shedding more blood, yet it is painful in the extreme to be a witness to these scenes.

28. Most of the party returned this morning without having effected anything farther relative to the to the apprehension of the Indians after whom they were in search. The slave girl of which I made mention yesterday as having been been brought in wounded, expired today at half past one Oclock. Upon farther