Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 2.djvu/299

Rh to the relief of the party at The Dalles. On their departure they drove off with them a band of about thirty horses which had been left there, some of which belonged to the immigrants.

It is the firm belief of Mr. Hinman that a massacre would have occurred at The Dalles had it not been for the fact that he had happened to learn, in that peculiar way on the journey to Fort Vancouver, of the massacre of Mr. Whitman and his associates.

They had escaped from massacre, and the next thing to do was to get away. That was no easy matter for the Indians in the neighborhood wanted them to stay, and refused to render any aid in departing. For several days, and even far into the night, the matter was discussed in one of those prolonged conferences which the Indians seemed to like so much. The Indians were always giving plausible excuses. The chief, whenever he made a speech, mounted a chair and did a great deal of talking. Their principal reason for refusing to give assistance to the missionary party in getting away was the fear that they would be held responsible for aiding the whites by the Indians up the river, of whom they seemed to stand in considerable fear. Furthermore, they seemed to be fond of the whites and really wished them to remain. When at length the delay was intolerable, Mr. Hinman brought the matter to a close by telling them that the whites would agree to remain, but that they would be held responsible to Governor Abernethy for their lives if any harm befell them. Hardly had these words been spoken when the old chief jumped down from his chair saying that they might go. From that time on the Indians did all they could to assist the departure. A large canoe was secured, and the Indians took the party down the river. On the way they met a party going up at the request of the Provisional Government, for the purpose