Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 24.djvu/287

 John Work's Journey to Umpqua River, 1834 265 have threatened to come to war upon them. They also inform us that 4 men of Lautaude Indians have been killed & 3 children taken slaves a short time since, as they suppose by a party of Faladin or Yamhill Indians. It was 11 oclock when we had settled with these Indians after which we proceeded on our journey and camped at our station of 31st May. As we were coming on we found a party of 32 men all armed & ready for war, supposing that a party [217] of the Umquahs were coming upon them. The smoke made near our camp was made to apprise them that strangers were coming. It was these people that had taken the rifle alluded to above. One Indian who is an Umquah who accompanied us & who was commissioned to get the rifle, demanded it from them, and after a great deal of talk they gave it to him. Where we are camped we found 8 or 10 Indians with the meat of 2 deer. They gave us a little. They are now busy dancing & singing & making merry with the produce of their chase. July 4. Showery. Continued & camped. An Indian came some distance to trade 6 or 8 beaver & otters that he had, but he demanded such an exorbitant price that I did not trade. They will no doubt find their way to the fort. After 9% hours march we camped on a small fork near Yamhill river not far from our station of 30th May. Several Yamhill Indians passed us going to their village which [218] is close by, on their way from the Willamet falls loaded with salmon which are now of an indifferent quality, having been carried 2 days in the sun. These people have no beaver, nor do they know of any Indians about here who have any. Part of a deer was obtained from an Indian today. July 5. Cloudy. Proceeded 6 hours & camped not Comments July 4. Camp was near Amity. Willamette Falls were less than forty miles distant.