Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 22.djvu/80



70 C. F. COAN

had degraded himself by marrying one of their slaves: was very obnoxious to all the band; sought every means to drive them from their possessions, and had particularly annoyed them by fencing up all the fresh water and entirely excluding them from it, in short had done many acts, which compelled them to demand his removal as a first consideration; and we were obliged to agree to this requirement, or abandon negotia- tions with them.

In continuing this subject I would here remark, that the removal of Hall, and the Clatsop Reservation, seem to be the only grounds for objections raised against the ratification of these treaties : I should be sorry then, if a Whiskey trader upon one side of the river; and the influence of two or three settlers on a point of land which the Indians refused to sell, upon the other, should interfere with their ratification.

The next treaty I would speak of in detail, is the one con- cluded with the remnant bands of Wheelappas and Quilleque- oquas. The only males living of which tribes, are the two signers to the treaty; there are however several females women and children yet living.

The tract of country purchased of them is situated on what is known as "Shoal-water Bay" upon the Pacific having about twenty miles of Coast and running back inland about forty miles bounded on the north by the country owned by the Chehales Indians on the east by the lands of the Cowlitz band, and on the south by the lower band of Chinooks. This purchase is known to embrace a tract, equal in fertility of soil, and quality of timber, to any portion of Oregon. It has exten- sive and beautiful groves of the Fir and Cedar, with small Prairies interspersed; there are also large tracts of what is called "hard wood bottoms". The surface is gently undulat- ing and mill streams and fine brooks abound throughout the purchase.

You will perceive that this tract is set apart as an Indian country, or Reserve Provided all the neighboring bands shall,