Page:The Early Indian Wars of Oregon.djvu/110



CHAPTER V.

CAUSES OF THE CAYUSE HOSTILITIES DR. WHITMAN WARNED IMMIGRATION OF 1847 AMERICANS AT WAIILATPU ARRIVAL OP CATHOLIC PRIESTS WHITMAN S FEARS SICKNESS AMONG THE INDIANS WHITMAN AND SPALDING AT UMATILLA THE MASSACRE AT WAIILATPU DEATH OF DR. AND MRS. WHITMAN AND SEVEN OTHERS ESCAPES, AND CAPTIVES REV. J. B. A. BROUILLET ESCAPE OF MR. SPALDING CANFIELD REACHES LAPWAI COURAGE OF MRS. SPALDING CONDUCT OF THE NEZ. PercéS SPALDING S LETTER TO BROUILLET A COUNCIL HELD AT THE CATHOLIC MISSION INDIAN MANIFESTO OGDEN S ARRIVAL AT FORT WALLA WALLA ANOTHER COUNCIL RANSOM PAID FOR THE CAPTIVES ANXIETY OF OGDEN DEPARTURE FOR VANCOUVER HORRORS OF THE CAPTIVITY SUSPICIONS AND MISTAKES OF CAPTIVES SUBSEQUENT CONTROVERSIES OGDEN DELIVERS THE RELEASED AMERICANS TO GOVERNOR ABERNETHY ENDLESS DISCUSSION OF CAUSES THE REAL CAUSE.

To UNDERSTAND how the Cayuse war so suddenly broke out, it is necessary to go back to 1842, when Dr. Whitman went east, as the Indians understood, to bring enough of his people to punish them for their acts of violence towards him. They saw him return with a large number, but with no fighting men; and none of those who came re mained in their country. This was a failure they were quick to take advantage of, and while it had in it no cause for war, they felt more free to practice their annoy ances and thefts on Americans, while th^y exhibited their contempt for their former teachers by abandoning the schools. From 1843 to 1847 there was very little progress made in the education of the Cayuses and Nez^gerces, and, in fact, Dr. Whitman and Mr. Spalding had almost ceased to teach, except by example, but attended to the affairs of their stations, and waited, as did all Oregon, for the act of congress which was to give this country the protection of the government of the United States.

In 1844 Dr. Whitman was able to secure help from the passing immigration, a number of families wintering at his station. He also adopted a family of orphan children, seven in number, whose parents had died on the journey, three boys and four girls.