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the annual immigration had passed. Upon putting it to vote there were six negatives to five affirmatives. Lee then requested that a call should be made for volunteers, which was ordered, but later countermanded. " Knowing," says Lee, "that such a step (as abandoning the fort) would be yielding up the little advantage we had gained over the enemy, and believing it would be not only a violation of general orders, but a matter of disappointment to the people in the valley, I resolved to make one more effort, independent of the voice of the council. To make this effort successful, I found it necessary to pledge myself to some responsible men, that I would give them a written authority to colonize the country immediately, securing them as far as in my power against future treaty stipula tions prejudicial to their interests. This pledge was ac cordingly made in good faith to Captain Philip F. Thomp son of Yam hill, Mr. James Taylor of Clatsop, and their associates. A call was then made for fifty volunteers to remain until September fifteenth next, with a promise from Captain Thompson, that he would return by that time with families to settle the country."

This offer proved successful, and more than the required number of volunteers remained under Captain Martin. Lee took care in reporting his acts to the governor, to en close an article for the Spectator, intended to help the colonization of the country, stating that there were then in the Cayuse country grist and sawmills, blacksmith anvils, bellows, and tools, iron, plows, harrows, hoes, a crop of wheat, pease, potatoes, and corn, with almost every convenience for forming a settlement; that the country was peculiarly adapted to wool-growing and cattle-raising, holding out greater inducements to farmers than the Wallamet valley, and that the beauty of the country and the climate was unexcelled. This estimate of the Walla Walla valley, then hardly credited by the settlers of western Oregon, has since been more than verified.

But Lee desired the governor s approval, and assurance