Page:The Early Indian Wars of Oregon.djvu/286

268 to the Indians that he had come to make a treaty of peace and friendship, and desiring them to meet him unarmed. This proposition was accepted, and after a little delay two of the principal chiefs, with seventy-five warriors, arrived at camp.

The reception being over, the visitors were arranged in a circle, with Lane and the chiefs in the center. But before the council had begun, another party as large as the first appeared, advancing upon the camp armed with bows and arrows. They were invited to lay down their arms and be seated; and at the same time Lane, who had now to depend upon his keenness of sight and mind for the safety of his party, ordered Quatley, with two or three Klickitats inside the circle, to stand beside the head chief of the Rogue-rivers.

Keeping a sharp lookout, and communicating with Quatley only by flashes of the eye, Lane coolly proceeded to open the council, explaining that the object of his conference with them was to put a stop to their habitual robberies and murders of white men, to make travel through their country safe, and to make a treaty of friendship. If this could be affected, both white people and red would live in peace, and the lands settled upon by his race would be paid for by the government, whose agent would be sent to reside amongst them, and look after their interests.

The answer to Lane's speech, which was interpreted by Quatley, was a brief address in stentorian tones by the head chief to his people, who sprang to their feet, raising the war cry, and displaying the few guns they had among them, besides their bows and arrows. Lane had his counter movement ready, Quatley being told to seize the chief and hold him with a knife at his throat. He then, with his revolver in hand, quickly advanced to the line of armed Indians, knocking up their guns, and ordering them to lay down their arms. The chief finding himself a prisoner within the embrace of three stout Klickitats, and a gory death awaiting him, seconded Lane s command to