Page:The Early Indian Wars of Oregon.djvu/313

Rh and Skinner agreed to make the delivery of the criminals one of the conditions of peace, but confessed that the situation was critical. At the time appointed, Skinner and Steele, with their respective parties, and the volunteers under Lamerick, repaired to Big bar, where they found the Indians as agreed. A message was sent to Sam by one of Steele's Shastas, asking him to meet the white men on their side of the river, bringing with him Jo and a body guard of a few warriors, with which request he complied after some parleying; but on seeing the volunteers mounted and drawn up in line, hesitated to meet them. Skinner, to reassure him, ordered the volunteers to dismount and stack arms, which was done.

Now ensued a conflict of judgment between Skinner, who was an authorized agent on his own ground, and Steele, who held no commission, and who was there to arrest Indians belonging on the south side of the Siskiyou. The Shasta, whom Steele had sent to Sam s camp, reported that the murderers were there, and Steele demanded their immediate arrest. But Skinner, fearing to bring on a battle, opposed it. Sam also refused to negotiate until the two Rogue-rivers captured by Steele on the mountains were released. An altercation then took place between the principals in the council. Skinner, at last addressing the prisoners, informed them that he was their white chief, and that he restored them to liberty. Steele, on the other hand, warned them if they accepted liberty and attempted to escape they would be shot, and stationed his men so as to form a guard, and to prevent a rescue, should a surprise be planned by the Indians.

As the council proceeded, a hundred armed Indians crossed the river, moving about freely among the unarmed white men, which caused the volunteers to resume their weapons. The council under these circumstances could only be a failure. Sam had never meant to enter into a treaty which should be binding on him; Steele was justified, in his own view, in holding as hostages the two Rogue-