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296 until the murderers were surrendered; and Skinner being a peace man, whose duty it was to prevent war, was forced to make concessions which in the end might be damaging to his own cause; and finally Sam declared that the murderers would not be given up.

Pretending that he wished to consult with some of his people, the chief obtained leave to withdraw from the council and recross the river. Once on the further shore he shouted back his defiance and refused to return. The volunteer force then divided, half, under Lamerick, going to a ford above, and the other part going below Big bar, prepared to cross and attack Sam s camp should any hostile demonstrations be made on the council ground, where Steele s party with Skinner and the crowd of Indians remained.

Skinner, fearing an outbreak and anxious to prevent it, followed the chief to the north side of the river, about half the Indians on the council ground also returning. Steele, becoming alarmed for the agent s safety, then placed a guard at the crossing to detain those still on the south side from rejoining their fellows, and sent one of his Shastas to warn him; and although Skinner was aware that the messenger could point out to him the guilty Indians, he would not allow him to do it, fearing the movement would precipitate bloodshed.

The agent had only just reached camp when it was reported that Scarface with two others were seen fleeing in the direction of Klamath, and a commotion arose which alarmed the Indians and caused them to seek the cover of a piece of woodland in the vicinity as if for a skirmish. Alarmed in their turn, Steele s party hastened to a position to intercept them, and an encounter appeared imminent, when Martin Angell, a settler, formerly of the Wallamet valley, where he was well known and respected, proposed to the Indians thus situated, numbering about fifty, to lay down their arms and take shelter in a log house in the vicinity, where they should be kept as hostages until the