Page:The Early Indian Wars of Oregon.djvu/432

 ght. John

himself at last came to entreat permission for his people to keep some arms, and when lie was denied walked away with a malediction on the hard turn-turn (heart) of the white conqueror.

Towards night forty warriors laid their guns against the rock, and small squads kept coming in until darkness set tled down over the camp, when, to prevent any treacherous movement, they were ordered to remain without camp, at the peril of their lives, during the night. When morning came the surrender was completed, John coming in last. He set his gun against the rock, then suddenly grasped it, but before he could raise it to his shoulder fifty rifles were alined at his heart. He again relinquished it, and sul lenly, with a defiant manner, took his place among the prisoners. 5 At the final settlement, however, of the terms of surrender, it was agreed that neither he nor any of his people should suffer any punishment for acts committed by them, nor be compelled to surrender any of the prop erty captured by them during the war.

As soon as his wounded could be moved, Smith set off by easy marches for the mouth of the river, embarrassed by the number of his prisoners, which more than doubled that of the regulars and volunteers. Some fears were ex pressed that the Indians, even without guns, and only armed with stones, might make an attack on numbers so inferior; but no outbreak occurred on the passage.

On arriving at the mouth of Rogue river it was found that a band of renegades from the coast tribes were about attacking the camp of the miners at Gold Beach, which again furnished work for the troops, who together killed about forty of them before capturing the remainder. As the regular camp moved from Rogue river to Port Orford, it gathered up the Pistol-river and Chetco Indians, the month of June being spent in this movement, which ended at Port Orford, July second. On the ninth, about

5 This account of the surrender of John s band was given by Captain Wallen, who was present. It agrees substantially with other accounts given at the time.