Page:The Early Indian Wars of Oregon.djvu/452

434 Not all of this was known to Governor Curry when he ordered the Oregon troops to Walla Walla, but he included among his reasons for occupying the Walla Walla country, the situation of the governor and superintendent of Indian affairs of Washington territory.

On learning the defeat of Haller in the Yakima country, Nathan Olney, sub-Indian agent at The Dalles, hastened to Walla Walla, in order, if he might, to prevent a combination of the Oregon Indians with the Yakimas, rumors being abroad that the Walla Wallas, Cayuses, and Des Chutes were disaffected and unfriendly. He reported to R. R. Thompson, in charge, that he found Peu-peu-mox-mox encamped on the north side of the Columbia, which circumstance he construed as unfavorable, although by the terms of the treaty the chief was entitled to the privilege of occupying a trading post at the mouth of the Yakima river for a period of five years; or for a period of one year from the ratification of the treaty, of occupying any tract in possession at that time. As the treaty had not yet been ratified, he had the unquestioned right to reside in any part of his own country until the sale was confirmed. But Olney communicated to his superior that in his judgment all the movements of Peu-peu-mox-mox indicated a determination to join the Yakimas in a war against the white race; and Thompson agreed with him, because the Walla Walla chief had, in the month of September, when Bolan was killed, declared to him that the Walla Walla valley had not been sold.

Olney, on observing these signs, resolved to remove so far as possible all cause of hostilities until such time as the United States government should have fulfilled its part of the treaty obligations, and to remove the white settlers out of the country. A conference being held with McKinlay, Anderson, and Sinclair, officers of the Hudson's Bay Company, it was decided that before leaving the country a large amount of ammunition in store at the fort should be destroyed to prevent it from falling into the