Page:The Early Indian Wars of Oregon.djvu/72



uses, Nez Percés, and Waila Wallas having "threatened the destruction of the whites." A letter was received from H- K. W. Perkins of The Dalles, containing the information furnished by the Walla Walla and Wascopum or Dalles Indians, that all these tribes were much exasperated against the white people on account of the belief that they were corning to take away their lands; and it was stated that the Nez Percés, during the winter, had dispatched one of their chiefs on snowshoes, to visit the Indians east of Fort Hall to incite them to cut off the party which Dr. Whitman had told them he would bring back with him "to settle the Nez Percés country;" and that a coalition was forming for the destruction of the Americans not a part of them only, but every one.

The terror of the Americans, thus, for the first time, brought actually to face a danger they had before only vaguely imagined, was very great. "In the estimation of some," says Hines, " the Indians were to be upon us imme diately, and it was unsafe to retire at night, for fear the settlement would be attacked before morning. The plan of the agent was to induce men to pledge themselves, under the forfeiture of one hundred dollars in case of de linquency, to keep constantly on hand and ready for use either a good musket or rifle, and one hundred charges of ammunition, and to hold themselves in readiness to go at the call of the agent to any part of the country, not to ex ceed two days travel, for the purpose of defending the settlement, and repelling any savage invaders. This plan pleased some of the people, and they put down their names; but many were much dissatisfied with it, and as we had no authority, no law, no order, for the time being in the country, it was impossible to tell what would be the result if the Indians should attempt to carry their threats into execution."

To increase the excitement, it was reported that the Klikitats were collecting on that portion of the Wallamet plains which now constitutes Washington co