Page:The History of Oregon Bancroft 1888.djvu/256

238 of December. This expedition cost the government some twenty-five thousand dollars, and resulted in killing a dozen or more Indians, which coming after the late friendly professions of Indian Agent Parrish, did not tend to confidence in the promises of the government, or increase the safety of the settlers.

I have told how Stanton returned to Oregon with troops to garrison FortPort [sic] Orford, being shipwrecked and detained four months at Coos Bay. He had orders to explore for a road to the interior, in connection with Williamson, who had already begun this survey. The work was prosecuted with energy, and finished in the autumn of 1852.

The presents distributed by Skinner had not the virtue to preserve lasting tranquillity in the mining region. In the latter part of April 1852, a citizen of Marion county returning from the mines was robbed of his horse and other property in the Grave Creek hills by Rogue River Indians. This act was followed by other interruption of travellers, and demand for pay for passing fords. Growing bolder, robbery was followed by murder, and then came war.

On the 8th of July, a Shasta, named Scarface, a