Page:The History of Oregon Bancroft 1888.djvu/87

Rh who had not deserted constituted the military force at Lane's command. Acting with characteristic promptness, he set out at once for Puget Sound, accompanied by these, taking with him a supply of arms and ammunition, and leaving George L. Curry acting secretary by his appointment, Pritchett not yet having arrived. At Tumwater he was overtaken by an express from Vancouver, notifying him of the arrival of the propeller Massachusetts, Captain Wood, from Boston, by way of Valparaiso and the Hawaiian Islands, having on board two companies of artillery under Brevet-Major Hathaway, who sent Lane word that if he so desired, a part of his force should be moved at once to the Sound.

Lane returned to the Columbia, at the same time despatching a letter to Tolmie at Fort Nisqually, requesting him to inform the hostile Indians that should they commit any further outrages they would be visited with chastisement, for now he had fighting men enough to destroy them ; also making a request that no ammunition should be furnished to the Indians. His plan, he informed the secretary of war afterward, was, in the event of a military post being established on the Sound, to secure the coöperation of Major Hathaway in arresting and punishing the Indians according to law for the murder of American citizens.

On reaching Vancouver, about the middle of June, he found the Massachusetts ready to depart, and Hathaway encamped in the rear of the Hudson's Bay Company's fort with one company of artillery, the other, under Captain B. H. Hill, having been left at Astoria, quartered in the buildings erected by the