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them it could carry； I sent the balance along the southern bank；
where the railroad is now built； until both detachments arrived at a
point opposite the block…house； when； crossing to the north bank； I
landed below the blockhouse some little distance； and returned the
boat for the balance of the men； who joined me in a few minutes。
When the Indians attacked the people at the Cascades on the 26th；
word was sent to Colonel Wright； who had already got out from the
Dalles a few miles on his expedition to the Spokane country。 He
immediately turned his column back； and soon after I had landed and
communicated with the beleaguered block…house the advance of his
command arrived under LieutenantColonel Edward J。 Steptoe。 I
reported to Steptoe； and related what had occurred during the past
thirty…six hours； gave him a description of the festivities that were
going on at the lower Cascades； and also communicated the
intelligence that the Yakimas had been joined by the Cascade Indians
when the place was first attacked。 I also told him it was my belief
that when he pushed down the main shore the latter tribe without
doubt would cross over to the island we had just left； while the
former would take to the mountains。 Steptoe coincided with me in
this opinion； and informing me that Lieutenant Alexander Piper would
join my detachment with a mountain' howitzer； directed me to convey
the command to the island and gobble up all who came over to it。
Lieutenant Piper and I landed on the island with the first boatload；
and after disembarking the howitzer we fired two or three shots to
let the Indians know we had artillery with us； then advanced down the
island with the whole of my command； which had arrived in the mean
time； all of the men were deployed as skirmishers except a small
detachment to operate the howitzer。 Near the lower end of the island
we met； as I had anticipated； the entire body of Cascade Indianmen；
women； and childrenwhose homes were in the vicinity of the
Cascades。 They were very much frightened and demoralized at the turn
events had taken； for the Yakimas at the approach of Steptoe had
abandoned them； as predicted； and fled to the mountians。 The chief
and head…men said they had had nothing to do with the capture of the
Cascades； with the murder of men at the upper landing； nor with the
massacre of men； women； and children near the block…house； and put
all the blame on the Yakimas and their allies。 I did not believe
this； however； and to test the truth of their statement formed them
all in line with their muskets in hand。 Going up to the first man on
the right I accused him of having engaged in the massacre； but was
met by a vigorous denial。 Putting my forefinger into the muzzle of
his gun； I found unmistakable signs of its having been recently
discharged。 My finger was black with the stains of burnt powder； and
holding it up to the Indian； he had nothing more to say in the face
of such positive evidence of his guilt。 A further examination proved
that all the guns were in the same condition。 Their arms were at
once taken possession of； and leaving a small； force to look after
the women and children and the very old men； so that there could be
no possibility of escape； I arrested thirteen of the principal
miscreants； crossed the river to the lower landing； and placed them
in charge of a strong guard。
Late in the evening the steamboat； which I had sent back to
Vancouver； returned； bringing to my assistance from Vancouver；
Captain Henry D。 Wallen's company of the Fourth Infantry and a
company of volunteers hastily organized at Portland； but as the
Cascades had already been retaken； this reinforcement was too late to
participate in the affair。 The volunteers from Portland； however；
were spoiling for a fight； and in the absence of other opportunity
desired to shoot the prisoners I held （who； they alleged； had killed
a man named Seymour）； and proceeded to make their arrangements to do
so； only desisting on being informed that the Indians were my
prisoners； subject to the orders of Colonel Wright； and would be
protected to the last by my detachment。 Not long afterward Seymour
turned up safe and sound； having fled at the beginning of the attack
on the Cascades； and hid somewhere in the thick underbrush until the
trouble was over； and then made his way back to the settlement。 The
next day I turned my prisoners over to Colonel Wright； who had them
marched to the upper landing of the Cascades； where； after a trial by
a military commission； nine of them were sentenced to death and duly
hanged。 I did not see them executed； but was afterward informed
that； in the absence of the usual mechanical apparatus used on such
occasions； a tree with a convenient limb under which two empty
barrels were placed； one on top of the other； furnished a rude but
certain substitute。 In executing the sentence each Indian in turn
was made to stand on the top barrel； and after the noose was adjusted
the lower barrel was knocked away； and the necessary drop thus
obtained。 In this way the whole nine were punished。 Just before
death they all acknowledged their guilt by confessing their
participation in the massacre at the block…house； and met their doom
with the usual stoicism of their race。
CHAPTER VI。
MISDIRECTED VENGEANCEHONORABLE MENTIONCHANGE OF COMMANDEDUCATED
OXENFEEDING THE INDIANSPURCHASING A BURYING…GROUNDKNOWING RATS。
While still encamped at the lower landing； some three or four days
after the events last recounted； Mr。 Joseph Meek； an old frontiersman
and guide for emigrant trains through the mountains； came down from
the Dalles； on his way to Vancouver； and stopped at my camp to
inquire if an Indian named Spencer and his family had passed down to
Vancouver since my arrival at the Cascades。 Spencer； the head of the
family； was a very influential； peaceable Chinook chief； whom Colonel
Wright had taken with him from Fort Vancouver as an interpreter and
mediator with the Spokanes and other hostile tribes； against which
his campaign was directed。 He was a good； reliable Indian； and on
leaving Vancouver to join Colonel Wright； took his family along； to
remain with relatives and friends at Fort Dalles until the return of
the expedition。 When Wright was compelled to retrace his steps on
account of the capture of the Cascades； this family for some reason
known only to Spencer； was started by him down the river to their
home at Vancouver。
Meek； on seeing the family leave the Dalles； had some misgivings as
to their safe arrival at their destination； because of the excited
condition of the people about the Cascades； but Spencer seemed to
think that his own peaceable and friendly reputation； which was
widespread； would protect them； so he parted from his wife and
children with little apprehension as to their safety。 In reply to
Meek's question； I stated that I had not seen Spencer's family； when
he remarked； 〃Well； I fear that they are gone up；〃 a phrase used in
that country in early days to mean that they had been killed。 I
questioned him closely； to elicit further information； but no more
could be obtained； for Meek； either through ignorance or the usual
taciturnity of his class； did not explain more fully； and when the
steamer that had brought the reinforcement started down the river； he
took passage for Vancouver； to learn definitely if the Indian family
had reached that point。 I at once sent to the upper landing； distant
about six miles； to make inquiry in regard to the matter； and in a；
little time my messenger returned with the information that the
family had reached that place the day before； and finding that we had
driven the hostiles off； continued their journey on foot toward my
camp； from which point they expected to go by steamer down the river
to Vancouver。
Their non…arrival aroused in me suspicions of foul play； so with all
the men I could spare； and accompanied by Lieutenant William T。
Welcker； of the Ordnance Corpsa warm and intimate friendI went in
search of the family； deploying the men as skirmishers across the
valley； and marching them through the heavy forest where the ground
was covered with fallen timber and dense underbrush； in order that no
point might escape our attention。 The search was continued between
the base of the mountain and the river without finding any sign of
Spencer's family； until about 3 o'clock in the afternoon； when we
discovered them between the upper and lower landing； in a small open
space about a mile from the road； all deadstrangled to death with
bits of rope。 The party consisted of the mother； two youths； three
girls； and a baby。 They had all been killed by white men； who had
probably met the innocent creatures somewhere near the blockhouse；
driven them from the road into the timber； where the cruel murders
were committed without provocation； and for no other