personal memoirs-1-第18章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



prominence　among　the　Rogue　Rivers　that　his　unlooked　for　death　brought

down　on　her　the　wrath　of　all。　　She　had　made　him　so　ill；　they

believed；　as　to　bring　him　to　death's　door　notwithstanding　the　many

ponies　that　had　been　given　her　to　cease　the　incantations；　and　it　was

the　conviction　of　all　that　she　had　finally　caused　the　man's　death

from　some　ulterior　and　indiscernible　motive。　　His　relatives　and

friends　then　immediately　set　about　requiting　her　with　the　just

penalties　of　a　perfidious　breach　of　contract。　　Their　threats　induced

her　instant　flight　toward　my　house　for　the　usual　protection；　but　the

enraged　friends　of　the　dead　man　gave　hot　chase；　and　overtook　the

witch　just　inside　the　limits　of　the　garrison；　where；　on　the　parade…

ground；　in　sight　of　the　officers'　quarters；　and　before　any　one　could

interfere；　they　killed　her。　　There　were　sixteen　men　in　pursuit　of　the

doctress；　and　sixteen　gun…shot　wounds　were　found　in　her　body　when

examined　by　the　surgeon　of　the　post。　　The　killing　of　the　woman　was　a

flagrant　and　defiant　outrage　committed　in　the　teeth　of　the　military

authority；　yet　done　so　quickly　that　we　could　not　prevent　it。　　This

necessitated　severe　measures；　both　to　allay　the　prevailing　excitement

and　to　preclude　the　recurrence　of　such　acts。　　The　body　was　cared　for；

and　delivered　to　the　relatives　the　next　day　for　burial；　after　which

Captain　Russell　directed　me　to　take　such　steps　as　would　put　a　stop　to

the　fanatical　usages　that　had　brought　about　this　murderous

occurrence；　for　it　was　now　seen　that　if　timely　measures　were　not

taken　to　repress　them；　similar　tragedies　would　surely　follow。



Knowing　all　the　men　of　the　Rogue　River　tribe；　and　speaking　fluently

the　Chinook　tongue；　which　they　all　understood；　I　went　down　to　their

village　the　following　day；　after　having　sent　word　to　the　tribe　that　I

wished　to　have　a　council　with　them。　　The　Indians　all　met　me　in

council；　as　I　had　desired；　and　I　then　told　them　that　the　men　who　had

taken　part　in　shooting　the　woman　would　have　to　be　delivered　up　for

punishment。　　They　were　very　stiff　with　me　at　the　interview；　and　with

all　that　talent　for　circumlocution　and　diplomacy　with　which　the

Indian　is　lifted；　endeavored　to　evade　my　demands　and　delay　any

conclusion。　　But　I　was　very　positive；　would　hear　of　no　compromise

whatever；　and　demanded　that　my　terms　be　at　once　complied　with。　　No

one　was　with　me　but　a　sergeant　of　my　company；　named　Miller；　who　held

my　horse；　and　as　the　chances　of　an　agreement　began　to　grow　remote；　I

became　anxious　for　our　safety。　　The　conversation　waxing　hot　and　the

Indians　gathering　close　in　around　me；　I　unbuttoned　the　flap　of　my

pistol　holster；　to　be　ready　for　any　emergency。　　When　the　altercation

became　most　bitter　I　put　my　hand　to　my　hip　to　draw　my　pistol；　but

discovered　it　was　gonestolen　by　one　of　the　rascals　surrounding　me。

Finding　myself　unarmed；　I　modified　my　tone　and　manner　to　correspond

with　my　helpless　condition；　thus　myself　assuming　the　diplomatic　side

in　the　parley；　in　order　to　gain　time。　　As　soon　as　an　opportunity

offered；　and　I　could；　without　too　much　loss　of　self…respect；　and

without　damaging　my　reputation　among　the　Indians；　I　moved　out　to

where　the　sergeant　held　my　horse；　mounted；　and　crossing　the　Yamhill

River　close　by；　called　back　in　Chinook　from　the　farther　bank　that

〃the　sixteen　men　who　killed　the　woman　must　be　delivered　up；　and　my

six…shooter　also。〃　This　was　responded　to　by　contemptuous　laughter；　so

I　went　back　to　the　military　post　somewhat　crestfallen；　and　made　my

report　of　the　turn　affairs　had　taken；　inwardly　longing　for　another

chance　to　bring　the　rascally　Rogue　Rivers　to　terms。



When　I　had　explained　the　situation　to　Captain　Russell；　he　thought

that　we　could　not；　under　any　circumstances；　overlook　this　defiant

conduct　of　the　Indians；　since；　unless　summarily　punished；　it　would

lead　to　even　more　serious　trouble　in　the　future。　　I　heartily　seconded

this　proposition；　and　gladly　embracing　the　opportunity　it　offered；

suggested　that　if　he　would　give　me　another　chance；　and　let　me　have

the　effective　force　of　the　garrison；　consisting　of　about　fifty　men；　I

would　chastise　the　Rogue　Rivers　without　fail；　and　that　the　next　day

was　all　the　time　I　required　to　complete　arrangements。　　He　gave　me　the

necessary　authority；　and　I　at　once　set　to　work　to　bring　about　a

better　state　of　discipline　on　the　reservation；　and　to　put　an　end　to

the　practices　of　the　medicine　men　（having　also　in　view　the　recovery

of　my　sixshooter　and　self…respect）；　by　marching　to　the　village　and

taking　the　rebellious　Indians　by　force。



In　the　tribe　there　was　an　excellent　woman　called　Tighee　Mary　（Tighee

in　Chinook　means　chief）；　who　by　right　of　inheritance　was　a　kind　of

queen　of　the　Rogue　Rivers。　　Fearing　that　the　insubordinate　conduct　of

the　Indians　would　precipitate　further　trouble；　she　came　early　the

following　morning　to　see　me　and　tell　me　of　the　situation　Mary

informed　me　that　she　had　done　all　in　her　power　to　bring　the　Indians

to　reason；　but　without　avail；　and　that　they　were　determined　to　fight

rather　than　deliver　up　the　sixteen　men　who　had　engaged　in　the

shooting。　　She　also　apprised　me　of　the　fact　that　they　had　taken　up　a

position　on　the　Yamhill　River；　on　the　direct　road　between　the　post

and　village；　where；　painted　and　armed　for　war；　they　were　awaiting

attack。



On　this　information　I　concluded　it　would　be　best　to　march　to　the

village　by　a　circuitous　route　instead　of　directly；　as　at　first

intended；　so　I　had　the　ferry…boat　belonging　to　the　post　floated　about

a　mile　and　a　half　down　the　Yamhill　River　and　there　anchored。　　At　11

o'clock　that　night　I　marched　my　fifty　men；　out　of　the　garrison；　in　a

direction　opposite　to　that　of　the　point　held　by　the　Indians；　and　soon

reached　the　river　at　the　ferryboat。　　Here　I　ferried　the　party　over

with　little　delay；　and　marched　them　along　the　side　of　the　mountain；

through　underbrush　and　fallen　timber；　until；　just　before　daylight；　I

found　that　we　were　immediately　in　rear　of　the　village；　and　thence　in

rear；　also；　of　the　line　occupied　by　the　refractory　Indians；　who　were

expecting　to　meet　me　on　the　direct　road　from　the　post。　　Just　at　break

of　day　we　made　a　sudden　descent　upon　the　village　and　took　its

occupants　completely　by　surprise；　even　capturing　the　chief　of　the

tribe；　〃Sam；〃　who　was　dressed　in　all　his　war　toggery；　fully　armed　and

equipped；　in　anticipation　of　a　fight　on　the　road　where　his　comrades

were　in　position。　　I　at　once　put　Sam　under　guard；　giving　orders　to

kill　him　instantly　if　the　Indians　fired　a　shot；　then　forming　my　line

on　the　road　beyond　the　edge　of　the　village；　in　rear　of　the　force

lying　in　wait　for　a　front　attack；　we　moved　forward。　　When　the　hostile

party　realized　that　they　were　completely　cut　off　from　the　village；

they　came　out　from　their　stronghold　on　the　river　and　took　up　a　line

in　my　front；　distant　about　sixty　yards　with　the　apparent　intention　of

resisting　to　the　last。



As　is　usual　with　Indians　when　expecting　a　fight；　they　were　nearly

naked；　fantastically　painted　with　blue　clay；　and　hideously　arrayed　in

war　bonnets。　　They　seemed　very　belligerent；　brandishing　their　muskets

in　the　air；　dancing　on　one　foot；　calling　us　ugly　names；　and　making

such　other　demonstrations　of　hostility；　that　it　seemed　at　first　that

nothing　short　of　the　total　destruction　of　the　party　could　bring　about

the　definite　settlement　that　we　were　bent　on。　　Still；　as　it　was　my

desire　to　bring　them　under　subjection　without　loss　of　life；　if

possible；　I　determined　to　see　what　result　would　follow　when　they

learned　that　their　chief　was　at　our　mercy。　　So；　sending　Sam　under

guard　to　the　front；　where　he　could　be　seen；　informing　them　that　he

would　be　immediately　shot　if　they　fired　upon　us；　and　aided　by　the

cries　and　lamentations　of　the　women　of　the　village；　who　deprecated

any　hostile　action　by　either　party；　I　soon　procured　a　parley。



The　insubordinate　Indians　were　under　command　of　〃Joe；〃　Sam's　brother；

who　at　last　sent　me　word　that　he　wanted　to　see　me；　and　we　me