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Friday, June 8th. As the Council does not open until noon, our morning passes in the same way. Lieut. Gracie and I prac- tice pistol shooting, read, and ride about the country, visiting Gov- enor Stevens' party and at the Mission.
23
JOURNAL.
Today it was nearly three o'clock before they met. After a few remarks by Governor Stevens, General Palmer made a long speech addressed to those chiefs who refused yesterday to accede to the treaty. He told them, as they do not wish to go on the Nez Perces reservation (the tribes never having been friendly to each other) he would offer them another reservation, which would embrace part of the lands on which they were now living. After this offer had been clearly explained to them and considered, all acceded to it, except one tribe, the Yakimas.
It seemed as if we were getting on charmingly and the end of all difficulties was at hand, when suddenly a new explosive ele- ment dropped into this little political caldron. Just before the Council adjourned, an Indian runner arrived with the news that Looking Glass, the war chief of the Nez Perces, was coming. Half an hour afterwards, he with another chief and about twenty war- riors, came in. They had just returned from an incursion into the Blackfoot country, where there had been some fighting, and they had brought with them as a trophy, one scalp, which was dangling from a pole. Governor Stevens and General Palmer went out to meet them and mutual introductions were made. Looking Glass then, without dismounting from his horse, made a short and very violent speech, which I afterwards learned was, as I suspected, an expression of his indignation at their selling the country. The Council then adjourned.
At the races this evening in the Nez Perces camp, we found ten . of the young braves who came in that afternoon, basking in the enjoyment of their laurels. Dressed in buffalo skins, painted and decorated in the most fantastic style, they stood in a line on one side of the race ground, exhibiting themselves as much as possible and singing songs in honor of their exploits. After the races we rode through the Cayuse camp. They seemed to be in commotion, apparently making preparation to depart.
Saturday, June 9th. This morning the old chief Lawyer came down and took breakfast with us. The Council did not meet till 3 o'clock and matters seemed to have reached a crisis. The treaty must either be soon accepted, or the tribes will separate in hope- less bad feeling. On the strength of the assent yesterday given by all the tribes, except the Yakimas, the papers were drawn up and brought into the Council to be signed by the principal chiefs. Governor Stevens once more-for Looking Glass' benefit-ex- plained the principal points in the treaty, and among other things, told them there would be three reservations-the Cayuses, the Walla Wallas and the Umatillas, to be placed upon one-the Nez Perces on another-and the Yakimas on the third, and that they were not to removed to these reservations for two or three years. Looking Glass then arose and made a strong speech against the treaty, which had such an effect, that not only the Nez Perces, but all the other tribes, refused to sign it. Looking Glass, although nominally only the second chief, has more influ- ence than Lawyer, and is in reality the chief of the different Nez Perce tribes. Governor Stevens and General Palmer made several
24
JOURNAL.
speeches to induce him to change his decision, for should he do so, the other chiefs would follow his example; but in vain, and the Council was obliged to adjourn until Monday. In the meanwhile, it is supposed the Commissioners will bring some cogent argu- ments to bear upon Looking Glass and induce him to accede to the treaty.
Near the race ground this evening we found the women col- lected in circles on the ground, gambling with the most intense earnestness. Like the men they will spend hours around the lodge fires, staking everything they have, on the changes and chances of the game. Near them stood as on last evening the returned warriors, exhibiting their fantastic finery and ap- parently thus challenging the applause of the softer sex. We sup- posed yesterday that we would have started this evening for the Umatilla, but the prospect now is that we shall be delayed several days longer.
Sunday, June 10th. We undestand there has been great ex- citement through the Indian camps today. The Nez Perces have been all day long holding a council among themselves, and it is represented, the proposition has been made to appoint Looking Glass head chief over Lawyer. Yesterday, while Looking Glass was speaking Lawyer left the Council without saying anything; which many of them are disposed to regard as the surrender of his place. Sbould this proposition be carried into effect it would give a quietus to the treaty.
Monday, June 11th. Before breakfast we had a visit from Lawyer with some other Indians. At 10 o'clock the Council met. Governor Stevens opened it with a short speech, at the close of which he asked the chiefs to come foward and sign the papers. This they all did without the least opposition. What he has been doing with Looking Glass since last Saturday, we cannot imagine, but we suppose savage nature in the wilderness is the same as ยท civilized nature was in England in Walpole's day, and "every man has his price." After this was over, the presents which General Palmer had brought with him were distributed, and the Council, like other legislative bodies, adjourned sine die.
As soon as the business was finished, we at once struck our tents and began our march towards the Umatilla. On our way, Lieut. Gracie and I made our parting visit at the Misson, and then proceeded about fifteen miles before we encamped for the night. Just before we started an express arrived from The Dalles bringing us letters and papers.
We have now ended our connection with the Council and bid adieu to our Indian friends. It is therefore an appropriate place to say, that we subsequently discovered we had been all the while unconsciously treading on a mine. Some of the friendly Indians afterwards disclosed to the traders, that during the whole meeting of the Council, active negotiations were on foot to cut off the whites. This plot originted with the Cayuses, in their indignation at the prospect of being deprived of their lands. Their program was, first to massacre the escort, which could have been easily done.
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25
JOURNAL.
Fifty soldiers against 3,000 Indian warriors, out on the open plains, made rather too great odds. We should have had time, like Lieut. Gratton at Fort Laramie last season, to have delivered one fire and then the contest would have been over. Their next move was to surprise the post at The Dalles, which they could also have easily done, as most of the troops were withdrawn, and the In- dians in the neighborhood had recently united with them. This would have been the beginning of their war of extermination upon the settlers. The only thing which prevented the execution of this scheme was, the refusal of the Nez Perces to accede to it, and as they were more powerful than the others united, it was impos- sible to make the outbreak without their consent. Constant ne- gotiations were going on between the tribes, but without effect, nor was it discovered by the whites until after the Council had separated.
Tuesday, June 12th. We were up bright and early this morn- ing expecting by sunrise to have been on our march. But some of our horses had strayed away during the night and it was 8 o'clock before they could be collected to enable us to set out. After riding thirty miles we reached the Umatilla. Here we found a Sergeant of the 4th Infantry and five men encamped, who had been sent to meet us with provisions. Just then a pour of rain began, and we were glad to make our preparations for the night.
Wednesday, June 13th. I awoke to find it still raining in torrents and the wind blowing a beautiful accompaniment, as it swept through the trees which line the bank of the river. For- tunately the Sergeant had brought with him a tent, which was turned over to us, and we remained tolerably comfortable. In the midst of the storm, however, a visitor arrived. He was a Mr. Whitney, who lived about a mile from our encampment, with Mr. M'Kay, on a claim he is cultivating, belonging to the latter. He invited Lieut. Gracie and myself to take tea with him. About 3 o'clock it cleared up and we rode over to his residence, where for the first time in several weeks we had the satisfaction of seeing something which looked like domestic comfort. Mr. Whitney had his wife and child with him, and he took us over his garden and showed us his crops. At 6 o'clock we had tea, after the man- ner of of civilized people, which was a great luxury to us after our camp fare in the wilderness. Just as we were bidding them good night, three of our acquaintances arrived from the Council ground on their way to The Dalles. We learned from them that the In- dians celebrated a great Scalp Dance the night before, in which 150 of the women took part. The tribes then broke up their lodges and returned to their own hunting grounds.
Thursday, June 14th. The place where we now are, is an old camping ground, well known to all Western hunters, being a cen- tral spot where several trails diverge. The emigrant trail passes by it, and stretches to Blue Mountains, leading to Fort Boise. Here Lieut. Gracie had orders to remain until the arrival of the rest of the command, which starts from The Dalles on the 20th to
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26
JOURNAL.
enter the Snake country. He has been, therefore, making ar- rangements today for a more permanent encampment, as he may be delayed here for a couple of weeks. The tents have been reg- ularly arranged, our own a little in advance, and those of the men built of boughs and pack covers, so as to protect them from the weather. A log house has been erected at one end of the camp, to hold the provisions, and to-day the men have been employed in constructing a corral, or enclosure, to secure the horses. This evening our Indian guide camein. He had been left at the Coun- cil grounds to hunt up some stray horses.
Friday, June 15th. Early this morning Lieut. Gracie sent off the Indian guide to The Dalles, as he had no further use for him. Mr. Cut-mouth John has apparently served us faithfully, though being a Cayuse, we cannot tell how deeply he has been implicated in the plotting of his countrymen this summer, or what part he would have taken, had their projected outbreak ripened into ac- tion. Today Licut. Gracie began to have his drills for the men, one before breakfast and the other after supper. At the early drill they are exercised in shooting at a target. This evening, at Mr. M'Kay's we met the old chief Stickus, who had stopped there on an expedition after some missing cattle. He seemed quite pleased to see us. While there, General Palmer and his party also ar- rived from the Council ground.
Saturday, June 16th. After drill we rode over to Mr. M'Kay's and found General Palmer's party still encamped there, as he was taken ill this morning. He probably needs rest both body and mind, and on the plains, this is the great prescription, as the rem- edies which the hunters can give are comprised in a list of very few simples. Nature is generally expected to perform the cure. Had his illness come on at the Council, he could have had the "medi- cine men" of our friends, the Nez Perces, to prescribe for him. Their prescriptions, however, are always the same, whatever may be the disease, whether ague or fever, or small pox. The patient is shut up in a small close lodge, called a "sweat house," where he is subjected, until almost stifled, to a vapor bath produced by wa- ter slowly poured over red hot stones.
Sunday, June 17th. My last Sunday on the plains, and it is passed quietly enough. After Lieut. Gracie had finished inspec- tion and we had taken our usual bath in the river, we rode over to General Palmer's encampment to enquire about his health. We found him still too unwell to travel. The rest of the day was spent in reading, for we have found a small supply of books at Mr. M'Kay's, which proved quite a treasure in the wilderness.
Monday, June 18th. Lieut. Gracie has commenced practis- ing the men at skirmish drill for an hour a day, and is thus pre- paring them for their Snake country expedition. It has become too hot, except in the morning and evening, to move about with comfort, and after drill, our ride over to Mr. M'Kay's, and our bath in the Umatilla, we are content to spend the reminder of the day in lounging and reading under the shelter of our tent. In an encampment on the plains, during the dead silence of a
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27
JOURNAL.
sultry noon, with no conventional restraints of civilization about ns, we realize more fully than in any other place, the truth of the Neapolitan maxim-"Dolce far niente."
We had today a visit from five of the Cayuse Indians, two of whom had been accustomed to visit us at Walla Walla.
Tuesday, June 19th. Before we were up we had an arrival of another party of the Cayuse tribe. Their lodges are in a valley about eight miles from the camp. They smoked the "pipe of peace," and probably this time with sincerity, as they knew we had force enough with us to defeat any attempt they might make. The principal chief of the Umatillas also came into our camp and some strange Indians we had never before seen.
As Lieut. Gracie is obliged to remain at this camping ground, and it may be some days before the command arrives from The Dalles, I had myself determined to proceed on to that post tomor- row in company with Mr. M'Kay. I therefore this evening rode over to his place and made my arrangements for setting off the next morning.
Wednesday, June 20th. This morning a messenger arrived from The Dalles with papers and the latest news-the latter hav- ing been almost forgotten by this time in the settlements.
After drill, I took my final leave of the camp. Lieut. Gracie rode with me over to Mr. M'Kay's where I left my horse, as he be- longed to the command, transfering my saddle and bridle to one of Mr. M'Kay's, which I am to ride. And here Lieut. Gracie and I parted. We had been companions for weeks by day and night, and in this his first independent command, (in many incidents which I could not relate in this brief journal,) he has established, with those at the Council who were accustomed to military expeditions in the Indian country, a character for decision and energy which gives the promise of distinction in much wider and more respon- sible scenes of action in the future.
We set off about half-past nine o'clock :- Mr. M'Kay and my- self with two boys, whose business it was to drive the pack mules. Our traveling arrangements were made in the old Spanish-Cali- fornia style, still common in those parts of the country where horses are plenty. Besides those we rode, were seven or eight which ran loose and were driven by the boys, to be used when our own began to fag.
We crossed the Umatilla at once, and on the opposite side striking a trail on which we had gone into the interior, com- menced our return westward. After riding twenty miles we reached the Indian agency. Here, two of our hor-es were caught, our saddles and bridles transferred to them and the tired ones turned loose to follow with the rest. Then on we went until 5 in the evening when we encamped for the night at Well's Springs, having traveled during the day fifty-five mile -.
Thursday, June 21st. We were on our way this morning by 5 o'clock, on the trail we passed every little while rohtary graves, the last resting places of some unfortunate emigrants. The road from Missouri to the Rocky Mountain - can almost be traced by
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SOURCES OF THE HISTORY
OF OR CON
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JOURNAL.
these sad memorials, and no human language can convey an idea of the sorrow and suffering which has taken place on the plains, caused by this rush to the land of gold. About ten miles on our way we met a portion of the 4th Infantry and 3d Artillery under Lieuts. Day, Hodges and Mendell. At noon we halted at Willow Creek (seventeen miles from Well's Springs), for several hours to rest our horses. We then pushed on until 8 o'clock in the evening, when we reached John Day's river, where a refreshing bath recompensed us for the long and hot ride. We had ridden today about forty-five miles.
Friday, June 22nd. We left John Day's river about 7 o'clock, and after riding twelve miles, met Major Haller (commander of the expedition) and Captain Russell, 4th Infantry, with their es- corts, with whom we stopped for a short time. Soon after we met another detachment of troops, with two or three wagons, each drawn by six mules. About noon we struck the Columbia river, whose solitary banks were quite enlivened by the long trains of wagons containing the provisions of the detachment. We count- ed twenty-four, half of which were on one side of the river and half on the other. The different detachments and wagons will all meet at the camping ground on the Umatilla where we left Lieut. Gracie. There will be about 150 mounted men besides the packers and wagons. After resting for a couple of hours on the Columbia, we set out for The Dalles, where we arrived at 5 o'clock. Here we found Lieut. Dryer, who is to set out tomorrow morning and join the command as Quartermaster.
And thus ended my expedition into the wilderness. It has shown me the rough side of army life, and yet the time has passed pleasantly from the very novelty and freshness of every- thing. And now, amid all the refinements of civilization, I can- not but look back with something like regret to the freedom of our little camp on the quiet plains, where no sound was heard to break our slumbers but the steady tread of our sentinel or the rippling of the Umatilla.
SOURCES OF THE HISTORY OF OREGON
Volume I
Parts 3 to 6 inclusive
THE CORRESPONDENCE AND JOURNALS OF CAPTAIN NATHANIEL J. WYETH 1831-6
A Record of Two Expeditions for the Occupation of the Oregon Country, with Maps, Introduction and Index
CONTINUATION OF THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS AND HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF OREGON BY THE OREGON HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Edited by F. G. Young, Secretary Oregon Historical Society.
PRICE ONE DOLLAR
University Press Eugene, Ore. 1899
..
PROTEIN SHT 40 8358008 MODEMO TO
83
F943.64
B
OREGON HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
H. W. SCOTT, President,
C. B. BELLINGER, Vice-President,
Portland Portland
L. B. Cox, Treasurer, Portland
F. G. YOUNG, Secretary, Eugene
GEO. H. HIMES, Assistant-Secretary, Portland
85535
-
Copyright applied for by the Oregon Historical Society All rights reserved
1.
1
A tribute to the memory of Captain Wyeth by James Russell Lowell, sent to the Portland (Oregon) High School on the occasion of its having a Lowell evening.
ELMWOOD, CAMBRIDGE, MASS. 24th April, 1890.
Dear Miss H
I feel as if I had a kind of birthright in your Portland, for it was a townsman of mine who first led an expedition thither across the plains and tried to establish a settlement there. I well remember his starting sixty years ago, and knew him well in after years. He was a very remarkable person whose conversa- tion I valued highly. A born leader of inen, he was fitly called Captain Nathaniel Wyeth as long as he lived. It was the weak- ness of his companions that forced him to let go his hold on that fair possession. I hope he is duly honored in your traditions. *
I pray you to give my greeting with the warmest assurance of good will to both teachers and pupils. We are I am sure heartily at one in our desire to maintain and perpetuate the better tradi- tions of our local and national life, and it is upon our schools that we must rely in great measure for the fulfilment of that desire.
Wishing for all of you happy and useful lives-and one includ- es the other
I remain
Very sincerely your friend J. R. LOWELL.
Editor's Preface
In the traditions of New England Nathaniel Jarvis Wyeth is highly honored as the principal founder of the ice industry. The Boston Transcript in its notice of his death, August, 1856, said: "It is not perhaps too much to say that there is not a single tool or machine of real value now employed in the ice harvesting, which was not originally invented by Mr Wyeth. They all look to Fresh Pond as the place of their origin". "As one who laid open a new field of honorable industry" he was held "entitled to the rank of a public benefactor."
Among his friends who came under the influence of his strong personality he was regarded as "one of the remarkable men of New England." The tribute to his memory sent to Oregon by Lowell stimulated the search for the record of those wonderful expeditions led by him. Those in quest of it were rewarded not only in finding the manuscripts, nearly complete, but also in getting from the posses- sor of them a gracious response to the request for permission to publish.
These sources furnish data for making more adequate and in- structive the history of the occupation of the continent, and through the publication of them the author will receive due recognition for a conspicuous part in a great national movement and for the pos- session of a strong spark of heroic spirit like that whose song is,
"My purpose holds To sail beyond the sunset and the baths
Of all the western stars until I die."
The manuscript is in the possession of Mrs. Mary J. Fish of Taunton, Massachusetts. When sent to be copied for publication it took its third trip westward across the continent, but this time it was not "to be painfully borne by wearisome marches through
almost unbroken solitudes for weary months," but now after sixty- three years to be "swiftly carried in a few days, to find no longer at the journey's end the wilderness of Nature but the homes of an enlightened and progressive people."
The editor owes deepest thanks to Mrs. Fish for being entrust- ed with the honor of publishing this record and for her consent to present it in its integrity.
The plan has been to reproduce the original faithfully to the letter. From the conditions under which the record was made some parts are faint and mutilated but it is hoped that de- fects arising from this cause and from shortcomings in editing will not seriously impair the historical value of these documents.
Eugene, Oregon, July 1, 1899.
7
ERRATA
"circumstances" in line 39 should read "circumstances"
Page 12, "' 38, " 49, " 62,
"enongh" "Tnesday" "Vadcouver"
"Haying"
79,
"126, "dot" "fiowers" "Savvages"
"157, "212,
"236,
"contardictory"
4 6 8 4 38 44
32 5
"
" "Vancouver" "Having" "not"
"flowers"
"Sauvages"
"contradictory"
-
"enough" "Tuesday"
-
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CONTENTS
CORRESPONDENCE
Persons addressed
Page
Kelley, Hall J.
I
II
Wyeth, Charles
2
III
Wyeth, Jacob
I
IV V VI
Wyeth, Jacob
5
VII
Wyeth, Leonard
5
VIII
Hamilton, Samuel S.
6
IX
Wyeth, Charles
6
Wyeth, Leonard
8
x XI
Wyeth, Jacob
II
XII
Everett, Hon. E.
I2
XII
Wyeth, Jacob
13
XIV
Wild, Captain Dixie
14
XV
Wyeth, Charles
15
XVI
Livermore, Solmon K.
16
XVII
Everett, Hon. E.
17
XVIII
Wyeth, Leonard
18
XIX
Wyeth, Leonard
19
XX
Bach, Theo.
20
XXI
Wyeth, Jacob
21
XXII
Wild, Captain Dixie
2I
XXIII
Wyeth. Charles
24
XXIV
Livermore, S. K.
25
XXV
Hughs, I. P.
26
XXVI
Cripps, Geo.
27
XXVII
Wyeth, Leonard
27
XXVIII
Wyeth, Charles
28
XXIX
Gardner, Robt. H.
29
Y.X.X
Whiting, Seymour
29
XXXI
Livermore, S. K.
30
XXXII
Jarvis, Leonard
31
XXXIII
Norris, A. & Co.
33
I
Neil, Col. J. W.
3
Wyeth, Charles
3
viii
CONTENTS
XXXIV XXXV XXXVI XXXVII XXXVIII XXXIX XL
Persons addressed
Touro, Judah
Gardner, Robt. H.
Wyeth, Charles
Ball, John
Wyeth, Leonard
Livermore, S. K.
Kelley, H. J.
XLI
Davenport and Byron
XLII
Wyeth. Leonard
XLIII
Davenport and Byron
XLIV
Wyeth, Leonard
XLV
Wyeth, Jacob
XLVI
Davenport and Byron
XLVII Whiting, Seymour
XLVIII
Kelley, Hall J.
XLIX
Perry, Rev. Clark
L
Wyeth, Leonard
LI
Davenport and Byron
LII
Wyeth, Leonard
LIII
Wyeth, Leonard
LIV
Bache, Theo.
LV
Ball, John
LVI
Sinclair, John
LVII
Wyeth, Leonard
LVIII
Touro, Judah
LIX
Kelley, Hall J.
LX
Brown, James
LXI
Wyeth, Charles
LXII
Wyeth, Leonard
LXIII
Wyeth, Charles
LXIV
Kelley, Hall J.
LXV
Jarvis, Leonard
LXVI
Tudor, F.
LXVII
Parents
LXVIII
Tucker and Williams
LXIX
Wyeth, Leonard
LXX
Wyeth, Charles
LXXI
Jarvis, Leonard
LXXII
Simpson, George
LXXIV
Bonneville, Captain
LXXV
Baker, Joseph, and Son
J.XXVI
Boardman, W'm. H.
LXXVII
Tudor, F.
LXXVIII
Tucker and Williams and Henry Hall
63
LXXIX
Wyeth, Leonard
64
LXXX
Wyeth, Charles
65
Page 33 34 34 36 37 38 39 39 40 41 41 42 42 42 43 43 45
45 46 46 46 47 47 47 49 50 50 50 50 51
52 52 52 53 54 55 55 56 58 58 60 61 62
LXXIII
*
CONTENTS
ix
Persons addressed
LXXXI
Jarvis, Leonard Nuttall, Thomas
McLoughlin, Dr. John
Von Phull and McGill Ball, John
Ermatinger, F.
68 69 70
LXXXIX XC XCI
Tudor, F.
Tucker and Williams and Henry Hall
XCII
Samuel, E. M.
XCIII
Sublette, M. G.
XCIV
Sublette, M. G.
72
XCV
Harrison, General
72
XCVI
Simpson, Geo.
72
XCVII
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