owing to a quarrel between some Molallas and the negro George Winslow, or Winslow Anderson as he now called himself. Moreover there was hostile agitation among the Calapooyas because White had ordered some of them to be flogged for stealing from the missionaries.[1]
On the 20th of April White received a letter from Brewer urging him to come up to the Dalles without delay, and endeavor to quiet the excitement among the natives. He was under an engagement to visit them this month, and immediately began to prepare for the expedition, which involved the raising of both men and means. On all other occasions when the Americans lacked anything, they had obtained whatever they needed at Fort Vancouver, and from the Canadians. But Spaulding's report and the Abernethy–Shortess petition had given great offence to McLoughlin, who declared that henceforward he would extend no favors to the authors of that memorial, whoever that might be. Nor did McLoughlin favor White's proposal to go among the Indians with an armed force. Such a step he thought might bring on a conflict, whereas to remain quiet might soothe their excitement—an opinion which he communicated to White by letter.
The Americans, however, held different views. But when White was ready to proceed, not a Canadian could be induced to accompany him, so that when he set out only Le Breton, one Indian, and an Hawaiian servant were with him. Nor were the requisite equipments at hand, or the funds to procure them at Fort Vancouver. On arriving at the fort, where according to Hines they "found it rather squally,"[2] White requested provisions, ammunition, and arti-
- ↑ Hines' Oregon Hist., 146.
- ↑ Hines says he inquired of McLoughlin if he had refused to grant supplies to those Americans who had signed the memorial against him, when the doctor replied that he had only said that of its authors. 'Not being one of the authors, but merely a signer of the petition, I did not come under the ban of the company; consequently I obtained my outfit for the expedition,' Or. Hist., 149–50.
