ritorial organization and land law should secure to the missions each their mile square of land, which would be lost by abandonment.
But there still remains a question of whether it was a justifiable determination, under the circumstances, to remain and imperil, not only his own life, but the lives of all those associated with him, and possibly involve the colony of the Willamette in savage warfare. That he did this with his eyes open to the danger is clearly apparent. For even while he was transporting his mill to Waiilatpu the Cayuses were committing acts portending an outbreak.[1] Blood had been spilled at the Dalles, as soon as the first party of ten men arrived at that place, or on the 23d of August.
This affair was with the Dalles Indians, who had stolen some property from the camp of the white men. On making complaint to Waller, they were advised to retaliate by taking some Indian horses and
- ↑ John E. Ross, an emigrant of 1847, describes the attitudes of the Cayuses and the Walla Wallas. He met Whitman on the Umatilla, who advised him to use great caution, which advice he followed by encamping early, taking the evening meal, and then, when it became dark, moving to a secluded spot away from the road for the night to avoid being molested and getting into an affray. After leaving the Umatilla he met a small party of natives, who appeared morose, and on the third day came to a place where it was evident an attack had been made. Beds, books, and various articles were scattered about and destroyed. Alarmed by this proof of hostility, his party, consisting only of men, travelled by night, and on coming to the mouth of Rock Creek, a branch of John Day River, were met by some Columbia River Indians, who notified them that there was trouble before them. About two miles from the crossing, in a cañon, they found four families who had been robbed of their cattle and stripped of their clothing. Six women and some children were left naked. They had, however, rescued a bolt of white muslin, out of which they had hastily made coverings, though they offered little protection against the cold air of evening. The outrage occurred while the men were absent from the wagon looking for the stolen cattle, and the perpetrators were Walla Wallas. Ross' company remained with the destitute families till another train came up, giving their blankets to the women and making them a bed, first building a fire on the sands to warm a place for them to lie upon. Ross' Nar., MS., 4–6. The names of tha families were Franklin, Rodgers, Warren, and Hoyt. Crawford's Nar., MS., 55. A petition was before congress as late as 1879 to reimburse Mrs Rodgers, then old and blind, for losses amounting to $2,500, incurred by the robbery of her goods on this occasion. The petition set forth that John Rodgers, his wife Margaret, Nelson Hoyt, and his wife Mary, emigrated from Illinois to Oregon in 1847, and that while at the John Day River they were attacked by savages, and robbed of goods, money, cattle, and one wagon, to the amount above stated. St Helen Columbian. Crawford's Narrative, MS., says that Mrs Rodgers stood in the opening of a wagon and defended it with an axe.
