would have been little chance for escape, as the guns of the mission were not in good repair, although there was ammunition in the station. Mr. Whitman did the talking in the conversation which followed, as he had an unusual facility in the use of the native languages, and could speak Cayuse almost as well as the Indians themselves. Mr. Hinman dictated most of the subject-matter of the conversation. The Indians were asked what they wanted, and replied that they wanted powder and balls. They were told that there was no powder or balls to spare, but as this was their first visit to the mission they should have, as a present, a shirt apiece. This did not satisfy them, and they renewed their request for powder and balls. The parley was kept up for some time, and finally Mr. Hinman determined that the best thing to do to stop it was to tell them what was known about the massacre. Mr. Whitman thought it was not wise to do so, but finally agreed to do it. They were then told that they could not have the powder and the balls; that the massacre of the missionaries up the river was well known by people at The Dalles, and that they intended to keep the powder and balls for their own use. The Indians at once protested that it could not be so; that they had just come from up the river, and that everything was all right. They were told, however, that they were not telling the truth, and the incident of the messenger to the fort at Vancouver was related to them. When they heard this they immediately stopped their demands. If they had come in the first place with the purpose of murder, as Mr. Hinman firmly believes, they now realized that their plan was detected and that the missionaries were on their guard. The parley continued, however, but the Indians seemed willing to accept something else. They held out for a long time for blankets, but finally said they would accept the shirts and went away, much
