t to pay
the Cay use v debt. "I showed them," says Lee, "the bill of articles taken at this place, and those taken from immi grants along the road, as also at Barlow s gate, and told them we would forget nothing." Nothing more definite resulted from the council than professions of a desire for peace and friendship.
Meanwhile, preparations were making at the fort for a pursuit of the murderers, who were believed to have taken refuge in the Nez Peree country; and on the seventeenth of May over four hundred men set out upon the march to the Clearwater. They encamped that night on the Coppei, and on the following morning Lee was detached with Captain Thompson and one hundred and twenty-one men to proceed to Red Wolf s camp at Snake river crossing to be ready to intercept the flight of the fugitives to the mountains, while the main force would march to the river at the mouth of the Palouse, and crossing there, prevent them from escaping down to the Columbia.
Several Palouse chiefs had offered their services in fer rying the army across, but were nowhere to be found when the troops arrived, Major Magone with four men being compelled to cross Snake river on a raft to search for the means of transporting men and baggage to the north side of that then turbulent stream. A day was spent in find ing the Indians, and a day and a half more in effecting a crossing, swimming the horses and ferrying the troops. At noon on the twenty-first they were once more under way, being piloted by an Indian who promised to bring them to the camp of Tiloukaikt.
On the following day a messenger arrived from the Chernekane mission, bringing a letter from Mr. Eells, to whom Colonel Waters had written to inquire as to the disposition of the Spokane tribe. According to the infor mation thus gained they were not altogether in harmony, although they did not pretend to excuse the murderers. Forty-three of the tribe accompanied the courier, who pointed out to Waters where Tiloukaikt s cattle were
