have escaped. The forces were too much out of proportion with the gravity of the circumstances.
These Indians, who had never recognized the Government, and had no idea of its power, had never received either benefit nor injury from it; but they had seen the tribes of lower Oregon oppressed, the Cayuses, Yakimas and others led by threats into treaties which had been followed by war. They were not hostile to the Government, but they were keeping a sharp lookout. They prided them
selves on never having misused the whites. Jealous of their tribe's independence, they asked nothing of them, but
seemed by their attitude to say " Let us alone." Colonel Steptoe's march appeared to them hostile. In their situation, it was bound so to appear. This is how the 17th of May came about. The encounter with Colonel Wright was a different thing.
Vincent, and all the other Indians as well that Father Joset had occasion to see, evinced great regret over what had happened, and sought to restore to the Government the animals in their possession. How came they then to take up arms again? " This," says Father Joset, " was the consequence of a custom which was unknown to me, and of which Vincent did not think when he made that promise. After a battle in which blood has been shed, the chiefs cannot make peace without the consent of the families which have lost a member. So, when the terms of Vincent's promise were known, a great opposition arose; but when they learned the terms of the propositions offered by General Clarke, one article of which stipulated that the authors of the battle with Colonel Steptoe should be given up, without even their lives being promised them, as Colonel Wright afterward did, then the relations of those who had been killed pronounced obstinately against the peace.
" Then Vincent, braving the hatred and vengeance of his nation, forsook them and came to the missionaries, who had declared that the continuation of hostilities would compel them to retire. Forty-five men rallied to Vincent's support.