(66)

against some white men of Linn City who had pos sessed themselves of the site of a native fishing village on the west bank of the Willamette near the falls, after maliciously setting fire to the wretched habita tions and consuming the poor stock of supplies contained therein. The Indians were restored to their original freehold, and quieted with a promise of indemnification, which, on the arrival of the first ten thousand dollar appropriation for the Indian ser vice in April, was redeemed by a few presents of small value, the money being required for other purposes, none having been forwarded for the use of the terri tory. 2

In order to allay a growing feeling of uneasiness among the remoter settlements, occasioned by the insolent demeanor of the Kliketats, who frequently visited the Willamette and perpetrated minor offences, from demanding a prepared meal to stealing an ox or a horse, as the Molallas had done on previous occa sions, Lane visited the tribes near The Dalles and along the north side of the Columbia, including the Kliketats, all of whom at the sight of the new white chief professed unalterable friendship, thinking that now surely something besides words would be forth coming. A few trifling gifts were bestowed. 3 Pres ently a messenger arrived from Puget Sound with information of the killing of an American, Leander C. Wallace, of Cowlitz Valley, and the wounding of two others, by the Snoqualimichs. It was said that they had concocted a plan for capturing Fort Nisqually by fomenting a quarrel with a small and inoffensive tribe living near the fort, and whom they employed sometimes as herdsmen. They reckoned upon the com pany s interference, which was to furnish the oppor tunity. As they had expected, when they began the

2 Honolulu Friend, Oct. 1849, 58; Lane s Rept. in 31st Cong., 3d Sess., H. Ex, Doc. 1, 156.

3 Lane says the amount expended on presents was about $200; and that he made peace between the Walla Wallas and Yakimas who were about to gar to war.