personal memoirs-1- 第14部分

from　the　fact　that　many　questions　requiring　adjustment　were

constantly　arising　between　the　different　bands；　the　agent　and　the

officers　at　the　post　were　kept　pretty　well　occupied。　　Captain　Russell

assigned　to　me　the　special　work　of　keeping　up　the　police　control；　and

as　I　had　learned　at　an　early　day　to　speak　Chinook　（the　〃court

language〃　among　the　coast　tribes）　almost　as　well　as　the　Indians

themselves；　I　was　thereby　enabled　to　steer　my　way　successfully　on

many　critical　occasions。



For　some　time　the　most　disturbing　and　most　troublesome　element　we　had

was　the　Rogue　River　band。　　For　three　or　four　years　they　had　fought

our　troops　obstinately；　and　surrendered　at　the　bitter　end　in　the

belief　that　they　were　merely　overpowered；　not　conquered。　　They　openly

boasted　to　the　other　Indians　that　they　could　whip　the　soldiers；　and

that　they　did　not　wish　to　follow　the　white　man's　ways；　continuing

consistently　their　wild　habits；　unmindful　of　all　admonitions。

Indeed；　they　often　destroyed　their　household　utensils；　tepees　and

clothing；　and　killed　their　horses　on　the　graves　of　the　dead；　in　the

fulfillment　of　a　superstitious　custom；　which　demanded　that　they

should　undergo；　while　mourning　for　their　kindred；　the　deepest

privation　in　a　property　sense。　　Everything　the　loss　of　which　would

make　them　poor　was　sacrificed　on　the　graves　of　their　relatives　or

distinguished　warriors；　and　as　melancholy　because　of　removal　from

their　old　homes　caused　frequent　deaths；　there　was　no　lack　of　occasion

for　the　sacrifices。　　The　widows　and　orphans　of　the　dead　warriors　were

of　course　the　chief　mourners；　and　exhibited　their　grief　in　many

peculiar　ways。　　I　remember　one　in　particular　which　was　universally

practiced　by　the　near　kinsfolk。　　They　would　crop　their　hair　very

close；　and　then　cover　the　head　with　a　sort　of　hood　or　plaster　of

black　pitch；　the　composition　being　clay；　pulverized　charcoal；　and　the

resinous　gum　which　exudes　from　the　pine…tree。　　The　hood；　nearly　an

inch　in　thickness；　was　worn　during　a　period　of　mourning　that　lasted

through　the　time　it　would　take　nature；　by　the　growth　of　the　hair；

actually　to　lift　from　the　head　the　heavy　covering　of　pitch　after　it

had　become　solidified　and　hard　as　stone。　　It　must　be　admitted　that

they　underwent　considerable　discomfort　in　memory　of　their　relatives。

It　took　all　the　influence　we　could　bring　to　bear　to　break　up　these

absurdly　superstitious　practices；　and　it　looked　as　if　no　permanent

improvement　could　be　effected；　for　as　soon　as　we　got　them　to　discard

one；　another　would　be　invented。　　When　not　allowed　to　burn　down　their

tepees　or　houses；　those　poor　souls　who　were　in　a　dying　condition

would　be　carried　out　to　the　neighboring　hillsides　just　before

dissolution；　and　there　abandoned　to　their　sufferings；　with　little　or

no　attention；　unless　the　placing　under　their　heads　of　a　small　stick

of　woodwith　possibly　some　laudable　object；　but　doubtless　great

discomfort　to　their　victimmight　be　considered　such。



To　uproot　these　senseless　and　monstrous　practices　was　indeed　most

difficult。　　The　most　pernicious　of　all　was　one　which　was　likely　to

bring　about　tragic　results。　　They　believed　firmly　in　a　class　of

doctors　among　their　people　who　professed　that　they　could　procure　the

illness　of　an　individual　at　will；　and　that　by　certain　incantations

they　could　kill　or　cure　the　sick　person。　　Their　faith　in　this

superstition　was　so　steadfast　that　there　was　no　doubting　its

sincerity；　many　indulging　at　times　in　the　most　trying　privations；

that　their　relatives　might　be　saved　from　death　at　the　hands　of　the

doctors。　　I　often　talked　with　them　on　the　subject；　and　tried　to

reason　them　out　of　the　superstitious　belief；　defying　the　doctors　to

kill　me；　or　even　make　me　ill；　but　my　talks　were　unavailing；　and　they

always　met　my　arguments　with　the　remark　that　I　was　a　white　man；　of　a

race　wholly　different　from　the　red　man；　and　that　that　was　the　reason

the　medicine　of　the　doctors　would　not　affect　me。　　These　villainous

doctors　might　be　either　men　or　women；　and　any　one　of　them　finding　an

Indian　ill；　at　once　averred　that　his　influence　was　the　cause；

offering　at　the　same　time　to　cure　the　invalid　for　a　fee；　which

generally　amounted　to　about　all　the　ponies　his　family　possessed。　　If

the　proposition　was　accepted　and　the　fee　paid　over；　the　family；　in

case　the　man　died；　was　to　have　indemnity　through　the　death　of　the

doctor；　who　freely　promised　that　they　might　take　his　life　in　such

event；　relying　on　his　chances　of　getting　protection　from　the　furious

relatives　by　fleeing　to　the　military　post　till　time　had　so　assuaged

their　grief　that　matters　could　be　compromised　or　settled　by　a

restoration　of　a　part　of　the　property；　when　the　rascally　leeches

could　again　resume　their　practice。　　Of　course　the　services　of　a

doctor　were　always　accepted　when　an　Indian　fell　ill；　otherwise　the

invalid's　death　would　surely　ensue；　brought　about　by　the　evil

influence　that　was　unpropitiated。　　Latterly　it　had　become　quite　the

thing；　when　a　patient　died；　for　the　doctor　to　flee　to　our　campit

was　so　convenient　and　so　much　safer　than　elsewhereand　my　cellar　was

a　favorite　place　of　refuge　from　the　infuriated　friends　of　the

deceased。



Among　the　most　notable　of　these　doctors　was　an　Indian　named　Sam

Patch；　who　several　times　sought　asylum　in　any　cellar；　and　being　a

most　profound　diplomat；　managed　on　each　occasion　and　with　little

delay　to　negotiate　a　peaceful　settlement　and　go　forth　in　safety　to

resume　the　practice　of　his　nefarious　profession。　　I　often　hoped　he

would　be　caught　before　reaching　the　post；　but　he　seemed　to　know

intuitively　when　the　time　had　come　to　take　leg…bail；　for　his　advent

at　the　garrison　generally　preceded　by　but　a　few　hours　the　death　of

some　poor　dupe。



Finally　these　peculiar　customs　brought　about　the　punishment　of　a

noted　doctress　of　the　Rogue　River　tribe；　a　woman　who　was　constantly

working　in　this　professional　way；　and　who　had　found　a　victim　of　such

prominence　among　the　Rogue　Rivers　that　his　unlooked　for　death　brought

down　on　her　the　wrath　of　all。　　She　had　made　him　so　ill；　they

believed；　as　to　bring　him　to　death's　door　notwithstanding　the　many

ponies　that　had　been　given　her　to　cease　the　incantations；　and　it　was

the　conviction　of　all　that　she　had　finally　caused　the　man's　death

from　some　ulterior　and　indiscernible　motive。　　His　relatives　and

friends　then　immediately　set　about　requiting　her　with　the　just

penalties　of　a　perfidious　breach　of　contract。　　Their　threats　induced

her　instant　flight　toward　my　house　for　the　usual　protection；　but　the

enraged　friends　of　the　dead　man　gave　hot　chase；　and　overtook　the

witch　just　inside　the　limits　of　the　garrison；　where；　on　the　parade…

ground；　in　sight　of　the　officers'　quarters；　and　before　any　one　could

interfere；　they　killed　her。　　There　were　sixteen　men　in　pursuit　of　the

doctress；　and　sixteen　gun…shot　wounds　were　found　in　her　body　when

examined　by　the　surgeon　of　the　post。　　The　killing　of　the　woman　was　a

flagrant　and　defiant　outrage　committed　in　the　teeth　of　the　military

authority；　yet　done　so　quickly　that　we　could　not　prevent　it。　　This

necessitated　severe　measures；　both　to　allay　the　prevailing　excitement

and　to　preclude　the　recurrence　of　such　acts。　　The　body　was　cared　for；

and　delivered　to　the　relatives　the　next　day　for　burial；　after　which

Captain　Russell　directed　me　to　take　such　steps　as　would　put　a　stop　to

the　fanatical　usages　that　had　brought　about　this　murderous

occurrence；　for　it　was　now　seen　that　if　timely　measures　were　not

taken　to　repress　them；　similar　tragedies　would　surely　follow。



Knowing　all　the　men　of　the　Rogue　River　tribe；　and　speaking　fluently

the　Chinook　tongue；　which　they　all　understood；　I　went　down　to　their

village　the　following　day；　after　having　sent　word　to　the　tribe　that　I

wished　to　have　a　council　with　them。　　The　Indians　all　met　me　in

council；　as　I　had　desired；　and　I　then　told　them　that　the　men　who　had

taken　part　in　shooting　the　woman　would　have　to　be　delivered　up　for

punishment。　　They　were　very　stiff　with　me　at　the　interview；　and　with

all　that　talent　for　circumlocution　and　diplomacy　with　which　the

Indian　is　lifted；　endeavored　to　evade　my　demands　and　delay　any

conclusion。　　But　I　was　very　positive；　would　hear　of　no　compromise

whatever；　and　demanded　that　my　terms　be　at　once　complied　with。　　No

one　was　with　me　but　a　sergeant　of　my　company；　named　Miller；　who　held

my　horse；　and　as　the　chances　of　an　agreement　began　to　grow　remote；　I

became　anxious　for　our　safety。　　The　conversation　waxing　hot　and　the

Indians　gathering　close　in　around　me；　I　unbuttoned　the　flap　of　my

pistol　holster；　to　be　ready　for　any　emergency。　　When　the　altercation

became　most　bitter　I　put　my　hand　to　my　hip　to　draw　my　pistol；　but

discovered　it　was　gonestolen　by　one　of　the　rascals　surrounding　me。

Finding　myself　unarmed；　I　modified　my　tone　and　manner　to　correspond

with　my　helpless　condition；　thus　myself　assuming　the　diplomatic　side

in　the　parley；　in　order　to　gain　time。　　As　soon　as　an　opportunity

offered；　and　I　could；　without　too　much　loss　of　self…respect；　and

without　damaging　my　reputation　among　the　Indians；　I　moved　out　to

where　the　sergeant　held　my　horse；　mounted；　and　crossing　the　Yamhill

River　close　by；　called　back　in　Chinook　from　the　farther　bank　that

〃the　sixteen　men　who　killed　the　woman　must　be　delivered　up；　and　my

six…shooter　also。〃　This　was　responded　to　by　contemptuous　laughter；　so

I　went　back　to　the　military　post　somewhat　crestfallen；　and　made　my

report　of　the　turn　affairs　had　taken；　inwardly　longing　for　another

chance　to　bring　the　rascally　Rogue　Rivers　to　terms。



When　I　had　explained　the　situation　to　Captain　Russell；　he　thought

that　we　could　not；　under　any　circumstances；　overlook　this　defiant

conduct　of　the　Indians；　since；　unless　summarily　punished；　it　would

lead　to　even　more　serious　trouble　in　the　future。　　I　heartily　seconded

this　proposition；　and　gladly　embracing　the　opportunity　it　offered；

suggested　that　if　he　would　give　me　another　chance；　and　le