I remain, with much respect, gentlemen, your most obedient humble servant,
N. B. I have just heard that the Cayuses are to be here tomorrow to kill Serpent Jaime, the Walla Walla chief.
Names of those who were killed: Dr. Whitman, Mrs. Whitman, Mr. Rogers, Mr. Hoffman, Mr. Sanders (schoolmaster), Mr. Osborne (carpenter), Mr. Marsh, Mr. John Sager, Mr. Francis Sager (brothers, youths), Mr. Canfield (blacksmith), Mr. (a tailor); besides three that were wounded, more or less, Messrs. Hall, Kimball, and another man whose name I cannot learn.
This information, only slightly inaccurate, was that which was obtained the day after the massacre, first from Mr. Hall, then from Finlay and the Manson boys, and lastly from McBean's interpreter:[2] As soon as practicable after the return of his interpreter, Mr. McBean dispatched an express to Vancouver, with instructions to lose no time, and to spread no alarm, his object being to get the news, not only of the massacre, but of his own exposed situation should the Cayuses carry out their rumored threat against his post, to the board of managers before the tribes along the river should learn what had taken place, or form any combination with the Cayuses.[3]
- ↑ This letter of McBean's, as here given, is faithfully copied from a copy made at Fort Vancouver, appearing to be in the hand of C. B. Roberts. It differs only slightly from several printed copies. It is preserved in the Oregon Archives MS., and numbered 1032.
- ↑ In a communication to the Walla Walla Statesman of March 16, 1866, Mr. McBean says: "When my messenger arrived, Indian women, armed with knives and other implements of war, were already assembled near the house where the captives were, awaiting the order of the chief Tiloukaikt, who was present. On being informed of my request ( not to commit any more murders, and on being told they had already gone too far ), he hung down his head, and paused, then with a wave of his hand peremptorily ordered the women away, who abusing him, called him a coward." This, if true, would appear to be the second time Tiloukaikt s hand had been stayed.
- ↑ This caution, necessary a& it evidently was considered by the prudent officers of a company having a long acquaintance with Indians, was the subject of bitter animadversion by those who saw in it grounds of suspicion. The circumstances appear from the evidence to have been these: Mr. McBean s messenger, on arriving at The Dalles, desired Mr. Alanson Hinman, residing there, to assist him in procuring a canoe to proceed to Vancouver. "I was very inquisitive," says Hinman, in a letter to Governor Abernethy, "to know if there was any difficulty above. He said four
