AT SUITER'S FORT 295
The Oregon Indians rode to the hunt. Back in the mountain fastnesses they fell upon a band of Indian robbers, renegades, who swooped into the valleys, corralled herds of horses, and, under cover of the hills, retreated to some hidden pocket of streams and pastures. The suspicious banditti, anticipating pursuit from their recent raid, fired upon the Walla WallaCayuses. A sharp skirmish ensued, in which the mountain free-booters were worsted, and the victorious Walla Wallas galloped back to Sutter's fort, driving before them twenty-two head of captured horses.
"Ah, there are our horses," said the men at Sutter's fort, coming out to claim each one his property.
"No, no," remonstrated Elijah at this peremptory proceeding. "We took these horses in battle. By the laws of war they are ours."
"No," cried the white men, "they were stolen from us. You must give them up." Yellow Serpent sat on his horse. Elijah had dismounted.
"In our country," said Elijah, "six nations are on terms of friendship. If any one of these six nations steals a horse, the tribe is responsible. But if our enemies, the Crows or the Blackfeet, steal a horse, it is lost beyond recovery. Now at the risk of our lives we have taken these horses from your enemies. By the laws of war they belong to us."
At that moment an American, seeing his mule in the band, sang out, "There is my mule, and I shall have it."
"Will you? "said Elijah, glancing at a tree and passing into the lodge pitched close at hand. He came out in a moment with a loaded rifle. "Go now and take your mule," he said.
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