Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 5.djvu/170

160 PETER H. BURNETT. difficult to say which party had been oftenest or most to blame ; that he came to bury the past and to stipulate for peace in the future, and wished to know of them whether they would mutually agree to be friends for the time to come. This was the best possible ground to be taken, and so pleased the assem- bled chiefs that they entered into a treaty of peace. But, a very short time after this treaty was made, and be- fore Newell and his two men had left, a sad accident occurred that well nigh cost Newell his life. One night before bed- time, the cook had hung a small kettle above the fire in New- ell's lodge, and had pretty well filled it with choice pieces of fat buffalo meat, with intent to have a feast. After doing this, the careless cook went out, and the kettle boiled over; and the first thing that Newell saw was the fire blazing out at the top of the lodge. When he first saw it he was at the lodge of one of the chiefs, a short distance off. In the hurry and confusion of the moment Newell ran to his lodge, seized the kettle, and gave it a sudden sling, and it happened to strike an Indian in the face and scalded him terribly. The Indian gave a loud scream, which at once aroused all the camp. The excitement was terrific. The act could not be denied, and the injury was palpable and most grievous. It was thought that both the eyes of the Indian had been put out; and his friends and kindred were vehement and loud in their demands for punishment, The principal chief at once summoned a council to consider the case. The chiefs met in the council lodge, while the people, including men, women, and. children, squatted in front of the door, leaving a narrow passage for the prisoner, with his interpreter, to enter the lodge. Newell said that as they passed through this enraged mass of people they exhibited the utmost hatred against him, especially the women, who manifested their intense animosity in every way, by word, and gesture. In passing by them, they would lean away and shrink from him, as if his touch v;is pollution itself. When he entered the dimly lighted council lodge all was grim and profound silence. Not a work was spoken, nor a move