personal memoirs-1-第9节

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The　Indians　now　fell　back　to　a　high　ridge；　on　the　crest　of　which　they

marched　and　countermarched；　threatening　to　charge　down　its　face。

Most　of　them　were　naked；　and　as　their　persons　were　painted　in　gaudy

colors　and　decorated　with　strips　of　red　flannel；　red　blankets　and　gay

war…bonnets；　their　appearance　presented　a　scene　of　picturesque

barbarism；　fascinating　but　repulsive。　　As　they　numbered　about　six

hundred；　the　chances　of　whipping　them　did　not　seem　overwhelmingly　in

our　favor；　yet　Nesmith　and　I　concluded　we　would　give　them　a　little

fight；　provided　we　could　engage　them　without　going　beyond　the　ridge。

But　all　our　efforts　were　in　vain；　for　as　we　advanced　they　retreated；

and　as　we　drew　back　they　reappeared　and　renewed　their　parade　and

noisy　demonstrations；　all　the　time　beating　their　drums　and　yelling

lustily。　　They　could　not　be　tempted　into　a　fight　where　we　desired　it；

however；　and　as　we　felt　unequal　to　any　pursuit　beyond　the　ridge

without　the　assistance　of　the　infantry　and　artillery；　we　re…crossed

the　river　and　encamped　with　Rains。　　It　soon　became　apparent　that　the

noisy　demonstrations　of　the　Indians　were　intended　only　as　a　blind　to

cover　the　escape　of　their　women　and　children　to　a　place　of　safety　in

the　mountains。



Next　morning　we　took　up　our　march　without　crossing　the　river；　and　as

our　route　would　lead　us　by　the　point　on　the　opposite　bank　where　the

Indians　had　made　their　picturesque　display　the　day　before；　they　at　an

early　hour　came　over　to　our　side；　and　rapidly　moved　ahead　of　us　to

some　distant　hills；　leaving　in　our　pathway　some　of　the　more

venturesome　young　braves；　who　attempted　；　to　retard　our　advance　by

opening　fire　at　long　range　from　favorable　places　where　they　lay

concealed。　　This　fire　did　us　little　harm；　but　it　had　the　effect　of

making　our　progress　so　slow　that　the　patience　of　every　one　but

General　Rains　was　well…nigh　exhausted。



About　2　o'clock　in　the　afternoon　we　arrived　well　up　near　the　base　of

the　range　of　hills；　and　though　it　was　growing　late　we　still　had　time

to　accomplish　something；　but　our　commanding　officer　decided　that　it

was　best　to　go　into　camp；　and　make　a　systematic　attack　next　morning。

I　proposed　that　he　let　me　charge　with　my　dragoons　through　the　narrow

canon　where　the　river　broke　through　the　range；　while　the　infantry

should　charge　up　the　hill　and　drive　the　enemy　from　the　top　down　on

the　other　side。　　In　this　way　I　thought　we　might　possibly　catch　some

of　the　fugitives；　but　his　extreme　caution　led　him　to　refuse　the

suggestion；　so　we　pitched　our　tents　out　of　range　of　their　desultory

fire；　but　near　enough　to　observe　plainly　their　menacing　and

tantalizing　exhibitions　of　contempt。



In　addition　to　firing　occasionally；　they　called　us　all　sorts　of　bad

names；　made　indecent　gestures；　and　aggravated　us；　so　that　between　3

and　4　o'clock　in　the　afternoon；　by　an　inexplicable　concert　of　action；

and　with　a　serious　breach　of　discipline；　a　large　number　of　the　men

and　many　of　the　officers　broke　en　masse　from　the　camp　with　loud　yells

and　charged　the　offending　savages。　　As　soon　as　this　mob　got　within

musket…shot　they　opened　fire　on　the　Indians；　who　ran　down　the　other

face　of　the　ridge　without　making　the　slightest　resistance。　　The　hill

was　readily　taken　by　this　unmilitary　proceeding；　and　no　one　was　hurt

on　either　side；　but　as　Rains　would　not　permit　it　to　be　held；　a　large

bonfire　was　lighted　on　the　crest　in　celebration　of　the　victory；　and

then　all　hands　marched　back　to　camp；　where　they　had　no　sooner　arrived

and　got　settled　down　than　the　Indians　returned　to　the　summit　of　the

ridge；　seemingly　to　enjoy　the　fire　that　had　been　so　generously　built

for　their　benefit；　and　with　renewed　taunts　and　gestures　continued　to

insult　us。



Our　camp　that　night　was　strongly　picketed；　and　when　we　awoke　in　the

morning　the　Indians　still　occupied　their　position　on　the　hill。　　At

daylight　we　advanced　against　them；　two　or　three　companies　of　infantry

moving　forward　to　drive　them　from　the　summit；　while　our　main　column

passed　through　the　canon　into　the　upper　Yakima　Valley　led　by　my

dragoons；　who　were　not　allowed　to　charge　into　the　gorge；　as　the

celerity　of　such　a　movement　might　cause　the　tactical　combination　to

fail。



As　we　passed　slowly　and　cautiously　through　the　canon　the　Indians　ran

rapidly　away；　and　when　we　reached　the　farther　end　they　had　entirely

disappeared　from　our　front；　except　one　old　fellow；　whose　lame　horse

prevented　him　keeping　up　with　the　main　body。　　This　presented　an


opportunity　for　gaining　results　which　all　thought　should　not　be　lost；

so　our　guide；　an　Indian　named　〃Cut…mouth　John；〃　seized　upon　it；　and

giving　hot　chase；　soon；　overtook　the　poor　creature；　whom　he　speedily

killed　without　much　danger　to　himself；　for　the　fugitive　was　armed

with　only　an　old　Hudson's　Bay　flint…lock　horse…pistol　which　could　not

be　discharged。



〃Cut…mouth　John's〃　engagement　began　and　ended　all　the　fighting　that

took　place　on　this　occasion；　and　much　disappointment　and　discontent

followed；　Nesmith's　mounted　force　and　my　dragoons　being　particularly

disgusted　because　they　had　not　been　〃given　a　chance。〃　　During　the

remainder　of　the　day　we　cautiously　followed　the　retreating　foe；　and

late　in　the　evening　went　into　camp　a　short　distance　from　Father

Pandoza's　Mission；　where　we　were　to　await　a　small　column　of　troops

under　command　of　Captain　Maurice　Maloney；　of　the　Fourth　Infantry；

that　was　to　join　us　from　Steilicom　by　way　of　the　Natchez　Pass；　and

from　which　no　tidings　had　as　yet　been　received。



Next　morning　the　first　thing　I　saw　when　I　put　my　head　out　from　my

blankets　was　〃Cut…mouth　John；〃　already　mounted　and　parading　himself

through　the　camp。　　The　scalp　of　the　Indian　he　had　despatched　the　day

before　was　tied　to　the　cross…bar　of　his　bridle　bit；　the　hair　dangling

almost　to　the　ground；　and　John　was　decked　out　in　the　sacred　vestments

of　Father　Pandoza；　having；　long　before　any　one　was　stiring　in　camp；

ransacked　the　log…cabin　at　the　Mission　in　which　the　good　man　had

lived。　　John　was　at　all　times　a　most　repulsive　looking　individual；　a

part　of　his　mouth　having　been　shot　away　in　a　fight　with　Indians　near

Walla　Walla　some　years　before；　in　which　a　Methodist　missionary　had

been　killed；　but　his　revolting　personal　appearance　was　now　worse　than

ever；　and　the　sacrilegious　use　of　Father　Pandoza's　vestments；　coupled

with　the　ghastly　scalp　that　hung　from　his　bridle；　so　turned　opinion

against　him　that　he　was　soon　captured；　dismounted；　and　his　parade

brought　to　an　abrupt　close；　and　I　doubt　whether　he　ever　after　quite

reinstated　himself　in　the　good　graces　of　the　command。



In　the　course　of　the　day　nearly　all　the　men　visited　the　Mission；　but

as　it　had　been　plundered　by　the　Indians　at　the　outbreak　of

hostilities；　when　Father　Pandoza　was　carried　off；　little　of　value　was

left　about　it　except　a　considerable　herd　of　pigs；　which　the　father

with　great　difficulty　had　succeeded　in　accumulating　from　a　very　small

beginning。　　The　pigs　had　not　been　disturbed　by　the　Indians；　but　the

straggling　troops　soon　disposed　of　them；　and　then　turned　their

attention　to　the　cabbages　and　potatoes　in　the　garden；　with　the

intention；　no　doubt；　of　dining　that　day　on　fresh　pork　and　fresh

vegetables　instead　of　on　salt　junk　and　hard　bread；　which　formed　their

regular　diet　on　the　march。　　In　digging　up　the　potatoes　some　one

discovered　half　a　keg　of　powder；　which　had　been　buried　in　the　garden

by　the　good　father　to　prevent　the　hostile　Indians　from　getting　it　to

use　against　the　whites。　　As　soon　as　this　was　unearthed　wild

excitement　ensued；　and　a　cry　arose　that　Father　Pandoza　was　the　person

who　furnished　powder　to　the　Indians；　that　here　was　the　proof；　that　at

last　the　mysterious　means　by　which　the　Indians　obtained　ammunition

was　explainedand　a　rush　was　made　for　the　mission　building。　This　was

a　comfortable　log…house　of　good　size；　built　by　the　Indians　for　a

school　and　church；　and　attached　to　one　end　was　the　log…cabin

residence　of　the　priest。　　Its　destruction　was　a　matter　of　but　a　few

moments。　　A　large　heap　of　dry　wood　was　quickly　collected　and　piled　in

the　building；　matches　applied；　and　the　whole　Mission；　including　the

priest's　house；　was　soon　enveloped　in　flames；　and　burned　to　the

ground　before　the　officers　in　camp　became　aware　of　the　disgraceful

plundering　in　which　their　men　were　engaged。



The　commanding　officer　having　received　no　news　from　Captain　Maloney

during　the　day；　Colonel　Nesmith　and　I　were　ordered　to　go　to　his

rescue；　as　it　was　concluded　that　he　had　been　surrounded　by　Indians　in

the　Natchez　Pass。　　We　started　early　the　next　morning；　the　snow

falling　slightly　as　we　set　out；　and　soon　arrived　at　the　eastern　mouth

of　the　Natchez　Pass。　　On　the　way　we　noticed　an　abandoned　Indian

village；　which　had　evidently　not　been　occupied　for　some　time。　　As　we

proceeded　the　storm　increased；　and　the　snow…fall　became　deeper　and

deeper；　until　finally　our　horses　could　not　travel　through　it。　　In

consequence　we　were　compelled　to　give　up　furth