SPOKAN PLAINS. 157 | 
country we reach the Spokan plains, which are 
open grassy wastes, very like the barren grounds 
we travelled through from Walla-walla to Colville. 
The Spokan Indians live principally on these 
plains, Gerry being their chief. Gerry speaks 
very understandable English, which he picked up 
whilst acting as guide to Sir George Simpson, 
This large tribe has been awfully crippled by 
Colonel Wright, previously spoken of as com- 
manding the United States troops at Walla- 
walla. The Indians made a cowardly attack on 
some unarmed dragoons exercising their horses, 
killed several men, and stole all the horses. 
Colonel Wright, in retaliation, marched into their 
stronghold, and after a brisk skirmish, routed 
them, taking several of the leaders prisoners, and 
with them a celebrated chief. These were all 
hung where the fight took place. Then all the 
Indian horses that could be collected were driven 
together by order of the Colonel and shot ; 700 
were thus killed; three days were occupied in 
shooting the poor beasts down. I state the fact 
as it was told me. 
Branching off in a north-easterly direction, the 
trail leads through a thickly-wooded country to 
the Pend Oreille river, where our depédt, Syniak- 
wateen (Indian, the ‘ crossing :’ vide illustration), 
