APPENDIX. 491 



nate on the bank of Paget Sound. Governor Stephens, who 

 Avas at the head of the survey, reported in favor of taking the 

 road through the ISTahchess Pass, and making the terminus at 

 Seattle. In 1855 the whites were engaged in a war with the 

 Indians, and the industry of the Territory suffered severely, 

 though very few lives were lost in battle. The war of 1855 

 was in Washington felt chiefly west of the Cascade Mountains. 

 In 1858 a war broke out east of that chain. The Pelouse, 

 Klickatat, Spokane, Okinagan, Cay use, and some of the 

 Coeur d'Alene Indians formed a league and commenced the 

 war by driving the settlers from the Walla Walla Yalley. 

 After three encouhters in which the whites were defeated, and 

 one in which they were finally victorious, a peace was made, 

 and it is still observed. In 1858 the excitement in California 

 about the Fraser River mines attracted fifteen thousand persons 

 to the Territory, many of whom landed at Port Townsend, and 

 others at Whatcom ; and the latter place had for a few weeks 

 a large population and a busy trade, but it soon sank back 

 into its former obscurity. The donation law passed by Con- 

 gress in 1850, to make gifts of land to early settlers in Ore- 

 gon, continued in force in Washington until 1855, and eight 

 hundred claims were taken up under it. 



