ACEOSS THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC. 225 



to him best adapted for insuring success, witli the most indefati- 

 gable perseverance and industry, and has endured hardships 

 without murmui'ing, which would have prostrated many a more 

 robust man ; nevertheless, he has not succeeded in making the 

 business of fishing and trapping productive, and as we can- 

 not divine the cause, we must attribute it to the Providence 

 that rules the destinies of men and controls all human enter- 

 prises. 



Two evenings since, eight Sandwich Islanders, a white man 

 and an Indian woman, left the cascades in a large canoe laden 

 with salmon, for the brig. The river was as usual rough and 

 tempestuous, the wind blew a heavy gale, the canoe was cap- 

 sized, and eight out of the ten sank to rise no more. The 

 two who escaped, islanders, have taken refuge among the In- 

 dians at the village below, and will probably join us in a few 

 days. 



Intelligence has also been received of the murder of one of 

 Wyeth's principal trappers, named Abbot, and another wjiite 

 man who accompanied him, by the Banneck Indians. The two 

 men were on their way to the Columbia with a large load of 

 beaver, and had stopped at the lodge of the Banneck chief, by 

 whom they had been hospitably entertained. After they left, the 

 chief, with several of his young men, concealed themselves in a 

 thicket, near which the unsuspicious trappers passed, and shot 

 and scalped them both. 



These Indians have been heretofore harmless, and have always 

 appeared to wish to cultivate the friendship of the white people. 

 The only reason that can be conceived for this change in their 

 sentiments, is that some of their number may lately have received 

 injury from the white traders, and, with true Indian animosity, 

 they determined to wreak their vengeance upon the whole race. 



Thus it is always unsafe to travel among Indians, as no one 



2i) 



