attack　at　the　Cascades　of　the　Columbia；　midway　between　Vancouver　and
  the　Dalles；　killed　several　citizens；　women　and　children；　and　took
  possession　of　the　Portage　by　besieging　the　settlers　in　their　cabins
  at　the　Upper　Cascades；　and　those　who　sought　shelter　at　the　Middle
  Cascades　in　the　old　military　block…house；　which　had　been　built　some
  years　before　as　a　place　of　refuge　under　just　such　circumstances。
  These　points　held　out；　and　were　not　captured；　but　the　landing　at　the
  Lower　Cascades　fell　completely　into　the　hands　of　the　savages。
  Straggling　settlers　from　the　Lower　Cascades　made　their　way　down　to
  Fort　Vancouver；　distant　about　thirty…six　miles；　which　they　reached
  that　night；　and　communicated　the　condition　of　affairs。　　As　the
  necessity　for　early　relief　to　the　settlers　and　the　re…establishment
  of　communication　with　the　Dalles　were　apparent；　all　the　force　that
  could　be　spared　was　ordered　out；　and　in　consequence　I　immediately
  received　directions　to　go　with　my　detachment　of　dragoons；　numbering
  about　forty　effective　men；　to　the　relief　of　the　middle　blockhouse；
  which　really　meant　to　retake　the　Cascades。　　I　got　ready　at　once；　and
  believing　that　a　piece　of　artillery　would　be　of　service　to　me；　asked
  for　one；　but　as　there　proved　to　be　no　guns　at　the　post；　I　should　have
  been　obliged　to　proceed　without　one　had　it　not　been　that　the　regular
  steamer　from　San　Francisco　to　Portland　was　lying　at　the　Vancouver
  dock　unloading　military　supplies；　and　the　commander；　Captain　Dall；
  supplied　me　with　the　steamer's　small　iron　cannon；　mounted　on　a　wooden
  platform；　which　he　used　in　firing　salutes　at　different　ports　on　the
  arrival　and　departure　of　the　vessel。　　Finding　at　the　arsenal　a　supply
  of　solid　shot　that　would　fit　the　gun；　I　had　it　put　upon　the　steamboat
  Belle；　employed　to　carry　my　command　to　the　scene　of　operations；　and
  started　up　the　Columbia　River　at　2　A。M。　on　the　morning　of　the　27th。
  We　reached　the　Lower　Cascades　early　in　the　day；　where；　selecting　a
  favorable　place　for　the　purpose；　I　disembarked　my　men　and　gun　on　the
  north　bank　of　the　river；　so　that　I　could　send　back　the　steamboat　to
  bring　up　any　volunteer　assistance　that　in　the　mean　time　might　have
  been　collected　at　Vancouver。
  The　Columbia　River　was　very　high　at　the　time；　and　the　water　had
  backed　up　into　the　slough　about　the　foot　of　the　Lower　Cascades　to
  such　a　degree　that　it　left　me　only　a　narrow　neck　of　firm　ground　to
  advance　over　toward　the　point　occupied　by　the　Indians。　　On　this　neck
  of　land　the　hostiles　had　taken　position；　as　I　soon　learned　by
  frequent　shots；　loud　shouting；　and　much　blustering；　they；　by　the　most
  exasperating　yells　and　indecent　exhibitions；　daring　me　to　the
  contest。
  After　getting　well　in　hand　everything　connected　with　my　little
  command；　I　advanced　with　five　or　six　men　to　the　edge　of　a　growth　of
  underbrush　to　make　a　reconnoissance。　　We　stole　along　under　cover　of
  this　underbrush　until　we　reached　the　open　ground　leading　over　the
  causeway　or　narrow　neck　before　mentioned；　when　the　enemy　opened　fire
  and　killed　a　soldier　near　my　side　by　a　shot　which；　just　grazing　the
  bridge　of　my　nose；　struck　him　in　the　neck；　opening　an　artery　and
  breaking　the　spinal　cord。　　He　died　instantly。　　The　Indians　at　once
  made　a　rush　for　the　body；　but　my　men　in　the　rear；　coming　quickly　to
  the　rescue；　drove　them　back；　and　Captain　Doll's　gun　being　now　brought
  into　play；　many　solid　shot　were　thrown　into　the　jungle　where　they　lay
  concealed；　with　the　effect　of　considerably　moderating　their
  impetuosity。　　Further　skirmishing　at　long　range　took　place　at
  intervals　during　the　day；　with　little　gain　or　loss；　however；　to
  either　side；　for　both　parties　held　positions　which　could　not　be
  assailed　in　flank；　and　only　the　extreme　of　rashness　in　either　could
  prompt　a　front　attack。　　My　left　was　protected　by　the　back　water
  driven　into　the　slough　by　the　high　stage　of　the　river；　and　my　right
  rested　secure　on　the　main　stream。　　Between　us　was　only　the　narrow
  neck　of　land；　to　cross　which　would　be　certain　death。　　The　position　of
  the　Indians　was　almost　the　exact　counterpart　of　ours。
  In　the　evening　I　sent　a　report　of　the　situation　back　to　Vancouver　by
  the　steamboat；　retaining　a　large　Hudson's　Bay　bateau　which　I　had
  brought　up　with　me。　　Examining　this　I　found　it　would　carry　about
  twenty　men；　and　made　up　my　mind　that　early　next　morning　I　would　cross
  the　command　to　the　opposite　or　south　side　of　the　Columbia　River；　and
  make　my　way　up　along　the　mountain　base　until　I　arrived　abreast　the
  middle　blockhouse；　which　was　still　closely　besieged；　and　then　at　some
  favorable　point　recross　to　the　north　bank　to　its　relief；　endeavoring
  in　this　manner　to　pass　around　and　to　the　rear　of　the　Indians；　whose
  position　confronting　me　was　too　strong　for　a　direct　attack。　　This
  plan　was　hazardous；　but　I　believed　it　could　be　successfully　carried
  out　if　the　boat　could　be　taken　with　me；　but　should　I　not　be　able　to
  do　this　I　felt　that　the　object　contemplated　in　sending　me　out　would
  miserably　fail；　and　the　small　band　cooped　up　at　the　block…house　would
  soon　starve　or　fall　a　prey　to　the　Indians；　so　I　concluded　to　risk　all
  the　chances　the　plan　involved。
  On　the　morning　of　March　28　the　savages　were　still　in　my　front；　and
  after　giving　them　some　solid　shot　from　Captain　Dall's　gun　we　slipped
  down　to　the　river…bank；　and　the　detachment　crossed　by　means　of　the
  Hudson's　Bay　boat；　making　a　landing　on　the　opposite　shore　at　a　point
  where　the　south　channel　of　the　river；　after　flowing　around　Bradford's
  Island；　joins　the　main　stream。　　It　was　then　about　9　o'clock；　and
  everything　had　thus　far　proceeded　favorably；　but　examination　of　the
  channel　showed　that　it　would　be　impossible　to　get　the　boat　up　the
  rapids　along　the　mainland；　and　that　success　could　only　be　assured　by
  crossing　the　south　channel　just　below　the　rapids　to　the　island；　along
  the　shore　of　which　there　was　every　probability　we　could　pull　the　boat
  through　the　rocks　and　swift　water　until　the　head　of　the　rapids　was
  reached；　from　which　point　to　the　block…house　there　was　smooth　water。
  Telling　the　men　of　the　embarrassment　in　which　I　found　myself；　and
  that　if　I　could　get　enough　of　them　to　man　the　boat　and　pull　it　up　the
  stream　by　a　rope　to　the　shore　we　would　cross　to　the　island　and　make
  the　attempt；　all　volunteered　to　go；　but　as　ten　men　seemed　sufficient
  I　selected　that　number　to　accompany　me。　　Before　starting；　however；　I
  deemed　it　prudent　to　find　out　if　possible　what　was　engaging　the
  attention　of　the　Indians；　who　had　not　yet　discovered　that　we　had　left
  their　front。　　I　therefore　climbed　up　the　side　of　the　abrupt　mountain
  which　skirted　the　water's　edge　until　I　could　see　across　the　island。
  》From　this　point　I　observed　the　Indians　running　horse…races　and
  otherwise　enjoying　themselves　behind　the　line　they　had　held　against
  me　the　day　before。　　The　squaws　decked　out　in　gay　colors；　and　the　men
  gaudily　dressed　in　war　bonnets；　made　the　scene　most　attractive；　but
  as　everything　looked　propitious　for　the　dangerous　enterprise　in　hand
  I　spent　little　time　watching　them。　　Quickly　returning　to　the　boat；　I
  crossed　to　the　island　with　my　ten　men；　threw　ashore　the　rope　attached
  to　the　bow；　and　commenced　the　difficult　task　of　pulling　her　up　the
  rapids。　　We　got　along　slowly　at　first；　but　soon　striking　a　camp　of
  old　squaws　who　had　been　left　on　the　island　for　safety；　and　had　not
  gone　over　to　the　mainland　to　see　the　races；　we　utilized　them　to　our
  advantage。　　With　unmistakable　threats　and　signs　we　made　them　not　only
  keep　quiet；　but　also　give　us　much　needed　assistance　in　pulling
  vigorously　on　the　towrope　of　our　boat。
  I　was　laboring　under　a　dreadful　strain　of　mental　anxiety　during　all
  this　time；　for　had　the　Indians　discovered　what　we　were　about；　they
  could　easily　have　come　over　to　the　island　in　their　canoes；　and；　by
  forcing　us　to　take　up　our　arms　to　repel　their　attack；　doubtless　would
  have　obliged　the　abandonment　of　the　boat；　and　that　essential　adjunct
  to　the　final　success　of　my　plan　would　have　gone　down　the　rapids。
  Indeed；　under　such　circumstances；　it　would　have　been　impossible　for
  ten　men　to　hold　out　against　the　two　or　three　hundred　Indians；　but　the
  island　forming　an　excellent　screen　to　our　movements；　we　were　not
  discovered；　and　when　we　reached　the　smooth　water　at　the　upper　end　of
  the　rapids　we　quickly　crossed　over　and　joined　the　rest　of　the　men；
  who　in　the　meantime　had　worked　their　way　along　the　south　bank　of　the
  river　parallel　with　us。　　I　felt　very　grateful　to　the　old　squaws　for
  the　assistance　they　rendered。　　They　worked　well　under　compulsion；　and
  manifested　no　disposition　to　strike　for　higher　wages。　　Indeed；　I　was
  so　much　relieved　when　we　had　crossed　over　from　the　island　and　joined
  the　rest　of　the　party；　that　I　mentally　thanked　the　squaws　one　and
  all。　　I　had　much　difficulty　in　keeping　the　men　on　the　main　shore　from
  cheering　at　our　success；　but　hurriedly　taking　into　the　bateau　all　of
  them　it　could　carry；　I　sent　the　balance　along　the　southern　bank；
  where　the　railroad　is