Page images
PDF
EPUB

CHAPTER XXXI.

DEPARTMENT OF THE COLUMBIA.

THE INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE-THE CHINOOK LANGUAGE-VANCOUVER BARRACKS-TROOPS IN
THE DEPARTMENT-WORK ACCOMPLISHED-UNEXPLORED REGIONS-EXPEDITION OF
LIEUTENANT SYMONS-OF LIEUTENANT PIERCE-OTHER SURVEYS-VISIT OF
GENERAL SHERMAN-EFFECT OF RAILROAD BUILDING-NEW COAST
BATTERIES-RESERVATIONS AND NUMBER OF INDIANS.

[graphic]

N assuming command of the Department of the Columbia, August 2, 1881, I found the headquarters located at Vancouver Barracks, on the right bank of the Columbia River, in what was then Washington Territory. This post is six miles north of Portland, Oregon, and was formerly an old Hudson Bay trading station, having been located there during the early days when the principal commerce of the territory was in the form of barter with the Indians for the furs which were the chief articles of merchandise at that time.

In order to communicate with the different tribes scattered over that vast territory it had become necessary to invent or create a common language. For, unlike the Indians east of the Rocky Mountains, the tribes on the Pacific seaboard spoke tribal languages, and had no common means of communication. The various tribes of Plains Indians communicated with each other by means of what is known as the sign language. Motions, and positions of the fingers and hands, conveyed their ideas and constituted a language almost identical with that used by the deaf and dumb of the present day in the asylums and schools established for their benefit.* In the absence of any such method of communication, the Hudson Bay fur traders were obliged to create one, and this eventually came to be known as the Chinook language, consisting of a few words whose meaning was agreed upon to express the ideas most used in ordinary conversation. This was adopted by nearly all the tribes

The difference being that the deaf mutes use our common alphabet, each sign meaning a letter, and that words are in their way spelled out by them in talking. To the Plains Indians an alphabet was unknown, and with them a sign might express an animal, an occurrence, a day, an entire fact of any kind.

on the Pacific Coast, and is still understood by some of the tribes now in Alaska.

Vancouver Barracks was located near the town of Vancouver, on the Columbia, and upon a mesa a few hundred feet above the level of that

THE SIGN LANGUAGE.

river, on a commanding position overlooking the beautiful valley, and within

sight of the picturesque Cascade

range, which embraces a cluster of the grandest mountains on the continent. The post was at that time commanded by Colonel Henry H. Morrow, Twenty

First In

fantry, a

[graphic]

most accomplished and gallant soldier and a man of great learning. He was a fine lawyer, having been a judge on the bench in Michigan during a period of ten years at a very early age. He afterward won high distinction in the Civil War, reaching the rank of general, and being, in addition, breveted for extraordinary gallantry.

I found in the Department of the Columbia a force of over fifteen hundred troops, located at the various military stations which were scattered over a territory (not including Alaska) about two hundred and fifty thousand square miles in extent. This vast region was then occupied only by scattered settlements, ranches, mining camps, and isolated homes. It was also the home of bands of nomadic Indians. The interests and welfare of the two races were constantly clashing, and there was danger

of serious hostilities at any moment. The white settlers looked to the army for defence, and the Indians in turn applied to the military for the protection of their rights and privileges.

In order to make the best use of troops, measures were taken to facilitate communication between these scattered posts, to aid in the concentration of the available forces, and at the same time to promote their general efficiency. In addition to their ordinary duties the troops were put to work in the construction of military roads and the establishment of military telegraph lines. These not only added to the efficiency of the military force, but also greatly benefited the citizens. Measures were also taken at all the military posts to improve the physical condition of the troops by a thorough system of athletic drills and exercises. Colonel Morrow was one of the first to establish what has since been so beneficial to the army, the Canteen Exchange. This is really a post club for the benefit of the soldiers. One of the first, largest, and best of the military gymnasiums was established at Vancouver.

During this year facilities were afforded the soldiers with families to provide homes for themselves at the expiration of their term of service, and to secure suitable employment. All the troops in the department were thoroughly equipped for immediate field service; each company, troop, and battery was made a unit of organization and demonstration. Each had its allowance of field equipment, including tents, field supplies, transportation, cooking utensils, extra clothing, hospital supplies, and everything required for immediate and continuous service in the field, and enough to last for several months.

In the department were several sections of country that had not been fully explored, and other sections of whose topography there was no knowledge whatever. With a view of obtaining the knowledge which would be indispensable in case the country had to be occupied by the military, and that would also be valuable to citizens seeking a knowledge of those districts, I organized several exploring expeditions. In fact, during the four years in which I was in command of that department, there was constantly some expedition in the field obtaining information about those interesting and to a great extent unknown portions of our country.

In January, 1882, Lieutenant Thomas W. Symons made an exploration and examination of the Columbia River from the line of British Columbia to the mouth of the Snake River, and obtained much valuable information concerning that extensive district.

In July of the same year an expedition was organized to explore the region between the upper Columbia and Puget Sound, then but little known. It was a small expedition, and was placed under the command of Lieutenant Henry H. Pierce of the Twenty-first United States Infantry, who performed the duty in a most efficient manner.

After making the necessary preparations at Fort Colville, the above mentioned expedition left that place on the first of August, and the next day crossed the Columbia by ferry and encamped on the western side. From there the Columbia was skirted along a good trail for a distance of six miles; thence the expedition moved westward past lofty mountains, dashing torrents and beautiful lakes, fording numerous creeks and rivers, and at the end of ten days reached the Okinakane, a swift, deep river that flows into the Columbia from the north.

From one of his camps on this river, Lieutenant Pierce desired to send back a telegram and letters to Fort Colville, and engaged an old Indian to carry them. Before giving the Indian his compensation, Lieutenant Pierce asked him if he was an honest man; not that he doubted him, but he wished to hear his answer. With great dignity, and with something of an injured look, the old man replied, "Me honest Indian. Me afraid to do wrong for fear some one there," pointing upwards, "see me and be angry. Then shaking hands, he mounted his pony and rode slowly away.

Leaving the Okinakane, they passed over to the Methow. The latter is a beautiful stream, so clear that the granite boulders beneath its surface may be plainly seen as it winds along its tortuous course, fringed on either side with poplars, balms and evergreens, and draining an extremely fertile country. Then, still moving toward the west, they journeyed on between lofty mountains and over dizzy paths where a downward glance was enough to make the firmest head to reel; fording turbulent rivers, pushing through almost impenetrable underbrush, crossing swampy areas, they went on until at last they gained the passage of the main cascades. Here they were beset by so many obstacles that it was almost impossible for them to proceed further, but their courage and perseverance finally overcame every difficulty and they reached the other side of the mountains in safety. From here they followed the course of the Cascade River, crossing it several times, down to the point where it empties into the Skagit. For their passage down that river they were fortunate enough to obtain canoes from the Indians, and on September 5, landed at Mount Vernon to await the coming of the steamer.

This reconnoissance of two hundred and ninety-five miles was through a country never before, so far as known, visited by white men, and was the first contribution to its geography.

Other surveys and reconnoissances were made of which the following were the more important; reconnoissance from Fort Townsend, Washington, to the Dungeness River; reconnoissance through Bruneau and Duck, Valleys, Idaho; reconnoissance of the country bordering on the Sprague River, Oregon; surveying route for telegraph line between Forts Klamath, Oregon, and Bidwell, California, and from Fort Spokane to

DIZZY HEIGHTS.

Spokane Falls; surveying route for road from Fort Colville to Fort Spokane, Washington; march of instruction from Fort Lapwai to the Lolo Trail, Idaho.

At this time the condition of the various Indian tribes in the territory was satisfactory, and they were in better condition to receive the full benefits of protection and share the responsibilities of civil government than was generally supposed.

In August, 1882, General Sherman visited the northern posts in the Department of the Columbia, on his last official tour of inspection, and was received with every token of respect and affection. He expressed himself as

[graphic]

much pleased with the military bearing and discipline of the troops. The construction of the Northern Pacific Railway and other routes of travel made a great change in the means of communication with that northwest country, making it possible to move troops in a single day as

« PreviousContinue »