That dignitary
had acquitted himself more faithfully to his charge than Mr.
Clarke had expected, and the canoes were found in very tolerable
order. Some repairs were necessary, and, while they were making,
the party encamped close by the village. Having had repeated and
vexatious proofs of the pilfering propensities of this tribe
during his former visit, Mr. Clarke ordered that a wary eye
should be kept upon them.
He was a tall, good-looking man, and somewhat given to pomp and
circumstance, which made him an object of note in the eyes of the
wondering savages. He was stately, too, in his appointments, and
had a silver goblet or drinking cup, out of which he would drink
with a magnificent air, and then lock it up in a large garde vin,
which accompanied him in his travels, and stood in his tent. This
goblet had originally been sent as a present from Mr. Astor to
Mr. M'Kay, the partner who had unfortunately been blown up in the
Tonquin. As it reached Astoria after the departure of that
gentleman, it had remained in the possession of Mr. Clarke.
A silver goblet was too glittering a prize not to catch the eye
of a Pierced-nose. It was like the shining tin case of John Reed.
Such a wonder had never been seen in the land before. The Indians
talked about it to one another. They marked the care with which
it was deposited in the garde vin, like a relic in its shrine,
and concluded that it must be a "great medicine." That night Mr.
Clarke neglected to lock up his treasure; in the morning the
sacred casket was open - the precious relic gone!
Clarke was now outrageous. All the past vexations that he had
suffered from this pilfering community rose to mind, and he
threatened that, unless the goblet was promptly returned, he
would hang the thief, should he eventually discover him. The day
passed away, however, without the restoration of the cup. At
night sentinels were secretly posted about the camp. With all
their vigilance, a Pierced-nose contrived to get into the camp
unperceived, and to load himself with booty; it was only on his
retreat that he was discovered and taken.
At daybreak the culprit was brought to trial, and promptly
convicted. He stood responsible for all the spoliations of the
camp, the precious goblet among the number, and Mr. Clarke passed
sentence of death upon him.
A gibbet was accordingly constructed of oars; the chief of the
village and his people were assembled, and the, culprit was
produced, with his legs and arms pinioned. Clarke then made a
harangue. He reminded the tribe of the benefits he had bestowed
upon them during his former visits, and the many thefts and other
misdeeds which he had overlooked. The prisoner, especially, had
always been peculiarly well treated by the white men, but had
repeatedly been guilty of pilfering. He was to be punished for
his own misdeeds, and as a warning to his tribe.
The Indians now gathered round Mr. Clarke, and interceded for the
culprit. They were willing he should be punished severely, but
implored that his life might be spared. The companions, too, of
Mr. Clarke, considered the sentence too severe, and advised him
to mitigate it; but he was inexorable. He was not naturally a
stern or cruel man; but from his boyhood he had lived in the
Indian country among Indian traders, and held the life of a
savage extremely cheap. He was, moreover, a firm believer in the
doctrine of intimidation.
Farnham, a clerk, a tall "Green Mountain boy" from Vermont, who
had been robbed of a pistol, acted as executioner. The signal was
given, and the poor Pierced-nose resisting, struggling, and
screaming, in the most frightful manner, was launched into
eternity. The Indians stood round gazing in silence and mute awe,
but made no attempt to oppose the execution, nor testified any
emotion when it was over. They locked up their feelings within
their bosoms until an opportunity should arrive to gratify them
with a bloody act of vengeance.
To say nothing of the needless severity of this act, its impolicy
was glaringly obvious. Mr. M'Lennan and three men were to return
to the post with the horses, their loads having been transferred
to the canoes. They would have to pass through a tract of country
infested by this tribe, who were all horsemen and hard riders,
and might pursue them to take vengeance for the death of their
comrade. M'Lennan, however, was a resolute fellow, and made light
of all dangers. He and his three men were present at the
execution, and set off as soon as life was extinct in the victim;
but, to use the words of one of their comrades, "they did not let
the grass grow under the heels of their horses, as they clattered
out of the Pierced-nose country," and were glad to find
themselves in safety at the post.
Mr. Clarke and his party embarked about the same time in their
canoes, and early on the following day reached the mouth of the
Wallah-Wallah, where they found Messrs. Stuart and M'Kenzie
awaiting them; the latter having recovered part of the goods
stolen from his cache. Clarke informed them of the signal
punishment he had inflicted on the Pierced-nose, evidently
expecting to excite their admiration by such a hardy act of
justice, performed in the very midst of the Indian country, but
was mortified at finding it strongly censured as inhuman,
unnecessary, and likely to provoke hostilities.
