new companies. Richard was appointed high chief on
account of his superior attainments and good character;
and Meaway, a very peaceable man, as war chief. These
appointments were not objected to at the time, only quietly
acquiesced in; but later Richard was assassinated, as it
was thought, by a political enemy, and another high chief
elected.
The affairs of the Nez Percés being settled, a council was held with the Walla Wallas and the Cayuses who had returned to the Umatilla. They, seeing that compa nies of armed Americans continued to come from the Wallainet, and being informed of the expected arrival of the United States mounted rifle regiment, on its way as it was supposed, from Fort Leavenworth, were humble accordingly. "The friendship of the Indians," wrote Col onel Waters, "increases with our numbers." Even Peu- peu-mox-mox, who had deeply resented the act of the legislature withholding ammunition from the Indians without distinction of tribe or individual, and who had threatened to join the murderers in retaliation, confessed his shame at having done so.
"I told him, and all that were present," wrote Lee, "that \ve were bound to hold this country until the murderers were punished, the stolen property returned, and that which had been destroyed paid for; and then asked them what they were going to do; whether they would try to settle the matter and let us go home about our business, and leave them to theirs, or would they hold off as they had done, and leave us here to hold the country with our guns?"
It was certainly not an easy question to answer. The conditions were as hard as they were unavoidable, for if they complied with the demands of the Americans they should have to fight among themselves, and if they refused they would be compelled to fight the Americans or leave their country. Even in the matter of property, they found they were likely to be impoverished by an attemp
