City, whereas it was gotten up in the regiment when it was on the
Clearwater, as an inducement to the Nez Percys to pursue the
Cayuses, which they failed to do.
It was by this time evident that the campaign would have to be brought to a close, even without the capture of the murderers. Summer was close at hand when the harvest in the Wallamet valley must be gathered. In the summer, too, the Cayuses would be able to subsist them selves in the mountains, scattering to every point of the compass, where a thousand troops could not overtake them. Yet the campaign had not been without results. As long as only a few men remained cooped up at Fort Waters, Tiloukaikt made bold to move about with his herds within a few hours ride, but the coming of the last four hundred assured him that the Americans were going to carry out their intentions and drove him, a fugitive, and poor, far away from home.
The effect upon the other tribes was also salutary. The Nez Percés were confirmed in their friendl} 7 disposition. The Palouses, although treacherous as ever, found it to their interest to make overtures of good will; and the chief of the Walla Wallas so far forgot his grievances as to take (upon himself to hang one of the murderers whom he found on the Yakima, at a fishing station ; and to send word to McBean that he was in pursuit of Thomas, who murdered the miller at Dr. Whitman s. Although these concessions were signs of fear rather than of love, they were accepted by the commander-in-chief. and in the field, with satisfaction.
Having become convinced that to remain longer in the country would result in no further good, and was, in fact, becoming daily less practicable through the poverty of the commissary department, Colonel Waters, after consulting with his officers, decided to return to Waiilatpu. Captains Thompson and Nesmith were directed to proceed to Lapwai for the purpose of removing the family and property of the Indian agent, Craig, who felt unsafe while the mur-
