JOSEPH AND HIS BRETHREN.

843

"Mount Idaho, 8 A. M., June 15, 1877. "Commanding Officer, Fort Lapwai,   

"I have just sent a dispatch by Mr. West, half-breed. Since that was written the wounded have come in,   Mr. Day, mortally; Mrs. Norton, with both legs broken; Moore, shot through the hips; Norton, killed and left in the road six miles from here. Teams were attacked on the road and abandoned. The Indians have possession of the prairie and threaten Mount Idaho. All the people are here, and we will do the best we can. Lose no time in getting up with a force. Stop the stage and all " through travelers." Give us relief and arms and ammunition. Chapman has got this Indian (the messenger, Looking-glass's brother), hoping he may get through. I fear the people on Salmon have all been killed, as a party was seen going that way last night. We had a report last night that seven whites had been killed on Salmon. Notify the people of Lewis-ton. Hurry up; hurry! Rely on this Indian's statement; I have known him for a long time.   He is with us.

" L. P. Brown."

"P. S.   Send a dispatch to town for the express not to start up unless heavily escorted. Give the bearer a fresh horse, and send him back. Chapman."

What was to be done ? There were about fifty men at Lapwai. It was unsafe to weaken the garrison by a single man. Besides, a force of twenty-five men would be merely victims to the Indian warriors. Meanwhile the outrages were going on. '   ' Hurry up; hurry !" Other troops were hundreds of miles away. Fortunately the news had also reached Walla-Walla, and sixty cavalry-men arrived at Lapwai. These, with thirty men from the garrison, all mounted, and commanded by Colonel Perry, started off into the darkness along the muddy mountain road. General Howard remained at Lapwai to hurry forward re-enforcements.

The men who went to the front, sustained by the high excitement of the hour, went forward to their fate with steady

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