We have held ourselves ready to leave the country whenever the Indians as a body wishd it. Dr. Whitman twice during the last year calld the Cayuse together and told them if a majority wishd he would leave the country at once. The Cayuse chiefs unanimously said he must not leave, and among them were the principal persons who have staind their hands in his blood. Dr. W. held himself ready to sell the Waiilatpu station to the Catholic mission whenever a majority of the Cayuse might wish it, provided that mission might wish to purchase it and the other stations, and the mission might agree. I am not aware that the Catholic mission ever applied to Dr. Whitman to purchase the Waiilatpu station. However that may be, he would have proved recreant to the trust committed to him by the American Board, had he sold the station or left it unless desird by a majority of the people.
A few days before I arrivd at Waiilatpu, the bishop and his priests had held a meeting with the Cayuse at Walla-walla and laid before them again their wish to obtain a location near the doctor’s station. Capt. Murray informs me that he was present at that meeting, and that Tamtsaky and Telapkaikt, said to the bishop, “That they would give him a station already furnishd with buildings, mills, fences, &c., that it was the one occupied by Dr. Whitman, that the doctor was a bad man and they were going to get rid of him.” The bishop objected to taking the doctor’s place. They then told him to come up and they would show him a place. Accordingly, the bishop or one of his priests did so, and a place was selected about four miles from the doctor’s station.
On learning this, a Cayuse chief said to Telaukaikt, “Have you allowd the Catholic priest to select a location?” the answer was “Yes.” The chief replied, with this strong language of rebuke, “Why did you not put the priest in the doctor’s house at once?” that is, as understood by the Indians, “why did you not kill the doctor at once and give his property to the priests?” This last statement I receivd from my fallen brother the week before his death, who said, in view of this and other alarming movements of the Catholics, “Now if the Indians do not allow us to leave, my days are few, but if I am to fall by Catholic influence, I believe my death will do as much good for Oregon as my life can.”