Pioneer And Democrat

The Northern Indians

We were called upon last week to record an attack made upon the crew of a small schooner, consisting of three persons, near Seattle, by a party of four northern Stickene Indians—terminating in the murder of one of the crew, the serious wounding of another, and the subsequent escape of the perpetrators of the outrage.

Although it is reported that Commander SWARNBORG, of the United States steamer Massachusetts, has been actively cruising in most of the bays and harbors northward, within the United States' dominions, with an object of apprehending and bringing the savages to justice, yet, according to the last accounts from that quarter, it appears he has, as yet, been unsuccessful. It is reported, however, that he has succeeded in capturing the "klootchmen," probably the wives of the murderers; but we very much doubt if the fact of their being retained in custody, will, in any manner, serve for the apprehension of their lawless piratical husbands.

There can be but little doubt but that it was this same band of northern red-skins who paid a visit to this locality a few weeks ago, on an errand of mischief and plunder. At all events, the number, in both male and female, corresponds with that of a party which made its appearance here some time since, and perpetrated no inconsiderable amount of robbery of houses on the eastern side of the inlet. We are informed that every house that was found to have been temporarily abandoned, between this place and South Bay, for some distance back from the eastern shore, had been broken into and robbed, of whatever provisions, clothing, blankets, cooking utensils, &c., that they contained.

Mr. F. W. SEELEY, who occupies a claim about three miles from this place, accompanied by Mr. C. SYLVESTER, came suddenly upon the plunderers, whilst in the act of breaking into his house. Being unarmed when detected by the Indians, the latter at once drew their guns upon them, and it was only by representing to them that there was a large party of whites, hard by, that they were influenced not to carry into execution their murderous intention. Messrs. Seeley and Sylvester then came hurriedly to town and armed themselves, but on returning found the Indians had left, without further attempting the robbery of the house. They subsequently continued their plunder of every deserted house as far down as South Bay; and, as it would seem, pursued their criminal mission to Seattle, terminating with their murderous attack upon the little schooner alluded to.

The boldness and audacity of these criminal outrages, is without precedent in the history of the intercourse heretofore permitted to these northern British Indians with the American settlements on the Sound and Straits, and some efficient means should at once be adopted to bring them to justice.

Some effectual means should also be forthwith adopted to prevent them hereafter from visiting our settlements: and if they do evade our authorities, by coming amongst us and committing murders and other outrages, they should be promptly followed into their own country, demanded, and punished. On any further appearance of these northern robbers and murderers on the waters of the Sound, within our own dominions, it should be made the duty of the commanders of our vessels of war, promptly to order them away; and on their refusal to comply, let them at once be blown out of our waters.

We would be but sinking our national character longer to permit these outrages to pass unpunished and unrebuked; and if these northern savages will persist in their career of murder and robbery within our borders, and if afterwards they cannot be found within our own jurisdiction, let them be followed out of it, and punished: It will be simply disgraceful to our naval authorities if they do not follow up this matter to a satisfactory issue, and afford some better security than we now have, for the small crafts that are constantly and indispensably traversing our waters. If these pirates, murderers and land robbers are permitted to attack with impunity every small passenger and freight vessel they may chance at any time to fall in with, there will be no security whatever for life or property on the Sound, and we will soon be without any means whatever for communication from point to point.

Cannot there be some means adopted whereby these Indians can be apprehended and punished, and those tribes hereafter be compelled to remain on the British side of the line, within their own dominions? Our naval authorities would do well to profit by the example recently afforded them by Gov. DOUGLASS, of Vancouver's Island, who, in consequence of an attempt by one of these Indians upon the life of a servant of the Hudson's Bay Company, in connection with Admiral Bruce, commanding the British man-of-war Trincomalee, and 400 men, visited the northern coast inhabited by this Stickene tribe—demanded the culprit that attempted the life of the servant alluded to, and in the presence of a large assemblage of the tribe, caused him to be executed. There is some sense in that way of doing business. Will our naval authorities profit by it? We shall see.

We understand there are great numbers of these Indians at the various points and places on the Sound below.