- These Indians are of the Clallam tribe. They all claim to be chiefs, and their names have been given to them by the whites. A man named Hancock, of Port Townsend, gave me some information concerning an old man named Church, who had been killed on Whidby Island. He believed the Indians had killed & the Indians claim that he was killed by a Kikealis. I was told also that Col. Eby, the newly appointed collector of the post, can give me some definite knowledge, as he was on the coroner’s inquest. The colonel lives directly opposite on Whidby island. His residence is visible, as it is only six miles across the straits at this point.
- June l1th [of 1853]. George Sna-te-lum is chief of the Skagits and is encamped near by. But as Sla-hai is half Kikealis, I took the opportunity of arresting Patch-ka-num, chief of the Kikealis, just as he was landing. In the meanwhile Sna-te-lum, whom I had told Capt. Fay to watch, wisely decamped into the woods. I had put Patch-ka-num into a tent with a sentinel. He took the first opportunity to strip himself, and with a sudden dart he split open the back of the tent with his knife, and with nothing on but a shirt he ran swifter than a deer over the logs and along the beach. He was pursued by the sergeant and the sentinel, but they had no orders to fire, as a collision was not desirable, but this the Indian probably expected or he would not have attempted to escape. A returning hunting party forced him into the woods and it was useless to follow him. I soon realized my mistake in making such a half-hearted arrest in deference to Capt. Fay’s opinion. I should not have made any or have made it in earnest. Fay, however, maintained that the moral effect on the Indians was just as good, and would probably lead to the ultimate surrender of Sla-hai.
- June 15th [of 1853]. As I did not feel encouraged that the settlers would do anything, I ran over to Mr. Miller’s on Camano island, where I learned that the band to which Sla-hai belonged was probably in camp on the Kikealis, one of the mouths of the Skagit. Miller had good reason to know for whom I was hunting, as the same Indian had threatened his life because Miller had ducked him for breaking a contract. There were a number of Patch-ka-num’s band about Miller’s, but I did not go among them, but decided to make an attempt to go up the Kikealis at night and when the tide was high. We left the island, going southward: as if returning to Steilacoom, and went into camp on Whidby island. As soon as night came on we reloaded our boat and started back. As we passed Miller’s place the Indians encamped there raised a great shout. Although we were several miles out, they must have heard and recognized us. A drizzling rain set in and the tide was against us, and in the morning we found ourselves far from our goal. We persevered, but when we reached the flats we found them quite impassible, so that I was obliged to give up my attempt to find the Kikealis, and, turning southward once more, we sailed over to Whidby island and camped on an old camping ground of the Skagits, where their last chief, Duatlim, was buried. . . .22 On the morning of the 16th we started on our return. By 2 o’clock we passed Skagit head, and continuing on to Appletree cove we stopped for dinner.