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SHORT ANSWER. Write the word or phrase that best completes each statement or answers the question.

Solve the problem.

1) According to Gallup, about 33% of Americans polled said they frequently experience 1)
stress in their daily lives. Suppose you are in a class of 45 students.
a. What is the probability that no more than 12 students in the class will say that they
frequently experience stress in their daily lives? (Make sure to identify the sampling
distribution you use and check all necessary conditions.)
b. If 20 students in the class said they frequently experience stress in their daily lives,
would you be surprised? Explain, and use statistics to support your answer.

2) The average composite ACT score for Ohio students who took the test in 2003 was 21.4. 2)
Assume that the standard deviation is 1.05. In a random sample of 25 students who took
the exam in 2003, what is the probability that the average composite ACT score is 22 or
more? (Make sure to identify the sampling distribution you use and check all necessary
conditions.)

3) 1. It is generally believed that electrical problems affect about 14% of new cars. An 3)
automobile mechanic conducts diagnostic tests on 128 new cars on the lot.
a. Describe the sampling distribution for the sample proportion by naming the model and
telling its mean and standard deviation. Justify your answer.
b. Sketch and clearly label the model.
c. What is the probability that in this group over 18% of the new cars will be found to have
electrical problems?

4) Herpetologists (snake specialists) found that a certain species of reticulated python have 4)
an average length of 20.5 feet with a standard deviation of 2.3 feet. The scientists collect a
random sample of 30 adult pythons and measure their lengths. In their sample the mean
length was 19.5 feet long. One of the herpetologists fears that pollution might be affecting
the natural growth of the pythons. Do you think this sample result is unusually small?
Explain.

5) It is generally believed that nearsightedness affects about 12% of children. A school district 5)
gives vision tests to 133 incoming kindergarten children.
a. Describe the sampling distribution model for the sample proportion by naming the
model and telling its mean and standard deviation. Justify your answer.
b. Sketch and clearly label the model.
c. What is the probability that in this group over 15% of the children will be found to be
nearsighted?

6) Wildlife scientists studying a certain species of frogs know that past records indicate the 6)
adults should weigh an average of 118 grams with a standard deviation of 14 grams. The
researchers collect a random sample of 50 adult frogs and weigh them. In their sample the
mean weight was only 110 grams. One of the scientists is alarmed, fearing that
environmental changes may be adversely affecting the frogs. Do you think this sample
result is unusually low? Explain.

1
 7) According to the Centers for Disease Control, about 36% of U.S. adults were obese in 2013. 7)
To see if that has changed since the last study, a random sample of 250 U.S. adults will be
checked.
a. Describe the sampling distribution model for the sample proportion (assuming no
change in obesity rates) by naming the model and telling its mean and standard deviation.
Justify your answer.
b. Sketch and clearly label the model.
c. What is the probability that in this group less than 25% of the adults will be found to be
obese?

8) All 423 Wisconsin public schools were all given a rating by the Wisconsin Department of 8)
Public Instruction based on several variables. The mean rating reported was 71.5 and the
standard deviation was 4.87. To do a follow-up study a random sample of 40 schools was
selected. In this sample, the mean rating was 70.9. One of the researchers is alarmed,
thinking the report may have been mistaken. Do you think this sample result is unusually
low? Explain.

A statistics professor asked her students whether or not they were registered to vote. In a sample of 50 of her students
(randomly sampled from her 700 students), 35 said they were registered to vote.
9) Find a 95% confidence interval for the true proportion of the professor's students who 9)
were registered to vote. (Make sure to check any necessary conditions and to state a
conclusion in the context of the problem.)

10) Explain what 95% confidence means in this context. 10)

11) What is the probability that the true proportion of the professor's students who were 11)
registered to vote is in your confidence interval?

12) According to a September 2004 Gallup poll, about 73% of 18- to 29-year-olds said that 12)
they were registered to vote. Does the 73% figure from Gallup seem reasonable for the
professor's students? Explain.

13) If the professor only knew the information from the September 2004 Gallup poll and 13)
wanted to estimate the percentage of her students who were registered to vote to within
±4% with 95% confidence, how many students should she sample?

The countries of Europe report that 46% of the labor force is female. The United Nations wonders if the percentage of
females in the labor force is the same in the United States. Representatives from the United States Department of Labor plan
to check a random sample of over 10,000 employment records on file to estimate a percentage of females in the United States
labor force.
14) The representatives from the Department of Labor want to estimate a percentage of 14)
females in the United States labor force to within ±5%, with 90% confidence. How many
employment records should they sample?

15) They actually select a random sample of 525 employment records, and find that 229 of the 15)
people are females. Create the confidence interval.

16) Interpret the confidence interval in this context. 16)

2
 17) Explain what 90% confidence means in this context. 17)

18) Should the representatives from the Department of Labor conclude that the percentage of 18)
females in their labor force is lower than Europe's rate of 46%? Explain.

A state's Department of Education reports that 12% of the high school students in that state attend private high schools. The
State University wonders if the percentage is the same in their applicant pool. Admissions officers plan to check a random
sample of the over 10,000 applications on file to estimate the percentage of students applying for admission who attend
private schools.
19) The admissions officers want to estimate the true percentage of private school applicants 19)
to within ±4%, with 90% confidence. How many applications should they sample?

20) They actually select a random sample of 450 applications, and find that 46 of those 20)
students attend private schools. Create the confidence interval.

21) Interpret the confidence interval in this context. 21)

22) Explain what 90% confidence means in this context. 22)

23) Should the admissions officers conclude that the percentage of private school students in 23)
their applicant pool is lower than the statewide enrollment rate of 12%? Explain.

Pew Research reports that 63% of the U.S. adult cell phone owners use their phone to go online. A company wants to target
16- to 24-year olds for advertising and they wonder if that age group has a similar pattern of phone use.
24) The company wants to estimate the true percentage of 16- to 24-year old cell phone 24)
owners who use their phone to go online to within ±7.5%, with 95% confidence. How
many cell phone owners in this age group should they sample?

25) They ignore your advice in Question 1 and just select a random sample of 300 cell phone 25)
users aged 16 to 24, and find that 206 of those surveyed use their phone to go online.
Create the confidence interval.

26) Interpret the confidence interval in this context. 26)

27) Explain what 95% confidence means in this context. 27)

28) Should the company conclude that the percentage of cell phone owners in this age group 28)
who use their phone to go online is different from 63%? Explain.

A report on health care in the US said that 28% of Americans have experienced times when they haven't been able to afford
medical care. A news organization randomly sampled 801 black Americans, of whom 38% reported that there had been
times in the last year when they had not been able to afford medical care. Does this indicate that this problem is more severe
among black Americans?
29) Test an appropriate hypothesis and state your conclusion. (Make sure to check any 29)
necessary conditions and to state a conclusion in the context of the problem.)

30) Was your test one-tail upper tail, one-tail lower tail, or two-tail? Explain why you chose 30)
that kind of test in this situation.

3
 31) Explain what your P-value means in this context. 31)

The International Olympic Committee states that the female participation in the 2004 Summer Olympic Games was 42%,
even with new sports such as weight lifting, hammer throw, and modern pentathlon being added to the Games.
Broadcasting and clothing companies want to change their advertising and marketing strategies if the female participation
increases at the next games. An independent sports expert arranged for a random sample of pre-Olympic exhibitions. The
sports expert reported that 202 of 454 athletes in the random sample were women. Is this strong evidence that the
participation rate may increase?
32) Test an appropriate hypothesis and state your conclusion. 32)

33) Was your test one-tail upper tail, lower tail, or two-tail? Explain why you choose that kind 33)
of test in this situation.

34) Explain what your P-value means in this context. 34)

A company claims to have invented a hand-held sensor that can detect the presence of explosives inside a closed container.
Law enforcement and security agencies are very interested in purchasing several of the devices if they are shown to perform
effectively. An independent laboratory arranged a preliminary test. If the device can detect explosives at a rate greater than
chance would predict, a more rigorous test will be performed. They placed four empty boxes in the corners of an otherwise
empty room. For each trial they put a small quantity of an explosive in one of the boxes selected at random. The company's
technician then entered the room and used the sensor to try to determine which of the four boxes contained the explosive.
The experiment consisted of 50 trials, and the technician was successful in finding the explosive 16 times. Does this indicate
that the device is effective in sensing the presence of explosives, and should undergo more rigorous testing?
35) Test an appropriate hypothesis and state your conclusion. 35)

36) Was your test one-tail upper tail, lower tail, or two-tail? Explain why you chose that kind 36)
of test in this situation.

37) Explain what your P-value means in this context. 37)

According to the 2010 U.S. Census, 11.7% of the people in the state of Oregon were Hispanic or Latino. A political party
wants to know how much impact the Hispanic and Latino vote will have, so they wonder if that percentage has changed
since then. They take a random sample of 853 adults in Oregon and ask, among other things, their race. 113 of the people
surveyed were Hispanic or Latino. Can the political party conclude that the Hispanic proportion of the population has
changed since 2010?
38) Test an appropriate hypothesis and state your conclusion. 38)

39) Was your test one-tail upper tail, lower tail, or two-tail? Explain why you chose that kind 39)
of test in this situation.

40) Explain what your P-value means in this context. 40)

4
A professor at a large university believes that students take an average of 15 credit hours per term. A random sample of 24
students in her class of 250 students reported the following number of credit hours that they were taking:

41) Does this sample indicate that students are taking more credit hours than the professor 41)
believes? Test an appropriate hypothesis and state your conclusion.

42) Find a 95% confidence interval for the number of credit hours taken by the students in the 42)
professor's class. Interpret your interval.

Insurance companies track life expectancy information to assist in determining the cost of life insurance policies. The
insurance company knows that, last year, the life expectancy of its policyholders was 77 years. They want to know if their
clients this year have a longer life expectancy, on average, so the company randomly samples some of the recently paid
policies to see if the mean life expectancy of policyholders has increased. The insurance company will only change their
premium structure if there is evidence that people who buy their policies are living longer than before.

43) Does this sample indicate that the insurance company should change its premiums 43)
because life expectancy has increased? Test an appropriate hypothesis and state your
conclusion.

44) For more accurate cost determination, the insurance companies want to estimate the life 44)
expectancy to within one year with 95% confidence. How many randomly selected
records would they need to have?

Textbook authors must be careful that the reading level of their book is appropriate for the target audience. Some methods of
assessing reading level require estimating the average word length. We've randomly chosen 20 words from a randomly
selected page in Stats: Data and Models and counted the number of letters in each word:
5, 5, 2, 11, 1, 5, 3, 8, 5, 4, 7, 2, 9, 4, 8, 10, 4, 5, 6, 6
45) Suppose that our editor was hoping that the book would have a mean word length of 6.5 45)
letters. Does this sample indicate that the authors failed to meet this goal? Test an
appropriate hypothesis and state your conclusion.

46) For a more definitive evaluation of reading level the editor wants to estimate the text's 46)
mean word length to within 0.5 letters with 98% confidence. How many randomly
selected words does she need to use?

The average American sees 3.9 movies at the theater each year. A curious student polls 30 friends and family over the course
of a week. He finds that his friends have seen an average of 4.5 movies with a standard deviation of 1.2 movies.
47) Does this sample provide evidence that people are attending the movies more often? 47)
Provide a complete significance test to support your answer.

48) The student insists to his media teacher at school that movie attendance is on the rise. Do 48)
you agree with this conclusion?

5
 49) Find and interpret a 95% confidence interval for this sample. 49)

A company manufacturing computer chips finds that 8% of all chips manufactured are defective. Management is concerned
that employee inattention is partially responsible for the high defect rate. In an effort to decrease the percentage of defective
chips, management decides to offer incentives to employees who have lower defect rates on their shifts. The incentive
program is instituted for one month. If successful, the company will continue with the incentive program.
50) Write the company's null and alternative hypotheses. 50)

51) In this context describe a Type I error and the impact such an error would have on the 51)
company.

52) In this context describe a Type II error and the impact such an error would have on the 52)
company.

53) Based on the data they collected during the trial program, management found that a 95% 53)
confidence interval for the percentage of defective chips was (5.0%, 7.0%). What
conclusion should management reach about the new incentive program? Explain.

54) What level of significance did management use? 54)

55) Describe to management an advantage and disadvantage of using a 1% alpha level of 55)
significance instead.

56) Management decided to extend the incentive program so that the decision can be made on 56)
three months of data instead. Will the power increase, decrease, or remain the same?

57) Over the trial month, 6% of the computer chips manufactured were defective. 57)
Management decided that this decrease was significant. Why might management choose
not to permanently institute the employee incentive program?

The board of directors for Procter and Gamble is concerned that only 19.5% of the people who use toothpaste buy Crest
toothpaste. A marketing director suggests that the company invest in a new marketing campaign which will include
advertisements and new labeling for the toothpaste. The research department conducts product trials in test markets for one
month to determine if the market share increases with new labels.
58) Write the company's null and alternative hypotheses. 58)

59) In this context describe a Type I error and the impact such an error would have on the 59)
company.

60) In this context describe a Type II error and the impact such an error would have on the 60)
company.

61) Based on the data they collected during the trial the research department found that a 98% 61)
confidence interval for the proportion of all consumers who might buy Crest toothpaste
was (16%, 28%). What conclusion should the company reach about the new marketing
campaign? Explain.

62) What level of significance did the research department use? 62)

6
 63) Describe to the board of directors an advantage and a disadvantage of using a 5% alpha 63)
level of significance instead.

64) The board of directors asked the research department to extend the trial period so that the 64)
decision can be made on two months worth of data. Will the power increase, decrease, or
remain the same?

65) Over the trial month the market share in the sample rose to 22% of shoppers. The 65)
company's board of directors decided this increase was significant. Now that they have
concluded the new marketing campaign works, why might they still choose not to invest
in the campaign?

The owner of a small clothing store is concerned that only 28% of people who enter her store actually buy something. A
marketing salesman suggests that she invest in a new line of celebrity mannequins (think Seth Rogan modeling the latest
jeans…). He loans her several different "people" to scatter around the store for a two-week trial period. The owner carefully
counts how many shoppers enter the store and how many buy something so that at the end of the trial she can decide if
she'll purchase the mannequins. She’ll buy the mannequins if there is evidence that the percentage of people that buy
something increases.
66) Write the owner's null and alternative hypotheses. 66)

67) In this context describe a Type I error and the impact such an error would have on the 67)
store.

68) In this context describe a Type II error and the impact such an error would have on the 68)
store.

69) Based on data that she collected during the trial period the store's owner found that a 98% 69)
confidence interval for the proportion of all shoppers who might buy something was (27%,
35%). What conclusion should she reach about the mannequins? Explain.

70) What alpha level did the store's owner use? 70)

71) Describe to the owner an advantage and a disadvantage of using an alpha level of 5% 71)
instead.

72) The owner talked the salesman into extending the trial period so that she can base her 72)
decision on data for a full month. Will the power of the test increase, decrease, or remain
the same?

73) Over the trial month the rate of in-store sales rose to 30% of shoppers. The store's owner 73)
decided this increase was statistically significant. Now that she's convinced the
mannequins work, why might she still choose not to purchase them?

According to the 2010 census, 20.3% of the population of the United States (ages 5 and up) live in a home in which a
language other than English is spoken. Advocates for providing government programs to assist non-English speakers are
convinced that, with the increasing non-white population in the United States, this proportion has probably increased. They
plan to conduct a survey, and if they find the proportion of people who live in such homes has increased, they will organize
a campaign to increase government investment in these assistance programs.
74) Write the advocates' null and alternative hypotheses. 74)

7
 75) In this context describe a Type I error and the impact such an error would have on this 75)
group's efforts.

76) In this context describe a Type II error and the impact such an error would have on this 76)
group's efforts.

77) Based on data that were collected during the survey, the advocate group found that a 99% 77)
confidence interval for the proportion of all U.S. residents who live in a home in which a
language other than English is spoken (19.8%, 25.2%). What conclusion should they reach
about the population? Explain.

78) What alpha level did the group use? 78)

79) Describe to the group an advantage and a disadvantage of using an alpha level of 5% 79)
instead.

80) A consultant talked the group into gathering a larger sample. Will the power of the test 80)
increase, decrease, or remain the same?

81) In the larger sample the proportion of people living in a home in which a language other 81)
than English is spoken was 20.8%. The consultant decided this increase was statistically
significant. Now that the group is convinced the proportion has increased, why might they
still choose not to organize the campaign?

MULTIPLE CHOICE. Choose the one alternative that best completes the statement or answers the question.

Solve the problem.

82) We have calculated a 95% confidence interval and would prefer for our next confidence interval to 82)
have a smaller margin of error without losing any confidence. In order to do this, we can
I. change the z∗ value to a smaller number.
II. take a larger sample.
III. take a smaller sample.
A) I and III B) I only C) II only D) I and II E) III only

83) Which is true about a 98% confidence interval for a population proportion based on a given 83)
sample?
I. We are 98% confident that other sample proportions will be in our interval.
II. There is a 98% chance that our interval contains the population proportion.
III. The interval is wider than a 95% confidence interval would be.
A) III only
B) II only
C) I only
D) I and II
E) none of these

84) We have calculated a confidence interval based on a sample of size n = 100. Now we want to get a 84)
better estimate with a margin of error that is only one-fourth as large. How large does our new
sample need to be?
A) 1600 B) 25 C) 200 D) 50 E) 400

8
85) A certain population is bimodal. We want to estimate its mean, so we will collect a sample. Which 85)
should be true if we use a large sample rather than a small one?
I. The distribution of our sample data will be more clearly bimodal.
II. The sampling distribution of the sample means will be approximately normal.
III. The variability of the sample means will be smaller.
A) II and III
B) III only
C) I only
D) II only
E) I, II, and III

86) The manager of an orchard expects about 70% of his apples to exceed the weight requirement for 86)
"Grade A" designation. At least how many apples must he sample to be 90% confident of
estimating the true proportion within ±4%?
A) 505 B) 19 C) 23 D) 89 E) 356

87) A P-value indicates 87)

A) the probability that the null hypothesis is true.
B) the probability of the observed statistic given that the null hypothesis is true.
C) the probability that the alternative hypothesis is true.
D) the probability of the observed statistic given that the alternative hypothesis is true.
E) the probability the null is true given the observed statistic.

88) A statistics professor wants to see if more than 80% of her students enjoyed taking her class. At the 88)
end of the term, she takes a random sample of students from her large class and asks, in an
anonymous survey, if the students enjoyed taking her class. Which set of hypotheses should she
test?
A) H0 : p = 0.80
HA: p > 0.80
B) H0 : p < 0.80
HA: p≠ 0.80
C) H0 : p = 0.80
HA: p < 0.80
D) H0 : p < 0.80
HA: p > 0.80
E) H0 : p > 0.80
HA: p = 0.80

89) Not wanting to risk poor sales for a new soda flavor, a company decides to run one more taste test 89)
on potential customers, this time requiring a higher approval rating than they had for earlier tests.
This higher standard of proof will increase
I. the risk of Type I error
II. the risk of Type II error
III. power
A) II only B) I only C) I and III D) III only E) I and II

9
 90) Suppose that a manufacturer is testing one of its machines to make sure that the machine is 90)
producing more than 97% good parts (H 0 : p = 0.97 and H A: p > 0.97). The test results in a P-value
of 0.122. Unknown to the manufacturer, the machine is actually producing 99% good parts. What
probably happens as a result of the testing?
A) They correctly fail to reject H 0.
B) They fail to reject H0 , making a Type I error.
C) They reject H0 , making a Type I error.
D) They correctly reject H0 .
E) They fail to reject H0 , making a Type II error.

91) Which of the following is true about Type I and Type II errors? 91)
I. Type I errors are always worse than Type II errors.
II. The severity of Type I and Type II errors depends on the situation being tested.
III. In any given situation, the higher the risk of Type I error, the lower the risk of Type II error.
A) I only B) III only C) II and III D) I and III E) II only

SHORT ANSWER. Write the word or phrase that best completes each statement or answers the question.

92) Approval rating The President's job approval rating is always a hot topic. Your local paper 92)
conducts a poll of 100 randomly selected adults to determine the President's job approval
rating. A CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll conducts a poll of 1010 randomly selected adults.
Which poll is more likely to report that the President's approval rating is below 50%,
assuming that his actual approval rating is 54%? Explain.

93) Cereal A box of Raspberry Crunch cereal contains a mean of 13 ounces with a standard 93)
deviation of 0.5 ounce. The distribution of the contents of cereal boxes is approximately
Normal. What is the probability that a case of 12 cereal boxes contains a total of more than
160 ounces?

94) Too much TV? A father is concerned that his teenage son is watching too much television 94)
each day, since his son watches an average of 2 hours per day. His son says that his TV
habits are no different than those of his friends. Since this father has taken a stats class, he
knows that he can actually test to see whether or not his son is watching more TV than his
peers. The father collects a random sample of television watching times from boys at his
son's high school and gets the following data:
1.9 2.3 2.2 1.9 1.6 2.6 1.4 2.0 2.0 2.2
Is the father right? That is, is there evidence that other boys average less than 2 hours of
television per day? Conduct a hypothesis test, making sure to state your conclusions in the
context of the problem.

95) Internet access A recent Gallup poll found that 28% of U.S. teens aged 13-17 have a 95)
computer with Internet access in their rooms. The poll was based on a random sample of
1028 teens and reported a margin of error of ±3%. What level of confidence did Gallup use
for this poll?

96) Sleep Do more than 50% of U.S. adults feel they get enough sleep? According to Gallup's 96)
December 2004 Lifestyle poll, 55% of U.S. adults said that that they get enough sleep. The
poll was based on a random sample of 1003 U.S. adults. Test an appropriate hypothesis
and state your conclusion in the context of the problem.

10
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MULTIPLE CHOICE. Choose the one alternative that best completes the statement or answers the question.

97) We have calculated a confidence interval based upon a sample of n = 200. Now we want to get a 97)
better estimate with a margin of error only one fifth as large. We need a new sample with n at least
…
A) 40 B) 5000 C) 1000 D) 450 E) 240

98) A certain population is strongly skewed to the right. We want to estimate its mean, so we will 98)
collect a sample. Which should be true if we use a large sample rather than a small one?
I. The distribution of our sample data will be closer to normal.
II. The sampling model of the sample means will be closer to normal.
III. The variability of the sample means will be greater.
A) III only
B) II only
C) II and III only
D) I and III only
E) I only

99) A coffee house owner knows that customers pour different amounts of coffee into their cups. She 99)
samples cups from 10 costumers she believes to be representative of the customers and weighs the
cups, finding a mean of 12.5 ounces and standard deviation of 0.5 ounces. Assuming these cups of
coffee can be considered a random sample of all cups of coffee which of the following formulas
gives a 95% confidence interval for the mean weight of all cups of coffee?
0.5
A) 12.5 ± 2.262
9
0.5
B) 12.5 ± 1.969
10
0.5
C) 12.5 ± 2.262
10
0.5
D) 12.5 ± 2.228
9
0.5
E) 12.5 ± 2.228
10

100) Which is true about a 95% confidence interval based on a given sample? 100)
I. The interval contains 95% of the population.
II. Results from 95% of all samples will lie in the interval.
III. The interval is narrower than a 98% confidence interval would be.
A) III only
B) none of these
C) II and III only
D) I only
E) II only

11
101) A truck company wants on-time delivery for 98% of the parts they order from a metal 101)
manufacturing plant. They have been ordering from Hudson Manufacturing but will switch to a
new, cheaper manufacturer (Steel-R-Us) unless there is evidence that this new manufacturer
cannot meet the 98% on-time goal. As a test the truck company purchases a random sample of
metal parts from Steel-R-Us, and then determines if these parts were delivered on-time. Which
hypothesis should they test?
A) H0 : p = 0.98
HA: p < 0.98
B) H0 : p < 0.98
HA: p > 0.98
C) H0 : p = 0.98
HA: p > 0.98
D) H0 : p = 0.98
HA: p ≠ 0.98
E) H0 : p > 0.98
HA: p = 0.98

102) We are about to test a hypothesis using data from a well-designed study. Which is true? 102)
I. A small P-value would be strong evidence against the null hypothesis.
II. We can set a higher standard of proof by choosing α = 10% instead of 5%.
III. If we reduce the alpha level, we reduce the power of the test.
A) II only
B) III only
C) I only
D) none of these
E) I and III only

103) A pharmaceutical company investigating whether drug stores are less likely than food markets to 103)
remove over-the-counter drugs from the shelves when the drugs are past the expiration date
found a P-value of 2.8%. This means that:
A) 2.8% more drug stores remove over-the-counter drugs from the shelves when the drugs are
past the expiration date.
B) There is a 2.8% chance the drug stores remove more expired over-the-counter drugs.
C) 97.2% more drug stores remove over-the-counter drugs from the shelves when the drugs
are past the expiration date than drug stores.
D) none of these
E) There is a 97.2% chance the drug stores remove more expired over-the-counter drugs.

12
 104) To plan the course offerings for the next year a university department dean needs to estimate what 104)
impact the "No Child Left Behind" legislation might have on the teacher credentialing program.
Historically, 40% of this university's pre-service teachers have qualified for paid internship
positions each year. The Dean of Education looks at a random sample of internship applications to
see what proportion indicate the applicant has achieved the content-mastery that is required for
the internship. Based on these data he creates a 90% confidence interval of (33%, 41%). Could this
confidence interval be
used to test the hypothesis H0 : p = 0.40 versus HA: p < 0.40 at the α = 0.05 level of significance?
A) Yes, since 40% is not the center of the confidence interval he rejects the null hypothesis,
concluding that the percentage of qualified applicants will decrease.
B) No, because he should have used a 95% confidence interval.
C) Yes, since 40% is in the confidence interval he accepts the null hypothesis, concluding that the
percentage of applicants qualified for paid internship positions will stay the same.
D) No, because the dean only reviewed a sample of the applicants instead of all of them.
E) Yes, since 40% is in the confidence interval he fails to reject the null hypothesis, concluding
that there is not strong enough evidence of any change in the percent of qualified applicants.

105) Suppose that a conveyor used to sort packages by size does not work properly. We test the 105)
conveyor on several packages (with H0 : incorrect sort) and our data results in a P-value of 0.016.
What probably happens as a result of our testing?
A) Fail to reject H0 , committing a Type II error.
B) Reject H 0 , making a Type II error.
C) Correctly fail to reject H0 .
D) Reject H 0 , making a Type I error.
E) Correctly reject H0 .

106) We test the hypothesis that p = 35% versus p < 35%. We don't know it but actually p = 26%. With 106)
which sample size and significance level will our test have the greatest power?
A) α = 0.03, n = 400
B) α = 0.01, n = 400
C) α = 0.03, n = 250
D) The power will be the same as long as the true proportion p remains 26%
E) α = 0.01, n = 250

SHORT ANSWER. Write the word or phrase that best completes each statement or answers the question.

107) Dolphin births A state has two aquariums that have dolphins, with more births recorded 107)
at the larger aquarium than at the smaller one. Records indicate that in general babies are
equally likely to be male or female, but the gender ratio varies from season to season.
Which aquarium is more likely to report a season when over two-thirds of the dolphins
born were males? Explain.

108) Approval rating A newspaper article reported that a poll based on a sample of 1150 108)
residents of a state showed that the state's Governor's job approval rating stood at 58%.
They claimed a margin of error of ±3%. What level of confidence were the pollsters using?

109) Pumpkin pie A can of pumpkin pie mix contains a mean of 30 ounces and a standard 109)
deviation of 2 ounces. The contents of the cans are normally distributed. What is the
probability that four randomly selected cans of pumpkin pie mix contain a total of more
than 126 ounces?

13
 110) Depression A recent psychiatric study from the University of Southampton observed a 110)
higher incidence of depression among women whose birth weight was less than 6.6
pounds than in women whose birth weight was over 6.6 pounds. Based on a P-value of
0.0248 the researchers concluded there was evidence that low birth weights may be a risk
factor for susceptibility to depression. Explain in context what the reported P-value
means.

111) Truckers On many highways state police officers conduct inspections of driving logbooks 111)
from large trucks to see if the trucker has driven too many hours in a day. At one truck
inspection station they issued citations to 49 of 348 truckers that they reviewed.
a. Based on the results of this inspection station, construct and interpret a 95% confidence
interval for the proportion of truck drivers that have driven too many hours in a day.
b. Explain the meaning of "95% confidence" in part A.

112) Graduation tests Many states mandate tests that have to be passed in order for students 112)
to graduate with a high school diploma. A local school superintendent believes that
after-school tutoring will improve the scores of students in his district on the state's
graduation test. A tutor agrees to work with 15 students for a month before the
superintendent will approach the school board about implementing an after-school
tutoring program. The after-school tutoring program will be implemented if student
scores increase by more than 20 points. The superintendent will test a hypothesis using α =
0.02 .
a. Write appropriate hypotheses (in words and in symbols).
b. In this context, which do you consider to be more serious – a Type I or a Type II error?
Explain.
c. After this trial produced inconclusive results, the superintendent decided to test the
after-school tutoring program again with another group of students. Describe two
changes he could make in the trial to increase the power of the test, and explain the
disadvantages of each.

MULTIPLE CHOICE. Choose the one alternative that best completes the statement or answers the question.

113) A certain population is strongly skewed to the left. We want to estimate its mean, so we collect a 113)
sample. Which should be true if we use a large sample rather than a small one?
I. The distribution of our sample data will be more clearly skewed to the left.
II. The sampling model of the sample means will be more skewed to the left.
III. The variability of the sample means will greater.
A) I only
B) II and III only
C) II only
D) III only
E) I and III only

114) Which is true about a 99% confidence interval based on a given sample? 114)
I. The interval contains 99% of the population.
II. Results from 99% of all samples will lie in this interval.
III. The interval is wider than a 95% confidence interval would be.
A) none of these
B) III only
C) I only
D) II and III only
E) II only

14
115) We have calculated a confidence interval based on a sample of n = 180. Now we want to get a 115)
better estimate with a margin of error only one third as large. We need a new sample with n at
least…
A) 60 B) 20 C) 1620 D) 312 E) 540

116) An online catalog company wants on-time delivery for at least 90% of the orders they ship. They 116)
have been shipping orders via UPS and FedEx but will switch to a more expensive service
(ShipFast) if there is evidence that this service can exceed the 90% on-time goal. As a test the
company sends a random sample of orders via ShipFast, and then makes follow-up phone calls to
see if these orders arrived on time. Which hypotheses should they test?
A) H0 : p = 0.90
HA: p ≠ 0.90
B) H0 : p < 0.90
HA: p = 0.90
C) H0 : p > 0.90
HA: p = 0.90
D) H0 : p = 0.90
HA: p < 0.90
E) H0 : p = 0.90
HA: p > 0.90

117) A researcher investigating whether joggers are less likely to get colds than people who do not jog 117)
found a P-value of 3%. This means that:
A) 3% of joggers get colds.
B) Joggers get 3% fewer colds than non-joggers.
C) There's a 3% chance that joggers don't get fewer colds.
D) There's a 3% chance that joggers get fewer colds.
E) none of these

118) To plan the budget for next year a college needs to estimate what impact the current economic 118)
downturn might have on student requests for financial aid. Historically this college has provided
aid to 35% of its students. Officials look at a random sample of this year's applications to see what
proportion indicate a need for financial aid. Based on these data they create a 90% confidence
interval of (32%, 40%). Could this confidence interval be used to test the hypothesis H0 : p = 0.35
versus HA: p ≠ 0.35 at the α = 0.10 level of significance?
A) Yes; since 35% is in the confidence interval they accept the null hypothesis, concluding that
the percentage of students requiring financial aid will stay the same.
B) Yes; since 35% is in the confidence interval they fail to reject the null hypothesis, concluding
that there is not strong evidence of any change in financial aid requests.
C) No, because they only used a sample of the applicants instead of all of them.
D) Yes; since 35% is not at the center of the confidence interval they reject the null hypothesis,
concluding that the percentage of students requiring aid will increase.
E) No, because financial aid amounts may not be normally distributed.

15
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surrounded were we for miles on every side, that we could not stir
unobserved; yet we had to devise some means for their escape, and
to get them clear of the camp was a task of no ordinary difficulty
and danger. In this critical conjuncture, however, something had to
be done, and that without delay. One of them had a child at the
breast, which increased the difficulty. To attempt sending them back
by the road they came, would have been sacrificing them. To
attempt an unknown path through the rugged mountains, however
doubtful the issue, appeared the only prospect that held out a
glimpse of hope; therefore, to this mode of escape I directed their
attention. As soon as it was dark, they set out on their forlorn
adventure without food, guide, or protection, to make their way
home, under a kind Providence!
“‘You are to proceed,’ said I to them, ‘due north, cross the
mountains, and keep in that direction till you fall on the Pisscows
River; take the first canoe you find, and proceed with all diligence
down to the mouth of it and there await our arrival. But if we are not
there on the fourth day, you may proceed to Oakanagan, and tell
your story.’ With these instructions we parted; and with but little
hopes of our ever meeting again. I had no sooner set about getting
the women off, than the husbands expressed a wish to accompany
them; the desire was natural, yet I had to oppose it. This state of
things distracted my attention: my eyes had now to be on my own
people as well as on the Indians, as I was apprehensive they would
desert. ‘There is no hope for the women by going alone,’ said the
husbands, ‘no hope for us by remaining here: we might as well be
killed in the attempt to escape, as remain to be killed here,’ ‘No,’ said
I, ‘by remaining here we do our duty; by going we should be
deserting our duty.’ To this remonstrance they made no reply. The
Indians soon perceived that they had been outwitted. They turned
over our baggage, and searched in every hole and corner.
Disappointment creates ill humor: it was so with the Indians. They
took the men’s guns out of their hands, fired them off at their feet,
and then, with savage laughter, laid them down again; took their
hats off their heads, and after strutting about with these for some
time, jeeringly gave them back to their owners: all this time, they
never interfered with me, but I felt that every insult offered to my
men was an indirect insult offered to myself.
“The day after the women went off, I ordered one of the men to
try and cook something for us; for hitherto we had eaten nothing
since our arrival, except a few raw roots which we managed to get
unobserved. But the kettle was no sooner on the fire than five or six
spears bore off, in savage triumph, the contents: they even emptied
out the water, and threw the kettle on one side; and this was no
sooner done than thirty or forty ill-favored wretches fired a volley in
the embers before us, which caused a cloud of smoke and ashes to
ascend, darkening the air around us: a strong hint not to put the
kettle any more on the fire, and we took it.
“At this time the man who had put the kettle on the fire took the
knife with which he had cut the venison to lay it by, when one of the
Indians, called Eyacktana, a bold and turbulent chief, snatched it out
of his hand; the man, in an angry tone, demanded his knife, saying
to me, ‘I’ll have my knife from the villain, life or death.’ ‘No,’ said I.
The chief, seeing the man angry, threw down his robe, and grasping
the knife in his fist, with the point downwards, raised his arm,
making a motion in advance as if he intended using it. The crisis had
now arrived! At this moment there was a dead silence. The Indians
were flocking in from all quarters: a dense crowd surrounded us. Not
a moment was to be lost; delay would be fatal, and nothing now
seemed to remain for us but to sell our lives as dearly as possible.
With this impression, grasping a pistol, I advanced a step towards
the villain who held the knife, with the full determination of putting
an end to his career before any of us should fall; but while in the act
of lifting my foot and moving my arm, a second idea floated across
my mind, admonishing me to soothe, and not provoke, the Indians,
that Providence might yet make a way for us to escape: this thought
saved the Indian’s life, and ours too. Instead of drawing the pistol,
as I intended, I took a knife from my belt, such as travellers
generally use in this country, and presented it to him, saying, ‘Here,
my friend, is a chief’s knife, I give it to you; that is not a chief’s
knife, give it back to the man.’ Fortunately, he took mine in his hand;
but, still sullen and savage, he said nothing. The moment was a
critical one; our fate hung as by a thread: I shall never forget it! All
the bystanders had their eyes now fixed on the chief, thoughtful and
silent as he stood; we also stood motionless, not knowing what a
moment might bring forth. At last the savage handed the man his
knife, and turning mine round and round for some time in his hand,
turned to his people, holding up the knife in his hand, exclaimed,
‘She-augh Me-yokat Waltz’—Look, my friends, at the chief’s knife:
these words he repeated over and over again. He was delighted.
The Indians flocked round him: all admired the toy, and in the
excess of his joy he harangued the multitude in our favour. Fickle,
indeed, are savages! They were now no longer enemies, but friends!
Several others, following Eyacktana’s example, harangued in turn, all
in favour of the whites. This done, the great men squatted
themselves down, the pipe of peace was called for, and while it was
going round and round the smoking circle, I gave each of the six
principal chiefs a small paper-cased looking-glass and a little
vermilion, as a present; and in return, they presented me with two
horses and twelve beavers, while the women soon brought us a
variety of eatables.
“This sudden change regulated my movements. Indeed, I might
say the battle was won. I now made a speech to them in turn, and,
as many of them understood the language I spoke, I asked them
what I should say to the great white chief when I got home, when
he asks me where are all the horses I bought from you. What shall I
say to him? At this question it was easy to see that their pride was
touched. ‘Tell him,’ said Eyacktana, ‘that we have but one mouth,
and one word; all the horses you have bought from us are yours,
they shall be delivered up.’ This was just what I wanted. After a little
counselling among themselves, Eyacktana was the first to speak,
and he undertook to see them collected.
“By this time it was sun-down. The chief then mounted his
horse, and desired me to mount mine and accompany him, telling
one of his sons to take my men and property under his charge till
our return. Being acquainted with Indian habits, I knew there would
be repeated calls upon my purse, so I put some trinkets into my
pocket, and we started on our nocturnal adventure; which I
considered hazardous but not hopeless.
“Such a night we had! The chief harangued, travelled and
harangued, the whole night, the people replied. We visited every
street, alley, hole and corner of the camp, which we traversed
lengthwise, crossway, east, west, south, and north, going from
group to group, and the call was ‘Deliver up the horses.’ Here was
gambling, there scalp-dancing; laughter in one place, mourning in
another. Crowds were passing to and fro, whooping, yelling, dancing,
drumming, singing. Men, women, and children were huddled
together; flags flying, horses neighing, dogs howling, chained bears,
tied wolves, grunting and growling, all pell-mell among the tents;
and, to complete the confusion, the night was dark. At the end of
each harangue the chief would approach me, and whisper in my ear,
‘She-augh tamtay enim’—I have spoken well in your favour—a hint
for me to reward his zeal by giving him something. This was
repeated constantly, and I gave him each time a string of beads, or
two buttons, or two rings. I often thought he repeated his
harangues more frequently than necessary; but it answered his
purpose, and I had no choice but to obey and pay.
“At daylight we got back; my people and property were safe;
and in two hours after my eighty-five horses were delivered up, and
in our possession. I was now convinced of the chief’s influence, and
had got so well into his good graces with my beads, buttons, and
rings, that I hoped we were out of all our troubles. Our business
being done, I ordered my men to tie up and prepare for home,
which was glad tidings to them. With all this favourable change, we
were much embarrassed and annoyed in our preparations to start.
The savages interrupted us every moment. They jeered the men,
frightened the horses, and kept handling, snapping, and firing off
our guns; asking for this, that, and the other thing. The men’s hats,
pipes, belts, and knives were constantly in their hands. They wished
to see everything, and everything they saw they wished to get, even
to the buttons on their clothes. Their teasing curiosity had no
bounds; and every delay increased our difficulties. Our patience was
put to the test a thousand times; but at last we got ready, and my
men started. To amuse the Indians, however, till they could get fairly
off, I invited the chiefs to a parley, which I put a stop to as soon as I
thought the men and horses had got clear of the camp. I then
prepared to follow them, when a new difficulty arose. In the hurry
and bustle of starting, my people had left a restive, awkward brute
of a horse for me, wild as a deer, and as full of latent tricks as he
was wild. I mounted and dismounted at least a dozen times; in vain
I tried to make him advance. He reared, jumped and plunged; but
refused to walk, trot, or gallop. Every trial to make him go was a
failure. A young conceited fop of an Indian, thinking he could make
more of him than I could, jumped on his back; the horse reared and
plunged as before, when, instead of slackening the bridle as he
reared, he reined it tighter and tighter, till the horse fell right over on
his back, and almost killed the fellow. Here Eyacktana, with a frown,
called out, ‘Kap-sheesh she-eam’—the bad horse—and gave me
another; and for the generous act I gave him my belt, the only
article I had to spare. But although the difficulties I had with the
horse were galling enough to me, they proved a source of great
amusement to the Indians, who enjoyed it with roars of laughter.”
When Ross got out of the camp he rode hard and took a short
cut in the effort to overtake his people, but could not find them.
Presently, however, from the top of a ridge, he saw three horsemen
coming toward him at full tilt. He made preparation for defence, and
hiding behind a rock awaited the onslaught, but before they got
close to him he discovered that these were the friendly Pisscows,
who before had warned him to turn back, and with them he went
on. At last they saw Ross’s people, who were driving their horses as
fast as they could, but when they saw Ross and his companions
behind them they thought them enemies, and stopped to fight. All
were glad enough to get together, and at last, after various
adventures, they reached the fort at Okanagan.
 II

WORK OF A FUR TRADER

A little later Ross went north to his own post at the She-Whaps,
where he made a good trade. From here he decided to go west to
the Pacific coast on foot, believing that the distance was not more
than two hundred miles, but before he reached the coast a
destructive hurricane passed so close to his party that his guide,
altogether discouraged by fatigue and failure, deserted during the
night, and Ross was obliged to return.
One winter, much alarm was caused among the Indians by the
depredations of strange wolves, reported to be hundreds in number,
and as big as buffalo, which were coming into the country, and on
their march were killing all the horses. The Indians declared that all
the horses would be killed, for men could not go near these wolves,
nor would arrows or balls kill them. Shortly after the head chief of
the Okanagan Indians had told this story to Ross, wolves killed five
of the traders’ horses. Ross took up those left alive, and then put out
a dozen traps about the carcass of one that had been killed. The
next morning four of the traps were sprung. “One of them held a
large white wolf by the fore leg, a foot equally large was gnawed off
and left in another, the third held a fox, and the fourth trap had
disappeared altogether.” Unable to get away, the captured wolf was
quite ready to fight. It had gnawed the trap until its teeth were
broken and its head was covered with blood. When killed it was
found to weigh one hundred and twenty-seven pounds, an
enormous animal. The one that had carried off the trap was at last
discovered making the best of its way over the country, and pursuit
resulted in its capture. The animal had dragged a trap and chain
weighing eight and one-half pounds a distance of twenty-five miles,
without appearing at all fatigued. Ross wanted the skin, but had left
his knife behind him. However, it was not for nothing that he had
been for years associated with Indians, and he took the flint out of
his gun, skinned the animal, and went home with skin and trap.
The killing of these two wolves and the crippling of the third put
an end to the destruction, and not another horse was killed in that
part of the country during the season.
Ross comments interestingly on the methods used by wolves in
decoying horses.
“If there is no snow, or but little, on the ground, two wolves
approach in the most playful and caressing manner, lying, rolling,
and frisking about, until the too credulous and unsuspecting victim is
completely put off his guard by curiosity and familiarity. During this
time the gang, squatted on their hind-quarters, look on at a
distance. After some time spent in this way, the two assailants
separate, when one approaches the horse’s head, the other his tail,
with a slyness and cunning peculiar to themselves. At this stage of
the attack, their frolicsome approaches become very interesting—it
is in right good earnest; the former is a mere decoy, the latter is the
real assailant, and keeps his eyes steadily fixed on the ham-strings
or flank of the horse. The critical moment is then watched, and the
attack is simultaneous; both wolves spring at their victim the same
instant, one to the throat, the other to the flank, and if successful,
which they generally are, the hind one never lets go his hold till the
horse is completely disabled. Instead of springing forward or kicking
to disengage himself, the horse turns round and round without
attempting a defence. The wolf before, then springs behind, to assist
the other. The sinews are cut, and in half the time I have been
describing it, the horse is on his side; his struggles are fruitless: the
victory is won. At this signal, the lookers-on close in at a gallop, but
the small fry of followers keep at a respectful distance, until their
superiors are gorged, then they take their turn unmolested. The
wolves, however, do not always kill to eat; like wasteful hunters,
they often kill for the pleasure of killing, and leave the carcases
untouched. The helplessness of the horse when attacked by wolves
is not more singular than its timidity and want of action when in
danger by fire. When assailed by fire, in the plains or elsewhere,
their strength, swiftness, and sagacity, are of no avail; they never
attempt to fly, but become bewildered in the smoke, turn round and
round, stand and tremble, until they are burnt to death: which often
happens in this country, in a conflagration of the plains.”
It must be remembered, however, that Ross is speaking of
wolves of the western mountains, animals which were not familiar
with the buffalo, and which now, since horses had been brought into
the country, had been supplied with a new food animal. Ross says
also, and he is almost the only writer who speaks of anything of this
kind, that wolves sometimes attacked men, and instances two men
forced to take shelter for several hours in a tree by a band of
seventeen wolves.
It was about this time that a change of heart began to take
place among the authorities of the Northwest Company. Since
Astoria had become Fort George few or no steps had been taken to
make the most of the possibilities of the country, but those who
were on the ground dwelt constantly on the poverty of the country,
the hostility of the Indians, and the impracticability of trade. The
people who came over the mountains to take the place of the
Astorians brought with them their habits of the fur country of the
east, and seemed unable to change them. The traders from the east
preferred the birch-bark canoe, and spent much time in searching
for bark. It was even provided—lest that of good quality should not
be found on the waters of the Pacific slope—that a stock of bark
should be shipped from Montreal to London, and thence around
Cape Horn to Fort George, in order that canoes might be made.
In 1816 the Columbia River district was divided by the
authorities at Fort William into two separate departments, each one
with a bourgeois at the head. Mr. Keith was chosen to preside at Fort
George, while Mr. McKenzie was given charge of the department of
the interior. There was much grumbling at this last appointment.
Ross was appointed as second in command to Mr. Keith. Shortly
after this there were various troubles at Fort George, one of the
most important being the desertion of the blacksmith Jacob, who
fled to a hostile tribe, from which he was taken by Ross, who went
after him with thirty men. The enterprise was one which required
that courage and endurance which Ross so often displayed in times
of difficulty. The west coast trade was further complicated by the
jealousy which Mr. Keith felt for Mr. McKenzie. These difficulties were
overcome, and McKenzie again set out for his interior command,
accompanied by a force of Iroquois, Abenakis, and Sandwich
Islanders. Mr. Keith remained in command at Fort George.
Many of the hunters and trappers at Fort George lacked
experience in dealing with the natives, and before long there was
trouble with the Indians. These tried to exact tribute from the fur
traders for trapping on the tribal land, and the fur traders, far from
showing patience, were quite ready to quarrel. One or more of the
hunters were wounded on the Willamette and some Indians were
killed. Ross was sent out to try to effect a reconciliation, but, as so
often is the case where Indians have been killed, the people in the
camps declined to smoke and to consider any other course than war.
It was only by the exercise of great patience and forbearance, and
finally by the gift of a flag to a chief, that the trouble was at last
smoothed over, and the opposing parties smoked and made long
speeches and then concluded a treaty—the whites having paid for
the dead—which greatly pleased Mr. Keith.
McKenzie on his way up the Columbia did not get beyond the
Cascades, for here he found the river frozen; so he camped and
spent the winter among the Indians, showing, in his dealings with
them, remarkable tact and judgment.
Ross describes with some humor the happenings at a feast, such
as frequently took place in the camp where McKenzie now was:
“On the score of cheer, we will here gratify the curiosity of our
readers with a brief description of one of their entertainments, called
an Indian feast. The first thing that attracts the attention of a
stranger, on being invited to a feast in these parts, is, to see seven
or eight bustling squaws running to and fro with pieces of greasy
bark, skins of animals, and old mats, to furnish the banqueting
lodge, as receptacles for the delicate viands: at the door of the lodge
is placed, on such occasions, a sturdy savage with a club in his
hand, to keep the dogs at bay, while the preparations are going on.
“The banqueting hall is always of a size suitable to the occasion,
large and roomy. A fire occupies the centre, round which, in circular
order, are laid the eatables. The guests form a close ring round the
whole. Every one approaches with a grave and solemn step. The
party being all assembled, the reader may picture to himself our
friend seated among the nobles of the place, his bark platter
between his legs, filled top-heavy with the most delicious mélange of
bear’s grease, dog’s flesh, wappatoes, obellies, amutes, and a
profusion of other viands, roots and berries. Round the festive
board, placed on terra firma, all the nabobs of the place are
squatted down in a circle, each helping himself out of his platter with
his fingers, observing every now and then to sleek down the hair by
way of wiping the hands. Only one knife is used, and that is handed
round from one to another in quick motion. Behind the banqueting
circle sit, in anxious expectation, groups of the canine tribe,
yawning, howling, and growling; these can only be kept in the rear
by a stout cudgel, which each of the guests keeps by him, for the
purpose of self-defence; yet it not unfrequently happens that some
one of the more daring curs gets out of patience, breaks through the
front rank, and carries off his booty; but when a trespass of this kind
is committed, the unfortunate offender is well belaboured in his
retreat, for the cudgels come down upon him with a terrible
vengeance. The poor dog, however, has his revenge in turn, for the
squabble and brawl that ensues disturbs all the dormant fleas of the
domicile. This troop of black assailants jump about in all directions,
so that a guest, by helping himself to the good things before him,
keeping the dogs at bay behind him, and defending himself from the
black squadrons that surround him, pays, perhaps, dearer for his
entertainment at the Columbian Cascades than a foreign
ambassador does in a London hotel!”
 On leaving this place in the spring, the traders broke one of their
boats while towing it up the Cascades, and there was no room in the
other boats to load the cargo of the one that had been broken.
There were sixty packages, of ninety pounds each, and this large
and valuable cargo McKenzie turned over to a chief, to be kept for
him until his return. When the brigade returned six months later the
whole cargo was handed over safe and untouched to McKenzie. Such
care for the property of their guests was often given by the old-time
Indians.
The next summer when the inland brigade left Fort George for
the interior, Ross accompanied it, for he was starting for his own
post at She-Whaps. As usual, there were many annoyances—men
deserted, others fell sick, some of the Iroquois were about to fire on
the native Indians—and altogether the leaders of the party had their
hands full in trying to keep peace.
Ross had with him a little dog which an Indian one morning got
hold of and carried away. The dog, anxious to get back to his
master, in its struggles to escape happened to scratch one of the
children of his captor, and presently Ross saw the dog running to
him, followed by two men with guns in their hands. The dog lay
down by its master’s feet, and one of the Indians cocked his gun to
shoot the animal. Ross jumped up and took the gun from the Indian,
who seemed very angry and demanded it again. After a time Ross
handed it back to him, at the same time picking up his own gun and
telling the Indian that if he attempted to kill the dog he himself
would die. The man did not shoot the dog, but telling his trouble to
the other Indians, they gathered about Ross and there was every
prospect of a pretty quarrel. However, Ross and McKenzie, strong in
their knowledge of Indian character, smoothed things over, made a
little gift to the child that had been scratched, gave the chief some
tobacco, and presently went on their way with the apparent good-
will of the whole camp.
A day or two later another example was seen of the way in
which Ross handled the Indians. The chiefs and the traders were
smoking and talking.
“While thus engaged, and the crowd thronging around us, a
fellow more like a baboon than a man, with a head full of feathers
and a countenance of brass, having a fine gun in his hand, called
out, ‘How long are the whites to pass here, troubling our waters and
scaring our fish, without paying us? Look at all these bales of goods
going to our enemies,’ said he; ‘and look at our wives and children
naked.’ The fellow then made a pause, as if waiting an answer; but,
as good fortune would have it, the rest of the Indians paid but little
attention to him. No answer was made; nor was it a time to discuss
the merits or demerits of such a question. Happening, however, to
be near the fellow when he spoke, I turned briskly round, ‘So long,’
said I, ‘as the Indians smoke our tobacco; just so long, and no
longer, will the whites pass here.’ Then I put some questions to him
in turn. ‘Who gave you that fine gun on your hand?’ ‘The whites,’
answered he. ‘And who gives you tobacco to smoke?’ ‘The whites,’
he replied. Continuing the subject, ‘Are you fond of your gun?’ ‘Yes,’
‘And are you fond of tobacco to smoke?’ To this question also the
reply was ‘Yes,’ ‘Then,’ said I, ‘you ought to be fond of the whites
who supply all your wants.’ ‘Oh, yes!’ rejoined he. The nature of the
questions and answers set the bystanders laughing; and taking no
further notice of the rascal, he sneaked off among the crowd, and
we saw him no more. The question put by the feathered baboon
amounted to nothing in itself; but it proved that the subject of
tribute had been discussed among the Indians.”
There was constant demand for readiness and quick-wittedness,
for the whites were very few in number and the Indians numerous;
moreover, these primitive people were altogether disposed to see
how far the whites would permit them to go, and it was thus
exceedingly easy to begin a quarrel about some trifling matter in
which blood might be shed.
From his post in the She-Whaps Ross soon went east toward the
Rocky Mountains, having been ordered to explore this country and
see what it contained. He set out on foot with two of his best hands
and two Indians. Each carried as baggage one-half dozen pairs of
moccasins, a blanket, some ammunition, needles, thread, and
tobacco, besides a small axe, a knife, a fire steel, and an awl. All
they had besides was a kettle and a pint pot. For subsistence they
depended on their guns, and for a further supply of shoes and
clothing on the animals that they might kill by the way.
The country was extraordinarily rough. Fur-bearing animals were
not plenty, but game was abundant, elk and deer being seen in
great numbers, and so tame as to make it appear that they had
never been disturbed.
In six days’ travel down a stream, which Ross calls the Grisly-
bear, they shot four elks, twenty-two deer, two otters, two beavers,
and three black bears, without stepping out of the trail. A little later
they saw moose, and still later is given a curious account of a battle
between two large birds, both of which were captured. One of these
was a white-headed eagle which weighed eight and three-quarter
pounds, and the other “a wild-turkey cock, or what we call the
Columbia grouse,” which could only have been a sage grouse. This is
said to have weighed eleven and one-quarter pounds!
During this same summer McKenzie had trouble with the
Iroquois—seemingly most untrustworthy servants—who tried to kill
McKenzie, perhaps with the idea of taking all the property of the
expedition. However, McKenzie’s quickness and readiness enabled
him to put the Iroquois to flight.
Soon after his return from his Eastern exploration Ross was
invited by the Indians to accompany them on a bear-hunt, which he
describes:
“The party were all mounted on horseback, to the number of
seventy-three, and exhibited a fine display of horsemanship. After
some ten miles’ travel, we commenced operations. Having reached
the hunting-ground, the party separated into several divisions. We
then perambulated the woods, crossed rivers, surrounded thickets,
and scampered over hill and dale, with yell and song, for the greater
part of two days; during which time we killed seven bears, nine
wolves, and eleven small deer: one of the former I had the good
luck to shoot myself. In the evening of the third day, however, our
sport was checked by an accident. One of the great men, the chief
Pacha of the hunting party, named Tu-tack-it, Is-tso-augh-an, or
Short Legs, got severely wounded by a female bear.
“The only danger to be apprehended in these savage excursions
is by following the wounded animal into a thicket, or hiding-place;
but with the Indians the more danger the more honour, and some of
them are foolhardy enough to run every hazard in order to strike the
last fatal blow, (in which the honour lies,) sometimes with a lance,
tomahawk, or knife, at the risk of their lives. No sooner is a bear
wounded than it immediately flies for refuge to some hiding-place,
unless too closely pursued; in which case, it turns round in savage
fury on its pursuers, and woe awaits whoever is in the way.
“The bear in question had been wounded and took shelter in a
small coppice. The bush was instantly surrounded by the horsemen,
when the more bold and daring entered it on foot, armed with gun,
knife, and tomahawk. Among the bushrangers on the present
occasion was the chief, Short Legs, who, while scrambling over some
fallen timber, happened to stumble near to where the wounded and
enraged bear was concealed, but too close to be able to defend
himself before the vicious animal got hold of him. At that moment I
was not more than five or six paces from the chief, but could not get
a chance of shooting, so I immediately called out for help, when
several mustered round the spot. Availing ourselves of the doubtful
alternative of killing her—even at the risk of killing the chief—we
fired, and as good luck would have it, shot the animal and saved the
man; then carrying the bear and wounded chief out of the bush, we
laid both on the open ground. The sight of the chief was appalling:
the scalp was torn from the crown of his head, down over the
eyebrows! he was insensible, and for some time we all thought him
dead; but after a short interval his pulse began to beat, and he
gradually showed signs of returning animation.
 “It was a curious and somewhat interesting scene to see the
party approach the spot where the accident happened. Not being
able to get a chance of shooting, they threw their guns from them,
and could scarcely be restrained from rushing on the fierce animal
with their knives only. The bear all the time kept looking first at one,
then at another, and casting her fierce and flaming eyes around the
whole of us, as if ready to make a spring at each; yet she never let
go her hold of the chief; but stood over him. Seeing herself
surrounded by so many enemies, she moved her head from one
position to another, and these movements gave us ultimately an
opportunity of killing her.
“The misfortune produced a loud and clamorous scene of
mourning among the chief’s relations; we hastened home, carrying
our dead bears along with us, and arrived at the camp early in the
morning of the fourth day. The chief remained for three days
speechless. In cutting off the scalp and dressing the wound, we
found the skull, according to our imperfect knowledge of anatomy,
fractured in two or three places; and at the end of eight days, I
extracted a bone measuring two inches long, of an oblong form, and
another of about an inch square, with several smaller pieces, all
from the crown of the head! The wound, however, gradually closed
up and healed, except a small spot about the size of an English
shilling. In fifteen days, by the aid of Indian medicine, he was able
to walk about, and at the end of six weeks from the time he got
wounded, he was on horseback again at the chace.”
More or less wolf-hunting was done through the winter, and Ross
describes certain methods of catching and killing these animals.
The killing of wolves, foxes, and other wild animals by the whites
was really only a recreation, and the traders preferred shooting them
to any other mode of destruction. The wolves were usually afoot and
searching for food at all hours of the day and night. They liked to
get up on nearby hills or knolls, to sit and look about. It was the
practice of the traders to scatter food about the places frequented
by the wolves, and—when there were no wolves there—to practise
shooting at a mark, watching where the balls hit and learning the
elevation of the gun required to reach the spot, until finally many of
them became very expert at this long-distance shooting.
“A band of Indians happening to come to the fort one day, and
observing a wolf on one of the favourite places of resort, several of
them prepared to take a circuitous turn to have a shot at the animal.
Seeing them prepare—‘Try,’ said I, ‘and kill it from where you are,’
The Indians smiled at my ignorance. ‘Can the whites,’ said the chief,
‘kill it at that distance?’ ‘The whites,’ said I, ‘do not live by hunting or
shooting as do the Indians, or they might.’ ‘There is no gun,’
continued the chief, ‘that could kill at that distance,’ By this time the
wolf had laid hold of a bone, or piece of flesh, and was scampering
off with it, at full speed, to the opposite woods. Taking hold of my
gun—‘If we cannot kill it,’ said I, ‘we shall make it let go its prey.’ ‘My
horse against your shot,’ called out the chief, ‘that you do not hit the
wolf.’ ‘Done,’ said I; but I certainly thought within myself that the
chief ran no great risk of losing his horse, nor the wolf of losing his
life. Taking an elevation of some fifteen or sixteen feet over it, by
chance I shot the animal in his flight, to the astonishment of the
chief, as well as all present, who, clapping their hands to their
mouths in amazement, measured the distance by five arrow-shots:
nothing but their wonder could exceed their admiration of this effect
of fire-arms.
“When the ball struck the wolf, it was in the act of leaping; and
we may judge of its speed at the time, from the fact that the
distance from whence it took the last leap to where it was lying
stretched, measured twenty-four feet! The ball struck the wolf in the
left thigh, and passing through the body, neck and head, it lodged in
the lower jaw; I cut it out with my pen-knife. The chief, on delivering
up his horse, which he did cheerfully, asked me for the ball, and that
ball was the favourite ornament of his neck for years afterwards.
The horse I returned to its owner. The Indians then asked me for the
skin of the dead wolf; and to each of the guns belonging to the
party was appended a piece: the Indians fancying that the skin
would enable them, in future, to kill animals at a great distance.”
 The following summer, McKenzie with Ross and ninety-five men
went up the river and encamped at the site determined on for the
new establishment of Fort Nez Percés, about one-half mile from the
mouth of the Walla Walla. This country was occupied by Indians of
the Shahaptian stock—fierce, good warriors, and impulsive—easily
moved in one direction or the other. They seemed by no means
favorable to the coming whites; did not shake hands with them, and
in fact appeared disposed to boycott the new arrivals.
The situation was a difficult one, because the construction of a
fort required a dividing of the party into many small bands, and also
because more Indians were constantly coming in, and their actions
caused much uneasiness. They insisted on receiving pay for the
timber to be used in building the fort; they forbade hunting and
fishing; they set the price on all articles of trade, and it was difficult
to know what the outcome of this might be.
The difficulties threatening the traders caused an almost
complete suspension of work. They stood on their guard, ready for
an attack at any time, while for five days there was no intercourse
between whites and Indians; food was short, and one night the
party went to bed supperless. The Indians continued to gather, and
the traders thought that they were plotting and planning—no one
knew what.
A slight enclosure had been put up, behind which the traders
awaited whatever might happen. After a time, the chiefs opened
negotiations with the whites and insisted that liberal presents should
be made to all the Indians roundabout, in order to gain their favor.
This was obviously impracticable, since all the property of the
traders would not have sufficed to make a present to each Indian,
and the demand was refused, with the result that the firmness of
the white men caused the Indians to reduce their requests and
finally to submit to the proposals of the whites, and as soon as this
was agreed on a brisk trade went on.
The position chosen for the fort was noteworthy among the
natives because it was the ground on which, some years before,
Lewis and Clark had ratified a general peace between themselves
and the tribes of the surrounding country. The situation was
commanding. To the west was a spacious view of the great river, to
the north and east were the wide expanses of the yellow plains,
while to the south lay wild, rough hills on either side of the river,
overlooked by two singular towering rocks on the east side of the
stream, called by the natives “The Twins.” In the distance lay the
Blue Mountains.
Presently a large war-party returned to the camp with scalps and
captives—a great triumph. Now came a demand from the Indians
that the white traders should not give guns or balls to the enemies
of these Indians, but after much negotiation and many speeches,
the Indians agreed that peace should be made between themselves
and the Snakes.
It was not long after this that a considerable party was sent off
to penetrate the country inhabited by the Snakes and other tribes to
the south. The traders had secured two hundred and eighty horses,
enough for riding and packing, and the most of these were to go off
with the Snake expedition, which consisted of fifty-five men, nearly
two hundred horses, three hundred beaver-traps, and a considerable
stock of trade goods. Mr. McKenzie led the expedition, which left Fort
Nez Percés at the end of September. Ross, with the remaining party,
stayed at the Fort.
The neighboring Indians, of whom Ross speaks in most cordial
terms, treated the traders well and were respectful and good-
natured, but presently came rumors of difficulties between the
trading party to the Snakes and that tribe, and one of these rumors
was confirmed by the arrival of a member of that expedition, an
Iroquois, who had evidently had a hard time. According to his
account, the Iroquois after a time separated from McKenzie to trap a
small river which was well stocked with beaver. The Iroquois,
according to the story, began to exchange their horses, guns, and
traps with a small party of Snakes, and presently had little or
nothing left. The returned Iroquois man got lost, and finally, with
great difficulty, without food, blanket, or arms, got back to Fort Nez
Percés. Other Iroquois returned and told various stories, and finally,
going back to Fort George, persuaded Mr. Keith to send out a party
to punish the Indians, who they said had injured them. Such a party
was sent out to the Cowlitz River, and the Iroquois getting away
from Mr. Ogden killed twelve men, women, and children, and
scalped three of them. This seemed fatal to further friendly
relations; nevertheless, at last peace was concluded between the
traders and the Cowlitz Indians, and was sealed by the marriage of
the chief’s daughter to one of the fur traders.
There was more sporadic fighting and killing of Indians and the
murder of five people belonging to Fort George, so that things got
into a very bad condition, which it took a long time to smooth over.
Late in the season Mr. McKenzie with six men on snow-shoes
returned from the interior and gave an interesting account of the
new country through which he had passed—a country to him not
wholly new, because he had been through it in 1811. He reported
that the Iroquois, instead of trapping and hunting, had separated
and were scattered all over the country by twos and threes, living
with the Indians, without horses, without traps, without furs, and
without clothing. He left them as he found them.
Of the region traversed, Mr McKenzie reported:
“On our outward journey, the surface was mountainous and
rugged, and still more so on our way back. Woods and valleys, rocks
and plains, rivers and ravines, alternately met us; but altogether it is
a delightful country. There animals of every class rove about
undisturbed; wherever there was a little plain, the red deer were
seen grazing in herds about the rivers; round every other point were
clusters of poplar and elder, and where there was a sapling, the
ingenious and industrious beaver was at work. Otters sported in the
eddies; the wolf and the fox were seen sauntering in quest of prey;
now and then a few cypresses or stunted pines were met with on
the rocky parts, and in their spreading tops the raccoon sat secure.
In the woods, the martin and black fox were numerous; the badger
sat quietly looking from his mound; and in the numberless ravines,
among bushes laden with fruits, the black, the brown, and the grisly
bear were seen. The mountain sheep, and goat white as snow,
browsed on the rocks, and ridges; and the big horn species ran
among the lofty cliffs. Eagles and vultures, of uncommon size, flew
about the rivers. When we approached, most of these animals stood
motionless; they would then move off a little distance, but soon
came anew to satisfy a curiosity that often proved fatal to them.
“The report of a gun did not alarm them: they would give a frisk
at each shot, and stand again; but when the flag was unfurled,
being of a reddish hue, it was with apparent reluctance they would
retire beyond the pleasing sight. Hordes of wild horses were likewise
seen on this occasion; and of all the animals seen on our journey
they were the wildest, for none of them could be approached; their
scent is exceedingly keen, their hearing also; and in their curiosity
they were never known to come at any time within gun-shot. One
band of these contained more than two hundred. Some of them
were browsing on the face of the hills; others were running like deer
up and down the steeps; and some were galloping backwards and
forwards on the brows of the sloping mountains, with their flowing
manes and bushy tails streaming in the wind.”
Mr. McKenzie’s successful trip commanded the admiration of all
of the council of the head men at Fort George. Those who had
formerly been opposed to him were now loud in his praises, and the
establishment of Fort Nez Percés and the gaining of a foothold in the
Snake country were warmly approved. He remained at Fort Nez
Percés only seven days and then started back again. His report of
the prospects in the Snake country was gratifying, but his people
were giving great trouble.
 III

INDIANS AND THEIR BATTLES

Fort Nez Percés was stockaded with an enclosure of pickets of

sawn timber some twelve or fifteen feet high with four towers or
bastions. The pickets were two and one-half feet broad by six inches
thick. Near the top of the stockade was a balustrade four feet high,
and a gallery five feet broad extended all around it, while the walls
were loopholed. At each angle of the fort was a large reservoir
holding two hundred gallons of water, and within the stockade were
all the buildings, warehouses, stores, and dwelling-houses. These
buildings were all loopholed and had sliding doors, and the trading-
room was arranged with a small door in the wall, eighteen inches
square, through which the Indians passed their furs, receiving from
the traders on the inside the goods to which they were entitled. The
outer gate was arranged to open and shut by a pulley, and besides
this there were two double doors. Except on special occasions, the
Indians were never invited into the fort. Nevertheless, at the gate
there was a house for the accommodation of the Indians, with fire,
tobacco, and a man to look after them at all times. The Indians,
however, did not like this arrangement, because it seemed to show
suspicion on the part of the white men; they themselves were
suspicious of some plots. They asked whether the traders were
afraid of them or afraid that they would steal, and while the traders
denied that they were afraid of anything, they persisted in their plan,
and at length the Indians accepted the situation. The traders were
supplied with cannons, swivels, muskets, and bayonets, boarding-
pikes and hand-grenades, while above the gate stood a small mortar.
The position was a strong one, and Ross calls it the “Gibraltar of
Columbia” and speaks of it as “a triumph of British energy and
enterprise, of civilization over barbarism.”
McKenzie, on his return to the interior, had promised to be at the
river Skam-naugh about the 5th of June and had asked that an outfit
with supplies for his party be sent to meet him there. For this reason
Ross returned from his annual trip to Fort George nearly a month
earlier than usual—by the 15th of May. A party of fifteen men under
a clerk named Kittson was sent out to take McKenzie his supplies
and reinforce him. Kittson was a new man in the service, and was
full of confidence that he could handle and defeat all the Indians on
the continent. He had good luck until the party got into the
debatable land in the Snake territory, and here, first, a dozen of his
horses were stolen, and then, a little later, all of them.
Meantime McKenzie had had the usual difficulties with his
Iroquois trappers, who could not be trusted with goods to trade with
the Snakes. When the people whom he expected to meet at the
river were not there, he sent out ten men to look for them. Two days
after starting, as they were passing through a canyon, they met,
face to face, the Indians who had just taken all of Kittson’s horses,
and, recognizing the animals, charged the three horse-thieves. One
was killed, another wounded and escaped, and a third was taken
captive, and the traders turned the herd about and drove the horses
back to Kittson’s camp.
Kittson now had thirty-six men and joined McKenzie, on the way
capturing two more Indian horse-thieves, caught at night while
cutting loose the horses. Kittson handed over his supplies, received
McKenzie’s furs, and set out again for Fort Nez Percés.
When McKenzie and Kittson separated, the former had only
three men left with him, for his Iroquois did not arrive, as expected.
While waiting for them, a threatening party of mountain Snakes
appeared at his camp, who were very importunate, so much so that
at last McKenzie took from his pile of goods a keg of gunpowder
and, lighting a match, threatened, if the Indians continued to
advance, to blow up the whole party. Taken by surprise, they
hesitated, and then suddenly, without a word, took to flight, not
from fear of the threats of McKenzie, but because of the sudden
appearance of a large war-party of Shahaptians on the other side of
the river. Fortunately, these people could not cross the high and
rushing stream, but a little later they made an attack on Kittson’s
party and killed two of his men. As soon as the war-party had gone
McKenzie and his men, with their property, crossed the channel of
the river to an island, where they remained twenty-two days, until
the return of Kittson. McKenzie and Kittson were now in a situation
not at all agreeable. On one side were the Nez Percés, on the other
the Blackfeet, and all about were the Snakes. All these tribes were
hostile to one another, and all of them more or less ill-disposed
toward the whites, so the summer was an anxious one, but
McKenzie purposed to winter in the upper country as well as he
might. Here Ross interjects an interesting sketch of trappers’
methods.
“A safe and secure spot, near wood and water, is first selected
for the camp. Here the chief of the party resides with the property. It
is often exposed to danger, or sudden attack, in the absence of the
trappers, and requires a vigilant eye to guard against the lurking
savages. The camp is called head quarters. From hence all the
trappers, some on foot, some on horseback, according to the
distance they have to go, start every morning, in small parties, in all
directions, ranging the distance of some twenty miles around. Six
traps is the allowance for each hunter; but to guard against wear
and tear, the complement is more frequently ten. These he sets
every night, and visits again in the morning; sometimes oftener,
according to distance, or other circumstances. The beaver taken in
the traps are always conveyed to the camp, skinned, stretched,
dried, folded up with the hair in the inside, laid by, and the flesh
used for food. No sooner, therefore, has a hunter visited his traps,
set them again, and looked out for some other place, than he
returns to the camp, to feast, and enjoy the pleasures of an idle day.
“There is, however, much anxiety and danger in going through
the ordinary routine of a trapper’s duty. For as the enemy is
generally lurking about among the rocks and hiding-places, watching
an opportunity, the hunter has to keep a constant lookout; and the
gun is often in one hand, while the trap is in the other. But when
several are together, which is often the case in suspicious places,
one-half set the traps, and the other half keep guard over them. Yet
notwithstanding all their precautions, some of them fall victims to
Indian treachery.
“The camp remains stationary while two-thirds of the trappers
find beaver in the vicinity; but whenever the beaver becomes scarce,
the camp is removed to some more favourable spot. In this manner,
the party keeps moving from place to place, during the whole
season of hunting. Whenever serious danger is apprehended, all the
trappers make for the camp. Were we, however, to calculate
according to numbers, the prospects from such an expedition would
be truly dazzling: say, seventy-five men, with each six traps, to be
successfully employed during five months; that is, two in the spring,
and three in the fall, equal to 131 working days, the result would be
58,950 beaver! Practically, however, the case is very different. The
apprehension of danger, at all times, is so great, that three-fourths
of their time is lost in the necessary steps taken for their own safety.
There is also another serious drawback unavoidably accompanying
every large party. The beaver is a timid animal; the least noise,
therefore, made about its haunt will keep it from coming out for
nights together; and noise is unavoidable when the party is large.
But when the party is small, the hunter has a chance of being more
or less successful. Indeed, were the nature of the ground such as to
admit of the trappers moving about in safety, at all times, and alone,
six men, with six traps each, would, in the same space of time, and
at the same rate, kill as many beavers—say 4,716—as the whole
seventy-five could be expected to do! And yet the evil is without a
remedy; for no small party can exist in these parts. Hence the
reason why beavers are so numerous.”
Ross points out also some of the troubles that the traders must
meet with, which troubles were largely due, of course, to the
absolute inability of the Indians to comprehend the conditions of this
new life. The Indians asked for everything that they saw and berated
the traders because their requests were not complied with. They
were constantly playing jokes—or what they considered jokes—on
the white men, which were irritating enough; and looked with
contempt on the whites who were engaged in ordinary labor, which
they, of course, did not in the least understand. The Indians, with all
their freedom, were far from happy, because they were in a state of
constant anxiety and alarm. People who felt themselves injured were
likely to make war excursions and kill some one belonging to another
tribe, which, of course, extended the field of the trouble.
When fighting took place, and people supposedly friendly to the
whites were injured, the traders were blamed, because they sold
guns, powder, and balls to any one who might wish to trade with
them. The life of the trader was thus one of anxiety, and to handle
the Indians successfully called for extraordinary self-control.
Not long before this time some Shahaptians had killed two of
Kittson’s men and several Snakes. The Snakes followed them, but
before overtaking them came upon some Indians belonging to the
Walla Walla, camped not three miles from Fort Nez Percés, where
they killed a man, four women, and two children, and captured two
young women and a man. The next day the whole Walla Walla camp
moved down to the fort, carrying the bodies of the dead. Ross saw
the disorderly procession coming on with shrieks and lamentations,
and at first did not know what to make of the advance, but presently
the Indians reached the gate of the fort, placed their dead upon the
ground there, and began to gash themselves with knives in the old-
time way of mourning. They called to Ross to come out to them, and
he, while very reluctant, had no choice—if he was to retain his
influence with them—but to obey.
“Turning round to the sentinel at the door, I told him to lock the
gate after me, and keep a sharp look out. The moment I appeared
outside the gate, so horrible was the uproar, that it baffles all
description. Intoxicated with wrath and savage rage, they resembled
furies more than human beings; and their ghastly, wild, and
forbidding looks were all directed towards me, as if I had been the
cause of their calamity. Tam-a-tap-um the chief then coming up to
me, and pointing to one of the dead bodies, said, ‘You see my sister
there,’ then uncovering the body to show the wounds, added, ‘That
is a ball hole.’ ‘The whites’, said he again, ‘have murdered our wives
and our children. They have given guns and balls to our enemies.
Those very guns and balls have killed our relations.’ These words
were no sooner uttered than they were repeated over and over
again by the whole frantic crowd; who, hearing the chief, believed
them to be true. Excitement was now at its height. Their gestures,
their passionate exclamations, showed what was working within, and
I expected every moment to receive a ball or an arrow. One word of
interruption spoken by me at the critical moment, in favour of the
whites, might have proved fatal to myself. I therefore remained
silent, watching a favourable opportunity, and also examining closely
the holes in the garments of the dead bodies. The holes I was
convinced were made by arrows, and not by balls as the chief had
asserted; but it remained for me to convince others when an
opportunity offered.
“Every violent fit of mourning was succeeded, as is generally the
case among savages, by a momentary calm. As soon, therefore, as I
perceived the rage of the crowd beginning to subside, and nature
itself beginning to flag, I availed myself of the interval to speak in
turn; for silence then would have been a tacit acknowledgment of
our guilt. I therefore advanced, and taking the chief by the hand,
said in a low tone of voice, as if overcome by grief, ‘My friend, what
is all this? Give me an explanation. You do not love the whites; you
have told me nothing yet.’ Tam-a-tap-um then turning to his people,
beckoned to them with the hand to be silent; entire silence was not
to be expected. He then went over the whole affair from beginning
to end. When the chief ended, and the people were in a listening
mood, I sympathized with their misfortunes, and observed that the
whites had been undeservedly blamed. ‘They are innocent,’ said I,
‘and that I can prove. Look at that,’ said I, pointing to an arrow
wound, which no one could mistake, ‘the wounds are those of
arrows, not balls. Nor were the Snakes themselves so much to
blame; as we shall be able to show.’
“At these assertions the chief looked angry, and there was a
buzz of disapprobation, among the crowd; but I told the chief to
listen patiently until I had done. The chief then composed himself,
and I proceeded. ‘After your solemn acquiescence in a peace
between yourselves and the Snakes, through the influence of the
whites, the Shaw-ha-ap-tens violated the second pledge by going
again to war, across the Blue Mountains; and not content with
having killed their enemies, they killed their friends also. They killed
two of the whites. The Snakes in the act of retaliation have therefore
made you all to mourn this day; they have made the whites to
mourn also. But your loss is less than ours; your relations have been
killed; but still you have their bodies: that consolation is denied us.
Our friends have been killed, but we know not where their bodies
lie.’ These facts neither the chief nor the crowd could gainsay. The
chief, with a loud voice, explained what I had said to the listening
multitude; when they with one voice exclaimed, ‘It is true, it is true!’
Leaving the chief, I then entered the fort, and taking some red cloth,
laid six inches of it on each body, as a token of sympathy; then I
told them to go and bury their dead. A loud fit of lamentation closed
the scene. The bodies were then taken up, and the crowd moved off,
in a quiet and orderly manner.
“But the satisfaction we enjoyed at the departure of the savages
was of short duration, for they were scarcely out of sight, and I
scarcely inside the door, when another band, related to those who
had been killed, arrived at the fort gate, and the loud and clamorous
scene of mourning was again renewed.
“Among this second crowd of visitors was a fellow dignified by
the name of Prince, and brother to one of the young women who
had been carried off by the Snakes. Prince encamped within fifty
yards of the fort, and his tent was no sooner pitched than he began
to chant the song of death. When an Indian resorts to this mode of
mourning, it is a sure sign that, ‘he has thrown his body away,’ as
the Indians term it, and meditates self-destruction. Being told of
Prince’s resolution, I went to his tent to see him, and found him
standing, with his breast leaning upon the muzzle of his gun; his hair
was dishevelled, and he was singing with great vehemence: he
never raised his head to see who I was. I knew all was not right,
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