Billy Chinook

Who is Billy Chinook?

Billy Chinook was a member of the Wasco tribe and was a guide for John C. Frémont and Kit Carson who explored Central Oregon from 1843 to 1844. Lake Billy Chinook in Oregon is named in his honor.

One-day in 1866 Chief Paulina of the Paiute tribe directed his warriors to kill Wasco Chief Queapama. The Paiutes had a long history of conflict with the Wascos and other Columbia River tribes. Chief Queapamas was murdered by the Paiutes during a feigned parley at the Warm Springs Indian Reservation, Oregon.

In the summer 1866 Billy Chinook and 25 scouts, mostly Wascos, spotted a Paiute encampment near Dry Creek, 13 miles south of Ochoco Creek Oregon.

Billy Chinook and his scouts had orders not to engage the Paiutes, but did so anyway to avenge the murder of Chief Queapama. The party waited until dawn the next day, when Chinook and his scouts attacked and killed all 32 Paiutes in the camp.

Chinook and his Wasco scouts tracked Chief Paulina, to an area near Lake Harney by Steens Mountain Oregon. Chief Paulina and his warriors retreated to a cave protected by boulders. Chief Paulina's half-brother Chief Wahveveh and two of his warriors were killed.