Adventures of Charles Croucher

The True Story of his 1863-1866 Journey from

San Francisco to Oregon in Search of Gold

What Happened Along the Way

And What He Thought

Back row: Samuel Darwyn, George Walter, Zilpha Louise, Charles Frederick, Frank Elmer

Front row: Hester Virginia on Charles’ lap, Henry, Clara (Mother), Mary Isabel, Bessie May

Charles Croucher was born February 29, 1836, in London, England.

He died September 1899, soon after this picture, in Damascus, Oregon.

He married Clara Ann Hink in Damascus, September, 1876.

Her family had come from Missouri by wagon train.

Charles was 40 and Clara Ann was 17.

(inside front cover)

Adventures of Charles Croucher

The True Story of his 1863-1866 Journey from

San Francisco to Oregon in Search of Gold

What Happened Along the Way

What He Thought About It

Charles’ Maggini-style fiddle was his constant companion, surviving fearsome odds, while serving as his

calling card to settlers, miners, ladies, and his ever ready ambassador to the Indians. He mentions it

several times, as: “(an)Indian boy for whom I formed quite a liking, although 1 have but little affections

for redskins generally, . . . had never heard a violin before and when I commenced playing he hid in a

corner . . . appeared delighted yet frightened and looked on with amusement when the company

applauded. A hornpipe dance I very well believe he thought was a paleface war dance and that the

victim was made to dance previous to his elimination.”

Henry Strobel Publisher

June 2009

First Edition

Printed in the United States of America

Edited and Typeset by Henry Strobel

Preface

Edward G. Croucher of Salem, Oregon came to my violin shop

twenty years ago to have a violin repaired. This was the fiddle his

great-grandfather Charles had carried along on his adventures, to

the entertainment of his fellow adventurers and the amazement of

the Native Americans he frequently encountered on the trail.

We began to talk of history and how we both had come to be in

Oregon. Later, when he picked up the repaired fiddle he brought

along his ancestor’s story, which I gratefully copied, read and filed

away in my library. Just this month, twenty years later, I took it out

for another look. I now appreciate how good a piece of history it is.

There are many pioneer “diaries,” but few with the candor,

perspective, detail and quality of writing we have here.

In the intervening years I had become more interested in history

and had also written and published a number of books, mostly in

the violin field. Realizing that this was a book that needed

publication I set out to find Edward. There was bad news - he had

passed away a year and a quarter ago. There was also good news -

his widow Jan answered his old telephone number. No, the book

had not been published, but the family would like that. It was also

the kind of thing I had been doing for the Archives & Museum in

Sublimity, Oregon. So here it is.

Note: Readers will be rightly offended by some prejudicial views of

the author. I have not Bowdlerised it. It’s history, thank goodness.

Henry Strobel, June 2009

Adventures of Charles Croucher

by himself

Perhaps if I undertake to write an account of

my adventures from San Francisco to John

Day's River, the first person who sees it will

ask “What ever possessed you to go there?” so

I tell you in advance. "That’s my business and

not yours." I'm a free English subject and claim

the privilege of going where I choose and how

I like, so long as I pay my way, take care of

myself, and have no one to look after than

myself, and so with the feelings of a man about

to make use of such rights and after making the

few necessary purchases and arrangements, I

left the Bay City on Sunday afternoon for San

Antonio, across the Bay to John Day with

some companions who were going to start the

next morning overland, a distance of eight

hundred miles. I preferred going with them

because the party had been there last year and

also I would have the opportunity of seeing

California with her Sunday clothes on, for

although I had lived there a long time I had

always been in the snow mountains and knew

very little about its valleys etc.

Accordingly on a Monday morning in April of

1863 all was animation around the farm, horses

had to be saddled, refractory mules had to be

caught and packed, all of then appeared then

and there not to go with a free will for no

sooner was one lassoed than he put himself

than he put himself in a most defiant attitude,

seemed disposed to clear the corral of all

human trash, but after some pulling and

hauling and blindfolding and getting a rope

around his fore foot and drawing it up to his

belly so as to deprive him of the use of it, we

succeeded in getting a pack saddle on him but

no pack; we then liberated him when he reared

on his hind legs and fell over backwards and

laid there with the apparent resignation of a

martyr and I think he asked us to raise him to

his legs, but we left him to take care of himself

. while we tried our hands on another and thus,

after several hours we succeeded in saddling

them all to the number of sixteen horses and by

twelve o'clock we were under way for the

mines. My companion told me that after a few

days drive the animals would become more

docile and manageable and we should have but

little trouble with them. I sincerely wished they

might, for otherwise I feared there would not

be one unbroken limb among us long before

we reached our destination, although I had my

doubts as to the tractability of such vicious

brutes, and let me here offer you some advice,

if you go on a long journey and have to pack,

don't start with unbroken Spanish mules.

I had no interest in the horses or mules except

my own pony , which I had bought for my own

riding and which was very gentle; in fact I was

looked on as a passenger, and was to pay $400

for the accommodation of having my

provisions carried, together with my violin box

and a small bag of clothes.

The weather was most unfavorable to start

with, for before we reached the hill tops at the

back of Oakland, we were thoroughly soaked

with rain. We journeyed on a distance of ten

miles, passing through Moraga Valley and

finally found a deserted cabin which we took

possession of to shelter as from the rains and

where we remained all the next day from the

same cause. Wednesday being fair, we made a

new start, passing some very pretty farms on

the way to Pacheco. Leaving Mount Diablo on

the right, we camped near the town and next

morning many of our animals were missing,

but after several hours search among the hills

we found them and took our departure to the

ferry at Benicia where we had to cross the

Sacramento River. The weather now began to

get quite warm, in fact my lips and nose began

peeling of a very unpleasant affliction. We

traveled all day making perhaps twenty miles

and ultimately camped in a clover field, which

also abounded in mushrooms on which we

made a great onslaught. We had now become

almost accustomed to camp life again. I may as

well here mention there were five of us in

number, two of which are my companions,

Tom, a short, stout English man who had been

a sailor and Homer, a tall, thin young man

whose father had fitted him out the year

previous on a similar expedition. I have often

thought, what kind of fathers some folks have.

I have always had to shift for myself, and

although it’s very unpleasant at times, yet it

makes a person have confidence in himself,

which I think is a grand item in the battling

with the world, for I have always found those

persons thrive best who depend on no one but

themselves.

The other two were acquaintances going on

their own hook. One was a western farmer

named Nick, the other was a down east yankee

sailor boy, who had never been in the mines,

he was a boon companion for Tom, who was

full of sailor phrases. Did a pack get loose, it

would be all adrift with Tom, did a mule get its

tether rope loose, its tow line was cast, did a

package have to be altered, the ballast would

have to be unshipped, and thus it was

sailorized from morning till night. Leaving this

camp our first incident occurred, one mule

refused to be caught so Tom proposed to ride

around the field after him. He hadn’t ridden far

before he went over the mule’s head, to the

amusement of the rest and disgust of himself.

However we succeeded in catching him and

were soon on the road. We passed many fine

orchards and large fields of grain in Suisun

Valley. We went by the town of the same name

and of which I formed but a poor opinion and

next came to Vaca Valley, which was very

pretty and park like. We camped on a small

creek near a farm, where we obtained both

milk and eggs. I like that portion of California,

the valleys are small and wooded. There are

many fine farm houses and large fruit gardens,

which give the appearance of home and wealth.

We next came to Puta Creek, which we forded.

We saw some squalid looking Indians, who

lived in huts near the crossing. Our track then

lay across the burning plains of Sacramento

Valley, a place I never wish to cross again,

although we fared better than we might, for on

asking for water at a farm house, the lady

kindly gave us milk and pie. She recognized an

acquaintance in one of our party, which

perhaps accounts for it. We camped at night on

Cash Creek, after first fording it, a job of no

small importance at that season of the year.

The next morning, Sunday, we again started

over a wild dreary waste which ultimately

brought us into a host of small bald hills,

where we got bewildered and lost, there being

no road or trail, except such as are made by

cattle. Tom was much disgusted and used a

great deal of profanity, he cursed the hills, the

mules and every other object in sight, and with

a pious conclusion thought we should have

fared better, had it not been Sunday; however

towards night we got onto a road, which runs

up Sacramento Valley and which we had to

follow a long distance. We were now in sight

of Marysville Buttes, which lay on the right.

The next morning, after passing a very

disagreeable night from wind and cold we

passed the Empire Ranch and several others at

roost of which we saw swarms of half-breed

children, the first I had ever seen. The valley

about here looks mean and dry, in fact it

corresponds with its inhabitants and looks

suitable for such men who have no higher

ambition than to live with Digger squaws.

Through the day we passed Sycamore Slough,

on the banks of which was a very nice looking

farm house at which we got some milk. I

always looked out for such luxuries, for I

expected some to be out of their reach but

intended to have my share so long as it lasted.

Later in the day we reached Colusa, a small

town on the Sacramento River. It is a very

quiet little place and is surrounded with timber.

This is a great hog district, thousands of which

were to be seen running wild in the woods. We

purchased two-hundred pounds of bacon at a

farm near here, kept by a very intelligent old

gent, called "The Major". He appeared full of

grief about the weather; the farms were all on

the brink of ruin for the want of rain. He had

five hundred acres of wheat, most dried up and

would wither and die in a few days if it did not

rain.

I liked the appearance of the country through

which we passed during the day, we saw many

large bands of fat cattle in addition to legions

of pigs, which started from every bush. The

thick brush and foliage affords them rooting

ground and shelter on the bank of the river. It

seems no crime to appropriate a pig or calf in

that district, for the owners have no idea of

their numbers and if a traveler catches one for

his supper he does so with the same feeling as

if it were a hare or a salmon, both of which are

equally plentiful there. We camped in a

beautiful spot on the bank of the river;

although it looked so luxuriant I think the place

is sickly. I had some severe shakes of the ague

there and felt almost unable to ride next day.

The weather was excessively hot which made

it very unpleasant for both man and beast. I do

not remember ever experiencing hotter weather

than the few days about this time, not even in

Panama.

Through the day Tom got thrown from his

mule again, much to his own chagrin and the

amusement of the other boys. We passed over

some poor looking portion of the valley and at

night camped on Stoney Creek; there were

thousands of cattle grazing about, in fact the

land seemed fit for no other purpose. My

sickness still increased

and I came to the

resolve of going on along to Tehama to seek

medical relief. I had a very unpleasant time of

it and could scarcely sit in the saddle.

However, I reached my destination by midday

and returned a few miles to meet my

companions on Tom’s Creek, they being

unable to drive

We went on to Tehama in the

heat next morning and remained there two

days. In making our last purchases for the trip,

we had also all our heavy provisions waiting

here, which had been shipped from the Bay,

such as a hundred pounds of flour, several

sacks of beans, sugar, etc., altogether making

quite a decent looking pack train. All being in

readiness the second day, we packed up late in

the afternoon and towards evening started off.

The object of the owners of the train being to

pass through Red Bluffs in the night, a town

about fifteen miles distant; and thereby avoid

being called on for a catalogue of taxes, which

they learned from a Jew peddler, would be

exacted with the utmost rigor, he said they had

robbed him of $75 for one mule and wagon

and that ours would be ten times that sum, and

there not being that amount in the combined

purses of our Company, we deemed it

advisable to avoid seeing that functionary if

possible, but bad luck seemed to have set in for

no sooner had we started, the mules became

stubborn and scattered in all directions; one

kicking his pack off here, another yonder, then

it became so dark we couldn't find some of

them at all, besides this we were minus one

hand, Enoch the sailor, who was always on

hand when there was a rope to pull, had gone

back to town for something which had been

forgotten, and in his eagerness to overtake us

had ridden past us and rode all night and all

next day in search of us, and only by accident

found us next evening. Besides this, I was too

sick to be of any assistance and cared little

whether I lived or died, I was too far off to

return to San Francisco and too sick to ride;

altogether, things had taken a bad turn. The

boys worked assiduously for several hours,

first to repack one mule, then another, finally

one got scared and started off in full gallop and

I after her, down a long lane she ran about two

miles and then stopped at a farm beside a creek

and by midnight the rest came up and

concluded to camp, it seeming futile to labor

against such en accumulation of disasters. "It’s

an ill wind that blows nobody good.” The

resolution suited me for I was too sick to ride

farther.

The next day, Sunday, was more propitious,

we traveled to within one mile of Red Bluffs

without disaster, and in the evening, as we

were preparing to run the blockade we

encountered Enoch on his backward trip; he

felt proud at having found us and after a

mutual explanation of our difficulties, we

proceeded on our journey. I thought the town

of Red Bluffs looked very pretty, far better

than any other wayside town we had passed

and felt an anxiety to see it by daylight. We

followed on our way til past midnight, losing

one mule on the way, which caused some delay

in finding and finally found a good camp

ground on Cottonwood Creek. We started next

afternoon and part of the night was gone ere

we reached the river again, which it was

necessary to find in order to find a suitable

camping ground. We camped by the river and

remained there all next day close to _?_ ferry

on which we crossed the following day with

less trouble than we anticipated. We also found

another stream near here. The country is here

and there dotted with comfortable looking

houses, all of which have orchards and

vineyards attached. This appears to be the last

of Sacramento Valley. The land is broken and

hilly and covered with thick brush. We saw a

man during the day who had started for the

mines, he camped near there and while

saddling his horse that morning his pack mule

had run away, pack and all, and he had nearly

ridden his horse to death in trying to catch him.

I do not know whether he ever found him or

not.

At night we camped near a place called Mill

Town, there quantities of hare in the woods of

which we shot a large number. Our road now

followed a stream named Oak Run, a country

similar to Vaca Valley; there are also many

fine looking farms with substantial houses and

fine orchards, most of the places having the

appearance of comfort about them. We were

now on the main road between Red Bluffs and

Fort Crook; here all signs of civilisation give

out, the country intervening from Oak Run to

the Fort is the same as all California

mountains, thick pine forests and principally

red soil. Occasionally one sees a wayside

house with a few half breed and 1 saw no white

women after we left Oak Run.

We were several days in reaching the fort after

leaving Mill Town. We had to cross the

summit near Lawson’s Buttes, also Round

Mountain, Montgomery Creek, where there

were lots squaw men, and Hatchet Creek.

Hatchet Creek and several others at one of

which I got stung all over with poison oak, to

add to my other sickness. After crossing the

summit which was partly covered with snow,

and where I found a horse (he was too poor to

drive so I left him). We came to a valley called

_?_ Valley; there was a white man living there

with a squaw. They had several children, He

had a good portion of the Valley fenced in, an

orchard laid out and some land under

cultivation, besides a good many other

improvements on the place. He told us the

previous occupants of the Valley had been

killed by Indians, but there were very few

about now. I thought it a lonely place to live,

but he seemed contented. We camped near his

house and he very kindly gave us milk for

ourselves and hay for our horses. It was very

cold there, the winter scarcely being over. The

next day, Sunday, we had a good road to travel

for ten miles, when we reached Pitt River, the

water of which runs very slow and is very

deep. We crossed on a log raft, worked by a

man who lives there and who also has a squaw

and lots of half-breeds. I saw one squaw peep

out of the house with her face painted blue. We

also saw twenty or thirty Indians in the woods

near there; they were a ragged looking set and

did not appear such bold and desperate

warriors as the Pitts are usually represented.

One fellow with a soldier's cap on and his

hands full of bow and arrows, came up to me

and gave me some small bulbs or roots and

told me to eat them, he wanted tobacco, but as

I did not use the weed, his generosity was of no

avail to him. We had no other incident during

the day except that Torn got a severe kick from

a vicious mule whose pack he was kindly

remodeling for him.

Late in the afternoon we saw from the hill top

Fall River Valley, in which is situated the Fort,

and where small parties of emigrants collect

previous to starting through the Indian country.

We camped near the Fort and were visited

during the evening by the Captain; he appeared

a fine fellow, talked with us several hours. He

appeared to dislike living there and would

prefer being at the seat of war. He had fought

last year with the Indians and had that morning

sent most of his men out to chastise some in

the neighborhood, but although they were out

all day and night and without food they

returned next corn without any scalps, in fact

from what I heard the soldiers relate next day I

don't think they looked after them much. We

were detained a week at the Fort, recruiting our

animals and waiting for more emigrants,

consequently everything in the neighborhood

became quite familiar to us. Of the Fort I was

somewhat disappointed, I suspected to find it

fortressed with cannon, etc., such as one

usually sees at other forts, but here was nothing

of the kind; two rows of log cabins such as

miners use constituted the barracks, then a long

shed closed at each end was the stabling, then

there was several other large log cabins,

scattered around and were used as store houses.

There was a hay yard and a settlers store, this

constituted all the buildings. There was a large

piece of land fenced in a distance off used for

invalid horses and the soldiers told ire they

also had a garden, but I never saw it. There is

also a graveyard, close by with three or four

graves in it, one of which was a young woman,

native of Scotland. Poor creature, she had

traveled a long distance from home to die, but

perhaps she will reach heaven as soon as those

who die in a more favored spot.

Fall River heads two miles from the Fort; we

went to visit it. It being a great curiosity, the

water gushes out of a hill at a fearful rate and

in a few yards forms a large river, big enough

to run steamers on. The river is very deep and

full of fish, it never rises or falls winter or

summer. On coursing through the valley, about

ten miles it is said to wind and twist over fifty

miles. It runs so very crooked it finally falls

into Pitt River, over some high rocks. Mount

Shasta is plainly visible from the valley, it

rears its gigantic head high above all the other

mountains. The top is covered with perpetual

snow, but although it is so plain to be seen in

the morning you can seldom see it in the

afternoon on account of the imperceptible

thickness of the atmosphere. It becomes so

effectually hidden that one is almost led to

believe there is no mountain there. There were

several settlers living within the protection of

the fort, all of whom we visited. There was a

Yorkshire man called Uncle Tom, a very

talkative old man, he had lived there seven

years and had made considerable money, he

knew the whole history of the valley from its

first settlement, had been

in many encounters

with the Indians and knew every white man

who had died from their violence. I had a long

talk with him and related some of my own

adventures; he thought I had seen a lot of the

world and said I ought to get married and settle

down after I had finished my present rambles.

There was another ranch kept by a nan named

Ryder, and a family staying at his house, the

name of Shilly, he had brought his family in

from a remote place, fourteen miles beyond the

Fort and that distance from any other white

settlement; he said when the Indians found the

soldiers were after them they came to his house

to learn the cause and he was afraid they would

destroy his house and kill his family, he said he

was a poor man, although he had five-hundred

cattle grazing in the valley and some of the

best horses in the country. He seemed very

fond of company and loved to talk, he wanted

to know all about the war in the east and if I

thought it would extend to California and if it

would reach up to Fort Crook, if it did he

should take his family back in to the mountains

until it was over. He had rather a good looking

wife, whom he had married in Oregon. Poor

thing, she had seen but little of civilized life,

who had two little tow headed children, named

respectively Beauregard and Beauneparte, they

did not appear to have been washed since they

were born. I showed them my gold watch, they

asked if it was alive and said they would like to

have one of them pretties. He also made the

acquaintance of a very indolent looking man,

named Berry, who made a precarious living at

horse swapping and keeping a ferry on Fall

River. We camped near his cabin two days

previous to our departure for the wilds, he

entertained us with tales of frontier life and like

most of his class appeared fond of company,

we passed the evenings in singing and dancing.

He had living with him a very interesting

Indian boy for whom I formed quite a liking,

although 1 have but little affections for

redskins generally, the little fellow had never

heard a violin before and when I commenced

playing he hid in a corner among the crowd, he

appeared delighted yet frightened and looked

on with amusement when the company

applauded. A hornpipe dance I very wall

believe he thought it was a paleface war dance

and that the victim was made to dance previous

to his elimination. He asked me very

innocently next day if that was a “kill him and

eat him dance.”

During our weeks sojourn, our crowd became

augmented by several small parties from

Shasta County, and in a week we numbered

twenty-nine men, which we considered sufficient

to brave the attacks of Indians.

There are two roads from the Fort to John

Day’s, one by Goose Lake, the other by Mount

Shasta and Sheep Rock. There were several

wagons with families going the latter road,

they wished us to go with them for mutual

protection. We sent come pioneers to inspect

the road, who reported ten feet of snow on their

return, so we decided on going the other way.

We had not teen troubled with much game yet,

in fact with the exception of a few hares, we

had had none since we left the Bay, and

although there are plenty of fish in Fall River

they are very difficult to catch. There are but

few deer in the neighborhood of the Fort.

Tom went out one day to hunt, he saw a deer,

which he shot at and of course frightened, he

said the mosquitoes bit so bad he could not

take good aim, which was perhaps true, for I

really believe there are larger mosquitoes and

more of them at Fort Crook than any other

place in the world; but poor Tom got sadly

derided for his ill success.

On Friday, all being in readiness, we took our

departure from the Fort; in an hour we came to

the river, over which we were to cross by

means of a dubious looking raft composed of a

number of pine trees, pinned together and

without any protection at the side to prevent

the animals from jumping overboard. It looked

almost impossible to effect a passage without

an accident; then the entrance to the raft was

belly deep with mud, altogether things looked

desperate; however after two hours labor and

several voyages, every animal was safely over

with no other accident than myself and pony

getting nearly drowned in getting on the raft.

We did not travel very far that day, but camped

at Shellup’s deserted cabin, it vas a pretty

location and situated on the banks of the Pitt

River.

This was the last sign of civilization and it

deserted, there were signs of an ancient Indian

village close by but it did not appear to have

been inhabited recently. Our camp now

assumed a look of importance and as yet we

were mostly stranger to each other, we were

English, Americans, Dutch and one Sioux

Indian; it reminded one of being on ship board,

where one is shut out from the rest of the world

and is soon likely to become acquainted with

all on board. Everyone appeared to be sociable

and accommodating. Enoch got a severe kick

from one of our mules while in the act of

liberating him of his pack, but he remarked that

perhaps it was due him for meddling with other

people's mules.

Our next day ride led over the most

abominable rocky hills where several of the

mules dislodged their packs. It was a good

thing for us there were no prowling redskins

about for we were scattered all over the

country and it would be easy to have destroyed

the whole train. Tom lost his bowie knife early

in the start to his great indignation.

We camped in an immense valley, in the

afternoon after a ride of perhaps fifteen miles.

Toward the close of the day when everything

had been prepared for the night with the

exception of tying up the horses. We had

collected together to choose a captain and pilot

to conduct the affairs of the company, it being

almost impossible for a large company to

travel through an Indian country without a

chief man. People are always in danger of an

attack day and night and it becomes imperative

to be always be the watch. We had just finished

the election and were dispersing to our various

camps, which were scattered about under

different trees in each side of the ravine, I had

started to bring my pony into camp for the

night and was perhaps a hundred yards from

the camp when I caw an Indian coming

towards me on horse back, then another and

another until I thought there were at least five

hundred of them, I confess I felt a nervous

twitching as they rode up to me, I had never

seen such villainous looking savages before;

true I had seen Indians before and had seen

wild savages in Australia and desperate

looking fellows in many other countries, but

these chaps inspired me with a terror I could

not subdue. As they rode up 1 thought I ought

to say something which would convey the idea

that I was not alarmed at their presence, for I

had heard that Indians have a superfine

contempt for cowards, so I said, "Hello

Captain, where are you going?” and to my

great astonishment he answered in good

English that he was looking for a place to

camp. By this time, many of the boys had

seized their rifles and come over to where I

was while some few awarded themselves of the

protection of the neighboring trees. The Chief

told us they were Klamath Lake Indians, that

they were in search of Pitt River Indians, who

had been over to their country and stole their

horses to eat, and he had not been on the

warpath for forty years, but had lived among

white men. The tribe wished him to come and

chastise the Pitts for their depredations. They

had been out four days and had scoured the

country in vain, they had taken but one captive,

a boy nine years of age and whom they had

with them. He said he did not kill women and

children, he should take him and raise him

where he would be better off, he said, see he

has no moccasins and is almost naked. He was

a demonical looking little wretch, sullen and

morose, his face was hideously besmeared with

white paint. So we told them they could camp

beside us and we must choose their camp

ground; they did not appear to like it but after

consulting among themselves they ultimately

ached us to show them the spot. They soon

dismounted and turned their horses out to feed;

they next made a large fire and cooked some

venison on the coals, after which they scattered

around our camp fires. Several of them spoke

English a little. They told us they should have

a war dance after dark and invited us to see it,

accordingly, after dark they prepared for the

dance, by painting themselves in a hideous

manner. The chief had a deer skin stretched

over a kind of hoop which he beat with a stick

and sang in a low whining manner. The others

formed a circle, around the fire each resting on

his rifle and joined in the singing, while one

young Indian got within the circle, rifle in hand

aud danced in a most grotesque and laborious

manner, occasionally the forest rang with their

hideous yells, enough to intimidate the stoutest

heart. As the dancer performed some particular

feat, or as the chief sang some exciting strain,

none of which we understood, the little captive

was also made to dance, much to his

annoyance. It was amusing to see how

disdainful he was treated by another little boy

about his own age. One of the band said he

was the son of the Great Chief. He was a proud

conceited little chap, dressed very fanciful, he

wore a blue band around his head with a large

feather sticking up on either side; he had a rifle

and I think a revolver also. All the men had

rifles, revolvers, knives and some bows, and

arrows in addition. There were twenty,

altogether, including a squaw, who wore a

brigand hat with a feather on either side and

was larger than the men. She was a very coarse

looking creature and had been brought, in

violation to all Indian laws, to act as

interpreter, she having a knowledge of the Pitt

River language. After the first dancer became

exhausted he jumped out of the ring and the

most horrifying yells and screaming that ever

reached the human ear and such as no people

can make, except a lot of wild excited Indians.

We now had to stop the performance, their

noises so alarmed our horses, that the guards

said they would break loose, and we should

lose them all. They were all tied to a rope,

stretched between two trees and four men were

placed to keep strict over them and the camp.

The Indians did not like to have to stop their

dance, one of whom became quite indignant,

however they laid down around their fire

beside their guns and we respectively beside

ours. We previously warned them not to leave

camp during the night, under risk of being shot

by our guards. Although I went to bed I could

not sleep, I could not overcome that nervous

sensation the first sight of them had caused. I

could not dispel from my mind that there were

several more close by, awaiting a signal to

come and massacre many of us. I have many

times during my life as traveler faced death and

danger, both by land and by sea,

but I cannot call to mind on cool reflection

ever having passed a more unpleasant night. I

felt glad when day broke that my scalp was

still adhering to my scull, for I laid down the

previous night with a firm conviction that it

would ornament some Indian's saddle bow on

the morrow, but I arose with an agreeable

disappointment. We got our breakfast and the

Indians some flour, etc., after which they

saddled their horses and prepared to start but

not before however first offering to sell us their

prisoner, I would willingly have bought him

had he been as engaging as the little fellow we

had seen on Fall River, his captor told him to

bid that man “goodbye,” meaning as he would

never see me again (I sincerely hoped he never

would). I held out my hand to shake hands

with him, when he seemed surprised and

showed me both his hands, I believe he did so

with the impression that I thought he had

stolen something. They then placed him on a

horse behind another Indian and at a given

signal they started off single file. They rode

completely around our camp twice, each man

with his rifle resting on his knee and making

the forest echo with their abominable war

whoops. We did not know the meaning of this

strange performance, we were looking for

some treachery but it was evidently done to

show an Indian custom for they rode off across

the valley in search of their enemies, at the

same time bidding us “goodbye” and telling us

if we saw any Indians to be sure to kill them

and they would do the same. I felt relieved

when they were gone, for I feel certain such

villainous looking dogs meant no good and had

we been a smaller party the chances are we

should have all been murdered. Their chief told

us be did not think his men would attack us

because we had too many guns, he wished us

to give them some ammunition, but that is

against all frontier laws, we told him we had

none to spare.

I omitted to mention in its proper place, that

we had been forewarned of their proximity to

us. We had amongst out party, an old man

named Goodman, who always took it on

himself the task and generally unknown to the

rest of taking his rifle and taking a ramble

around the vicinity of our camp, to look for

game and also learn if there was Indians about,

on this occasion he reported having seen

barefooted horse tracks, in addition to

moccasins, but his information was both

doubted and derided; however one of his

friends told us that if Mr. Goodman said there

was Indians about, there was Indians about for

he was an old hunter and could not be deceived

and to our discomfiture this remark soon

proved true.

Our track now led along the edge of the big

Valley. It was good traveling through the

forests, we saw a good number of deer but

failed to shoot any. I think the valley must be

twenty miles long, for we only traveled a few

miles beyond it when we had to camp. We met

with a serious accident an hour before dark.

The pack on one of Tom’s favorite mules had

become loose and got under his belly and

before he could be caught his fore foot was

nearly cut off with an ax which was in its pack,

so he had to be left. He hobbled along after us

on three legs next day, but ultimately gave up.

We heard the report of a gun that evening,

which we answered with another, thinking it

might be travelers and some of our boys went

out searching for them without succeeding, but

next morning we heard the same demonical

yells coupled with some rapid firing, we then

supposed our old visitors were in the

neighborhood and had surprised a camp of

their enemies; however we never saw them

again.

Our course now lay along Pitt River; there are

some beautiful spots of land along the bottoms.

We saw one antelope that morning which our

Sioux Indian wounded, but it got away. We

also saw a large wolf during the day and

several other antelope none of which were

brought into camp. We made a long drive that

day on account of following the river through a

terrible canyon. It was very tedious traveling

and we had to cross the river several times. We

were somewhat afraid of encountering Indians

and wished to keep on until we found open

ground, which we did towards night.

Next day we pursued our journey across an

immense waste of sterile country, leaving the

river on our right. Since we left the Fort we

were taking a direct northern course, with no

guide than the polar star. By doing so our pilot

old us we should reach our destination in a

week. We passed on our way that morning an

intense boiling spring. The water boiled up at a

furious rate and ran steaming down a ravine.

We also were visited by five almost naked

Indians, while we were consulting on the

practicability of crossing a swamp, they

showed us the best way to cross and concluded

by begging for tobacco and shirts. Towards

night we again struck Pitt River, where we

again camped. The place abounded with duck,

sage hens and fish, of which we got a large

number.

The next day in crossing the River again, we

saw a dozen or more small pyramids of solid

rock of nature's own making. They were

situated on the edge of a small fertile valley

and were a great curiosity. On the other side of

the river was a high perpendicular rock looking

like an immense battlement. The country from

there on to Goose Lake is very rocky and

useless, in fact with the exception of the land

in the immediate vicinity of Pitt River, the

country for several days travel is dreary with

scarcely a living animal on it. It abounds with

alkali and sage brush and is badly watered, but

Goose Lake Valley presents a different aspect;

one seldom sees richer land than exists there.

In many places where the water had washed

away the earth, the banks were six and eight

feet of rich black soil. The vegetation grows

luxuriant, thousands of acres of clover lying

waste there seemed sufficient to fatten all the

cattle in California and yet not a living creature

on it. The Lake is a noble sheet of water, at

least twenty miles long and abounding with

fish, there is also game in the mountains

joining it. We shot one deer and one bear and

lots of ducks. We also saw several antelope.

There are indications of copper and silver in

the mountains. We were three days in passing

the Lake, we delayed come in hunting, fishing

and recruiting our animals. I think, some day,

this valley is destined to become a great place,

the land is very eligible for cultivation, there

are many fine creeks running from the

mountains into the lake and innumerable small

ones, which run very swift and are as clear as

crystal. I have never seen a place with so many

advantages for irrigation. We found a very

beautiful plant on the hillsides, something like

the English tulip; it had two distinct flowers on

the same stalk, one pink, the white, it was very

fragrant, having an odor between the rose and

orange. I think it would be highly prized by

some florists.

After leaving the valley the country is rocky

and sterile, occasionally interspersed with

small fertile bottom. Twenty miles from Goose

Lake is Se Le Lake; we camped within a mile

or two of it and close to a perpendicular

fortress rock, it looked to be half a mile high

and runs in northern direction for fifty miles; it

forms one side of Se Le Lake. The water of the

lake is unfit for use, it tastes like the water of

the ocean, in fact the day we were there it

resembled Cape Horn, the wind blew a perfect

hurricane and the waves dashed about similar

to a storm at sea. We followed the eastern side

of the Lake and I believe this was the most

tedious day's travel of the whole journey, in

many places the water came close up to the

wall of rock then the whole distance was

strewn with huge boulders and fragments of

rocks, which had been dislodged and crumbled

from the high bluffs and probably the

accumulation of a geyser from the violence of

earthquakes and storms from the beginning of

the world. About midway along the Lake, we

came to an immense spring of excellent water;

we stayed there half an hour to refresh

ourselves and animals, having little idea when

we should meet with another opportunity.

We then pursued our journey in sullen silence,

the place was such as would fill a man's mind

with evil forebodings; occasionally the silence

would be broken with an angry growl from

some icon whose mule had stumbled over a

rock, or had brought its rider’s leg in contact

with one. No vegetation is seen for many

miles. Snakes and lizards are the only living

things to be seen. We traveled till nearly dark,

hoping to get past the lake and find a suitable

place to camp and were compelled at length to

unpack on the rocks. It was a pitiful plight to

be caught in, with neither wood, water nor feed

for the animals, still Providence favored us a

little, for close where we stopped, there was

some tall rank grass on the edge of the lake and

on examining the ground we found it spongy,

and by digging a little we found water, not

fresh but drinkable and which was very

acceptable to half famished men and horses.

We dug innumerable small holes, not more a

foot from the lake. In the morning they were

full of fresh water; were thereby enabled to

supply ourselves and horses before starting.

We packed up and took a hasty departure,

being anxious to leave such a dismal place. An

hour’s ride took us past the lake into a sandy

desert; we came to a spot where another party

had camped; we did not like to follow their

track, our guide thought it led too much to the

east; so we rested awhile to enable him to go to

the top of a high mountain to see what course it

was advisable to take. He returned in an hour

and thought we should leave the trail made by

the former party and follow the rock wall, this

looked like a good guide for us, it taking nearly

a direct northern course.

There is nothing to while away the tedious

hours in crossing a desert; it is a perpetual

sameness of sandhills and sage brush, not a

sound breaks the dismal silence, on all sides is

dreary waste, far, far away in the distance

ahead you see the outlines of larger hills, you

think there ends the desert and urge on your

jaded animals to get there to relieve both them

and yourself; you only reach them to increase

your troubles; a few dwarf or stunted cedar

trees is all that greets you, not a bird, no sound

of living creatures breaks the deathlike silence,

as far as the eye can reach all is dreary and

quiet solitude; the gayest spirit becomes sober

and thoughtful at such cheerless prospects. I

know of no more severe test for the human

spirit than to cross these desolate wastes,

without an idea of distance or time you will

take in getting over it, for my part I had made

up my mind to endure some privations and did

expect to get water that day and would not

allow myself to acknowledge a feeling of

thirst. Hour after hour passed sway, one sand

hill after another was left behind us, but no

sign of river or lake; once we saw a smooth

white spot, miles in advance of us, this surely

was a lake, but as we lessened the distance

between us and it we discovered it was but the

bed of a dried up alkali lake. Still we pursued

our journey, night was closing on us and we

should soon have to stop, some of the mules

were giving out and men also, we had traveled

at least forty miles since morning; the train was

in sad disorder, at least two miles from the

front to the rear. I did not know if the leaders

intended to keep going all night. I was in the

rear bringing on some weary mules, others

were still behind me. At length I saw a little

bird fly past me. I cannot describe what my

feelings were when I saw it, I think such as

would come to a man on receiving a reprieve

after having been condemned to die. The bird

did me no good, but I felt convinced there was

water near, or that bird would not be there, it

was too small to fly far; shortly after seeing it I

heard shouts of joy, the foremost of the train

had found a lake, in half an hour the last

animal was in camp, joy prevailed throughout

the company, the very mules seemed to

understand the providential discovery of the

lake. We named it Lucky Lake. We took

supper and spread our blankets for a rest after

our day’s ride. There was no guard set there,

neither were the animals tied up, but left to

indulge in the luxury of free water and what

little rank grass the place afforded. I had read

when a schoolboy of what pleasure it afforded

the caravans on the Egyptian deserts to reach

one of these places, I could now appreciate

their feelings. I do not think this place had ever

been visited by human beings before, there was

no sign or trace whatever of animal life.

The next day was wet and cold and we thought

somewhat of remaining till the morrow, in fact

I almost dreaded to leave, lest we should

become lost and fare worse; however, some

were determined to push on, spite of weather

and the distressed state of the animals, so we

again set out.

Our chain of rock gave out near the lake and

we had therefore nothing to guide us. The

country was broken and uneven, sometimes

miles of drift sand, at other times miles of

sagebrush and sandhills or barren mountains.

We are told God made everything for some

purpose, but what use are these barren wastes,

no one but God knows, they appear to extend

east and west for hundreds of miles. I have

since been on the same desert, a hundred miles

from that place, and it seemed as boundless as

the ocean. After hours of tedious travel and

after several consultations to what direction to

follow, we espied a small green spot on a hill

side, the top of which was covered with wood.

It was a long distance off, but men's eyes are

keen under such circumstances. We hastened

to it and found a small spring; there were also

signs of Indians, but they were old. We camped

there and next day pursued our pilgrimage

along the mountain slope. There were patches

of snow on the hillsides and an abundance of

grass, but to the westward all was desolation,

farther than the eye could penetrate and level

as a lake with the exception of one high black

mountain, which stood in bold relief like an

Egyptian pyramid. Through the day we crossed

an old wagon road, made in years gone by, by

emigrants from the east after which we saw

smoke arising many miles ahead, we thought it

was caused by some fellow travelers and

hastened on to join them. We passed over a

most abominable rocky country, resembling a

stone quarry or masons yard, it was also

infested with rattlesnakes. We made but poor

progress, still we were in high spirits, there

were high mountains before us and we should

soon reach them. At length we did reach them

and to our mortification found neither wood,

water nor travelers, nothing but high piles of

rocks, not even a tree, or a blade of grass but

far in the distance we could discern a line of

bushes; this was our only salvation, it evidently

was a creek, but evening was closing in and

before us was ten miles at least of sage brush

plains; the animals tired, the men disappointed

and out of humor, which was in no way

elevated by a soaking storm, which set in as we

started for the creek. Perish on the desert or

reach that creek, was on every man's mind, we

had overcome too many difficulties to despair

now, and hurried on, in spite of sage brush,

sand or merciless storm. At length we reached

the haven of rest, cold and hungry, it was

almost dark and no time to be lost; wood had

to be collected, stakes for the horses cut, tents

to be pitched, and supper cooked; every man

was busily engaged. Darkness had stolen on us

and the guard had not yet gone on duty, when

suddenly and as if by magic, away fled the

animals. What had caused it? Had an Indian

stole in and stampeded them or had a wolf

scared them? everything was confusion, put

out the fires was in every man's mouth, follow

the horses was the next, but who could follow

them, who knew where to go, was it not dark?

and was not a man's life in danger if he went

from camp, if not from an Indian's arrow, from

his own comrade’s rifle, who might mistake

him for an Indian, still the horses must be

sought for or we must leave our provisions and

pursue our journey afoot. That would never do,

we had come too far, encountered too many

difficulties, faced too many dangers to let

Indians run off our horses and then give them

the saddles and provisions. Accordingly some

of the boldest of the company went in pursuit

and amongst them Enoch the sailor boy or

Sammy Roller, as he had been nicknamed from

his resemblance in manners to the faithful

attendant of “Mr. Pickwick.” Sammy soon

returned in high glee, he had found several

horses, whose ropes had become entangled

around a bush and could not get away. He

wanted some assistance to bring them back,

accordingly I set out with him although I had

been left to watch the tent, but then there were

plenty to guard the camp, whose courage

failed, when the horses disappeared. I confess I

felt tamed down at the onset of the difficulty, I

thought this was a climax to all our disasters,

then my revolver was unloaded, I had

discharged it the previous day the desert, since

when I had had no opportunity of loading it.

However I set out with Sammy to fetch in the

horses, we found them as he had left them, the

ropes were in a most inextricable mess and

after vainly trying in the dusk to extricate

them, we resolved to pull the bush up by the

root and take it with us, so we set to work in

good earnest and finally succeeded in getting it

loose and took it to the camp, where we soon

disengaged it from the ropes. Meanwhile four

or five men had gone in pursuit of another

band of horses and fortunately one horse had a

bell on its neck and they followed the sound of

it, after an hour's pursuit they overtook them,

they had come to a high bluff of rocks and

could go no farther, only for that, they

probably would never overtake them. It was

late at night before all was tranquil. We passed

a very disagreeable night, it rained incessantly

and we dare not have a fire, that would be too

good a mark for the Indians.

I felt glad when morning broke and gave us an

opportunity of seeing what portion we were in,

our animals were all safe, that was gratifying.

There was plenty of water and good grass and

owing to its still raining and the distressed state

of the horses from crossing the desert, we

concluded to rest a day. About ten o'clock in

the morning we were visited by nine

villainous, cut throat looking Indians, they

came from a neighboring hill in single file,

they were nearly naked and unarmed, not even

bows and arrows. They did not appear at all

communicative, they did not even beg, as is

customary with Indians, but appeared sullen

and morose, they sat around our fires, taking

stealthy glances at our tents and then they

appeared disappointed and afraid, our numbers

appeared to scare them, then they could not see

our guns, for it was raining and the rifles were

in the tents and our revolvers were hidden

under our coat tails. They talked a little among

themselves and then left in the direction they

came from. Some of our party said we ought to

kill them, they would have killed us had they

had some advantage, but were overruled by

others who thought that their friends would

seek revenge if not on us on smaller parties,

whom they might encounter and thus they

escaped from death. An hour afterwards we

saw them on horseback on the top of the same

hill they stopped under a lone tree more than

an hour and finally disappeared. Later on in the

day we visited the spot, it appeared to be a

watch place for them; it contended a view of

the country for many miles in every direction.

They had seen us on the desert and had

attacked us there by means of smoke in order

to kill and rob us, but had been disappointed, in

fact they were nothing more or less than Arabs

of the desert, who live by plunder. We

anticipated an attack that evening or next

morning from them and made every

preparation for them. Our camp was formed

into a hollow square, we planted two posts in

the center and stretched a stout rope between

them and tied all the animals to it, we then

placed a sentry at each corner to watch. My

turn came at midnight and lasted until day

light. It was very cold and disagreeable, the

grass was wet and the atmosphere was thick

and foggy, so that one could not penetrate far

into the darkness; the night seemed fearfully

long, I was tired and weary long before

daybreak. I was mad and disagreeable, I longed

to seek vengeance on something. I am not

naturally blood thirsty, but I did feel like

killing Indians that night; however none came

and my anger abated when breakfast was

announced and I was relieved from guard, The

sun rose in due time and the day looked

favorable for traveling, so we struck the tents

and prepared for the march, at the same time

keeping a lookout for Mr. Indian and although

they allowed us to depart in peace, they were

still watching us, for when we had left the

camp, only ten minutes, on looking back I caw

one galloping down to the spot I presume to

see if we had left anything of value to him.

Our course still lay over a most abominable

rocky mountain country then the upward

course of Silva Creek and ultimately got on the

same trail made by the party whose track we

had seen on the desert, who had started from

the Fort a week before us. We also found a

notice pinned to a tree, telling us who they

were and when they passed there. This is

customary with travelers; we had done the

same. There exists a kind of brotherhood

amongst the desert travelers and one company

always feels an interest in another and are ever

willing to assist each other against their

common enemies, the Indians. In the afternoon

the country assumed a different aspect, water

course with frequent timber and grass

abundant. We camped early in the afternoon.

How soon one forgets misery when it is past;

that evening everyone felt gay and exuberant

and appeared as if they had never known a case

of anxiety, in fact we felt out of danger and

could now sit around our camp fires and

recount our adventures.

A little danger or a few difficulties is a great

test to a man's real character, I had discovered

more true and genuine traits in the characters

of some of my fellow travelers in that one

adventure with Indians, than I had learned all

the journey before, and I told them I was

composing a song in which I should handle

them according to their merits. We had among

our party a man named Morgan, who according

to his own accounts was a Trojan among the

Indians, but when the horses were run off, he

was afraid to stir, and told us it was no use to

follow them, we would surely get killed. Nick

also was a perfidy of valor, he had crossed the

plains and could annihilate a host of redskins if

they troubled us, but his bravery left him in the

hour of need, he was unable to ride after the

runaway but kindly offered his horse to anyone

possessed of more courage. Then we had a

touch of the ludicrous with all our troubles,

Miller, who was always in a hurry and always

liked to do things different to other people, got

disgusted at having to pack wood from the hill

to the camp, as he thought it would save time

and trouble to take his beans to the hill and

cook them where wood was plentiful, “He

wasn't afraid of Indians,” however he had no

sooner got the fire to burning and the kettle on,

when the Indian came to take a warm at his

fire. Miller thought that was too sociable and

taking his half-cooked beans in his hand, beat

A hasty retreat back to camp.

Our next day’s ride was through an immense

pitch pine forest and over a high mountain or

rather a dividing ridge, for on descending the

other side, we came to a creek whose waters

coursed in an opposite direction to Silva Creek,

in fact we had now got fairly into the

mountains again. The land along the creek is

very rich and fertile with grass and wild fruit in

abundance; in fact all the creeks I have seen In

the Blue Mountains run through narrow valleys

of unsurpassed richness suitable for cultivation

from one end to the other. We camped on the

new creek which we named Beaver Creek from

the large quantities of dams it contained made

by those animals. I think some trappers could

have done a thriving business there for every

available spot on the creek for many miles

contained a dam. We only killed one, which

was shot early next morning; they are very shy

and never venture out of their holes by day or

when any noise is heard; their dams are made

of brush, carefully entwined, something after

the fashion of a coarse birds nest, which backs

up the water and affords them deep water to

sport in; they then burrow holes in the bank

under the water and run them above the water

level, where they have their beds high and dry.

They appear to subsist on the bark of trees, the

one we killed was full of sticks and bark, they

have four very square teeth in front with which

they gnaw down trees a foot thick, their hind

feet are webbed with double claws, their fore

are not webbed, but formed similar to a

monkey's and use them as such, the tail is a

hard horny substance looking something like a

square fish, scaley and tough; they use it to

carry mud to tighten their dams; their flesh is

coarse and dark and when cooked tastes similar

to the wood chuck or ground hog of California.

They are about the size of a fox but much

heavier. After following the creek some miles,

we came to a junction formed by another

running into it. We then got bewildered but

ultimately left them both and were induced to

ascend a high mountain for the gratification of

some and to the indignation of others for

having reached the top after a toilsome

struggle, we had to go down on the other side

to a small valley to camp. We could have gone

round it in half the time and saved the animals

the cruel toil which their weary limbs ill afford,

however it afforded us the gratification of

seeing the high mountains, at whose base was

our destination and also proved to us that our

guide had piloted us without road or compass

in a direct line the whole distance of three

hundred miles with no other assistance, than

the stars and his own ideas. We were now

within one day

’

s ride of Canyon City; the

country was very mountainous and looked

almost impassible for men to track over but we

had passed over some dangerous places in our

trip already and had become indifferent to

danger so that steep mountains, rocky barriers,

fallen timber and difficult creeks were looked

on as natural consequences and through such

country our last day's drive lay. I say last day,

because we camped within seven miles of John

Day’s and although we were yet in the wilds

and where no white ever appeared to have been

before us, we were within easy access of the

settlement. Our journey being now at an end

and probably this being the last night we

should be together for tomorrow we were

going into the mines and would in all

probability scatter in all directions, I was called

upon for the song. I did not however like to

sing it lest it might annoy the sensitiveness of

those whose weakness it touched on, but then

as it included myself with the rest it removed

the appearance of contempt and so with the

assurance from the majority that it would be

taken in good part, I sang or rather repeated:

“THE SONG”

Now I've come to John Day’s River,

Some gold dust to discover,

I've come all the way from the Bay

I bought an old mare

And I rode her up from there,

just to hear what the folks had to say,

Just to hear what the folks had to say»

Now I had a lot of chums

With pistols, knives and guns

To keep us well supplied with fresh meat,

But when we'd get to camp

After a precious hard tramp

We very seldom had a bite to eat,

We very seldom had a bite to eat.

Then we had a lot of mules

To pack along the tools,

The grub and other things we need

And when we got 'em packed,

And started on the track

There was Miller, he always took the le-a-ad,

There was Miller, he always took the lead.

When we got to Fort Crook

For the soldiers we did look,

And all the other sights for to see

But the men had got their pay

And half had run away,

But the captain said they'd gone off on a spre-

e-ee,

But the captain said they'd gone off on a spree.

Then down at Fall River,

It made us all quiver

To see so much mud all around,

But we crossed on a ferry

Kept by one Mr. Berry,

And the fiddler got very nearly dro-o-own,

And the fiddler got very nearly drown.

When we got to Goose Lake,

A rest we thought we'd take,

Some said they'd like to shoot a bear;

The mountains all abound

With game did abound

And Goodman went out and killed a de-e-er,

And Goodman went out and killed a deer.

Then next at Lake Se, Le

The desert we did see

And we crossed by the Homer Shuey trail,

And when I go below

I mean to let folks know

It’s the shortest way to send along the ma-a-ail,

It’s the shortest way to send along the mail.

Then next to Beaver Creek,

I heard the boys speak

Of a man they said had tumbled in

He went to Jump across

And tumbled off his horse,

And I think they said his name was Mr. N. Y.

Now amongst all the fellows

Was one Sammy Weller

Oh, crackey you ought to see him eat,

He got kicked by a mule

Because he was a fool

And couldn't keep away from his fee-e-e,

And couldn't keep away from his feet.

Then we had a Dutchman,

He was a “gallus” watchman,

You ought to see him going of his rounds

He got behind a tree,

The Indians to see

And sometimes he squatted on the ground,

And sometimes he squatted on the ground.

There was Morgan, with his musket

He got up and dusted

One night when we had a stampede,

But he swore he'd have a scalp

If any one would help

A dozen hands was all that he should ne-e-ed,

A dozen hands was all that he should need.

Then Nick he was so brave

The animals to save

Just listen to the plan he laid out

His saddle he put on

And then he went to Tom

And wanted him to take a little sco-o-out,

And wanted him to take a little scout.

Then Fuller took the lead,

Upon his old brown steed,

He said he'd take us straight, as any line,

But he took us o'er the rocks

Which cut all the horses hoofs,

I don't believe he saved us any ti-i-ime,

I don't believe he saved us any time.

There's big Mr. Rae,

Is a good shot, they say

But: I never see him bring in any game;

He was thrown from his horse

With a very ugly toss,

Which made him hobble round very lame,

Which made him hobble round very lame.

Then poor old uncle Jake,

He's com to make a stake

And I hope he'll be lucky,

Now he’s here,

It wasn't very pleasant

To sec him dragging in the re-ear.

To see him dragging in the rear.

But take us altogether,

We're a jolly set of fellows

Let the world say just what it may

And after all out trials,

I hope we'll make our piles

Just to recollect coming to John Days,

Just to recollect coining to John Days.

I think I never heard such a spontaneous

applause, as that which followed the song, it

brought to mind al our experience and

incidents and all hands could now look back

and see them all over again; in fact nothing

else was talked of through the evening, but

Charlie's song, of which all wished to preserve

a copy.

The next day half of us rode into the Town of

Canyon City, leaving the remainder to take

charge of the provisions. It was on the tenth of

June, when we arrived. The low barren hills

were covered with bunch grass and the weather

was fine, such as would naturally inspire a man

to be light hearted, besides our long tedious

pilgrimage was over and we could afford to

feel gay, and its a wonder if we did cause the

citizens to gaze and ask each other, where did

them wild reckless looking men come from.

We certainly did not look very prepossessing;

in fact I scarcely knew myself on being

confronted with a looking glass. Two months

back, I was in Francisco with pale delicate

hands and face, white linen fine clothes, but I

was changed now, unshaven, sunburnt long

hair and tattered clothes, surely my city friends

would never have known me.

I did not much like the appearance of the place,

the town was like most all mining camps In

California: stores, whiskey shops and miners

cabins, but it lacked that bustle and excitement

so usual in new and rich mining camps. Money

appeared rare and that class of men were

wanting, who spend money and make a place

look lively; in fact there were very few miners

there, they were chiefly farmers, from Napa

Valley, California, or the Willamette in

Oregon, few of whom knew but little about

mining. We soon learned the extent of the

mine, it was confined chiefly to the creek and

its banks. There was also some mining on the

rolling land between the river and the

mountains, but no mining on the river. The

gold district was all claimed by the first band

of discoverers, leaving no chance for

newcomers but to buy or to hire out. Labor was

plentiful at $4 per day and no one need be idle,

however we had come too far to work for

wages and preferred to rest a while. We

consequently moved our camp nearer town and

amused ourselves in seeing the elephant.

The principle street was always crowded in the

evening and a rougher set of men, one seldom

meets; they were mostly from the back

settlements of Oregon, with long hair,

unshaven face, buckskin pants and an old blue

military overcoat. Their usual conversation

being the merits of horses of Indian

depredations and not the usual “cents to the

pan,” so customary in other mining camps. We

learned that the Indians had been committing

serious depredations on the companies of

whites, while passing through their country,

and that several bands of armed men had gone

out to protect some families who were known

to be on their way thither. There was an Indian

captive in the village, who had been brought in

by some men who had shot him through the

shin while in the act of stealing their horses

almost within sight of town. Of course we went

to sec him, his leg was terribly fractured and

was afterwards cut off. He had a most

forbidding countenance and looked with

contempt on all who visited him. I could not

positively identify him, but he looked very

much like those red devils we had seen on the

desert, he was carefully attended to during the

time of his confinement and when his leg got

well he made his escape and was never

afterwards heard of. It seems strange that men

will act with such leniency to a set of wretches

who live by plunder, murder or any kind of

vil1ainy within their power. I am opposed to

harshness generally, but experience has taught

me, during my chequered intercourse with the

world that a man must treat others, not as they

would wish to be treated by others, but

according to their merits, and if a man acts like

a wild beast, treat him as one, if you don’t, you

do the world an injustice, and I do think that a

man is a friend to Christianity, who does

himself of every opportunity to rid the world of

savage Indians. Our friends in far off places

where an Indian is as seldom seen as icebergs

in the tropics, may prate about white men

intruding on their rights and occupying their

country, but that is only following Indian

escape for long before white men made their

appearance on this continent. The Indians were

in the habit of invading each others territory

and so far as their doing wrong, stealing or

committing murder under the impression that it

was just and proper is concerned, they knew if

they were caught, death would be their doom;

which plainly proves they knew it to be a

crime, and if white men do not retaliate with

the same vindictive retribution, the march of

civilization must stop short, because a class of

indolent vagabonds don't choose to

acknowledge and act in accordance with the

laws of civilized men. I say rather annihilate

them; they act on the principle of “might is

right,” let us do the same.

A few days after our arrival, I made the

acquaintance of some of the party whose trail

we had seen on our journey, they had seen

more trouble then us. Soon after they left the

fort, one of their party was thrown from a horse

and seriously injured, which delayed their

traveling, they took what care of him was in

their power, but after a week he died and was

buried on the desert. They described the place

to me at the same time adding that they thought

there vas no fear of his being scratched up by

wolves for they had buried him very deep in

the sand. We did not pass the precise place, but

were within miles of it and I cannot recollect in

all my travels having ever seen so dismal a

place, poor fellow I have often thought of him

with a sad feeling and have since penned some

verses to his memory and although my own

wandering habits have led we through many

strange vicissitudes and wild unfrequented

places, may God avert my dying in so

lonesome a place.

THE LONELY GRAVE

On a wild dreary desert,

A stranger lies buried,

Far away from his own native land,

Through accident's chance

He here breathed his last,

And they buried him deep in the sand.

How sad ‘twas to die,

Where no friends were by

And the white man so seldom is seen,

To be buried alone

Without coffin or stone,

To mark where the stranger had been.

Where no sound is heard,

From the sweet singing bird,

No wild flower to bloom o'er his head,

Save the wolf's angry growl

Or the wind’s dismal howl,

No sound will e’re reach his last bed.

Fond hearts may perhaps yearn,

For his speedy return,

His Mother with undying love,

But his Journey is o'er, She'll see him no more

Til she meets him in heaven above.

Within a week of our arrival, I had an

opportunity of trying my hands in the mines, it

was rather against the grain to hire out, besides

the weather was extremely hot; however I gave

good satisfaction and was told I could work

there as long as I wished. I was entrusted with

the most particular work, cleaning bed rock,

and was looked on as an experienced miner.

Some four weeks after I had worked there, the

water gave out and that suspended operations;

however I soon got another job running a

trunnel, it lasted only two weeks and I was

very glad of it for it was a wet disagreeable

job.

Having been idle a week in consequence of my

boss being unable to obtain water to wash what

dirt we had dug, and no other employment

presenting itself, I became restive for some

excitement and about this time a company was

forming to penetrate the great wilderness of the

Snake Indians in search of some imaginary rich

creek, said to have been discovered by

emigrants in 1845, long before the era of gold

in California. The story as related to me by one

of that party, who was then a boy was as

follows: in 1845 a train of 350 wagons with

3000 head of loose cattle, left the Eastern

States in search of a home on the Pacific Coast;

after journeying a long time, they were lost in

these mountains and that while here and in

crossing a creek some one picked up some

metal in a spot where the red rock was washed

bare. It was looked on as a valueless curiosity,

and some one hammered it flat on a wagon

wheel, it was laid away in a tool box, but in

crossing another creek it was lost box and all.

About this time a Mrs. Chambers of their party

died and was buried, she was given as decent a

burial as circumstances would admit, her

brother carving her name on a rude stone to

mark her grave. The train, after encountering

unheard of dangers and trials, ultimately made

their way into Oregon, where all was forgotten

until the golden era of modern days, when men

who have since grown gray with time, began to

relate these early discoveries; accordingly last

year parties

ventured out in search of the place, which

resulted in the discovery of new mining

regions, among them Boise River and Norman

Basin, both of fabulous richness, but neither of

them the desired spot; but later on in the

season, a part of 24 men ventured out to try

their luck, but were met by a band of hostile

Indians and driven away, getting several horses

wounded, in the retreat they came to Canyon

City, stated their case and deploring their hard

fate of having been driven away, after having

discovered the bones of the woman before

mentioned, together with the grave stone. Now

those in any acquaintance with the gold miner

knows full well that much less than this would

induce him to risk life and limbs, in any

adventure, where gold is said to abound;

accordingly it was with little difficulty, a large

number were induced to join in the enterprise

and on the second of August, 1363, a band of

102 resolute men all armed and equipped each

according to his own taste, met in the forest, a

few miles from town to organize and explore

that country in defiance of Indian or any other

obstacle, or die in the attempt. Of course I

could not allow such an opportunity for

excitement to pass unnoticed; besides a

number of acquaintances were going who

never doubted that I should go; here was

perhaps the last chance which would occur in

the annals of gold mining, to be first on the

field, besides the probability of testing my

nerves in battle and having my name handed

down to posterity as an Indian Fighter, and one

of the discoverers of the new gold region.

Accordingly, I packed up my few traps,

saddled up my mare, that I had ridden from

San Francisco, and with a month's provision

joined the cavalcade. I confess I felt somewhat

proud as we started off the first morning, on

taking a survey of the Company, for I had in

common with all persons acquainted with

Indian habits, withdrawn my sympathy, and

established a feeling of superfine contempt for

them, for instead of the bold generous warriors

and braves I had thought they were, I find them

mean sneaking, contemptible, thieving

cowards, with no other bravery than a cat, who

would scratch you for stepping on her tail or

appear to thus denounce them; it is

nevertheless true and hundreds can be found,

both men and women to endorse my

sentiments from their own sad experience. One

is never safe in an Indian country, they follow

in your wake for weeks, unseen, and pounce on

you when least expected, steal your horses, in

order to compel you to leave your goods in

order that they can get them when you are

gone. If you are too vigilant and strong for

either of these devises, they cunningly hide

their arms and come into your camp and beg

for anything you have, telling you their “tom

tom is hyas close” meaning their heart is good

towards you and at the same time feeling

secure knowing that white men would not

molest them in such a defenseless state, I say I

felt proud because in most troubles with the

Indians, they have been the attacking parties

invariably molesting small crowds of whites,

with every advantage on their own side, but

here was a crowd, ready to face them at their

own game and willing to take pot luck; and

seldom is such a band of men seen, I may say,

never in civilized country, armed with his own

favorite piece, from the double barreled

shotgun and old fashioned yager to the more

modern of minie musket and Sharps rifle, and

to this a revolver and bowie knife and horse

and you have a fair idea of the rangers. Of

course everyone dressed according to his own

taste; canvas and buckskin predominating,

altogether, we made quite an imposing

appearance and to be candid, I do not recollect

ever having seen a more determined looking

crowd of men, a number of them were Indian

fighters, while the majority had seen some

frontier life or other hard experience.

Our first business on organizing, was to choose

a captain and pilot. There were several

aspirants for the captaincy, among them a Mr.

Crouch, an officious talkative little man, who

appeared to know it all, then a Mr. Cummins,

who felt very indignant that the company

should dare to propose anyone but him for the

office; however, they did propose a Mr. Ayre,

a cool calculating man of no Indian experience,

but of hard fought battles in Mexico; it would

be impossible for a man to please a whole

company, but I do not think on reflection, we

could have chosen a better man, I am sorry to

say the say of the pilot, Sammy Fuller, who

appeared to have no more knowledge of guide,

than if he had never been in the mountains, he

had been one of the early emigrants and also

one of a party of prospectors before mentioned;

but I have since learned he was under

obligations to the disappointed Crouch, which

perhaps accounts for the outrageous journeys

he led us.

Our first day's trip led us in a westerly

direction, over a high mountain ridge, which

finally brought us in to a large valley, very

fertile in places, with many thousands of acres

of rich grass, a creek running through it well

stocked with fish, and along its banks sage

hens out of number. We camped in this valley,

after a journey of ten miles, amused ourselves

with fishing and shooting and at night the

camp was well supplied with game. At eight

o'clock the night guard was put on and the fires

put out, a guard of four men stood four hours

each. There is little danger of attack in the

night, dusk of eve or break of day being the

favorite time for prowling red skins, and it

behooves a guard to be well on the alert when

the horses are first turned loose for being cold

they are easily stampeded.

Our second day's journey took us out of the

valley, over a thickly wooded mountain (where

one mule gave out and was left to his fate or

the Indians), and into another long fertile

valley, where we again camped by the side of

the stream which courses down its center. We

had plenty of fish and grouse again, but

nothing but willow brush to cook with. We had

to stand guard until midnight I found it a very

unpleasant duty, the night was extremely dark

and very cold and I was kept in perpetual terror

by what I now suppose to have been a mouse

or snake, but imagined then it was nothing less

than a bear or Indian in the bushes behind me.

One fancies himself a different feeling, at least

it does to me, and however unmanly it may

appear, I must confess, I prefer daylight danger

to darkness. One has a fine opportunity to

review his past life, while on night duty. The

hours pass slowly away, he sees nothing but

the shady outlines of horses or bushes and the

deathlike silence is only broken by the

movement of a horse or the hasty burr of a

night insect, he dare not move himself, if he

does, his life is in danger, he is therefore glad

to rummage his brain for some subject for

contemplation. My invariable impressions

were, that men love dangers and difficulties or

they would not risk their lives in such

expeditions and contend with the accumulated

dangers of savages and wild beasts for the sake

of a little gold, when generally they have other

occupations to follow, of less precarious nature

and certainly less dangerous.

The next day, we were ready for our usual trip

order from the captain to start, when one

refractory horse broke loose and made for the

mountains; half a dozen men rode after him,

but returned without him: he appeared

determined not to be caught, they shot at him

severe1 times to prevent his being of any use to

the Indians and then gave up the chase. They

saw two bears and one deer during their

absence of two hours. We made a short ride

that day, going to the lower end of the valley, a

distance of eight or ten miles. The land was

extremely fertile, the grass standing waist high

and appeared never to have been molested, but

stand and decay year after year. It seems a pity

to see so many thousand of acres, laying waste

with nothing save an occasional deer to eat it.

The boys made a perfect stampede for game,

returning at night with deer, fish and sage hens

by the dozen. It was a perfect poultry yard for

game. We placed a double guard on at night;

on account of imaginary proximity of Indians,

but one guard thought very little of the danger

for he was found sleeping on duty, which

caused much indignation in camp.

Friday morning all hands mustered to roll, and

being about to pass into dangerous places, each

man was told his individual duty, in case of a

sudden attack from the Indians, the guide

would go first with his guard of four, then the

pack animals with their accompanying guard,

then there was a rear guard to watch over the

repacking of any animal which might require it

and which often occurred through the day, in

addition to these, there was scouts and

flankers, so that the red varmint had but little

show to get to windward of us day or night.

Our guide informed us, we had but ten miles to

go to get to where the gold was supposed to

exist and where the Indians attacked them

before, we consequently, all in high spirits, but

after riding forty or less miles over the most

abominable sterile rocky mountains and almost

impassable pitch pine forest he came to a halt

in a dry ravine, when it became too dark to

proceed farther, we had to dig for water which

we succeeded in finding, but in small

quantities and owing to the large number of

men and horses, it was late at night before we

were served, Some of the scouts were out all

night, but fortunately found us next morning

after a most fatiguing search after which we

took an early start Saturday morning across the

high points leading down from the main

mountain ridge, which runs on the western side

of the large valley, said to be a principle

rendezvous of the Snake Indians and in a few

miles came to a small creek with burnt quartz

scattered about. Some were in favor of

prospecting it, but were overruled by others

who wanted to find a suitable camping ground;

we accordingly followed the creek down until

it lost itself in the great valley, we had to keep

going then over tedious wastes of sage brush

deserts, our horses were nearly famished,

having had no water all day, but they made up

for past time when we came to a creek in the

afternoon. We camped on the creek where the

Fort Boise road crosses in from Oregon; the

valley here is very fertile. Very many

thousands of acres of grass stand to be

destroyed by the next seasons storms. I think I

never have seen a larger piece of level country

than this valley, it looks as boundless as the

Atlantic Ocean, it contains several larger lakes

but I never saw them or Indians either, but

suppose they were there fishing.

Sunday we were packing up and followed up

the creek towards the mountains again, we

came to a deserted Indian village, and soon the

creek narrowed into an almost impassable

canyon, where I think no human foot had trod

before, certainly no white man and where I

hope I shall never go again. I had fallen behind

to shoot some game and was hurrying up to

overtake the company when I found one man,

whose horse had fallen over the steep bank into

the creek. We took the saddle and left the

horse. We were soon compelled to leave the

canyon and get to the top of the mountain and

after a few miles ride found a nice little valley

to camp in. A number of the company now

become very dissatisfied with the circular route

the guide was taking us, in fact it was very

evident he knew nothing more of the place than

any of us; we told him it was impossible for

wagons to go over such ground as we had

come over, but he insisted that he had seen

seventeen yoke of oxen to an almost empty

wagon, going through some canyons and

persisted that we were in the neighborhood of

the road made by them years ago. After

camping two men started back to see if the

unfortunate horse could be brought to camp,

they found him alive and started back with

him, but got benighted and lost, but ultimately

found the camp before morning, there was also

another man out all night, he got lost while

hunting for deer.

Monday, August 9, a general consultation held

to learn what was best to be done, we were

now out a week and no sign of gold country,

yet the horses mostly worn out and the

company lost. It was at last agreed upon that

several parties of twenty each should ride off in

different directions to explore the surrounding

country, while the remainder should stay in

camp and guard the provisions and remaining

horses from the attacks of sneaking Indians.

There were several deer brought into camp

during the day and some feathered game by the

camp guard; the pilot rode out and in a short

time returned saying he had found the road, but

he failed to show it to anyone else. The

skirmishers also returned at night, without

having discovered anything other than terrible

rocky canyons and thick forests of pitch pine,

consequently we packed up on Tuesday in

search of a new camp ground. We were unable

to stay long in one place owing to the large

number of horses with us. Our course led

through a thick forest in an easternly direction.

We killed one bear and one badger, during the

day, we only rode ten miles when we found

another small valley where we again camped.

Some scouters reported having seen the old

road, but had seen no Indians yet, although this

is a fine hunting

ground, we thought they were afraid to show

themselves or else they are all at the lakes

fishing. At day break some twenty or more

were out in search of game, while later on in

the day half a dozen small parties started out in

as many different directions to explore the

country and search for one missing man. No

other incidents during the day except the usual

routine of camp life, such as baking bread,

spicing yarns, changing guard, etc., with the

exception of a few everyone appears perfectly

happy in fact 1 do not see cause for any other

feeling, when cards, politics and whiskey are

excluded and men have plenty to cat, a horse to

ride and are away from the busy haunts of men.

I amused myself during the day with carving

with a pocket knife, my name and date on a

tree for the satisfaction of any future traveler,

who may have the misfortune to pass that way,

have done the same in many countries. The lost

man came in alone about noon, very hungry

and frightened, he assured the company that his

term of hunting expired with last night's

adventures, he said he got bewildered and lost

about nightfall and after crossing several

terrible gulches, he got into one and could not

get out, so he sat down to meditate on his fate,

he had no coat, blanket or matches, besides

suffering with thirst, he was in constant dread

of some wild beast coming on him; although

he passed a most miserable night, but as soon

as day broke he broke also and had wandered

half the next day to find the camp. He

remained true to his vow, for he never got out

of sight of the main body of the company

during the remainder of the trip. At night the

explorers returned with very unsatisfactory

results, finding neither gold or Indians, I went

out to see the immigrant road as reported by

Fuller, but could see nothing more than an

Indian trail, had it been a wagon road it

certainly would have been two tracks unless

their wagons had wheels on one side only, for

here was but one track and a very crooked one

too.

The following morning our captain made a

short speech to the assembled crowd telling us

that he for one was satisfied that we were in no

gold region, but was content so long as the

provisions lasted, to continue the search, but

that owing to several men not having returned

from yesterday's reconnoiter we remained in

camp until their return, there being no

uneasiness about them as they went prepared to

stay all night from camp; however seven of the

company saddled up their horses and left for

Canyon City direct. The day passed off very

dull, the men being afraid to leave camp lest

the absent men should return and the order

given to start, but they did not return until

night and with no more cheering news than

before, so the following morning before

sunrise the camp was all life, the trip was

considered a failure and each was going his

own route; some to Auburn, some to Canon

City and others to wander about the country a

while longer. I joined the latter party and

returned to the poultry yard valley by a route of

our own which we reached in a few hours, a

journey under a professed mountaineer, which

had taken us four days in going. I felt glad to

get back to the old spot on account of the

game, I went with a companion and shot

eleven sage hens in half an hour while others

made sad havoc among the fish.

I got up the next morning in search of another

class of game, there was a large beaver dam a

short distance from camp and I was determined

to try my hand at them, so two hours before

daylight my companion and myself were

uncomfortably seated by the creek anxiously

waiting, gun in hand for the appearance of the

nocturnal varmint, whose furs made such nice

winter garments, but we were doomed to

disappointment in this enterprise, as well as the

golden one for after faithfully watching till

broad daylight; and getting nearly perished

with frost, nothing made its appearance, but

one muskrat, which we shot and returned to

camp perfectly satisfied that however pleasant

it may be to wear fur coats in winter it is not all

fun getting the skins to make them with.

After breakfast we determined to make our

final search for gold, so we started in to the

mountains again, our number being again

reduced by a number leaving for Canyon City,

we went about ten miles, when we came to a

suitable camp ground. A number of the boys

were detailed to survey the country, which

lasted two days, come brought back quartz of

an inferior quality, others fish and venison,

while others returned with their tools and rifles

only thoroughly disgusted with prospecting,

the consequence was a general break up of

camp and scattering of the men, regardless of

dangers or consequences. My companion and

myself started back for Canyon City with eight

others willing to make the best of a bad job.

We were unable to go far the first day, owing

to one man and several horses being sick and

very poor; however we managed to reach our

favorite valley where we fared sumptuously on

fish and fowl. We passed a very large deserted

Indian village it must have contained several

hundred Indians and after resting until nightfall

we again saddled up and made for the

mountains deeming it unsafe for so small a

party to remain there all night. We rode a few

hours and spread our blankets for a sleep, the

night was very cold and frosty, although the

days were unpleasantly warm. We arose before

daylight, saddled up and started for a suitable

place to breakfast, which we found in a couple

of hours walk, we rested several hours in order

to give the horses a chance after which we

again mounted and followed along the creek

unconscious of where we were going, but were

agreeably surprised after an hour's ride to find

ourselves in the valley we stopped in the first

day's ride we made after organising. We

determined to stay here the remainder of the

day to fish and hunt and in a few hours we had

a horse load of trout and sage hens. In the

evening we started off again towards the high

mountains back of Canyon City, we reached

the timber and got cornered in an almost

impenetrable scrub where we camped, it being

too dark to go any farther, we built a fire and

searched for water, which we found by digging

a little. We dressed our game and went to bed

without posting a guard, feeling now secure in

the thickness of the forest. We took an early

meal next morning and steered direct for the

high bluffs, which overhung the City and in a

few hours reached the creek, when we took our

last meal in the woods and after following the

stream a few miles, signs of civilisation met

our eyes, a miner's cabin then another and

another; every person we met had a catalogue

of questions to ask relative to our adventures.

We learned from them that during our absence

the Indians had been busy in another direction

having attacked a mule train near town and in

addition to shooting one of the packers had

taken everything of service to them together

with most of the mules. It makes one's blood

boil to hear of such depredations, but time will

effect a change, their country is being fast

filled with white men, the mines are making a

big inroad into the country and the time will

soon come when they will have to respect the

white man or be exterminated from the face of

the earth. We reached home during the

afternoon, after an absence of seventeen days

pretty well galled as also were our horses and

glad to have the satisfaction of sleeping in a

cabin once more however rough they appeared.

Our tattered clothes and sunburnt faces bear

ample testimony of the exposure and rough life

one leads on such journeys, although I never

knew a pain or ache during the trip but it is a

life which soon wears a person out, tho days

are excessively hot, the nights bitter cold, the

food one has is differently cooked, but one's

traveling appetite takes no notice of that or the

quality so long as quantity is observed, then

one lays down to sleep with his firearms at his

side, expecting to have to use them before the

morrow on some prowling band of thieving

Indians.

And now closes my adventures for this time

for my own part I am little disconcerted by the

failure of the enterprise having during ten years

experience as a gold hunter, been in several

such expeditions among then the River

Amazon excitement in South America, and

several others of less magnitude, both in

California and Australia, of one thing I

ascertain, the affair was sadly misrepresented

before we started for I was told that the first

parties knew precisely where to go, provided

they had sufficient strength to repel the

Indians, whereas, our guide, who was one of

the immigrants of 1845, when the gold was

said to have been discovered, knew but very

little about the place and moreover, is but a

poor apology for a mountaineer. I feel glad the

company disbanded so peaceable for the failure

was a sad disappointment to many in addition

to expense and loss of time. And instances are

known, of the leader of similar affairs meeting

with ill treatment by the disappointed

followers, especially in a wild country where

civilized law is little known or cared for.

We found affairs a little on the decline after

our return, many were leaving for the Boise

mines, while others were leaving for their

homes; labor was scarce on account of the

absence of water and I had concluded to go to

the White Settlements of Oregon, where I had

an opportunity of wintering free, but fate will

rule and I was doomed to remain in the

mountains. It happened a few days after our

return, I was out in the woods in search of my

mare when I net a man who with true Yankee

inquisitiveness soon learned my whole career

for a long time back and future intentions and

wound up by recommending me to apply at a

certain place for employment, where he

wanted a man to work underground and on

making application I had but little difficulty in

getting the situation, the owners of the mine

were two brothers, one of whom was sick and

neither of which knowing but very little about

mining. So after a week I was induced to buy

the sick man's interest and thus I was doomed

to winter on John Days, I had always

understood it was a terrible place in winter

from those who stayed here last winter, and no

other circumstances would have induced me to

remain there over winter but the fact of having

underground diggins of my own, besides a few

other little advantages, in the hope of a

comfortable log cabin, a couple of fat beeves to

kill, plenty of fire wood and any other little

conveniences for winter which many others

had not. There is very little excitement here in

the autumn, the arrival of a pack train with

provisions or the expressmen with letters from

home constituting the principle or sometimes

the appearance of a bear of which there are not

a few about here, there has been two killed in

town, besides three others in the neighborhood,

all within six weeks. There was another large

party of prospectors left here in search of the

before mentioned locality, they were out two

weeks in the neighborhood of Crooked River

and met with the success that our party did in

finding neither gold, Indians or game, except

fish. I was requested to go, but I told them I

had good diggins now and was satisfied to

remain at home so I sold my favorite mare to

go on the trip, horses being very scarce at that

time.

Many of the adventurers went to their

respective homes in California and Oregon,

while others returned to Canyon Creek to

winter. After the party broke up but there were

some few still dissatisfied with the result and

actually made up a small party and again

ventured out and followed some creeks down

to the large lakes where they succeeded in

killing one Indian, but returned without finding

a gold region. I think now people will be

satisfied at least for one season and will have

ample opportunity of recovery over their

adventures during the long winter evenings and

may perhaps prevent others from journeying in

such wild speculations.

About the beginning of November, the dreaded

snow storms commenced but although it never

leaves the high mountains at the back of town

during the winter it melts soon after falling on

the low hills it is said on account of the land

containing so much alkali and it looks funny to

see the grass shooting up green and fresh the

day after a snow storm. Cattle appear to thrive

well in the early winter and one sees fatter beef

on John Day’s than is seen in the mountains of

California at any season of the year, it is sold

by the quarter, a shilling a pound and were it

not for the high price of other provisions

miners could afford to stay over winter instead

of going to other places: flour sold at $26 per

hundred and everything else in proportion,

green apples $.50 per pound, dry beans at $.30,

bacon $.50, etc., and this early in the winter, so

that considering the time a man loses from bad

weather and wages only $4 per day it is not to

be wondered at, people clearing out to winter

in other places. One feels a sort of loneliness

when he misses his acquaintances one by one

gone to their homes afar off and sometimes

thinks Providence is not dealing justly or had

forgotten one entirely, but when one hears the

howling wind and the merciless storm pressing

against one's cabin such as it can only rain and

blow on Canyon Creek, a feeling of gratitude

comes over him and he pities those who have

not the advantage of a good log cabin. I was

somewhat disappointed with the weather up to

Christmas, I had been taught to dread winters

coming by those who had lived there last

winter, but I found it much pleasanter than I

had ever known it in Sierra Co. California, the

snow had never been six inches deep; true the

weather was colder, in fact the New Year

introduced us to colder weather than I had ever

known in any party of the earth, all kind of

outdoor labor had to be suspended. The river

froze up and stopped all the wheels in fact

scarcely leaving us sufficient to drink and

although the sun shone all day and the sky was

perfectly clear still, it froze day and night and

continued to for ten days, but withal I yet

prefer John Day’s weather to the deep snows

one has to contend with in the mountains of

California. About two weeks before Christmas,

a terrible disaster befell me, in the shape of a

felon on the forefinger of my left hand, which

put a veto to all enjoyment for many weeks, I

think with the exception of falling in love. I

have tasted all other ills, ailments and

afflictions which man is heir to, from headache

to the yellow fever, chilblains, toothache and

boils, besides having my ties smashed and my

head split, and verily believe I either or all of

those again in preference to another felon, they

are the most painful affliction of all human

suffering and when once started there is no

peace for the owner for many weeks besides a

disfigured hand when they disappear. I think

only for these reminiscences would have never

been written for one needs something to guile

away the long tedious hours when they arc

healthy and well but incapacitated from

performing their usual duties. As I before

mentioned there is but little amusement in

winter the dull monotony being broken only by

an occasional social dance or a wolf fight, for

those who delight in such brutal sports there

were two of the latter exhibitions the animals

were caught in traps on the river and brought to

town for speculation purposes, they were

gagged and tied to a post and then set on with

savage dogs, half a dollar was charged for

admission to the sight but as my taste does not

incline to such spectacles, I did not see the

performance, I saw one wolf after it was dead,

it was a vicious coarse looking brute about the

size of a large mastiff dog, I heard it was very

tenacious of life and would be more than a

match for any dog on equal terms. In addition

to these sports, there are large bands of Ibes, or

mountain sheep, in the adjoining hills, driven

from their favorite haunts in the high craggy

mountains for those who like the toilsome

chase, they are a very shy animal and are not

often caught, hunters say that bears catch them

by driving them up the mountains into the deep

snow, when they are unable to travel and

become an easy prey to Mr. Bruin.

Early in spring the Indians commenced their

depredations by stealing horses in every

direction, on one occasion they took one

hundred and six mules and horses within a

mile of Town; I was afterwards told by some

woodchoppers who had found the redskins’

camp that they had been cutting wood so close

to the spot that the Indians must have heard

them at work, they did not see the varmints

although their camp showed they had been

there several days. When they drove off the

horses in the night, they killed those wearing

bells with arrows to prevent their being

discovered; there were sixty men sent in

pursuit, who followed them several hundred

miles, but on overtaking them their courage

failed so they returned to the City, after costing

the community several thousand dollars for

their outfit and with a loss of four men, who

became detached from the company and were

never afterwards heard of, they had been sent

out as scouts and are supposed to have fallen

victims to Indians’ strategy. A few weeks after

this I lost two acquaintances in a similar affair,

the Indians succeeded in getting a small band

of valuable horses from the corral of Mr.

Overton, although his cabin was inside the

inclosure and he in bed, he was awakened by

the neighing of the horses and hurriedly

collected a few neighbors who went in pursuit,

they soon overtook them as they were leisurely

herding the horses and commenting on what

fine ponies they were, then commenced a wild

running fight, which lasted several hours as I

was afterwards told by one of the combatants,

whose acquaintance I had made in California.

He said we ran them eleven miles, when we

reached the woods Wilson was shot dead and

Overton was shot through the side, while I had

one shot pass between my arm and body and

another close to my ear the Indians whooping

and screaming like so many demons all the

time. Finding they outnumbered us we thought

it most prudent to leave as we were now in a

bad fix, so we went back with the wounded

man who soon died in great agony, we then

collected a crowd to go for the dead body of

Wilson, It had been dragged two hundred yards

from where he was killed to an open spot and

there stripped, there was a bullet hole through

the heart, his throat was cut, his side was

ripped open a foot long, a bad cut in the back

of his head several stabs in the body and his

feet nearly cut off, done in getting off his

boots, the soles of which were left but the legs

would make moccasin bottoms. He said also,

“We shot three of the varmints but had no time

to get the scalps.”

A short time after we heard of other

depredations at Owyhee they stole many horses

and brutally murdered the settlers, this

exasperated the miners who followed them two

hundred miles, in the pursuit they found the

arms and feet of Jordan up a tree, placed there

by the Indians, who had previously butchered

him; after two weeks pursuit over a most

abominable country they came on a band of

Indians who showed fight, but retreated into a

terrible Canyon and eventually into a cave,

where the boys attacked them. The Indians

seeing they were cornered pushed the squaws

and children to the front supposing as usual the

white men would not harm them but the ruse

failed, the miners were excited and spared

neither sex or age, and I was told by a man

who was there, that he saw a miner first shoot a

squaw with a shotgun and then take a baby

from her arms and dash its brains out against a

rock, remarking at the time, that “nits make

lice;” since then the Indians have left that place

unmolested, I believe they carried home near

forty scalps besides some horses and fire arms,

but knowing the night coming on during the

fight some of the varmints escaped.

Such barbarous retaliation of Indian women

and children may appear fiendish and unmanly

and individually I would hate to be placed in

such a situation as would call on me to do it,

but one has to live on the frontiers but a short

time to learn that on no other terms can they be

taught to respect the whites. And while

speaking of this reminds me of a conversation I

had with a lady a short time previous to my

journey with, the Cayouse Rangers; the remark

may appear rather severe and harsh as coming

from the lips of a person whose amiability,

virtue, and kindness everyone extolled who

knew her. She said, “Mr. Croucher, you are

going out to fight the Snakes are you not?” I

Said, “No, I am going to search for gold,”

“but” says she, “you will have to fight Indians

to get to the place.” “I said, “if they attack us

of course we shall resent it, but we were not

going for the sole purpose of fighting.” At this

she seemed disappointed and vexed and

insisted that it was the duty of every man to

slay Indians at every opportunity, that however

repulsive it might be to his own feelings to take

the lives of women and children, it was a duty

he owed white women in retaliation for the

sufferings, humiliation, degradation and

cruelties they were subjected to whenever they

fell into the hands of Indians and those same

squaws and children whose lives he would

spare from motives of humanity might some

day wear the scalps of his own wife and

children.

As spring advanced Canyon City began to

improve, new store started, a chapel built, a

masonic lodge put in and many other buildings

besides a stage line started connecting it with

the Dalles, a post office established, besides an

office for Wells Fargo Express to add to this a

band of Hurdies all the way from Frisco and

the way the boys patronized them must have

astonished the girls and no doubt visions of old

fatherland often flitted across their brain, but as

the saying is, a person can't keep a good thing

long, their harvest soon expired. Two other

bands came during summer, followed by a tax

of $100 monthly, add to this the serious decline

in yield of gold as the summer advanced and

the hurdies could scarcely keep even. Many

persons expressed a wish they would

ultimately be driven from the place but if men

have no more control over their passions or

weakness than to spend their hard earnings on

such people, I have but little sympathy for

them and perhaps the girls will put it to a better

use and in all probability where there are no

hurdies to dance for it, the gamblers would fall

heir to it as I believe they are the next of kin.

But to return to my career, I commenced

working in my diggin as soon as my finger

would admit and by early summer had nearly

worked it out when my partner insisted in

selling it contending it was no use working for

$5 or $10 a day when we had another which

would pay $50 or $60, so we sold it for $100

and the purchaser obtained $1,000 in three

weeks from it, such is the uncertainty of gold

mining.

I commenced on my new claim in good spirits

and with the assistance of several hired hands

soon accumulated some money, I saw it would

not pay me to move for some time so I

resolved to live in a more becoming manner

than miners usually do, we had lived very hard

during winter, beef and flour with coffee

straight, accordingly I fenced in a nice place of

land about my cabin and cultivated a garden

and bad an abundance of vegetables all the

summer from early lettuce and radishes to

cucumbers and tomatoes, in the fall, besides

potatoes for the next winter in addition to this I

kept a cow which afforded plenty of milk and

thus if I worked hard I lived well and as

comfortable as a working man can in the

northern nines who keeps bachelors hall; of

course if one had a housekeeper he could live

more sociable, but I think I have too much

respect for the ladies than to ask one to live in

such a place, although there are now many

families living on John Day’s River, who are

making money fast by farming, cattle raising,

dairy keeping, etc., but I don't think a miner

has any business with a wife, his business is

too precarious and uncertain, besides very few

have sufficient income to warrant the

additional expense of keeping a family. My

own success in mining on Canyon Creek has

been over average, but I do not think I could

accumulate sufficient to leave with had I the

entailed burden of a family to contend with.

Time passes very swift, when one is busy, a

year rolled round and I had no fortune made

yet, still I lived in hopes. I could see many with

less prospects than myself so I determined to

try another winter and prepared for it

accordingly, for let it be understood there is a

serious difference in the price of goods

between summer and winter, besides Canyon

City is two hundred miles from any other

civilised place and should it be destroyed by

fire, like many other wooden towns in

California it would be a hard place to live in,

so I purchased one thousand pounds of flour

and proportionate quantity of all other eatables

to the extent of several hundred dollars, in

addition to several barrels of pickles, preserves,

cabbages and the product of my own garden, I

then felt prepared to face the storm, at length

winter came and O such a winter I never had to

contend with before, once it blew down all the

flumes and everything that stood a foot high,

then came a storm which washed us nearly

from our cabins and then such bitter cold frost

such as would make a Polar bear wish for an

extra coat. All outdoor labor was stopped for

three months and all underground work, also

for although the tunnels were the most

comfortable places yet no one could go in and

out without the danger of perishing. I wished

many times, I had sought a different place to

winter in, but I usually checked my discontent

with a thought that there were many worse off

than me. Nevertheless I did not like to live in a

place where one could do nothing else but eat,

drink, and burn fire wood, it is an old saying

that big fish eat the little ones, but the

merchants of Canyon City appeared to think

the tables were turned that winter for owing to

the cold weather, the miners were unable to

earn their living and the storekeepers had to

credit all their goods or close their

establishments, of course the long siege of cold

would compel the boys to seek some kind of

amusement so they started a theatre, which

lasted four or five weeks then we had a singing

school in addition to a fourth gang of hurdles,

we learned that Canyon City had a great

reputation in Oregon and California and in

spring we might expect a great influx of people

which make a living off the miners, but that is

customary the further off a place is the more

the excitement and I feel convinced that if ever

the north pole is inhabited it will be by

California gold miners for I am already

acquainted with men who have penetrated the

Russian possessions in America in search of

gold.

In the middle of March the Creek miners

ventured to commence operations with but

little success for a few warm days caused the

creek to swell and overflow the claims until it

looked like a large lake, it also did some

damage to the principal street by washing away

the foundations of several houses, however in

order to prevent further damage, a large

channel was dug on the opposite side of the

Creek and the water turned through it. We had

a cruel murder committed in our midst at the

end of the same month, the assassin of an Irish

Jew deliberately shot a miner while sitting on

the step of a door in converse with a friend. We

also had a visit from the Indians; they stole a

few horses from the river, they were pursued

by some citizens and after two weeks absence

returned with many trophies such as rifles, a

large quantity of powder and lead, horses,

deerskins, bows and arrows and fancy

headdress and belt of the Chief who was shot

together with a dozen others, this was the first

chastizement the Indians ever had in our

district, some people said it was wrong to kill

them as it would be worse than they had been.

Perhaps I may be thought to invective against

the red man for I don’t like them and can't help

it besides I have many reasons to dislike then;

only a month previous to the above affair I had

been run into camp by one, I was alone in the

woods searching for horses when we

accidently met I had no arms consequently had

to submit to the humiliation of running from

one in order to save my scalp I never ventured

out unarmed after that. I have since learned in

relation to the four men who were out from the

big party that they were ambushed by the

Indians, three were shot dead the other

escaped, but was pursued by the varmints they

chased him three days and nights until his

horse dropped dead

Up to this time he had

killed six Indians, whenever they came within

shooting distance he dismounted and took a

deliberate shot and when his horse gave out he

used him for a breast work until he dispatched

seven more when a shot from an Indian put an

end to the bravest man that ever faced a

redskin, they then gathered around him,

scalped and mutilated him and cut into small

strips. The above may sound among the

marvelous, but is nevertheless true and was

related by Pauline the Snake Chief who was

one of the party and who was afterwards taken

prisoner and kept on a reservation, one winter

from whence he made his escape returning

afterwards and killed a noted chief with whom

he had been raised and took all his horses. He

used to say ___ way a heap brave man and to

this day his name is a household word among

the settlers on the river where he owned a farm

as a paragon of bravery, peace to his ashes.

In relation to my own affairs I can only say,

that after working all the spring and summer I

was induced to dispose of my claim which had

become rather chequered as regards to profits,

and embark in another branch of mining which

proved very disastrous. I had made the

acquaintance of an English millwright, who

had built quartz mills in the Rocky Mountains,

he persuaded me it was a profitable investment

to own a custom mill, so I furnished the money

and with several others we built a mill and by

fall had it in working order; it was situated

about forty miles from Canyon in a wild

uninhabited region, it however proved a

disastrous failure, for although the mill

answered our expectations, the quartz was

entirely innocent of the golden ingredients and

after testing the rock to our mutual satisfaction

we left the works until the ensuing spring, it

being now very late in the season and no place

for a man to be caught without provisions for

winter, however, when spring came the owners

of the ledge failed to renew the concern, tore it

down and removed it to Owyhee, where I

heard he intended to try his luck again. I

suppose he forgot that I owned the greater

[share] of the concern, as he took it without my

knowledge and never gave me any

remuneration for my share, in fact I never saw

him after that and not wishing to waste more

good money on such a blighted enterprise I

never sought after him, but let him go and joy

be with him; such is mining life.

While on this subject it may not be out of place

to relate an adventure which befell me in that

region. After the mill was completed and

having some spare time, we resolved to take a

little excursion through the mountains for the

double purpose of hunting for gold and game,

so we packed up our horses, took our guns and

went in the direction of Burnt River and I must

say that a more profitless search never took

place, for after a week we returned without a

speck of gold or a mouthful of game, never

having discharged our guns, I believe I nearly

got my ribs stove in by a kick from a vicious

horse, was the only incident of the trip. Not

feeling satisfied with the hunt we resolved in a

second trial, but in a different direction, this

time bid fair to pay for our trouble in addition

to feasting of grouse, the first day we saw

plenty of bear sign, but our pleasure was

somewhat marred by our leader insisting in

taking us up and down the most abominable

steep and rocky mountains a man ever

ventured on with a horse, down one of which I

lost part of my baggage, tore a tapidero off my

saddle, broke my bridle all to pieces and nearly

broke my horses neck and my own also,

however, we succeeded in gaining the desired

spot by night, visit the highest peak of a craggy

mountain, where I believe no human foot had

ever been before. I can hardly decide whether

we got value received for our exertion, it

certainly was a sublime sight to view the

surrounding country, one of which the eye

never tires, one always feels a sort of

reverential awe in such a position, to view the

vast expanse of forest stretching out to the

misty distance, the fearful chasms and wild

mountain gorges beneath you, the distorted

streams and water courses leaping over

precipices, hundreds of feet sweeping with it

huge trees and rocks, which have fallen victims

to the fearful hurricanes which prevail in high

mountains; to breathe the pure air; to listen to

the deathlike silence and watch the distant

foaming cataract, to roll up in your blankets

and gaze on the star studded firmament 10,000

feet above old ocean; to sleep in the open air

with the blue canopy of heaven for a tent, to

wake in the morning with a feeling of vigor

and freshness, experienced only in such

elevated places, to see the first streaks of the

summer sun in the distant horizon; to feel the

pleasant influence of its opening rays; and

watch the gradual dispersion of the mist and

clouds accumulated in the valleys beneath you,

are pleasures and sights which one seldom

forgets, but when they are obtained at the peril

of ones limbs and life, as I before remarked I

scarcely know whether one is justified in being

found in such places very often. While on the

summit of the mountain, we were gratified

with the view of a beautiful lake nestled away

in the bosom of the mountain tops, it looked so

placid, cool, quiet and lonely in its mountain

solitude, that I never would die satisfied, had

not I have paid it a visit. Distances in the

mountains are very deceiving, for it took a long

day's travel to reach it over jagged rocks, thick

brush, masses of perpetual snow and dismal

canyons. It is a fearful curse to some people to

never be satisfied, I believe I belong to that

class, I felt disappointed on reaching the lake

to find someone had been there before us, there

was a raft on the water, together with fish

poles, nets and other articles used on the water,

with signs of a large camp of Indians, a few

ducks were leisurely floating on its mirrorlike

surface, amusing themselves with an

occasional dive for some worm or small fish

with which the lake abounded. We remained

one night only, there being but little game and

that too small to suit us, so we packed up and

pursued our journey through the mountains and

after several days' tramp and killing a few

grouse and deer we returned home, but cabin

life was too dull and there being no work at the

mill, two of us agreed to take a few days more,

so after a small preparation of food and seeing

the guns were in good order, we took our

horses and set out for the highest peaks in

quest of large game, the first evening we found

ourselves in a beautiful green flat, about twenty

miles from home, the day had been fair with

cold winds, in fact it is always cold so high in

the mountains and although it was not the

middle of November the vegetation had the

appearance of early spring; in fact there were

patches of snow close by. I do not ever

recollect feeling so independent and free, the

fresh mountain air gives one a keen appetite

and a bouyant spirit unknown in any other

situation, but there is generally something to

mar ones happiness. Towards night I had

noticed some dark ominous clouds in the west

and pointed them out to my companion who

charged me with weakness for being alarmed

at trifles. I told him there was snow in them

and our present situation was not a desirable

one to be caught in a snow storm, but he

overruled my fear and after staking out our

horses we rolled into our blankets and were

soon in the land of dreams; at daybreak we

rolled out and prepared breakfast, saddled up

and set out to hunt, the weather still looking

dubious. We saw many signs of game as we

pursued our journey, the traveling was

excellent, we had found an Indian trail which

took a uniform level through all the mountains

and had been well selected to avoid difficult

places. During the day we discovered fresh elk

signs and were determined to follow them on

foot; accordingly we tied our horses to some

bushes, where they could feed and set out in

different directions. The elk is a very shy

animal, lives in the highest solitudes of the

mountains and when once disturbed seldom

stops short of twenty or thirty miles run. I

followed the track of a large band in anxious

expectation of getting a shot until it

commenced snowing, when my worst fears

were realised and I hurried back to the horses.

My companion had already returned and was

sitting under a bush with a blanket wrapped

around him, he looked rather crest fallen and

asked me what was best to be done. I told him

I was hungry so we made a fire and made

coffee and took a hasty meal, we then saddled

our horses and started out without a knowledge

of where we were going, the snow fell so fast

and I think it was impossible to tell which way

to go, in fact the moment we left the camp we

were lost, but this was of no import, our only

object being to get down to a warmer climate,

this we could only do by following some water

course, which we set about to find in good

earnest, in an hour the snow had fallen so deep

it was impossible to ride, so we had to take it a

foot, this was particularly unpleasant for me for

in addition to having a worn out pair of shoes, I

had no other clothes than buckskin with no

under clothes, these soon became wet and so

cold I could scarcely keep from perishing,

however, in such a dilemma one must make the

best of a bad job, there was no time to

complain, our lives and those of our horse were

in jeopardy, we made but poor progress

our

way was strewn with rocks, brush and logs

hidden under the snow, sometimes clambering

up a steep bank at others sliding down one to

the danger of our limbs, but we must keep

moving, which we did until night put a stop to

our traveling. We had gotten into a dismal

canyon, there was no choice for a camping

ground, it was a horrible place to pass the

night, but there was no help for us, I was so far

exhausted, my hands were useless, I could do

nothing, I told my companion to kick about the

snow until he should find a rotten log, having

found one he must kick off some dry pieces

from the inside and make some shavings with

his knife in order to try and kindle a fire,

provided our matches were dry, he did as

directed and to our mutual satisfaction

succeeded; the first time in making a blaze and

with the aid of some moss gathered from the

trees, he soon made a reliable fire, whereby we

could thaw our benumbed limbs and partly dry

our clothes, this may appear a trifling affair to

relate so minutely on, but on that fire depended

our lives and we were very careful not to allow

it to expire through the night. We tried to make

a shelter with a blanket, but the snow would

beat in so we rolled up in our wet blankets and

tried to sleep, but without avail, I was so cold

all through and shivered so much besides being

unable to speak that my companion became

frightened, he made me some coffee and

otherwise attended on me until morning

revealed to us our most unenviable position.

The snow was over two feet deep on either side

of us were high steep mountains and before us

an almost impassable creek strewn with every

conceivable obstacle in the shape of logs,

rocks, brush, trees and snow. Our horses

looked in a pitiful state, having stood shivering

in the storm all night and eaten nothing since

yesterday noon, I hated to have them die of

cold and hunger so we resolved to face the

storm again; accordingly we packed up and

made a new start. I had dried my clothes and

taken a good breakfast of coffee and venison

and felt cheerful and determined. My

companion suggested that I should take the

lead, as he considered me the best pioneer. Our

progress was very slow, the horses were stiff

and frightened, the snow was deep and

dangerous added to this, I soon got wet through

and cold and suffered terribly but was

determined to keep moving while I yet had

strength and after many hours travel and late in

the day we were gratified in finding an open

country and reached the limits of the snow, the

storm also subsided and once more we felt

safe. We soon had a good fire and general

drying of blankets, clothes, saddles, etc, and

also an opportunity of feeding our famished

horses. Having escaped the perils of the storm,

our next desire was to learn our whereabouts,

our stock of provisions were almost exhausted

and after our past experience I did not feel like

depending on the chase for a new supply, so

we determined on a course to travel and after a

few hours that day and part of the next we

came to a mining camp, forty miles from the

mill. So after a day's rest, we provided

ourselves with some provisions, we returned

our faces toward home which we reached,

without any further mishap, in two days.

I was now entirely satisfied with hunting, my

interest in deer, elk and bear could have been

bought for a trifle. I felt contented with having

come out with my own life and was willing to

allow them theirs with the privilege and liberty

to roam the mountains free and unmolested

until old age should put a stop to their innocent

wanderings. I have often thought of the

dangers one encounters in leading a wandering

life from my own experience, which has been

somewhat chequered, but I cannot call to mind

any one incident of my life where in I felt to be

so surrounded with real danger as the above,

neither shall I ever cease to remember, with

feelings of sincere gratitude, the man who was

my companion on that eventful occasion.

In a few days we left the mill for the winter

and went to Canyon City, I did not feel content

to remain in the mountains through the winter,

having lived there the two preceding winters,

so I made arrangements with a young farmer,

who was going to visit his home in the upper

Willamette Valley, to go with him, we started

two weeks before Christmas. The weather was

bitter cold, the ground was frozen and slippery

and on the high table lands, between Canyon

and the Dalles, where the wind had an

uninterrupted sweep, it was with the utmost

difficulty we could keep from freezing,

although we were warmly clad. We passed

some soldiers on the way, they were almost

barefooted and had to camp out at nights, I

could readily sympathize with them, my own

late adventure being still fresh in my mind. We

reached the Dalles in the four days, a distance

of nearly two hundred miles, this was

considered good traveling considering the

inclement state of the weather, there was two

feet of snow at the Dalles and to our

mortification the Columbia River was frozen

over, which put a stop to boat traveling; thus

there was no other recourse for us but go down

by the trail or return to Canyon City, this I

objected to, I thought I could travel that trail if

anyone could, so after a rest of two days, we

made a start. It was snowing yet, our

determination to go caused much anxiety

among the visitors of the hotel where we

stopped and bets were freely offered regarding

the time we should be back at night, it being

thought impossible for a person to travel that

trail in such weather I say that trail, because it

is said to be one of the most execrable,

dangerous and roughest paths known to the

most experienced travelers. When we had been

an hour gone, we saw a horseman and another

on foot, going our way, on overtaking him, we

learned he was bound for Portland also and he

had engaged an Indian to direct him over the

first ten miles. We were soon overtaken by

another horseman, who told us he was going

twenty miles, he had traveled the road many

times by day and night and would take us to a

place where we could stop for the night, so we

discharged the Indian and pursued the journey

under his guidance. Nothing of importance

occurred during the day, until we reached Dog

River, there was a ferry boat but our new friend

said we could ford the river a little lower down,

the water ran too swift to allow it to freeze

over, only at the edges for a few feet, but there

was masses of floating ice going down, it

looked a dangerous experiment to venture in,

however, my companion made the attempt,

followed by the guide, they both got wet but

had so much difficulty in affecting a passage

that we two remaining concluded not to try it,

but go back to the ferry. The boat was frozen to

the bank and we were delayed in assisting to

free it and when we had gotten over the river it

was almost dark and our companions were

gone. The ferry man directed us to follow the

river down until we should come to a sand bar

and by following it to the lower end a distance

of two miles, we would find a farm, on the

Columbia. We did as directed, or rather

thought we did, but ultimately got lost, night

came on us and we got into the most

abominable thick brush, it was next to

impossible to make any headway, at length we

lost each other, this was a climax. I was very

cold and hungry, having eaten nothing since

daylight and to pass the night alone in such a

place was outrageous, so I concluded to shout

and try and find my companion, at length I

heard his voice and eventually found him, he

was in a terrible passion, he cursed everybody

and everything, both dead and alive, he said

that man had purposely sent us astray and if

ever he saw him again he would whip him. I

did not feel in a humor to discuss the penalty

due him, but advocated the necessity of finding

a place to stop, so we pursued our way over the

awfulest places I ever got into, sometimes we

were on the ice, at others in the brash, then

clambering over loose rocky points and only

for the snow we could not have seen ourselves,

at length we came to an opening in the brush

and I felt somewhat relived, I thought we had

come at least ten miles since dark and had

made up my mind to go without food that

night, but felt dubious about the cold. It was a

question of doubt in my mind whether it was

possible for men in our condition to stand the

exposure of a night like the present without

perishing, but while cogitating on what might

eventually be the result of the present

adventure and while slowly trudging through

the snow, my eye caught the glimpse of a

square patch of snow, similar to a house top, I

joyfully made known my discovery to my

chum, who rewarded my acuteness with the

pleasant response of, “house be damned,”

there’s no house within ten miles of here, who

in the world would live in such a place as this,

if you can see a house you can see better than I

and had better take the lead for I can see

nothing but snow.” So I took the lead and in a

few minutes came to a barn but could see no

house, we hollowed, but received no answer,

he then proposed to ride on in search of the

house, there must be one near there, we did so

but without avail, so we returned to the barn. I

hated to leave it, there was hay for our horses

and shelter for ourselves. I was in favor of

remaining there until daylight would assist us

in getting out of our dilemma, however my

companion proposed another search to while

away the tine, so we put out again and after a

most tedious search and getting into a swamp

to the danger of our lives and while my

companion was relieving himself of a

catalogue of oaths and giving me his candid of

ferry men, swamps and snow in general, I told

him I heard a dog bark, he thought it was

almost time we heard something. In a few

minutes we got sight of some buildings and

hasten to inspect them, we shouted and a man

poked his head out and inquired what we

wanted, we told him we wanted

accommodation for the night, he answered us

he had no accommodation for us. At this my

companion went into an awful rage, he laid our

case before him in a very plain and forcible

terms, appealing to his philanthropy and his

duty to his fellow man and reminded him that

our lives were in hands and that he was

responsible for whatever befell us, should he

insist in refusing us succor and concluded by

asking him his name, he said my name is

Martin, then you can give me shelter, replied

my companion, “for my name is Mopin, and I

once saved your life by shooting an Injun who

had a rifle drawn on you.” “Oh yea, dismount

and I’ll bring a light and help put your horses

away.” So we rolled off our horses and

stripped them of the baggage and soon had

them in a comfortable stable, with plenty of

food, we then repaired to the house and

divested ourselves of our frozen garments, we

were pretty well done in, with hunger and cold

and exposure, my limbs were so stiff I could

with difficulty move about, however, I felt

content and with the aid of a cheerful log fire

and a good supper in prospective, I felt I had

no right to complain. Our host soon announced

supper which his lady (a squaw lady by the

way) had prepared, it was a passable meal, one

I could have done justice to on more favorable

circumstances; having concluded our supper

we returned to the sitting room to discuss the

affairs of the day, etc. Our host assured us that

we had been directed right, but had gotten on

the inside of the Lake, which is caused by a

sand bar in the river, instead of the outside,

which is free from brush and would have taken

us directly to his house. His only wonder was,

how we could get round the way we had come

without breaking our necks. He pronounced it

the most dangerous act he had ever heard of

and assured us he would not hazard his life

over the same route for any consideration of

money, he also relieved our minds concerning

our two friends, by telling us they had gone the

upper trail to a house within a mile of his

house and we should find their tracks in the

morning if they had gone on when we reached

the confluence of the live trails. He then

entertained us with many anecdotes of Indiana

backwoods life and debated at much length, on

the value and productibility of his farm. He

was a Virginian, and entertained strong

southern principles, he was rather intelligent

and appeared dissatisfied with his present

situation and regretted not having a white wife,

he appeared inclined to sell his farm and go to

some place and get him one and discard his

present one. He said his squaw would like to

hear some music, so I took my violin out and

played, she appeared quite astonished and

delighted, but never spoke and when I quit

playing she left the room for the night. We

spread our blankets before the fire and laid

down to study over the adventure and the

mutability of human affairs in general.

By daybreak the following morning, we were

astir in attendance on our horses and after

partaking of a good meal, we started on our

journey, the snow was two feet deep and more

falling. We reached the trail where we

expected to find the tracks of my companion,

but were disappointed, so I wrote my name on

the snow where he would be sure to see it and

proceeded to break the trail. We made slow

progress for in addition to the deep snow, we

often lost the trail and invariably got entangled

in the brush and had to retrace our steps. True,

we had the Columbia for a guide, but it was not

always in sight, neither are its banks smooth,

and even there are high precipice, dense forests

and .loose rocky side hills to contend with, but

as I do not believe that either Baron Humboldt

or Bayard Taylor could do it justice on paper,

it is very little use of my trying, but if any

person thinks I exaggerate, they have the

privilege of seeing for themselves. But to

proceed with my narrative, I got behind again

and on coming to a house being very cold I

ventured in to thaw out a little, there was a man

who would be white had he not been covered

with last season's dirt, there was also a squaw

and several half breed children, the latter were

amusing themselves with the construction of

mud houses in the spacious chimney corner,

which although by no means a strictly clean

employment showed a mechanical and

industrious turn of mind, which I like to see in

children, I almost envied them their happiness,

for when I compared their mud houses to my

castles in the air, I inwardly acknowledged

they had the advantage of me, they took very

little notice of me, Indian like, but conversed to

each other in a low guttural sound, which I

thought no one but an Indian could ever repeat.

I afterwards heard them talk English quite

fluent.

Having got warmed up and receiving some

instructions, respecting the road, I set out

alone, I had now lost both my companions, I

thought it hard, but kept on in a most pitiful

storm, until the wind and snow obliterated

every trace of the tracks of my advanced

companion’s horse, this rather discouraged me,

I wandered about in the snow and at length

came to a place, high up on a rocky point,

destitute of timber and where the wind had an

unbroken sweep off the river, it was a very

dangerous looking place, in fact, I was afraid to

ride, one misstep of the horse and would have

sent us hundreds of feet head long into the

river below, so I dismounted and took it afoot;

I had a difficult task to get along with fiddle

box and hat in one hand and horse’s bridle in

the other and the wind trying to blow us both

off, but as there is an end to all things, so there

was an end to that and I got off safe into the

timber again and I would here observe, for the

benefit of the curious, the name of that place is

Shell Rock Point, and if any one wants to

experience the sensation of a good blow, to just

take a trip round there some stormy day and I'll

wager they don't forget it soon. While plodding

on in silent thought and trying to cheer myself

with the idea that things might bo even worse,

I was agreeably surprised to hear a human

voice behind me and on looking round, found

my companion whom I had left the day before.

He was also glad to find me, he said he had not

felt very uneasy about me, although he had

supper kept until bed time, but finding I did not

come he supposed I had gone back to the ferry

for the night, but after waiting a suitable time

next morning he resolved to go back and try to

learn what had become of me, so he returned to

the ferry and learned that we had taken the

lower trail, so he followed our snow tracks and

after a most tedious and dangerous exploit

succeeded in reaching Martin’s Farm, he then

learned we had gone on and rode fast to

overtake us, he said he followed on in silent

dread until he reached the house, expecting

each moment to find us dead, it appeared

almost impossible for a horse to get over some

places where we had passed, he said he knew

we would never have attempted by daylight

what we had performed in the dark. I felt

somewhat reconciled now, we had found each

other again and hurried on to overtake our

other companion, which we did by noon. We

reached the end of a deserted railroad, which

we resolved to follow, but was stopped by a

man who lived there and who demanded $.50

per head for the privilege of traveling on it. I

would cheerfully have paid the fee but our

companion got fighting mad, said it was an

imposition and threatened to whip the man, but

ultimately made the payment and promised to

lick the next man who demanded money of

him. So we pursued our journey until we came

to a viaduct crossing a creek, there was a foot

plank between the rails, but there was two foot

of snow on it which made it very difficult to

walk on, besides it was a most giddy height

and appeared several hundred feet long. I

confess I felt rather weak in the knees, but

there was no other way, so dismounting we led

our animals over; they seemed to know the

danger and walked very slowly and careful,

they acted very commendable and showed a

much steadier nerve than I did for I felt very

dubious about the chances of a safe trip over

such a precarious looking institution, one

misstep and we would be dashed to pieces on

the rocks below.

Having at length come to the lower Cascade,

we left the railway and after crossing a

dangerous creek we ascended a very steep

rocky point, where the trail had been hewed in

the solid rock. The snow had drifted in leaving

about six inches of the outer edge bare on

which the horses persisted in walking. I had

neglected to get off to walk at the foot of the

hill and when we neared the top it was too

dangerous an undertaking to stop for that

purpose, so I had to trust to providence for the

result of course I affected it safely or these

pages would never have been written, for there

was at least a thousand yards perpendicular fall

which would in all probability have put a stop

to my troubles in this life, however, I gained

the summit, whether owing to the sharp spikes

on my pony's shoes or the intervention of

Providence, I leave others to decide, while I

pursue my narrative. We traveled on until dark,

when we lost the trail there was a farm house a

few miles ahead, which was our only haven,

unless we reached it, the consequences might

be serious. Last night's adventures were still on

my mind, besides I had eaten nothing since

early morn and the prospects looked slim about

ever eating again. We had surmounted many

difficulties during the day until adventure had

no further charms for me. I was hungry,

disagreeable and nearly frozen, in fact I felt a

most profound disgust for dark nights, snow

storms, and poor trails in general. I felt like the

sailor, who, to save himself from a burning

ship, had gotten on a raft to prolong a

miserable life by starving to death. I might as

well have gone to the mysterious future by

tumbling over some precipice through the day

as to escape them all and perish with cold and

hunger at night; in truth my interest in the

balance of this life could have been purchased

about this time for a less consideration, than

Jacob sold his birthright. But as most things

have an end so did that night, the light of a

lantern and the bark of a dog gladdened our

senses. We reached the desired spot about four

hours after dark and upon riding up to the barn

inquired of the man with the lantern, what were

the chances for a night's lodging, he told it was

“mighty slim," if we did but know it for, he

added, “there are about twenty others in the

house, arrived during the evening in various

stages of distress,” but he said, “you will have

to stop and share with the rest, for it is no night

to allow a man to pass one’s door.” So I

requested him to take me from my horse, I was

too much exhausted to get off without

assistance, besides I added, I thought my feet

were frozen. I had on a very indifferent pair of

shoes, with woolen socks, both inside and out,

but having walked part of the day my shoes

had gotten full of snow and shoes, socks and

feet were all frozen together. He consoled me

by assuring me there were several others in the

house in a similar state, so we repaired to the

house and oh, what a sight there were as stated,

about twenty in the various stages of humor,

some cheerful and chatty, others doleful and

grave, the light hearted amused themselves

now that they were fed and dry at the expense

of those who looked at the situation in a more

serious light, some made sport of the

adventure, while others appeared at a loss to

see the exact spot where the laugh came in. For

my own part, I felt more like getting out of my

wet garments and thawing out than offering

any comments, they kindly made room for us

at the fire, although the room was crowded

with weary wayfarers, but we were the last and

the privilege was due us. The house was in

great disorder, for in addition to twenty men,

there was the usual accompaniment of

baggage, blanket and carpet bags, besides

every available nail was ornamented with wet

gloves, socks, hats, comforters, etc., and the

floor was strewn with boots. It was a strange

sight and reminded me, forcibly of a

shipwreck, there were both young and old and

afforded a fine opportunity for the study of

human nature. It was amusing to listen to the

different adventures of the day. One fellow was

exulting over his good luck of having traded

off an old pair of shoes to a Jew and had gotten

a new pair of boots and two dollars in return,

while another, a Senator by the way, was

relating his gratitude due to an ox which he had

found on the trail. It appeared he was too tired

to travel and had been left behind by his

companions, but the ox accidently came to him

and being poor and weak, he seized it by the

tail and compelled it to drag him to the house,

a distance of two miles, he reached there an

hour after dark. After listening awhile to the

amusing talk of the company supper was

announced to which we did ample justice, the

next consideration was a sleeping place. The

room was small and very wet, but the landlord

said there was room for several upstairs. The

word was no sooner given than several rushed,

blankets in hand for the place

while others

spread their blankets in the wet floor. While I

was preparing myself for a night's sleep in a

chair, the host whispered to me to go in that

door and on doing so found a good feather bed

which myself and companions took possession

of and thus after the dangers of the day we

were comfortably housed for the night, with

the additional luxury of a good bed.

Morning came and with it a good breakfast, we

ate early being anxious to be on the way, not

from the love of traveling in such weather, but

to get out of the danger as soon as possible.

There were several men at the house with

horses, who had gone down the trail the day

previous, but had returned and reported it

impracticable for horses, but were willing to

make a second attempt provided we led the

way, so after a few preliminaries and a few

instructions from the host, we bade him good

bye, he wished us success and remarked with

evident fervour, “I thank God I am at home.”

The words sounded rather ominous to me for I

had not been prepossessed with the isolated

position of his farm and would have preferred a

different locality to call, “my home,” in fact I

rather envied his contentment than his location.

The snow was very deep and the traveling

slow, but all appeared cheerful. We took the

lead in turns and crossed two very dangerous

creeks and all went well until we reached what

is called Fall Creek and here my courage

weakened. I cannot recollect any circumstance

of my life, where I felt at such a loss to know

how to get out of a dilemma. We had followed

along under a perpendicular wall of rock a

thousand feet high and on the other side of us

was the Columbia. The creek was impassable,

the snow had fallen from the cliffs above and

the water pouring on it had formed a mush ten

feet

deep and fifty feet wide. Immense icicles

hung from the top to the bottom, the water

made a fearful deafening noise as it fell

through masses of suspended ice. It was a truly

awe inspiring scene, and on canvas would

incite the lover of sublime grandeur and wild

scenery with admiration, but as reality, I

couldn't appreciate it, in fact I felt brimfull of

disgust with the whole contrivance. I suppose

the most patient saint gets vexed once in a

while and I think I ought to be exempt from

censure if I did lose my usual equanimity for

the occasion and relieve my overtaxed feelings

with a catalogue of oaths, but I was not alone

in my comments for the feeling was universal

and if the creek could have been consigned to

the place where most of us wished it, it would

have soon expourated [evaporated?] in steam;

however, something had to be done, we had

come seven miles and that was too far to go

back without trying to cross the creek,

eventually some of us crossed on a fallen log,

while others went down to the mouth of the

creek, a few hundred yards off to seek a

shallow place to ford the horses. For my own

part, I had gotten over with my baggage and

proceeded on to a favorable place to leave it,

when I intended to return and assist to get the

horses over. I walked on an hour, when I hung

my violin on a tree, where they would see

them, if they came along, and wait for me, I

then returned and got off the trail into the thick

brush and could not find my chums nor my

way back again for the long time, but I

ultimately reached the trail again, where I sat

down to meditate and take a rest. Having done

so, I was yet undecided as to which way to go,

but was suddenly cheered with the sound of

human voices, I had felt very lonely before and

dreaded to pursue my journey alone. One had

to be left on such a position to fully understand

the feeling and such as I hate the “noble red

man,” the unearthly war whoops of a band of

the yelping savages would have been music to

my ears just then, but it was my companions I

had heard, they had affected a passage, by

cutting brush and placing it in a narrow part of

the stream and got the horses over and were

now rejoicing over it. We were soon all

together again and pursued our way without

further mishap, until we reached “French

Pete’s Ranch,” about three o'clock, here we

found about twenty more travelers huddled

together in a small house, among them were

some acquaintances of mine, they told a pitiful

tale of suffering from cold and hunger, many

of them had frozen feet and hands, several

were barefooted having thrown away their

boots and wrapped their feet in pieces of

blankets. One of their comrades had been

frozen to death, the night previous, he was a

Jew, a merchant in Portland and the same

person we had heard of the night before as

having traded for the old shoes. It appears he

got wet in crossing Fall Creek and gave out

two miles before reaching French Pete’s, he

told his companion to carry on his blankets and

send some persons from the house to assist him

in, meanwhile he would follow on slowly. The

man did as directed, but night came on and

finding the deserted cabin he went in and

kindled a fire and being very tired, cold and

hungry he soon fell asleep, when morning

came he went on to the house and not finding

his friend they vent back in search of him. He

had traveled a few yards only from where they

parted, he had fallen down and gone to sleep,

never to waken again, when found, he was

frozen solid. They carried him to the house and

rubbed and worked with him for several hours,

but all in vain. I did not see the corpse, as they

had put him in an old outhouse, not having

room for it in the dwelling house. They did not

censure his companion for leaving him, but

thought he did well to save his own life. The

rest of the company had reached the barn of the

farm, but were unable to find the house on

account of the storm, although it was only one

hundred yards off. They said it was with much

difficulty they kept alive through the night, one

of them remarked to me he was so near given

out that bad his own mother been calling for

help fifty yards from the trail he could not have

helped her. I told him I could sympathise with

him, for I had not had a very enviable time of it

myself. They told us it was ten miles to the

next house and as we had horses we had better

push on for provisions were so scarce with

“Pete” as his accommodation, so after resting

awhile and getting thawed out we bade

farewell to the Company and pursued our

journey. It is useless to say it was a cold

unpleasant ride, for that would scarce convey a

suitable impression of the intense severity of

the weather but I would add that although our

horses were often streaming with sweat, yet

there were icicles, several inches long, hanging

from their bellies and their tails, jingling like

sleigh bells, until we readied Portland where

they melted off, after standing in a warm

stable.

To those who have never been in a similar fix,

this may sound rather astonishing, but it is

nevertheless true. We reached our destination

that evening by dark. There is a river called

Big Sandy, where we stopped, we had some

difficulty in apprising the settlers of our

arrival, as they lived on the opposite side and

had to bring a ferry boat to get us over. We

thought they were a precious long time coming

for us, but being cold, hungry I perhaps was a

little impatient, however we effected a crossing

and were soon rewarded for our extra travel.

Here was a good house with every contrivance

for ease and luxury, the Lady made us an

excellent supper and furnished us with good

beds; there were no other visitors but us and

the folks appeared to think we were worthy of

every attention. They listened with eagerness

to our adventures and thought our escape had

been miraculous, I hated to leave that place

next day, it was very comfortable, but it was

only fourteen miles to Portland and a good

road, so we thought we would start on. We

reached the opposite shore of Portland by

midday and getting on a steam ferry, we

crossed the Willamette River and landed in the

city two days before Christmas. Our first duty

was to find a livery stable, the jaded condition

of our horses excited the curiosity of the stable

keeper to know where we had come from, we

told him down the trail from the Dalles, we

told him of the state of affairs and also of the

death of their citizen, Mr. Kohlberg. We went

to hunt a hotel, we stopped at the New

Columbia, an immense building overlooking

the river, we had scarcely been in our room

two minutes before two visitors came to

inquire about the frozen man. They were

friends of his and started out immediately to

bring him home. When we descended to the

dining room, we were stopped by two other

men, I think connected with the press, having

gotten rid of them and a good dinner, we

sallied out to see the town. We were next

accosted by a military officer inquiring of us

about a company of soldiers, coming from the

upper country. I told him we had seen them on

the road in a most pitiful condition and that

they were complaining bitterly against their

commander for not furnishing them with shoes.

He said he had done his best for them, but

some of them would growl under any

circumstances. I told him I thought they had

good reason to growl, but that he night never

hear then growl again for most likely they

would perish on the road. I don't remember

how many persons accosted me through the

day, including a man with one eye only, who

was the business partner of Kohlberg. Relative

to our adventure, the most astonishing fact to

me was how we came to be so well known in a

strange city. I was not very favorably

impressed, the streets were covered with

sloppy snow besides, the place looked dull,

especially for Christmas. There was no display

of fat meats

no extra show of toys or tempting

presents, no hustle, no Merry Children, no

preparation for holiday keeping, no holly or

evergreens, nothing whatever to indicate

Christmas. I felt sadly disappointed, after

having risked my life among frost and snow

and traveled several hundred miles to come to

such a lifeless place as this for the Christmas

holidays. I tried in vain to reconcile myself to

the terms, but I could not help think how

different to Merry England. I have passed

fifteen Christmases in different parts of the

world since I left England, but none so

cheerless as year 1866 in Portland, Oregon. I

was very anxious to leave on Christmas

morning although it rained heavy. We reached

Oregon City at noon, where my companion

had some wealthy friends. We had parted with

our fellow travelers in Portland, they

entertained us well and endeavored to make us

feel at home. I was astonished at the great

quantity of apples they had, they told me they

gathered 30,000 bushels the past season and

were shipping them to California every week. I

astonished them by telling them I had not seen

an apple on a tree for fifteen years, they wanted

to know where I had been., I told them if they

asked me where I had not been I might answer

them quicker.

After two days we set out to complete our

journey, I had heard so much said about

webfoot, “the country of fat girls and red

apples,” and now after a most perilous

adventure, here I was prepared to travel the

country through. We followed the stage road

from Oregon City, up the Willamette River and

passed the celebrated falls by which the large

factories are provided with water power, there

appears sufficient water to work ten thousand

mills, could it all be brought into use. One is

not favorably impressed with Oregon in winter,

it rains incessantly and the roads are frightful. I

thought I would prefer the mud to snow, but I

believe after giving both a fair trial, I would

take the snow. We stopped at a wayside house

late in the day and asked for accommodations

it was a farmhouse on French Prairie, they told

us we could stay and directed us to the stable, a

most spacious building and furnished with

every convenience, having disposed of our

horses we repaired to the house. We were

ushered in by Mr. Brown, the wealthy owner,

on entering the house I was astonished at the

elegance and refinement it exhibited. I felt like

an intruder, I was not prepared to see such a

swelling outside of Frisco. I had been taught in

the mountains to believe that the settlers lived

in miserable hovels, were chiefly French and

half-breed Indians, and in fact were very little

in advance of the original aborigines, then we

wonder I was surprised. Here was everything

to denote a refined taste, doors of stained glass,

frescoed ceilings, marble tables, elegant

furniture, fine paintings, a piano and the softest

of carpets, I need not say, we had an excellent

supper, over which the host offered a fervent

prayer; it sounded funny to me, as a

mountaineer, but found it a general custom in

Oregon among private families, in fact, I ate

but few meals during the few months I stayed

in the settlements, without its accompanying

prayer. During the evening the company was

augmented with the arrival of four beautiful

young ladies, they had been to a wedding that

day they looked so near of an age, I could not

think they were sisters. They appeared quite at

home and made the house ring with their merry

chat. They took no notice of us, being

strangers, but amused themselves singing and

playing the piano, until bedtime, we were

shown to our sleeping room by the host. Here

as elsewhere in the house, everything was

scrupulously clean and neat, the whitest of

sheets and the softest of beds, a large bible lay

on the table by my bed, furnishing the

opportunity of pious reflections before

sleeping, I did not avail myself of its use, but

sank into bed with the reckless feeling of one

heedless of the future. We pursued our way

next morning very slowly, the roads were

exceedingly muddy everywhere. We passed

through Salem, the capital of the State, I

thought it night be a pretty place in summer,

but I could not say much for it in winter, it

rained all day and we anxiously rode on to

reach our next stopping place, a roadside farm,

owned by a Mr. Looney, a man of singular

ideas. He appeared possessed of much

knowledge and of good sense, although his

arguments were adverse to bible logic and tried

to account for the wonders of nature as

emanating from a different source than the

work of Supreme God, he was a great talker

and quite entertaining to those who believe in

his doctrine.

We passed through Albany next day, in a

pitiful storm, and Corvallis and several smaller

villages under similar circumstances, in fact

the whole country appeared inundated. I was

often afraid to travel, the water being belly

deep for miles, I did not wonder at the name of

webfoot being applied to the country, if nature

had provided the horses and cows with web

feet, it would have been a great advantage to

them in winter. At length we reached our

destination twelve miles west of Eugene City,

in the quietest of a forest solitude, lived the

parents of my companion on a small farm, they

were a very old couple and strictly pious, they

were in fact the type of a bygone age, having

come to the place among the early settlers and

passed into their second childhood in the

blissful ignorance of the march of

improvement of modern days or the vices and

iniquities of the outer world. It was a painful

curiosity to me to watch them finishing up a

long life and preparing for a future life in the

promised mysterious hereafter. Death is

inevitable to all, but I cannot reconcile myself

to leave this world with that composure shown

by these old people, whenever such thoughts

possessed my mind, I always thought there was

yet an unfilled mission against me and I was

very unprepared; this may be the general

impression of vigorous manhood which dies

away on the approach of old age. My

intercourse with them produced strange

reflections to myself, for although I thought I

could never reconcile myself to imitate their

mode of passing through life, yet I could not

acknowledge they had performed a more useful

part than myself, they had lived contented in

one place, had furnished the world with a large

family, and were now content to leave this life

with the firm conviction of having

accomplished the mission for which they were

created; but oh, how different my own life,

inspired with a wandering disposition in early

childhood, I have so far indulged the craving of

a slavish appetite for change and variety, as to

waste the choicest years of life in useless

vagabondage. Had I been an Indian this

perhaps would have been excusable, for a

white man with the ordinary amount of

understanding, I cannot feel free from censure.

Life is but a small ripple on the great ocean of

time, too short indeed to waste in vain regrets,

is a precept I have ever cherished, yet the

goadings of a guilty conscience has often

reminded me of the errors of a misspent life

and now after fifteen years experience, as a

wanderer and having become a thorough

cosmopolite, I feel disappointed with the world

and dissatisfied with myself and entirely

unsuited for civilised society. Tis a sad

reflection to think in a few years I shall be

tottering down to the grave in a strange land,

without a home, without friends, unknown and

uncared for, a victim of the avarice for gold

Having rested a day or two and visited a few of

the neighboring families, the charms of a quiet

country life soon lost its effect with me, I

longed to be moving, so we set out to visit the

town of Eugene, a very quiet little place on the

Upper Willamette, we happened in on a ball

night and of course attended. It was a very

passable affair and well attended, although I

thought the dancers were somewhat behind the

age, I made some very agreeable acquaintances

in Eugene and passed the time very pleasantly

for a stranger. I found the majority of the

inhabitants strictly pious and using every

device to gather money, for their own

particular church. Among the most the sociable

party system, some member would invite all

their acquaintances to his house, entertain them

with a little singing or music, a little talk or

introduce some childish games, pass round

some fruit and cake, then some bewitching

yong lady insinuates a plate before you for a

trifle for the church, after which the company

disperses to their various homes. I thought it a

strange way to support a church, but it is very

common and I have been to six in one week. It

was rather insipid for me, but having no other

resort I frequently went to pass away the

evenings. It is an erroneous idea to think the

Oregonians pass their winter evenings in

dancing or gaieties, I never heard of but one

dance, the two months I stayed there. Piety had

the advantage and the church was in session

the whole time, in fact quite equal to the

Catholic countries of South America.

The story as told by a gold seeker.

Family Notes

Charles Croucher was born February 29,1836 in London, England. He was born

on Leap Day and in later years he joked about this, saying he wasn't as old as some

because he only had a birthday every four years.

The names of his parents are unknown, other than his mother's name was Mary

and that he had three sisters in London, no brothers. His daugher, Zilpha used to

correspond with one of these sisters, her aunt, when she was a young girl.

Charles was 15 years old when he left England. He traveled to Australia where he

worked in a gold mine for a few years. He brought some gold nuggets with him

from Australia and in later years one of his daughters had the gold made into rings,

one for each of his daughters, Zilpha, Bessie, Hester and Mary Isabel.

From Australia he went to South America seeking gold. At one time he was in

Panama. April 1863 he was in San Franciso, preparing to leave for Oregon to

seek gold.

Charles was 40 years old when he married Clara Ann Hink in September 1876 at

Damascus, Oregon. Clara Ann was 17 years old. They lived on a farm at

Sycamore, Oregon (now known as Pleasant Valley).

They had nine children: Zilpha Louise, born 7-16-1877 (married John Logan

Fisher), died prior to 1973; George Walter (a twin), born 9-21-1879, (married

Effie J..), died 1964; Charles Fredrick (a twin), born 9-21-1879, (never married),

died 9-20-1913: Samuel Darwin, born 3-7-1882 (never married), died 3-29-1909;

Frank Elmer, born 4-18-1885, (married Alta Marguerite Friend), died 1-29-1979;

Henry MeAllister, born 11-7-1888, (married Win nie Gertrude Friend), died 9-

12-1964; Bessie May, born 6-22-1891, (married William Harvey Northcraft), died

7-3-1937; Hester Virginia, born 3-9-1894, (married Stace Avery Laurance) living

as of 1979; Mary Isabel, born 1-20-1896, (married Jayson Grant Buzby), moved to

Alaska 1919), died 6-4-1978.

Charles Croucher died in September 1899, and is buried in Lot 71, Damascus,

Damascus Pioneer Cemetery (perhaps a wooden marker, now gone). His wife

remarried a William Seyler and their only child, Margaret Seyler, born 9-21-1903,

died the same day, is buried at the foot of Charles and there is a memorial stone

for her. The living great aunts in 1968 verified the location of their father's grave.

Clara Ann Croucher Seyler died 12-21-1932, buried cemetery at Ten Mile,

Oregon next to William Seyler.

Mrs. Edward G. Janice Croucher

Salem, Oregon

June 2009