personal memoirs-1-第6章

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almost　to　a　point　by　contraction　of　the　corners。　　Then　the　sticks　。

were　made　secure；　the　trap　placed　at　some　secluded　spot；　and　from　the

centre　to　the　outside　a　trench　was　dug　in　the　ground；　and　thinly

covered　when　a　depth　had　been　obtained　that　would　leave　an　aperture

sufficiently　large　to　admit　the　class　of　birds　desired。　　Along　this

trench　seeds　and　other　food　were　scattered；　which　the　birds　soon

discovered；　and　of　course　began　to　eat；　unsuspectingly　following　the

tempting　bait　through　the　gallery　till　they　emerged　from　its　farther

end　in　the　centre　of　the　trap；　where　they　contentedly　fed　till　the

food　was　all　gone。　　Then　the　fact　of　imprisonment　first　presented

itself；　and　they　vainly　endeavored　to　escape　through　the　interstices

of　the　cage；　never　once　guided　by　their　instinct　to　return　to　liberty

through　the　route　by　which　they　had　entered。



Among　the　different　kinds　of　birds　captured　in　this　way；　mocking…

birds；　blue…birds；　robins；　meadow　larks；　quail；　and　plover　were　the

most　numerous。　　They　seemed　to　have　more　voracious　appetites　than

other　varieties；　or　else　they　were　more　unwary；　and　consequently　more

easily　caught。　　A　change　of　station；　however；　put　an　end　to　my

ornithological　plans；　and　activities　of　other　kinds　prevented　me　from

resuming　them　in　after　life。



There　were　quite　a　number　of　young　officers　at　the　post　during　the

winter；　and　as　our　relations　with　the　Mexican　commandant　at　Piedras

Negras　were　most　amicable；　we　were　often　invited　to　dances　at　his

house。　　He　and　his　hospitable　wife　and　daughter　drummed　up　the　female

portion　of　the　elite　of　Piedras　Negras　and　provided　the　house；　which

was　the　official　as　well　as　the　personal　residence　of　the　commandant；

while　wethe　young　officersfurnished　the　music　and　such

sweetmeats；　candies；　&c。；　for　the　baille　as　the　country　would　afford。



We　generally　danced　in　a　long　hall　on　a　hard　dirt　floor。　　The　girls

sat　on　one　side　of　the　hall；　chaperoned　by　their　mothers　or　some　old

duennas；　and　the　men　on　the　other。　　When　the　music　struck　up　each　man

asked　the　lady　whom　his　eyes　had　already　selected　to　dance　with　him；

and　it　was　not　etiquette　for　her　to　refuseno　engagements　being

allowed　before　the　music　began。　　When　the　dance；　which　was　generally

a　long　waltz；　was　over；　he　seated　his　partner；　and　then　went　to　a

little　counter　at　the　end　of　the　room　and　bought　his　dulcinea　a　plate

of　the　candies　and　sweetmeats　provided。　　Sometimes　she　accepted　them；

but　most　generally　pointed　to　her　duenna　or　chaperon　behind；　who　held

up　her　apron　and　caught　the　refreshments　as　they　were　slid　into　it

from　the　plate。　　The　greatest　decorum　was　maintained　at　these　dances；

primitively　as　they　were　conducted；　and　in　a　region　so　completely　cut

off　from　the　world；　their　influence　was　undoubtedly　beneficial　to　a

considerable　degree　in　softening　the　rough　edges　in　a　half…breed

population。



The　inhabitants　of　this　frontier　of　Mexico　were　strongly　marked　with

Indian　characteristics；　particularly　with　those　of　the　Comanche　type；

and　as　the　wild　Indian　blood　predominated；　few　of　the　physical　traits

of　the　Spaniard　remained　among　them；　and　outlawry　was　common。　　The

Spanish　conquerors　had　left　on　the　northern　border　only　their

graceful　manners　and　their　humility　before　the　cross。　　The　sign　of

Christianity　was　prominently　placed　at　all　important　points　on　roads

or　trails；　and　especially　where　any　one　had　been　killed；　and　as　the

Comanche　Indians；　strong　and　warlike；　had　devastated　northeastern

Mexico　in　past　years；　all　along　the　border；　on　both　sides　of　the　Rio

Grande；　the　murderous　effects　of　their　raids　were　evidenced　by

numberless　crosses。　　For　more　than　a　century　forays　had　been　made　on

the　settlements　and　towns　by　these　bloodthirsty　savages；　and；　the

Mexican　Government　being　too　weak　to　afford　protection；　property　was

destroyed；　the　women　and　children　carried　off　or　ravished；　and　the

men　compelled　to　look　on　in　an　agony　of　helplessness　till　relieved　by

death。　　During　all　this　time；　however；　the　forms　and　ceremonials　of

religion；　and　the　polite　manners　received　from　the　Spaniards；　were

retained；　and　reverence　for　the　emblems　of　Christianity　was　always

uppermost　in　the　mind　of　even　the　most　ignorant。









CHAPTER　III。



ORDERED　TO　FORT　READING；　CAL。A　DANGEROUS　UNDERTAKINGA　RESCUED

SOLDIERDISCOVERING　INDIANSPRIMITIVE　FISHINGA　DESERTED

VILLAGECAMPING　OPPOSITE　FORT　VANCOUVER。



In　November；　1854；　I　received　my　promotion　to　a　second　lieutenancy　in

the　Fourth　Infantry；　which　was　stationed　in　California　and　Oregon。　In

order　to　join　my　company　at　Fort　Reading；　California；　I　had　to　go　to

New　York　as　a　starting　point；　and　on　arrival　there；　was　placed　on

duty；　in　May；　1855；　in　command　of　a　detachment　of　recruits　at

Bedloe's　Island；　intended　for　assignment　to　the　regiments　on　the

Pacific　coast。　　I　think　there　were　on　the　island　（now　occupied　by　the

statue　of　Liberty　Enlightening　the　World）　about　three　hundred

recruits。　　For　a　time　I　was　the　only　officer　with　them；　but　shortly

before　we　started　for　California；　Lieutenant　Francis　H。　Bates；　of　the

Fourth　Infantry；　was　placed　in　command。　We　embarked　for　the　Pacific

coast　in　July；　1855；　and　made　the　journey　without　incident　via　the

Isthmus　of　Panama；　in　due　time　landing　our　men　at　Benecia　Barracks；

above　San　Francisco。



》From　this　point　I　proceeded　to　join　my　company　at　Fort　Reading；　and

on　reaching　that　post；　found　orders　directing　me　to　relieve

Lieutenant　John　B。　Hoodafterward　well　known　as　a　distinguished

general　in　the　Confederate　service。　　Lieutenant　Hood　was　in　command

of　the　personal　mounted　escort　of　Lieutenant　R。　S。　Williamson；　who

was　charged　with　the　duty　of　making　such　explorations　and　surveys　as

would　determine　the　practicability　of　connecting；　by　railroad；　the

Sacramento　Valley　in　California　with　the　Columbia　River　in　Oregon

Territory；　either　through　the　Willamette　Valley；　or　（if　this　route

should　prove　to　be　impracticable）　by　the　valley　of　the　Des　Chutes

River　near　the　foot…slopes　of　the　Cascade　chain。　　The　survey　was

being　made　in　accordance　with　an　act　of　Congress；　which　provided　both

for　ascertaining　the　must　practicable　and　economical　route　for　a

railroad　between　the　Mississippi　River　and　the　Pacific　Ocean；　and　for

military　and　geographical　surveys　west　of　the　Mississippi　River。



Fort　Reading　was　the　starting…point　for　this　exploring　expedition；

and　there　I　arrived　some　four　or　five　days　after　the　party　under

Lieutenant　Williamson　had　begun　its　march。　　His　personal　escort

numbered　about　sixty　mounted　men；　made　up　of　detachments　from

companies　of　the　First　Dragoons；　under　command　of　Lieutenant　Hood；

together　with　about　one　hundred　men　belonging　to　the　Fourth　Infantry

arid　Third　Artillery；　commanded　by　Lieutenant　Horatio　Gates　Gibson；

the　present　colonel　of　the　Third　United　States　Artillery。　　Lieutenant

George　Crooknow　major…generalwas　the　quartermaster　and　commissary

of　subsistence　of　the　expedition。



The　commanding　officer　at　Fort　Reading　seemed　reluctant　to　let　me　go

on　to　relieve　Lieutenant　Hood；　as　the　country　to　be　passed　over　was

infested　by　the　Pit　River　Indians；　known　to　be　hostile　to　white

people　and　especially　to　small　parties。　　I　was　very　anxious　to

proceed；　however；　and　willing　to　take　the　chances；　so；　consent　being

finally　obtained；　I　started　with　a　corporal　and　two　mounted　men；

through　a　wild　and　uninhabited　region；　to　overtake　if　possible

Lieutenant　Williamson。　　Being　on　horseback；　and　unencumbered　by

luggage　of　any　kind　except　blankets　and　a　little　hard　bread；　coffee

and　smoking…tobacco；　which　were　all　carried　on　our　riding　animals；　we

were　sanguine　of　succeeding；　for　we　traversed　in　one　day　fully　the

distance　made　in　three　by　Lieutenant　Williamson's　party　on　foot。



The　first　day　we　reached　the　base　of　Lassan's　Butte；　where　I

determined　to　spend　the　night　near　an　isolated　cabin；　or　dugout；　that

had　been　recently　constructed　by　a　hardy　pioneer。　　The　wi