personal memoirs-1-第7章

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

had　been　recently　constructed　by　a　hardy　pioneer。　　The　wind　was

blowing　a　disagreeable　gale；　which　had　begun　early　in　the　day。　　This

made　it　desirable　to　locate　our　camp　under　the　best　cover　we　could

find；　and　I　spent　some　little　time　in　looking　about　for　a

satisfactory　place；　but　nothing　better　offered　than　a　large　fallen

tree；　which　lay　in　such　a　direction　that　by　encamping　on　its　lee　side

we　would　be　protected　from　the　fury　of　the　storm。　　This　spot　was

therefore　fixed　upon；　and　preparation　made　for　spending　the　night　as

comfortably　as　the　circumstances　would　permit。



After　we　had　unsaddled　I　visited　the　cabin　to　inquire　in　regard　to

the　country　ahead；　and　there　found　at　first　only　a　soldier　of

Williamson's　party；　later　the　proprietor　of　the　ranch　appeared。　　The

soldier　had　been　left　behind　by　the　surveying　party　on　account　of

illness；　with　instructions　to　make　his　way　back　to　Fort　Reading　as

best　he　could　when　he　recovered。　　His　condition　having　greatly

improved；　however；　since　he　had　been　left；　he　now　begged　me　in

beseeching　terms　to　take　him　along　with　my　party；　which　I　finally

consented　to　do；　provided　that　if　he　became　unable　to　keep　up　with

me；　and　I　should　be　obliged　to　abandon　him；　the　responsibility　would

be　his；　not　mine。　　This　increased　my　number　to　five；　and　was　quite　a

reinforcement　should　we　run　across　any　hostile　Indians；　but　it　was

also　certain　to　prove　an　embarrassment　should　the　man　again　fall　ill。



During　the　night；　notwithstanding　the　continuance　of　the　storm；　I　had

a　very　sound　and　refreshing　sleep　behind　the　protecting　log　where　we

made　our　camp；　and　at　daylight　next　morning　we　resumed　our　journey；

fortified　by　a　breakfast　of　coffee　and　hard　bread。　　I　skirted　around

the　base　of　Lassan's　Butte；　thence　down　Hat　Creek；　all　the　time

following　the　trail　made　by　Lieutenant　Williamson's　party。　　About

noon　the　soldier　I　had　picked　up　at　my　first　camp　gave　out；　and　could

go　no　farther。　　As　stipulated　when　I　consented　to　take　him　along；　I

had　the　right　to　abandon　him；　but　when　it　came　to　the　test　I　could

not　make　up　my　mind　to　do　it。　　Finding　a　good　place　not　far　off　the

trail；　one　of　my　men　volunteered　to　remain　with　him　until　he　died；

and　we　left　them　there；　with　a　liberal　supply　of　hard　bread　and

coffee；　believing　that　we　would　never　again　see　the　invalid。　　My

reinforcement　was　already　gone；　and　another　man　with　it。



With　my　diminished　party　I　resumed　the　trail　and　followed　it　until

about　4　o'clock　in　the　afternoon；　when　we　heard　the　sound　of　voices；

and　the　corporal；　thinking　we　were　approaching　Lieutenant

Williamson's　party；　was　so　overjoyed　in　anticipation　of　the　junction；

that　he　wanted　to　fire　his　musket　as　an　expression　of　his　delight。

This　I　prevented　his　doing；　however；　and　we　continued　cautiously　and

slowly　on　to　develop　the　source　of　the　sounds　in　front。　　We　had　not

gone　far　before　I　discovered　that　the　noise　came　from　a　band　of　Pit

River　Indians；　who　had　struck　the　trail　of　the　surveying　expedition；

and　were　following　it　up；　doubtless　with　evil　intent。　　Dismounting

from　my　horse　I　counted　the　moccasin　tracks　to　ascertain　the　number

of　Indians；　discovered　it　to　be　about　thirty；　and　then　followed　on

behind　them　cautiously；　but　with　little　difficulty；　as　appearances　of

speed　on　their　part　indicated　that　they　wished　to　overtake　Lieutenant

Williamson's　party；　which　made　them　less　on　the　lookout　than　usual

for　any　possible　pursuers。　　After　following　the　trail　until　nearly

sundown；　I　considered　it　prudent　to　stop　for　the　night；　and　drew　off

some　little　distance；　where；　concealed　in　a　dense　growth　of　timber；

we　made　our　camp。



As　I　had　with　me　now　only　two　men；　I　felt　somewhat　nervous；　so　I

allowed　no　fires　to　be　built；　and　in　consequence　our　supper　consisted

of　hard　bread　only。　　I　passed　an　anxious　night；　but　beyond　our　own

solicitude　there　was　nothing　to　disturb　us；　the　Indians　being　too

much　interested　in　overtaking　the　party　in　front　to　seek　for　victims

in　the　rear；　After　a　hard…bread　breakfast　we　started　again　on　the

trail；　and　had　proceeded　but　a　short　distance　when；　hearing　the

voices　of　the　Indians；　we　at　once　slackened　our　speed　so　as　not　to

overtake　them。



Most　of　the　trail　on　which　we　traveled　during　the　morning　ran　over　an

exceedingly　rough　lava　formationa　spur　of　the　lava　beds　often

described　during　the　Modoc　war　of　1873　so　hard　and　flinty　that

Williamson's　large　command　made　little　impression　on　its　surface；

leaving　in　fact；　only　indistinct　traces　of　its　line　of　march。　　By

care　and　frequent　examinations　we　managed　to　follow　his　route　through

without　much　delay；　or　discovery　by　the　Indians；　and　about　noon；

owing　to　the　termination　of　the　lava　formation；　we　descended　into　the

valley　of　Hat　Greek；　a　little　below　where　it　emerges　from　the　second

canon　and　above　its　confluence　with　Pit　River。　　As　soon　as　we　reached

the　fertile　soil　of　the　valley；　we　found　Williamson's　trail　well

defined；　deeply　impressed　in　the　soft　loam；　and　coursing　through

wild…flowers　and　luxuriant　grass　which　carpeted　the　ground　on　every

hand。



When　we　struck　this　delightful　locality　we　traveled　with　considerable

speed；　and　after　passing　over　hill　and　vale　for　some　distance；　the

trail　becoming　more　and　more　distinct　all　the　time；　I　suddenly　saw　in

front　of　me　the　Pit　River　Indians。



This　caused　a　halt；　and　having　hurriedly　re…capped　our　guns　and

six…shooters；　thus　preparing　for　the　worst；　I　took　a　look　at　the　band

through　my　field…glass。　　They　were　a　half…mile　or　more　in　our　front

and　numbered　about　thirty　individuals；　armed　with　bows　and　arrows

only。　　Observing　us　they　made　friendly　demonstrations；　but　I　had　not

implicit　faith　in　a　Pit　River　Indian　at　that　period　of　the　settlement

of　our　country；　and　especially　in　that　wild　locality；　so　after　a

〃council　of　war〃　with　the　corporal　and　man；　I　concluded　to　advance　to

a　point　about　two　hundred　yards　distant　from　the　party；　when；　relying

on　the　speed　of　our　horses　rather　than　on　the　peaceable　intentions　of

the　savages；　I　hoped　to　succeed　in　cutting　around　them　and　take　the

trail　beyond。　　Being　on　foot　they　could　not　readily　catch　us；　and

inasmuch　as　their　arrows　were　good　for　a　range　of　only　about　sixty

yards；　I　had　no　fear　of　any　material　damage　on　that　score。



On　reaching　the　place　selected　for　our　flank　movement　we　made　a　dash

to　the　left　of　the　trail；　through　the　widest　part　of　the　valley；　and

ran　our　horses　swiftly　by；　but　I　noticed　that　the　Indians　did　not

seem　to　be　disturbed　by　the　manoeuvre　and　soon　realized　that　this

indifference　was　occasioned　by　the　knowledge　that　we　could　not　cross

Hat　Creek；　a　deep　stream　with　vertical　banks；　too　broad　to　be　leaped

by　our　horses。　　We　were　obliged；　therefore；　to　halt；　and　the　Indians

again　made　demonstrations　of　friendship；　some　of　them　even　getting

into　the　stream　to　show　that　they　were　at　the　ford。　　Thus　reassured；

we　regained　our　confidence　and　boldly　crossed　the　river　in　the　midst

of　them。　　After　we　had　gained　the　bluff　on　the　other　side　of　the

creek；　I　looked　down　into　the　valley　of　Pit　River；　and　could　plainly

see　the　camp　of　the　surveying　party。　　Its　proximity　was　the　influence

which　had　doubtless　caused　the　peaceable　conduct　of　the　Indians。

Probably　the　only　thing　that　saved　us　was　their　ignorance　of　our

being　in　their　rear；　until　we　stumbled　on　them　almost　within　sight　of

the　large　party　under　Williamson。



The　Pit　River　Indians　were　very　hostile　at　that　time；　and　for　many

succeeding　years　their　treachery　and　cruelty　brought　misfortune　and

misery　to　the　white　settlers　who　ventured　their　lives　in　search　of

home　and　fortune　in　the　wild　and　isolated　section　over　which　these

savages　roamed。　　Not　long　after　Williamson's　party　passed　through

their　country；　the　Government　was　compelled　to　send　into　it　a

considerable　force　for　the　purpose　of　keeping　them　under　control。

The　outcome　of　this　w