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considerable force for the purpose of keeping them under control。

The outcome of this was a severe fightresulting in the loss of a

good many livesbetween the hostiles and a party of our troops under

Lieutenant George Crook。  It finally ended in the establishment of a

military post in the vicinity of the battle…ground; for the permanent

occupation of the country。



A great load was lifted from my heart when I found myself so near

Williamson's camp; which I joined August 4; 1855; receiving a warm

welcome from the officers。  During the afternoon I relieved

Lieutenant Hood of the command of the personal escort; and he was

ordered to return; with twelve of the mounted men; over the trail I

had followed。  I pointed out to him on the map the spot where he

would find the two men left on the roadside; and he was directed to

take them into Fort Reading。  They were found without difficulty; and

carried in to the post。  The sick manDuryeawhom I had expected

never to see again; afterward became the hospital steward at Fort

Yamhill; Oregon; when I was stationed there。



The Indians that I had passed at the ford came to the bluff above the

camp; and arranging themselves in a squatting posture; looked down

upon Williamson's party with longing eyes; in expectation of a feast。

They were a pitiable lot; almost naked; hungry and cadaverous。

Indians are always hungry; but these poor creatures were particularly

so; as their usual supply of food had grown very scarce from one

cause and another。



In prosperity they mainly subsisted on fish; or game killed with the

bow and arrow。  When these sources failed they lived on grasshoppers;

and at this season the grasshopper was their principal food。  In

former years salmon were very abundant in the streams of the

Sacramento Valley; and every fall they took great quantities of these

fish and dried them for winter use; but alluvial mining had of late

years defiled the water of the different streams and driven the fish

out。  On this account the usual supply of salmon was very limited。

They got some trout high up on the rivers; above the sluices and

rockers of the miners; but this was a precarious source from which to

derive food; as their means of taking the trout were very primitive。

They had neither hooks nor lines; but depended entirely on a

contrivance made from long; slender branches of willow; which grew on

the banks of most of the streams。  One of these branches would be

cut; and after sharpening the butt…end to a point; split a certain

distance; and by a wedge the prongs divided sufficiently to admit a

fish between。  The Indian fisherman would then slyly put the forked

end in the water over his intended victim; and with a quick dart

firmly wedge him between the prongs。  When secured there; the work of

landing him took but a moment。  When trout were plentiful this

primitive mode of taking them was quite successful; and I have often

known hundreds of pounds to be caught in this way; but when they were

scarce and suspicious the rude method was not rewarded with good

results。



The band looking down on us evidently had not had much fish or game

to eat for some time; so when they had made Williamson understand

that they were suffering for food he permitted them to come into

camp; and furnished them with a supply; which they greedily swallowed

as fast as it was placed at their service; regardless of possible

indigestion。  When they had eaten all they could hold; their

enjoyment was made complete by the soldiers; who gave them a quantity

of strong plug tobacco。  This they smoked incessantly; inhaling all

the smoke; so that none of the effect should be lost。  When we

abandoned this camp the next day; the miserable wretches remained in

it and collected the offal about the cooks' fires to feast still

more; piecing out the meal; no doubt; with their staple article of

foodgrasshoppers。



On the morning of August 5 Lieutenant Hood started back to Fort

Reading; and Lieutenant Williamson resumed his march for the Columbia

River。  Our course was up Pit River; by the lower and upper canons;

then across to the Klamath Lakes; then east; along their edge to the

upper lake。  At the middle Klamath Lake; just after crossing Lost

River and the Natural Bridge; we met a small party of citizens from

Jacksonville; Oregon; looking for hostile Indians who had committed

some depredations in their neighborhood。  From them we learned that

the Rogue River Indians in southern Oregon were on the war…path; and

that as the 〃regular troops up there were of no account; the citizens

had taken matters in hand; and intended cleaning up the hostiles。〃

They swaggered about our camp; bragged a good deal; cursed the

Indians loudly; and soundly abused the Government for not giving them

better protection。  It struck me; however; that they had not worked

very hard to find the hostiles; indeed; it could plainly be seen that

their expedition was a town…meeting sort of affair; and that anxiety

to get safe home was uppermost in their thoughts。  The enthusiasm

with which they started had all oozed out; and that night they

marched back to Jacksonville。  The next day; at the head of the lake;

we came across an Indian village; and I have often wondered since

what would have been the course pursued by these valiant warriors

from Jacksonville had they gone far enough to get into its vicinity。



When we reached the village the tepeesmade of grasswere all

standing; the fires burning and pots boilingthe pots filled with

camas and tula rootsbut not an Indian was to be seen。  Williamson

directed that nothing in the village should be disturbed; so guards

were placed over it to carry out his instructions and we went into

camp just a little beyond。  We had scarcely established ourselves

when a very old Indian rose up from the high grass some distance off;

and with peaceable signs approached our camp; evidently for the

purpose of learning whether or not our intentions were hostile。

Williamson told him we were friendly; that we had passed through his

village without molesting it; that we had put a guard there to secure

the property his people had abandoned in their fright; and that they

might come back in safety。  The old man searchingly eyed everything

around for some little time; and gaining confidence from the

peaceable appearance of the men; who were engaged in putting up the

tents and preparing their evening meal; he concluded to accept our

professions of friendship; and bring his people in。  Going out about

half a mile from the village he gave a peculiar yell; at which

between three and four hundred Indians arose simultaneously from the

ground; and in answer to his signal came out of the tall grass like a

swarm of locusts and soon overran our camp in search of food; for

like all Indians they were hungry。  They too; proved to be Pit

Rivers; and were not less repulsive than those of their tribe we had

met before。  They were aware of the hostilities going on between the

Rogue Rivers and the whites; but claimed that they had not taken any

part in them。  I question if they had; but had our party been small;

I fear we should have been received at their village in a very

different manner。



》From the upper Klamath Lake we marched over the divide and down the

valley of the Des Chutes River to a point opposite the mountains

called the Three Sisters。  Here; on September 23; the party divided;

Williamson and I crossing through the crater of the Three Sisters and

along the western slope of the Cascade Range; until we struck the

trail on McKenzie River; which led us into the Willamette Valley not

far from Eugene City。  We then marched down the Willamette Valley to

Portland; Oregon; where we arrived October 9; 1855



The infantry portion of the command; escorting Lieutenant Henry L。

Abbot; followed farther down the Des Chutes River; to a point

opposite Mount Hood; from which it came into the Willamette Valley


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