, 1865-10-06
Malheur Expedition.

placed IN possession OF the following facts, in
relation to the expedition thatleft Boise County,
in August under the leadership of John Par
ton, of the "Washoe Ferry" to prospect the
head waters of the Malheur, and Snake Indian
country. For some time prior to the organiza-
ton of this company, John Parton had repre-
sented to many of his friends, and acquaintan-
ces, that while in search of some cattle the In
dians had driven off, he was crossing a small
stream that empties into the Malheur, above the
mouth of Willow Creek-when his mule made a
misstep and cut her foot. While washing the
mud from the wound he discovered a small
piece of gold on the mules shoe This induced
him to prospect, and in doing so, with the lin
tied mc9us he had) he raised from three to nine
cents to the pan. The stx seemed very plaus-
ible, and coming from man that occupied the
position in community that Parton did, for truth
and veracity, was credited by nearly every one.
In short time, the expedition numbered SO
white men, and two negroes. After leaving the
Snake River, we followed up the Malheur about
fifty miles, when we took more of southwest
direction leaving the Malheur to our left; tray
eled in this direction about thirty miles, over a
| rough, rocky country, following the old wagon
road of Major Redding, when we came down on
the middle fork of the Malheur, which we fol-
lowed up about eight miles to its junction with
another stream, where we found the remains of
some emigrant wagons. Here we again left the
river, taking almost due south course-and in
fact travelling to almost every point of the com
pass-until the I'd day of Sept, when we ar
rived in the northeast corner of the great Colo
rado Desert.
We now began to realize for the first time,
that we were in the heart of an Indian country,
having seen fresh signs near our camp ground,
and took every precaution against surprise.
After crossing the lower end of the desert, keep
ing in a westerly course for about 25 miles
leaving STEMS Warmers and Pueblo mountains
on our left-we camped on the night of the 4th
of Sept. on a small creek, about miles from
the south fork of Silva River-some 20 miles to
the east of Silva Lake. The next morning, the
Company were compelled to remain in camp on
account of the illness of Mr.. Preston, and
number of the party avaled themselves of the
| opportunity to hunt for game. Among them
was Mr.. 0. H. Graffam, the celebrated Glass
Blower who in company with Mr.. Moore, started
out from camp, and when about one and a-half
miles away, and while ascending a hill (Mr.
Graffam being in advance) they heard a gun
shot, and both Immediately turned round, won
dering where it came from.
In an instant another shot was fired and Mr..
Graffam fell dead. Mr.. Moore saw where the
shot came from, and fired in the bunch of ofbrush,
when two Indians came out and ran towards
him. Not knowing how many Indians there
were, he ran down the hill to alarm the camp
Fifteen of the company started in pursuit, but
met with no success We moved over on the
Silva River that evening, after burying the body
| of Mr.. Graffam, and in prospecting bar on the
river, we would get a number of fine colors to
every pan We followed up the river to its
head, but met with no better success in our
prospects, on its head waters
Our provisions were now nearly exhausted,
and the Indians following us every day, we
therefore concluded to "strike OUT for the
Canyon City Wagon Road, and from thence to
the place where Parton had got his prospects.
The reason we did not go there when we first
started out, was on account of the company be-
ing too large (as Parton said) but calculated to
wait until the company broke up and then visit
the place with few men, The company did
break up into a number Of small companies, and
left for many different camps-leaving Parton
with but eight or ten men. These he took into
the diggngs on a small creek west of the Nor
mon Basin-where some men have been at work
for the past two years. Some of the company
became indignant at this, and in order to satisfy
them, and get away as soon as possible, he told
them he would meet them at a certain place, on
certain night, (making the time about one
week in adYance) and would show them the
place, where he had got his prospects They
still having confidence in his word accepted his
proposition, and was at the appointed place, at
the time, but Parton 'failed to connect"
We were then satisfied that be never obtained
prospect in that country, in fact knew no more
about the country than any one that had never
been there, and whose Judgment in relation to
''washed quartz, and tbar knolls" was no bet
ter than a Chinaman's.
So far as the character of the country is con-
cerned we do not doubt but that it is a mineral
region, and may, some day be rich mining
country; but, generally speaking, there is but
little country that mas any indications of gold.
The hills are covered with loose lava rock, and
very seldom any "wash." Should a mining
camp be opened there it will require strong
guard, while others are mining, for the Indians
are very troublesome. We found gold in vari-
GUS places, but the country that looked most fa-
vorable we did not prospect at all, on account of
the scarcity of provisions.
A Coon REsoLvE.-The recent Democratic
State Convention of Ohio, put forth some very
good Resolutions, and none better nor more to
the point tn an the l4th one, which reads as fol-
lows:
"ResolUed, That we most explicitly condemn
the policy of the party in power in creating
thousands of millions of Government stocks,
and attempting to exonerate the holders thereof
from all obligation to pay their just proportion
of taxes for the support of the States in which
they reside, and thereby creating an odious and