The weekly Butte record. [volume] (Oroville [Calif.]) 1866-1887, 1867-01-19
From the Golden Era.
incidents of trip to Frazer River In 1855.
BY MouNTAINEER.


In 1858 left nv home in Yoo county. for Fra
ger River. started overland with pack animals
and after reaching the Daes on the Columbia
River, joined party of thirty two Others bound
for the same land of gold. Everything went on
smoothly until we came to small stream that
empties into the Columbia few miles below Fort
Onkanagon. We camped for the. night on this
stream, and in the morning had pa ckcd up ready
for start. The majority of the party had rolled
out the trail, when we heard shooting and yell
ing back IN the camp. There Frenrhman in
the party, who had thirteen packs OF his own, con-
sisting of goods Of different kinds. and sett Of
blacksmith tools. He. having insufficient help to
assist him in packing was bchndhand nearly ev-
cry morDin :, and another man, named John HAYS,
who travelling on foot; he had no horse to take
care of, but was always the last man out of camp.
In travelling along he was continually wandering
away from the road, gathering specimens. We
warned him often to take more care of himself, or
he would be killed; but no, he would take no ad-
vice.
Now this morning, poor Hays had started out
after US, a little in advance of the Frenchman's
packs. He was walking along the trail, aud on
turning point of rocks, about twenty mounted In
diaus came rushing out of guch. He started to
back to the pack animals, and as the Indians
rushed by him they shot him two or three times in
the back, killing him instantly. They then rushed
on the pack animals, stampeding them and dri-
wing them ahead M the creek, under full run. I'M
mediately upon hearing the shooting ten of us who
were ahead. came back under whip and spur. See
ing the dead body, and missing the animals. we
never waited to talk to the Frenchman and his par
ty. They had taken the brush as soon as they saw
the Indians coming. and went by, were hal
looing: Indians Indians - as loud as they could
They had not fred single shot in defence of their
packs.
We kept on in pursuit. The Indians bad crossed
the creek about one mile above; we followed and
after getting out of the brush, discovered them
making for canyon in the mountain. Before
reaching the canyon the horse that carried the bel
lows fell; his saddle had turned under his belly
Just as they entered the canyon, two more sad
dies turned and the horses stopped. We were gain
ing on them. when al at once We discovered large
party coming down 10 their assistance They drove
the remaining packs above them and stopped, and
gave slight in the shape of rifle bullets
that we had come far enough; we took the hint and
left taking the three recovered animals with their
packs, back with u.s. On returning to camp the
old Frenchman told us that he had placed pair of
saddle-hags, containing six hundred and fifty dol
lars in gold, on the top of pack of clothing that
the Indians had got. We went from there to tn
Columbia and camped, and gave poor Hays as de
cent aklrisl as circumstances would permit. The
next day. on reaching Fort Okanagon, we we're in
formed by the trader that the Indians on the Sim
ilkameen called the Fork Indians, were very bad
and had fonght the party preceding US. and killed
six or seven of their men, and that we had better
be on cur guard. On travelling up that stream, We
saw the battle ground ana the piles of stones IN
der which the poor mutilated bodies Of those killed
were buried; we learned afterward that four of
them were intimate friends of some of our party.
One knew well. and more kind and better
hearted man never lived. His name was Jessie
Rice, resident of Knights Landing: he left a wife
and one or two children. \ few miles above the
first ford We discovered Indian camp. in it We
found large quantities of service berries some bear
meat and horse. Our Captain had given strict
orders not to mealle with anything We found be
longing To the Indians. So passed on. After
going about thee miles, discovered Indians be-
hind Us; our rear guard stopped and made signs
for them to come up and talk; they came under full
speed, eleven in number. | think | never saw a
finer looking Sc; in my life-they all dressed
in fancy buckSkin suits beaded and porcupned an d
armed each with Hudson Bay musket. They said
our people had, and were. doing them great in
jury by travelling Though their country, soaring
away their game, destroying their grass. etc. and
even had fought them, and killed number of their
warriors.
We told them that-we did not wish to have any
trouble with them: that we were travelling along
peaeeahly; and that they or some Of their people
had Killed one Of our men, and stolen our horses
! and packs, bat willing to make friends
with them if they wished. They answered, that
they could not make friends, without first consult
ing their chief, who was long distance from them;
and iha; it was very little difference TO them wheth
er we were friends enemies. They, for their
part, liked 10 tight. and il did not. we must be
,.,t,awS and had no business there We told them