The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1870-11-05

out by my friend never received the dis
tinction of single building. However,
with singular tenacity, it retained its
place in the maps of Idaho, and there, at
least, is as large and flourishing as its
rival.
On the Sd day Of December, in the
fierce storm we read the prophecy of the
fearful winter OF 1923. Thousands of
homeless and helpless men began to pour
out over the horseshoe in the direction of
Lewiston. Going into camp one night
with the express, met Baboon and his
party quietly making their way over the
mountain. Each man had horse laden
with gold. Promising to return and over
take them, | rode on, and soon met party
headed by the notorious Dave English
and Nelse Scott. They were we'll known
robbers, and down on the books of the
Expressmen as the worst of men but, as
there was not a shadow of civil law, and
Vigilantes had not yet asserted them
selves, these men moved about as freely
as the best in camp. Only few days
before had occurred an incident which
for their Order. Scott and English had
reached a station on the road with their
horses badly jaded. They were unknown
to the keeper of the station, who had the
express horses in charge; and not wish
ing to do violence to get change of
horses, resorted to strategy. They talked
loudly to each other concerning the mer-
its of their stock, and quietly telling the
keeper they were connected with the cx-
press, and were stocking the road-act-
ing as road agents-ordered him to sad
die the two best horses at the station, and
take the best possible care of theirs till
their return. He did so, and when the
Express arrived that night for its relays,
the innocent keeper told the rider the
.'road agents" had taken them
English was thick-set, powerful man,
with black beard and con- manding man.
ncr. One of his gray eyes appeared to
be askew, but other than that, he was a
fine looking man. He was usually good
natured but when reused, was terrible
Scott was tall, slim, brown haired, and
had face fine and delicate as woman's
Both men, as well as their four followers
ono of whom was once known to circus
goers of California as Billy Peoples
were young.
Knowing their object, 1 asked them if
Old Baboon had left camp.
They answered, ~ es, they thought he
had" They then halted, and l rode by
uninrerruptedly. Ircachcd camp, got a
fresh horse, and before dawn overlook
Baboon and pa rty. Six days, or rather
nights, of traY Yel, and we reached Lewis
ton, now sea of canvass. The next day
English and party also entered. The
river was full of ice, and the steamers
tied up for the winter. Even the terry
was impossible for thirteen days 1t was
little over hundred miles to Walla
Walla, and the snow deep and still fall
ing. We had hardly got over the ferry,
when English and party followed. But
as We had been joined by three resolute
men, we were now nine, while they were
but six, we kept on. We knew their
business, and when they passed us soon,
chatting gayly, they must have felt, from
our compact manner oftravel and silence.
that they were understood. | observed
that they were splendidly mounted and
armed.
1t was twenty four miles to Petalia, the
nearest station. The days were short,
and the snow deep. With the best of
fortune we did not expect to make it till
night. At noon we left the Alpowa, and
rode TO q vast paltcau without stone,
stake, or sign to point the way to
Petalia, twelve miles distant Here the
snow was deeper, more difficult; besides,
furious wind had set in. which blinded
and discouraged our horses. 1t was in
tcnsely cold. We had not been an hour
on tins high plain before each mans face
was mass of ice, and our horses white
with frost. The sun, which all day had
been but dim, now faded in the storm like
a star of morning drowned in food of
dawn, and l began to experience grave
fears. Still English and party kept on
not SO cheerful, not so fast as before, it
is true-but still kept on as if they felt
secure. Once l saw them stop, consult,
look back, and then in little while move
silently on. / managed to turn my head
moment in the terrible storm, and saw
that our trail was obliterated the moment
we passed Return was impossible-eyen
had it been possible to reeross the river,
if we had reached it. Again they halted,
huddied together, looked back, then
slowly struggled on again; sometimes
Scott, sometimes English, and then Wa
bash or Peoples in the lead but most of
the time the iron man English silently
and stubbornly kept ahead. l did not
speak to Baboon-it was almost iinpossi-
to be heard besides it was useless. l
now knew we were in deadly peril--not
from the robbers, but from the storm.
Again they halted !; again grouped to-
eether, gesticulating in the storm, shield
ing their faces against the sheets of ice.
Our trail had closed like a grave behind
us, and our horses were now foundering
helplessly in the snow. Again English
struggled ON but at three in the even
ing, standing up to the waist in the snow
beside his PROSTATE horse, he shouted fer
us to approach. We did SO. but could
scarcely see each others faces as we
pushed against the storm. We held our
heads bowed and necks bent, as you have
seen cattle as such times in barnyard.
"H-'s to pay, boys! tell you,
h-'s to pay aud if We don't keep our
heads level, we'll go up the fume like a
spring salmon. Which way do you think