The Republican journal., 1875-12-23
M ose Underwood.


cisco for Columbia River. intending t
pass the summer in sketching the pictur
esque scenery along its banks After rs
cending the river as far as Portland | wa
induced, bv the information there obtain
ed, to return to 4 point below the Cas-
cades, in search of Il saw-mill and village
belonging to the Oregon Lumber Com
pany, situated in the most beautiful par
OF the valley. | was advised by Captain
Blunt, the master of the boat on which
had taken passage, to inquire at the wi
lage for the whereabouts of Nose Under
wood, u renowned hunter Of those parts
who might be induced. Tor u considera
ton, to guide me to such places as
wished to visit, and whose cabin at some
distance in the wilderness would, if die
not mind roughing it, furnish Il conven-
lent stopping place.
In answer to my inquiries rs to the
character of the man, the captain describ
ed him as thoroughly reliable and truth
iul, hartl-working and sober ''lie has, ,
he said, "been saving up money for many
years, which | have regularly deposited
Tor him in the Portland Bank, and he has
amasscd quite respectable sum. don't
view, but he hints that he has u special
use tor all he can make, Nose hasn't
much talk" continued the captain, '.and
never opens his mouth to speak when he
can express his meaning by signs or mo-
tionS; but he is AS true as steel and as
bold as 4 griSly.0
| reached the saw-mils late at night,
bundled my traps ashore, and was rccey-
ed by a crowd OF about the toughest men
| had ever encountered. They proved
however, more hospitable than they look
ed, and made room for me by a hugh fire
under Il sort of shed, where | fell asleep
as soon as the torrent Of profanity which
formed the burden Of their conversation
had begun to subside, On the following
morning | learned that by lucky chance
Underwood was expected at the mills
with skins and venison that very day,
and accordingly while | was at dinner
with the officers Of the company, who
had made me heartily welcome as soon
as my arrival became known to them, he
stepped quietly into the room. His ap-
pearance was striking. Straight Us 4
pine, he lowered in height above all the
company, though there were tall men
amongst us lie had deep-set eyes, dark
brown hair ANA beard, close clipped and
curly, and n countenance and bearing ex-
prcssive OF conscious strength and indie
pendence lie was dressed partly in
homespun stuff and partly in deerskin,
and carried his long heavy rifle with an
ease and grace which showed that it was
his inseparable companion.
made my application to him, men
tioning, incidentally, Captain Blunt's
name He looked at me for some time
in silence and then put me through a
course of questioning rs to my purposes
and pursuits My occupation of making
plctures' he seemed to think rather :,
contemplate one for Il grown man, but
my possession of a good rifle, and assur-
ances Of being accustomed to life in the
woods, seemed to weigh in my favor.
" Well, dun ye !" he said at last,
come along then. It'll be fun for Jack ;
he hain't seen no white man for ever 50
long"
The arrangement was speedily con-
cAaded. Nose packed my traps and such
odds and ends as he had bought at the
store on his mare. and we left the station
about two O'Clock in the afternoon The
tramp was a long and most iatiguing
one, through bushes and swamps, over
rugged, stony hills, and along precipiccs,
where in the evening, had it not been for
the advantage OF Il full moon, ! should
have found the footing very insecure and
perllous
AS for Nose, he stalked along in front
Of me with his gigantic stride, ncon-
scious alike of danger and fatigue, and
never opened his lips till we arrived,
about midnight, in the neghborhood OF
the cabin. Then, as u light became Wis
ible through the chinks, he muttered,
The little cub! he's got supper ready
He's Il hoss, he is, durn him -
A mob of dogs received us with deaf
ening howls. The door of the cabin was
pushed open, and boy some nine years
of age stepped out into the moonlight
He gave shril whoop, which was an
swered by roar from Nose; no other
greeting was exchanged between them
And this is Jack =" thought. What
singular companion for such giant as
Nose!
| bade him good evening, and shook
him by the hand, lie looked pleased
but without making any reply to my
greeting, led me into the house. pointec
to rough bench by the fire, and busic(
himself in placing venison and coffee be-
fore me Having brought u basin o
brown sugar covered with myriads Of
ants he left the cabin, and presently re-
turned with a pitcher of milk then, sit
ting down opposite me, he stared at me
with eyes in evident wonderment, but
made 10 response to my occasional OBJ
Servati0ns.
When Nose had dispose;! OF his horse
and brought my baggage into the house
he found me half through with my sup
per. lie helped himself to venison ant
coffee, and then nudgine Jack, pointed tf
the pan on the fire. ''Done eatin'," Jacb
answered; ard this was the first and last
word heard from him that night.
| was shown into a room back OF the
cabin, which on a hasty examination by
the light of wax match, | found to con
tain 4 homemade bedstead, two stool.
and small table The bed consisted O
a hay mattress and pile Of bear skins
neatly dressed and trimmed with rec
blanketing, as though a woman's nea
hand had had its share in the furnishing
of the chamber. This impression was
strengthened when, on waking in the
morning, | found many evidences of it.
having once been the habitation Of wo
man. Some garments were hanging or
the WALL dusty like everything else in tho
room, but of good material, and of better
make than it would have been possible
for a woman brought up in this wilder
ness to possess. On the little table, or
which was spread neatly worked deer
skin cover. lay needle-case and scissors
of fine English manufacture, and aprayer
book Of the Episcopal service. somewhat
torn and stained, but an elegant edition
Instinctvely, | looked for the fly-leaf tt
see if there was any name on it, but the
first leaves of the book had been torn out
Deer-skin moccasins of small size ant
neat make were at the foot Of the bed
and there was a skirt and woman's leg
gings of the same material among the
clothing hanging on the wall-a singular
mixture of savage and civilized life.