The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1875-12-10


side, and when the thieves stepped
! foot on shore they were captured
, The husbands recovered all the stolen
] gold and tho horses and saddles. The
The fellows confessed: but stated that
the ladiOs had seduCed them, and had
laid all the plans. They were each
sentenced to the Penitentiary for five
years. Simon i, gave up his trip to
! Oregon, but George N. came through.
Thus ended this love affair. l.. and
and his wife afterwards parted. On
On Sunday morning, june /, 1851
all of our trains, some for California
and some for Oregon, took up their
line Of march for the Pacific Coast
AS we made d late start, we drove
only IL miles thRt day, and camped
at q very pleasant place on the north
side Of an excellent body Of farming
timber, on the edge Of . large, rich
and fertile prairie. The MormonS
had named this point Liberty Pole"
having erected ono there about four
years before, on their way from "Old
Winter quarters" To Salt Lake. Late
in the evening an old Indian came to
our tents and told o sad tale about
how destitute he was of blankets for
himself and squaw. He begged for
tue loan Of a bed cover from Father
NJ, and would return it after one
sleep and ut sunrise next morning.
Father M, had read much about the
poor Los, their noblenets of graft
tudo, etc. The Indian got the blan-
ket, wrapped it round himself, and
atrodo of, to be seen by us no more.
This was foretasts No. / Of cur ex-
yerionce that year between Missouri
River and the Dalles of the Columbia.
Next morning, juno 2. all safe and
we'll, we started for Loupe Fork ferry,
distant - miles. At night we camp
ed on tho Platte, which, here, is 900
miles wide; current, five miles an
hour; water very muddy. The range
is excellent, and roads good. June
3, wo left camp carly and came to
Shell creek, a small tributary Of the
Platte. Just before we arrived ut the
bridge across Shell creek, we saw up
wards OF 80 armed warriors Of the
PawneO tribe, running toward us from
southwest direction. They were
all armed, had waded the Platte, and
came to US in very threatening man
ner. Their head chief enquired for
our Captain, and some Of our folks
pointed him TO me. He presented
me medal with the treaty between
the U. S. under Van Buren's Admin
istration and the Pawnees, in whose
country we thon were. The terms
Of the treaty were, that full and free
permit by those Indians should be
given to all white persons wishing to
travel through that country upon the
immigrant road, and were to have
necessary wood, water and grass for
their families and stock while thus
passing peacably through their lands.
! explained, by an interpreter, the
contents Of tho treaty and desired
that the Indians should disperse out
Of the road. 80 that we might pass.
But the chief poromptorily told uS
that we could not pass on until we
had paid him TRIBUTE. Our men had
neglected our rifles and pistols, most
of them being then unloaded and
stored away in the wagons. There
were about fifty men Of US, besides
our women and children. The chief
ordered some Of his men to sdrcad |
down q large blanket, and upon this
we were orderedto place flour, sugar,
tobacco, bacon, bread and money.
Some offered to hand the money to
the chief, but ho took it.as On, insult
that wo dare approach his Royal
We'll, we paid all the
tribute demanded, and then desired
to pass on; but no--wo must dupli-
cate il with some additional articles.
This we did, but were told to do so
again. By this time our mon had
loaded our guns and revolvors, and
had their pluck we'll UP. But i have
omitted to state that all this time
about forty Of those Pawnoes chose
out a fine Durham heifer Of mine,
killed and were roasting her over q
largo fire 90 rods up the creek. II
seemed that the contest might as well
come to an issue early as late. Our
mon jorked the tribute blanket out Of
the road, cleared the bridge and start
cd the trains forward. Hooked then
for an onslaught, but those wretches
quailed before us and we passed on.
There was aregimOnt Of U. s. soldiers
then stationed at old Fort LeavOn-
worth, and holp at other points not
far of; and had those marauders kill
ID any Of us then, a fearful reward
would have been their lot.
About this time james q, soId out