, 1876-12-16

pared To sleep in for the night, while
another appeared as though its occupant
had just lett it,
The situation presented was certainly
quite strange, yet thinking the boys
must have seen us, and had temporarily,
Itf. for Il joke, We made ourselves COM
Portable, opened history and read
aloud for nearly An hour, when we heard
voice some distance outside of the
cabin calling to us, we answered, made
known who we were, when in came
Frank Z. Scott, and Charles Kinnctb.
the two miners living in the cabin; Kin.
meth stripped to his shirt and drawers,
held IN his hand a Henry rifle. The sky
was clear and frosty. The weather
freezing cold, and the two were chilled
through. We naturally imagined what
all this meant
They told us that short time pre-
vlously they had some trouble with these
Indians in their vicinity. That they
had heard the war ssngs MS well as the
repeated vo!leys of musketry.
They did not know what it all meant,
hut supposed it indicated mischief,
perhaps directed against them. as the
Indians were quite Jealous of the work
going IN at the mines.
That shortly after the firing OF the
heaviest volIeys they saw our torch, not
hearing us talk, they inferred that we
were Indians bent on mischief. Their
first impulse was to get out doors in the
dark, where they could watch, and shoot
il necessary.
They saw US throw down the torch,
but did not recognize US. Scott was 81
excited TINT he was sure we were 81.
washes, bent on mischief, and was de-
termned to get the rifle and send half
dozen volleys after US to find out
Perhaps owing partly 10 the small
amount of clothing on him Kinnith was
cooler, preferrng to wait, and find out
for certain.
The Hatshad ,dish creek flowed by the
cabin, making such noise that even if
we had talked ever so loud it probably
would not have been heard yet the idea
was SO ridiCulously absurd, that we came
near having half dozen bullets shot
through us because Morse kept from talk.
ing so long that they could not tell who
it was, that We inwardly resolved we
would never be guilty OF the like offence
again.
We had some apples with us. which
the boys were very glad to get. We gave
them all that were in our pockets after
wards We discovered single apple left.
We agreed that the one who was most
SCARED should take the apple. Kinneth
took the apple.
The next morning we visited the
Skagit, New Cumberland and Cascade
coal leads, then returned to the river
bank, and crossed over to the rancherie to
get full view ofthe mountain formation,
see the camp Of the Indians, and find
ont the cause of their pow.wow the
night before.
At Mr.. SIS place, the morning before,
our Indians took out Of their canoe near
ton of dried salmon. They had along
with them plenty Of vegetables, etc,
showing there was no lack of food /; yet
we saw them place on the shore rotten
salmon that looked as if they were pick
ed up dead, and sinking We asked
what these were for, and ascertained
they intended to eat them, and eat them
they did.
We thought we knew what filth among
Siwashes was, but at this rancherie oppo.
site the coal mines, we saw more than We
could believe possible Of human beings,
Prior to the removal of the lower jam,
most of the salmon were caught there
now they go through the upper jam and
are caught high up river This year
very few salmon, comparatively, have
been found in any Of the rivers on the
Sound, next year being the year for them
to run yet more in the skagit than the
other rivers, They are also larger here
than elsewhere. At this rancherie the