Sun River sun. [volume] (Sun River, Mont.) 1884-1885, 1884-04-03
Fremont and the Modocs.

Tn tho spring of 1916 Lieutenant
John G. Fremont entered California
on his third exploring expedition to
the West and his second trip across
the continent. His party consisted
of about sixty men. many of them old
and tried mountainccrs, and all of
them hardy and daring men picked
by their commander for tho arduous
service expected Of them, After OK
changing international compliments
withsGcneral Castro, which at ono
time appeared certain to result in
blows, Fremont started north to visit
the columbia. On the bank Of Kla-
math lake he was oveitakcn by Lieut..
Gillespie, who had followed him
across the continent with dispatches
announcing that war had been de-
clarcd with Mexico. and instructing
him to seize California il possible.
Late into the night those young
officers, ON whose shoulders such
wcighty responsibilities had been
thrown, sat by the smoldering embcrs
and counsclcd about their future
course. Around them lay their COM
panions, wrapped in profound slum-
bcr, their weary limbs stretched upon
the ground. Fatigue and the excite
mcnt of the news had made their
leader incautious. lie forgot that he
was in Il country where tho natives
had shown signs of hostility. Filled
with the great projects of the future,
his limbs weary with fatigue, he, too,
lay down by the fire and closed his
heavy eyes in sleep. In that silent
camp lay the sleeping forms of Rich
ard Owens, Lucien Maxwell, Kit Car
son, Alex Cooley, Steppenfcldt, Basil
Lajeunncssc, Dcnne, Crane, and others
of these hardy mountaineers who had
trapped the whole Western wilderness
and fought the savage denizens for
years, and never before been guilty of
lying down to sleep in an cnemy's
country without posting n guard.
Slumbers chains bound the camp,
but around it stole the sinuous forms
of savage enemies. Nearer and nearer
they crept, until they stood among the
sleeping men b. the fire. Tho Modocs
were ready to claim the first white
victims of that band Of murdered ones
who have fallen in that stegile land.
Even in his slumbcrs the sensitive
ear OF Kit Carson caught the sound of
tho dull thud, as blow fell upon the
head of sleeping companion. Leap
ing to his feet he kicked the smoldcr-
ing embers of the camp fire, and by
tho light of the upshooting flame saw
the dark forms of the Modocs. Spring
ing to one side to avoid tho light of
the fire, the bold trapper cried "In-
dians! Indians!" and in an instant tho
camp WAS aroused. Crane, II Dcla-
ware Indian, sprung to his feet and
cndeavored to discharge his gun,
which was unfortunately unlonded,
and received five arrows in his breast.
Remembering that his gun was also
unloadcd, Carson east it aside, drew q
single -barrelcd pistol and discharged
it ut the savage who was staying his
friend, but the brave was dodging
about so continually that the bullet
missed him and cut the string of his
tolnahawk. All but this Modoc were
now III full retreat, and us he turned
to flee, two bullets from the now
thoroughly aroused camp laid him
dead upou tho ground. He was the
only ono of the attacking party who
remained long enough to be hurt, and
had they all been as bold as he it
would have fared badly with that un-
protected camp Portland (Or.) West
Shore.