Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1884-02-08
CAREER OF AN OREGON PIONEER.
" Buckskin Jim" Gets Tired Of New
York in Twenty -Four Hours.

One of the most remarkable Of the II mem
bers of the Oregon Pioneer association, OF
Portland, Oregon, who arrived IN this city
from the west on Thursday night. and who ara
domiciled at the st. Nicholas hotel, is "BS,k.
skin Jim," an old western settler and trapper
Of tho Leather-stOcking school, who derives
his nickname from costume which he usually
wears, made of dressed buckskin in tho real
Indian style SO familiar to the rea lers of dime
novel literature. "Buckskin Jims' real name
Is James Hearn. He is over ~ years Of age,
well-to-do in the world, and few men nre bet
ter or more favorably known on the Pacific
slope. His story, es told TO n reporter last
night, had best be given in his own words:
Il ran away from my home in England, "
said he, 'when l was IS years Of age, and
sailed for the Pacific coast. The brig went
in was wrecked on the coat south Of San
Francisco, and the few who were savel, in.
Guiding myself, fell into the hands of the In
dians, who treated us well. / staid among
the Indians, wandering along the coast fish
ing and hunting. AT Guaymas. in Sonora, in
1889, think, was taken by party Of Santa
Annas soldiers, who had orders % arrest
every white man that could be found We
were marched thence to Tepee on foot. an,l
put in double irons We were con.
fined without the slightest prctext
in loathsome Jail, and suffered
greatly during the six months we spent there,
in irons and prosecuted by vcrmin Tho
British consul said that il every une OF US
would declare himself III Englishman he
would liberate us at once. One of our party,
the celebrated Yankee Jim. declined at flIst
and said that nothing would induce him To
declare himself a Britisher, hut he camo
around and we all were liberated Mr.
Saunders preferred claim against tho
Mexican government for damages. and no
was SO sure Of getting it that he paid Us $500
per man and Off We went
II then took sailing vessel to Alaska whero
lived among the Flatheai Indians In ~,
/ caught the gold fever and dug for gold in
California Oh, / struck it rich. YOU bet
Sometimes l had as much Us G0 pounds
weight OF gold all at once, but ii never lasted
very long. have no idea how much money
have dug out of the earth in my time. but I
never coull keep it. Yoa'l never see AN old
forty miner who has cent. Since then I've
given up mining, and have been engaged In
real estate and stock raising In Idaho and
Washington territory. l am going abroad
next week to buy some Durham and Muley
calves, and when get back shall migrate
to Snake river, the widest place In Idaho
Do like the cityi Not much. have been
here twenty y-four hours and I'm sick to death
of it. There is not room enough for me. To-
morrow am going to Bridgeport 20 try to
fiud my sister, whom haven't seen nor heard
Of for fifty years l don't know whether
she's alive or not, but maybe I'll find some
nephews and nieces"
The aged pioneer suggested that II might
be good idea to go down Broadway to-day
in his buckskin suit, but friend advised him
against it, on the ground that he might bs
mistaken for an advertisement