The Southern herald., 1885-01-24

a. AEsa These g Dc 4Ee $50 7@AAs1@
via - uppr peslian q he hasziAa
is4 can 81 have taiisd 70 rs-
zsaFk 8 peculiarly prseipiiOas bluH, some
Ave hundred fsei il height, which over
h.aza he western bank Of the stream
sis painl about Ten miles north of ClO-
verdaIs and SIX OF seven from HoPland
e sanel. Those Who have ridden in
rs siags from Cloyerdale to Ukiah at
he present day over the new toll road
running along the eastern bank Of the
rivsr. eain : clear view Of this preeip-
itOus bluH while passing over that poT-
Gon a Tie road known as the Blue
aiasa geological freak which lies just
Opposite % equaW's Rock, and has ac-
auired It's reputation from the glacier
ike movement Of the blue clay compOs-
inR that portion Of the riverward slope,
necsssita4ing continued repairs Of the
roadway, and constituting the acutest
thorn In the side Of the stage drivers
whe ply between Cloverdale and Eel
river. Either the driver or some fellow
passenger, If you happen 70 be travel
ing on the stage, win volunteer to give
you the traditional particulars Of how
ne squas's Rock acquired its name
These particulars, however, are usually
extremely meagre, and all that seems
70 Be certainly known about the matter
Is that, some forty years agO-before
the discovery Of gold, IN fact, and when
white settlers were few and far between
-an Indian maiden was beloved by a
white youth, the affection being mutual,
but distasteful to the maiden's tribe,
who put every obstacle in the way of a
union; that the maiden was eventually
compelled to marry suitor chosen fol
her by the tribe, and that, in fit ol
despair, she threw herself, like another
Happho, from the top of the precipice
which bears her name, and was dashed
TO pieces on the powders Of the rivers
bed. This poetic legend might still
have remained shrouded in histori'
vagueness had not chance thrown mi
in the way of obtaining further partic
ulars from an authentic source, whicl
invested the story with a tragic ant
dramatic force which was not limited a
in its original form.
e some years ago, while living in tn
neighborhood Of Cloverdale, / made tn
acquaintance Of an Indian Of more thai
ordinary intelligence, whose natural re
ticence was thawed by some service
which was enabled TO do him, an,
whose confidence / won far enough =
succeed in making him unfold in dis
iointed manner the real history Of tn
occurrences srom which squaw's Roc
took its name, and which ! now repro
duce for the benefit of my readers
weaving the story into more connecte
form than was given me by old Santiag'
Il was some time in the twenties thu
John Willard, the captain Of trade
who brought the commodities Of civi
lied life into Monterey, and there ba
tered them for hides, got tired of h
seafaring life, as many more have dor
before and after him in California, ma
ried himself 70 senorita with bros
acres and fat kline, and settled dow
into steady going rancher in the vale
Of the Russian river. A son was boi
to the pair, stalwart youth, whose r
bust, out Of door vaquero life made hi
both strong and handsome. 1t W
universally conceded that Frank WI
lard, at the age Of 20, was as fine
specimen of youth as could be four
north Of the bay, or for that matte
south Of it either. His free and gene
ous disposition made him as great
favorite with the male portion Of Il
community as his good looks did wi
the female. OF course, at that susce
tible age it was only natural that
should pay particular attention to Il
latter, and as compatriots of his ow
station were NOS numerous in those thil
y settled regions, perhaps it was b
natural that he should cast his ey
upon such females as there we're. tt
paternal hacienda Of the Willards Il
IN the neighbOrhood Of the Healdsbu
Of the present day; and to the north
the vicinity Of sanel and Ukiah the
dwelt at that time q strong tribe Of /
dians, remarkable for fine physique al
in alI respects considerably above Il
average Of Californian aborgnes. D
ring one Of his equestrian WANDERING
young Frank Willard came upon one