Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-01-23
lake of grass, surrounded by timbered
mountains This was

And rendered more attractive to US by its
abundance of excellent grass. which our
animals, after travelling through pine for
ests, so much needed. The character Of
courage and hostility attributed TO the In
dams of that section induced more than
usual prccaution, and seeing smoke arts
ing from the middle of the savannah and
along the opposite shores, Fremont direct
ed the howitzer to be fired. 1t was the first
time the guides had seen it discharged,
and the bursting of the shell at dis
lance, which was something like the sec
ond fire of the gun, amazed ana bewildered
them with delight 1t inspired them with
triumphant feelings; but on the camp at
distance the effect was different, for the
smoke in the lake and on the shores i'm
mediately disappeared. No Indians max
ing their appearance, Fremont on the fol-
lowing day determined to pay them visit.
We rode in body out towards their
village. As we approached we saw few
large huts, on the tops OF which were col
lected the Indians. When we had arrived
within half mile of the village two per-
sons were seen advancing to meet US
and, to please the fancy of our guides, we
arranged ourselves in a long line riding
abreast, and galloped ahead to meet them
We were surprised, on riding up. to find
one of them a woman, having never
before known a squaw to take any part
in the business of war.
KLAMATH INDIAN VILLAGE.
They proved to be the village Chief and
his wife, who, in excitement and alarm at
the unusual event and appearance, had
come out to meet their fate together. The
Chief was prepossessing Indian, with
handsome features and a singularly soft
and agreeable voice. The huts were
grouped together on the bank of the river
which, from being spread out in shallow
marsh at the upper end of The lake, was
collected here into a single stream. They
were large, round huts, perhaps twenty feet
in diameter, with rounded tops, on which
was the door by which they descended into
the interior. Within they were supported
by posts and beams.
Almost like plants these people seem to
have adapted themselves to the soil. ard to
be growing on what the immediate locality
afforded. Their only subsistence at this
time appeared to be small fish, great qaun-
| titles of which, that had been smoked and
dried, were suspended on strings about the
lodge. Their residence in the midst of
grass and rushes had taught them a pecu-
liar skill in converting this material to use
ful purposes. Their shoes were made of
straw or grass, which seemed well adapted
for snowy country, and the women wore
on their heads q closely woven basket,
which made very good cap. Among
other things were parti-colored mats about
four feet square, some of which we pur-
chased to lay on the snow under our
blankets, and to use for table cloths. The
dogs, which sat about on the tops of huts.
resembled wolves. The party purchased
one of the latter, which was named after
its birthplace. klamath. The language
of these Indians differed from that OF
otter tribes, and we could talk with them
only by signs. From this point we were
travelling in an altitude where the hills
were covered with snow, and the only grass
| obtainable for our animals was in the
small valleys and upon the margins OF
streams Indians frequently stole ON ami
mails.
On the morning of the 2sth of Dec nber
our road lay down level valley. bo&iered
by steep mountainous ranges. Ridink aui-
| city along over the snow, we cam &sud-
denly upon smoke rising above BONE
bushes, and, galloping up, we found two
huts, open at the top and loosely brilt OF
sagebrush, which appeared to have tbeen
| deserted at the instant; anu, LOOKING HAST
lily around, we saw several Indians oh the
crest OF the ridge Near by, and others ssram.
bling up the side. We had come bpon
them so suddenly that they had Ebeen
well-nigh surprised in their Lodged. A
sage fire was burning in the middle; Il few
baskets made of willow were living bout
with few rabbit skins and straw on whicl
they had been lying. Tabibo-bo rtthey
shouted from the hills-a word which, il
the Snake language, signifies white~ ano
remained looking at US from behind The
rocks. Carson and Cooley rode towards the
hills, but the men retreated With the
rapidity of a deer. They had been so hare
pressed that woman with two chi drer
had dropped behind sagebrush near thu
lodge, and when Carson accidentally Stun
bied upon her she Immediately began
screaming, III the extremity of her fear ,anC
shut her eyes 10 avoid seeing him. Sh.sxa!
brought back to the lodge, and We endeav
ored in vain to open a communication
with our Indians. BY dint of presents
| and friendly demonstrations she wa.
brought to calmness, and we found tina
they belonged to the Snake Nation, speak
ing the language of that people. Eight OF
ten appeared to live together, under tn,
same little shelter, and they seemed to hay,
no other subsistence than the roots or seed,
they might have stored up, and the hare!
which lived in the sage brush, and which
they tracked through the snow and wer.
very skillful in killing. The skins of those
sthiAhsi4o AAltLli Il very SCdillN cover
ing. Herding together among brushes anC
! cRoUcHING ALMOST NAKED
Over little sage fire, using their instinc
only to procure food. they certainly anon:
| human beings were the nearest approach
tc the mere animal creation. We haC
every reason to believe that they never be
fore had seen the face of a white man
From that day to the 18th of January NJ
Indians were seen on the route which wa
rough mountains and small valleys almos
devoid of trees or grass, in many place
almost impossible with snow Or
the 10th, on the shores of Pyrami,
Lake few poor-looking Indians made thei
appearance, and we succeeded in gettin,
one of them into camp. He was naked
with the exception of tunic OF hare skins
he told us that there was river at the en-,
OF the lake. He said he lived in the rock
near by From the few words our guide
could understand, he speaking dialect O
the Snake Nation, we could not make on
whether the river he spoke of ran into o
from the lake. After travelling southwar,
a considerable distance, the party campo,
on stream well timLered with cotton
wood. The feet of the animals were s.
much cut up with rocks, so many CT then
were lame, that it was evidently impossible
that they could cross the great basin to th
Rocky mountains. Every piece of irol
that could be used for the purpose had BEEF
converted into nails, and we could make n
further use of the shoes we had remaining
Fremont, therefore, determined to aban
don the eastern course, and to
CROSS THE SIERRA NEVADA
Into the valley of the Sacramento, whereye
a practicable pass could be found. His de
cision was heard with Joy by the people
and difiused new life throughout the caInI
The stream upon which we were campo
was named the Carson, up which upon tn
; 22d we travelled for about fourteen miles t
the foot of the mountain. The countr
was tolerably level, abounded in meadow
land, was tolersbly free from snow and ice
and in many places grass was abundant
Here we commenced the ascent of the Sier
ras. On the 29ih of January, the snoy
having become very deep and troublesome
we were forced TO abandon the how
itzer. 1t was of the kind inverted b
the French for the mountain par
of their war in Algiers; and the distance i
had come with us proved how well it wa
adapted to its purpose. We left it. to tn
great sorrow of the entire party. who wer
grieved to part with a companion whicl
had made the whole distance from 81
Louis. and commanded respect for us o.