The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1889-11-21
their children and their chrildren's chill.

their children and their chrildren's chill
dren forever.
Returning to my command, was de
tailed with twelve or fourteen Of my COM
panions-in-arms 10 convey Samuel Price
(now brother-in-law Of Senator Mitchell
Of Oregon, to The Dalles for medical
treatment, as he was suffering from the
mountain fever. Reaching the John Day
river we found that stream very much
swollen, and having no means Of cross
ing, we camped for the night. The rain
descended in torrents, and we bent will
lows and spread our blankets over them
for protection from the storm. The en-
suing morning We began construction Of q
raft on which to convey the sick man to
the opposite side Of the river, which was
deep, wide and swift as a mill-tail. On
coming out Of our impromptu tent man
named Geer caught his gun-lock on one
Of the willow poles, and the weapon was
discharged, the ball striking him in the
left groin, and coming out at the hip. We
thus had two invalids on eur hands, and
our raft would not hold them. Seeing
that immediate action was necessary, JEFF
Miller and myself agreed to risk our
chances with the river and go TO The
Dalles for assistance. Plunging into the
stream with our horses, after some diff
Guilty We were fortunate enough TO make
the other side, and started rapidly to The
Dalles, some go miles distant.
We had gone but short distance, when
looking at q hill near us observed some
thing resembling q bear or other wild
animal apparently sitting on its launches,
watching US. With boyish spirit, l told
Miller was going TO scare the animal and
see 1t run. We had no guns, being un-
able TO swim the river with them; 30 l
rode toward the animal. Getting within
about fifty yards Of the supposed bear, l
noticed II dodge down behind the rock
and, smelling a MICE" as it were, /
turned my horses head in the opposite
direction and put cruel spurs into his
tanks, just in time TO hear wild yells
issuing from a half-score Of dusky throats.
Sure enough, 1t was "Injuns," and the
"animal" on top Of the rock had been
fxen up as q decoy, which came very
nearly being successful. When / overlook
my companion our steeds were in dead
run, and then began q race for life. Hav-
ing no weapons, we depended entirely
upon the speed Of our excellent horses,
and the Indians, recognizing the supe-
Iiority Of our animals, sought to cut US
of, but by dint Of dodging into canyons
and over precipitous hills, we finally got
out Of their reach. Arriving at The Dalles
without further incident, we endeavored
to pursuade different doctors to 90 tn the
relief Of our disabled comrades, but the
gentlemen refused to endanger their lives
by making the trip. Fortunately for the
sick men, q wagon train, guarded by
troops, passed in the vicinity Of their
camp, and they were brought into The
DalIes, where, am happy to state, they
both finally recovered.
In few days our command was mus
tered out Of service, thus ending my ex-
perience IS an active campaigner against
the willy red man.
These incidents, and those recorded in
my first paper 4 short time since, will be
recalled by many Of my old comradse,
several Of whom now reside in Yakima
county, and members Of Multnomah
Camp No. 2, Indian War Veterans.
M. G. Wills.
North Yakima, WASH, Nov. 10, 1880.