The morning call., 1892-04-24


oaign In one part of California or Oregon
and In another place have to fight like a
creek 10 save his hair.
Those Indians OF whom Fremont speaks
as having been so easily destroyed we're
''Dfggers," living in sagebrush, and sub
sisting on roots, worms and what horses or
cattle they could steal. All California In
sians as a rule were of that sort. The ex-
ception was found only in the wooded dis
triets and aroun d Mount Shasta.
Passing on toward and through Oregon
and Washington, no weak or worthless In
dams like those of California were ever en-
countered. They were in the old days,
before civilization sapped their strength,
tall, strong, and terrible in war.
The Indian wars Of Oregon have never
vet been considered in the large light which
history will in the end throw upon them.
They ere frequently long, bloody and des-
perate little wars. There Federal help
amounted to almost nothing as rule 1t
NAV Justly ana truly be written OF Oregon
that she once declared war on her own ac-
count, raised an army OF her own, Kept Ii IN
the field and fed il from her OWE resources.
and finally paid il off with god dug fI0m
her own soil and coined with her own hand!
or course this Is exaggerated, especially
about paying the men, for lndian-hghters
in the old days got nothing but glory, and
blessed little of that TO be sure. But she
did dig gold and plenty OF II, too, from her
own ground aud coined II with her own
hand. And this is the only State or section
of the Union, | behave, that ever really
coined gold for use as currency. The coin
was So piece OF fine gold as dug from the
earth A beaver on one side represented
the industry of the people; the reverse bore
a sheaf of wheat, indicating the productive
ness of the soil.
In the very early days we did not find the
Indians united as in the great war Of
1856 81. Nor were they entirely united
after that war. The best Of them had
been killed. They were left withoutlea
Of warlike disposition And so the larger
part accepted terms and remained on tn g
reservations. Il is pleasant to record that
they are there still, as rule, holding their
own and In some cases really gaming
ground. There is no war In them At all
now Yet, while this cooling and TEMPER
ing process was going on through all these
years the alarm of war was heard In some
part of the broad land almost all the time.
Hot blood would come to the surface a. the
conquered people, and the old warriors
either could not or would not keep the
younger ones from escaping to the wilder
ness and raising the waT-cTy.
At such times the nearest settlers 10 the
scene of trouble would snatch Up their
guns. Edkue4tAE otIbuEtn Vi HbtuDUto
as they went, and without waiting
to so much as procure bread, would
plunge into the campaign. And so it's that
you read of Que very fatal battlefield called
Hungry Hill" They never waited for
Federal help al hour. Little good of that.
On one occasion a retiring party OF yolun-
teers met rather prompt and spirited Off
Ger at the head OF his men, pushing on to the
reported scene of the trouble, and he eagerly
asked if they had seen the hostles or any
sign of them.
Eyes; thirteenl You Will find them up at
the head Of the creek, first timber to the
Fight as you go up. GoOd-day."
The man with sword and uniform found
the thirteen Indians as indicated. There
was no fight, for the volunteers had hung
them not two hours before. And this was the
usual grim end of these bTusque and sharp
little campaigns, though Of course it was
ence 10 long time all the other way.
On one occasion the last volunteer fell
And then the Indians had nothing to do bnt
go back and take the women and pillage th g
houses One woman put up the big wood
bolts to her doors and would not come out
although they had set FIRE to the four corners
OF her house.
indians who looked In at the windows,
hoping all the time she would not perish,
for they liked her. say that she went up to
the glass and arranged her hair, then taking
her little girl In her arms sat down and sang
hymn till the house fell in.
But the big, hard wars were those 10
Eastern Oregon. This part of the country
is deal like Nevada, only vastly more hab-
Aahl mad