Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1893-04-22

enth day, white man came rlulIS
into our train from the west, closely
pursued by dozen Indians.
They hung about us for an hour OF
so, yelling and firing at long range,
and then rode away. The stranger
gave his name as Comstock. He was
dressed like scout and hunter, and
he claimed to belong to train OF
seven wagons, which had entered the
territory from a point about twenty
miles below the bluffs. This tram
was, he thought, about thirty miles
ahead of us.
He had left camp two days before
to look for a valuable saddle horse
which had stampeded, had lost his
way, and the Indians had run him
for ten or twelve miles. He ex'
pressed great thankfulness at reach
ing a haven of safety, and at once
began to offer his advice. We were
adding many miles and days to ouI
Journey, he said, by following the
river. By heading more to the north
west we should after forty miles
travel strike valley which extend
ed almost to Pixies peak Grass,
water and fuel were plenty, and he
had been over it three times without
seeing an Indian.
In those days the mapmakers knew
but little of the great west, and
what they did locate was as apt to be
wrong as right. None of us had ever
heard of such valley, but it might
exist for all that. Most of us were
opposed to making any change in
our route, but here the captain
proved his inefficiency. The story of
this valley charmed him, and Com
stock piled it on until it was finally
decided to change the route.
Four of us held out until the others
decided to go on without us. 1t
would have been folly for us to think
of splitting off, weak handed as we
were, and 50 we gavein. The change
of route was made on the morning of
the eighth day. We struck away
from the river out on the prairie, and
made a good twenty-five miles that
day.
We got no water at noon, but at
night camped beside creek. don't
say that suspected Comstock of any
evil, for / believed his escape from
the Indians was genuine, but | did
think it queer that he talked so much
and that he was so anxious to break
us off the regular route. While he
avoided the four of us who had re.
belled he cultivated the others, and
they soon came to take much stock
in him.
On the second day we found very
rough ground, and got no water
either at noon or night. On the third
day we found water at 10 o'clock il
the forenoon. Comstock led the
way, and it seemed to me as if he
selected the very worst route. Al
noon ON this third day he said we
were only fifteen miles from the en-
trance to the valley. We had to
make dry camp again at night, and
had now begun to doubt the man SC
stron, ,ly that / sought an oppor-
tunity to ask the captain if he fully
believed in the stranger.
why, bless you, yes" he replied
'Do you believe in the valley he
speaks Off"
Certainly. 1t can't be over seven
or eight miles away"
Captain, what is a valley2"
asked.
why, it's the level ground be
tween two mountains, he replied
But do you see any mountains
We ought to be able to see one fifty
miles away"
Say, you don't think there is any
thing wrong, do youl"
Before could reply he was called
away, and Comstock took care that
should not get at him again. We
started off again in the morning, anC
found no water until noon. Then i
was brackish, filthy stuff, in a sinl
or pond. The route was rough ant
difficult, and the pasturage was 81
scant that our animals were begin
ming to suffer and grow weak.
Comstock kept talking about thu
valley TO cheer the men up, but a.
night came and we seemed to have
got no nearer several of the captain
party began to give vent to suspicion
Comstock argued, protested and en-
) treated, promising that we should
see grass up to our knees by midfore
noon next day, and all talk was thu.
quieted.
That night a storm set in, and il
rained as if it meant to float II.
away. The rain did not cease unit
noon next day, but some time durine
the night the fellow Comstock de
serted us, and we soon found he haC
taken the axle pins from almost
every wagon. Then everybody wa.
ready to believe he was decoy who
had he'd us away from the route to b.
overpowered and slaughtered.
| We Were one whole day replacing