The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1895-06-28


in its wild and primitive condition.
There were scattered over all that wide
expanse OF territory very few white set
tiers. You could travel for days with
out seeing Boston man, or the hum
Bile log cabin OF a white settler. Over |
all that region roved swarms OF Indians
OF various triLes, scarcely 4 remnant oil
which can now be fonnd. Only very |
few members of some OF these tribes are
now on the reservations. IL WAS q para !
disc for the hunter and fisher. The for
ests were fairly alive with game-deer,
bear, elk, gronse. pheasant. quails. etc,
while all the streams we're filled with
various kinds OF fish. Wild fesh and
fish constituted the principal article OF
food for the rowing redmen, supplement
ed by roots and berries. These were
glorious times for the average Siwash,
his sauay end his brood OF pappooses.
From the forests. pEairies and streams
he obtained all ,hs necessary food to
keep himself and those depende at apon
him.
"The Indians in the early days. while
they had villages and settlements. led
free and rowing life during the spring,
summer and fall months. They we're
nomads in the full sense OF the word;
travelled from place to place, ty easy and
indolent stages. hunting and fishing.
Nature was so bountiful iu her gli,s THAI
but little exertion Was necessary To Sc
cure all that was required in the way Of
food and clothing. So far as the latter
was concerned, the dressed and undres
ed skins of Wild animals, and blankets
obtained by barter from the Hudson Bay
company's posts, afforded ample shelter
for their bodies and shielded them from
the cold blasts OF winter. in the sum
mer time, nearly all their clothing was
temporarily discarded ss q useless ap-
pendage During the warm weather the
Indians found no trouble in subslsiing,
but it was necessary to provide 5 stock
OF food to Last them during the long and
often vigorons winters. The winter sup
ply consisted principally OF dried veni-
son, bear and elk meat, annexed fish,
dried ROOFS and berries Great ausnti-
! ties OF camas roots were gathered in the
sun mer and fall from swamps and low
lands, and cured in the summer for food
| in the winter. The Indians had a mode
OF preserving tie bulb of this wild plant
so ,ha. it vas both ysry palatable and
nutritious. Often during ths winter
game was killed, such as deer, wild
ducks, geese. etc. 80 that the Indians
/ frequently had feast OF fresh meats,
which formed very agreeable change
from smoked and dry food
Now, speaking of game. there lie one
fact that / will mention. For some years
all kinds Of game and fsh In Oregon for
ests and streams haye been protected by
lave. 1; ia only By legislative enact
mept that game and fsh s2a he preserv-
ed from total determination. This would
not have beea necessary during the an
te-pioneer days, and sss not required
during the earlier pioneer peFi0i. This
may lie wondered az, for there we're al
most countless mum bers oi Indians roam
ing through the Willamette valley, and
even far up among the spurs Of the Coast
range and Cascades. Unlike the whites.
their food consisted very largely OF the
fruits Of the chase and from what the
streams yielded. This was a constant
and heavy Dram on the supply. but
somshow the game and Gsh did not de-
crea.e 10 numbers, and there gss no
danger OF xtermination. An old Indian
told me that there was sd much gare
y hen | 6:st came into the valley as
when he vas a boy. This may seem a
little singular, Tut when the case :s ex-
pisined it is no mystery at all. The av-
ersge Inaian hunter and fisher did not
ordinarily fspture or kali more game
than Was really necessary TO meet the
present requirements of bipseli and
family. OF course, when laying in q wIn-
ter's sto K, II Eas different, but there
was never any wanton and aseiess de-
str""ins OF game All the Indian want
ed vas just eu2uki. to last for few days
at time. and when t e supply as ex-
hausted he again had recourse 10 the
crest aad streams to repienish his lard
er. In This way there was no useless
waste, and the natural increase kept
pace witb the demand.
''Uf course. all this is changed. The
ways of the whites are very different
When a white man goes hHnting or f=h
ing, his motto and leading purpose 10 TO
kill and catch all lie possibly can, no dill
ference whether the flesh can be eaten
or is left to rot. Ever since the valley
was settled by the white people, this con-
stant and ruthless slaughter has been
kept up. until nothing short oi rikidiy-
enforced laws could prevent Ili. total ex-
tinction OF game and fish. This same rule
will apply to the buffalo, and accounts
for the complete determination of these
dition have undergone wonderful CHANG
es since the settlement OF the Willanl=
elite valley. The c earipg of the ior -ts,
increase Of settlers aud cultivation Of
land have naturally destroyed the habi
tats CT wild animals, and driven III, III
bacx into the laslusstes Of The mountain )
bnt il the white people had oDly follow 4
the procedure observed by the Indians in
the destl uction and use Of game there
would be far greater abundance, and
much less Necessity ior laws 10 p.o,ect
animsle, birds and ffsi. Ai,er all, the
Boston man'is II VI y destructive animal
when it comes 10 hunt and fish. In mat,
ters OF chase and angling, lac is both ex-
tlavagant and short sighted.
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