The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1901-06-20

L
Urban E. Hicks graphic narrative o
some of his experiences in crossing tn
plains in 1851, as read at the recen
meeting Of the pioneer association a
Seattle, the Post-Intelligencer says:
"Reminiscences of the early pioneer
days are always entertaining and o
exceptionally Interesting character !,
the story Of the trip across the plain.
and the settlement OH Puget Sound u
outlined by Mr.. u. e. Hicks. Inter
esting because the story is true and he
cause the man who participated In the
stirring scenes is known to all the Older
residents Of Washington aud to many
OF the new. 1t Is the story Of the life
OF one mana man who is the picture
Of the sturdy pioneer, aud without sucll
men the great western country would
today be in state Of wilderness"
We quote the following extracts from
Mr.. Hicks narrative:
Fifty years sg0, June, 1851, / was
on the road to Oregon. was born
May IA, 1928, in Boone county, Mo-,
and served five years apprenticeship at
the printers trade i'm Paris, Monroe
county, and in Hannibal, on the Miss
issippi river. Samuel Clemens, better
hnown as Mark Twain and 1 were
boys together and worked IN the same
printing shop in Hannibal for several
months. Sam was the clown Of the
shop and was the devil or rather the
printers DEVIL But as it was, 1 did
most Of the press work.
"When our train was finally organ.
lied it consisted of twenty one wagons
lime from Missouri, one from WILSON,
sin and eleven from Illinois. Robert
Cochran was made captain of the ex.
petition and afterward became q very
prominent citizen Of Lane county,
legislature. There were sixty-two pe0-
pie in the train, twenty-One able 20
bear arms, the balance being women
and children. We were just six months
on the road from the time we left Lam
caster until we arrived at Monticello,
near the mouth of the COwlitz river.
We crossed the Missouri river five
miles below Council Bluffs, and at
this village we bought our outfit and
provisions.
The Indians OH the plains were
very much attracted by the appearance
Of my young wife, aud OH several &C.
casions tried to buy her. The very
first night out OH the plains we learned
two important RESPONSIVENESS to trust
an Indians HONESTY and to always
cross stream when we came To 1t be
fore camping for the night. We
rounded up OH the bluff where the city
Of Omaha Is now standing, hut ut that
time there was only one large, ruugh
board warehouse filled with Indian
goods Intended for the Omaha tribe.
"The Pawree and Sioux Indians OH
the north side of the Platte valley, be.
lieving that the last train had passed
for the season, had commenced To herd
the Baffalo into the valley, preparatory
to killing their winter meat, and we
frequently saw and passed through
herds numbering tens of thousands. On
more than one occasion We were in
danger of being run over by them In
their mighty stampedes, and were
compelled to stop 40 that party OH
horseback could go forward and drive
them out Of the way.
1--WE met with no serious disturb
ance after our first night out until we
passed Fort Hall, in Idaho. The Paw!
nees tried to stampede or steal our
stock OH several occasions, but the
Sioux were peaceable. Up to that time
it was claimed that no member Of the
Sioux tribe had ever shed 4 white
mans blood, but later they became a
terrible foe. Late one afternoon we
were savagely attacked by o renegade
band of BannOcks ar Snake Indians
this side of Fort Hall, Oh the banks OF
the Snake river, and fought desperate
battle until dark, and then again in
the morning. We finally moved out
Of their reach. as they did not follow
US very far. Fortunately they did US no
great harm, but later we came across
the remains of several white immi-
grants that had been hastily buried In
shallow graves and Afterwards dug up
by Indians and wolves"
"That part Of our train destined fol
Puget Sound came on to the Dailes and
then purchased big FIAT boat, intn
which was loaded the Wagons, only
one being left OH the plains. We foated
down the Columbia to the upper Cas-
cades, where the boat was unl0aded ia
await the arrival Of the stock which
was driven by the younger inen OF the
party over the mountains to the place
where we awaited them.
"Once more the wagons were loaded
and drawn to the lower Cascades oveI
very rough rough roads, while the boal
was brought through the falls by Rud.
dell and John Crockett. The scOw wal
loaded again and floated to the mouth
of the COwlitz river, and . few day.
later the teams and stock arrived
Once more we went overland and win
tered in Olympia until the spring o
| togo ,vv,o,, re reached Whidbv island