The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1902-12-20
FEATHERED ARGONAUTS

out on Birch Greek, Oregon, about l 2
miles southwest of Weiser he came
across bevy Of California mountain
quail, three of which were secured as
authentic evidence that they were
the identical species named-regula1
blue boys with the regulation top
knot, and SO far as know are the first
and only ones ever seen in this locality,
and if any of the Signal readers
know to the contrary we would be
glad to hear from them. They could
not have nestled and Matched their
broods there for the locality is fairly
we'll settled and their presence would
have been remarked, so the only
inference is they are wanderers
self exlled from the sunny slopes of
the coast range and leaving the place
OF their nativity in Yolo or Colusa,
travelled north crossing the rugged
Siskiyou Iange into Oregon and fol-
lowing the water courses until the
bright water and verdant valley of
the Willamette opened new world
to their wondering vision. Following
this they came to the mighty Column
bla, and, charmed with the pictur-
esque scenery, followed it up past the
Cascades, possibly near the old Block
House where U. S. Grant, then
lieutenant, stood guard on the from
tier, little dreaming of future great
ness or the grand mausoleum by the
great river in the east, where he
now sleeps and beside him the mother
of his children. Then past The Dali
les, and on to the grain fields of
western Washington; up the Umatilla,
over the Blue mountains to the
plains of eastern Oregon, and by easy
stages to Snake river valley and |
sunshine and abundance, and in easy
reach of the sheltering thickets of
Birch Creek. Or, more than likely,
with the instinct of pioneers, they
may have travelled up the main river
through the Sacramento valley.
Shasta and turning east fol-
lowed the valley of Pitt river, and
through the lava beds OF Modoc coun-
ty, and along tue shores of the great
lake that is half IN Oregon and half
In California, to the Oregon line, cross
ing 1T at the 10th meridian west
into Lake county, thence through the
easy stretches of almost limitess
pasture lands of Harvey and Malheur.
Bye and bye the hospitable shades
of Willow Greek and brown stubble
fields would greet them and offer rest
and refreshment, from there to
Birch Creek only a flight before break
fast, and from there they could con.
template the broad stretch of acres
~ ""N' 'Ni0S III VIC Dndhe hlVer val |
ley, on both sides, and, with that
intuition common to pioneers, saw
''this is our promised land" and with
prophetic vision see the sage brush
PLAIN converted into golden fields of
ripened grain and say sour fathers
saw this in our native land, we shall
see 1t in this the land of our adoption
Men will come, and close by their
inhibition we will live in the enioy-
ment of peace and plenty" And with
the proud consciousness of true
pioneers they will add sour trail is
plain, others will follow it, men will
adopt it for their iron roads; because
it is the best, and we, the Argonauts
OF 1902 will have our journey record
ed in the history of the times
Through cultivated fields now barren.
the boy on his way to school will
answer our whistle with his, and
with the better protection and advant-
ages that come with the advance of
civilization, our posterity, will en-
joy blessings unknown to us. And
as they see the moving trains laden
with the products of this goodly land
flying swiftly to the ocean and re-