Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1902-12-02
CHAPTER vi.
At the Foot of the Rimrocks.

At the Foot of the Rimrocks.
It is the second night of Bertha's
captivity, barring the night of her cap
ture. After securing her on the horse
at the time of that fearful event, the
Indians kept moving at rapid rate
until about 10 o'clock the following
morning, when they stopped and
butchered a mule for dinner. To
them the mule meat was dainty dish
of which they partook with raven
our appetite, but to the girl from Edln-
burg mule meat was not tempting,
when in fact she had no appetite at
all The gluttonous feast of these
savages added to the disgust and hor-
ror that surrounded the captive. The
whole had seemed like fiction, hor-
rible nightmare to her.
The first night out had been spent
in small basin, surrounded by rim
rocks with narrow outlets and these
had been carefully guarded by the
dusky sentinels. No fires were kin
died during the night and a stiffness
and qufetude peryaded the camp, and
this, with the demeanor of the In
dians, showed that they were not
only uneasy but strictly on their
guard.
A vigilant watch had been kept over
Bertha the whole night long, though
she had been made as comfortable as
Indians ingenuity could provide.
Early the following morning an
other mule was butchered hasty
breakfast prepared, and the band
moved on to the south.
The course during the day lay over
a rough country. 1t was taken as if
fh1 hod inf RI nhcanrn
their trail To the right and left
stood the towering rimrocks and their
trail led through the lava beds. Only
those who have attempted to pass
through this section of country can
comprehend what is meant in speak
ing of the lava beds. Huge boulders
and smaller ones of every description,
round rocks, fiat rocks, standing upon
edge, square rocks and diamond
shaped rocks, sinks and crevices, all
SO rough and ragged and uneven that
it was difficult for the party to keep
together without even it's own mem
bers becoming lost from one another.
Up and down the steep declivities,
around the high ridges of boulders
and over the beds of shattered rock
made the travel difficult and monot-
onous, but ns trail was left behind.
TO track the red men to this vast see
tion of the lava beds was to lose them.
Here, only courses are followed, and
not trails, for it is properly called,
Fthe tfaiiiess section of the desert"
On this morning Bertha had been
relieved from the cramped position
on the animal which. had conveyed
her. by being freed from the ropes
which bound her. but she had been
tho n1nca1xy rdnd Without
food for two days and nights and the
hardships of day on the desert. and
a day in the lava beds. it would have
told on most women. but with the
slightest indication of fatigue Bertha
looked as firm and defiant as ever.
She was a Lyle!
Ia tha middle Of the afternoon halt
had been made and a consultation
held by the Indians. The main body |
with most of the animals proceeded @
the southeast, while Chief Egan, with
q few of the animals in charge of a |
dozen Of his chosen warriors. took a
westerly course and the willy chief
took with him his fair captive. The
main band proceeded on its way to & |
designated meeting point. while the
chief made this detour to consummate
the last object of his trip.
The chief and his small band were |
more guarded than ever. Realizing
that his mission was secret one, and |
to avoid falling into traps, he Travelled |
through a more obscure country than |
eyer, and vas still m9re cautious
That night he camped at the foot of
high wall in the shadow of the pro-
jecting rimrocks. No eye could see
him In the immediate vicinity for the |
bsuiders that lay about him, and the
smoke from his camp was silhouted |
against the rock walls and mingled |
with the clouds above.
At the camp the scarred-faced old |
warrior chief took more interest in
his white captive, He had her quar-
ters prepared some distance from the
main camp and while, he. himself |
looked after her wants two of his |
most trusted warriors were placed on !
guard, At supper time Egan. by ges-
lures, plead with the young woman to
eat. While the terrible experience |
through which she had gone would |
have taken the appetite of most wo-
men of her age. she was too common
sense and matter-of-fact to lose hers
permanently. She was really hungry |
b4t' had not reached that state Of
SEaFNaulOn ar HnlCn Sn8 telE RS II Sn9
gould partake OF mule meat. But a !
lucky incident occurred. Even while |
old Egan was rendering her slice of
mule prepared in the most dainty |
manner from the Indians standpoint, |
2 warrior close at hand, in attending |
ts the animals. flushed 2 sage hen. |
Bertha, although unacquainted with |
this bird knew that it must be palat- |
able. She pointed to the bird in its
night with a sign to old Egan that if
she had one of these she would pre- |
pare 1t herself and eat of 1t. No seen- |
or than she had made her wishes |
known, the chief went to the CULVER !
OF his hunting arrows, drew forth the
choicest ones, and In a few moments |
was speeding among the rocks in |
search of the sage hen. In short .
time he returned and gallantly drop !
ped the tender bird at her feet. and /
with an expression Of pride pointed 70 |
! scar in IT'S neck through which his |
arrow had passed.
But of this gallantry Bertha took |
no notice. Soon a fire was kindled |
and with weman's culinary knowledge
she seen prepared and ate meal of
which she was in much need.
Long after Dightfalf when ali the !