The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1903-01-16


rimrocks, the river forming a dis.
tinct peninsula, almost creating an
island, so close did the entrance
point Of the stream come to the point
of exit after making the circuit oi
the little valley.
Through this narrow neck the In
dlans had entered, and while their
animals grazed on the luxuriant grass
they had pitched their tents among
the willows bordering the stroam and
prepared for few days rest after
their long siege at the Stone House
Here game and fish were plentiful
and the launches Of deer and ante
lope, and fish frys alternating the
feasts on the Lord of the Desert
fatted bullocks, made a garden OF
Eden for the braves, instead of a
'Hell's Trap"
Here they felt safe. In this am
phitheater they were isolated from
the world, and there were numerous
outlets through the rimrocks where
they could make their escape If at
tackled, and they had as prisoners
four cowboys, the only persons they
had discovered on their trail from the
Stone House, and they now felt as
safe in this retreat as If among the
lava beds of the Klamath country.
They regarded casual lookout rs
being sufficient for their safety from
surprise, in view of the fact that
hunting parties were continually COW
ering the territory in the immediate
vicinity of the camp.
1t was continuous feast and holi-
day for the hunted bandits.
II cannot understand why they call
this Hells Trap" said General Crook,
as he looked down upon the placid
scene.
"There Is no reason for 1t now, 1t
is true" replied the trapper, "but |
have seen 1t when the name Of Hells
Trap was not too harsh for it. The
river now fordable at most any point,
rises from the snowbeds of the great
mountains yonder. The warm south
winds at times start the snow to melt
ing, and the water comes dashing
down from every point, filling the ra-
vines and gulches, and these flow into
the river, making 1t rolling sea Of
water as suddenly as a cloudburst. It
is on these occasions that the place
bears the appearance of 'hell's
| trap
1T has always been great grazing
place for wild animals of all kinds,
and the rise often comes down upon
them suddenly and fills the banks
all around them and breaks across
the narrow neck yonder, imprisonlng
them completely before they have
time to escape. No living thing can
ford the river during the rises.
"The Indians make it point to
take advantage of these rises. They
stand guard outside, and as soon as
the water is at its highest they rush
through the current overflowing the
neck and slaughter the animals by
the Wholesale. In this manner they
long ago secured their winter meat
food. This has given it the name of
'Hell's Trap"
After few minutes in silence Gen.
eral Crook remarked that there
seem to be four canyons, or out
lets from the place, through the walls
Of the rimrocks, besides the main
entrance through the strait" or
neck. But the trapper showed him
the fifth.
ITO make a wholesale capture" re-
marked the general, 81 will have to
station me nat all of those points and
charge in over the neck My men
will arrive about midnight, and
will then require your assistance IN
stationing the men for an early morn
ing attack" he continued.
Before the trapper had time to re-
spond, If he had intended to reply, a
sight caught the eyes Of both men
that riveted their attention In the
same direction.
They placed their field glasses to
their eyes and a groan escaped stimuli
taneously from each. The sight that
greeted them has often been seen on
the American border Human beings
put to torture by savages, in full
view of friends who were unable to
render them aid!
The savages marched forth into an
opening four white men in single file
their arms bound to their sides, and
each being led by painted war
rior.
The general and the trapper imme-
diately recognized the men as four of
the cowboys who had been sent out
on the trail of the Indians from the
Stone House. This is the first that
either had known of their fate. Gen.
eral Crook, as we'll as the trapper,
ha hnN oil 0f
safe. The latter had not seen these
men since two days before, but he
supposed that they had either lost
the trail or were lettering somewhere
close at hand among the rimrocks. !
But they had acted indiscreetly and
had been entrapped by the Indians.
and were now about to pay their last
earthly penalty.
The mode of the American savage's
torture Of his prisoners is we'll known.
It has been described often enough.
with its narrowing variations. The
Snake Indian was the most cruel, and |
In this case his incentive was great. |
Many of his companions had fallen
before the loopholes at the Stone |
House. These men had fired the fatal
shots in many instances. 1t was now
the Indians turn.
Binding the prisoners, hands and
feet, and tying them to short stakes
driven deeply into the ground, their
Frustrated bodies were made the sub
ject of every indignity, every cruelty
and every torture that the depraved |
Piutes and their allies could invent.
It was well even for the iron nerves
Of the intrepid general and the desert |
trapper that the position OF the men
partially obscured them from view,
and that they could not see all that
was done.
The torture was kept up almost un-
I'll sunset when the last life sue
rumbed, and the savages were even
then desecrsting their mutilated
bodies when interrupted by a chorus
Df yells from the center Of the bend
IN the river.
Turning their glasses in this direc-
ion, the two white men saw another
sight that startled them still more.
A mounted party had Just passed
through an opening In the rimrocks