Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1903-12-25

oAOhS VA1O AANNA = SOhoANOA q oOAS
distance. Many Indians were seen
there "a few mounted on ponies
and some in canoes along the shore
were seen to put out after the float
ing bedding, clothes and various
articles of furniture from the
foundered boat. 1t was said that
the Indians did not show any de-
sire or make any attempt to assist
the people in the water.
William Doak could not swim,
and had taken hold of feather
bedtick which carried him safely to
the foot Of the rapids, between
which and what was called the
main dal.es there was a short in
terval Of quiet water. Here Mr.,
Doak foated, clinging to the bed
tick. The Indians passed by him
in their canoes, and, though be
called for help, did not offer any
assistance. He was picked up by
one of our boats as he was about to
enter the second rapids.
The appearance of SO many
Indians at the time may have en-
couraged the suspicion Of treachery
against the pilot, but | learned
afterwards that there was large
Indian town in that vicinity, so
the appearance Of many Indians
was not significant.
A fact favorable to the good faith
of our pilot is that but one boat
was lost, and if it had followed the
pilot it would have been safe. 1t
is very probable that those who
had the management of the boat
intended to follow in the track Of
the pilot boat, but at the time they
entered the rapids their boat was
caught in a strong current bearing
toward the south shore, and, when
they saw they were being swept
away from the safe channel indi-
Gated by the pilot boat, were un-
able TO pass across to that side on
account Of the intervening shoaly
bed Of the river.
While we were walking along the
river bank, someone came and told
us that Parker, Doak and brother
Elisha were safe, but that Nc
Clellan and the two boys, Warren
and Edward, could not he found,
Looking from where we were, a
person could get but a very i'm
perfect knowledge Of the tragic
scene on the other side Of the river,
but those who escaped said that as
their boat was being swept down
the rapids it was caught by one Of
those currents, which, whirling like
a cyclone in the air, increase in
velocity as the radius of the circle
diminishes, until with a roaring
noise it seems to sink, forming an
open, funnel-shaped vacuum in the
water to the bottom of the river
often called a whirlpool. After be-
ing spun around for a few seconds,
the boat was swallowed up in the
roaring vortex.
The boat came up presently and
all the crew except Warren Apple
gate succeeded in getting into it
but very soon it was caught by
another whirlpool and swallowed
up again to be seen no more. The
last time the boat went down end
foremost, the boy Elisha climbed
to the upper end and leaped as fal
as he could to avoid being taken
down with it. When he rose tC
the surface, he struck out boldly
for a rock island a short distance
below, and avoiding the force oftbt
waves by diving under them
reached the island in an almost ex'
hausted condition.
TIE boy Warren was never seer
after the boat went down the first
time. The old man Mcclellan was
last seen trying to reach the heac
of the island where Parker and
Young Applegate were. He had
placed Edward on a couple of oars
and, carrying HIM this way, wal
trying to reach the shore; but, be
ing hampered by heavy coat and
boots, he could gain no headway
and man and boy disappeared
under a projecting cliff and were
seen no more. The brave ole
soldier could have saved himself
but would not abandon the boy
and both went down together.
This is the end Of Mr.. Applegate'l
memoirs. Feeling assured, however