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


bank of the river, sometimes on the
north and sometimes on the south
side. | remember especially a
camp we made on the south shore.
There was narrow strip Of sand
and rock, almost level, between the
river and a high bluff, with a
mountain rising above il. We
must have landed here quite early
in the afternoon, for the unusual
occurrence which underscored this
camping place ON memory's tablet
took place before the sun was low.
Now, at venture, / will say
that our people, for frontiersmen Of
those days, were unusually free
from superstitious whims. never
had seen a horseshoe over the door;
they never spoke Of looking at a
hogs melt for a forecast of the
weather; did not believe in lucky
or unlucky days, nor that dropping
the dishrag was sign that the
family would have company at the
house; but mother, meaning to make
sport of superstitious notions no
doubt, sometimes spoke of belief
among the people that seeing the
new moon over the right shoulder
was an omen of good-luek; and, to
be candid, [ must admit that if l
know the new moon is out, some
times put myself to little trouble
to get first sight Of it over my right
shoulder. Ghost stories, stories of
haunted houses, of goblins, witches
and fairies were current among the
people in those days, but were not
told for facts by our folks.
The unusual occurrence referred
to was this; Althoughpwe had now
been several days on our voyage
down the river, no one had been
heard to complain of hardships or
express fear of dangers to be en-
countered, and for my part had
come to feel as safe on the water as
on the land. But at this camp l
heard a remark that renewed my
apprehension Of danger. A drift
wood campfire was burning, and
the women were about it doing the
kitchen work quite roomy
kitchen it was) and talking. l
don't remember what they said, ex-
cept that my Aunt Cynthia { (Uncle
Jesse Applegate's wife) said: "There
is going to bea death in the family"
or words to that effect. She pointed
upward and added: "See that
raven flying over the camp"
was lying upon the sand, and,
hearing the remark, looked up and
saw black bird, raven or crow,
flying about 100 feet over us and
going in the direction of the river.
This thing of reading the future
from the flight of birds was then
new to me, and, as my aunt's
countenance, gesture and tone OF
voice bespoke alarm and distress,
the event made lasting impression
upon my mind. And yet the pre-
diction must have been passed over
lightly, for, at the time the calamity
overlook us a few days later, I
never thought of the omen and did
not hear anyone speak of it,
Occasionally we saw Indians on
the river in canoes. Their canoe
was wrought out of a single log,
cut from a pine, cedar or fir tree,
and was excavsted mostly by burn
ing; but the finishing work was
done with edged tools, originally of
stone and bone, but now of iron
and steel. Thecanoes on the upper
river were shapely and neatly
finished, but quite plain in ap-
pearance and generally large enough
for only two or three persons.
was wide awake when we came
in sight of Mount Hood. When
we had reached a point on the river
where they said we would get a
first sight of it, l was on the look
out for it, but was scanning the
sky in the direction where it was
supposed to be and did not see it.
Someone said to me, "What are
you looking for up there2" "Mount
Hood" 1 answered. swell, il amt
up in the sky" they said. Hooked
EXPERIENCE Is THE BEST teacher.