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

as the biggest cornfeld | had ever
seen. The mountain appeared to
be only few miles away, and yet
the wide expanse of snow could
frequently be seen through gaps
between the hills as we passed down
the river.
Mount Hood was, after all, only
snow covered hill. How did l
account for the hills being always
snow-clad? Well, | didn't account
for it at all. It may be | never
thought of that, orit may be that I
thoughtit was Gods white throne
or footstool, or that it was miracle
God had provided to show men his
contempt for the laws of nature.
Remember now I was looking at
the scenery through the inexper-
fenced eyes OF six-year-old boy.
The realization of what we see de-
pends very much upon what we
already know. OF course, was
yet novice in perspective. | saw
1t as a child, and my understand
ing was at fault. ~
We had an Indian pilot, probably
selected by Mckinley at Fort
Walla Walla, although / do not
positively remember noticing the
pilot before we entered the rapids
we were now approaching. At the
head of these rapids the river bears
from a westcourse little northerly,
making a very gradual curve. AS
we approached this bend, l could
hear the sound Of rapids, and
presently the boat began to rise
and fall and rock from side to side.
When We began to make the turn,
we could see breakers ahead ex-
tending in a broken line across the
river, and the boat began to sweep
along at rapid rate. The pilot
squatted low in the boats bow, an
old red handkerchief around his
head and his long, black hair hang
ing down his back.
There were now breakers on the
right and on the left, and occa-
sionally foam-crested waves swept
across our bows. The motion of
the boat had never been so excit-
ingly delightful before. 1t was an
exaggeration of the cradle and the
grapevine swing combined. I be-
gan to think this was no ordinary
rapid, but felt reassured when l
noticed that the old people sat
quietly in their places and betrayed
no fear.
But did the babes in arms,
rocked on the heaving bosom of the
great river and lulled by the med
ley of sounds, fall asleep, they soon
awoke to hear their mothers shrek.
Our boat was now about twenty
yards from the right hand shore,
and, looking across the river, we
saw a smaller boat about opposite
to US near the south bank. The
persons in this boat were Alexander
Mcclellan, a man about 70 years
of age; William Parker, probably
81; William Doak, about the same
age; three boys, Elisha Applegate,
aged about IL, and Warren and
Edward Applegate, each about eight
years of age.
This boat, it would seem, should
have followed our own, as the pilot
was with US, and this was the
dangerous part Of the river. But
there was little time to consider
mistakes or to be troubled about
what might be their consequences,
for presently there was a wall of
anguish, shrek, and a scene of
confusion in our boat that no
language can describe. The boat
we were watching disappeared, and
we saw the men and boys sprawling
in the water. Father and Uncle
Jesse, seeing their children drown
ing, were siezed with frenzy, and,
dropping their oars, sprang up
from their seats and were about to
leap from the boat to make a des-
perate effort to swim to them, when
mother and Aunt Cynthia, in voices
that we're distinctly heard above
the roar Of the rushing waters, by
SICK HEADACHE ABSOLUTELY and
nernanentlv cured nv using Molt Tea