Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1903-12-11
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The river was 80 far away that i
looked like ribbon not more thar
four inches wide. The danger wat
so great that no one rode in thu
wagons. At many places there
was not a foot to spare for the
wagon wheels between the bottom,
less gorge on the left and thC
precipice down to the river on the
right. 1t is said in the Bible thai
straight is the gate, and narrow
is the way, which leadeth unto
life; but wide is the gate, and broad
is the way, that leadeth to destruc-
tion, and many there be which sc
in thereat," but this DEVILS Back
bone was worse than either, for il
was both narrow and crooked. and
it was hard to tell what it might
lead to. But we passed it safely,
and again were slowly tramping
over a broad and level expanse OF
sagebrush and greasewood.
One afternoon, somewhere in
that level country, when there were
only fathers three wagons in the
party, Il think there had been a
dispersion and confusion of tongues
soon after passing the DEVILS Back
bone, and father had pulled out,
preferring to face the dangers of
the wilderness alone rather than
Civil War; far off in an easterly
direction we could see horsemen
coming toward US. When we first
saw them, the ponies did not look
larger than grasshoppers and there
were only few Of them visible,
but directly more appeared in
sight and the number continued to
increase until the plain was swarm
ing with them. They approached
in q gallop and gathered into a
hoard as they came nearer. They
did not whoop nor gesticulate as
they approached they were not
painted, and had no weapons in
their hands. They did not slacken
their pace until they had COM
pletely surrounded our little party;
they were in such great numbers
and crowded so closely about the
wagons and teams that we could
not move on. But they were very
friendly, and we learned IN some
way that they were visiting US to
see white women and children, for
they had never seen any before.
They peered into all the wagons
from the ends and both sides, and
caught hold of the wagon covers
and raised them SO that they could
look in.
There was a host of them around
the wagon was in, lifting the
sides of the cover and peeping in
at mother and US children. We
were not afraid of them, for they
all looked pleasant and much in
Some were squaws, rid
ing astride of saddles with very
high horns before and behind. |
Some of the squaws had infants en-
,ased in sacks made of dressed |
hides, with a board attached to
support the back Of the child. The
babies looked like the cocoons Of
some kinds of insects, and were
swinging from the front horn of the
saddle like a holster pistol. There
vas nothing to be seen of the
oapoose but its little round chubby
ace.
While they we're crowding about
'ur wagon, a squaw with a young
ter hanging to her saddle-bow was
rying to get a peep into the
wagon when another horseman
wung bis horse against the child,
which commenced crying. This
lrew forth such a volley of Snake
lingo that the offender suddenly
ost all interest in the show and
,ot away from there in a hurry.
Besides a desire to see women and
it seems these Indians
wanted tobacco, which was given
o a few who appeared to be "big
snakes" We were not detained
y them more than thirty minutes.
hey rode away, and we travelled
n.
We passed through the Rocky
fountains on our way, but when
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