Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1904-08-18
Lindsay Applegate and Fourteen Companions Explore
This Section in 1916.

party from CalllOrnm nau ceen at
tackled ON this summit ridge by the
Indians, and one man had been severe
ly wounded Several of the horses had
also been shot with arrows We could
see that large party of Indians had
passed over the trail, travelling south
ward. only few days before.
"On the morning Of the 26h we di-
vided our forces part going hack to ex-
plore the canyon, while the remainder
stayed to guard the camp aud horses.
The exploring party went back to
where we left the canyon. by the little
trail ON the day before, and returning
through the canyon, reached camp af-
ter night. reporting that wagons could
be taken through.
Making an early start the next day
we moved on very cautiously. When.
ever the trail passed through thickets,
we dismounted aud led our hofses,
having our guns in hand ready at any
moment to use them in self-defense,
for we had adopted the rule never to
be the aggressor. Toward evening we
saw great many Indians posted along
the mountain side, and now and then
running ahead Of us. As we ap-
preached Rogue River the Indians in
large numbers, occupied the banR
where the train crossed. Having un-
derstood that this crossing was fav.
orite place Of attack. we decided, as
it was growing late, to pass the night
on the prairie.
In selecting our camp on Rogue
River. we observed the greatset eau
tion. Cutting stakes from the limbs
of an old oak that stood ON the open
ground, we picketed our horses with
double stakes, and as firmly as posi-.
BILE. The horses were picketed in the
form of hollow square outside of
which we took our positions. All
night yigilant guari was kept over
our camp, but nothing occurred, and
the next morning we found the Indi-
ans occupying the same position as at
dark.
"There had been veiy heavy dew
during the night, and we were afrail
our firearms (Which were muzz.e load
ers and flint looks). had. been made
uesless. So we fred them off and re-
loaded.
'We formed two divisions, with the
packhorses behind, and moved for
ward. On nearing the river the pack
horses were put to the fore and driven
across while one division, with guns
ready and eyes and ears alert, guarded
the brush until the front or first di-
vision was safely over. Then they
kept guard while the second division
made the crossing.
1.-THE Indians kept watch on us
while we crossed the Rogue, but not
once did they evince any sign of at.
tack. In fact, we gave them no op-
portunity. for had they done so, they
would have at once exposed themselves
TO our fire.
The Rogue is deep and rapid
stream, and only In Summer can it be
forded at all. In tho deeper channel
the ponies were forced to swim. Had
we rushed pell-mell into the stream,
as parties fr quently do under such
circumstances, our expedition and our
entire party would no Joubt have come
to an end there.
" After crossing We turned up the
river. and the Indians in large num-
bers came out of the thickets on the
opposihte side. They tried by every
means to provoke us.
There appeared to'be a great. Com.
motion among them. A party had left
the French settlement In the william.
ette Valley some three or four weeks
before u.s., consisting Of French half.
breeds, Columbia Indians and few
Americans, probably about 80 In all.
Passing one of their encampments.
we could see by the sign that they
were only a short distance ahead Of
us. We afterward learned this party
had encountered the Indians and had
suffered losses, botn among their own
number and by the theft of their
horses. They had made an effort to
recover the stolen property, and had
thus been much delayed. From our
camp we saw many signal fires along
the mountain ridges to the eastward.
ION the morning Of June 20 we
passed over low range Of hills, from
the summit Of which we had splen.
might have discovered something OF
the kind after they crossed the Cas-
cades and entered tie Oregon desert,
bat this cannot be assigned to South.
ern Oregon. Dennis II. Stoyall in
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