The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1904-06-02

The increased acreage is largely
due to the breaking up of larg,
tracts of sod. The large pastur,
near Red Rock formerly leased by
Bales & Jones is now over hal
seeded. This north and east slope:
of the Lowe butte have heretofore
made a common. range for stray
cattle and horses. This spring sew
eral hundred acres have been seeded
and will soon be fenced. Three
hundred acres have been broken out
on the border OF Lawyers canyon
and nearly every farmer who had
been maintaining a small pasture
has converted it into grain field
Sites Journal.
The discovery of gold in the Pierce
country is traceable to the Nez Perez
Indian who visited California about
1859, and while there met Capt. E.
D. Pierce, an old prospector who
had devoted much of his life to hunt
ing the yellow metal. To him the
Indian told an Indian story colored
with the mixture OF superstition and
imagination peculiar to the race. The
Nez Perez, with two of his people,
had been travelling. At night they
cams to canyon, deep, dark and
dismal and walled in by perpendicu-
lar rocks, from which jutted irregu-
larry out-sprsading smaller rocks.
Here they camped for the night. In
the dread darkness they observed a
brilliant light, like that of star,
break forth among those projecting
rocks. They regarded it as the eye
of the Spirit Of the place Morn
ing came at last, and they repaired
to the spot where the light had ap-
peared. 1t seemed like a ball Of
crystal so solidly embedded in the
surrounding rock that they could not
detach it from its place of deposit.
In their superstitious belief that it
was medicine" they feared to use
violence to remove it, and so came
away allowing it to remain. Enough |
had been told to excite the curiosity |
Of Capt. Pierce. He at once deter
mined to find that 'sball of light"
the brilliant star seen by the Nez
Perces in that canyon. He settled
at Walla Walla and in the spring Of
1860, with a party Of FIVE others,
started for the Nez Perez country.
Those Indians wanted no gold dis
,overies to be made in their territory
o attract white settlers; and they
ordered Capt. Pierce and his little
,arty to leave their vicinags. Capt.
Pierce, however, secured a Nez
'erce woman for a guide, and passed
Iver the 10 10 trail to the North
'ork Of the Clearwater river. Here
is party went into camp to recruit
nd rest the animals. Bass.tt, one
{ the number, went to a meadow
tream close to the camp and pros
ectsd the earth. His first pan re-
Irned three cents. This was in
uly. When satisfied OF the exist
nee Of gold in paying quantities,
he party returned to Walla Walla.
c. Smith, an old pioneer, known
S Sergeant Smith, had great faith 4
! the prospect, and tried to enlist l
le cooperation Of the Walla Walla /
isrchants; but, failing in that, on
is own personal credit he fitted out }
party of fifteen, who arrived at the
TO Fine mines in November, 1860.
NTH returned to Walla Walla in
larch, 1861 with $500 in gold dust P
hich was sent to Portland, and in 3
lat year the rush began. Other Il
iscoveries followed-Rhodes creek, r.
TX City, Powder river and Flor b
nee all of which were the outcome "
the faith Of Capt. Pierce in the d
ldian in faraway California
'a1fer