Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1912-09-28

n pdIty vi blA VI ub lelI lOI agate
Beach by wagon, equipped for a fish
ing and hunting expedition. Bound
for the Siletz country, at the Agency,
we built flat boat and floated down
the Siletz river, finding about twen-
ty-two miles Of this famous fishing
stream continuous eddies and rapids,
and twenty miles Of tide water. That
above the tide water is river about
the size of the Clackamas; below, 1t
is similar to the Willamette at Port
land, only much deeper and very
winding, with lnnumerable curves.
One place, after travelling about fif-
teen miles, we found the stream dou-
bled back to within mile of Itself
but l am getting ahead Of my story.
Our teamster and team were all
right; slow and sure, without hurry
or buster, and we had a splendid
road; good enough to make any au-
toist feel generous towards the farm
ers along the way Passing along
through this beautiful timber land,
with its many homesteads, we all felt
at peace with ourselves and our sur
roundlngs. But apparently all was
not peace even here, for suddenly we
came upon an Indian gathering at
tending a fair, who evidently thought
1t a proper time to assert their rights
and settle a few outstanding ac-
counts. A general scrap was in pro-
gress, several young bucks fighting
among themselves, with the women
and older men acting as peacemak-
ers. Knives and guns were shown,
and threats made, but at the appear
ance Of an officer, It was very anus
ing to see the way the braves scatter
and run.
AT hotel by the wayside, where
we stopped for lunch, the waiter,whO
was kindly disposed, told us that he
took pleasure In waiting on working
men; that he could tell working men
at sight
Arriving at the Slletz agency about
six o'clock in the evening, we pur-
chased additional fishing tackle and
supplies, hired an Indian to com
mence work on our boat in the morn
ing, and shortly retired and slept the
"sleep of the weary"
With our united help, our boat was /
completed at noon, and we we're
ready for the start Interested by
ISLANDERS assured us that the Indian
had not built us a boat that would |
save us from wettlng-posslbly
funeral-but the young boatman soon
proved that he knew his business.
After plotting us safely over the first
couple Of rapids, which we're rapid
enough to cause us numerous thrills,
the flatboat GO by 16 feet slapping
the water end-wlse like a paddle
During this Journey we of course
had our lines out for fish, and we're
rewarded with some beauties Down
the stream we floated and rowed by
intervals over the silvery waters Of
the sletz, winding along through val
leys and gorges Of indescrlbable
beauty on clear, sunshlny day.
At the end of the second day, ar
riving in one Of the numerous gorges
along the way, we pulled up to the
river bank at place which looked
good to us, and found It a regular
camping place, with an anchor for
holding boats, This anchor was made
by cutting ring out OF stone--no
doubt made by some Indian long since
Pone to his "happy hunting ground
Here we slept on the gravel, awalsing
the following morning with water
within few feet of our feet.
After a regular camp breakfast, we
started down stream once more, the
water In the main, being quite rapid
and the valley with all It's windlngs
quite scenic, At one place (known,
I believe, as Eucher creek a suspen-
sion foot bridge had been built more I
than n hundred feet above the water. y