Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1912-11-01
STORY OF JOSEPHINE COUNTY
TOLD BY PIONEER

rock entirely too near to my to in
spire confidence. Her deep growl
and savage look was so menacing
that | dare not move My gun, an
old fashioned cap lock, was wet and
out of commission | drew a sheath
knife and informed her in mute
language that if she charged me
would surely use it on her. We eyed
each other while the black cubs sat
upon the limbs of the little fir, near
by, Presently the angry mothers
head disappeared, to my great joy,
only to reappear a moment later at
the other side of the rock and nearer
than before, having gone around the
rock. | quickly reversed engines
and prepared for trouble She now
growled louder and deeper and snap
ped her teeth at me fiercer than
ever. When the tension got so great
that something must happen she
cast her eye up large tree standing
near her and then she sent another
growl and defy in my direction and
began to climb the tree, much to my
relief, up, up. Slowly and deliber-
ately she went to large limb where
she perched herself, with another
suarl and growl to me. | took her
last look to mean, you get;" and
replied you bet"
I then gladly lit out down the
creek. Continuing to the mouth of
it, where it enters the klamath riv-
er, | saw on the opposite bank of
Indian creek an Indian rancherie,
made up of men, women and children,
| made motions for them to come
over after me with one of many
canoes fastened to the bank They
ignored me and my wishes was
so hungry that | determined to wade
across to them. The water was up
to my arm pits and as cold as snow
could make It. Once over | soon saw
that the Indians could talk neither
| iargon nor English | made signs
/ of hunger. At her leisure an aged
squaw got for me some dried eel
which I preceded to eat.
The time was about p. m. | then
laid down and was fast asleep in
stantly When awoke in the night
the Indians were asleep all around
me. l was thirsty, | could not wait
for daylight to get a drink. | again
made signs when the old squaw,
who was lying with head to the fire
and whose duty it was to chunk up
the fire and keep 1t from going out,
understood me, and picking up her
woven cap, which she wore daytimes
handed me the water in it. | never
tasted water so good as that was
| then went to sleep again, not wax
ing until late in the morning The
Indians were basking in the sun, APP
parently oblivious of my presence
among them.
Again | made a sign for food, and
as before the decrepit squaw answer
ed my need with a wisp Of dried eel.
| remained with them all day until
/ late the second morning | took the
breech pin out of my gun barrel
and cleaned 1t, but did not load the
gun until | had left their camp.
now found It necessary to cut
my boot legs off and make of them
a pair of moccasins in which to walk
to Browntown. My boots were 50
turned owed and dllapidated that !
could no longer wear them.
The Indians laughed at me while
was making the moccaslns Once
more on my feet | ate more dried
eel and then on the second day fol-
lowing signs made by an old Indian
who looked like chief. started
across the mountain. The old chief
also made a diagram on the ground
OF two creeks which must cross
and made sleep signs at the second
one Of which | understood that
must stay there all night, which
did. My moccasins were better thar
nothing bnt was compelled to use
my gun barrel for a walking cane
going down the mountain.
The second day from the Indian
camp I landed at Pages on the iii
nols river (now called Pages
gulch.) | had never met Page.
was almost starving for something