Ashland weekly tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1919-1924, 1921-10-26

tion, while those persons were strug-
Cling for life in the surging waters.
The whole scene was witnessed by
General Fremont and his company
of explorers, who were camped i'm
mediately opposite, ana we're power
less to render us any assistance. The
bodies of the drowned were never
recovered, though we offered a i re-
ward to the Indians, who searched
the river for months. We reached
the Cascades without any other in
eidents worth relating.
I'VE then made a portage around
the falls, packing the most of our
effects on our backs, dragging our
boats over the rocks, reloading and
proceeding on our way to Vancouver,
ascended the willamette river to the
falls, there made another portage
around the falls, reloaded again,
assembled the river twenty-five miles,
coming to place called Champoeg,
where we finally left our boats and
made our way across the valley to
Lees old mission, ten miles below
where Salem now stands, and on the
lst day of December, 1S43, entered
one of the old buildings TO remain
for the winter.
Previous TO TINS, we mad Deen in !
the rain most of the time for twenty
days. Oh, how We could have en-
Joyed our hospitable shelter could
we have looked around the family
circle and beheld the bright faces
that accompanied US on our toilsome
journey almost to the end! Alas,
they were not there That long and
dreary winter, with its pelting rains
and bowling winds, brought sadness
to us. Under these sad reflections
we resolved, If we remained in the
country, to find better way for
others who might wish to emigrate,
as soon as we could possibly afford
ths time.
e. So, in 1916, after making
arrangements for the subsistence OF
1ur families during our absence, we
organized a company to undertake
he enterprise, composed as follows:
Levi Scott, Henry Boygus, Jesse Ap-
plegate. John Owens, Robert Smith,
Moses Harris, BENT Osborn, John
scott, Lindsay .Applegate, Benjamin
Birch, John Jones, Samuel Goodhue,
David Goff, William Sportsman and
Parker.
Each man had his pack Horse and
saddle horse, making thirty animals
o guard and take care of. A portion
II the country we proposed to tray-
'rse was at that time marked on the
nap 'unexplored region The
dea fopening wagon road
such a country at that time
vas counted as preposterous.
.. One thing which had much
influence with us was the fact that
he question as to which power,
treat Britain or the United States,
would eventually secure title to the
was ont settled, and in case
war should occur and Britain prove
uccessful, it was important to have
way by which we could leave the
ountry without running the gaunt- .
ct of the Hudson Bay company's Z
orts and falling a prey to Indian
ribes, which were under British in
Iuencc"
On the morning of the goth of
une, 1S46, the expedition was .,
nder way On the morning of June
y they passed over low range of
ills from the summit of which they
ad a splendid view OF the Rogue
liver valley, which is described as . !,
great meadow interspersed with
roves of oaks, which appeared like II
asst orchards. II
AS they made their way through j.
le Rogue River valley they we're n
followed by the Indians
nd had to be on guard day and y
Ight. When they had to pass a
trough heavy timber and brush T. .,
ley dismounted and led their
Osses, carrying their guns across
leir arms ready to fire. The In
ans were armed with bows and =,
'isoned arrows, the pioneers with II
le old-time muzzle-loading rifles. =
hey made their way through the
'lley, crossed the Cascade noun :
ins into the klamath country, and
lence east to the Humboldt river.
ere they met train OF immi-
ants. They brought back with u
em $50 people, the pioneers travel m
g ahead and making a road over n "a
hich the wagons could pass. This a,
ain was taken through to the Will in