Year: 1877

WILD Men OF THE WEST THE earlier
settlers of the extreme western frontier
we're mainly composed of u class of men
who desired to rid themselves of the
conventional constmints imposed by the
snrinI customs of the older and more cul-
tiyated portions Ot the country. These
men, that they might enjoy the fullest
extent OF freedom from such Constlunt,
struck into the depths Of the wilderness
thousands of miles from the scenes of
their earlier lives, thinking that the re-
motcncss and wiloncss OF their new
abodeS would forever prevent the en-
croachment of their kind in any consid--
cmblc numbers In this they were mis-
taken, for the march Of civilization is
as steady and sure as the transit of the
sun, whose course it follows, and the
pioneer who to-day congratulates him
self with having found spot whereon
to end his days in solitary tranquility,
tomorrow finds himself surrounded by
scores of his fellows, and obliged to
either accept the situation or, with gun
and pack, strike out for new location.
II, however, does not follow that these
tncroachments are always sudden, aNd
there are instances here and elsewhere in
the West, where solitary individuals
have been found, SO long severed from
association with their fellows, that they
have become as wild and unapproacha.
bc as the deer or wolf; fleeing away and
hiding at the approach 0t man. One Of
these characters has ranch in the neigh
borhood Of Salmon Bay. For twenty
five years he has not suffered the tread
of white man or siwash to polute his
sacred soil. Now and then some stran.
ger unwarily straying near his lines,
catches a glimpse Of him, armed copo-
pie, and apparently on guard. lie now
and then ventures to the Sound tor sup
plies, which he purchases from the In
dians. Parties who 10y accident have
crossed his domains, state that he has
cattle, sheep and swine in abundance, n
large orchard, and is apparently well off.
His estates consist OF six hundred and
tOrty acres of the choicest land in that
section At one time his olfcious neigh
bors captured him, dragged him before
the County Judge of King county, and
had him examined on n charge of lunacy.
His answers to the interrogatories of the
Judge. however, were so much more ra-
tional than those OF his captors that the
Court was ut a loss to determine which
to send to the asylum, and suffered him
to depart. He still lives, uninterrupted
by the surrounding "Yahoos," Some
little time ago party assembled the Sno-
Qualmie river in search of timber, and
one day discovering an antiquated cabin
on its banks, concluded to see what it
contained. Upon their approach, an old
man was seen to issue from the cabin,
and gazing upon them for moment in
evident wonder and fear, fed precipi-
lately toward an adjacent thicket of vine
maple. The party pursued, and after
struggle, captured him. When some
what relieved of his fright, he stated that
he had lived in that locality fifteen years.
and would end his days there unless too
much disturbed by the advance of civ
iization. He had been so long isolated
from his kind that he had almost lost
the use OF speech, and it was some time
before he could make himself understood.
The party purposely sojourned with him
several days, and hy gentle and persua-
sive treatment, had made him rccsncicL.
to their presence, On their departure
the old man accompanied them to their
boat, and bade them adieu with evident
regret, but could not be persuaded to
accompany them. We only cite two of
many such characters found in the West,
but may refer to this subject again.