personal memoirs-1-第5章

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men　compelled　to　look　on　in　an　agony　of　helplessness　till　relieved　by

death。　　During　all　this　time；　however；　the　forms　and　ceremonials　of

religion；　and　the　polite　manners　received　from　the　Spaniards；　were

retained；　and　reverence　for　the　emblems　of　Christianity　was　always

uppermost　in　the　mind　of　even　the　most　ignorant。









CHAPTER　III。



ORDERED　TO　FORT　READING；　CAL。A　DANGEROUS　UNDERTAKINGA　RESCUED

SOLDIERDISCOVERING　INDIANSPRIMITIVE　FISHINGA　DESERTED

VILLAGECAMPING　OPPOSITE　FORT　VANCOUVER。



In　November；　1854；　I　received　my　promotion　to　a　second　lieutenancy　in

the　Fourth　Infantry；　which　was　stationed　in　California　and　Oregon。　In

order　to　join　my　company　at　Fort　Reading；　California；　I　had　to　go　to

New　York　as　a　starting　point；　and　on　arrival　there；　was　placed　on

duty；　in　May；　1855；　in　command　of　a　detachment　of　recruits　at

Bedloe's　Island；　intended　for　assignment　to　the　regiments　on　the

Pacific　coast。　　I　think　there　were　on　the　island　（now　occupied　by　the

statue　of　Liberty　Enlightening　the　World）　about　three　hundred

recruits。　　For　a　time　I　was　the　only　officer　with　them；　but　shortly

before　we　started　for　California；　Lieutenant　Francis　H。　Bates；　of　the

Fourth　Infantry；　was　placed　in　command。　We　embarked　for　the　Pacific

coast　in　July；　1855；　and　made　the　journey　without　incident　via　the

Isthmus　of　Panama；　in　due　time　landing　our　men　at　Benecia　Barracks；

above　San　Francisco。



》From　this　point　I　proceeded　to　join　my　company　at　Fort　Reading；　and

on　reaching　that　post；　found　orders　directing　me　to　relieve

Lieutenant　John　B。　Hoodafterward　well　known　as　a　distinguished

general　in　the　Confederate　service。　　Lieutenant　Hood　was　in　command

of　the　personal　mounted　escort　of　Lieutenant　R。　S。　Williamson；　who

was　charged　with　the　duty　of　making　such　explorations　and　surveys　as

would　determine　the　practicability　of　connecting；　by　railroad；　the

Sacramento　Valley　in　California　with　the　Columbia　River　in　Oregon

Territory；　either　through　the　Willamette　Valley；　or　（if　this　route

should　prove　to　be　impracticable）　by　the　valley　of　the　Des　Chutes

River　near　the　foot…slopes　of　the　Cascade　chain。　　The　survey　was

being　made　in　accordance　with　an　act　of　Congress；　which　provided　both

for　ascertaining　the　must　practicable　and　economical　route　for　a

railroad　between　the　Mississippi　River　and　the　Pacific　Ocean；　and　for

military　and　geographical　surveys　west　of　the　Mississippi　River。



Fort　Reading　was　the　starting…point　for　this　exploring　expedition；

and　there　I　arrived　some　four　or　five　days　after　the　party　under

Lieutenant　Williamson　had　begun　its　march。　　His　personal　escort

numbered　about　sixty　mounted　men；　made　up　of　detachments　from

companies　of　the　First　Dragoons；　under　command　of　Lieutenant　Hood；

together　with　about　one　hundred　men　belonging　to　the　Fourth　Infantry

arid　Third　Artillery；　commanded　by　Lieutenant　Horatio　Gates　Gibson；

the　present　colonel　of　the　Third　United　States　Artillery。　　Lieutenant

George　Crooknow　major…generalwas　the　quartermaster　and　commissary

of　subsistence　of　the　expedition。



The　commanding　officer　at　Fort　Reading　seemed　reluctant　to　let　me　go

on　to　relieve　Lieutenant　Hood；　as　the　country　to　be　passed　over　was

infested　by　the　Pit　River　Indians；　known　to　be　hostile　to　white

people　and　especially　to　small　parties。　　I　was　very　anxious　to

proceed；　however；　and　willing　to　take　the　chances；　so；　consent　being

finally　obtained；　I　started　with　a　corporal　and　two　mounted　men；

through　a　wild　and　uninhabited　region；　to　overtake　if　possible

Lieutenant　Williamson。　　Being　on　horseback；　and　unencumbered　by

luggage　of　any　kind　except　blankets　and　a　little　hard　bread；　coffee

and　smoking…tobacco；　which　were　all　carried　on　our　riding　animals；　we

were　sanguine　of　succeeding；　for　we　traversed　in　one　day　fully　the

distance　made　in　three　by　Lieutenant　Williamson's　party　on　foot。



The　first　day　we　reached　the　base　of　Lassan's　Butte；　where　I

determined　to　spend　the　night　near　an　isolated　cabin；　or　dugout；　that

had　been　recently　constructed　by　a　hardy　pioneer。　　The　wind　was

blowing　a　disagreeable　gale；　which　had　begun　early　in　the　day。　　This

made　it　desirable　to　locate　our　camp　under　the　best　cover　we　could

find；　and　I　spent　some　little　time　in　looking　about　for　a

satisfactory　place；　but　nothing　better　offered　than　a　large　fallen

tree；　which　lay　in　such　a　direction　that　by　encamping　on　its　lee　side

we　would　be　protected　from　the　fury　of　the　storm。　　This　spot　was

therefore　fixed　upon；　and　preparation　made　for　spending　the　night　as

comfortably　as　the　circumstances　would　permit。



After　we　had　unsaddled　I　visited　the　cabin　to　inquire　in　regard　to

the　country　ahead；　and　there　found　at　first　only　a　soldier　of

Williamson's　party；　later　the　proprietor　of　the　ranch　appeared。　　The

soldier　had　been　left　behind　by　the　surveying　party　on　account　of

illness；　with　instructions　to　make　his　way　back　to　Fort　Reading　as

best　he　could　when　he　recovered。　　His　condition　having　greatly

improved；　however；　since　he　had　been　left；　he　now　begged　me　in

beseeching　terms　to　take　him　along　with　my　party；　which　I　finally

consented　to　do；　provided　that　if　he　became　unable　to　keep　up　with

me；　and　I　should　be　obliged　to　abandon　him；　the　responsibility　would

be　his；　not　mine。　　This　increased　my　number　to　five；　and　was　quite　a

reinforcement　should　we　run　across　any　hostile　Indians；　but　it　was

also　certain　to　prove　an　embarrassment　should　the　man　again　fall　ill。



During　the　night；　notwithstanding　the　continuance　of　the　storm；　I　had

a　very　sound　and　refreshing　sleep　behind　the　protecting　log　where　we

made　our　camp；　and　at　daylight　next　morning　we　resumed　our　journey；

fortified　by　a　breakfast　of　coffee　and　hard　bread。　　I　skirted　around

the　base　of　Lassan's　Butte；　thence　down　Hat　Creek；　all　the　time

following　the　trail　made　by　Lieutenant　Williamson's　party。　　About

noon　the　soldier　I　had　picked　up　at　my　first　camp　gave　out；　and　could

go　no　farther。　　As　stipulated　when　I　consented　to　take　him　along；　I

had　the　right　to　abandon　him；　but　when　it　came　to　the　test　I　could

not　make　up　my　mind　to　do　it。　　Finding　a　good　place　not　far　off　the

trail；　one　of　my　men　volunteered　to　remain　with　him　until　he　died；

and　we　left　them　there；　with　a　liberal　supply　of　hard　bread　and

coffee；　believing　that　we　would　never　again　see　the　invalid。　　My

reinforcement　was　already　gone；　and　another　man　with　it。



With　my　diminished　party　I　resumed　the　trail　and　followed　it　until

about　4　o'clock　in　the　afternoon；　when　we　heard　the　sound　of　voices；

and　the　corporal；　thinking　we　were　approaching　Lieutenant

Williamson's　party；　was　so　overjoyed　in　anticipation　of　the　junction；

that　he　wanted　to　fire　his　musket　as　an　expression　of　his　delight。

This　I　prevented　his　doing；　however；　and　we　continued　cautiously　and

slowly　on　to　develop　the　source　of　the　sounds　in　front。　　We　had　not

gone　far　before　I　discovered　that　the　noise　came　from　a　band　of　Pit

River　Indians；　who　had　struck　the　trail　of　the　surveying　expedition；

and　were　following　it　up；　doubtless　with　evil　intent。　　Dismounting

from　my　horse　I　counted　the　moccasin　tracks　to　ascertain　the　number

of　Indians；　discovered　it　to　be　about　thirty；　and　then　followed　on

behind　them　cautiously；　but　with　little　difficulty；　as　appearances　of

speed　on　their　part　indicated　that　they　wished　to　overtake　Lieutenant

Williamson's　party；　which　made　them　less　on　the　lookout　than　usual

for　any　possible　pursuers。　　After　following　the　trail　until　nearly

sundown；　I　considered　it　prudent　to　stop　for　the　night；　and　drew　off

some　little　distance；　where；　concealed　in　a　dense　growth　of　timber；

we　made　our　camp。



As　I　had　with　me　now　only　two　men；　I　felt　somewhat　nervous；　so　I

allowed　no　fires　to　be　built；　and　in　consequence　our　supper　consisted

of　hard　bread　only。　　I　passed　an　anxious　night；　but　beyond　our　own

solicitude　there　was　nothing　to　disturb　us；　the　Indians　being　too

much　interested　in　overtaking　the　party　in　front　to　seek　for　victims

in　the　rear；　After　a　hard…bread　breakfast　we　started　again　on　the

trail；　and　had　proceeded　but　a　short　distance　when；　hearing　the

voices　of　the　Indians；　we　at　once　slackened　our　speed　so　as　not　to

overtake　them。



Most　of　the　trail　on　which　we　traveled　during　the　morning　ran　over　an

exceedingly　rough　lava　formationa　spur　of　the　lava　beds　often

described　during　the　Modoc　war　of　1873　so　hard　and　flinty　that

Williamson's　large　command　made　little　impression　on　its　surface；

leaving　in　fact；　only　indistinct　traces　of　its　line　of　march。　　By

care　and　frequent　examinations　we　managed　to　follow　his　route　through

without　much　delay；　or　discovery　by　the　Indians；　and　about　noon；

owing　to　the　termination　of　the　lava　formation；　we　descended　into　the

valley　of　Hat　Greek；　a　little　below　where　it　emerges　from　the　second

canon　and　above　its　confluence　with　Pit　River。　　As　soon　as　we　reached

the　fertile　soil　of　the　valley；　we　found　Williamson's　trail　well

defined；　deeply　impressed　in　the　soft　loam；　and　coursing　through

wild…flowers　and　luxuriant　grass　which　carpeted　the　ground　on　every

hand。



When　we　struck　this　delightful　locality　we　traveled　with　considerable

speed；　and　after　passing　over　hill　and　vale　for　some　distance；　the

trail　becoming　more　and　more　distinct　all　the　time；　I　suddenly　saw　in

front　of　me　the　Pit　River　Indians。



This　caused　a　halt；　and　having　hurriedly　re…capped　our　guns　and

six…shooters；　thus　preparing　for　the　worst；　I　took　a　look　at　the　band

through　my　field…glass。　　They　were　a　half…mile　or　more　in　our　front

and　numbered　about　thirty　individuals；　armed　with　bows　and　arrows

only。　　Observing　us　they　made　friendly　demonstrations；　but　I　had　not

implicit　faith　in　a　Pit　River　Indian　at　that　period　of　the　settlement

of　our　country；　and　especially　in　that　wild　locality；　so　after　a

〃council　of　war〃　with　the　corporal　and　man；　I　concluded　to　advance　to

a　point　about　two　hundred　yards　distant　from　the　party；　when；　relying

on　the　speed　of　our　horses　rather　than　on　the　peaceable　intentions　of

the　savages；　I　hoped　to　succeed　in　cutting　around　them　and　take　the

trail　beyond。　　Being　on　foot　they　could　not　readily　catch　us；　and

inasmuch　as　their　arrows　were　good　for　a　range　of　only　about　sixty

yards；　I　had　no　fear　of　any　material　damage　on　that　score。



On　reaching　the　place　selected　for　our　flank　movement　we　made　a　dash

to　the　left　of　the　trail；　through　the　widest　part　of　the　valley；　and

ran　our　horses　swiftly　by；　but　I　noticed　that　the　Indians　did　not

seem　to　be　disturbed　by　the　manoeuvre　and　soon　realized　that　this

indifference　was　occasioned　by　the　knowledge　that　we　could　not　cross

Hat　Creek；　a　deep　stream　with　vertical　banks；　too　broad　to　be　leaped

by　our　horses。　　We　were　obliged；　therefore；　to　halt；　and　the　Indians

again　made　demonstrations　of　friendship；　some　of　them　even　getting

into　the　stream　to　show　that　they　were　at　the　ford。　　Thus　reassured；

we　regained　our　co