USA > California > Humboldt County > History of Humboldt County, California : with illustrations descriptive of its scenery, farms, residences, public buildings, factories, hotels, business houses, schools, churches, etc., from original drawings, including biographical sketches > Part 19
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OBJECT OF THE EXPEDITION FORGOTTEN.
We continued ou down the beach a short time, wheu night overtaking us, we camped. So long a time had elapsed since our departure from the Trinity River, and the constant suffering, toil and danger to which we had been exposed, that the main object of the expedition had been quite forgotten; and our only thought and sole ainu seemed to be, how we should extricate ourselves from the situation we were in, and when we might exchange it for one of more comfort and less exposure and danger.
Immediately after halting, Buck and myself went in search of water. It had been our enstom, wherever night happened to overtake us, there to camp-the almost ceaseless falling of the rain affording us a continual supply of water. This night, how- ever, we camped in some sand hills, about a mile back from the beach, without giving a thought how we should get water. A short distance from the camp we separated, Buck going iu one direction and I in another. I soon found slough water, which although not agreeable and pleasant to the taste, I concluded would answer our purpose, and returned with some of it to camp. Not long after Buck came in and placed his kettle be- fore us without anything being said. The Doctor not relish- ing the water I had brought, and being somewhat thirsty, was the first to taste the other. The suddenness with which the water was spit out after it had passed his lips, was a sufficient warning to the rest of us.
FIRST DISCOVERY OF HUMBOLDT BAY.
The Doctor asked Mr. B. where he had got that water. Bnek replied, "about half a mile from herc." The Doctor re- marked: " You certainly did not get it out of the ocean, and we would like to know where you did get it." Buck answered:
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FIRST SETTLEMENTS BY GOLD HUNTERS.
" I dipped it out of a bay of sinootb water." Tbis excited our curiosity, and Buck seemed, at the time, to be rather dogged, and not much disposed to gratify us by explanations. It was dusk, and he could not tell the extent of the bay. This was the night of the 20th of December, 1849, and was undoubt- edly the first discovery of the bay by Americans, notwitbstand- ing Capt. Douglass Ottinger claims to have first discovered it. We gave it the name of " Trinity Bay," but before we could return (the next year), Captain Ottinger, with a party by water, discovered it and gave it the name of "Humboldt Bay," the name which it still retains. .
The next morning, by daylight, we were up and moved our camp over to the bay, aud stopped tbere during the day. This was opposite the point where Bucksport now stands. (On the strip of sand west of the bay.) We encamped the night previ- ous under a group of small trees in the sand-hills lying between the bay aud the occan, on the strip of land now known as the " Peninsula," or " North Beach." The reason we bad not dis- covered the bay the day previous, in traveling down from the mouth of Mad River, was because we followed the beach-it being liard sand and easy traveling-and the low hills and tim- ber on the strip of land, lying between the ocean and the bay, shut out the fatter entirely from our vicw.
During the day we remained here, the Indians came to our camp, and we learned from them that we could not follow down the beach on account of the entrance to the bay, which was just below us. Mr. Buck, however, to satisfy ourselves, took an Indian with him and started down to the entrance. When he returned, he reported quite a large and apparently deep stream connecting the bay with the ocean, and considera- ble swell setting in, which he thought would make it danger- ous to attempt to cross. The Indians also represented that it was deeper than the trees growing on the Peninsula were tall; so we abaixcloned the idea of attempting to cross it.
Where we were camped was the narrowest part of the bay, being the channel abreast of Bucksport, and the Indians assured us that we could swim our animals across there, and offered to take us across in their canoes. Most of the party, including Dr. Gregg, were of the same opinion; but some of the company opposing the project, we packed up next morning and started nortbward, keeping as near the bay as the small sloughs would permit, for the purpose of beading it.
FIRST PARTY EVER AT ARCATA.
After making our way through brush and swamp, swim- ming sloughs and nearly drowning ourselves and animals, we arrived towards night of the second day, after leaving our camp opposite Bucksport, on a beautiful plateau near the highland and redwoods, at the northeast end of the bay. At this point wbich commands a fine view of tbe bay, stretching out to the southwest, we made a halt, and it being nearly nigbt, pitched our camp. Tbis plateau is the present site of the town of Union (now Arcata).
Our camp was near the little spring, about two hundred yards from the east side of the Plaza, towards the woods. I have seen some of the old tent pins, still remaining tbere, within the last year (1856).
As soon as we had unpacked, some of the party started in search of game, and soon came across a fine hand of elk, a lit- tle north of our camp, about where the cemetery now is, and fired several shots, wounding two or three, but they succeeded in reaching the thicket in the edge of the redwoods, and dark setting in, they could not be found. We therefore did not get any supper that night. The next morning, carly, some went in search of the elk and found one of them in the brush dead, and brought it to camp.
FIRST CHRISTMAS ON HUMBOLDT BAY.
Next morning, 25th of December, 1849, we roasted the clk's head in the ashes, and this constituted our Christmas feast. This was my first Christmas in California, and having been reduced so often to the point of starvation, we enjoyed this simple fare, yet you may rest assured, it was not that " Merry Christmas " I had been accustomed to in Kentucky with the " old folks at home." This day we moved down to the point of bigh prairie, near the mouth of Freshwater Slough at tbe east side of the bay, and there eamped.
Tbe next day we made our way through the woods, follow- ing an indistinct Indian trail, back of where the town of Eu- reka is now situated, and came out at tbe open space in the rear of where Bucksport now stands, which place derives its name from one of our party, David A. Buck. We pitched our camp near tbe bluff, on the top of which is at present Fort Humboldt.
The next day we followed down the bay, crossing Elk River, to Humboldt Point.
THE INDIANS FRIENDLY.
Here we were visited by the Chief of the tribe of Indians in the vicinity of the bay, who was an elderly and very digni- fied and intelligent Indian. He appeared very friendly and seemed disposed to afford us every means of comfort in his power. He supplied us with a quantity of clams, upon which we feasted sumptuously. The evening we arrived here, some of the party went out on the slope of prairie, to the east of our camp, and killed an elk, and while there taking care of it, we sent a note over to them, and received one in return, by this Chicf, who would not allow any otber Indian to carry them, but insisted upon being the bearer himself. He seemed anxious to arrive at the secret of this means of communication, and would watch to see what effect the piece of written paper would have on the one to whom he delivered it. Tbis old man's name we learn was Ki-we-lat-tah. He is still living on the bay (1856), and has always been known as a quiet aud friendly Indian.
It had been our intention at the outset, if we succeeded in
FIRST DISCOVERIES BY LAND AND SEA.
discovering the bay, and provided the surrounding country was adapted to agricultural purposes, and was sufficiently ex- tensive, to locate claims for ourselves, and lay out a town; but the deplorable condition in which we now found ourselves, re- duced in strength, health impaired, our ammunition nearly exhausted-upon which we were entirely dependent, as well for the little food we could obtain, as for our defense and pro- tection-and destitute of either farming or inechanical imple- ments, induced ns to abandon sueh intention, at least for the present, and use all possible dispatch in suaking our way to the settlements,
Accordingly, having remaiued at this camping place one day, we turned our faces toward the South, Our progress was extremely slow, as the rain was falling almost incessantly, rendering traveling difficult and fatiguing.
EEL AND VAN DUZEN RIVERS DISCOVERED AND NAMED,
The third day after leaving the bay we reached another river, which arrested our advance in that direction.
Upon approaching this river, we eame suddenly upon two very old Indians, who, at seeing us fell to the ground as if they had been shot. We dismounted and made them get up, giving thom to understand that we were their friends; but it was with much difficulty that we sueeeeded in quieting their fcars, They were loaded with eels, which they informed us they obtained from this river. Our appetites being in just such a condition, that anything not absolutely poisonons, upon which a meal could bo made, was palateable, without asking many questions, we helped ourselves to nearly the whole of their load.
In exchange for theso we gave them a l'ew beads and some small pieces of iron. They seemed to value these pieces of iron more highly than anything else we had to dispose of. I took an old frying-pan that had been rendered comparatively use- less, having lost its handle and being otherwise considerably damaged, aud broke into small strips. With these I kept the company supplied with eels during our stay, often obtain- ing as many as three dozen for one piece. We gave to this stream the name of Eel River.
Near the place where we met these Indiaus, we got them with their canoes, to set us across the river, which was at this time a large stream, the water being high. We swam our ani- mals as usual,
The point where we erossed was just below the junction of Van Duzen's Fork, which latter stream takes its name from one of our party. Here we remained two days, during which time we lived upon eels obtained from the Indians.
DISAGREEMENT AND SEPARATION.
At this caurp a controversy arose among us in relation to the course now to be pursued, Some contended that we should follow the coast down to San Francisco. Others again urged,
as the shortest and inost advantageons route, to proceed up this river as far as its course seemed to suit, and then leave it and strike southerly for the nearest settlement, Neither party seemed inelined to yield to the other. Not all the arguments that the more peaceably disposed members of the company eould adduce, could quell the storm that was gathering. Harsh words passed and threats were interchange l. As all pros- pects of a reconciliation had been abandoned, Seabring, Buek, Wilson and myself resolved to continue on our journey together, over the route we had advoented. Accordingly we separated, and although the rain was falling in torrents, we left the camp.
As hefore stated, our intention was to continue along the river, believing that by so doing our progress would be more rapid, and that the chauees for obtaining fool would be bet- ter. In this, however, we were sadly disappointed, for, as we advanced, the country became more and more uneven, and at last mountainous. The spurs from the mountains extending down to the river's edge, beeame so abrupt, and the ravines between so deep, as to render it extremely diffienlt to get our animals over them, We toiled along, however, until the third day, when we determined to leave the river. Our hope was to find some mountain ridge leading in a southeasterly direction-that be- ing about the course we desired to take-and with this view we aseeuded the mountain.
PROGRESS OF THE " WOOD " PARTY.
The day after we left the river it commeneed snowing, whieh, in a short time, so completely obliterated all there was of a trail, and shut from our view every landmark that could guide us in our eourse, that we were compelled to eamp. Our situation now was indeed deplorable. At no time heforc had we been so completely destitute, and never had our prospects been so gloomy andl disheartening. Fast being hemmed in with snow, without food either for ourselves or our animals, it seemed to us inevitable that our only alternative was to apply to that resource which we had with so much trouble and eare pre- served and kept with us-namely, our mules. We had for somne time past thought that a misfortune like that whiel now seemed imminent, might overtake us, and therefore looked upon them as serving us in the additional eapaeity of food, when necessity might compel us to resort to them.
While the snow was yet not too deep, the animals with their feet pawed the grass bare, and thus obtained all there was to eat. We, too, were fortunate enough to kill a small deer. Five days elapsed before we were able to move from this camping place, and then not in the direction we desired, for the great quantity of snow that had fallen presented an im- passable harrier to our progress, conszynently we were eom- pelled to return to the river.
The small supply which the deer afforded us was no more than sufficient to sooth the hunger pains with which we had, with little interruption, been suffering; and by the time we bad
92
FIRST SETTLEMENTS BY GOLD HUNTERS.
extricated ourselves from our unfortunate situation in the snow, nothing remained of the deer but the skin.
We continued our course up the river, as best we could, some- times aidled by au Indian or elk trail, at others literally eut- ting our way along. For several days all that we had or could obtain to subsist upon, was the deer-skin which we had saved, aud a few buckeyes. The former we cut up and boiled in wa- ter, and afterwards drank the water in which it had been boiled, and chewed the hide.
DISASTROUS ADVENTURE WITH GRIZZLIES.
Upon passing from the forest into a sinall opening, we came suddenly upon five grizzly bears. Wilson and myself immedi- ately went in pursuit of them, but unfortunately met with no further success than to wound one of thein severely. The day following this, while traveling over a piece of mountain prairie, and passing a sinall ravine or guleh, we espied a group of no less than eight more of these animals. Although exhausted from fatigue, and so reduced in strength that we were scarcely able to drag ourselves along, yet we determined to attack these grini customers.
Wilson, Seabring, and myself prepared for the conflict, which it was altogether probable we should bave, before the matter was ended, and advanced towards them. While yet a long distance from them, Seabring sought shelter for himself by elimbing a tree, not wishing to hazard the chances of a hand to hand contest with bruin. Wilson and myself advanced until within about one hundred yards of the nearest of them, when a consultation was again held in relation to the mode of mak- ing the attack.
THEIR MODE OF ATTACTING BEARS.
It was arranged that I should approach as near as possible, and fire; then make the best of my way to some tree for safety. The latter part of the arrangement I did not assent to, for one very good reason-I was so completely prostrated from expos- ure and starvation, that had I the will to run, my limbs would scarcely have been able to execute their functions. We con- tinned to approach our antagonists until within about fifty paces, when I leveled my rifle at the one nearest me, and after a careful aim, fired. The shot was to all appearances, a fatal one, for the huge monster fell, biting and tearing the earth with all the fury of one struggling in death. So soon as I had fired, Wilson said to me, in a low tone of voice-"run ! run!" Instead however of yielding to his advice, I immediately com- menced reloading my riffe. Wilson now discharged his gun at another with equal success.
When I fired, five of the bears started up the mountain. Two now lay upon the ground before us, and a third yet remained, deliberately sitting back upon her baunches, and evi- dently determined not to yield the ground without a contest, looking tirst upon her falleu companions and then upon us.
USELESS ATTEMPTS TO ESCAPE.
Wilson now thought it was time to retreat, and accordingly made the best of his way to a tree. Unfortunately l'or me, I could not get the ball down upon the powder, and in this pre- dicament, so soon as Wilson started to run, the bear came dash- ing at me with fury. I succeeded however in getting beyond her reach in a small buckeye tree. I now made another effort to foree the ball down my rifle, but with no better success than at first, and was therefore compelled to use it to beat the bear off as she attacked the tree, for the purpose of breaking it down or shaking me out of it. She kept me busy at this for two or three minutes, when to my astonishment, the bear I had shot down, having recovered sufficiently from the effects of the wound, came bounding towards me with all the violence and ferocity that agony and revenge could engender. No blow that I could inflict upon the head of the maddened mouster with my gun could resist or even check her. The first spring she made upon the tree broke it down. I had the good fortune to gain my feet before they could get hold of me, and ran down the mountain in the direction of a small tree, stand- ing about thirty yards distant. Every jump I made I thought must be my last, as I could distinctly feel the breath of the wounded bear as she grabbed at my heels. I kept clear of ber while running, but the race was a short one. On reaclı- ing the tree, or rather bush, I seized hold of the trunk of it and swung my body around so as to afford the bear room to pass me, which she did, and went headlong down the hill some twenty paces before she could turn back. I exerted all my energies to climb this tree, but before I could get six feet from the ground, the hindermost bear caught me by the right ankle and dragged me down again. By this time the wounded bear had returned, and, as I fell, grabbed at my face. I bowever dodged, and she caught me by the left shoulder. The moments that followed were the most critical and perilous of my life. Here, then, thought I, was the end of all things to me! That I must perish-he mangled and torn in pieces-seemed inevita- ble. During all the time I was thus situated, my presence of mind did not forsake me.
TERRIFIC ENCOUNTER WITH GRIZZLIES.
Immediately after the second bear had canght me by the shoulder, the other still having hold of my ankle, the two pulled against each other as if to draw me in pieces; but my clothes and their grip giving way, occasionally saved me. In this way they continued until they had stripped me of my clothes, except a part of my coat and shirt, dislocated my hip, and inflicted many flesh wounds-none of the latter, however, being very serious. They seemed unwilling to take hold of my flesh, for, after they had divested me of my clothes, they both left me-one going away entirely, and the other (the wounded bear) walking slowly up the hill, about one hundred yards from
2
·Pro. Watson.
HUMBOLDT
John Clausen.
PIONEERS
J. E. My man.
J. J. Kenyon.
Austin Wiley
1
03
FIRST DISCOVERIES BY LAND AND SEA.
ine, and there deliberately seated herself, and fastened her gaze npon ine, as I lay upon the ground perfectly stiil.
THE BEAR RESUMES THE ATTACK.
After remaining thus several minutes, I ventured to move, which, I suppose, she must have seen, for the first motion brought her pell-mnell upon ine again, roaring every junp as lond as she could roar. At this moment, I must confess, iny presence of mind nearly forsook me. I knew that if she again attacked or took hold of me, it must be upon my naked flesh. The moment left ine was one of fearful suspense. No sooner had she reached me than she placed her nose violently against my side, and then raised her head and gave vent to two of the most frightful, hideous, and unearthly yells that were ever heard by mortal man. I remained perfectly quiet, hoping that by so doing she would leave me, and in this hope I was not dis- appointed, for after standing over mo a short time, she again walked away. I now thought she had left for good, and deter- mincd to place myself, if possible, beyond her reach, should she, however, make up her mind to again return and continue the attact.
Up to this time I was unconscious of the extent of the injury I had received; that an accident had befallen my leg I was well aware, but not until I attempted to get up was my true situation manifest to me. I then found that I could not use iny right leg, and supposed it was broken.
Turning to look about me, to assure myself that iny enemy had retired, imagine my surprise at seeing her again not more tlinn 100 yards distant, sitting back upon her haunches and her eyes glaring full at me. With my leg in the condition I have related, I dragged myself to the buekeye bush, from which I had been pulled down by the bear, and after much difficulty succeeded in climbing up about eight fect. So soon as Wilson had iliscovered me up the tree, he left his tree and came to me. 'The bear seeing him came bounding towards ns with the great- est ferocity. Wilson remarked, "What in the name of God shall I do?" I replied that he could come up the limb of the adjoining tree, and he was barely enabled to get beyond reach, before she arrived. She deliberately seated herself immerli- „tely beneath us, and kept her eyes steadily upon us, and as either one or the other of us happenedto move, she would utter an angry growl. I observed Wilson present his rifle at her, and not shooting immediately. I remarked: "Shoot her-for God's sake, shoot her- for she is the beast that did ine all the injury I have received!" He watched her eyes closely for a moment, with his aim still fixed npon her, and when I again repeated my request for him to shoot, he replied -"No sir ; let her go-let her go, if she will."
After having detained ns in this situation for a few minutes, she went away, and disappeared altogether, much to our joy and relieľ-thereby giving me an opportunity to get down from the tree.
A DISTRESSING SITUATION.
Now that all the fear of further interruption from our lale visitor was past, I began fully to realize my true condition. The wounds I had received became momentarily more painful. So soon as the remainder of the party came up. I was carried some distance down the mountain, to a plnee suitable for camping. Here we remained twelve days, subsisting entirely upon the meat afforded by the bear Wilson shot in the late eneounter.
It now became a source of munch anxiety, to know when and how we should leave this place, or what disposition they would make of me, as I seemed to grow worse, instead of better. It was thought that by remaining in camp ten or twelve days, iny wounds would have so far healed as to enable us to resume our journey; but no one, not even myself, supposed that the in- jurics I had received were of so serious a character as they now proved to be. Finding, however, at the expiration of that time, that my condition had in nowise improved, they con- sulted me in relation to the course that should be adopted. That it was necessary, absolutely so, that no more time should be lost, all insisted, as we were almost entirely stripped of clothing and without shoes to protect our feet from the thorns and briers that were ever in our path. All were becoming aware of the fact that their strength and health were fast failing, and although we had, from the outset, bcen gradually trained to bear cold, hunger and pain, yet it was too evident that our powers of endurance were scriously impaired. They urged, as a further reason, that our ammunition was nearly or quite exhausted, upon which our sole dependence rested for the seanty supply of food that we conld obtain.
The meaning of this was obvious to me, and in reply I said to them, that they had remained with ine as long as I could expect or ask; that they were bound to save themselves if they could, and that they ought not to allow me to be in their way ; but as they had seen proper to speak of the matter, I would ask of them oue other faver.
INDIAN TREACHERY.
I suggested two ways in which they could dispose of me, either of which I would prefer to being abandoned to my fate in the condition and place in which I now was. The first, was to induce the Indians, who had visited us during our stay here, to take care of me until they could go to a settlement and return; and a second was to put an end to my sufferings.
They cheerfully sought the chief of these Indians, and explained to him what they desired to do, and iu turn what they required of him, to all of which he apparently readily assented, and promised faithfully to attend to me and supply me with food until they could return. He agreed to come the next morning and convey me to his raneli, which was about three miles distant, and situated upon the river.
At the appointed time the old chief presented himself,
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