USA > California > Siskiyou County > History of Siskiyou County, California > Part 8
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59
36
HISTORY OF SISKIYOU COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
month in which to test the fitful temper of old Boreas on Mount Shasta. In October, 1875, the monument was set in place. It weighs two thou- sand pounds, and is cylindrical in form, sixteen feet high and three feet in diameter, made of boiler iron. The cylinder is surmounted by a bell-shaped cap of polished composition that reflects the rays of the sun, and can be seen with a powerful glass at a distance of one hundred miles, even when interven- ing clouds obscure it from the vision of those at the base of the mountain, and, to the mariner on the ocean, is an infallible landmark and guide. It was taken up on wagons a distance of five miles, then on mules a distance of two and one-half miles above the old camp ground, and, from that point to the summit, thirty men carried it, in small pieces, on their backs.
To the north-east of Shasta, in the Butte creek mountains, is a prominent peak called the Goose Nest, from the peculiar shape of its bald top, on which is the crater of an extinct volcano. The mountain is covered with timber nearly to the top, but above this rises the crater peak, bald and bleak, its circular depression filled with snow. But few people have ever ascended this lofty mountain, the overshadowing presence of Shasta demanding all the admiration the heart can give, and filling the eye to the exclusion of such peaks as this. Its height is unknown, but is between eight and ten thousand feet. The whole summit is covered with loose sand and pumice-stone of a dark red color. The crater is from two to four hundred feet deep in the center, and nearly a mile across. In 1854 John B. Rohrer reared on the summit a monument of rocks, between the topmost stones of which he placed a bottle, securely corked, in which was a paper bearing the date of his visit. This is still there, and the paper contains the following inscriptions : " 1854, Sept. 22, 1 P. M., John B. Rohrer." " 1874, Dec. 29, 2 P. M., John B. Rohrer, William L. Babcock and Louis Rohrer." "1876, July 13, 2} P. M., Edward L. Greene and John Cosby."
Other prominent points about Shasta are Sheep Rock and Table Rock. The former lies at the east- ern side of Shasta valley, near the base of Goose Nest, and is an immense, rugged mass of rocks, deriving its title from the bands of mountain sheep that have made their home there. Table Rock lies to the north of this, near the road that passes from Little Shasta to Butte creek. It is a solid ledge of rocks ten hundred and forty-five feet long, fifty to one hundred and fifty yards wide, and from sixty to one hundred and twenty feet high, from which all dirt and loose particles have been worn away by the elements. It crowns a hill whose base is a mile long. The rock is exceedingly hard to climb, but
two or three passages have been found by means of which the top may be gained.
In the country lying south of Klamath, Tule and Clear lakes are those immense beds of lava rock, made so famous in history by the exploits of Cap- tain Jack and his band. A full description of these is given in the narrative of the Modoc War. In this region are many caves, though none of theni very extensive. Caves also are found in other por- tions of the county, some of which have historical events connected with them. Of these the one near Fall creek, north of the Klamath, is the most noted, being the scene of the cave fight mentioned in an- other portion of this volume. The largest, however, is one discovered near Sheep Rock in the spring of 1863, by Nelson Cash, while hunting estrayed cat- tle. In April of the same year, George W. Tyler and Elijah Heard made an extended exploration of the cave and christened it Pluto's Cave. The entrance was about five hundred feet above the val- ley, being some three miles up the slope of the mountain. They entered through an opening ten feet high and twenty wide, and advanced through a succession of halls and chambers, or caverns, until they passed through an opening thirty feet square into the large cavern, or cave proper. They trav- ersed this cautiously, over piles of fallen rocks and other obstructions, until they came to where an immense heap of rocks barred further progress. The distance to this point from the entrance they estimated at from one and one-half to two miles, and how far beyond the barrier of rocks it extended could not even be conjectured. Quite a current of air was felt in the cavern, nearly extinguishing their candles, caused by a subterranean river, an- other cavern, or a second entrance beyond. In the main cavern were found a pile of faggots and other evidences of a fire, that bore the appearance of hav- ing been there for years, perhaps centuries, and probably had been, as the existence of the cave was unknown to the Indians. The walls within are very dry, the usual dampness of a subterranean cavern being absent, thus contributing to the preservation of objects deposited there. Quite a number of peo- ple have visited the cave at different times, but a more thorough exploration than this has never been made. Several smaller caves have been discovered within a radius of a few miles, but none of so great dimensions as this.
Second only to Mount Shasta in grandeur, and superior to it in many respects for beauty of scenery and natural wonders, and lying in the mountains that hem in Scott valley to the westward, is Marble mountain, so called by the whites, but by the natives the White mountain. It is thus described by I. A. Reynolds, who has visited it many times to
DAVID DETER.
MRS. DAVID DETER.
[ See Biography between pages 208 and 209.]
0
A VIEW OF THE . RESIDENCE AND FARM PREMISES OF DAVID DETER, ON HIS RANCH OF 800 ACREŞ, SETTLED BY HIM IN 1854 LITTLE SHASTA VALLEY, ŞIŞKIYOU CD.CAL,
37
HISTORY OF SISKIYOU COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
enjoy its beauties and hunt deer on its grassy slopes: "When viewed from a distance, it has all the appear- ance of a barren and craggy height, whose summit has been but lately covered with snow; but upon near approach it proves to be the natural color of the rock which composes it, for it consists of an immense upheaval of limestone rock, which under the influences of heat and pressure has been partially metamorphosed into marble, of which nearly every description can be found, from the coarser, rougher qualities to that of monumental purity. Winter and summer it presents the same cold and gloomy like grandeur that readily distinguishes it from all its surroundings. Indeed, from its peculiar appear- ance in this respect, it long served as a kind of land mark or guide to the early pioneers who first ven- tured into these mountain fastnesses. The old Kel- sey trail, which is one of the first trails ever blazed out across these mountains into Scott valley, lies almost directly at its base, and few who ever passed that way, but checked his mule to gaze upward with wonder and amazement at its beetling cliffs and towering domes. But this route at best was a rugged and dangerous one to both man and beast, and as much more accessible passes were soon discovered through the mountains, it was long ago abandoned, since which time it has been visited only by the hunter in quest of game, or some occasional adventurer seeking the sublimities of nature as por- trayed in these vast solitudes. It rises in the form of a crescent, with its concave side facing the set- ting sun, and has an altitude of about eight thousand feet above the level of the sea. It is easy of access from the eastern and southern sides, sloping up gradually, terrace after terrace, to its very summit. Along these gradual acclivities the melting snows of centuries have cut deep and dark crevices and cav- erns in the soft limestone rock, into some of which, if a stone be dropped, its faint hollow rumbling, far beneath your feet, tells to what unknown depth they have been worn.
" But, upon reaching the top, the whole seems changed, for, instead of a gradual.descent, the trav- eler finds himself standing upon the brow of a per- pendicular escarpment, varying in altitude from five hundred to one thousand feet, and extending entirely around the mountain, a distance of more than three miles. From the foot of this cliff there is a steep and rocky declivity for a short distance, when you meet with a second perpendicular precipice, running parallel with the one above it, and about half its altitude. At the foot of this second cliff, spreading out with a comparatively level surface, lies a beauti- ful and fertile valley, adorned and beautified with clusters of evergreens, in the center of which is a picturesque and lovely tarn, within whose clear and
transparent waters, at certain hours of the day, can be seen, mirrored in all their strange magnificence, the surrounding cliffs that hem it in. There is a feeling of awe takes possession of the soul as you gaze upward at these vast overhanging walls. It seems as though nature had reared this silent retreat where men should never intrude. The scene, as viewed from the summit, is one of the most beauti- ful and grand the mind can picture. Spread out before you, like a map, are all those wild and romantic scenes peculiar to mountainous countries, which so charm the eye and enrap the soul of man. Craggy heights, towering upward from amid deep, dark forests, that hang like shadows around their bases and sides ; lonely and unfrequented lakes, hemmed in by beetling walls of rock ; nameless and untrodden valleys, where the deer, bear, and elk still roam in all their savage freedom ; and wild and tur- bulent streams, winding downward from their native tarns, now plunging over steep, rocky walls, forming lofty cascades, whose voices awaken the echoes far and near, and again winding, in solemn murmurs, through the deep recesses of the mountains, all come within a single sweep of the vision. Marble mount- ain rises the colossal figure of the whole scene, with its snow-white domes towering upward to the very clouds, like guardian sentinels over the surrounding country. Long after the shadows of twilight have gathered in the deep ravines and dark cañons below, the sunlight still lingers amid these elevated spires, as though pausing to take a parting glance ere its departure on its journey through space. Near the northern border of the mountain there is a tremen- dous chasm of about five hundred feet in depth and one thousand feet in width, known by the Indian name of Ish-ne-quah-ish, or, where the arrow was shot. It appears to have been formed by the rush of mighty waters, that have long ages since sub- sided, and reaches entirely through the solid wall of rock, thus dividing the mountain, as it were, in twain."
Mr. Reynolds relates a tradition of the naming of this chasm, by the natives, on account of a most remarkable feat of archery performed there by Wahahshun, one of their mighty ancestors.
The Indians have many traditions and supersti- tions connected with the mountain, one of which, with its amusing fulfillment, he related to the writer. One day, while he and a companion, in company with a band of Scott valley Indians, were hunting on the mountain, where they had been encamped several days, they wandered to the top, and the young man began rolling rocks over the precipice to listen to their rumbling reverberations that rolled up like thunder from below. The brow of the chief darkened as he stood with folded arms,
38
HISTORY OF SISKIYOU COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
and watched the impious act of the reckless young man. Addressing Reynolds, he said, " Me no like um roll um rocks."
" Why not ?" asked Reynolds in surprise.
" By um by hi you rain. You make um stop."
" You tell him to stop. He won't stop for me," was the answer.
Advancing to where the young man was just pre- paring to start a monster stone, the chief said, "You no roll um rock."
" Well, what's the matter with you ?" queried the impious reveler.
" You roll um rock, by um by hi you rain. Heep thunder," said the chief.
" Oh, get out," was the answer, as the huge stone started on its terrible plunge, rumbling and crash- ing down the mountain's precipitous side. "That's all the thunder you'll hear. I'll roll rocks as long as I please."
The cloud on the chief's brow grew darker, as he beckoned to his followers and led the way down the mountain, leaving the two men to defy the Great Spirit and reap the consequences. After amusing themselves till tired, they started leisurely for camp, and then noticed for the first time that the sky had suddenly clouded up, and immense banks of black clouds, those dark and threatening thunder-heads, were rolling rapidly up from the horizon. They made what haste they could, but before reaching camp a most terrific thunder-storm broke over the mountain, the terrible crash of heaven's artillery shaking the very mountain itself and rolling and rumbling from crag to crag and cliff to cliff, till it died away in the distance. With this came vivid and blinding flashes of lightning, accompanied by sheets of rain that drenched them to the skin. It was the most terrible and awe-inspiring scene they had ever witnessed, and when they sat about the warm camp-fire, drying their drenched clothing, they felt half constrained to agree with the Indians that sat in sullen silence, that the storm was sent by the Great Spirit to testify to his displeasure at the impious act of the young man in rolling the rocks over the cliff, and thus endeavoring to imitate in their rumbling echoes the grandeur and power of the heavenly thunder.
To give a description of all the points of pictur- esque grandeur or noble beauty would be to write a volume devoted to that alone, and those given above must suffice.
The altitude of prominent and well-known places in Siskiyou has been taken by different persons on various occasions, usually by means of a barometer, varying more or less in the calculations of those making the observations. The following table of altitudes is given, the observations having been
selected that appeared the most reliable, preference having been given to the altitudes recorded by the railroad surveyors whenever they conflict with others. The altitude of Mount Shasta is that given by Professor Whitney. The others were most all taken by Hon. John Daggett and Rev. S. A. Red- ding
FEET.
Mount Shasta 14,440
Strawberry Valley 3,570
Summit near Strawberry. 3,939
Hurst's Mill
3,801
Butteville or Edgewood. 3,050
Edson's or Gazelle. 2,825
Julien's Ranch. 2,500
Base of Sheep Rock
3,600
Base of Table Rock 3,025
Summit of Table Rock 3,606
Goose Nest. 8,000
Yreka 2,636
Grizzly Ridge, just east of Yreka 3,236
Greenhorn Butte, just west of Yreka 3,796
Forest House 3,150
Greenhorn Divide 4,257
Forest House Divide 4,200
Fort Jones . 2,875
Crystal Creek 2,950
Etna. 3,125
Summit Salmon Mountains 6,200
Sawyer's Bar 1,900
Klamath Mill 3,500
Klamath Mine 4,500
Black Bear Divide 4,500
Black Bear Mill
2,750
Elk Valley on McLeod 3,751
Summit between Elk valley and Sheep Rock 6,300
Summit between Happy Camp and Waldo,
Oregon 5,434
Summit between Callahan's and South Fork
of Salmon
7,200
Marble Mountain 8,000
Scott Bar
Callahan's
Cottonwood.
Summit Siskiyou Mountain on the stage road
State line near Cole's
Klamath Lake.
Capt Jack's Cave in Lava Beds
Summit of Scott Mountain
Oak Bar
39
HISTORY OF SISKIYOU COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
Prominent points where no altitudes have been taken are left blank, and also spaces for other points, which may be written in by those who may hereaf- ter learn them.
The following table of distances will be found both interesting and valuable. It is computed from Yreka, the county seat, but by a simple arithmetical process the distance between any two points in the county, by the usually traveled routes, can be ascer- tained :-
YREKA TO REDDING, VIA SHASTA VALLEY AND SACRAMENTO RIVER.
MILES.
Yreka to Starveout. . 12
Edson's (Gazelle).
18
Butteville (Edgewood) . 25
Strawberry (Berryvale). 38
Soda Springs 46
Castle Rock 50
Southern's. 61
Allen's .
93
Bass' Station 103
Redding. 115
YREKA TO REDDING, VIA SCOTT AND TRINITY
VALLEYS.
MILES.
Yreka to Forest House.
5
Fort Jones.
18
Etna. . 30
Callahan' 42
Dodge's 54
Davis' 61
Trinity Center
71
French Gulch 98
Tower House
101
Shasta. 113
Redding 119
Davis' to Cinnabar
12
Trinity Center to Weaverville. 30
Tower House to Weaverville. 31
YREKA TO ROSEBURG, OREGON.
MILES.
Yreka to Klamath Ferry
14
Cottonwood. .
17
Cole's . 25
Baron's.
38
Ashland .
45
Amerman's. .
52
Jacksonville .
62
Rock Point.
76
Grant's Pass 91
Grave Creek. 106
Levens'.
121
Canyonville.
133
Oak Grove. 146
=
Roseburg 160
YREKA TO LINKVILLE AND FORT KLAMATH.
MILES.
Yreka to Willow Creek 12
McClintock's . 21
Whittle's Ferry 54
Linkville. 65
Fort Klamath 101
YREKA TO OAK BAR AND MOUTH OF SCOTT RIVER, VIA HUMBUG.
MILES.
Yreka to Hawkinsville. 3
Frenchtown. 9
Forks of Humbug. 10}
Eliza Mill
16
Klamath River 22
Oak Bar 28
Mouth of Scott River 36
YREKA TO SCOTT BAR, HAPPY CAMP, AND ORLEANS BAR, VIA GREENHORN AND MCADAMS CREEK.
MILES.
Yreka to Greenhorn Mill 6
Cherry Creek 8
McAdams Creek 14
Fort Jones 18
Hooperville 23
Scott Bar 34
Hamburg Bar 40
Grider's Ferry 56
Sciad Po. 60
Happy Camp 72
Orleans Bar 138
YREKA TO ORO FINO.
Yreka to Fort Jones
18
Oro Fino 25
YREKA TO SALMON RIVER, VIA ETNA.
MILES.
Yreka to Fort Jones 18
Etna 30
Sawyer's Bar 55
=
Forks of Salmon 70
Oliver's Flat 75
Somes' Bar 90
Black Bear Mine 62
Yocumville 69
Petersburg
83
YREKA TO ALTURAS VIA LAVA BEDS AND TICKNER
ROAD.
MILES.
Yreka to Shasta River 43
Terwilligers 12}
McMurran's. 16
Cleland's Mill
213
Bull's Meadows
261
Ball's Ranch 333
Butte Creek Mound 421
MILES.
40
HISTORY OF SISKIYOU COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
MILES.
Yreka to Dorris Cut-off. 48
16 Hole in the Ground 52
Darris Ranch 561
Fairchilds' Ranch. 583
Willow Creek Crossing 633
66 Where Road leaves Klamath Lake 71}
Bluff at Lava Beds. 81
Hot Springs 105
Alturas 120
YREKA TO ALTURAS VIA SHEEP ROCK.
MILES.
Yreka to Heard's Ranch. 20
Burgettville 80
Adin
115
Alturas 155
LIST OF POST-OFFICES.
NAME. POSTMASTER.
Ball (Butte Creek) Edgar Ball
Berryvale (Strawberry Valley) . . Mrs. S. J. Fellows
Black Bear J. A. Little
Bogus. W. K. McClintock
Callahan's Ranch
R. M. Hayden
Cecilville.
Cottage Grove.
Daggett.
Edgewood (Butteville) Joseph Cavanaugh
Etna Mills (Etna) J. M. Single
Forks of Salmon
Fort Jones
H. M. Carlock
Gazelle (Edson's)
Mrs. H. C. Edson
Hamburg Bar. Dan Caldwell
Henly (Cottonwood). Thomas Jones
Klamath Mill
John Daggett
Lava Bed. J. A. Fairchilds McAdams. J. B. Tonkin
Mount Shasta Thomas McGrath Oak Bar. Frank Smith Oro Fino
Sawyer's Bar T. L. Wright Sciad Valley
Scott River S. Simon
Shawmut
Somes' Bar
Willow Creek John Cooley
Yocumville
Yreka
A. E. Raynes
METEOROLOGICAL.
Siskiyou county is drained by what may be called the northern system of water courses, having for its outlet into the ocean the great Klamath river, the location and course of which, with its tributaries, has been described in this chapter. The Klamath river drains a large extent of territory, and
carries a volume of water truly wonderful. Be- tween its precipitous banks the waters, augmented by the winter's storms, rush and tumble and foamn to the sea, falling ten feet to the mile, and furnish- ing water-power enough to turn every factory wheel in the world. Through this outlet passes all the water that falls in Upper California, enough, could it be pent up, to make a lake of vast volume and extent. When a heavy rain continues for sev- eral days without abating, the streams are 'unable to carry the water that runs so rapidly down the mountains into the valleys and cañons. The creeks and rivers overflow their banks and mountain tor- rents rush through gulch and cañon, to collect and form a lake in every valley towards which they run. The same is true when a warm rain brings down the melted snow from the mountains faster than the rivers can carry it away. These floods now do considerable damage to the crops and farms in the valleys and to mining claims along the rivers; but previous to the advent of white men, there being no improvements of this character to suffer, it was these floods that by their alluvial deposits fer- tilized and prepared these valleys for the plow.
The rain-fall in this region is not so great as on the southern slope of the Sacramento and Trinity mountains or in the foot-hills of the Sierra, but on the mountains the snow falls to the depth of from five to twenty feet, and sometimes impedes travel or stops it entirely for several days. More especially was this the case before the roads were built, and the rugged and dangerous pack-trail was all the peo- ple had to depend upon. Early in 1851, though as a whole the season was an unusually dry one, the severe storms so blocked the mountains with drifts of snow, that travel for a time was impossible, and the thousands that had gathered on Salmon river nearly perished for want of food.
Great suffering has been endured by those caught in the mountains by the snows of winter, and many have perished amid the bleak forests, far from help or friends. In November, 1858, Rev. J. A. Brooks thus perished in the Salmon mountains, his body being found and conveyed to Crystal Creek, where funeral services, attended by crowds of sorrowing friends, were held in the Methodist Episcopal church. Men have wandered for days before reaching a shel- tering roof or have lain down in despair and died, the snow rapidly sifting a white cover for their freezing limbs. A few years ago the driver of the stage in Shasta valley lost his way one stormy night and drove in all directions until morning, when he found himself but seven miles from where he had started the night before. The snow had obliterated all traces of the road and so changed the appearance of the hills and all landmarks that he
-
.
O. V. GREEN.
MRS. O. V. GREEN.
ORSON VALENTINE GREEN
Is the youngest of a family of five children, sons and daughters of Horace P. and Orinda (Farmer) Green, of Otsego county, New York. His parents moved to Oswego county in an early day, and he was born in the town of Hannibal, on the fourteenth day of February, 1832, hence the name of Valen- tine. After his mother's death, and when about ten years of age, he removed with his father to Boone county, Illinois. Here he continued to live, except one year spent in his native State, working out and doing for himself as best he could, until 1852, when he started to cross the plains to California, coming by way of the northern route. Late in the month of September they arrived at Yreka. For about one year he was in the mines; then engaged on a farm, working for John McKee, on the place now owned by Peter Smith. In a short time he located the place now owned by Manuel Brown, on French creek. In 1859 disposed of it and returned to his native State. He was married at Bonus, Boone county, Illinois, May 16, 1861, to Miss Abbie A. Jones, daughter of Joseph W. and Atlanta Jones, of Quartz valley, Siskiyou county, California. In 1863 they again crossed the plains, with a drove of horses, leaving the East on the twelfth day of April and arriving in Scott valley on the twelfth of August. He then purchased the place on which he
now resides, one of the earliest locations in the valley, and the first where a white woman resided. It was located by the Rev. D. H. Lowry for a dairy farm, and has been used as such continuously. Mr. Green now keeps about seventy-five cows, from which he annually makes from eight to twelve thousand pounds of butter. The family consists of three children, viz .: Angie A., born in the town of Bonus, Boone county, Illinois, March 24, 1862; Charles H., born at Oro Fino, Siskiyou county, Cal ... ifornia, September 12, 1863, and Horace William, born at the present home on Crystal creek, June 23, 1871. The two eldest are being educated at Napa College. In politics Mr. Green is a Republican; in religion, a Protestant. He is a member of the Masonic and Odd Fellows fraternities at Etna, at which place he and his wife belong to the Eastern Star.
Mr. Green has not escaped the trials incident to the life of an early Californian. In 1853, after recovering from a tedious illness, he found himself not only penniless, but was one hundred dollars in debt. Success has rewarded his persistent efforts and he now ranks as one of the rich men of Scott valley. Their home, situated on the bank of Crystal creek, near Etna, is one of the most picturesque in the valley. Water of the purest kind is conducted from the mountains in a flume for use in the house and dairy.
DAIRY RANCH OF O.V. GREEN 400 ACRES 3 MILES NORTH OF ETNA SISKIYOU CO CAL.
(
41
HISTORY OF SISKIYOU COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
could distinguish nothing, and so drove on and on to keep himself and animals from freezing.
Snow-shoes are used quite extensively for mount- ain travel in the winter, especially in crossing the Salmon mountains with the mail, between Etna and Sawyer's Bar. These implements are of two kinds, the Indian and the Norwegian. The former is an egg-shaped hoop, filled with a network of threads. When it is placed upon the foot the wearer has his weight distributed over a large surface, but has to walk in order to make any progression. The Nor- wegian snow-shoe, or, rather, snow-skate, is excel- lently well adapted to locomotion on the frozen crust of the snow. It consists of a bar, shaped like the runner of a sled, six to ten feet long, four inches wide, two inches thick in the middle, and grooved underneath. The foot is strapped upon the middle of the shoe, and, with a long pole in his hand by which to steer, the skater shoots down the hills like a rocket. Climbing the hills, by the aid of his pole, is not so easy, but still, is rapidly done by an expe- rienced skater. The skill displayed in the Scandina- vian mountains by the originators of these wooden skates is marvelous in the extreme, and, for many months in the year, all travel among the icy bergs is done on the swiftly-gliding skate, and many a legend and tradition hangs about the precipitous mountain passes. One of these relates the bold feat of a Norseman, who was captured by a band of Swedes on their way to make a raid into some mount- ain village of his countrymen, and compelled to act as a guide through the dangerous mountain defiles. He conducted them safely until he came to a place where the trail turned sharply around the face of a cliff but a few feet from the verge of a yawning chasm. Yelling to his captors to come on, he shot like an arrow down the descent that led to this dan- gerous pass, and then turned sharply to one side, around the cliff, while those behind, unaware of the precipice until right at its verge, and unable either to stop or turn, plunged, one after the other, over its slippery side and were dashed to pieces on the rocks and ice below.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.