USA > Oregon > History of Oregon, Vol. I, 1834-1848 > Part 54
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2 Nathaniel Ford, in Or. Spectator, July 9, 1846.
3 They were Levi Scott, Jesse Applegate, Lindsey Applegate, John Scott, Moses Harris, Henry Bogus, John Owens, John Jones, Robert Smith, Samuel Goodhue, Bennett Osborne, William Sportsman, William Parker, Benjamin Burch, and David Goff, From notes and reminiscences by Lindsey Applegate, in Portland West Shore from June to September 1877, the follow- ing biographical facts are taken:
John Scott accompanied his father, Capt. Scott, to Oregon in 1843. He resided at Dallas in Polk County.
Benjamin F. Burch emigrated from Missouri, his native state, in 1845. He has long occupied positions of trust in Oregon, and resides at Salem.
David Goff was an immigrant of 1844. He settled in the neighborhood of the Fords, and one of his daughters was the wife of J. W. Nesmith. He belonged to that class of pioneers whose patriotism extended beyond a desire to secure a grant of land. He died in Polk County in 1875, aged 80 years.
William G. Parker was a native of Missouri, and an immigrant of 1843. He left Oregon for California, where he resided many years; but returned finally to Lake County, Oregon, and long resided in the country he assisted to explore in 1846. He was a brother of Mrs Jesse Applegate.
Robert Smith was born in Virginia, and came to Oregon in 1843. He married a daughter of Charles Applegate, and was brother-in-law of S. F. Chadwick.
Samuel Goodhue was a native of New York, and an immigrant of 1844. He
545
THE APPLEGATE EXPEDITION.
The exploring company proceeded south by the California trail. On arriving at the cañon of the Umpqua River, where trappers and travellers had formerly taken to those high, wooded ridges, where drought, chaparral, and savages had so vexed the soul of P. L. Edwards, and tried the firmness of Ewing Young in 1837, finding that no wagon-road could be made over them, they returned to explore the cañon, which they found to be a practicable pass, though rocky and filled with a thick growth of scrubby trees and underbrush requiring much labor to cut away. The greatest vigilance being used in guarding against natives in the Rogue River Valley, the company en- countered no hostilities, although they discovered the evidences of trouble to a California party of about eighty persons who had left the rendezvous on La Créole two weeks before. This party had been detained in camp in the Rogue River Valley by the loss of some of their horses, which they had endeavored in vain to recover.4 Signal-fires were seen burning on the mountains nightly, but finding the road-hunters watchful, the natives finally left the explorers, and followed the California company to ambush them in the Siskiyou Mountains.
On arriving in the Rogue River Valley the course followed was along the river to a branch coming from the south-east, which led them to the foot of the Siskiyou Range, where the California trail crossed it, from which they turned eastward toward the Cascade
married a daughter of Albert T. Davidson of the immigration of 1845, and resided for several years at Salem, but finally removed to Ohio.
William Sportsman came from Missouri in 1845, and left Oregon in 1847. John Owens was a native of Missouri, and an immigrant of 1843.
Moses Harris, the 'Black Squire,' a famous scout and trapper, came to the Willamette Valley in 1844. He was well versed in the Shoshone dialect, and was in this and other ways of much service to the expedition. Harris returned to the States in 1847, and died at Independence, Mo.
4 Applegate says the party consisted of Canadians, half-breeds, and Colum- bia River natives, with a few Americans. These natives were probably some of the Walla Wallas, who were going down to claim the indemnity which White had promised them for the losses sustained in their cattle expedition of 1844, and who arrived just in time to join Frémont's battalion against the Californians.
HIST. OR., VOL. I. 35
546
THE IMMIGRATION OF 1846.
Mountains through a region hitherto unexplored, and from a point now ascertained to be only six miles north of the 42d parallel, or southern boundary of Oregon. A few miles brought them to slopes of grad- ual ascent, where wagons could pass without great difficulty, to a fine stream of water, Keene Creek, which they followed to a small valley, later known as Round Prairie. On the following day, however, they found themselves confronted by a rocky ridge, which it was impossible for wagons to pass, and three days were consumed in searching for a route over or through it. On the third day, Long Prairie was discovered, and near it the desired pass, from which they followed a ridge trending northward to the summit of the Cascade Range, which they reached on the 4th of July; coming soon after to the Klamath River, and travelling through a magnificent forest of yellow pine for six miles farther, where they had a first view of the Klamath Valley.
"It was an exciting moment," says Lindsey Apple- gate, "after the many days spent in dense forests and among the mountains, and the whole party broke forth in cheer after cheer. An Indian, who had not been observed until the shouting began, started away from the river-bank near us, and ran to the hills, a quarter of a mile distant. An antelope could scarcely have outstripped him, for we continued shouting as he ran, and his speed seemed to increase until he was lost from our view, moving among the pines."
Following up the river about six miles to where it leaves the lower Klamath Lake, a ford was discovered, which, though the water was deep, was passed in safety, and the west shore of the lake followed down for two miles. By this time columns of smoke were seen rising in all directions, the natives who had dis- covered the party telegraphing to others the presence of strangers. Keeping down the shore of the lake, they encamped on Hot Creek, at the identical spot where Frémont's party had been a couple of months
547
THROUGH THE MODOC COUNTRY.
previous, and where the Hot Creek Modocs murdered his three faithful Delawares.
The explorers were made aware of the fact that white men had been there, by fragments of news- papers lying about; doubtless those that Gillespie brought from the States with him, on his mission to Frémont, who turned back just before the real path- finders struck his trail. Observing that the turf had been removed as well as the willows, and the ground trampled on the bank of the creek, and remarking also that there were many places where horses could get to the water without this trouble, the company were convinced that some persons had been buried there, and this method adopted of concealing their bodies from the savages, the marks of digging being obliterated by driving the animals of the party many times over the spot. This opinion was confirmed by the excitement evident among the Modocs, who nat- urally judged that these white men had come to avenge the murder of the three members of Fré- mont's party whom they were conscious of having killed,5 and which were the first of a long list of murders committed by this tribe, extending from 1846 to 1873.
With every precaution not to expose themselves to attack, they pursued their way along the shore, and passing around the southern end of the lower Kla- math Lake, arrived on the evening of the 5th oppo- site the camp on Hot Creek, with the lake to the west, and a high rocky ridge to the east of them. This ridge they ascended next morning, and discov- ered at its eastern base the since famous Tule or Modoc Lake, and apparently about thirty miles to the east of that a timbered butte, near which appeared to be a pass through the rocky range encircling the basin of the lakes. The route seemed to lie around the north end of Tule Lake. In attempting to descend the ridge, however, they found themselves entangled
5 Martin's Nar., MS., 19-21; Shasta Courier, July 7, 1876.
548
THE IMMIGRATION OF 1846.
among short lava ridges, and yawning crevices and caves in the rocks, which compelled a retreat to smoother ground. Some difficulty was experienced in conducting a retreat, as the party had become sep- arated and hidden from each other by the numerous jutting rocks.
When all, with the exception of Scott, were reas- sembled, a northern course was taken toward the meadow country which was observed from the bluff, surrounding Modoc Lake on that side. The lake being in full view, great numbers of canoes were seen putting off from the shelter of the bluff and tules, and making for what seemed to be an island several miles distant; this was in reality a rocky promontory, now known as Scorpion Point, projecting into the lake from the south-east side. The wild men were apparently alarmed at seeing Scott riding along the margin of the lake, and believing that the whole com- pany that they had seen in the lava-beds were close at hand, were fleeing from a single horseman. Still under the impression that the explorers were vengeful foeman, they remained out of their reach, and gave them no trouble.
On coming to Lost River where it enters Modoc Lake, and where the water is deep, a native was dis- covered crouching under the shelter of the bank, who on being made to understand by signs that the party wished to cross, was induced to point out an excellent fording-place, where a ledge of stone runs quite across the stream.6 He was compensated by some trifling presents; his new friends shook hands with him at parting, and he returned, apparently pleased, to join his tribe, while they kept on eastward, finding a good spring of water at the foot of a ridge to the north, where they encamped.
Still making for their former landmark, they passed
6 A gradual rise in the waters of Modoc Lake has overflowed the meadows where the exploring party grazed their horses, and backed up the water in Lost River, so named from sinking in the ground in places, until the ford, or Stone Bridge as it was called by the early immigrants, has become impassable.
549
GRANITE MOUNTAINS.
eastward over the rocky juniper ridge, between Lan- gell Valley and Clear Lake, then to Goose Lake, round the southern end of which they continued, encamping the 8th on a small stream coming in from the south- east, and where game was found in abundance.
Ascending a spur of the mountains bordering Goose Lake Valley, a view was obtained of another beautiful valley, with trees and streams, beyond which was a mountain ridge supposed to be a part of the California sierras. This was Surprise Valley, into which a good pass was found, with grass and water plenty, in the gap.7
The party had now come to the dividing ridge between the waters of the lake-basin of the Pacific coast and that other great basin which contains the Humboldt River and the great inland sea of Salt Lake. Their horses had worn out their shoes on the rocks of Klamath land; the sandy desert that lay before them beyond the borders of Surprise Valley seemed to stretch interminably, with no indication of water or grass as far as the eye could see, and unbroken except by rocky ridges; and the prospect for the future looked gloomy. But pressing on to the close of the day over sand, gravel, and rock, at evening a little spring was most unexpectedly found. Proceed- ing in an eastward course over a sage plain, by the middle of the afternoon of the 10th the weary trav- ellers found themselves confronted by a sheer wall of solid granite, varying in height from twenty or thirty to several hundred feet, and entirely impassable. Sep- arating into two divisions, the country was explored to the north and south, where was found a gap vary- ing from two hundred feet to the width of little more than a single wagon. It was about twenty miles in length. A stream ran through it in places under overhanging cliffs. After examining this strange
" The small stream spoken of as coming into Goose Lake, and the pass into Surprise Valley, have taken the name of Lassen, from Peter Lassen, who two years after the discovery by the Oregon company, led a party of California immigrants through it on to the waters of the Pit and Sacramento rivers.
550
THE IMMIGRATION OF 1846.
defile for some distance, it was determined to follow it on the 11th; and on arriving at the eastern end, it was found to terminate in a lake-basin containing little water but much mud, to which the name of Mud Springs was given. On the farther side of the basin was another ridge extending parallel to the Granite Mountains, which appeared to terminate about fifteen miles to the south of the gorge. Travelling toward the end of this ridge along its base, grass and water were found, but not in abundance; and at the extrem- ity, hot springs, with immense piles of volcanic rock and scoriæ of a dark color, from which the place re- ceived the name of Black Rock. At this point the company divided, half going east and the rest south.
Finding nothing encouraging in the outlook east- ward from the Rabbit-hole Mountains, this party also turned southward along their base, and at the termi- nation found a large spring, but too strongly alkaline to be used except in making coffee. From this spring looking east, nothing could be seen but a vast plain glittering with an alkaline efflorescence, which greatly aggravated the heat of a July sun. In travelling over it the party suffered not only from heat and thirst, but from those atmospheric illusions so tormenting to those who traverse deserts. All that day and night, and until four o'clock in the afternoon of the following day, they were without water, and one of the men had succumbed, and was left lying in the shadow of some rocks, while his companions in suffering directed their course toward a small green spot several miles distant. While on this errand they fell in with the southern division, which had also been without water about as long, and was travelling toward the bit of green in the distance. That night all encamped together again, the sick man having been brought to camp. But so warm, alkaline, and disagreeable was the little water found, that few of the company could retain it. The horses drank it eagerly, and this small relief, with a night of rest, sufficed to raise the sinking courage of
551
HUMBOLDT RIVER.
these determined men. On the morning of the 18th they proceeded southward over a level plain, passing burning peat-beds, and coming at noon to the Hum- boldt River, near the present site of Humboldt City.
Although rejoiced to reach this river, which had been from the first an objective point, the explorers found the route from here too southerly for their pur- pose, and began a course up the valley in a north- easterly direction, looking for a pass more directly westward from a point east of Black Rock. The march continued for two and a half days, until they came to a dry branch of the Humboldt coming in from the north, where there was an extensive meadow, and where they encamped with the intention of ex- ploring back toward what seemed to be a gap through the ridge round which they had travelled to the south.
At a distance of fifteen miles up the dry creek they came to a fine spring; and fifteen miles west, up a gradual rise, to a table-land covered with good grass, from which Black Rock was plainly visible. Satis- fied that they had now discovered a direct route from the Humboldt westward to Black Point, with grass and water, and making assurance doubly sure by re- discovering Rabbit-hole Springs, after remaining in the Humboldt Meadow to recruit their horses three days, they turned their faces once more toward the east, knowing that the source of the Humboldt was in the vicinity of their destined point, and that there could be no lack of water or grass for the remainder of the way.
On the 25th of July the march was resumed. The intention of the explorers was to locate their road directly to Bear River, fifty or sixty miles south of Fort Hall, where, in case of hostilities with England, the American traveller would not wish to go. But provisions running short, only two thirds of the com- pany proceeded to Bear River, while Jesse Apple- gate, Harris, Goff. Owens. and Bogus turned off from
552
THE IMMIGRATION OF 1846.
Thousand Springs Valley to Fort Hall for supplies,8 and, if possible, to induce a portion of the immigra- tion, which would probably be in that vicinity, to travel the new route and open the road. Before arriving at Fort Hall, Henry Bogus, learning that a son of Mr Grant of the fort had started for St Louis, and wishing to return there, left the party, and took a cut-off, in the hope of overtaking the St Louis Com- pany, but was never again heard from.9
The immigration of 1846 was not so large as that of the previous year, and many were destined to Cali- fornia, whither efforts were made to direct the waver- ing.10 From the best evidence I can gather, about twenty-five hundred persons left the Missouri frontier this year for the Pacific coast. Of these, from fifteen
8 Bryant's What I saw in California, 196-7.
9 Lindsey Applegate of the Bear River party, who kept a journal, relates that in travelling slowly up the monotonous Humboldt Valley, where game was scarce, and the natives seemed to live on crickets and grasshoppers, Scott and he turned aside one day to pursue a band of antelope, and came to wagon- tracks leading away from the river toward a rocky gulch two or three miles distant. There seemed to have been several wagons, and the prints of bare feet were numerous beside the track. In the gulch were found the ashes and irons of the wagons which had been burned. No human remains were seen. The emigrants had probably been murdered. They were one of the small parties which from 1843 to 1846 sought to enter California by the Hum- boldt route.
10 I find that this effort was understood and resisted by the people of Oregon. The 15th of June a public meeting was held at Oregon City, to provide for sending an express to Soda Springs to meet the emigration, 'to prevent their being deceived and led astray by the misrepresentations of L. W. Hastings, who is now on his way from California for that object.' The committee selected to compose the express was W. Finley, J. S. Rinearson, and W. G. T'Vault. The committee took the depositions of Truman Bonney, Jarius Bonney, Abner Frazer, John Chamberlain, Robert C. Keyes, and Allen Sanders, recently from California, concerning the intention of Hastings, and the general condi- tion of affairs in California. The first three affiants deposed that by the rep- resentations of Mr Grant at Fort Hall the year previous, they were induced to go to California, but on arriving in the Sacramento Valley found the whole country burned by the sun, and no food either for man or beast. Flour was $10 or $12 per cwt., and vegetables there were none. . Five to eight bushels of wheat was an average crop. No rain fell from March to January; there was no timber except on the mountains. Society did not exist, and it was difficult for a man to keep his own. The Catholic missions were destroyed; no land could be obtained without purchase, and titles were not good; duties were so high that no shipping came in, and clothing was almost impossible to obtain. And above all, Mr Hastings and Captain Sutter were intending to revolution- ize the country as soon as people enough had come to fight the Spaniards. Similar depositions were made by the other three, to be used in undeceiving the immigrants whom Hastings would endeavor to mislead! Or. Spectator, June 25, 1846.
553
INDEPENDENT COMPANIES.
to seventeen hundred went to Oregon; the remainder to California. 11
As usual with the migrations, there was a lack of adhesiveness, and large companies split into half a dozen smaller ones, and there were many quarrels arising from trifling causes. In 1846 these feuds were intensified by a scarcity of grass, the season being dry.12
11 The authorities differ. The Spectator of Dec. 10, 1846, gives the number of immigrants for the year at 1,000. (Message of Governor Abernethy.) But at that time several hundred had not yet arrived. In Hyde's Statement, 6, the Oregon immigration is spoken of as 'large.' Saxton, in his Or. Ter., says that at St Joseph, Elizabethtown, Iowa Point, and Council Bluffs were col- lected 271 wagons, and at Independence 174 wagons; and estimates the emi- grants at 1,841. The best authority is probably Joel Palmer, who says that his party of 16 continued to meet for 200 miles companies of from 6 to 40 wagons, and that in all he passed 541 wagons, averaging 5 persons to each; and that 212 wagons were bound for California. Journal, 137; McGlashan's Hist. Donner Party, 17. I find corroborative evidence in Niles' Reg., Ixx. 211, 272, 281, 341, 343, 416. An extract from the St Louis Republican, in the Rey- ister, says: 'The Oregon emigrants have gone on in advance of the Californians, to their great encampment on the Kansas River, about 100 miles west of this. We have not yet received a census of their company, but will in a few days.' A letter to the Register, from some one in Weston, Mo., says the emigration must be strung along the road for 300 miles; 40 wagons were yet to start, on the 18th of May; 216 wagons exclusive of these had left the Iowa agency; each of these 356 wagons had 4 yokes of oxen, which added to the loose stock would make 2,000 head of cattle on the road. The number of persons he estimated at 2,000, 800 of them being 'able-bodied men of resolute spirit.' This same writer says: 'On yesterday, I for the first time heard the news from Mexico. It did not surprise me in the least, but I wish an express could be sent to overtake the emigrants, after congress has acted, and authorize them to make the conquest of California. They could and would do it, and I take it for granted our government will declare war; all they want is a chance.' A correspondent of the St Louis Republican, quoted in the Register, says the Oregon emigration was a fine-looking body of people, and well fitted out for their expedition. Some wagons were carpeted, and had chairs and other con- veniences for families. One old man of more than 70 years was going to accom- pany his children and grandchildren; and this family all together had 10 wagons. Some of the wagon-covers bore 'Oregon, 54° 40'; all or none!' Josiah Gregg, writing to the Register, thinks the emigration numbers 2,000, but that the larger part of it is for California. I learn also that the Pawnees fired upon 2 emigrants, killing one, named Edward Trimble, from Iowa. See also Home Missionary, xviii. 89; and Rabbison's Growth of Towns, MS., 1-5.
12 In volume Ixxi. 146, of Niles' Reg., is an extract from a letter written by one of the California emigrants, dated July 23d at Fort Bridger, near Black Fork of Green River, not far from Bear River Mountains, which was 'brought by Capt. Walker, who was returning from California with Lieut. Frémont.' The letter runs as follows: 'At Fort Laramie Colonel Russel, and many other of the emigrants, sold off their wagons, and with a pack containing a few articles, pursued their journey on horseback. The grass on the route from Fort Laramie was deficient, and the animals fared badly .... The parties were in the South pass of the Rocky Mountains on the 13th of July, and had then seen no Indians after leaving Fort Laramie, and considered themselves beyond their dangerous vicinity, and only a few of the emigrants kept a night guard. From Fort Laramie they had pleasant weather, with cool nights and warm
554
THE IMMIGRATION OF 1846.
The character of these pilgrims was in general good; they were intelligent, and in comfortable cir- cumstances. That this was true, many well-written letters that appeared in the public prints give evi- dence, both as regards their authors and their travel- ling companions. I find in a book by a writer always successful in making a readable narrative, as well as in recording useful information, but who occasionally gives proof of powers of observation put to good use, that there was the usual substratum of the hardy pioneer element; and also, that though the companies scattered along the road for two hundred miles were all well fitted out at the start, some of them, through carelessness, or strife amongst themselves, became much distressed before the conclusion of even the first half of their journey.13
days, though very dusty roads until they reached Fort Bridger, and during the whole route they had not seen more than a dozen buffalo. Col. Russel and his party, by hard travelling, reached Fort Bridger 2 or 3 days before the others; but his horses had their backs badly worn, and he remained 3 or 4 days to recruit. At that place they were met by Mr Hastings, from California, who came out to conduct them in by the new route, by the foot of Salt Lake, discovered by Captain Frémont, which is said to be 200 miles nearer than the old one, by Fort Hall. The distance to California was said to be 650 miles, through a fine farming country, with plenty of grass for the cattle. Companies of from one to a dozen wagons are continually arriving, and several have already started on, with Hastings at their head, who would conduct them to near where the new road joins the old route, and there leave them, and push on with his party. Russel had also started, guided by a man who came through with Hastings. He is said to be very sick of the journey, and anxious to complete it. Instead of entering California as the commander of a half-military caravan, he had been forsaken by his most cherished com- panions, and even his understrappers had treated him with indignity. Gray- son had quarrelled with all his companions, and every one who could raise a horse had left him. Boggs and many others had determined to go to Oregon, and were expected to arrive at Fort Bridger in a day or two. Curry had also been persuaded to go to Oregon, and from thence he would go to California and the Sandwich Islands. . . The Oregon route may be considerably shortened by avoiding Fort Bridger and passing a stretch of 45 miles without water, but most of the companies go that way. The emigrants were heartily tired of their journey, and nine tenths of them wished themselves back in the States. The whole company has been broken up into squads by dissatisfaction and bickerings, and it is pretty much every man for himself. The accounts they had received of Oregon and California, by the parties they met returning to the States, had greatly disheartened them, and they had horrible anticipa- tions of the future, in the country which they believed to be, when they set out, as beautiful as the Elysian fields.'
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