USA > Oregon > The Oregon native son, 1900-1901 > Part 5
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prone where the waves had thrown it, dead, cold and still!
They came to yet another, also dark and bearded, as silent and dead. By this time others had come; one was a dis- reputable fellow, who was even by his mates considered a savage. Ona saw him where a third body was overlaid with wreckage; a movement indicated life and she saw with wonder, that it was a model of beauty, for the face was white, and the clustering hair and beard were red. As the ruffian stooped, picked up a piece of wreckage to beat out the life re- maining in the victim, quick as a flash, she was at his side, wrenched the weapon from his hand and struck him senseless with it. Then she and her mother bore the white-faced stranger to their home where Nehala told them to lay him face down by the fire, giving him treatment for the drowned. He was alive; we can imagine the strangers of the scene as his blue eyes first saw the anxious faces of they who had saved his life.
Such a wreck was a revelation to the simple natives who never saw a white man or a vessel larger than their canoes; had no idea of such wealth as was strewn on that remote shore. Nehala sought the spoil the sea had sent them, but Wena and Ona watched the progress of their guest as he went on recovering from death to life. They wondered if he was of supernal birth.
In a few days this young man with red . beard and white face grew to be so much alive as to accompany them to the shore, where he found a chest partly buried in the sand. When excavated it revealed, to his intense delight, an arsenal of guns, axes, spears and weapons; such as na- tives of Nehalem had never dreamed of.
Though this stranger left no name or sign of nationality, he was supposed to have been Scotch, so we call him Sandy. Strangest of all, he never learned the Indian language, and must have been mute. as his conversation was by . signs. He was one of those silent ones, how- ever, who are potent in action.
Previous to this a brother of the Till- amook chief had aspired to possess Ona;
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but she was blessed with so winsome a nature that her parents were in no hurry to part with her. Whatever chance young Tillamook might have had the coming of Sandy left him out of the game. When Sandy showed that he ap- preciated that she had saved his life, it impressed her warm nature and he seem- ed to be her personal property. It had been a pleasure to see him come to life; see the blue eyes open to look at her; close again as if to dispel some vision; open again to find her still there. He was a manly fellow and soon won re- gards of both mother and daughter by considerate kindness no Indian woman expects from any man. He won respect of the father by a brave propensity to hold his own-when necessary. It was natural he should remain with them. Of course the rest of them talked about him and them. Gossip is much the same in an Indian village as in civilized com- munities. Young Tillamook had sup- pused his hold on Ona permanent, so was naturally inconvenienced to find the canny Scot so entirely at home in the family. That Ona was rather bound up in him was the worst of all. The child had a romantic nature and . the man's history went to her heart. She was used to see women treated as beasts of bur- den, while Sandy lost no opportunity to do kindness and show courteous atten- tion. Nehala respected the man who was willing to tackle the fierce brown bear, was expert in hunting elk and deer, even in wielding paddle to skim the breezy seas and spear the ocean dwellers.
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All this while that Tillamook lover was raging with jealousy and mad with schemes for vengeance. It was a wel- come sight to one day see Sandy shoul- der his gun and take the trail for the mountains on a hunt for elk. Wena and Ona knew of Tillamook's ill feeling, of which Sandy had little idea. When they saw him and another conspirator make a detour to cut off Sandy's way at this time, Ona took her bow and quiver to follow his trail. She overtook Sandy as he was stalking an elk and tried to tele- graph him that he was in danger, but he
did not seem to be afraid. She saw the others creeping through the wild's and them, which angered them so that they turned their wrath on her, sending an ar- row that struck a tree by her side. She followed as Sandy led and hearing re- port of his gun, found that he had killed an elk. When it was dressed and quar- tered he gave her his gun to carry and himself took the quarter of elk meat. To Wena and Ona this was unheard of consideration, for the women carry all the burdens.
One day when salmon were running Nehala went to the Nehalem to spear fish. He was surprised, when Sandy, seeing a lordly fish swim by in the depths, took the spear and pierced the fish. Said he to Wena, "He has done that before." Which was likely true, as salmon run in Scotland's streams.
The hope of young Tillamook was to get rid of Sandy. One winter day young Tillamook and another were trying to spear seals on the rocks when a sudden storm overtook them, overset the canoe and left them in a hopeless struggle with the waves. No one dared to go to their rescue until Sandy launched a canoe and alone went to save them at risk of his own life. This intensified the other's hate; he simply wiped the brine from his eyes and plotted worse than ever.
The chief sided with his brother and matters went from bad to worse. The tribe of course sided with the most pow- erful coterie. Then Nehala said, bitterly, that he knew his own people no longer, for all were his enemies. Nehala had a summer house on the coast, fourteen miles north; to this he determined to re- move and have no further dealings with his tribe. When he made this known Sandy asserted himself: the only condi- tion under which he could remain was to be one of the family and have Ona for his wife. Thus the love of Ona was re- warded.
They were removing to the summer house, loaded with the family posses- sions, had surmounted Necarney and come to a great rock close to the sea, known as Haystack Rock until this day.
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when they were met by two black bears who over threw Nehala. Sandy dropped his load, seized his gun and shot one of the bears, then picked up Nehala's gun and shot the other. Following the bears came a young Clatsop chief and his band, who has attacked the bears, one of whom carried an arrow shot by the young chief. He had heard of the wreck and of the white stranger and was on the way to learn further. He was so satisfied with this meeting that he gave up the journey and returned with them to the summer house, not then far away.
Sandy made a present of the bears to the Clatsop chief, who cached the meat and followed his new friends. Sandy felt sure that young Tilalmook would follow and try to kill him that night. so they stood guard. Sandy, with Ona, sleep- ing near a tree close by. were some dis- tance back on the trail, where the trail they came by left the beach to come up on the bank. The young Clatsop and Nehala were at the cabin. Just as day was peeping over the ridge a sound was heard from the parted undergrowth. It was the malignant face of the enemy, so Sandy took aim and fired. His follow- ers ran away, but young Tillamook lay dead on the trail.
This tragedy caused a council of war, when Clatsop invited Nehala to become one of his people and move his family to the beautiful Clatsop Plains. This was agreed to and the Clatsop braves helped carry the possesions of their new allies to tribal headquarters, on the banks of the Nicanicum, near where the Seaside House is today. As they were a kin- (red race the change was not unpleas- ant. There is every reason to believe they lived happily and peacefully.
The body of young Tillamook was conveyed back on the trail and placed so his friends could find it. The friendship of Sandy and the young Clatsop chief was long and unbroken.
On Clatsop Plains there is a beautiful spot known as Cullaby's Island-four acres overgrown by great forest trees- located between the waters of Cullaby's lake and a marsh, where Sandy's family
and their descendants made their homes until Clatsop was settled by whites. Ona became the mother of four children, three daughters and a son. The explor- ing expedition of Lewis and Clarke wintered near there in 1806, and met there an Indian who must have been Sandy's grandson, with features show- ing Caucasian origin, a face that was pale and freckled and reddish hair and beard. Forty years later-in 1846- John Minto, so well known in connec- tion with pioneer days, met at Cullaby's lake an Indian who was descended from a white man saved from some prehistor- ic wreck. Cullaby had tools and was making a gunstock. He was reticent by nature. When asked as to the red- headed Indian seen by Lewis and Clarke his answer was "Okook nica papa" (that was my father). Then speaking Chi- nook he called his son who spoke Eng- lish well. He listened to his father for awhile, then said: "My father says he will tell me all of the story of my family tonight and I will come and tell you to- morrow. Early the next morning Ed- win Cullaby came where Minto was and took him to the ocean shore, a few miles away, and spent the day telling him the story of the past. Thereafter Edwin and Minto became fast friends. died young.
He
Sandy was fond of this island and sel- dom left it. He was a famous hunter and was universally respected. All this was before the discovery of the Colum- bia river. Even at this early time the small-pox was among the Indians. One day word came to Sandy that his friend. the Clatsop chief, was down with this fell disease. Then Ona and her children were sent to the mountains, to be out of the way of the pestilence, and Sandy went to the death-bed of his friend.
He charged Ona not to come to him; if he survived he would come to them- she was to take no risks. We can im- agine the tenderness of that parting, as well as the strong motive that made hin capable of such self-sacrifice. The chief had befriended him in their young man- hood, and had befriended him all the
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OREGON NATIVE SON.
intervening years. He was equal to the strongest test of friendship.
Our story ends with the death of both the young chief and his friend. They each fell victims to the plague. The story has its lesson of human faith and trust, and that perfect love not often equalled among enlightened peoples.
The tenderness with which this man's descendants have treasured his memory,
transmitting it from one generation to another, minute details, to repeat them in those early days of Oregon history, assures us that he was well-eloved.
Among the last words of the Christ- told in the gospel of St. John-we find: "Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." Even among these savage peoples this man was capable of that great love.
SAMUEL A. CLARK.
WRECK OF THE BARK WILLIAM AND ANN.
HON. SILAS. B. SMITH DENIES, IN HIS ADDRESS BEFORE THE OREGON HISTORICAL SOCIETY, THAT THE CREW WERE MURDERED.
Much confusion has arisen relative to the loss of the Hudson's Bay Company's bark William and Ann, on the Columbia bar in March, 1829, and the fate of her crew, some writers simply alleging that they were all murdered by the Clatsop Indians. Mr. George H. Roberts, in re- ferring to this event in his notes on early times, furnished to H. H. Bancroft, states: "The crew landed with their arms wet, and hence were defenceless, and all were murdered." Mr. W. H. Gray, on page 191 of his "History of Oregon," in recounting the number of white people in the Willamette valley in 1834, says: "There was also in the coun- try a man by the name of Felix Hatha- way, saved from the wreck of the Wil- liam and Ann." This last is an inadver- tence. Had Mr. Gray reflected a mo- ment, he would have seen that had there been a survivor of that wreck, he would, in all probability, have been able to tell just how that crew perished; whether at the hands of the savages, or from the dangers of the sea; and in either in- stance, how he came to be saved.
The explanation is this: Felix Hatha- way was one of the crew of the schooner Convoy, of Boston. Captain Thompson. She was entering the river at the same time with the William and Ann. but some distance behind; she noticed thie
grounding of the bark, which aided her in keeping the channel, and she entered the river safely. Toward evening the schooner sent a boat in an attempt to rescue the people on the bark, but night coming on, and the weather becoming more boisterous, the boat returned without reaching the ship. That night the bark went to pieces. Mr. Hathaway was next 'neighbor to my parents while they lived in Chehalem valley, in 1836- 40; and they learned the foregoing facts from him while there. From this, Mr. Hathaway's connection with the William and Ann will be plainly seen.
The charge of murder against the na- tives made by several historians, I be- lieve, will be found to be entirely groundless.
It will be bourne in mind that all the Indians of this tribe, either individually or collectively, at that time, and ever afterwards, have denied that they ever murdered any of the crew of that vessel. And then we have the testimony of Dr. McLoughlin, by his acts and deeds in the matter. He was chief factor at that time of the Hudson's Bay Company's interests on the Pacific coast.
Governor Elwood Evans, in delineat- ing the character of Dr. McLoughlin. and the policy pursued by him in his dealings with the Indians, bears testi-
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mony as follows: "With the utmost promptness, he punished with severity every depredation by Indians upon the white race, English or American. The wrongdoer was demanded; if not sur- rendered the tribe or band were treated as accessories and received merited pun- ishment. Where thefts were committed restitution must follow. Always justly severe when necessary, the Indians knew what to expect." All of which I believe to be true.
Now, when a crew of 15 or 20 men, all British subjects and employes of the Hudson's Bay Company, castaways from a wreck, and whose condition at that time would be loudly calling for assist- ance, were basely and cruelly murdered by these savages, and British protection for its subjects had been defiantly disre- garded and trampled under foot, and that, too, right on the shores of the Co- lumbia river at its mouth, the very gate- way into the territory over which Mr. McLoughlin presided.
What is the first thing that this marti- net, under these shockingly outrageous and exasperating circumstances, does? Why he sends an ultimatum to these people that they must deliver up, not the murderers, but the goods which they had picked up on the beach. That was all. And upon their refusal to deliver the goods, and their insolent behavior to- ward himself he sends an armament and bombards their town, and in the fight one Indian is killed, and the rest take to flight. Then the victors quietly loot the town and recover the goods which had been saved from the wreck, and
British honor feels itself sufficiently vin- dicated for the murder of its subjects. The atonement has been sufficient. No demand was ever made for the surrender of any murderers. No murderers of this crew were ever executed, and no pursuit after any was ever made. Thomas Mc- Kay, whose rule in Indian warfare was IO Indians for every white man killed, I. presume, was present in this fight, but even he, at this time, failed to observe his rule. Why all this leniencey towards these treacherous murderers of helpless men? Simply this: Dr. McLoughlin, from all the evidence that he could gath- er, was fully satisfied that these people had not murdered one of the crew of the William and Ann. That they were en- tirely guiltless of any such charge, and therefore no demand for the surrender of any murderers was ever made. He chastised them because of their inso- lence and insult to himself when he de- manded the return of the goods. I deem it due to impartial history that this correction should be made. The simple fact of the matter was, that the whole of the crew perished among the breakers on the bar. I have nowhere seen that Dr. McLoughlin himself makes the charge of murder against these people. Had McLoughlin believed it, then his subsequent conduct in the matter would stultify himself. I believe that the testi- mony and circumstances surrounding this matter show that no massacre had been committed. Therefore, in the in- terest of truth and of justice let this un- warranted charge be expunged from our history.
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IN AID OF THE MONUMENT FUND.
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In compliment of Mrs. Dudley Evans (Nellie Evans), the author of the poem "In Memoriam," appearing in this issue, the Native Son will give to the Volun- teer Monument Fund as follows: 50
per cent of all subscriptions or sales of single copies o fthe magazine, and 25 per cent of all renewals, which are taken in or sold at our office or handed to us by the members of the Second Oregon from now until July first.
PURPLE AND GOLD.
The name of Cabin No. 26, Native Sons, has been changed from Messer Smith's to Joab Powell's Cabin, Uncle . Joab was one of the best known men of early Oregon, and as long as time lasts his sermons will not be forgotten. No. 26 did well to perpetuate the memory of the good old minister whom all hon- ored.
A cabin of the Native Daughters was organized at Jacksonville on April 26. It is numbered 20, but as yet no name has been chosen for it by its membership. It seems that the name "Jane McCully" is desired, but at present the cabin at Ashland has that name and negotiations are pending to secure a change, and un- til the matter is settled the Jacksonville cabin will be known only by its number. The following were installed as officers of the cabin: Past president, Miss Issie McCully; president, Miss Effie Prim; first vice-president. Miss J. Orth; sec- ond vice-president, Miss Mollie Barne- burg; third vice-president, Miss Gene- vive Reames; recording secretary, Miss Cora Linn; financial secretary, Miss Lulu Jones; marshal. Miss Ella Orth; inner sentinel. Miss Lucinda Reames; outer sentinel. Miss Kate Plymale; trus- tees, Mrs. L. Sisemore, Mrs. Hattie Neu- ber and Miss Ella Young. The cabin starts out with a charter list of over forty names.
Jesse Applegate's Cabin No. 27. Na- tive Sons, was instituted at Drain, on April 14, 1900, with the following offi- cers: Past president, Horace Putman; president. C. D. Drain: first vice-presi- dent, Louis Barzee; second vice-presi- dent, W. W. Wilson: third vice-presi- dent, E. R. Applegate; recording sec- retary, W. W. Kent: treasurer, Ira Wimberley; marshal. James Cowan; in- side sentinel, William Roberts: outside sentinel. Edward Wise: trustees, D. V. Kuykendall. William Roberts, Edward Wise.
Hazelton's Cabin No. 28. Native Sons, was organized on April 19, at Cottage Grove. The following were installed as its first officers: Past president. J. B. Lurch; president, Jerome Knox: first vice-president, J. E. Young : second vice- president, W. L. Baker; third vice-pres - ident, C. E. Montgomery; recording secretary, H. H. Veatch; financial sec- retary, Ralph Whipple; treasurer, Dar- win Bristow; marshal, Alf Walker.
Thomas Croxton's Cabin No. 29, Na- tive Sons, was instituted in Grants Pass on May 1, 1900. The following officers were installed: President, E. E. Dun- bar; past president, R. K. Montgomery; first vice-president. R. G. Smith; sec- ond vice-president. J. A. Blew; third vice-president, P. Clarence Purdon; re- cording secretary, E. W. Kuykendall; financial secretary, E. H. Listre: treas- urer, J. A. Jennings; trustees, C. Pur- dom, A. Umphlett. L. L. Jennings; mar- shal. C. C. Presley; inside guardian, Walter Harmon; outside sentinel Clyde Hockett.
Elijah Bristow's Cabin No. 30. Native Sons, was instituted at Pleasant Hill. May 8, 1900. The following officers were elected and installed: Past presi- dent. L. C. Hawk: president, P. L. Bris- tow; first vice-president, F. Drury; financial secretary. G. E. Collison; mar- shal, C. L. Parker :. The remainder of their officers will be installed at their next meeting. One of the members of the cabin is the first. white child born in Lane county. The first dwelling built in Lane county was at Pleasant Hill, and is still in good condition. It was built by Elijah Bristow in 1846. The first school house in the county was also located there, and is now used as part of the log barn on the Bristow farm. In it was the first school taught in the coun- ty, and the first church services held. The first Christian church in Oregon was organized in this school house.
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NESIKA WA-WA.
LEST WE FORGET.
The effort to build a monument to brave boys of the Second Oregon who fell in the Philippines is most commend- able. The dedication of the famous bat- tle fields of the Rebellion as monuments to the heroes who fell in the Civil war was a deserving act. Republics, or even states, however, are not always grateful, or ,at least, often let the opportunity to show their gratitude to pass by. in si- lence. This is the case now. The Mon- ument to the memory of the pioneers of Oregon, those sturdy people of the East, and the North, and the South, and the west. whose migrations across “the plains," in hardship, almost rivaled the Russian campaign of Napoleon; whose battles with the Indians, in '70, ranked with those of Grant, Sherman and Sher- idan, has been too long neglected. The bone and sinew of the Oregon of forty and fifty years ago, have dwindled down to a handfull of aged, care-worn and broken-down people. The men who fought the battles of forty and fifty years ago, driving the savages before them. and reclaimed the land for the benefit of this and after generations, are fast pass- ing away. In a few years there will be none left. to tell their tales. An attempt should now be made to build a monu- ment to those people-the .Pioneers and Indian War Veterans. This magazine purposes to represent the Native Sons and Daughters of Oregon, as well as the sons and daughters of pioneers, and its columns are open to the promulgation of any plan looking to the building of such a remembrance. The Native Son pro- poses that Park Block No. 7, be- tween East and West Park street, and between Salmon and Main
streets, be given to this purpose. This block was dedicated to the public, and we believe all title to the original owners has been extinguish- ed. If not ,there is no doubt but what the heirs of those who made the donation would be glad to give permission that this block be used for the purpose above set forth. It would thus only require an act of the legislature to secure it. Once secured, a large hall, in the form of a log cabin could be built upon it, and it could be used as a meeting place for the pioneers as long as they last, and for a historical museum. It should be under the management of a commission fron the members of the societies of the Na- tive Sons and Daughters and the Histor- ical Society, and provisions should be made therein for the archives of these societies. Native Sons and Native Daughters of Oregon, let us arise to the occasion and build a monument, as last- ing as the work of our pioneer fathers and mothers will be in the history of the great Pacific Northwest.
The twenty-eighth annual reunion of the Oregon Pioneer Association will take place in this city on Friday, June 15. The board of directors held its an- nual meeting a short time since and out- lined plans for the meeting. The annual address this year will be given by Judge J. C. Moreland, of this city, a pioneer of 1852, and the occasional address by Cyrus H. Walker, the oldest native son of American parents. The date of his birth was December 7, 1838. Rev. Robert Robe, of Brownsville, a pioneer of 1846, was selected to perform the duties of chaplain, and John W. Minto. a native son, was chosen grand marshal. The exposition building was selected as teh place to hold the meeting. The
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. secretary's headquarter's will be in the Historical Society's rooms until June 10, and after that date at 184 Fourth street, the office of the Oregon Native Son, near Yamhill.
The committees appointed are as fol- lows: Arrangements-Charles E. Ladd, George H. Himes, Mrs. D. P. Thomp- son. Finance-W. D. Fenton, Tyler Woodward, L. A. Lewis. M. C. George, Sol Blumauer. Invitations-President T. J. Apperson and eGorge H. Himes. Reception-Lee Laughlin. William Gal- loway and George L. Story.
The Pioneer Woman's Auxiliary will give a banquet as usual, but the details have not been fully warked out vet.
The Native Sons and Native Daugh- ters will serve sandwiches and coffee at the tabernacle at 12 o'clock on Pioneer Day, and act as guard of honor in the procession to the Exposition building.
The Grand Cabins of both the Native Daughters and the Native Sons of Ore- gon will convene in annual session in Portland on June 13 and 14 next, and from the oautlook there will be a large attendance. There are now twenty cabins of the Native Daughters and thirty cabins of the Native Sons in the state, all of which signify an intention of having a full representation present. As any member of either body may attend the sessions, many wil come as visitors. The usual reduced rates will be given by transportation lines.
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