USA > Oregon > The Oregon native son, Vol. I > Part 19
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ALL FOR OREGON.
Obviously the Native Sons and Daughters of Oregon are beginning to icalize what the Order of Native Sons stands for; that it has risen above the clouds of criticism and innuendo and now floats in the clear sky of public com mendation and deserved popularity. If the people of Oregon, regardless of the question of nativity, care to set the wheels of investigation in motion, desire to know the truth, and, in justice to the order,
accord its votaries at least the credit of having acted in good faith, and in their efforts to lay the foundation of the Na- tive Sons deep and strong have out- stripped sordid desire and the goal of selfish aims and created an order flawless. insofar as it could have been affected by personal ambitions, they will at least give audience to our address until the order has proven recreant to the high and sacred trust reposed in it by its orig-
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inators. An order absolutely free from political contamination, non-sectarian in its purposes and founded on the basic principle of the advancement of the in- dustries and institutions of the state that gave it birth and of the promotion of the welfare of her citizens, is certainly entitled to their best consideration.
Without jumping to hasty and ill -. formed conclusions, would it not be bet- ter to ascertain what the objects of the order are before expressing an opinion that is not fairly intelligent?
Ours is not a secret order in the sense in which the term is commonly accepted and understood. It is a secret order, but only as a means to an end. It is secret so far as to give it cohesive power with- out which it could scarcely avoid ultimate disintegration.
But to our muttons : The Native Sons were organized for four separate and distinct purposes, yet four purposes so intimately related to and connected with each other as to admit of a practi- cable concentration of effort upon all simultaneously. It was organized:
First-To preserve the history and traditions of the state.
Second-To perpetuate the names and memories of our pioneers.
Third-To uphold and encourage home industries and institutions.
Fourth-As a fraternity to help one another in every possible manner con- sistently.
Were the first our only purpose the Order of Native Sons of Oregon should deserve the support and approbation of the people of Oregon. To be banded together merely for the purpose of col- lecting valuable data to be used in the worthy object of historical preservation would be purpose enough to make the order great as it succeeded in the accom- plishment of its work
In this connection relics, mementoes of early Oregon, books of, at this time. inestimable value to the state, sketches and what not are part and parcel of this great work. In the passing of the pio- neer, historical information, figures, tra- ditions, experiences and reminiscences. to become of incalculable value in the next decade, could be secured, and will be, now, through the medium of the Na- tive Sons. Had the order been created years ago much of the history of the state that was rapidly passing from the minds of men could have been arrested and retained. Old landmarks so inti- mately associated with the history and early settlement of the state and that have long since disappeared could have been preserved. Among these. was the old blockhouse at the Cascades, the scene of thrilling incidents and heroic achievements. This is part of the work of the Native Sons of Oregon, and such part as should receive the close atten- tion of every Cabin in the state.
Every Cabin is an integral part of this great work of gathering up the facts and details of Oregon history. To perform it well and successfully, intelligent in- vestigation is essential, earnestness and assiduity in the work and the historian's indefatigability and tireless devotion to his cause.
To make the great work complete, a library of books, papers and manuscripts bearing on the history of the state should be established by and contributed to by native sons, pioneers and native daugh- ters. This in itself would be an espe- cially attractive feature of the order. A museum of Oregon relics and antiquities should be founded at the earliest moment which would prove a veritable storchouse of valuable information. where the silent witnesses of the hardships. glan- gers and privations, loves and sorrow's experienced by our heroic pioneers who
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Braved the perils of sterile sun-scorched plains and mountain fastnesses to build home for their children in a far-away and unknown land could find a final abid- ng place to be prized, admired and won- kred at by the present and future gen- «rations; where the rude implements and weapons of the untutored and cruel avage could be seen to remind us of the croism, sacrifices and devotion of those brave hearts who knew no fear save that vi the Almighty, and who builded for us a heritage in a land kissed by sunbeams and blessed by the dews of heaven.
There is not only the history of the past to preserve, but that of the present and of the future, for men may come and men may go, but the history of Oregon goes on forever.
There is much to do, and when once the order has detailed, systematized and classified the work to be done every part of the machinery of this vehicle of Ore- gon's song and story will fit into each «ther with mathematical smoothness and precision, and as a State Historical As- ·ociation it will be all it claims to be and perform a work that will entitle the or- der to the laudations of the intelligence and patriotism of our state.
To collect and collate fragmentary his- tory with no continuity of story, plan or purpose is ephemeral: to gather up the threads of the Oregon story day by day, month by month. year by year, steadily
The products of the farm, the ranges, the mines, the forests, the orchards and rivers of Oregon give employment to its people, therefore the greater demand for articles made at home the more employ- ment there will be for the people. Be- sides, such a line of action would keep the money necessary to buy and sell at home; to send it to the East helps neither the employe nor the employer, but adds to the cost of what they must have to live
and systematically, means the accomplish- ment of purpose number one for which the N. S. O. was organized.
The arrangement and classification of data to be collected is a matter of detail which the order will take up, is now tak- ing up for future reference and publica- tion.
A conspicuous part of this history of Oregon is that of portraits and biogra- phies of our pioneers, living and dead, and of our native sons and daughters who have done aught to entitle their names and memories to record. Once these portraits have been secured and biographies accurately obtained, an in- valuable and indispensable department of this great work has been established, that of "Portraiture and Biography," which will be and remain accessible to the people of Oregon seeking for infor- mation on the subject of her history. Correspondence is solicited from those who who are interested in the history of the state, and contributions upon the subject are invited from the pens of those informed upon Oregon's traditions and legendary lore. There are no axes to grind in this matter and no personal ¿. 11 ?- bitions to subserve, simply the advance- ment of the order of Native Sons in the development of its objects and aims. the first one of which is the preservation of the history of the state of Oregon.
EUGENE D. WHITE.
on. Better times come with home-inter- est endeavor.
Etienne Lucier, a French Canadian, was the first white man to settle upon a farm in Oregon. He first took up a claim where Portland (east) now stands. and after living there for a few years re- moved to French Prairie, in 1827, where he resided until his decease, March 6, 1853.
A THRILLING ADVENTURE.
Several years ago two residents of one of the Willamette valley towns left their homes for a hunting trip in the Coast Range mountains, expecting to encoun- ter no such a thrilling adventure as fell to the lot of one of them. Upon reach- ing a location far from the habitation of man, a spot wild, rugged and romantic, situated at the base of a lofty, frowning bluff down whose slope dashed in whirl and cascade a torrent of waters flowing on to level and "moon-mad sea," they halted and prepared their camp. Indi- cations of their surroundings presented evidence that they were in the haunts of the much-prized deer, and while it was their primary purpose to hunt such ani- mal, they had calculated to give atten- tion, if opportunity offered, to the scarce elk, the mountain lion and the various species of bear which were not unknown in the locality.
For about a week the nimrods climbed the rugged and heavily timbered range, descended into the depths of silent can- yons, waded through rapid streams, climbed along the escarpment of dizzy precipices, walked in the gloom of for- est and slowly made their way through tangled and almost impenetrable thick- ets of underbrush. The trials of the jour- ney were forgotten in the enjoyments known through their success. Fickle fortune had smiled propitiously upon them. Five deer and a cub black bear had fallen victims of their unerring rifles, not to speak of the mountain trout se- cured and game birds bagged. Too much luck dulled their appetite for the hunt, and they resolved to return home on the following morning, promising themselves to revisit the scene at a later day. Preparatory to the homeward jour- ney, the flesh of the deer and bear must be jerked, and as such did not require
any considerable time, one of them agreed to perform the labor while the other ventured forth in quest of further adventure or increase to their posses- sions. This one we will follow. Clouded skies almost hid the sun, now far down toward the mountain horizon, and the cooling sea-breeze lent its sweetness to the atmosphere so that the temperature was rendered delightful. Musing and absorbed in admiring the wild, romantic situation, he sauntered listlessly forward, paying but little heed to objective point of going. His almost aimless walk led him across a near-by ridge studded here and there with the charred and blackened remains of the noble forest which once crowned its heights, but now, alas! no more, through the ravages of fires by which it had been mercilessly swept away. Mother Nature had, however, sought to remedy the damage done by clothing the dreary waste with a thick growth of young bush and berry vine. Through these the hunter with much dif- ficulty cautiously made his way. Enter- ing suddenly an opening that seemed a garden spot, he paused a moment to con- template the beauties the glade afforded. but reverie was soon broken in upon by a rustling in the bushes across from where he stood. Turning to the point from whence the sound came, he saw a fine, fat buck, bearing a beautiful head of horns, just entering the clearing. The distance was about some sixty paces. Bringing his trusty rifle to position, he touched the trigger. At the crack of the weapon the buck fell to his knees, but was almost immediately again upon its feet and bounding away. Believing that it had been seriously wounded, the hunt- er determined to follow it, and did so as rapidly as he could elbow his way through the bushes and tangled under-
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brush. By this time, the sun already now with lengthening trail had sunk be- neath the intervening hills, but, despite the approach of darkness, he pushed res- olutely forward, intent upon securing the tempting game. Several times he was close upon it, but the difficulties of trav- eling and uncertain light prevented his getting another shot. Wrapped in the excitement of the chase, time passed un- heeded. Nearly exhausted with the labor of following, the hunter finally, with re- luctance, gave up the attempt to overtake the wanted prize, and he began to retrace his steps to camp. Twilight had come and gone, and night, with that peculiar deathlike silence so common to uninhab- ited mountain solitudes, was upon him. The clouds, transparent-like, as they hur- ried overhead at sunset, had assumed a darkened aspect, shutting out the twink- ling of the stars and obscuring the whereabouts of the orb.of the hour, ren- dering his efforts to proceed so laborious that he began to consider the advisability of halting until morning broke. Know- ing that his companion would be anxious over his absence. and warned by an abundance of "signs" that the savage bear and more sly and treacherous cou- gar were numerous in the section, he re- solved to brave the hardships of travel and push forward. While making the descent of a steep ridge which ran up from a dark, narrow canyon, he was suddenly attacked without the slightest warning by the animal he most feared- an enormous cougar. The quickness of the onslaught and close quarters he found himself in rendered his rifle use- less. Dropping that weapon and draw- ing his keen two-edged hunting knife. he began a desperate attempt to defend himself. At first the advantage was with his fierce assailant. While the struggle for life was at its height, the contestants approached too near the brink of an al-
most abrupt declivity, over which man and beast both rolled to the bottom of the ravine, the hunter to lie there insensi- ble through coming into contact with rocks and boulders in his fall, and his as- sailant to creep bleeding to cover. In this condition the hunter remained until daylight, when reason and sensibility slowly returned, attended by pain, sore- ness, and benumbed limbs from cold. Conversant with the habits of the cougar, he expected a renewal of the attack, and if such was made, he knew that defense was useless. Slowly crawling back to where he had-dropped his rifle, and se- curing it. he again set out for camp, avoiding everything looking like it might hide a lurking foe. After hours of pain- ful exertion, at last it was reached. Be- fore his arrival, however, other hunters had come to the camp, one of whom, be- ing a surgeon, whose skill soon made the fearful gashes from teeth and claws less frightful in appearance, and the suf- fering hunter more comfortable, and put him in a condition where there was no likelihood of his death from neglect of proper attention to his wounds.
After a recital of his terrible experi- ence, his companions concluded to cast about and learn how the contest had fared with the cougar, and try and find the dis- abled deer. The trail to the contest was easy to follow. as the blood flowing from the wounds of the wounded hunter marked his every step from there to the camp. Following it until they reached the ravine, they discovered another eqully well-defined trail, and, upon fol- lowing it for some 300 feet, they came upon the disabled cougar. It had re- ceived several cuts and stabs which would prove fatal, still it possessed great vitality, and when disturbed by them. with a loud, fierce cry, rushed forward to renew the conflict, but a well-aimed bullet sent through its skull laid it life- less at their feet. The buck was discov- ered some distance away, climbing the slope of the ridge, and an additional shot from the trusty rifle also stopped him dead in his tracks.
G. M. CARVER.
.
W
THE TRUTH OF HISTORY.
Ever since the first commencement of hostilities with our citizens by the Indians in 1855-6. I have been eager and anxious to ferret out and fully ascertain the primary cause of aggression of the Indians upon our settlements. I have had conversations with the Indian agents of that day; with the early settlers, and with the Indians themselves, and with a number of the most prominent In- dian chiefs: thus it can be seen that my source of information is authentic and reliable.
The fact is well established in my mind that the cause of the outbreak was of ab- original origin-a war of races-and as a natural result of the settlement of citi- zens of our country upon soil which the congress of the United States declared to be free for settlement and occupancy by virtue of the donation act. and subse- quent pre-emption law. The same old tale-encroachment of a superior upon an inferior race.
For over three years previous to its commencement it had been in contempla- tion. During the stimmer of 1855, some of the leaders of the hostile forces on the eastern side of the Cascades, under the command of Peu-Peu-Mox-Mox. Kam- akin, and others, made a proposition to the Nisqually Indians, of whom Leschi was chief, and others of the Sounds, pro- viding for mutual assistance in exter- minating the white race in the territory. A bribe of this kind was engrafted into the stipulation: That all should receive an equal share of the plunder. Accord- ing to the statement of such as I have conversed with, the treaties with these Indians were not the cause of the out- break, but were only used by those who had determined on the war, as ground of argument to create general disaffection.
During the summer of the year re- ferred to, Leschi, who has the credit of being a ruling spirit in hostile Indian demonstrations, visited the country east of the Cascades, both in this and Oregon territory. Whilst on this mission, coun- cils were held by the Klickitats, Yaki- mas. Walla Wallas, and other tribes, in which he urged upon them resistance to the terms of the treaties, and advising them into the adoption of hostile meas- ures. During the course of these coun- cils, he continually urged a system of general hostility, with the mutual assur- ance of a common reward in the event of success.
It is understood that this proposition was openly made by Leschi to the differ- ent tribes between Snake river and the Rogue River valley: "If you will insure us 100 head of cattle and 150 head of horses, myself and my brother Quie- muth will succeed in inciting the Nisqual- lys to open acts of hostility against the settlements, and we will conquer them."
On his return to the Sound country, he told his people that the extermination of the whites in this territory had been agreed upon by the Indians east of the Cascade mountains, and urged upon them by every threat and persuasion in his power to join the general combina- tion. It is said, in his harangues, he dis- coursed with them somewhat in this wise: "Brothers, you will all receive an equal share of the movable property now be- longing to the whites; we will possess all the buildings and other improvements made upon the soil. and enjoy the ad- vantages of all the farms they have opened." He represented to them that the Indians east of the mountains were very powerful, and told them that it was their design not only to exterminate the whites, but to kill or make slaves of all
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the Indians on the Sounds who had not submitted to the terms of the combina- tion. This threat, in connection with oth- ers, was not without its influence in incit- ing them to revolt. In his speeches he would repeat in language peculiar to himself the famous story of "Poolakly Elike" (or land of darkness), a story most admirably adapted to work upon the. fears and credulity of an ignorant people. This story spread amongst all the Indians with the rapidity of wildfire, well calcu- lated to arouse their savage hatred to- wards all whites, particularly the Bos- tons.
The principal chiefs did not calculate that the small settlement of the Bostons in this country would be likely to re- ceive any assistance from the home gov- · ernment. About the time of the out- break it was understood that England and the United States were about to lock horns on the subject of the foreign enlist- ment question. How singular it seems that the untutored savage could have a knowledge as to what was passing be- tween two of the most powerful govern- ments of the world. Truth is sometimes stranger than fiction.
Another inducement, urged by the chiefs, why all the tribes should join in hostilities, was arguments advanced from a source that we must guess at, but to me is very apparent. They were given to understand, prior to the outbreak, that a conflict between the United States and Great Britain was unavoidable, and if they (the Indians) could succeed in wip- ing out the settlements north of the Co- lumbia river, they would not only receive the benefits of the plunder, but that the Americans would never again attempt to settle the country; and that the English government would be more generous in remunerating them for their lands than the United States. Assurances of this kind, we are informed, were accompanied
by liberal presents of ammunition and promises of future assistance in case of need. (We are only speaking of western slope Indians.) During the summer of 1855, we have evidence to believe, a train was dispatched from Fort Steilacoom to Fort Colville, and the conclusion is irre- sistible that the gentleman in charge of the train, while en route, made large presents of ammunition to these Indians. openly encouraging them to take up arms against the Bostons, and promised to assist them in their meditated design against our territorial settlements and au- thorities.
Should any doubt remain as to the In- · dians' belief that a perfect and general combination had been entered into, the murder of our citizens in cold blood, en route to Fort Colville, should dissipate all such illusions. At the time of the treaty at Walla Walla, the head chiefs of all their nations gave in their adhesion to its terms, knowing, as many of them did, that they were but giving "the word of promise to the ear to break it to the hopes." It was a primary object with Peu-Peu-Mox-Mox, Kamiakan and oth- ers, to make their first grand onslaught upon the forts at Steilacoom and The Dalles. Thus holding these posts, they could, with a great deal of security, con- trol the entrances and exits from and to the mouth of the Columbia river and Puget sound. As a result, the whole country would have been held subservi- ent to their wishes. The plan for a gen- eral warfare and combination of the sev- eral tribes had been adroitly managed by the ruling spirits of the war party.
Commissioners were dispatched with instructions from the eastern to the west- ern slope of the mountains, proposing terms. The bearers of these dispatches were the native hostile chiefs, Te-i-as, young Owhi, and Te-u-ute, deputized to concert with Kanascut, Leschi, Nelson
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and Kitsap; a permanent arrangement was made and means adopted for success- fully carrying into effect the object of the conference. How well the hostiles west of the mountains fulfilled their part of the contract is evidenced by the fact of the niurder of many of our citizens, and turning a large portion of the people of our territory into the occupancy of block- houses, etc., but also in the fact that Les- chi, after performing all that he agreed to do, was actually whipped out of the Klickitat camp on his arrival there to re- ceive a bonus in horses and cattle, which had been promised the Nisqually tribe in making up the terms of hostility.
In this general combination may be included the upper Nisqually, upper Puy- allup, a portion of the lower Puyallup Indians, on this side, in connection with the White and Green River Indians, be- ing about half Klickitat (some of the Du- wamish), and nearly all of the powerful tribes on other side of the mountains.
Many hesitated, and for some time stood on a balance, as it were, for peace or war. In the meanwhile, those who had entered into the general combination in furtherance of the plans of the hostiles, continued to gain strength, and stood firm. Preliminary to the general out- break, messengers or runners were dis- patched in every direction, with exagger- ated stories concerning the power and successful operation of the confederated tribes east of the Cascades, and of the wrongs committed against the Indians by the whites. Influential chiefs traveled constantly among the tribes upon the Sounds, exhorting them to take up arms and make common war.
How well instructions of this kind were obeyed, the memory of the White and Green River massacre, as also that of the Puyallup, will sufficiently freshen the recollection of all.
If we are correctly informed, the hos- tile Indians of that date on the west side of the Cascade mountains do not assign as a primary cause for their outbreak the passing of the lands which they claim. from the savage to the civilized. All the real causes operating upon the minds of these Indians in determining them to take up arms against the settlements may be summed up, we believe, briefly as follows:
First-The Yakimas, Klickitats 'and Walla Wallas being known to be pow- erful tribes, and dreaded as such, had determined upon the war, and had threatened, should they be successful, to kill or make slaves of all who failed to make common cause with them. Thus the tribes inhabiting the country upon the Sounds, Chehalis, Cowlitz and the Columbia river west of the mountains, were fearful that these threats would be literally carried into execution.
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