SOUTHERN OREGON. 
233 
surprised by a party of Indians, who shot a flight of arrows over him; 
he at once sprang to his horse, seized his rifle, and, according to his 
own account, killed one of them. The utmost haste was necessary to 
effect his escape, and he left his game behind. 
Towards night, a canoe with two Indians approached the camp, 
which they were not suffered to enter. These canoes were dug out 
square at each end, and quite rude. 
In the morning they found within their camp an Indian basket with 
roots, which they supposed to have been left there during the night by 
some Indian whose curiosity was so great as to induce him to peril his 
life to satisfy it. 
The 26th, they passed along the banks of the Rogues’ river, which 
runs on in a westerly direction; upon it the Indians were seen spear¬ 
ing salmon from their canoes. 
Within a short distance of their camping-place, they came upon a 
party of about fifty Indians, who seemed to be surprised that their 
hiding-place had been discovered. They appeared to be unarmed, 
and looked very innocent. 
During the day, their course was northeasterly, along the banks of 
the river. About a mile from the camp, granite of a light colour and 
a fine grain, that would serve as a beautiful building-stone, was seen 
in places. As they proceeded, the valley of the river was encroached 
upon by the mountains, and the ground became very much broken. 
The river, also, flowed in rapids, owing to the same cause, and its 
banks became projecting and jagged rocks. A place was pointed out 
where a former party had been attacked and defeated with great loss, 
in consequence of the Indians being able to conceal themselves behind 
the rocks. Our party found no one to oppose their passage. In the 
afternoon they reached the forks, and took the southern one, which 
brought them to Turner’s encampment, where his party were attacked, 
and most of them massacred. They had allowed the Indians to enter 
the camp in numbers, when they suddenly rose upon the whites, who 
were but nine in all, and were, at the time of the attack, attending to 
the horses. Two of the party were killed immediately. Turner, who 
was a strong athletic man, was seated by the fire when the fray began; 
he snatched up a brand, and defended himself, dealing destruction 
around him, until his wife brought him his rifle, with which he killed 
several. A large fallen tree lies near the spot, at one end of which 
Turner stood, while the Indians occupied the other, and whence, as¬ 
sisted by his wife, he made such havoc among them, that they at last 
retreated, and allowed Turner and his wounded companions to make 
good their retreat to the north. They returned to Willamette with the 
U 2 30 
VOL. V. 
