102 
NARRATIVE AND ITINERARY—LOSS OF ESCORT. 
sidered utterly impassable in this vicinity. He told me that the nearest place where I could 
obtain forage, was at the rancho of Mr. Hugh Currin, about four miles distant. 
Continuing our course through a slightly undulating, well wooded country, we soon reached 
our destination, and encamping near a little stream by the house, succeeded in obtaining good 
pasturage, and an abundant supply of oats. Mr. Currin, to whom we are indebted for many 
acts of kindness, was the owner and first settler of Clackamas prairie, a fine little opening 
situated on the eastern hank of the Clackamas river. It was through the canon of this stream, 
that we had first seen the Willamette valley. The non-appearance of the two men whom I 
had sent hack for the mule rendered us all quite anxious to-night. 
October 15.—To-day both the men came in, after an unsuccessful search. As this was an 
excellent place for our animals to recruit, I resolved to send Sam hack for the mule, and to wait 
three days for his return. Many of the settlers were abandoning their ranchos, from fear of an 
Indian attack, and a general panic prevailed. We had the rare pleasure of reading in the 
newspapers an account of our own massacre in the mountains. At the expiration of the three 
days Sam returned with the mule. He had traced it, with an Indian’s instinct, to where it 
had wandered from the trail, descended a deep ravine for water, knocked off the pack against a 
fallen tree, and then forced its way back over the logs to our camp near the “Stone House.” 
His principal difficulty had been to replace the pack, hut he had finally succeeded in lashing it 
to the animal’s legs, neck, and tail, in such a manner that it was hard to conceive how the poor 
brute could have advanced a single step. 
Having heard that Lieutenant Williamson’s party was at Oregon City, we immediately 
prepared to rejoin it. I gave Sam his pay, with a few presents, and a supply of provisions for 
liis journey hack to his tribe. As he was very much afraid of some of the white settlers who had 
threatened to kill him, he started in the night. I have little doubt that we all owe our lives to 
the fidelity of this Indian. 
October 19.—This morning we rode in a drenching rain to Oregon City, a distance of about 
sixteen miles. The country near the road was gently undulating in its character, and much of 
it heavily timbered. We saw on the way several good dwelling houses, cultivated fields, and 
other indications of civilization and prosperity. Oregon City is a thriving town on the eastern 
hank of the Willamette, built on a narrow plateau between the high river bluff and the water. 
We found Lieut. Williamson’s party encamped near it, in charge of Lieut. Crook ; and soon 
learned that our difficulties were not yet over. Lieut. Williamson had been compelled, by the 
lateness of the season, to return by water to San Francisco, in order to prepare for our contem¬ 
plated exploration in the Sierra Nevada. He had left orders for me to take command of the 
party and make an examination and survey of the route to Fort Reading, by way of Fort Lane 
and Fort Jones. Major Gf. J. Rains, 4th infantry, notwithstanding the urgent remonstrance 
of Lieut. Williamson, had decided to detain our escort, now consisting of only eighteen 
dragoons, commanded by Lieut. Sheridan. Since Lieut. Williamson’s departure, an Indian 
war had broken out in Rogue River valley, through which our route lay, and all com¬ 
munication between Fort Lane and the Umpqua valley was now cut off, except for strong and 
well armed parties. Ours consisted of Lieut. Crook and myself, Messrs. Fillebrown, Ander¬ 
son, Young, Bartee, Coleman, and Vinton, with twenty packers, ten of whom were Mexicans. 
Several of our number were entirely unarmed, and others had only pistols. There were, I 
think, but five rifles in the whole command. 
Two days were spent in making preparations for our survey. Finding myself thus unex- 
