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About The west shore. (Portland, Or.) 1875-1891 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 1, 1884)
382 THE WEST SHORE. dangerous, and tho descent required nearly an hour to ucctiumnL While tiia train was on the way down the mountain a vory exciting episode occurred, winch ciime nar resulting in bloodshed, and might have led to the massacre ol tho entire puny. A young, haughty chief (of whoHe Hiiddon and untimely fate further mention will subsequently bo made, idorvimr in a profusion of brill. iant paintH, and liodockod with feathers, boadH and savage toggery, happonod to boo a young lady in 0110 of the niiKlmoHt wagons of tho tram. Kho was a vory hand Homo girl, and, at first glance, tho young sachem seemed to fall desperately in love with her. Ho determined to possess her at once anil at all hazards. Calling somo ten or a dozen young braves to assist him, ho stopped tho team and insisted on the girl immediately getting out Terrified lieyoiid measure, she clung desperately to her mother, and called loudiv for ho!i. Koeim the fanm surrounded and tho lusty bravo offering violence to the girl, half a dozen resolute men, well armed, ran back Tho young chief-lover was very rouirhlv handled, an finally knocked down before ho would desist from his purismo. Bows and siieura wore drawn and bright knivea gleamed in tho sunlight, mid bloodshed seemed immiiiont lor a moment. Our men did not flinch, but, with cocked rifles and pistols, ordered tho Indians to stand back and allow tho twun to proceed. Seeing the white men could not do irigiitenod, tho Indians sullenly slunk away, am tho team moved forward down tho mountain. Heveral hundred Indians had assembled al)out the centro of tho vilhigo awaiting tho arrival of the train. They were mostly seated in tho form of a crescent regular Indian couno 1 fashion. They occupied tho road and filled tho ground for somo distanco on either side thus completely blocking tho passage. Hero, seated in royal slate, was tlie head chief of tho trilie. On each sido sUhhI Ins sulwhiers, and a little ImjIuiuI the iuter prebr. Tho bead chief was a maL'uifieeiit savage. Ho hUhI six feet in his moccasins, straight as a pinn, ami must nave weighed over two hundred pounds. Thoro was not an ounce of superfluous adiposo about his giant frame. Ho had the muscular grace and sinewy strength of a panther, and the dark, piercing eye of an eagio. ims cniei was dressed in a superb suit of fn,0 broadcloth, that fitted him like a kid glove, and displayed to splendid advantage his lithe, muscular form. En circling bis waist was n wide Wit, to which was suspended n fine broadsword. His Atlas-liko shoulders wore orna meided with gold epaulettes, and a wido-briinniod leaver bat covered his head. About his ears, from which do. snded largo golden ornament, and over his brawny shoulders streamed a profusion of long, black, snaky locks, shining with grease, llotli sulMdiicfs, erect, tiger isli, dignifieddooking red men -were dressed in native costumes, elsU.r.de and strikingly picturesque. TJio in terpretr, wl. UUI like a hair Indian and Spaniard was dressed in a plain, ordinary citizen's suit. When the foremost team approached U.o HjH.t w.re the chief nd bis trilw wero collected suddenly some eight or a dozen wurriors, at a signal, sprang forward int., the uiid.Uoof the road They drew their bows and leveled their sharp formiduble-looking spears at the teams and drivers. In stuntly a halt was called, but not a word spoken. "With a majestic wave of his hand and a loud grunt, the chief rose slowly from his bearskin seat Slnwl hat, and making several low bows, he commenced a clmr. actoristic Indian harangue. He spoke for a few minutes in a loud, clear, ringing voice, and then quietly resumed his seat All the Indiana removed their fantastic head dresses when the chief arose, and paid the strictest heed to his words. The interpreter ndvanced and addressed the the train, who, with most of the men, had gathered in front of the chief. He spoke English quite plainly. IT told the immigrants that tho chief demanded tril,t from them; that they were traveling through territory which belonged to the Arrapaho tribe. He reminded tho emigrants that it was only bv suffernneA tw permitted to pass unmolested through the country. They wore required to pay for this ereat privilege in revi sions. Every family, the interpreter spoke, was required to contribute. Our loader, who was a dauntless fellow and a fluent talker, spoke at leneth in resnonso. H strongly remonstrated against this enforced levy. A long, tedious powwow followed. The head chief bar aligned again, tho sub-chiefs were heard, and several of our leading men addressed the council. Our people alternately pleaded and remonstrated against the gross outrage and robbery. Faithfully the interpreter trans latod the words spoken. But it was all in vain. Tho savages were deaf to plea and invincible to remonslr.une. I.. i .. . . rrora eaon lamily was demanded a certain proportion of of thoir provisions. No expostulation could divert tliem from their fixed and greedy purpose. iinally, with the mock dignity of a monarch, the chief declared the council dissolved Tho result wan thnt each family was compelled to submit to the toll exacted bv these dusky-hided hicrhwavmnn. Fl o j - 1 "o cotreo, toa and othor provisions were measured or weighed out, and piled in a h ean nil lilntilrafa nnA aVma afirAml out on the ground. The savages greedily doraandod iuoro, more, but hnally the emigrants refused to bo robbed any further. Fullv fonr linnra linil linen con sumed in these unpleasant negotiations and in adjusting the proportions of the enforced levy. It was near five o'clock when tho chief, with a kingly wave f his hand, ordered bis warriors to move asido and lermit tho train to proceed. As the sun was setting the wagons loft the smoW. Hn mil ill nr-nninntu f rlifl Arrnmilio village and crowdod for'wnnl fownnl Knrt.li Platte. Bv ton o'clock that , night the weloomo destination whs i in wen. . i10re nearly two thousand emigrants wero col lected. Ainonc them ttflrn nluuit air limwlra1 ninn fnttR. ble of luring and using arms. J'.'iriy the following morning a sort of formal meeting was held, when it lnimo generally known to what a high-haiidud Over five hundred men participated. At first the feeling - predominated; ami there was a strong uia-