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About The west shore. (Portland, Or.) 1875-1891 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 1, 1886)
370 THE WEST SHORE. have escaped. With our rifles we could have picked thorn off, but this would have revealed our presence, en raged them against ns and endangered our lives had we fallen into their hands, and would have been a cause for trouble between the Klickitat nation and the fur com pany, so we determined to avoid bloodshed. Three Jays were passed in this manner. During the last day no Indians were seen or heard, so we crept out of our hid ing place and started down stream. It did not strike us that any serious trouble had occurred. We thought we had only to avoid this party and roach the Cascades to find a trading post and white men to protect us. To be sure, we had leen warned and advised not to go, but we soiht adventure, and thought our rifles could efficient ly protect us. Wo passed quietly down the river and neared the Cascades in safety. Borne little distance above the rapids are sonio beautiful islands. As we neared these without suspicion, and were passing by, a sudden war-whoop announced the presence of the sav ages, and immediately two canoes pushed out from the shadow of the trees and gave pursuit. Ned had good vision, aided by a good glass, and in a moment said it was the same party that had pursuod us before. We bent to our paddles to roach the trading post, but as our boat cleared the island and the viow opened, behold! the shore was bare, and no banner of old England floated from ita staff. The trading post was gone, and Indian lodges were in its place. " Our guide, on tho np trip, had told us that at high flood it was possible to sweep the rapids. June had brought tho niolted snow of the interior rangos down and filled the rivor to its brim. Whore the Cascades foamed in low stage there now were tossing waves and rushing waters, and wo boldly headed the canoe to make the passage. There are supreme momonts whon the in telligence of minds in dangor seems as one. We hardly RKke, but by a motion each signified the same thought Zip, too, seemed to take in the situation, and lay down in tho bottom of ilio canoe as still as possible. That scene and that hour are photographed on my memory indelibly. Altove the rapids the current is still to the very edge of their rush. The islands we hail passed seemed liko bits of Paradise floating on the silent tida The gigantic mountains and nearer precipices bUxxI in grand relief, like '0ia piled on Polion.' The shores wore sumtuur's plumage and tho dark mountains their ombre aud unchanging evergreen. Those mado a scene of verdant beauty that can not be described. Soon we drew near tho fateful rapids and then began a hand to hand struggle for life. Due moraont to clasp hands, to pal the dog's head, and each man was like a figure of brouae. Zip stood in the stern a moment aud hurled defiance at our pursuers in a howl of rage that could bo beard above the roar of the Cascades. " We kept the prow with the current and added mo tion to give steerage, We had dallied in the South Soa urfs, and fayed with small cataracts, aud that gave ns norve and poise, A tremendous surge and swell shook our egg sholl and threw it a'oft; it trembled on the brink of deadly whirlpools and foaming abysses and thus passed fiercely by the worst of the crisis. It was a moment only, though it seemed an age, and wo reached smoother water. We had run the Cascades a feat that has seldom been accomplished in a seething moment of time. Below the rapids is a long and narrow island, and there we landed to rest a moment after our super human effort We had no thought of being pursued, but looking back, saw another canoe tossing on the fu rious waters and then glide into the smoother current We could have launched our craft and gone on our way, keeping the enemy at bay by shooting them as they drew near, but we hated bloodshed, had just come out of a terrible experience nd needed rest The matter was soon decided, for while we studied and thought the other canoe landed. Ned handled his rifle and looked at me, but I shook my head. They drew their bows as they came near, but we laid down the guns and gave a hand shake to each one, and all was serene. They, too, had had an experience in the rapids that disarmed their savagery and made them kind. The awful danger made them forgot they were on the war-path, and wo were soon the best of friends. The Indian words we knew wore 'clarhiaum six,' a common salutation. That was exchanged, and then we managed by signs. " The surest way to the heart of an Indian is to fill his stomach, so we opened our stores and made a feast for them. We made coffee and passed it around in a tin cup. Then we drew out our smoking tobacco and pipes and passed them around, each one taking a whiff. We had, fortunately, filled their idea of hospitality and peace to the fullest They were at the Cascades for the fishing season and were camped on the north side, their lodges on the level above the falls and on the rock ter races that rose above it We had heard that the Klick itat were ruled by a woman, but did not know that this Indian quoen had heard of us; but our guide had, evi dently, informed her of our presence in her territory, and she had sent out her people to intercept and bring us to her. Eamiakin was a wise chief and brave war rior. His two sons had been killed in battle and he had only this daughter; he had trained her to succeed him, and she had the fullest confidence of her people. When forced to war she led them; in the fishing season she di rected them, and she went with them on the great an nual hunts. It is claimed, of late, that the Atlanteans came from their since sunken continent, ascended the Mississippi, crossed the country by the waters of the Missouri and Columbia, and established colonies on those streams and Puget sound. Since this theory was promulgated I have believed that this woman was a re lict of that early race, and, therefore, unlike the common Indian. Brought np an Amazon, she was remarkable in many respects, and wo determined on making her ac quaintance. Our meal being over and the pipes smoked, we indicated by signs and what wo knew of tho Chinook dialect, that we wished to bo taken to their chief. "In tho afternoon our canoes crossed the narrow tream north of the island, and following a trail, we soon