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About The west shore. (Portland, Or.) 1875-1891 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 1, 1886)
372 THE WEST SHORE. One of ua, he said, was a medicine man; who could tell what spells we bad laid cm their country, on the game in the mountains or the fish in the stream. He denounced tho story of the bullet. As he went on, working upon the fears and Buporslitions of his poople, many a war rior grunted assent, and bis venomous word carried conviction that no civilized argument could meet The interpreter arose, when be had finished, and restated our case; showed that wt had done no harm, the wounded man was getting well, and we wanted to go home. He showed and explained map we bad with us, and traced upon it the long and dangerous journey we had come. He told of our custom of traveling to see the world, and other matters we had told him. As be spoke, quite a sensation was created by the appearance of the wounded man, who walked with a cane and looked as well as ever. This relieved our case of its worst feature there was no longer a wounded man to tike vengeance for. He made our case good by saying we had sent to Vancouver for blankets and various other things as a peace offering. So court adjourned, finally, and tho great case of Klick itat vs. Englishmen ended. It only awaited the arrival of tho goods from headquarters to be forgotten. " All the while this trial was progressing, I had no fear. I had read Pomeray's face and saw that she had some ulterior purpose, and that it was not hostile to us, but rather intended to detain us at the Cascades. From the first she had taken an interest in Ned, had watched him, and shown a liking few besides myself had noticed; but aa I noted it I feared it far more than the result of the trial, for ' 1 It'll hath no fury like a woman scorned.' After the trial was over she sent for Ned and questioned him concerning his various journcyings. Before that I had jokingly asked bow be would like the idea of being king of all tho Klickitats. We were in the toils, and how to get out without danger was the question. It was no trifling matter. She bad cut off intercourse with our people and bad us in possession. I could see that es cape was not easy, and that delay was dangerous. I look lck on that eriod with pleasure, because it fur nished a life episode that was strange and startling, yet jKHUM'sscd of features that were delightful and charming. Having littlo else to do wo learned their language, and within short time could understand and bo understood. This improved our situation greatly. We soon made a pleasant family, consisting of Pomeray, her four maids, bor wise counselor and her musician or poet laureate, a real genius in bis way. Tho' counselor was a wise old cyuio, who bad been a friend of Kamiakiu, father of Pouieray, and was loft her 'guido, philosopher and friend. He was head of her household, aud his advice was often sought We learned to like aud trust him be cause) we perceived that be saw and averted all dangers threatening us. Tomersy enjoyed our presence and did much to make ua happy. Htr beauty and grace wero natural aud unaffected, and grew ujwn us as wo kuow her U tter. Ou moonlight evenings wo gathered under tho grand trees, sitting or reclining on mossy rocks as old as tho bills that towered above. Her young musician improvised verses, which he chanted in mono tone to wild musio drawn from instruments of his own devising, making weird melody that suited the moonlit scene and dashing waters. Pel Mox-a-mox, the ancient, and the four maidens were always there, and we were indeed a pleasant company. " One of the medicine men came to her lodge one day and announced to Pomeray the near approach of the summer solstice, for they kept account of the seasons and had festivals to correspond. The longest day in the year was devoted to sun worship, for the sun was be lieved to call up the salmon from the sea and to call down the floods from the mountains which is literally true. Old Mox-a-mox explained to us their customs, and invited us to join in their festivities, which invita tion wo accepted with thanks. We found every avenue of escape guarded; under some pretense our arms were detained, and it was evident that our steps were watched. I had risen in the night to breathe the fresh air at the river's brink, and could see duBky shadows flit from tree to tree. There were no canoes left near our camp or where we could go, and to attempt to leave by the river trail was useless. We did not appear anxious, as that would have excited Pomeray's fears; all we could do was to make the best of it and enjoy the beautiful summer as it came. We had unavailingly tried to send a mes sage to the fort, and bad finally sent for the indemnity goods, and requested that a peace commissioner should be sent up to place matters on the old time footing; but for some cause neither the goods nor commissioner came, and the weeks went by leaving us there ns the queen's guests. The great salmon feast of tho sun wor ship was a success. At the earliest dawn we arose, and climbing the rocky ledges Btood upon the last shelf to watch the sun's rising. The royal family was all there, and as the first gleam of gold shot up in the east a chorus rose, wherein the Klickitat nation welcomed the sunlight. From every shelf and from the river's side rose this chant, an ancient, rythmio recitative, taught in childhood and handed down, none knew for how many generations. The medicine men had their own outlook and chanted their own lay, offering up at the time a sac rifice of fire on stones that had been immemorial altars. The warriors, from a shelf below us, waved and threw their spears and let fly their arrows, and had a peculiar cry that welcomed the god of day. All bad their special rites, finishing with a grand barbecue of baked salmon which the squaws wero preparing at the lower lovel. The largest and richest fish procurable wero used, sea Boned with salt and fragrant herbs that wero swathed around them in the hot pit where they wero baked. Many other dainty things eked out tho feast, which was served on clean, flat stones laid on the mossy rocks that sttxxl everywhere under the gTeat firs. " Ned was hardly an unwilling victim all this time. The follow had many a talk with Pomeray, in which he learned her language thoroughly. He yielded homago to her graoea and qualities, and wondered how such a creature was ever produced in Buch a wilderness. Ho