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About The west shore. (Portland, Or.) 1875-1891 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 1, 1887)
AX EPISODE OF THE KLAMATH. with gun in hand, for tho enemy to stick Lis roll of blankets full of arrow, left him in no goal humor, and when he dis covered, in the morning, that ft largo pack train had Wen in camp Lot far away, and that ho could have slept by his firo in safety, ho waa mad enough to havo shot ono of his tormentors and ta ken his chances on tho other tu Tho mwuwcro at Blackburn's ferry, a crowing of tho Klamath, was hut ono of tho many scene of blood which marked tho intercourse of tho two races for aev eral years. Tho ferry waa established in tho spring of ls.il, ami was under tho chargo of tho man from it dewed ila name, who was living there with his wife and three assistant. The proprie tors wero Gwin 11 Tbotnpkins and Cha. McDormit Blackburu and hi wife oc cupied a small shako shanty not far from tho river hank, while the three nasist anta slept in a tent near by. Between theno waa an open space, utd for ft kitchen and dining room. Mrs. Black burn waa a noblo woman, of that pio neer claas who hare been 11 by lovo to follow tho footatep of their idol into tho very heart of tho wilderness. Hho noticed, ono day, that the stock of bub let waa nearly eihauted, nad with tho usual promptness of such oplo, at once molded ft largo quantity. Tho ferry had never been molestM by the Indian, ami they felt no unuiual alarm, yet that my night hal been fixed ujon for tho maa sacro of them all. As tho evening shad ows blended in ft universal glotn, tho Indians gathered in the font alutthe abodo of their intended victims, and waited until their eyes were closM in jjeaceful slumber and tho place was wrapjed In a mantle of silcnc. When the night was so far advanced that they felt free from the interruption of belated travelers, tho savsg' s crept stealthily to the tent wb'ro the three taen lay sleeping, and comnvneed the work of death. Besides Iwwt and ar. rows, these Indians were armed with long knives, pins not having yet fallen into their Kxwciwion. Two of the men were instantly killed, while tho third, badly wounded, sprang to hi feet and ruhed toward tho cabin, crying loudly for help. Ho had taken but a few stej, when ho fell, Wider tho blows of ft doen Indians who had remained outside the tent Aroused from their sluraWr by tho cry and sounds of struck tho in mates of tho cabin hastily barricaded tho door and prepared for defense. Their arms consisted of two rift s and a revolver, and, thanks to the woman's care, a plentiful supply of bullets. Tho night was dark, and th dm could not bo seen, but their continued yell and vol leys of arrows wero even tho jisore hor rible on that account Blackburn main tainod an incessant fire in all directions, his wife reloading tho weapons as lat as ho discharged them. All thst lng and terrible night tho defense was mad, until the yells died out aUut daybreak, and the enemy departed Early in the morning, three men sp p ared on tho opposite side of tho river, and shouted to arouse the ferryman. Blackburn emerged from the houe and walked down to the Ud, ssying- M I'm glad to S4 you, 1)1 They're all kilhd but myself and wikM As he ferried them over, he rrla!l the details of th attack ami how the de fense had b rn mad. "Did you kill any of th devils?" asked one. M I ilun't know; the tight was dk, I Cubl fcol see." " Well, let us take a shin around and to what wo can ti. l TUy always car ry 0.7 their dead at. 1 wou.vh-d, and joa uver can tell whether any are killed or Here t one they didn't cart t.V sail one, as he noticed ft body only ft