Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 2.djvu/330

314 the morning was directed to follow the road "up the river," which led to Oregon City. However, it was not noticed that he was still a sick man and a total stranger, or that, instead of going up the Willamette road, he took an old trail up the Clackamas; but this he did and wandered all day, following uncertain cattle paths, and not until night did he conclude—weak as he still was in his mind—that he had taken the wrong road. He heard frequently the sound of axes in the distance, but was unable to obtain reply to his calls. Finding at last, towards evening, an opening in the woods, where, however, there stood a few immense fir trees, he prepared to spend the night. He had no material to strike a fire, and but one blanket. He dared not lie on the damp ground in his state of health, and passed the night alternately dozing, leaning against the big fir tree, and in walking about it to keep up his warmth. Next morning, following down the river, he was taken by an Indian in a canoe, who, on account of the "skookum chuck,"—which was then all jargon to Bradbury,—would not take him to Oregon City; nor would he take him at all for his shirt, which Bradbury offered, but must have the "passissi," or blanket. For this, in payment, Bradbury was landed by the Indian at Foster's, on Green Point, and there hospitably entertained without charge; he thence very readily made his way to Oregon City, stopping at Sidney Moss' hotel. "We have enough to eat, thank God," said Moss, when Bradbury told him of his circumstances, "and you can pay me when you get work." His bedding he found at Abernethy's store, and against it stood a charge of a dollar for transportation, for which he settled with all the tobacco he had left. At Moss' he found another Yankee sailor, Frank Aikin, who had come to Oregon on a previous trip of