Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 20.pdf/22

 14

MILES CANNON

oldest settlers in this section and looked out over the waters of the river, while he traced the ripples which marked the line of travel, I could but wonder at the courage necessary to prompt one to make the attempt. Yet the emigrants who came over the trail plunged into the terrifying waters with

impunity, though not all of them succeeded in reaching shore. At the Hot Springs, on the northern prong of the trail and

within nine miles of Mountain

Home, a bath house

of con-

siderable importance is in operation. The trail touched the Boise river where the Barber lumber mills are now situated,

Just west of Ten Mile the Boise creek, river, is the site of the Ward massacre which occurred August 20, 1854. In Decem-

some

six miles above the city of Boise.

some 20 miles down

ber, 1914, I succeeded, with the help of several pioneers, in

locating the spot and the grave which contains the ashes of several of the victims.

The Canyon ford, five miles west of the Ward battle ground and one mile north of Caldwell, Idaho, the oldest and most prominent ford on the Boise river, has undergone no change in its surroundings save that an iron bridge now spans the stream directly over the historical crossing. From here the followed very nearly the present bed of the river to Old Fort Boise where it again crossed the Snake and joined the

trail

southern branch about eight miles out in the hills in the direction of Vale, Oregon. Noticing for a moment the diary of Jason Lee, who attached himself to the brigade of Thomas McKay at Fort Hall,

would appear that this company followed the southern route. While encamped at the Three Islands, near the present Glenn's Ferry, Mr. McKay, who had buried one native wife, felt himself inclined to embark again. The nuptials were celebrated on Tuesday evening, August 12, 1834. The captain declined, it

however, to present to the relatives of the bride the customary tokens of esteem, informing them that it was the rule among the whites to simply gain the consent of the girl. While at breakfast the following morning, in open and in the day light

presence of thirty people, an Indian not willing to accept the