Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 7.pdf/210

204 the forest and was echoed back from every tree and the distant hills, as if a host had answered; then again, they would commence the dancing and singing, as before, varying it with the same wild grimaces and gestures, and again conclude with the same loud, thrilling yells, until after performing in this manner, several times, they wound up by a sham attack. This they did by holding the bow in their left hand, and grasping the arrow on the string with the right (as is usual with them), resting the right hand on the hip; drawing the bow with all their strength; throwing themselves forward and back, and bending their bodies until their heads almost touched the ground; and all the time they were springing about, in every direction, as if avoiding the missiles of the foe, and yelling at the very top of their voices, with more than mortal fierceness. During this performance of the Indians the Camp fires burning bright, lighted up the surrounding forest to a considerable distance, showing the tall green pines and leaving all beyond (though the moon was high) in deep, dense darkness, giving to the wild scene so wildly acted, in those far savage solitudes, additional wildness; so far surpassing what we commonly consider to belong to nature and reality, that one seemed to dream, and standing in Tartarian shades, to gaze upon the regions of the damned.

In the morning, we commenced the ascent of the Umpqua Mountains, which, being covered with thick timber and brush, was considered as a place favorable to the Indians for an attack; and as we were approaching the territory of the hostile Rascals, (a tribe of Indians frequently so called,) who previously never allowed a favorable opportunity for an attack to pass unimproved, there was much uneasiness in camp, and preparations were made to prevent a surprise. Front, flank and rear guards were kept out, while the party were moving, and some of the braves put on their defensive armor, in the shape of