Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 7.pdf/213

Rh wished, for mere sport, to put the camp in a panic. They came charging up at full speed, and Petitoo, who was the ring-leader in the affair, to make a sort of "grand flourish," put whip and spur to his jaded horse, already scarcely able to proceed and coming into the staking ground at a rapid rate, was about to rein up before the crowd, who had rushed out to meet "the Indians," and was just crying out, with a swaggering air, "Caraho pindaho!" a favorite Spanish exclamation, when his horse, tangled in one of the staking ropes, fell; and, turning a complete somerset, went tumbling after his rider, who was hastening, in spite of himself, by several successive and astonishing feats of "grand and lofty tumbling," to the bottom of the hill, amid the peals of laughter and cursings, that burst from the still half-terrified camp. After having received a severe reprimand, and a promise of something severer if they ever dared to alarm the Company again, the frolicking party sneaked off to bed, crestfallen and disappointed.

Continuing across the Clamuth Valley, which is nearly destitute of timber, we came, at thirty miles, to its Southern side, which is a low division, between the waters of the Clamuth and the Sacramento, and is covered with a forest of Pine and Fir. There we saw the first of the Sugar Pine, one of the largest and finest of the Pine species: it is frequently found ten feet in diameter and two hundred and fifty feet high. The wood of this species is probably superior to the best common Pine. It is called Sugar Pine from the peculiar quality of its gum, which tastes very much like Sugar saturated with Turpentine. A small portion of this gum operates as a mild and efficient purgative. Here, on our right, is a high range of Mountains extending North and South, and on our left, the Snowy Butte, a lofty isolated peak, rises from the bosom of eternal snow, and gives rise to the West branch of the Sacramento River,