Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 14.djvu/365

 "In the summer of 1860 we crossed the mountains to the Similkameen river to prospect for gold. We found gold on the south fork. Father built two rockers, and for the next two months we kept busy. At the end of that time our supplies were running very short. I was 13 years old, and father decided I was old enough to assume responsibility, so he sent me to Fort Hope to secure supplies. There was only an Indian trail, but I knew the general direction. I had to ford streams and cross rivers, but I had learned to swim when I was 8 years old, so that didn't bother me. As we were short of provisions, I only took two sandwiches, thinking I could make the 140 miles within two days. I had a good riding horse, and I was going to ride from daylight to dark. I had not gone over 20 miles when a rather hard character in that country called 'Big Jim' met me in the trail. He stopped me and said, 'Have you got anything to eat?' I told him I only had two sandwiches. He said, 'I haven't had anything to eat for two days. Hand me those sandwiches.' I looked at him and concluded that it was safest to give him the sandwiches. He bolted them down, and grumbled because I had no more. He was on his way out to Fort Hope, but his horse was almost worn out. I wanted to go by, but he wouldn't let me. He said, 'Oh, no you don't—we will stay together for company. Your horse is a good deal fresher than mine, and I may need him. "As we made our way across a high cliff, his horse lost its balance and fell, striking the rocks more than 200 feet below. He made me get off my horse and mounted mine. We rode and tied from there on in to Fort Hope. It took us four and a half days, and all we had to eat during that time was a fool-hen that he knocked down. My clothes were almost torn to shreds."

"When I got home, I went in the back door. My mother saw me. She raised her hands above her head and said, 'Oh, Willie, what has happened to your father?' I told her my father was all right, but I was nearly starved. I secured two horses and loaded them with bacon and beans, rice and other