Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 14.djvu/369



REMINISCENCES OF CAPT. W. P. GRAY 329

after me. They were whooping and howling and just before they got to me they divided, two going on each side. I never looked around. One of the Indians rode his horse square across the trail in front of me. I spurred my horse and raised my quirt. The Indian gave way, and I rode on. I knew the Indian character well enough to know that the only way I could carry my bluff out was by appearing perfectly fearless.

"When I got back to camp my mother was crying and said she had been praying for me all the time I was gone. I had started out for the horses without breakfast and had ridden over 30 miles, so I was pretty hungry. As I sat down to my delayed breakfast we heard the thud of running horses and our horses charged into camp covered with lather. I hurried out, caught the horses and staked them, came back, finished my meal and then saddled up, packed the pack horses and went down to the mouth of the Snake river. I again rode up to the large tent, opened the flap and said in Chinook, 'I want one canoe for my women and children to go to Wallula and three canoes to swim my horses across. You have delayed us by driving my horses off, so I want you to hurry.' The Indians looked as impassive as wooden statues. One of the chiefs gave some command to the others. Several of the younger men got up, went down to the water and got out the canoes. My mother and the children got in and the Indians put in our packs to take to Wallula, 11 miles distant. My brother Albert went in one canoe and I went in the other, while one of the Indians went into the third canoe, and! we swam our horses across the river. When I got to the other side I said to the Indian in charge, 'How much?' He answered, 'What you think?' I handed him $5, which he took without a word, got into the canoe and started back. Albert and I rode on toward Wallula, where we arrived at 10 o'clock that night and rejoined the rest of the family.

"Having brought my mother and the children to Wallula, on horseback from Asoyoos Lake, I put them aboard the steamer Tenino in charge of Captain Leonard White, and they pro- ceeded to Portland.