Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 17.djvu/357



KLAMATH EXPLORING EXPEDITION 349

Friday, the 26th, designing- to be absent two days. They pro- ceeded down the coast, frequently toiling over high hills and mountains, crossing deep ravines, and encamped at an esti- mated distance of about 20 miles from the place of starting. On their way down they passed a creek beyond which, farther south, the country was mountainous with projecting cliffs on the shore and difficult to traverse. They therefore returned on the second day much fatigued with their journey.

At this same time another party was dispatched to survey and explore the coast north of the river. This party consisted of Mr. N. Scholfield, Mr. Larrett, Mr. Helbert, Mr. Smith, Mr. Dodge, Mr. Flanagan, Mr. Anderson and Mr. Pierce, Mr. N. Scholfield having been appointed to take charge of the expedition. They took two days' provisions and a full com- plement of weapons, having, as they were fully aware, to pass through the very stronghold of the Indians, if they should travel up to and around Cape Blanco, as they proposed. They started on their journey on the morning of Saturday, and after getting under way it was found that fifteen or twenty Indians were following and going in company with them. It was sug- gested by some of the party that the Indians should be sent back or driven off; but it was finally considered that if this course should be taken, they would still go on in some other direction, and arrive at the Indian settlements above as soon as the party, and perhaps be more troublesome by exciting the other Indians against them than if allowed to go on.

The path to be pursued by the party as pointed out by the Indians (two of whom were selected as guides), was generally on the beach, but occasionally rising on the table land above at an elevation of from fifty to one hundred and fifty feet, which necessitated climbing up some steep ascents at places where the passage on the beach was obstructed by rock. After traveling in this way about four miles, a portion of the party, thinking to take a shorter and more direct route than that of the tortuous travel of the Indians along the beach, and disregarding the directions of the Indian guides and the