Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 18.djvu/132



108 Fred Wilbur Powell

"My servant engaged in the city to take charge of the mules, and to serve as a guide, at the end of two days refused to go farther. I settled with him, paid him his price, and for a further compensation he plundered my baggage of some small articles, not, however, of much value. After four days, Gire- dot and Keyser, finding it too tiresome to travel in a slow walk, and impatient to go forward, left me. They had travelled with me two or three hours in the morning, and then hastened to their night quarters. Foster and Frederick were now my only servants and guide. At eight o'clock in the evening, after a hard day's journey, having missed the road, I stO(^d, pitched my tent by the side of the path and unburdened the mules. Early the next morning I started in search of some populated place for food and provender for the beasts, and also for infor- mation as to the right road. After traveling nearly a league I entered a village, went from house to house, but the doors were kept closed ; none cared to give me answer — ^not so much as a cup of water. Returning to the encampment, I ordered the animals to be got ready to leave. While in the tent mak- ing ready the baggage, Foster, outside, called out, 'Robbers are coming.' Looking out, I saw ten or fifteen men, variously armed, near approaching. To show non-resistance, I grounded my gun at the tent door. The supposed robbers came up in front, their captain advanced, and with trembling hands stooped down and picked up the gun. Then, full of courage, called out Bamos, bamos. On my coming out, he demanded my side-arms. They were now silent for a while, as though waiting for a reinforcement. Soon I saw, under a cloud of dust, a crowd of women and children. They came and seated themselves in a line on the ground. All fears of their having bad intentions were now dispelled. They were silent Four men, on horseback arrived ; one was the Elcelde of the village where I had just been so unsuccessful in finding friends. He addressed to me a few words, all of which I did not tmder- stand. I then exhibited the traveling passport given me by the chief executive of the United States, and a letter from a dis-