Page:History of Oregon Literature.djvu/123

This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
THE PIONEERS HAVE MUCH TO SAY
99

disponding believed we would never get out of that kenion. it was very coald and raining and without fire our chance to survive was truly bad. I got stride of a dry fallin tree with a dry lim began to rub violently called Barlow to help, we set fase to fase on the log with a blanket over our heads and both took hold of the stick and rubed with all our power until the place was very warm then laid matches on the place to dry. in this way we succeeded in drying the matches so we got fire. I worked all night getting wood and keeping fire. Barlow slep. after scanty breakfast we started again but had to asend out of the kenion to the mountain side to travle. the rain had stoped but there was a heavy fog all day. after traveling several hounrs paralell with the kenion Barlow thought we were below the kenion and there was the valey that he had seen when he was on mount hood, we tryed it but found it worse thern ever. I then determined to go no farther in that direction, knowing that the catle trail was north of us and that we would chance to fall in with som one driveing catle, I had a small compas and proposed to Barlow that we travel as near north as the country would permit until we found the cattle trail to which he was agreed, and we started out. course led directly up. the mountain get heigh above us. finally we reached the sumet.

heare I discovered that Barlows mental faculties was failing as well as his fisical pours, he persisted in saying that he had been on that identical spot before and that it was not one mile from the wagon camp. I found it was not possible to reach his reasoning facaltys and took absolute controle of him, he complained biterly that he had to be controled but kept on with me. He got frail and would frequently fall and hurt himself. I caried the axe and gun so as to relieve him of any incumberance. he walked behind me sullen and silent, once he spoke in kindly way and said Mr. Rector if I should brake a leg in som of these falls what would you do with me. I wud eat you was my reply, he said no more. I looked round at him and see that he was sheding tears. Why Barlow you old fool I wont eat you neither will