Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 3.djvu/292

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Reminiscences of James Jory.

oxen were missing. But looking in the distance he saw them down on the bottoms, and hastened to get them; but saw that an Indian was driving them. He quickly asked, "Are you stealing my cattle?' 1 "Heap water,replied the Cayuse, meaning that he was simply driving them to water, and also at once demanded a shirt as pay for his service. Jory at once refused pay, as he could himself water his cattle; and pointed out, too, that one was missing. "No one ox," the Indian maintained, but allowed Mr. Jory to drive the cattle to camp. After some further search and before camp was reached the missing "one ox'! was found. But next day the same Indian reappeared and demanded a shirt. Jory again refused, and the Indian became very threatening, declaring, by signs, that he would kill him. After some further parley, Jory tried to settle the trouble by offering him some powder, about half the quantity in his powderhorn, but the Indian spurned the offer. Mr. Jory then emptied the horn for him, by carefully turning it up and shaking out all the powder. The Indian was then well pleased, and left doubtless thinking that no powder was left for defense. From all this Mr. Jorv concluded that the Cayuses were troublesome and treacherous, and would have been glad to be out of their country, but felt the necessity of remaining until his father and brothers arrived, as he had some of their cattle, and had, according to their instructions, sold them, and thought it not improbable that they would need the proceeds in order to reach Willamette Valley. As soon, therefore, as the Indian was gone he refilled his powderhorn from a keg concealed in the wagon, and saw to it that his rifle was loaded and in prime order.

As for others on the road that year, Mr. Jory particularly recalls Seth Luelling, who passed and repassed many times, with his little nursery of grafted fruit trees.