"
"Feb. 28. One solitary Indian passed by yesterday; came from the lake;
had a heavy pack on his back; gave me five, or six roots resembling
onions in shape; tasted some like a sweet potato; full of tough little
fibers."
"March 1. Ten men arrived this morning from Bear Valley, with
provisions. We are to start in two or three days, and cache our goods
here. They say the snow will remain until June."
This closes Patrick Breen's diary. Its record has always been considered
reliable. None of the statements made in this diary have ever been
controverted.
The Indian spoken of refused to be interviewed. To quote the language of
Mr. John Breen, "he did not seem to be at all curious as to how or why
there was a white man alone (as it must have seemed to him) in the
wilderness of snow." The Indian was trudging along with a heavy pack on
his back. As soon as he saw Mr. Breen, he halted and warned him with a
gesture not to approach. Taking from the pack a few of the fibrous
roots, he laid them on the snow, still cautioning with his hand not to
approach until he was well out of reach. As soon as the Indian was gone,
Mr. Breen went out and got the roots, which were very palatable. It is
probable that this was one of the band of Indians seen by Clark, Cady,
and Stone.
When Patty and Thomas Reed had been returned to the cabins by Aquila
Glover, they had been received by the Breen family, where they remained
all the time until their father came.
Pages:
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207