and Oregon, and much excitement followed. The reënforcement remained, however, and was farther increased until the Port Orford settlers numbered seventy, well armed, and able 1o repulse Indian assaults.
In August the whole colony felt itself strong enough to venture upon an exploring expedition to discover the desired route to the mines and settlements in the interior, and a party of twenty-three men, led by W. G. T Vault, who had recently been in southern Oregon, set out upon this service on the twenty-fourth of the month, with horses and pack animals. Their course lay south to Rogue river. During the march the natives they met were few and shy, until they came to the river, when they made some hostile demonstrations, but were intimidated by seeing guns pointed at them into keeping a safe distance. By care in selecting camping grounds, burning off the high grass for some distance about them, and doubling guard, the party avoided a collision with the savages.
On the first of September, a majority of the company being wearied and dissatisfied with the outlook, determined to abandon the expedition and return to Port Orford; only ten men, including their leader, being resolved to go forward. After nine days of wandering, misled by the northward trend of the ridges they were compelled to follow, they found themselves on the head waters of a stream apparently debouching to the north of Point Orford, and therefore probably the Coquille.
Worn with travel, with only one hunter in the party, on whose success depended their subsistence, and their horses being unable to penetrate the jungle of the river bottom, it was decided that the only course remaining to them was to trust themselves to the Indian canoes with their native owners. Abandoning their horses they secured the services of some natives and their canoes, to take them to the mouth of the river. Instead of doing what was expected of them, the Indians landed the party at the Coquille village whose inhabitants seemed to be awaiting
