Here is a short story from the Scablands, a history of being lost in E. Washington in 1812 in the Palouse. This will be a chapter in my latest (New) book. My Years in the Scablands, due out in December 2018 or January 2019.

Ross Cox lost in the Palouse country

Shortly after the Lewis and Clark Corps of Discovery explored the south end of the Scablands in 1805/1806, Astor's Pacific Fur
Company sends an expedition to trade and collect furs in the Spokane Country in early 1812. The group travels up the Columbia from Astoria at the mouth of the Columbia River and explores north of that area along the Snake River toward what will become the Inland Empire.

The Astor expedition will build a trading post along the Spokane River and name it Spokane House. Earlier in the journey along
the route to what will become the trading post, Ross Cox a young scotsman is seperated from the group. Horses were purchased from the Nez Perce tribe and Ross had to share a horse with one of the members of the group. And he was leftwith no knife or gun and had to attempt to catch up with the traders and trappers. This all happened in August of 1812, and as Ross Cox wandered the Channeled Scablands he attempted to catch up to the party which had headed north to the Spokane Country.

There was lots of game to be had in the Scablands in those days, but Ross could not shoot or catch any. He lived on wild vegetation to stay alive such as dried choke cherries and
rose hips. Ross encountered coyotes (which he called wolves),rattlesnakes and a large bear, probably a grizzly that treed him overnight.

On the eve of August 20 he spent the night at a pretty lake which was probably known as Down's lake today. He found a trail left by horses and thus located an old campfire. Here he ate a moderate meal from left over bones at this campsite.

Later on the eve of August 30, Ross finds a good stream and sleeps here. This was probably on modern day Hangman Creek.
Next day he crosses the creek and meets up with two Native warriors who have heard of the lost white man. They take him to their camp on a big river, which was the Spokane River.

They tend to his wounds and feed him. The next day they take him to the trader/trapper's camp and his ordeal is over.
The party thought his survival of thirteen days in the wilderness was some kind of miracle.

The basic story of Ross Cox was found in Ivan Munk's book
Spokane County, The Way It Was, A Spokane Heritage Publication, and is from Cox, Ross. Adventures on the Columbia River, Including the Narrative of a Residence of Six
Years on the Western Side of the Rocky Mountains, New York,
J. & J. Harper 1832.

GERALD HICKMAN


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