At the time when we were wading in the deep cold water, Mr. McDonald began to complain as usual, and said he would quit the job. I was feeling a little out of patience myself, and I said to him that he had been saying about the same thing whenever we got into a hard place, and that I had become tired of hearing it. I advised him either to stop such talk or quit at once. He replied that he would quit after that day. I said, “all right.” The next morning when we prepared to start for our work, he said to me that he supposed I understood he was to quit work. I remarked that I had heard him say as much when we were in the water the day previous, but that I had concluded that probably he had changed his mind in the meantime. He went to work again and continued for several days, when he concluded to quit, and his companion went with him.
This broke up our party, when it was near the first of February. My contract at that date was less than one-half completed. As I was getting short of supplies that were impossible to procure from the settlers, I sent the campman with the horses to Albany, it being about twenty-five miles northerly, down the Willamette valley, and gave him orders to procure such supplies as were needed, and to hire two good men. I remained alone in an unfinished log house while he was absent, about one week, and was engaged in copying my field notes. He returned with provisions and brought along with him two men that proved themselves to be very good help. After this time we had much better weather, and also an improved party. I finished the contract about the 25th of March, and went to Oregon City with my returns.
Before my return to Oregon City, Mr. Elder had arranged for a double contract in the Umqua valley, and had the name of Harry S. Gile associated with his own in a similar way that he had my name used in the contract a year previous.
As at that time I could have no contract of my own until later, Mr. Elder suggested that I go with him to the Umqua valley. As Mr. Gile had had but little experience as a compassman I could help him survey the township lines, and return in season to get a contract of my own; which would probably be available later. I at once agreed to his proposition.
The location of the contract was about 150 miles south of Oregon City on an air line, and included the best part of the Umqua valley. It consisted of eight or ten townships, both the exterior and interior lines, or between 700 and 800 miles of surveys.
We left Oregon City for Umqua about the middle of April, 1853. It was a good country to survey, and Mr. Elder made it well. I remained until the contract was completed, some time near September 1st, or between four and five months.
I surveyed the larger part of the township lines and considerably more than one-half of the subdivision. Mr. Gile worked one party, and I the other, while Mr. Elder copied the field notes and drew the maps.
A short time previous to the completion of the contract, Mr. Elder proposed to me that if I would remain and complete the work, he would go to the surveyor-general’s office at Oregon City and get a large contract in the Rouge River valley, the same to be a company contract for Mr. Elder and myself.
The Rouge River valley was about seventy-five miles south-easterly from the place where we were then at work, and the understanding was to move our parties over there from the Umqua country, and thus save the breaking up of the parties. I at once consented to the proposition, and Mr. Elder was to start for Oregon City at once, both of us feeling certain he would be able to procure the contract.
Before he had started, however, we received information that an Indian war had broken out at the Rouge River valley. That put a stop to our proposed contract. Of course, we could do no surveying during an Indian war. The war continued during the succeeding three or four months.