176      NEVADA HISTORICAL SOCIETY PAPERS

A. H. HAWLEY—LAKE TAHOE-1883

[PRINTER'S NOTE—Under special instructions from the Secretary of the Nevada Historical Society, this article, in regard to spelling, punctuation, and capitalization of words, is printed exactly as written]

NEVADA HISTORICAL SOCIETY PAPERS           177

point in Carson Valley Utah Territory to Sacramento through Placerville ElDorado County. we succeeded in getting together 5000 or 6000 $ which amount we expended on the road. Sherman Day came up to examine the route and made his report to the commission previously appointed by the Legislature which report was adopted by them this was in 1854 as I settled in Lake Valley upon the receipt of the information that his report would recommend this route I here opened a Trading Post at first and at a later date kept a public house there. I was there when Horace Greely passed through the Valley. I have often been amused at the stories about Greeleys ride with Hank Monk. he took Mr Greely through the valley in a miserable little old four horse team and small mud wagon instead of the high toned outfit that is so much talked about at that time the stage run by Chopping and Hank Monk was driving for him   the Stage line never amounted to much till it went into the hands of Lane. the first stage man was Crandall who ran a stage through in either 1856 or 7. Keyser of the present Livery stable firm of Keyser & Elrod. I was in the Company that came over with the first stage that ever crossed the mountains. Keyser drove Genl S. H. Marlett and John Dorsey were of the company. it took about a day and a half to make the trip we had four horses we were then prospecting for the New Placerville route before spoken off.

            In 1856 or 7 it was an open question as to whether there was an outlet to Lake Tahoe or not. Myself, James Green Snowshoe Thompson made up a party and went around the Lake in a small boat made by myself. I put Green in the boat he to kept close to the shore and rowed while I paced a half mile to see how fast we traveled, with a view to ascertaining how long it would take us to navigate the Lake, according to our calculation the Lake was 150 miles around it. As we passed around the Lake it was plain to us that it had been from 2 to 4 feet higher than it was then this we judged from the washing of the water on the rocks, we found the outlet but at that time we did not know its name but since then it has become known as the Truckee River. I was therefore one of the first men who ever navigated Lake Tahoe and one with Green and Thompson who found the outlet. Since then this Lake has become very famous but at that time there were no inhabitants there but myself. There was one other station the owner of which left the Valley in the winter season.

            In 1857 a man by name Williams in company with McMarlin returning from California with supplies packed on 9 animals were waylaid and murdered by the indians at the top of Slippery ford hill. We formed a scouting party and should have overtaken them but the party that were hunting was composed of young men who while brave were indiscrete and when we were coming upon their tracks hunger got the better of their judgement and they shot at some grouse thus alarming them and causing them to scatter When I first went into Lake Valley the indians would not allow white men to fish in the Lake. they tried to drive me off but I never was afraid of indians except their treachery, while the fight was going on in the Lava beds they got quite saucy. I consider all indians treacherous and think the government ought to deal with them in a firm and steady hand.

            I was in Lake Valley at the time of the indian war in Nevada and think it was the most miserable failure I ever knew of. Major Ormsby

178      NEVADA HISTORICAL SOCIETY PAPERS