The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1867-09-14
For the State Rights Democrat.
LECTURES BY REV. H. \. SPAULDING
Early Oregon MissiOns--.Their Inn
pOrtnnce in Securing the COun.
try 10 Americans.
NrNnrR rMrNrY.rIYK.

violently upon her head and shoulders,
her foot hanging in the stirup. Her
horse stepped into wasps' nest,
inmped and kicked furiously, but did
not run. Proyidentially Tom Mckay,
riding near, sprang to her relief with
his rifle drawn, ready to shoot the
horse should he attempt to run. No
bones were broken, and she was able
to move on that day by being carried
In the wagon.
We were now fairly in that "great
and terrible wilderness" of death,
where so many strong men and trap
pers had perished from starvation in
attempting to cross it's sand deserts,
which are destitute ofall game. Two
days both man and beast suffered in
tensely In the hot sands for want of
water. Once We had to let our wagon
down steep mountain by cords
Twice ] tainted on that desert from
exhaustion and the want of water
The deep black cliffs, the heavy noun
tains, the ever-present sand, want of
water, and the strong sage constantly
Obstructing the wagon, all made deep
inroads upon the remaining strength
of our long-used animals. But upon
their endurance everything depended.
AT Salmon Falls we obtained few
salmon of the starving Indians. Once
the hunters were sent out to reach the
distant mountains for game, but re-
turned after two days with none and
IN a starving condition. Again they
were sent out, and returned with two
elk and four deer; but they lasted no
time in our large, hungry camp, aud
only made us feel the more our miser-
able condition in trying to live on old
dry bufalO-bull meat, not much better
than so much dry Eastwood bark If
it ever had seen fat it must have been
in some other animal that had died
years before.
On the 14th of Aug. we reached the
crossing of Lewis riyer-lat. 1886,
long. lI5oOf; 2OS miles from Fort
Hall width ofriver above the islands,
1,049 feet, according to Fremont
Two islands divide the river into three
channels, each about 700 feet wide
1t is usually too deep to ford, but at
this time a few of the tallest American
horses were about 8 inches above wa
ter; all the others and the cattle had
to swim. The packs were taken over
on the tallest horses. The two tallest
and strongest were selected for our
wives, but they were lily prepared
with their poor frames to stem the
sweeping current. \ Frenchman led
each horse. One channel had to be
crossed diagonally up stream; and as
the weak horses reached the middle
of the channel, lying heavily over
against the powerful current, | saw
Mrs. Spalding giving way to the boz
som of waters everywhere sweeping
by her. In an instant more her fate
would be sealed No human arm
could oyertake and rescue her from
the broad sweeping flood. / yelled
''Look at those deer coming down that
mountain; we will have meat for sup
per-" She righted Immediately, and
[ instantly replied: "Keep your eye
on that mountain, and let it not look
at the water again, or you are lost. "
She understood me, and said she saw
no more Of the river till they reached
the shore, all safe. But DIR. Whitman,
In crossing the wagon, came nigh be-
ing carried away by the heavy cur
rent; but was ProvidentiaIly rescued
by our everywhere present angel of
mercy, Tom Mckay, who few to his
relief upon a powerful horse, and by
aid of his lass-rope enabled the Doc
%or,o horcac x,b1ob 1,-o-o NON, I,n;uo.
carried down stream-to regain and
hold their footing, and all were brought
to the shore, to the great Joy of the
Doctors agonized wife, who was look.
ing on while her dear husband was
struggling in the waters. Some years
later the good Doctor, by the blessing
of God upon his medical services,
saved his deliver from fatal disease.
Five years later still this ever noble
friend of the Doctor, and of our mis-
sion, left the Willamette Valley with
a company of men to ayenge the
Doctors death in the valley of the
WalIa Walla.
We passed the Hot Springs, in
which we cooked salmon done in ten
minutes, and reached Boise Tor Wood
river, about where Boise City now
stands; and on the 10Th reached the
Fort, then standing on Boise river
two miles above its mouth. Here we
spent the Holy Sabbath; had divine
service by request of those In charge
Ia precious privilege we had not en-
joyed since we left Fort Williams
The audience-many of whom had
not heard preaching for twenty years
paid profound attention. We had
good singing-as was always the case
when dear sister Whitman was pres
ent, as she undoubtedly had the sweet
est and most natural voice that ever
fell upon mortal ears
We had to leave at this post several
of our cattle, given out, to receive
others of the Fl. B. Co. at Fort Walla
which the gentlemen kindly offered
to give US in exchange, although they
were under no obligation to do so. A
small patch of corn was growing here,
which was a joyful sight to our eyes.
We obtained eight quarts of dry corn
all they had-for the benefit of our
ladies. The Fort subsisted on salmon
and beaver, with little game occa-
sionally.
At Fort Boise we were compelled
to leave our wagon, on account of the
weak state of our horses. It was an
old friend, and had stuck to us against
heavy circumstances for a long dis
tanee. Instead of San old wagon be-
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