The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1867-02-23

Early Oregon ~ sIissions--.Their Ina
pOFtanee ia Securing the COun-
try TO Americans.
NUMBER ELEvES.1

To return to Fort William (Laramie), J,
with Laramie's Peak in the distance, send.
ing its mountain torrent tributaries TO the
river of the same name, afording every
where on its Daters rich fields for the
mountain trappers, BY reason Of the sweet
cottonwood upon its banks.
The sun Of the 2ist of June rose. re-
minding us that the day had arrived fixed
upon for the caravan to move forward
aud the question came up again with
greater force, SIS it the duty of Mrs.
Spaulding to forward ?" She lad made
thorough trial of living only on wild
buffalo meat without bread. II had thrown
her into constant diarrhe which had
become fearful dysentery, accompanied
with faintness and severe and constant
pains in the head and right side, and she
was growing weaker every day. / urged
her TO desist to remain at this post till
the company would return, and We would
90 back with them to the Pawnee Nation
and join that mission. That God did not
require us to rush into certain death
that she could not expect to live many
more weeks without something to eat be-
sides green buffalo meat; and every day
was taking us still further from bread
without which it was manifest she must
sooner or later die. We kneV not then
that kernel Of grain was raised op the
Northwest coast by the English fur ira
ders. Should she even live to reach the
rendezvous (the end of the Co.'s march J,
our fearful journey wonid be but half ac.
complished, and we left without a convoy
or protection---without guide or hun
ter-with the worst half of the journey
still before Us, through the mountains and
endless sand deserts of the Snake coun-
try, and without game: emphatically that
"great and terrible wilderness of death,
Ehere so many strong men of the parties
of Hunt, of Henry, of Stewart, and only
the year before of Bonneville, had suffer
ed such stupendous hardships-had lost
their horses, had starved, and were COM
pelled to live on rose-buds and old
horse hides nearly all winter, in getting
through arriving in small parties, mere
skeletons, barefoot and nearly naked
Some perishcd outright; others were left,
too weak to go on, and were picked up by
the Digger Indians themselves starving
on s6anty supply Of cakes made of to-
bacco root and black crickets); saved and
found the next year by their comrades.
Capt. VIM. Sublit, one of the proprie-
tors of the Co., who had spent years in
the mountains, united his remonstrance
with that of Capt Fitzpatrick. They
said Mrs. Spaulding could not live through
the long journey to the Columbia, in her
weak state, and growing weaker every
day. When their Company left us at
Green river we would be left without pro-
lection, guide or hunters, and in the
midst of the hostile Grow and Blackfoot
Indians, and with the most difficult half
of the journey to make. ~ =
The Nez Perces would undoubtedly be
at the rendezvous, and could conduct us
to their country by their route; but that
lay through mountains the whole distance,
in order to their supply of buffalo meat
for the year, viz the Wind River, the
Salmon river, the Yellow Stone and the
Bitter Root Mountains, besides crossing
the Rocky Mountains twice. And we
would not think of risking Mrs. S., ip her
feeble state, and our jaded horses and
COWS on this oircuitous route, WHICH you'd
not end, at best, till snow fell deep on the
mountains. Besides, the Nez Perces
would have to fight their way, for SOC
miles, through the Crow and Blackfooi
countries, and always lost more or less
people and horses in these conflicts. And
these savage tribes, learning that white
women we're travelling with the Nez