The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1867-01-05
For the State Rights Democrat.
LECTURES BY REV. H. H. SPAULDING
Early Oregon NEissiOns..-Their Em-
pOrtamce I'm Securing the COun-
try to Americans.
NUMBER sEvEN.1

were duly mustered In, and each took his
turn in standing guard. Scarcely had VIC
passed the Pawnee villages, and attained
beautiful meadow, when God broke
down one of the large wagons of the Co.
early in the day, to give our mission party
and animals the rest we so much needed
But the same kind Hand before night
sent company, under Major Harris,
from Fort Laramie, with 20 mules and
saddles, for the goods of the broken
wagon and the next morning the cara.
van moved again.
May %. We reached the main Platte.
or Nebraska river, opposite the head oi
Grand Island and here | will give the
following, derived from Lewis Il Clark
Capt. Bonneville aud Gen. Fremont -
sGrand Island-ffty-two miles long and
one mile wide, above high.w water mark
separates the Platte into two nearly equal
channels; 1000 feet above tho Gull ol
Mexico; in. latitude 40o4F, longitude
$50; 372 miles from Fort Leavenworth,
772 from St. Louis goo more via Coun-
Gil Blutfs), SIS from Laramie Platte
river is :, 200 yards wide, while the Mis-.
souri, at the mouth of the Kansas is only
500 yards. Grass of these prairies attains
the hight of S to Il feet Trees of this
longitude are cottonwood, poplar, ash,
oak, walnut, elm, blackberry, coppernut,
sycamore, plum, birch, grape, rose and
box x-alder" In the days of Lewis &
Clark this longitude seems to have been
the dividing line between the wild turkey
and the honey bee on the one side, aud
the black-tailed and big-horned deer
prairie dog, small goat, priekly pear and
sage brush on the other. With "drag-
out" made of willows aud bark, in this
longitude, in branch of the Missouri,
these gentlemen caught .010 fsh-trout,
salmon trout, bass. pike, buffalo fish, rock
fish, fat-back, catfish, perch, silver-sides,
red horse and schrimp. They also killed
a pelican whose pouch would hold five
gallons of water
Five more days of rapid travelling
brought us 20 the forks Of the Platte, and
found the Company in starving condi-
ton. Flour aud pork gone, and the last
or killed. We furnished them with a
COW, for which we were TO receive another
in exchange at Laramie; reserving the
II, as we ourselves were on allowance.
III re we had hoped 10 meet buffalo, bu,
It one was to be seen although the face
/ o. the earth was covered with buffalo
heads and bones, aud the incredible
amount Of dry buffalo manure (Jois de
Uache1 would make one feel that he vas
standing in a eow-yard, rather than in the
wilderness. The grass was sheared close.
leaving poor show for our animals The
deep-worn watering trails leading from
sand-hills were becoming numerous and
very troublesome to our wagons.
The next day the hunters brought in
two bulls, the next the choice pieces oil
eight cows, and the third day the grand
drama opened soon after our caravan
stretched out in the morning. And such
sight. 1t was grand beyond the power
of imagination. None but those who
have travelled these prairies in early days
can have an idea Of it. At first a dark
line over the hills 10 the distant north is
taken for timber; but soon the undulat-
ing motion of the Oncoming clouds and
the cry of Buffalo" undeceiyes Us. On
they come, extending TO the horizon right
and left, and no break, as yet, in the rear
The carayap is speedily formed in solid
body, and the guard aud hunters and
spare men form in line of V, to open the
living mass. On each side the black
clouds roll by-thank the Lord land
the gap closes up again. The inccssant
clatter of horns, the trembling earth and
the low believing Of the countless bulls,
produce continued roar. The Tiyeg il
passed, and over the southern hills the
dark line closes in against the horizon
No mortal can possibly guess the number
of thousands. Fremont, six years later,
allowing ten feet to each buffalo, makes
10000 in space cf two miles around
him; but here was space much greater
-hoB much no one could tell Lewis &
Clark estimate 10000 in view and feed
ing so quietly that they seemed unwilling
to give their company room to psss.
We were emphatically in land flowing
with milk and buffalo flesh. The whole
camp was in the best possible humor.-
Only a few days before, when hunger was
pointing bis finger in every mans face
and every rope was breaking, there was u
fight almost every day; but now it would
have been impossible to have gotten up a
fight, The mess fires we're crowded every
night to late hour with cooking in any
and every way that could be devised in a
country like this and on journey like
this, where there was not a stick Of tim
Der or switch large enough for roasting.
stick; sweet bread on the fire; marrow
bones in the fire; broad sides, supported
by pack-saddles, before the fire coffee
pots and buffalo tongues over the fire
The bois de Vache made hot fire, and
answered our purpose better than could
be expected. AS the head of the long
caravan would come to a halt for the
night, the spare men through the whole
line might be seen dashing out with hat,
handkerchief, or anything else, to gather
those "bufalo chips" fortnight apd morn
ing.
We passed Chimney Rock--the mod
ern sasToWer of the Desert" "-Scott's
Bluff and. the battle-ground Of 1888,
where the Cheyenpes and their enemy
fought desperately, leaving many of their
bones to bleach upon the spot The In
dams I've of revenge, the white mans
avarice and the Church's slow movements
will annihilate the last red man not many
ages hence.
We arrived at Fort William (Laramie)
the 18th of June. and remained hara four