The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1867-03-23
For the State Rights Democrat.
LECTURES BY REV. H. H. SPkULDING
Early Oregon M issiOns---TIelr Hm-
pOrlnnce fn Securing the Conn
try TO Americans.
FoURTEEN.1

Captain Fitzpatrick continued to maintain
the same strict discipline and order with
which he commenced. Nooned every day,
if grass and water could be found. As soon
as the packs were off, the guard Of eightmen
accompanied the animals to the best grass and
watched them closely. At the cry Of the
guide Tor train. master)-sDrive in,o the
whole band of 500 animals would be brought
in by the guard, and each man out TO meet
his animals, saddle and pack them, and DO
off MS soon az poosible-nnless nj night,
when they would lead them within the bounds
Of tho camp and picket them short and close
together. Two hours were allowed morning,
noon and evening for the animals to feed, for
breakaees 10 be mended, for buffalo to be
boiled, roasted or fried, and for those who
wished to return grateful thanks to God for
Ills hourly mercios and humbly ask Ills con.
slant care.
The all. consuming anxiety for my dear
wife, every day and hour growing weaker,
the severe labor with the wagon every other
day. and the frequency Of the watch, taxed
my strength 10 the utmost, aud made it nee.
essary, whenever | was on guard at night,
10 keep constantly on the watch or | would
fall asleep.
One morning a beautiful, large, fat buffalo
calf followed the hunters into camp, keeping
close To the mules. Ii seems that when the
cow fell Mt the crack Of the rifle, and the
band fed, tho calf stopped by its mother
now struggling and dying-(a most affecting
example 70 some children who would rush
after q gay, feeting world and leave an aged
parent to find her way alone down b the
gravel. As the hunters came up the Devil.
dered calf took 10 the mules, and stood and
seemed 10 cast a beseeching eye as it looked
upon the men dressing aud cutting up the
cow, to sec them tax from it its parent aud
hope of subsistence.
Again the guide missed the point fixed up.
on in the morning by himself and the hun.
tors for the night camp, and consequently
the latter did not find US, and We were with.
out food again for &c hours.
Every day mud every h0ur the condition 81
Mrs. Spaulding was becoming more fearful,
and unless there Was "A change speedily il
was manifest she could never reach the Co.
lumbia, aud probably not even Green River.
She seemed TO eat nothing, but to subsist on
the od0r of camphor and spirits turpentine
of the sage sasurating the mir. The very
smell Of the buffalo meat would cause her
stomach to heaye. Her dyscntery was most
distressing, accompanied by a constant 10.
ncsmus, filling every nerve and every bone.
from head 70 foot, with excruciating pain
She was q mere shadow her flesh was gone.
She could rid but q short ~time-would faint,
and | would take her down from tho saddle
and with my old hat would raise a little air
in those hot sands, and then raise her care.
fully upon her horse again, weeping "Oh.
If | had but one crust Of bread from my
mothers swiil pail !" Twice she begged me
to leave her 10 the Indians. II cannot sis
upon that horse in this burning sun any
longer. Oh, this sickness, this terrible pain
| cannot live much longer; 60 on and save
yourself, and carry the Book Of God "a
those Indians. ] shall never see them my
work Is done-bnt bless God that lilo has
brought me ihns far. Tell my mother | AN
not sorry that ~Icanc."
We were far in the rear, and on casting my
eye forward the head Of the caravan had
come 10 a halt on the summit Of a hish hill
three miles distant, and hnrsemen were seen
coming upon the run. With breathless an.
guish | cast my eyes behind 10 see If the ma.
kcd sayages with cleaning tomahawks might
be daslIing upon us a. take my own SCALP o.
10 bear of my helpless wife before my ewes.
The men came up. ''IIave you discovers
Indians ~ "No Indians, but the CAPTAIN
has stopped the caravan to give you time Il
come up. We are in n dangerous country
Can we do anything for poor Mrs. spauld,
ing?"
Tho Wind River Mountains arose in their
grandeur TO our right. glistening with eter
nal frosts, and striking away to the North
east, terminating in the Yellow Stone Noun
tains, appearing like small white clouds in
the heavens. The "big horn" or mountain
sheep, were seen looking down upon onr
caravan, far out Of reach Of the best rife
perched upon over hanging rocks or high
bluffs. This animal abounds everywhere in
tho Rocky Mountains, and appears low down
on the Platte, wherever there are rock
bluffs, and extends West 10 the Cascad.
range. Ii has the body of a deer, but thu
head and twisted horns Of n sheep. Bonnie
vile gives the following "The body Of thi.
sheep, from end Of nose 10 tail, 5 feet and s
inches tail, 4 inches grit, 4 feet; hight
3 feet 3 inches; length Of horn, 3 feet {
inches ] foot S inches around at base
weight, 40 pounds. Mutton most deliciou.
Of any animal. If camped in the region o
these animals. one might imagine himself
about break Of day, in a forest filed with
Lincoln men mauling rails. The loud claps,
as Of thunder, is occasioned By n great mum.
Der Of the bucks pounding each other with
terrific horns. This mountain sheen, with
its mammoth horns. short and dun-colored
hair, is not the achtte sheep of the Flat Head
Mountains, with its small, slim, black horn;
turned back, often made by Indians into
spoons. The thick and most valuable piece
of this sheep is injured by long hairs scatter
ed through it, like the otter.n Mrs. Spauld
ing. after arriving in the Indian country
carded and spun this wool into thread
doubled eight times and twisted, and Sent
specimens to DIR. Pickering, Of the National
Institute, Washington. The wool, snow
white, was found to be the longest and fines
of any cashmere yet known.
The morning Of the Fourth of July, 1886
found the caravan a 1.-THE last camp on tn,
Atlantic slope, with the long wished ant
lately discovered ''South Passn-the mag.
%nificent 'South Gate of the Rocky Noun
tains"-before us, only eight miles distant
and as the golden beams of tho rising SUI
fell upon this wonderful but natural gate
way between the two oceans, the morning
clouds lifted up themselves from these males
tic portals, retired and rested at q respectful
distance upon the highest peaks on cithe
side, and seemed 70 give a hearty welcome
by their white, waving sheets, to these w,
American heroines-the first to ask permits
sion to enter in, pass through md take pos
session of the vast Pacific West.
D6yeThe cost of printing paper may b,
oa;d ~ h. ~ the nbocoooro 90 ~,