The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1867-03-09
For tho State Rights Democrat.
LECTURES BY REV. \. H. SPAULDING
Early Oregon MIIssiOns---T'heir I'm
pOrtance I'm Securing the COun-
try 10 Americans.
rNuMnEn rn1RrEEN. ]

buffalo, which were hidden by the hills
till they were close upon us. The cara
van, which was, perhaps, two miles long,
was cloagd up as fast as possible, and the
guard and every man that could be spared
dashed out upon the head of the dark
column that poured dqHn through the
hills as though there was uosehd TO it.
IThe head of the column was about to
strike the caravan "amid ships" and on
they came, in spite Of hundred rifles
pouring powder and balls into their very
eyes, and it seemed as if nothing could
save US from being trampled into tho dust
and stripped of our last animal. And
now our men, struggling to turn the liv-
ing flood, are actually mingliug with our
camp, and our horses and mules arc snort
ing and bounding to break their lines and
be of, when the arm Of God interposes,
the head ones yield under the shower Of
balls, and turn TO the right, aud this liv.
ing torrent Of Goods cattle upon q thou.
sand hills" swept down by the caravan
with eyes cleaning FIRE, u:tering a terrific
unearthly groan and causing the very
earth to tremble by tho tramp Of their
countless thousands. The scene was fear
ful, thrilling and grand beyond the power
of language. Some dozen lay dead upon
the ground, but the thick skulla Of the
bulls glanced of the balls like rocks.
The same day, Sseley, the German
traveller, out from camp upon his amuse.
ment, left his horse united to approach a
band of buffalo. lie fred, the COW fell,
the herd fed, and turning hc beheld his
own horse in tight run after the band,
with bride, saddle and pistols all on board.
He pursued, ascenlcd one hill after anoth-
er, only to see the buffalo still further off
and upon the run, and his horse close be.
hind them. He came into camp that
night on foot, weary aud somewhat i'm
proved in wisdom.
i | give the following statements as re.
ceived them from mountain men: These
regions had been noted for two bulls and
ten cows, lehite as sholc, which had been
seen for years in these bills by the trap
pers and the Indian tribes. The latter,
on account of their Great Medicine" i"
and the former on account Of their singu-
| lar color. had a.,~aYs given these beauties
Of the mountains free massage, on those
occasions when they were killing sad max
ing up their meat for camp.
On the plains Of Laramie a singular
horse was noticed for years, at the
head of a wild band, which had prob.
ably found their way from the Span
ish settlements. This horse was never
known TO break his page" or track, =
never seen ia the trot or gallop. However
closely pursued the band might be, by
wolves or the 'lasso," this horse waa al
ways ahead, in his rolling pace, appearing
more like an animal with wings than a
horse upon the run. Several good horses
had been brought from the States, but
none ever proved able to lay the rope over
his proud neck aud by mutual consent
all abstained from shooting at his beauti-
full form with view to "erease," or Grip
pie him, as is often done TO get possession
Of feet horse.
The year before We passed, a Cheyenne
chief rode into Fort William one day on
fine American horse, with the leg of an.
other horse hobbled, with an iron hobble,
to the leg of the horse which he was rid
ling. He wished the blacksmith to take
off the hobble, as he had no use for it
nor for the fifth leg, which he vas COM
lpelled to cut off and take with him when
he killed one horse, in order to steal one.
1t seems free trapper travelling with the
Company, had prepared himself iron hob
bles, and not being willing to subject his
horses every night to short picket, with
out grass, within the camp and guard
had hobbled his horses out, the leg of one
to the leg of the other. The Indian thiei
would have taken both GOULD he have cut
1 the hobble. This he could not do, and
one horse was better than none, so he
killed one, cut off his leg and took it W
before him, and after the caravan had
passed on, came into the fort as above
stated.
On the 29th we left this romantic camI
to repeat our wearisome clamberings VI
and down these "everlasting hills, which
proved to be most difficult country fol
our wagon. Often the head of the cara
van could be seen climbing over steer
precipice or disappearing in narrow de
file, where the wagon could not possibly
follow; and then we would have to dasf
out at venture in more circuitious anC
barely passable route, and every time
were compelled to fall futher behind anC
become more and more exposed to dangel
from prowling bands Of savages, who eve
hang upon such caravans, ready to picl
up stragglers. And these Black Hill
were the most dangerous part of our jour
ney. In these mountains, Bonneville
9 two years before, had been compelled t,
let his wagons down some of the steel
precipices by ropes, although he had OF
teams, and finally abandoned them OF
' Green River DIR. Whitman and mysel
} took turns in driving our light wagon
which was every day wearing down ou
horses and of no use to Mrs. Spaulding ii
o3 her feeble state Of health, as the rougl
sage and the rugged hills made it impos
lsible for her to ride it. We CONSTANT,
i hoped for better country, and SO held OF
to the wagon till we reached Fort Boise
and when President Tyler, in March O
'43, asked DIR. Whitman, in Washington
Il if he thought he could take wagon
across the mountains, and the continen
Gas heretofore stated), the Doctor ooulc
/ answer, as he did: "We have takel
wagon, and cattle, and our women oveI
the route six years before" That answer
lsettled the destiny Of Oregon and secured
lit to the States, as we have shown