Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1888-08-02
THE WOLVES DID NOT GET HIM
4 Pioneers Fist Nights Experience
In Oregon--lncompeten Guide.

On calling in at Watson, Hume 4
Watson's Office day or two ago re-
porter found Hon. b. P. Thompson and
Judge =. B. Watson porting over map
Of Oregon and tracing out the route by
which they entered this promised land
In 1853.
Mr.. Thomp.on's first night on Oregon
soil was a rather exciting one, and was
spent in rather novel lodging. The
train with which he was travelling
eAmped in Owyhee, Idaho, and he was
cent ahead across the line into Oregon to
Ind the train in which Judge Watson's
father was travelling. Mr.. Thompson
expected to find this train on the Nal.
Aeur river, but when he got there the
whole 400 wagons were gone. Night
coming on Mr.. Thompson staked his
horse 10 the tall rye grass, and hearing
the bowling Of wolves in the vicinity he
looked around for some shelter, and
fuding the bed Of a wagon deserted by
come immigrant, he turned it upside
down and crawlcd under it, He did not
sleep much, however, under this "bed,
for q soon as it was dark the wolves
began to gather around, and they held a
camp-meeting Those Of the animals
whose night it was to howl, climbed On
the wagon.bed and howled till they were
tired, and then appointed committee Of
ways and means to dcvisee a scheme fol
getting Mr.. Thompson and the hunk o.
bacon he had with him out from undol
the wagon.bed. He watched their DELHI
erations through knot-hole in hi'
shelter, and wished he had kept out Of
Oregon for that night at least. In the
morning his horse was gone, and he
supposed at first was eaten up, but after
. while found the animal in the tall rye
gress. The wolves had eaten off the
rawhide rope by which tho horse hat
been tied up to within few feet Of hi
neck.
Tho train in which Mr.. Watson
father was travelling was never seen b.
Mr.. Thompson. A fellow named Elliot
protested to be able to bring them in:
the valley by a short cut across the stat
about where military wagon road nov
runs. He lead them off south for
starter and clear around Lake Malheu
coming back. to within few miles o
where they started. Mr.. Watson was
small boy at the time and as the Ion,
train of 400 wagons wound around tn
srms and sloughs Of the lake he coul
see them far ahead, as it seemed on tn
other side of the lake, but the iourne
seemed endless, as we'll it might, maxim
a circle around the long lake. Ate
getting back to the head of the lax
again they started west, but found Al
impossible range of mountains, and thel
turned north and made complete circui
Of Harvey lake. At length Ellio,
confessed that be did not know the road
and the party were about to hang him
when he vamoosed. They finally got t.
che DesChutes river after having bee.
about two months circling around il
the sagebrush, and there were met by
party sent out to their relief. "Ant
mighty good The provisions they broush
along tasted" said Judge Watson.
Some years after Mr.. Thompson
travelled all over that part of the stat,
surveying, and traced the trail of tbi
train.
After seeing all of this country, IL i
difficult to imagine what he wanted to q
to Egypt for and the Dead sea and al
those outlandish places.
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