The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1893-04-09

tention of going to Washington. No per-
| SUaSion would turn him from his purpose.
In twenty -four hours he, with one COM
panion, Amos Lovejoy, had started on his
journey of 4 ,00g miles. 1t was October 81;
On the 4th OF March Congress would adj
| jOurn, and the fate OF Oregon would prob
ably be determined. Could he reach
Washington in five months of winter
SHOWS and storms? This was the Ques-
ton daily in DR.. Whitman's mind as he
rode on, taking the southern route
through Utah and New Mexico, to avoid
hostile Indians and some parts OF the more
hostile SHOWS. But snow was an enemy
they were destined to fight through
many a long day; though it often formed
their friendly blanket at night.
With the one firm purpose and with
grand energy DR.. Whitman pressed on,
nerving the courage of his comrade and
OF his mountain guide. Once they were
driven by binding snow storm to take
refuge in dark ravine, while ten long
days of waiting sorely tried the doctor s
patience and food was almost gone. At
last, on a day long to be remembered,
when the sky had cleared little, they
boldly plunged out into the snow; but all
landmarks had been covered, the guide
lost his way, and after hours of search
ing they unwillingly decided to go
back to their shelter. The return they
found as difficult as the advance, their
tracks had been covered by snow, and
they had no idea of the direction of
that 1t was difficult to urge them on and
hope seemed to have fed. Dismounting.
DR.. Whitman kneeled in the snow to
face death in prayer. Then the guide
noticed a slight, but Intelligent move
ment OF the mules ears. Calling the
others to follow, he gave the animal the
| rein, and soon they were lead back to the
the fire they had left in the morning.
On one occasion while the little party
was trying to dodge q band of hostile
Indians, they had an encounter with a
ferocious panther. They we're making
their way down narrow gorge, single
file, with guide at the head. Suddenly
the guide stopped. Upon looking for
the cause, the doctor and Mr.. Love-
JOY saw large panther crouching in a
small tree not fifteen yards ahead, evil
IDENTIFY prepared for a leap. They were in
quandary, for where they then were the
path was SO narrow that but one could
pass at time. They couldn't turn back,
for they had every reason to believe that
the Indians were close behind, and to fire
at the beast would be fatal. Before they
had time to consider the matter the AMI
NAL made leap, and landed almost at
the feet of the guide, who Immediately
jerked out his hunting knife, prepared
for the struggle which he saw to be in
evitable. Another ightning-like spring
and then commenced deadly encounter.
The brute received stroke of the knife
! in its side, causing the blood to squirt out
like jet from a fountain. The next mo-
ment they were both upon the ground.
Before either of his companions
could come to his aid, the
guide arose, victorious. His clothing
was almost in rags and there was terri
bic cash across his thigh which took
weeks to heal. The struggle, though
brief, had been terrific. Over and over
they had rolled, tearing frightfully at
each other in their desperate struggle for
the mastery, ripping up the frozen crust
and profusely sprinkling it with their
blood. The guide came uppermost and
holding his antagonist beneath his knee
till he could free his right arm from the
lacerating hold of the MONSTERS claws,
he rapidly plunged his knife five or six
times into his body.
Another time they almost froze to death
while beseiged all night in a tree by
wolves. Again, one day while crossing
the plains they came near being run down
by an immense herd of buffalo.
Mr.. Lovejoy described the crossing of
the Grand river: cit was 800 yards wide,
and was frozen on each side about one
third. The guide regarded it as too dam
gerouS, but the doctor, nothing daunted,
was the first to take to the water. He
mounted his horse and the guide and my
self pushed them off the ice into the boil
ing, foaming stream. They went COM
pletely under, but came up directly, and,
aft Duffeting the waves and foaming
current, made for the ice on the other
side. A long way down the stream the
doctor leaped upon the ice and soon had
his noble animal by his side. The guide
and forced in the pack mules and fol-
lowed the Doctors example, and were
soon drying our frozen clothes by COM
Portable fire. A few nights after this
their horses were stolen by a band of
rowing Indians, and for many weary miles
le journey had to be made a-foot.
The most thrilling and hair breadth
escape OF all they experienced on the 10Th
of January. They had come to a small
river which ran like mill race. Seeing
that the current ran their way, and think
ing to expedite matters, they built small
raft and embarked. Everything went
smoothly for about 20 miles, and they
were about congratulating themselves on
their rapid mode of conveyance, when
suddenly dull roaring sound was heard
ahead. The doctor noticed that they were
going through the water much swifter
and Instantly came to the conclusion that
there must be falls not far in advance.
They didn t think anything of that, how
ever, until suddenly rounding bend they
saw about three miles ahead what ap-
peared to be wall OF solid rock. The
booming noise grew louder. At last it
dawned upon their startled faculties
that they were being carried straight
to the opening of an immense
box-canyon. To late they tried to
make for the shore. With their frail
paddles they could make no Roadway
against the fierce current. 1t carried
them on like q feather. All their des-
perate efforts were futile. By this time
they were travelling over twenty miles an
hour, and their little craft was tossed
round and round like a cork. The grassy
shores had disappeared and in their place
walls OF rock, which rose higher and
higher as they advanced. The rest is
best told in the DOCTORS own words:
Suddenly the mouth of the canyon
doomed up before us. We barely had
time to take one last look at shore and
sky when, with a rush and roar as of
heavy artillery, we swept through the
opening, and darkness impenetrable
darkness - closed about US. (The roar
ing noise. the doctor describes, was prob
ably caused by geysers.) No
pen can describe the anguish
of mind experienced by US as