The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1897-07-18

/ kettle, boiler and frying pan, on this
little stove cooking was done with great
ease and satisfaction. Mrs, Van puser
says, she nany times SAT- In her eoss
Kitchen on wheels. cleaned and cooked a
bird while the wagon moved along On
cold nights their. little stove made their
house very comfortable, They had alsC
little churn IN their kitchen. The mllk
was placed n the churn eacn moraipg, III,
motion OF the wagon churned q, ard
every evening they had fresh ~Nttvr. In
this way one COW furnished t,.Nm with
sweet and buttermilk and .resh hutter
daily Mrs, Van Dusen says che really
enioyed the trip very much indeed Their
! old friend and neighbor the la,r Judge
Columbia Lancaster, had similar out.
fit 10 theirs, These two teams lett Mich.
lgan March I, iSJ7 TO join the emigration
OF thai wear at 81. Joseph's RIVER. ~,
leaving 81. Joseph's their cOmpl my con-
sisted OF IS wagons. with William Mecks
employed as guide, Our wagons were
called the "Steamboot wagons ON nc.
count Of having the little stove pipes
passing up through the top covers. We
! also had a tin reflector for baking bread.
There were many excellent people In the
company, two young ladies l remember
Especially. a Miss Clum and Miss Rol.
stop. Miss Rolstoa's step-mother. Mrs.
Rolstou. gave birth to hoy baby while
crossing the Platte river. The baby was
named Platte. Unforiable rivers were
crossed In the usual pioneer way. ny
( turning wagon bed into ferry boar.
Strife ard dIssention occurred In the
company, causing 1t 10 break up into
sections, that would separate and oc-
casionally unite 'agaln as we travelled
along until We reached Fort Hall. Her
a part OF our section decided to go t.
California. the other to oregpn. Judge
Lancaster and family were our only
travelling companions from Fort Hall to
Oregon CITY. As we progressed our oxen
grew thin. grass being scarce. some
days We were compelled TO travel all
day without finding any feed for ou,
cattle, but we pushed along. finally
reaching the Cascade mountains. u.
climbing very long and steep mountain
Ia the Cascade range, our team WIS. as
usual, doubled up with Judge L.ancus;er's
to take his wagon up first. this left my
husband and myself alone ut the foot
of the mountain, shortly after two In
dians came riding up at fun speed. They
stopped beside our wagon and looked us
over. talking to themselves. We were
much frightened but pretended TO be
very brave; Mr.. Van Dusen having his
pistols and knives In his belt and plenty
.cf guns strapped on the wagons. which
we examined as we walked around :aIk-
ing. At last the Indians turned theii
horses and rode away at full speed. In
about an hour they returned and went
through the same performance and left
us again. To our great relief We saw
no more Of them. Shortly after this
Judge Walt returned with the teams
to take our wagon UP the mountain. Oh
the Barlow road in sight of Mt Hoou
we had heavy rains, making the road
very slippery. Late one evening our
wagon upset for the second time that
day and as our cattle Ind found nothing
TO eat all day. the men had to leave the
wagon on it's side ana go aheHd with the
stock in search of grass We got out IA
few bed clothes, made big fire and sat
up nearly all night We could hear the
brush cracking and Wild animals
screaming during the night. l suppose
our fire kept them from attacking us.
The next morning the men brought the
cattle back without having found any
feed and we pushed on until late in
the evening, when we fortunately founn
grass
We soon reached Oregon City and put
up at the Barlow hotel. Having arranged
my toilet and putting on new caIicC
dress went in TO supper, and every
body declared that could not have
just crossed the plains for my face was
not tanned a bit. After few days We
went TO the private boarding house OF
3frs. Andrew Hood and soon after thai
found a house which we rented for the
winter.
Early in the spring Of IS we prepared
10 move down the river. About this time
our late governor, George l.. Curry, was
expecting to marry Miss Boon. Mr.. Van
Dusen sold Mr.. Curry his dress suit, a "a
sold Miss Boon my wedding bonnet,
which was lovely little bonnet Of the
gypsy style. They were married ana
took our house for their first home. hf.
Van Dusen had already been down to
Astoria and taken land claim on tn |
Na1lacut river, now owned by 11r II. S. |
Gle. When we reached Astoria we de |
:ided TO give up the Wallacut claim ana |
AXE one on the west side Of Yonre'b |
Bay in Oregon, and we located on the |
)iace now known as "Sunnymead" farm,
md owned by Col and Dr. Adoir. Their
lome stands Just where our little log
abin stood in 1873 and ~ We lived on
his place one year, planting and raising |.
garden. principally potatoes. THE win
er Of 1s4e was extremely long and cola
idair creek in which we kept our boat,
large one, tcgsme frozen up and We
I'D not see the face Of human being
or six weeks. Early one Sunday morn
" our dog barked and Mr.. Van Dusen
ot up quickly to find the old Chief Wal
Iskl standing at our door. Chief Wal
Ish was then living on Smiths poi=t
r Taylor's point, Just across the bay
rom US He had come across in IItdr
duck" canoe to the west side ana
'alked up on the Ice. lie told us THAI
Q had been watching for smoke from J
ur cabin for several days and seeing
one thought we might be 'rnemoloose'
lead) 50 he came to see. We inviteo =
i'm to breakfast with us and showed
In every respect remember this hap
sned about two weeks before Christmas
he chief said II the ice remained un4IlI