The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1898-05-17
incidents in the Life Of Missionary SpaIding.


and of the survivors but few know the
story of the escape of tf,: Reverend H..
H. Spaulding from "4rIain death during
that time. Aid still smaller number
know that his life was saved by his ten
year-old daughter, Eliza, who at that
time was held captive by the Cayuse
Indians.
This story was told a few weeks ago
by Eliza herself, now woman of sixty
one, and as brave and fearless with her
gray hair as at ten, when it was gold.
We met and mingled our tears at the
newly-made grave of Henry Spaulding,
whose death resulted from injuries he
received when his home was destroyed
by fire few days before, at AlmOta,
WASH, March 22d, 1898.
He was her only brother and the only
PLAYMATE of her childhood. He was my
friend. The Reverend H. H. Spaulding
and wife will be remembered as paIt
of that little company of missionaries,
DIR. and Mrs. Whitman and Mr.. w. H.
Gray, at old Fort Walla Walla, now
Wallula, in September, 1886.
These women were the first white
women to cross the Rocky mountain.
The Spauldings located among the Nez
Perce Indians at Lapwai, twelve miles
above Lewistown on the Clearwater.
Here Eliza Spaulding. Warren was
born, November 10Th, 1887, and enjoys
the distinction of being the first white
woman born in Oregon, for the North
west coast was all Oregon at that time.
Henry and Martha Spaulding Wigle.
and younger sister, Millie Spaulding
Brown, were their other children. Mrs.
Wigle will be remembered as an old
friend and neighbor.
We spoke of the great dangers and
privations of the early missionaries, of
the long horseback rides from Lewis
town and Wa1la Walla to Oregon City
and Astoria; swimming rivers and ford
ing swollen streams, of trips by small
boat ON the Columbia and Snake rivers,
at all seasons of the year with INSULT
cient clothing and food.
She will remember long horseback
ride from Lapwai to the mouth of the
Columbia in company with her father
and Henry to attend meeting of mis-
sionaries, when she and Henry were
eight and ten years old Eliza rode
Cayuse pony, while Henry rode with his
father, holding on behind. At The
Dalles Mr.. Spaulding hired an Indian
who claimed to know the trail, to guide
them to the head waters of Dog river,
over the foot hills of Mount Hood on
direct line to Oregon City. Going down
Laurel the Indian got lost; "But it
would take something more than Laurel
bush to los father" The most they lost
was day of valuable time.
They returned by the Barlow route.
While in the mountains Eliza was taken
violently i'll, and delay of several days
was made necessary. When too weak
to ride alone on her own horse, her
father took her on before him and hold
ing her in his arms they pushed on.
They arrived at Lapwai at eleven
O'Clock at night, but with the Clearwater
between them. The moon was shining,
but the abrupt mountains cast heavy
shadows and obscured the fording place.
Spaulding ha1lowed, and the Indians
came running yelling that the river had
raised, and that the ford was dangerous
to swim. SpauYding and the children
were already in the stream, the cur
rent, rapidly carrying them down. The
horses were swimming Eliza's horse
was all that was above water, her father
urging her to keep hold of her horses
name and they would soon be over. Mr..
was big heavy horse, and
every little while the water would roll
over the horses back, submerging
Henry, and then he would scream and
every time the horse went under, as
often would Henry scream.
The Indians on the other bank were
running down, carrying lights and
to show good landing. When
safe out on the other side Mr.. Spaulding
CT