New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1905-06-21
HIS HORSE SAVED HIS LIFE
Story Told of Bishop Whippie's
Horse, Bashaw.
Perilous Trip From New Ulm to
Lower Sioux Agency.
Intelligent Animal Carries Him to
Safety Through Storm.

Every body in Minnesota is interest
ed in anything connected with the life
and works of good Bishop Whipple.
He had great love for animals as we'll
as men, and especially did he love his
horse Bashaw, which was almost his
daily companion for many years.
Some years before his death Bishop
Whipple wrote of this noble horse as
follows:
"When 1 was appointed there, was
not mile of railway in Minnesota. [
could only travel on horseback or in
in buggy or sleigh.
'Bashaw' was kingly fellow, and
had every sign of noble birth, a slim
delicate head, prominent eyes, small,
active ears, large nostrils, full chest,
| thin gambrels, heavy cords, neat fet-
locks, and black as a coal. He was
my friend and companion in nearly
| 49, 900 miles travel, always full OF
spirit, yet as gentle as a girl. [ never
struck him but once, and that was to
save his life and mine on the brink Of
precipice: and when saved, the tears
| filed my eyes. He knew how | loved
| him and he loved me as we'll as horse
ever loved his master. He never for
cot any place where he had ever been,
and many a time has saved our lives
when lost on the prairie. In summer
heat and winter storm he kept every
appointment, and it was done by hero
ic effort. 1t was no easy task to traV-
ell in winter over prairies without a
house for twenty miles.
I recall time after time when we were
lost. In 1861 [ left New Ulm' for the
lower Sioux agency, when the Their
mometer was thirty-six degrees below
zero at noon; there was an ugly freck-
led sky, and long riffs Of clouds. For
seven miles there were houses in the
distance, and then twenty miles across
the prairie without a house. We were
in for it: our motto was, No step
Backward In about an hour we came
to place where the snow had been
blown away: it was stubble and no
sign of a road I was lost! | turned
: the horses back to follow my sleigh
tracks: the wind had obliterated them.
; We started in the direction Of the
, agency. The country was full Of little
coolies, and soon I had both horses
down in snow drifts.
7 After great efforts we got back on
the prairie. Night had come on; not
} star, the wind bowling life wolves
I I knelt down and said my prayers
: wrapped myself in buffalo robes
n threw the reins on the dashboard, anC
= prepared to let the horses walk where
+ they would until daylight. About mid
t night old Bashaw stopped so sudden
: " that it threw me onto the dashboard
o [ jumped from the sleigh and found al
. Indian trail which looked like a snak
+ under the snow. [ knew that one enc
2 of it was at the agency, but which,
knew not. We followed the trail unit
we saw a light. Never did a hors
=, neigh more joyously as he sprani
- towards it; we were saved. Dear OIL
- fellow! AS I put him in his stall h
nipped me with his lips with marvel
- lous look out of those grand eyes, a
% much as to say, Master, all's WE'LL
So many have asked me to tell the1
=, about dear Bashaw. | am sure 20
- will not blame me for telling you agai