The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1906-08-01
By GRACE CROOKS

With the advice OF DR.. Mclaughlin
chief factor of the Hudson Bay com.
pany. Mr.. Whitman built his log cabin
at Waillapi. twenty-five miles from
/ where Fort Walla Walla now stands
/ Here DR.. and Mrs. Whitman toiled
teaching the Indians to live a religious
life and to cultivate the soil.
few days after learning of the
plot to drive the Americans from
/ oregon territory. DR.. Whitman, on
October 8, 1912. babe his wife good
bye and with General Lovejoy. their
Indian guide, and three pack mules,
began that long and memorable ride in
the dead of winter.
In eleven days this little company
reached Fort Hall. Thus far the way
was familiar to all. Soon after leav-
ing home the company learned that
the Blackfoot Indians were hostile,
and to follow the regular line of travel
would be attended with danger Sc
Letting different course DR.. whitman
started from Fort Hall, not knowing
whether or not white man had ever
passed that way. But e knew in gen.
ing first east and south in the direc-
ton of the present site of Salt Lake
City; from thence to Fort Uinta, Fort
Uncomphagra. Taos. Santa Fe, Bents
Fort and st. Louis, and in following
this course the brave company passed
over some very mountainous country.
From rort Hall to Unita they met
with very severe weather and deep
snow, causing the loss of much time.
Pressing on toward Taos they were
met with another severe storm and re-
mained ten days After starting out
again they encountered another vio-
lent storm which almost blinded man
and beast. Finally the guide stopped,
acknowledged he was lost and would
go no farther They resolved to re-
turn to camp in a sheltered ravine.
After this experience DR.. Whitman
returned to Fort Ucomphagra to secure
another guide and was gone just a
week.
The storm abated and they crossed
the mountains and made good progress
toward Toas.
The most severe ordeal was expert
enced in crossing the Grand river. On
each bank of the river the water was
frozen for fully 200 feet from the
shore, while between a distance of
some 200 feet was a rushing torrent.
The guide thought it impossible to
cross, but DR.. Whitman insisted that
crossing was necessary to avoid furth-
er delay. Finally he proposed to his
party that they push himself and
horse off the ice into the water and be
allowed to take the risk of reaching
the opposite shore. He was severely
criticised for the thought OF taking
such risk, but he was determined to
cross at all hazard. DR.. Whitman
mounted his horse and rode out onto
the ice. His friends took poles and
pushed his horse into the stream, and
at once both horse and rider disap-
peared in the rushing current, but
soon rose to the surface and swan to
the opposite shore. The pack horses
were pushed into the stream and swan
across The remainder of the party
succeeded in crossing and the little
company soon resumed it's journey,
reaching Santa Fe in due time.
Leaving Santa Fe, they made good
progress toward Bent's Fort on the
headwaters of the Arkansas river. Mr..
Whitman was very anxious to catch a
party going to st. Louis. He took some
bedding and the best animal, left Gen.
eral Lovejoy and started alone. He
was unsuccessful in reaching Bent's
Fort and arrived at that place the day
following the arrival Of his party. but