The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1910-02-04

The Oregon immigration for iSte
numbered. according TO some &c
counts. not less than $1,000 souls.
our people still rolled westward ~
a mighty wave. The history OF
that great west.bound movement
IL we'll known The story OF Yet
more decisive Journey Of that same
year never has been written that
of Helena Won Rita. from oregon
70 the east The price Of that
Journey was an empire les cost
an. let me not YET speak OF that
Although Meek and ! agreed that
he should push east az thc best
possible speed. il was well enough
understood that | should give him
no more than day or 40 start !
did not purpose % allow SO risky
a tourney as this TO be undertaken
By any woman in 50 SMALL a party,
and made no doubt that | would
oyertAkc them az least al Fort
Hall. perhaps 81 miles east Of the
Missions. or az farthest at Fort
Bridger. some zoe miles from the
starting point in Oregon.
The young wife oI one Of the
missionaries was glad enough 20
take passage thus for the east
and there was the silent Threlka
Those two could offer company,
even did not the little Indian maid.
adopted By the baroness. serve 20
interest her Their equipment and
supplies were AZ good as any pur
chasahie What could be done. We
now had done
Yet, after all, Helena won Rita
had her own way did not see
her again after We parted that
evening az the Mission was alb
sent for couple Of days with
hunting party. and on my return
discovered that she was gone. with
no more than brief farewell 20
those left behind Meek Was an
xious as herself 10 be off. but he
left word for nae 10 follow on a.
once.
II may be supposed that | my
self nov hurried in my plans I
was able 70 make up a small party
Of four men. about half the mum
Der Meek took with him. and
threw together such equipment az
! could find remaining. not wholly
90 ny liking. but good enough. I
fancied. 10 oYertake a party headed
by a woman But one thing after
another cost us time. and We did
not average 20 miles a day felt
half desperate. as | reflected on
what this might mean. As early
fall vas approaching. I could ex
pect. in view o. my own lost time.
20 encounter the annual wagon
train 200 or 500 miles farther west.
ward than the object Of my pur.
suit naturally would have done.
As a matter of fact. my party met
the wagons a. a point well Ia the
west Of Fort Hail
Il vas early In the morning we
met them coming west-that long.
weary, dust-covered. creeping car.
AVIAN. a mi'e long. slow serpent.
crawling westward acroas the des-
ert In time ! came up 70 the head
OF the tremendous wagon train 81
fsf5. and its leader and myself
threw up our hands in the salusa-
tion Of the wilderness
The captain stood az the head Of
the front team. his hand resting
on the yoke as he leaned against
the bowed neck OF one Of the oxen
The then aud women were thin a. /
most az the beasts which dragged
the wagons These latter stood /
with ioliing tongues even thus ear.
ly In the day. for water hereabo
was scarce and bitter 20 the taste
SO. 81 first almost In silence. we
made the saiutations ct the desert
80. presently. We exchanged the I
news Of East and West
There Is today no news Of the /
quality which we then communi
Gated. They knew nothing Of Ore
gon. ] knew nothing Of the Fast
A national election had been held. /
regarding which ] knew not even
the names Of the candidates IL
either party. not 70 mention the re-
suits. All ! could do was 10 guess
and 70 point 70 the inscription on
the white top Of the foremost waE
on. "Flftyfour Forty or Fight"
Is Polk elected" asked the
captain 81 the train.
He nodded lie shore is said
he. We're comm out TO take
Oregon. What's the news7r
Ny own grim news was that Ore. I
gon was ours and must BE- ours. I /
shook hands with a hundred men /
on that, our hands ciasped in stern I
and silent grip. Then. after n
time. I urged other questions fore /
most IN my own mind Had thov
seen a small party eaat.bouudg
Yes. had answer They had I
passed this light outfit east Of I
bridgers post There was one /
chance in a hundred they might get
over The South Pass that fail for
they were travelling light and fast !
with good animals. and old Joe /
Meek was sure be would make ID
The women Well ono 4
was preachers wife. another an 1
old Gipsy. and another the most I
beautiful woman ever seen on the 4
trail Or anywhere else.
Then they began 10 question me |
regarding Oregon How was the 4
land! Would II raise wheat aud /
corn and h0g87 How was the i
weather. Was there much gamer /
Would u take much labor to clear I
q farm2
OF course II came 70 politics Yes
Texas had been annexed somehow I
not BY regular vote Of the senate /
There was some hitch about that 4
MY leader reck0ned there was no
regular treaty 70 had Just been
done by joint resolution of tine
House done BY Tyler and Calhoun. 4
Just u time % take the feather out 4
OF old Polk's cap The treaty of
anuexation-why. yes. ID WAS ran. f.
fled by Congress. and everything
signed up March third, Just one day I
before PoIk'a inaugural Polk was
on the warpath. according 10 my
gauHt leader There was going 10
De war HN sure Hn Hbogffuu ftrfea.s