The Sauk Centre herald., 1910-06-30
CHAPTER xxx.
Counter Currents.


Woman is like the reed that bends to
every breeze, but breaks not in the tenn
pest.-Bishop Richard Whately.
The Oregon immigration for 1S45
numbered, according to some &C.
counts, not less than 5000 souls. Our
people still rolled westward in a
mighty wave. The history of that
great west-bound movement is well
known. The story of yet more de-
cisive journey of that same year never
has been written-that of Helena Won
Ritz, from Oregon to the east. The
price of that journey was an empire;
its cost-ah, let me not yet speak Of
that.
Although Meek and agreed that he
should push east at the best possible
speed, it was well enough understood
that should give him no more than a
day or SO start. l did not purpose to
allow so risky a journey as this to be
undertaken by any woman in so small
party, and made no doubt that
would overtake them at least at Fort
Hall, perhaps 500 miles east of the
missions, or at farthest at Fort Brid-
ger, some 700 miles from the starting
point in Oregon.
The young wife of one of the mis-
sionaries was glad enough to 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 to interest her. Their
equipment and supplies were as good
as any purchasable. What could be
done, we now had done.
Yet, after all, Helena Won Ritz had
her own way. l did not see her again
after We parted that evening at the
mission. l was absent for a couple of
days with hunting party, and on my
return discovered that she was gone
with no more than brief farewell to
those left behind! Meek was anxious
as herself to be off; but he left word
for me to follow on at once
1t may be supposed that I myself
to make up a small party of four men,
about half the number Meek took with
him; and 1 threw together such
equipment as l could find remaining,
not wholly to my liking, but good
enough, l fancied, to overtake party
headed by woman. But one thing
after another cost us time, and we did
not average 20 miles a day. l felt
half desperate, as l reflected on what
that might mean. AS early fall was
approaching, l could expect, in view
of my own lost time, to encounter the
annual wagon train 200 or 800 miles
farther westward than the object of
my pursuit naturally would have done.
AS a matter of fact, my party met
the wagons at point well to the west
of Fort Hall.
1t was early in the morning we met
| them coming west-that long, weary,
dust-covered, creeping caravan, a mile
long, slow serpent, crawling westward
across the desert. In time / came up
to the head of the tremendous wagon
train of 1S45, and its leader and my
self thew up our hands in the saluta-
tion of the wilderness.
The captain stood at 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 men and
women were thin almost as the beasts
which dragged the wagons. These lat
ter stood with lolling tongues even
thus early in the day, for water here
about was scarce and bitter to the
taste. So, at first almost in silence,
we made the salutations of the desert
So, presently, we exchanged the news
of east and west.
There is to-day no news of the quail
ity which we then communicated.
They knew nothing of Oregon.
knew nothing of the east. A national
election had been held, regarding
which / knew not even the names of
the candidates of either party, not to
mention results All / could do was
to guess and to point to the inscrip-
tion on the white top of the foremost
wagon: "Fifty-Four Forty or Fight"
'Ts Polk elected?" l asked the cap
tain of the train.
He nodded "He shore is" said he.
Were comm out to take Oregon.
What's the news?"
My own grim news was that Oregon
was ours and must be ours. l shook
hands with a hundred men on that,
our hands clasped in stern and silent
grip. Then, after a time, l urged
other questions foremost in my own
| mind. Had they seen small party
east-bound?
Yes, 1 had answer. They had passed
this light outfit east of Bridgers post.
There was one chance in hundred
they might get over the, South pass
that fall for they were travelin9 lioh+