The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1936-07-02
By MISS ELINOR HENRY
CHAPTER iii

3 CHAPTER LII
The captain of the American Fur
Company's boat refused to stop at
Liberty as the missionaries had
been promised at st. Louis. what
d,d it mean? Perhaps, they thought,
o,at the caravan did not want
Somen along.
The Whitman party could not
-.css the plains without the Com
L,ny's protection. But they mad sci
1T to establish mission in Ore
i'm. Already they had gone about
SScO miles They had as many more
= tourney, with the Rockies still
several weeks travel ahead. They
lad 20 catch the cacaysn. There was
% turning back at the halfway
asark!
whitman hired team and wagon
md set out overland. He hoped 10
overtake Spald;ng, wtso had the
hent and other camping equipment.
The party's innnedlase gual was the
Otoe Indian Agency. where the
caravan was TO SeC. Refusing 20
travel on the Sabbath even IN such
n emergency, they spent Sunday,
Nav 8, at the Methodist mission
Leavenworth. Spalding had
~ StDppsd there, 50 Whitman sent
= MESSENGER ahead TO overtake INN
nd have tie light wagon sent back.
About ne 18th or 18th the mis-
aunaries reunited, and On the next
0nnday. May IS, they camped with
n eighteen miles Of the Osoe
Agency. Whitman was called there
- care for a sick man, and heoG0
80 Thomas Fitzpatrick. captain Of
- caravan, had LEFT that very day.
a8enfline a man back to guide the
nission party, Whitman set out in
pursuit Of Fitzpatrick. whom he had
Known the previous year.
Fitzpatrick was willing tor the
missionaries to accompany him. but
aid they would have to eaten up
With the caravan, as it was already
late in starting. He was not 90
blame for the river boat captains
refusal to stop at Liberty.
Riding back to the Otoe. Agency
- meet his wife and the rest d
his party, Whitman could not nave
dreamed what a race they were 70
have to join the company before II
reached the edge OF hostile Indian
country. Mrs. Whitman and the
others were lost until Wednesday,
May Is, in the roadless. inhabited
country south Of the Platte. Some
how, the guide had misled them.
Then there was the river to cross.
Mrs. Whitman described the expert
ence wildly: Husband became SO
completely exhausted with swim
ming the river on Thursday, May
18th. that it was with difficulty he
made the shore the last time. Mr.
Spalding was sick, our two hired
men were good for nothing; we could
not obtain much assistance from
the Otoes, for they were away from
the village; we had but one canoe.
made Of skins, and that partly eaten
by the dogs the night before. we
got everything over by Friday
might. We did not get ready TO starr
until Saturday afternoon"
They even travelled on the Sab,
bath, for the company was four and
a half days ahead OF them, ano
they had two more difficult streams
to cross before they would reach
the Pawnee village on the Loul
Fork, the farthest west such small
party dared 60. Their strenuous
forced marches were rewarded and
their fervent prayers answered
when they reached the Loup Fork
on May Is and saw the Company's
camp on the other side Of the river
The caravan had forgotten axle
grease, and several days were
needed to make it.
From that time until they reached
the Rendezvous on July 6, the mis-
sion party kept up with the cara.
van, even when that meant travel
ing on Sunday.
Following the company's custom
only enough flour was brought 'tc
last until the buffalo county wa:
reached. which was about the frs
of June. Beyond that. their meal!
consisted Of buffalo meat and tea
Variety consisted in the many way!
Dr.. Whitman cooked the meat Mrs
Whitman found the diet very salts
factory, though it did not agree 81
well with Mrs. Spalding. Mrs
Spalding was able to drink mill
rom the cows.
They spent eight days resting a
Fort Laramie, which they reached
June Is. Narcissa made good use o
her first opportunity to wasl
clothes since leaving Liberty.