i
..xxtjyrb .
VOL. XVIII.
OREGON PIONEER HISTORY.
SKETCHES OF EARLY DAYS, -MEN AND
TIMES IN THE FORTIES.
I1Y S. A CLARKE.
Copyright applied (or. All rljhti marred
NUMBER XIV.
Much interest will always attach to
tho first effort of whito women to cross
tho continent, a journoy that many mon
could havo hositnted to undortako at
that early day, and that only bravo wo
men, actuated by tho highest motive?,
could havo uttemptod.
Tho first women to uttompt this re
markablo journoy woro tho wives of tho
throo missionaries, Spalding, Whitman
and Gray. All woro woll educated. Mrs.
Whitman was naturally vory firm in
character and fino looking in appear
ance, as also was Sirs. Gray. 'Mrs.
Spalding was vory quick in learning a
language Sho rapidly learned tho Nez
Forces tonguo and acquired a strong
influonco over tho Indians.
In 1835, in company with Row Samnol
Parkor, Dr. Marcus Whitman started for
Oregon. But tho two mon wcro bo
radically different by nature that they
mutually agreed, at tho great Rocky
Mountain rendezvous on Green rivor,
that Mr. Parkor should go on and estab
lish tho Nez Forces mission and Whit
man return, report to tho mission board
and conio again to tho rendezvous tho
following year with associates to carry
out their plans. It so happened that at
tho Grcon river rendezvous Parker and
Whitman mot a band of X z Fcrcos In
dians undor tho lead of tho well-known
Indian chiof Lawyer. Tlioso Indians,
hearing of their arrival, mado earnest ro
quest to havo theso missionaries locate
in their country, to which tlioy acccdod.
Mr. Parkor was to go undor their caro
to tho Columbia river and they promised
to bo at Grocn river tho following year
(1830) to tako chorgo of Dr. Whitman
And his associates. Mr. H. Spalding and.
Dr. M. Whitman and their wives, and
W. II. Gray, secular agont, and his wifo,
formed tho mission party that arrived
at tho Rocky Mountain rendezvous in
tho summer of 1830. They had met no
stirring incident or advonturoup to that
timo, and woro surprisod at what (hoy
found there, or rather a littlo boforo tlioy
arrived, as woll as after arrival.
Two days boforo reaching Grcon rivor
thoy wero ularmcd by tho appcaranco of
a party of nearly twonty Indians and
whites who could not bo told from
savages by their look a. Yolls woro utter
ed and bullets went whizzing over their
heads as tho mad crowd caino rushing
toward them. But an ozporionccd plains
man had discerned a whito ilag that
meant poaco. So thoy manifested no
alarm. Horses and ridors soomed crazy
with oxcltmcnt as they camo hooting
and yolling, running and jumping over
sago brush or whatover interferred. This
was tho wild otiquotto of tho plains, and
tho party reciprocated it as woll as thoy
could with cheers nnd gun shots. Tho
now-comors passod to tho rear, and sur
rounding thorn, rushed back to their
camp as madly as thoy came. That
night thoy found a company of Xoz
Forces with a letter from Mr. Parker,
announcing his safo arrival and good
feeling existing among tho Indians.
Wo will stop a moment at that moun
tain camp, because its altitudo was re
markablo and its surrounding woro
worthy of mention. From that groat
mountain plateau tho waters of tho
continont diverged in all directions.
Some coursed north and east to feed tho
Saskatchewan; othors flowod towards
tho Missouri; to tho south and east went
streams to feed tho lower Missouri and
Colorado, while springs that flowed
northwest gavo birth to Snako river, the
greatest sourco of the summer floods of
the Coumbia. It was truly a significant
spot whereon to hold a council as a be
SALEM, OREGON, FRIDAY,
ginning of a now life on tho other sido
of our groat continontt
It was closo undor tho s ummit-land of
tho continent that our travelers offorod
hospitality that evening to tho friondly
Nez Porccs who camo half a thousand
miles, at least, to wolcomo them and es
cort thorn to thoir far wostorn homes.
They Bproad tho modest foast upon tho
mountain sward, with snow-capped sum
mits at hand for a July tokon. Pattered
iron platos and wooden handlod knives,
and forked sticks (if ono proforrod not
to uso tho fingers) and well worn tin cups
sot off tho cuisino. Tho venison roast
was toothsome, and so was tho broiled
buffalo steak toasted ovor tho coals on a
forked stick. Such was tho bill of faro,
soasoncd for onco with toa and sugar
and spiced with a littlo salt and sand
and dirt nd libitum. It was effective,
despito tho lack of dessort and tho
scautinoss of courses, for twonty-soven
years after tho great chiof, Lawyer,
assorted that thou and thero his heart
becatno ono with Americans. No doubt
tho famous Indian becamo interested
thon in ,tho two Amorican wives who
wcro to livo among his pconlo and bo
their instructors in a better lifo. Tho
influonco of womon was greatly felt in
the history of those missions. .
At tho Great American rendezvous on
Giren rivor tho missionary party found
a city of at loast.l,G00 population, mado
up Of various races. Tho fur company
had buildings nnd equipages for trains
as well as trading station. A sort of
oruor was obsorved in building this
strange and trnnsionl city of tho plains,
so as to permit passago to and through
it. Ingress and ogross was a matter of
doubt, howovor, though a spaco beside
tho rivor answorod for a gonoral high
way. Difforont quarters wcro allotted
to various interosts. All tho whiter con
gregated around tho company's quarters.
Huntors and trappers of various dogrcos
mado up this dopartmont, Tho different
Indian tribes had each their allotment
of ground, thatstrotchod for throe milos
along Hor'so crook and Groen river, whero
Snakos, Bannocks and southorn trlboi
woro camped. Tho far northorn hordes
spread six miles up Green river, whoro
Flathead and Blackfcct had emoted
thoir lodges and various camps.
Each band or tribo was so dispoaod
ns to bo ablo to defond its own
promisos and protect its stock, for thoy
had great wealth of horses and brought
thorn to tho rendozvous for trade. It so
happened that all tho savago Inland
Empire was at pcacn in 1830, but tho
Indian's motto is: "In timo of poaco
preparo tor war," ana all tlio camps
manifested tho etornal vigilanco that
makes peaco among Indians possible.
Tho city at Bridgor's was a military
camp, or rather a succession of camps.
Stealing was n constant crimo, nnd tho
only law was thut of might. Tho horso
thiof was shot down whore found. Tho
quickest shot decided questions of law
and fact at times. Thoro was say ono
hundred Americans who woro hunters
und trappers ; about fifty French ; a fow
traders; twonty outsiders, and tho re
mainder wcro natives of tho plains.
By arrangement tho Indians got up a
grand display to interest their whito
visitors, nnd especially to honor tho first
appoaranco of civilizod women on tho
sago plains. Tho procession begun to
form at tho Snako and Banuack en
campment. Thoso wero joined by Noz
Purees and Flat I rends, and ovory war
rior was dressed and paintod in the
gaudiest stylo of Indian haber dashory.
Thero was not so much of actual cloth
ing as of personal adornment. Tho
warriors had only a single cloth about
their loins, painted their bodies elabor
ately. Head drosses of feathers set off
tho cavaliors, and their weapons of war
woro carried with pride and ostentation.
They hod many rude instruments of
music that contributed sound in as
tounding variety. There wcro probably
six hundred warriors in this grand cal-
valcadc, and tho ladios as well as eomo
of tho husbands, wero roliovcd in mind
when thoy woro told tho demonstration
had no hostilo intent, but was a person
al compliment. It cannot bo said that
under tho most agrccablo conditions
thoy found tho sound of tho war-hoop,
tho savage yell and tho Indian drum
soothing to tho norves or quieting to
civilized sonscs. Mr. Qray nlludos to
tho potent influonco tho prosenco of re
fined womanhood oxorcisod ovor tho
lately rudn mountain-men, ovon thero
on tho summit of tlio Rocky MountaiiiH.
'Tho rough, votran mountain hunter
would touch his hat in a maunor abso
lutely rodiculous, it was so foreign to
his ovory-day lifo and conversation.
At Grcon river thoy mot Captain Nnth
aniol Wyoth, who was returning from
tho Columbia river, on his way bnck to
tho States. With him wcro John Mo
Lcod and Thomas McKay. Wyoth
gavo thorn excellent ndvlco to govern
their conduct when thoy reached Ore
gon. Thoy also mot Jo Mcok, who on
tortaincd them with yarns that to say
tho least woro clastic. In all thoro woro
eight of theso mountnin-mon, hunters
and trappers, who oarncd a reputation
as frco lances in days preceding ovon
our"pionoor days." Tho Indopondcnt
trappers wcro a class of mon tho Hudson
Bay company did opt tolorato any far
ther than thoy couldrpossibly help, thoy
woro too independent and as thoy usual
ly woro married to Indian women thoir
influonco ovor tho natives was vory oft-
cd a sourco of troublo and dilllculty.
Dr. Whitman bad persisted in bring
ing his wagon through tho Rocky
Mountains, and it rolled on whon thoy
started west from that great rendezvous
after six days rost. That wagon was a
sourco of infinite labor to its heroic
owner, but ha stayed with it in many
difficult places, and with tho nid of tho
over-willing Noz Porccs, it was safely
brought through tho rough mountains
this sido of Groon rivor, and overcom
ing every dilllculty was safely taken to
Old Fort Boiso. This ono incident illus
(rates tho unyielding and positivo char
acter of Marcus Whitman. It romaincd
at Fort Boiso until Dr. Whitman could
send for it, which I think was two years
later, and was left there becuuso of tho
general complaint that it delayed tho
progress of tho company. Mr. Gray
says tho Hudson Bay company fouud it
usoful in connection with hauling that
had to bo dono whifa it romaincd
thoro.
Tho throo ladios woro ferried ovor
Snake rivor on u raft mado of hullrush-
08. llieir clothing was a littlo wet as
thoy had to lio down on tho raft, but
thoy scarco mindod this inconvenience.
Somo timo was spent to dry and repack,
and thon thoy pushed on townrd Ore-
Bn . . .
At last theso horoic women
btood on
(ho western and northorn bIojio of tho
Bluo Mountains that overlooked tho
broad valley of tho Columbia. Theso
mountains brook down suddenly on
that side, as all tho height gained in a
long day of trnvel is ovorcomo by a sin
glo bold and almost prociptous declivity
On tho brow of this great outlook thoy
stood and took in tho wonderful vistas
that was spread in wild prolusion as far
as tho sight could go. Yonder canyon
is thronded by tho River of tho Wost,
and its silver flow is visible in plucos.
Tho rolling uplands of tho Umatilla
valley lio below thorn and glisten with
tho waving of tho hunch grass on a
thousand hills. Now thero are wheat
fields all over that fertilo scope and tho
red-men of 1830, what fow aro left, nro
gathered on a reservation, whilo civiliz
ed communities have mado thoir homes
over all tho broad domain east of Uma
tilla river. Standing whoro thoy stood,
to-day wo seo Pondloton, Conterville,
Weston, Milton and Walla Walla, and
along the desolato shore, rock ribbed to
day as thon, tho iron horso courses on
schedule time, while on tho broad river
great steamers go to and fro.
The sccno is beautiful more so by
APRIL 33, 1886.
far to-day than half a contury gone
and yot thoro is a blur upon it that all
tho charms of roflnemont and culluro
cannot efface, for wo seem to sco whero
Wnli-lat-pu was tho scono of massa
cre that was enacted in 1817; wa scorn
to hoar tho war-hoop and savago yells
that rose when our missionaries became
martyrs to a groat causo. Thoy died at
tho post of danger rather than to seek
safoty by abandoning it.
Only n month boforo that fntnl day,
returning from Oregon City, Whitman
campod nenr tho Umatilla, closo by an
ommigrant train in which was Judgo J.
W. Grim, a woll known nnd honored
citizon of Marion county, who has given
me a sketch of tho doctor's epoccli at
thoir camp fire. Ho gavo thorn much
valuable information and good ndvico,
nnd in allusion to himself ho said ho
said ho folt iusecuro whoro ho was, as
as inoro was u uostiio icoiing growing
among tho nativos that might end in
fatal results. Knowing this and patient
ly doing all ho could to nvcrt it, thero
was somothing moro than mora heroism
in tho Bonso of duty that hold him
thoro a waiting victim. Ono of thoso
horoio womon livod to fulfill hor lifo
work, but tho othorwas sacrificed with
othors on that fearful dny of massa
cre. INIKOTt AMU THMfc KIWIS.
Tnt Rtlauont of tns Furmtr Tnrto.-How
they OriiinaU and How to Dpois Thtra.
1IY V. H. MATTKHON.
Tho ants, liko tho bees, aro commun
istic living togothor in familios, or
tribes, and carrying on thoir domestic
and political affairs with patriarchnl
simplicity. Their communities aro
composed, liko tho domestic bco, of
males, females and nouters, or work
ers. Their females, howovor, do not ap
pear to bo so oxnetingly jealous as the
fomalo boo, who suffers no rival to re
main in the samo cantonmont; but
many males nnd fomalea livo amicably
together in tho samo community with a
multitudo of workors.
Whothor tho ants practice poligamy,
liko the Mormons, or polyandry, liko
tho bees, I am not informed; neither
does it matter. It is with their habits
of living and mothnds of doinir business
which chiefly concerns us. Iu this wo
find much to commend. From tho
birth of history, tho ant, togothor with
the boo, has been ox tolled ns a pattern to
be copied after "Go to tho nnt thou slug
gard. Considor hor ways and be wiso,"
is as apnlicablo now as it was whon tho
servants of Hiram were hewing the
cedars of Lebanon Into timber for the
great templo at Jorusalom. "Which
having no guide, ovcrsocr or ruler, pro
vldoth her meat in summer, and gath-
oroth hor food in tho harvest."
Ants mako thoir nosts in tho ground,
in rotten wood, and somotimes in other
places. Homo varioticH raiso a mound
(ant hill), othors simply burrow. Thoso
nesting iu wood, bito off, and carry out
Small bits, and thus form their rooniB.
Thoy livo an active, industrious and en
orgotio lifo during summor, and in win
ter lio dormant. Thoy brood in thoir
nests during summer, und carefully tond
their young offspring. Whon the ucst
is invaded, every worker engages cither
in tho defonso of tho homo or in carry
ing tho young ones to a place of safety.
Ants aro indomitable, both as work
ers nnd fighters. Whon one has moro
than he can manage alone, others come
to assist until tho united forco is miffi
cient to accomplish the work in hand.
Feeding principally upon tho bodies of
dead insocts, worms and animal fats and
juices-gcnerally,thoy attack and kill such
as thoy aro able to overcome, for pur
poses of food. Attacking in united
force and great fury, insects ono bun
drod times their size and strength, thoy
stay with him like "original tin" until
ho soccumbs. And woe to the insect or
small animal that intofcres with thoir
business. Tho ants attack him with
NO. 11,
such vigor and pcrsistanco, that ho dies
or finds safety in flight.
Do ants kill aphids? This question
hao lately been in the Faumf.ii, pro nnd
ante. I think thoy do, but novcr saw
them do it. That is, somo varieties, and
under cortnin conditions do. Ants nro
canivcrous, or nearly so. Why thon
not oat aphids. But ants aro very fond
ofBwcots, nnd tho aphid ejects a sweet
excretion much rolishod by thorn. It
follows thoroforo that as Mr. Ant is a
shrowed businoss manager, ho doos not
caro to injuro his herd of docilo honoy
combsj especially if ho has plonty of
other food. If pressed by hunger, I havo
littlo doubt but ho would oat tho aphids.
Possibly ho has government regulations
on tho matter, and may not oat aphids
unless so ordered. However this may
be, ant communities livo and work to
gether in tho host of harmony, and thoy
soom to understand each other, and
never quarrel among themselves. Thoir
labor organizations seem to bo porfect,
and they novor indulgo in "strikes" or
"boycotts,"
Yet tho ant is Ul-tomporod, quarrel
somo nnd formiabtd'lns n fightor, and
comes nearer to mankind in tho matter
of regular wars, that any insect that I
know of. But whon this diminutivo
Spartan goes on tho warpath, ho novor
snooks out at night with a gunny-bug
over his head to attack tho holploss and
dcforicolcss, burgoos in daylight, opon
ly, and abovo board, strong in confidonco
of his own prowost, with blood in bis
oyo and battlo in his heart
Whon hisonemy of invasion marohos
forth to conquost, Valor goes before,
Victory is borno upon his standard, and
Doath and Destruction follow in his
train.
In common parlonco ho is called
"Ant," and Ids habitation is callod an
"ant-nest;" names in ovory way be
fitting so industrious and enterprising
n homo builder. But scionco has loaded
him with n palysillabio nomonclaturo of
tho most jow-breaking kind. How can
an insoct only one-sixteenth part of an
inch long bo expected to prcsorvo his
oquadity undor tho cognomen of "mono-mo
ri-am car-ban-n.ri'Uml" Who
would quietly ondtire to bo stigmatized
ai a "Uro-iiwto-gas-ler-lin-o-o-la.tal"
when ho was only one-eighth of an inoh
lonir. And to call a creature only one
fourth nf nn inch in length a "Myr-mo-co-log-l-qucs,"
a "Do-ra-myr-mox-in-sa-miiH,"
or a "Po-go-no-myr-o-nox- bor-ba-tal"
might woll rondcr him jurioUs. Yet
tho ants wholo family is callod names
that woiill boas sweet inconso to tho
vanity of a Spanish hidalgo, us ''Form-i-cid-ao,
Do-ll-cho-do-rid-no," otc., ami
oven his humblo nest is tormod a "Form
icary." But tho ant is only it mire,
and not a Spanish grandco.
I liko the ant for various reasons. He
attends to his own affuirs. Ho destroy
many noxious insects. His industry
und pcrsovoranco is commondablo, and
ono can but admire his grit oven If often
compelled to condomu his judgment. I
liko him also for tho miuiio reason that
Josh Billings liked tho rooster, not only
becuuso ho crowod, but heciuiBO ho hud
"tho spurs to buck that kro up."
FANCY CHIOKEM EQ08 CHEAP.
To unyono who will sond us f I, wo
will send tho Wii.umkttk Faiimkii one
year, and a setting of 13 eggs of either
of tho following brcods: Wyutulottos
and Itoso Comb Loghorim.
To unyono who will sond us $3.f0 we
will sond tho Wim-amktti: Faumku and
u sotting of 13 eggH of either of tho fol
lowing breeds; Brown Leghorns, Ply
mouth Hocks and IVkin Ducks.
The regular prices of thoso eggs are
$ land .152.00 respectively. This oiler is
opon to all, whothor thoy bo subscribers
or not.
Ton Fekin Duck oggs aro a Betting.
As wo only havo u limited number of
jottings wo suggost that thoso desiring
such eggn to act at onco. Tho first
come, the first scrvod.