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Told by the Pioneer's - Washington Secretary of State

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<strong>Told</strong> <strong>by</strong> <strong>the</strong> Pioneers<br />

WITH WHITMAN ON WAY WEST<br />

By J. A. Stoughteu - Spokane County<br />

Recalled Details <strong>of</strong> Perilous Journev 'Yest<br />

•<br />

C0111"tesy <strong>of</strong> TValla TValta [;n iOll<br />

A man who crossed <strong>the</strong> plains with <strong>the</strong> great immigration <strong>of</strong> 1843<br />

\'isited "ralla 'Valla during <strong>the</strong> Pioneer Pageant in 1924 and told <strong>of</strong><br />

his experiences. This train was led <strong>by</strong> ::\Iarcus "Vhitman and J. A.<br />

Stoughten <strong>of</strong> Spokane recalled <strong>the</strong> trip.<br />

The wagon train <strong>of</strong> 1843, according to ::\11'. Stoughten, consisted <strong>of</strong><br />

about 200 wagons. The Stoughten party left from Fort Leavenworth,<br />

Kan., <strong>the</strong>n a frontier army post, and joined <strong>the</strong> part~' later.<br />

That ::\Iarcus 'Yhitman was actually <strong>the</strong> guide <strong>of</strong> this party was<br />

strongly affirmed b~' Stoughten.<br />

"Ano<strong>the</strong>r man had been taken as guide but after he got us into several<br />

pockets vrhitman brought <strong>the</strong> party through, said Stoughten.<br />

"Whitman used to ride back and forth along <strong>the</strong> train encouraging<br />

and giving ad\'ice so we sa\" him practicall~' e\'er~' day <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> long<br />

,<br />

Journe~'.<br />

StuppI'd Twin'<br />

"'\Te ,,'ere stopped t\"ice <strong>by</strong> large bands <strong>of</strong> Ill(1ians Sioux and<br />

l'he~'ennes. The first time we were forced to pa~' tribute and killed<br />

nine head <strong>of</strong> cattle to feed <strong>the</strong> Indians. The second time, after <strong>the</strong> Indians<br />

appeared, Fremont with Kit Karson, his scout, and about 25<br />

soldier,;: came up. Fremont told us to gi,'e our whips to <strong>the</strong> \\'omen<br />

and take our guns. After looking O\'er <strong>the</strong> Indians \H,' found many <strong>of</strong><br />

<strong>the</strong>m <strong>the</strong> same ones ,,'e had fed before and with <strong>the</strong> help <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> soldiers<br />

llron~ <strong>of</strong>f <strong>the</strong> Indians. The soldiers staved with us for about 10 days<br />

• •<br />

uutil all danger from Indians ,"as passed.<br />

"Ai' ,,'e g'ot into <strong>the</strong> alkali desert <strong>the</strong> cattles' feet began to wear out<br />

und <strong>the</strong>v . died from <strong>the</strong> alkali. :l'.Iy fa<strong>the</strong>r lost two yoke <strong>of</strong> oxen. "-hit-<br />

.'<br />

man let <strong>the</strong> party scatter out more to g'et feed and at times it \\'as 100<br />

miles from front to real' <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> train."<br />

An exciting tale <strong>of</strong> a great buffalo stampede which missed <strong>the</strong> train<br />

<strong>by</strong> only half a mile waf; also told <strong>by</strong> Stoughten. "Their llO<strong>of</strong>s sounded<br />

like thunder and we could hear <strong>the</strong> rattle <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir interlocked horns<br />

for miles. By spreading horsemen out along <strong>the</strong> train and shouting,<br />

we managed to turn <strong>the</strong> course <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir stampede a trifle so <strong>the</strong>y<br />

missed <strong>the</strong> train. :Men with <strong>the</strong> train who had had experience on <strong>the</strong><br />

plains estimated that <strong>the</strong>re were many thousands in <strong>the</strong> herd."<br />

73

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