The quarterly of the Oregon Historical Society, Vol. 1, No. 1, March, 1900Oregon Historical Society
History
The quarterly of the Oregon Historical Society, Vol. 1, No. 1, March, 1900
Oregon Historical Society
Oregon -- History -- Periodicals
This was the party of Captain Hastings, in which was Dr. Elijah White,
who had first come to Oregon with the large mission party on the bark
Lausanne, in 1839-40; but had returned east, and was now coming to
Oregon again, crossing the plains, holding the appointment to the
position of sub-Indian agent for Oregon, and was accompanied by a party
of over one hundred immigrants. Doctor White is recalled by Mr. Matthieu
as “a sleek looking gentleman,” and “a quick talker.”
A well-known member of the party was Amos L. Lovejoy, described as very
light sandy-complexioned, and “more quick tempered than any man I ever
knew;” Captain Hastings was of heavy build and swarthy complexion. The
pioneer, Medorem Crawford, then in his young prime, was also in the
company. Sydney Moss, now living as a nonegenarian at Oregon City;
Thomas Sladden and——Robb were also quickly made acquaintances. Among the
women of the party Mr. Matthieu especially recalls an elderly widow,
Mrs. Brown, and her daughter, who were said to have been held, previous
to this time, as captives among the Comanches. There were a number of
families in the train, among them being that of Mr. Smith.
The pilot of the company was Fitzpatrick, the famous guide of Wyeth’s
party, whom Matthieu describes as tall and spare with abundant gray
hair; an Irishman of good common education, and even gentlemanly
bearing; perfectly at home anywhere on the boundless prairies, or within
the mountain ranges. Unlike the most of his race, however, he was very
taciturn.
While this company was waiting at Laramie, provisioning, Matthieu and
his comrades quickly decided to go along with them to Oregon. They had
their rifles and their horses; what more was required? The very first
night, however, they discovered that more was needed. They went
supperless, game having failed during the day; and they could not but
look on with a little envy and self-commiseration at the various
campfires where the immigrants were despatching fried bacon and mountain
biscuit and drinking coffee. Mr. Matthieu says, however, that the
immigrants could not be blamed or called inhospitable for neglecting to
entertain them, as they knew as yet nothing of the trappers who had
joined their caravan, and every head of a family felt obliged to guard
his little store of provisions, scant at the best.
The incidents of the journey are vividly recalled by Mr. Matthieu,
though now after a lapse of fifty-eight years. These should be mentioned
here, some being serious and some being laughable, whether recorded
elsewhere or not, as they afford light upon the individuality of this
important member of the group of Oregon pioneers, of the era of the
provisional government.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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