Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 26.djvu/278

218 winter freshets, despair nearly overtook them. But with thoughts of mother, father, sisters, friends, before them, that river had to be crossed.

Young Barlow cut a long pole and finding a place in the turbulent stream where a few boulders would aid him, he placed the pole firmly in the river and vaulted from boulder to boulder and fortunately reached the opposite shore. The victory was won. He shouted a "good-bye" to his companion and was off like a deer to the nearest habitation, which was but eight miles away.

There he met James and Dock, his brothers, who had arrived a few days before with the cattle over the Indian trail, and who were anxiously awaiting the arrival of their father's company. They were sent immediately to Oregon City, the largest and most important town on the coast at that time. Horses were loaded with bread, meat and groceries. A better crossing was found for fording the Big Sandy, then, great haste was made to reach the well-nigh exhausted party in the wilds of the Cascades.

After resting a few days and eating very frugally to prevent foundering, all pushed on to Philip Foster's farm, where they recruited in strength and cleanliness. They then, cheerfully and thankfully started for the last goal in their long journey—Oregon City, the home of the benevolent chief factor of the Hudson's Bay Company—Dr. John McLoughlin. They were greeted and welcomed by the whole town on that momentous day, December 25,1845. The Barlow party had left The Dalles October 19, 1845, had travelled one hundred and ten miles in exactly two months and six days. Mrs. Jacobs, still living, one of the Osborn girls who was spared at the Whitman massacre, was one of the many who greeted the Barlows that day.

Soon after the completion of this remarkable journey, Samuel K. Barlow addressed the legislature of the pro-