Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 37.djvu/107

Rh six miles. Mrs. Whitman's mention of a former crossing (which had been even more dangerous) refers to that of Snake River about three miles below Glenns Ferry, Idaho, where no canoes were available for the ladies. The novel means of crossing here is vividly illustrated in the accompanying picture of similar crossing of rivers in Montana, taken from the Report of the Construction of a Military Road, by John Mullan, at page 50. About twenty years ago the writer of these comments visited this camping place of the party in company with Mr. Miles Cannon. The broad flat or meadow, known by tradition as a favorite fishing resort of the Indians, remains of about the same size and appearance as it was one hundred years ago. But the two islands in the river have disappeared; also the site and buildings of Fort Boise on the opposite bank, the result of floods and change of channel of the Boise River at its mouth. Mrs. Whitman continues:

"As for the waggon it is left at the fort, & I have nothing to say about it this time crossing. Five of our cattle we left also to be exchanged for others at Walla the only exchanged. Perhaps you will wonder why we have left the waggon having taken it so near through our animals were failing & the route in crossing the Blue Mountains is said to be impassable for it we have the prospect of obtaining one in exchange at Vancouver If we do not we shall send for it when convenient & pack it over. We regret now to loose the use of it when we have been at so much labour in getting thus far. It is a useful article in this country.”

This is the wagon so often referred to by controversial writers of Oregon history. It was built especially for Mr. Spalding in New York state before the journey began and had been reduced to a two-wheel cart at some point east of Fort Hall. The delay it caused in their travel evidently now had become too much for further endurance, even by the patient and courteous Mr. McLeod. The first wagons to be actually driven from Fort Boise to the Columbia were those of the Newell-Meek-Ermatinger party in 1840, and these were reduced to the running gear before finishing the trip. The ladies rode horseback practically all the way from the Missouri, presumably upon the uncomfortable