AN OLYMPIA WOMAN'S TRIP ACROSS THE PLAINS IN 1851.
Mrs. C. J. Crosby of Olympia, Washington, contributes this narrative of
her personal experience, to the literature of the Northwest:
"It was in the early spring of '51 that my father took the
emigrant fever to come West, to what was then termed Oregon
Territory, and get some of Uncle Sam's land which was donated to
any one who had the perseverance and courage to travel six long
weary months, through a wild, savage country with storms and
floods as well as the terrible heat and dust of summer to contend
against. Our home was in Covington, Indiana, and my father, Jacob
Smith, with his wife and five children, myself being the eldest,
started from there the 24th day of March for a town called
Council Bluffs on the Missouri River, where all the emigrants
bought their supplies for their long journey in the old time
prairie schooner. Our train was composed of twenty-four wagons
and a good number of people. A captain was selected, whose duty
it was to ride ahead of the train and find good camping place for
the day or night, where there was plenty of wood, water and
grass.
"The first part of our journey we encountered terrible floods,
little streams would suddenly become raging torrents and we were
obliged to cross them in hastily-constructed boats; two incidents
I distinctly remember.
"We had traveled all day and in the evening came to a stream
called the Elk Horn, where we had some trouble and only part of
the train crossed that night--we were among the number; well, we
got something to eat as best we could, and being very tired all
went to bed as early as possible; the river was a half mile from
where we camped, but in the night it overflowed and the morning
found our wagons up to the hubs in water, our cooking utensils
floating off on the water, except those that had gone to the
bottom, and all the cattle had gone off to find dry ground, and
for a while things in general looked very discouraging. However,
the men started out at daylight in search of the stray cattle,
soon found them and hitched them to the wagons and started for
another camping place, and to wait until we were joined by those
who were left behind the night before. We all rejoiced to leave
that river as soon as possible, but not many days expired before
we came to another river which was worse than the first one--it
was exceedingly high and very swift, but by hard work and
perseverance they got all the wagons across the river without any
accident, with the exception of my father's, which was the last
to cross. They got about half way over when the provision wagon
slid off the boat and down the river it went. Well, I can hardly
imagine how any one could understand our feelings unless they had
experienced such a calamity; to see all the provisions we had in
the world floating away before our eyes and not any habitation
within many hundred miles of us; for a while we did indeed feel
as though the end had come this time sure. We could not retrace
our footsteps, or go forward without provisions; each one in the
train had only enough for their own consumption and dare not
divide with their best friend; however, while they were debating
what was best to do, our wagon had landed on a sandbar and the
men waded out and pulled it ashore. It is needless for me to say
there was great rejoicing in the camp that day; of course, nearly
everything in the wagon was wet, but while in camp they were
dried out. Fortunately the flour was sealed up in tin cans; the
corn meal became sour before it got dry, but it had to be used
just the same. In a few days we were in our usual spirits, but
wondering what new trials awaited us, and it came all too soon;
the poor cattle all got poisoned from drinking alkali water; at
first they did not know what to do for them, but finally someone
suggested giving them fat bacon, which brought them out all right
in a day or two. Then their feet became very sore from constant
traveling and thorns from the cactus points, and we would be
obliged to remain in camp several days for them to recruit.
"As we proceeded farther on our way we began to fear the Indians,
and occasionally met strolling bands of them all decked out with
bows and arrows, their faces hideous with paint and long feathers
sticking in their top-knots, they looked very fierce and savage;
they made us understand we could not travel through their country
unless we paid them. So the men gave them some tobacco, beads and
other trinkets, but would not give them any ammunition; they went
away angry and acted as though they would give us trouble.
"Some of the men stood guard every night to protect the camp as
well as the horses and cattle, as they would drive them off in
the night and frequently kill them.
"Thus we traveled from day to day, ever anxious and on the
lookout for a surprise from some ambush by the wayside, they were
so treacherous, but kind Providence protected us and we escaped
the fate of the unfortunate emigrants who preceded us.
"Fortunately there was but little sickness in our train and only
one death, that of my little brother; he was ill about two weeks
and we never knew the cause of his death. At first it seemed an
impossibility to go away and leave him alone by the wayside, and
what could we do without a coffin and not any boards to make one?
A trunk was thought of and the little darling was laid away in
that. The grave had to be very deep so the wild animals could not
dig up the body, and the Indians would plunder the graves, too,
so it was made level with the ground. We felt it a terrible
affliction; it seemed indeed the climax of all we had endured. It
was with sad hearts we once again resumed our toilsome journey.
"We saw the bones of many people by the wayside, bleaching in the
sun, and it was ever a constant reminder of the dear little one
that was left in the wilderness. However, I must not dwell too
long over this dark side of the picture, as there was much to
brighten and cheer us many times; there were many strange,
beautiful things which were a great source of delight and wonder,
especially the boiling springs, the water so hot it would cook
anything, and within a short distance springs of ice water, and
others that made a noise every few minutes like the puffing of a
steamer. Then there were rocks that resembled unique old castles,
as they came into view in the distance. All alone in the prairie
was one great rock called Independence Rock; it was a mile around
it, half a mile wide and quite high in some places; there were
hundreds of emigrants' names and dates carved on the side of the
rock as high as they could reach. It reminded one of a huge
monument. I wonder if old Father Time has effaced all the names
yet?
"In the distance we saw great herds of buffalo and deer; the
graceful, swift-footed antelope was indeed a sight to behold, and
we never grew tired of the lovely strange flowers we found along
the road.
"The young folks, as well as the old, had their fun and jokes,
and in the evening all would gather 'round the campfire, telling
stories and relating the trials and experiences each one had
encountered during the day, or meditating what the next day would
bring forth of weal or woe. Thus the months and days passed by,
and our long journey came to an end when we reached the Dalles on
the Columbia River, where we embarked on the small steamer that
traveled down the river and landed passengers and freight at a
small place called the Cascades. At this place there was a
portage of a half mile; then we traveled on another steamer and
landed in Portland the last day of October, the year 1851,
remained there during the winter and in the spring of 1852 came
to Puget Sound with a number of others who were anxious for some
of Uncle Sam's land.
"Olympia, a very small village, was the only town on the Sound
except Fort Steilacoom, where a few soldiers were stationed. We
spent a short time in Olympia before going to Whidby Island,
where my father settled on his claim, and we lived there five
years, when we received a patent from the government, but before
our home was completed he had the misfortune to break his arm,
and, not being properly set, he was a cripple the remainder of
his life."
In 1852 there were a couple of log houses at Alki Point, occupied by Mr.
Denny and others; they called the "town" New York. We went ashore from
the schooner and visited them.
To the above properly may be added an account published in a Seattle
paper:
"Mrs. C. J. Crosby, of Olympia, gives the following interesting
sketch of her early days on Whidby Island:
"As I am an old settler and termed a moss-back by those who have
come later, I feel urged to relate a few facts pertaining to my
early life on Whidby Island in the days of 1852. My father, Jacob
Smith, with his wife and five children, crossed the plains the
year of 1851. We started from Covington, Indiana, on the 24th day
of March and arrived in Portland, Oregon, the last day of
October.
"We remained there during the winter, coming to Olympia the
spring of 1852, where we spent a short time before going down to
the island. My father settled on a claim near Pen's Cove, and
almost opposite what is now called Coupeville. We lived there
five years, when he sold his claim to Capt. Swift for three
thousand five hundred dollars and we returned to Olympia.
"The year '52 we found several families living on the island;
also many bachelors who had settled on claims. I have heard my
mother say she never saw the face of a white woman for nine
months. My third sister was the second white child born on the
island. I remember once we did not have any flour or bread for
six weeks or more. We lived on potatoes, salmon and clams.
Finally a vessel came in the Sound bringing some, but the price
per barrel was forty-five dollars and it was musty and sour.
Mother mixed potatoes with the flour so that we could eat it at
all, and also to make it last a long time.
"There is also another incident impressed on my memory that I
never can forget. One morning an Indian came to the house with
some fish oil to sell, that and tallow candles being the only
kind of light we had in those days. She paid him all he asked for
the oil, besides giving him a present, but he wanted more. He got
very angry and said he would shoot her. She told him to shoot and
took up the fire shovel to him. Meantime she told my brother to
go to a neighbor's house, about half a mile distant, but before
the men arrived the Indian cleared out. However, had it not been
for the kindness of the Indians we would have suffered more than
we did."
From other published accounts I have culled the following:
"Peter Smith crossed the plains in 1852 and settled near
Portland. When it was known the Indians would make trouble, Mr.
Smith, being warned by a friendly Indian, took his family to
Fort Steilacoom and joined the 'Home Guard,' but shortly
afterward joined a company of militia and saw real war for three
months.
"Just before the hostilities in 1855, two Indians visited his
house. One of them was a magnificent specimen of physical manhood
and chief of his tribe. They wanted something to eat. Now several
settlers had been killed by Indians after gaining access to their
houses, but, nothing daunted, Mrs. Smith went to work and
prepared a very fine dinner, and Mr. S. made them sandwiches for
their game bag, putting on an extra allowance of sugar, and
appeared to be as bold as a lion. He also accepted an invitation
to visit their camp, which he did in their company, and formed a
lasting friendship.
"The mince, fruit and doughnuts did their good work.
"During the war Mr. Smith had his neck merely bruised by a
bullet. On his return home he found the Indians had been there
before him and stolen his hogs and horses and destroyed his
grain, a loss of eleven hundred dollars, for which he has never
received any pay."