USA > Oregon > Pioneer days of Oregon history, Vol. II > Part 7
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F. X. MATTHIEU Last survivor of those who participated in the formation of the Pro- visional Government of Oregon.
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for mountain men and expeditions starting for the Rocky Mountains. At St. Louis they met Sublette, the famous mountain traveller, and gathered information as to proper outfit, the country they were to traverse and the Indian tribes.
At Independence they found waiting several families, and others, who were camped there waiting Dr. White's coming. Day by day the number increased until the 15th, when, with one hundred and five in all, fifty-one men over eighteen years of age, and with sixteen wagons and horses and cattle, they started over the trackless wastes. Then he was free of all care and responsibility and had little thought but for the adventure before him, but since then has wondered that those with families could venture wives and children so blindly on the fearful hazards of that jour- ney. Not one of them had crossed those mountains, so they selected as guide one Coats, who had been as far as Green River ; he rode in advance, in sight of the foremost wagons.
A child of Judge Lancaster's was buried on the fifth day; nine days later the failing health of Mrs. Lancaster caused the family to return; but Judge Lancaster came to Oregon some years later and settled north of the Colum- bia. An invalid gentleman, named Bishop, and Stephen Meek joined them later. Bishop reached Vancouver, went to the Sandwich Islands and died there.
Later emigrations had experienced guides who knew the camping places and where good water was to be had, but this party had to learn all this for themselves, never know- ing where they would find water and grass at night, or when they might meet hostile savages.
The first excitement was about the dogs, of which there
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were a number, and each owner thought his or her canine superior and indispensable; the end was that thirty were shot, after which peace reigned-for awhile. There were grievances ; some had made bargains they were unable to carry out; some had overloaded their teams or had made inadequate provision. The fearful storms usual on the Platte in the spring made them cold and miserable, and harmony was impossible. Three weeks brought them to the South Platte, where was plenty of buffalo, which made provisions temporarily abundant ; there was intense excite- ment hunting them. Day after day they drove in midst of immense droves and there was often great danger as they went thundering across the emigrants' way; or there was danger that their camps would be trampled under foot by them, but they escaped with no harm done.
Fort Leavenworth was reached the last day of June ; they remained a few days to recruit the tired animals and rest their own weary bodies ; some who were invited to dine at the trading post thought they had an excellent dinner, until an inquisitive guest asked what game they had feasted on, and was told it was dog meat, much to their disgust. At Laramie they were joined by F. X. Matthieu and three others, who mounted their ponies and with no provisions or outfit, more than a buffalo robe, blankets, gun and tin cup, started to go to an unknown country many hundreds of miles away.
By this time all saw the need of an experienced guide, so arrangements were made with Mr. Fitzpatrick, who was at Laramie, to accompany them to Fort Hall, for $500. Then, many who were somewhat discouraged by the diffi- culties before them went on their way with increased hope.
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No wagons had ever travelled beyond Laramie. Their guide therefore had difficulty to find passes and fords for teams, where it was easy enough for horseback riders. They reached the Sweetwater by the middle of July, where a fatal accident caused the death of a young man named Bailey, who passed behind a wagon as the owner drew a blanket out, causing the discharge of a rifle, the ball killing him instantly. They wrapped their friend's remains in his buffalo robe and he was buried near Independence Rock, but no indications were left visible, for fear of Indians dis- turbing the remains. No one knew his story, and no kith or kin were informed of his fate.
At Devil's Gate they were surprised by the appearance of two hundred painted Sioux, who brought in Hastings and Lovejoy, who were captured by them while trying to carve their names on Independence Rock, as others had done. Each one rode behind a painted savage warrior, and the Sioux seemed to think they had a huge joke on their white captives, who were given up with their horses and equipments. The Indians left in the best of humor after securing some presents.
On the advice of the guide they stopped several days on the Sweetwater, to hunt buffalo and cure the meat, as he said they would soon be off the buffalo range. So they made a lot of jerked meat to have for future supply. There were many Indians on the Sweetwater ; one village was said to have five thousand inhabitants. From there they ob- tained ponies and buffalo robes at reasonable cost and had no trouble with them.
About August 1st they came to Green River; as the season was growing late and animals and supplies were
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losing force, it was necessary to lessen loads as much as pos- sible. It came hard on women to leave feather beds, chairs, dishes and cooking utensils and the men hung to harness, wagons and other things that might be useful; but necessity knows no law, the danger was urgent, about half the wagon beds were used to make pack saddles ; some really fine outfits were abandoned or thus used, and the dear women left their greatest conveniences behind to be able to push on with less detriment to the promised land. Horses and mules were packed and every effort made to push forward.
By the middle of August they were at Fort Hall, the most important station of the Hudson's Bay Company in the Snake River region. Captain Grant was very kind to them ; here the remaining wagons were left; the rest of the route being considered less dangerous, the company broke into small parties, each travelling as fast as convenient, follow- ing the Hudson's Bay Company's trail to Fort Walla Walla. Crawford's party was one month en route from Fort Hall to Whitman's station, where they were supplied with flour and vegetables in abundance; very acceptable after living so long on buffalo meat.
Some went down the Columbia in the fur company's boats, while others pushed on to The Dalles, to embark there in canoes or boats, but the larger portion crossed the Cas- cade Mountains by the old Indian trail. From Fort Hall no precautions were taken and none were molested by the Indians, who furnished the emigrants with salmon and game and rendered valuable service for trifling rewards. From Walla Walla to the falls of the Willamette required about twenty days and was-all things considered-the hardest
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part of the entire journey, including the obstructions on the river course," and the gorges, torrents and thickets of the mountain route, it seems incredible how, with our worn- out and emaciated animals, we ever reached our destination.
Mr. Crawford says: " I would give credit, indirectly, to the Methodist mission for the success of the first emigration, of 1842, which practically settled the question of occupa- tion, by American citizens, of this disputed territory."
He gave the following-named men, over eighteen years of age, as comprising that emigration, to which I add several who are named by Bancroft in his "History of Oregon":
C. T. Arendell, James Brown, William Brown, Gabriel Brown, - Barnam, Hugh Burns, C. W. Bellamy, Winsted Bennett, Vandam Bennett, - Bailey (killed), Nathaniel Crocker, Nathan Coombs, Patrick Clark, Alexander Copeland, Medorem Crawford, A. N. Coates, Allen Davy, John Dearum, John Daubenbiss, Samuel Davis, John Force, James Force, - Foster, Joseph Gibbs, - Girtman, Lansford W. Hastings, John Hoffstetter, J. M. Hedspeth, Hardin Jones, Reuben Lewis, A. L. Lovejoy, S. W. Moss, J. L. Morrison, John McKay, Alexander McKay, Stephen Meek, F. X. Matthieu, Walter Pomeroy, Dwight Pomeroy, J. H. Perry, Dutch Paul, J. R. Robb, Adam Storer, Darling Smith, A. D. Smith, Andrew Smith, Owen Summers, T. J. Sheldon, Aaron Towner, Joel Turnham, Elijah White, David Weston.
ยท
Bancroft gives the names of Thomas Boggs and Bridges, who were not down in Crawford's list, and omits Stephen Meek, F. X. Matthieu and A. D. Smith, who were named by Crawford.
The ten who had families were:
Gabriel Brown, Mr. Bennett, James Force, Mr. Girtman, Columbia Lancaster (who returned), Walter Pomeroy, J. W. Perry, T. J. Shadden, Owen Summers, Andrew Smith.
Hastings said that there were eighty armed men; Fre-
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mont said sixty-four; Lovejoy said that seventy stood guard. White said there were one hundred and twelve in the company when organized, but it grew to one hundred and twenty-five.
A LIFE SKETCH OF F. X. MATTHIEU, OF MARION, A PIONEER OF 1842
(Written for the "Sunday Oregonian," August, 1886)
F. X. Matthieu, one of the oldest citizens of Butteville, Marion County, was born in Canada. He went to New York State in the spring of 1838, and in six months moved west to Milwaukee, Wis. In 1839 he went to St. Louis, and soon after engaged with the American Fur Com- pany, with headquarters at Fort Pierre. He was a trader among the Indians in this employ until he came to Oregon. He spent the winter of 1839-40 with the Blackfeet Sioux, and tells many exciting incidents of his experience in that connection. The Indians looked upon a trader as a chief, and gave him rank and consideration to correspond. It was the policy of the American Fur Company to make money by any means, and for this object they carried on a liquor traffic that was demoralizing to the last degree. The trading stock was composed of liquors (alcohol diluted to suit the occasion ), notions, cloth, beads, blankets, etc., that suited the savage idea of fashion, luxury and comfort. The chief of the Blackfeet Sioux would give a medicine feast, at which a dog would be cooked to a jelly, and what they gave the visitor he had to eat. That winter there were two such feasts. There was a custom that saved the stranger, however, from eating more dog than he relished. He could hire a proxy to devour the morsel for him. Matthieu used
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to carry tobacco in his pocket, and when his share of dog was dished up for him, he politely passed it to his next neighbor-he probably seated himself by the hungriest look- ing Sioux he could find-and as this fellow found a plug of his much-loved weed passed over left-handedly with the meat, he accepted the duty with more than thanks to eat a double dose of the canine. They knew that but few traders would eat dog meat and anticipated the gift of tobacco. The chief trader at Fort Pierre was an exception, or else he wanted to save his tobacco, for he disappointed their ex- pectation and ate his share of the great dish of the feast.
Following this meat they passed about a red clay pipe, with a stem four feet long, dressed with porcupine quills. When the bowl was filled the head chief held it up and some other chief near him would place a live coal on it. Taking a few whiffs to make it burn, he then raised the bowl high in the air, as if to offer it to the Great Father. Then he turned the stem down as if to earth, the mother of all, asking her to first partake, then it was passed to the right, and every one present had to take a few whiffs.
RAISING A SIOUX WAR PARTY
When they wanted to enlist a war party of Sioux all the young women formed a circle and joined hands. If a young girl had a lover he would volunteer by parting the girl's hands at the right of his own sweetheart, and then enter the ring. Then he was enlisted for the war. In this way a young brave would indicate a preference if he never had done so before. When they had twenty or thirty warriors enlisted they would appoint a day to organize by electing
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a war chief, and then start on a raid to murder and rob. Their idea of war was usually to enrich themselves at the expense of their neighbors. Sometimes a young brave cap- tured for his share enough property to buy him a wife. If fortunate they returned singing and dancing. If not suc- cessful they made mournful cries. If not able to rob to ad- vantage a brave still might perform some bold deed that would secure his promotion to a higher place in the tribe's counsels.
The trader sold goods of various kinds, but only liquor at special times. When they asked for it they took a day for it, and had a hideous time. They put the liquor in buffalo bladders. They had guards who were not allowed to drink when the rest did, but kept sober, and one was stationed at the trader's door to protect him, and to give notice that he was all right he occasionally fired off a gun. A man who wanted to treat his friends to drinks filled his mouth and passed it round. They traded cured meats, buffalo robes, etc., and were not rich in beaver or other furs. One chief complained that it was too weak, so he was given a mouthful of pure alcohol, and that satisfied him, only he thought it was watered too much. "The water belongs to me, and I don't want to buy that of you," said the astute chief.
The last time Matthieu traded there twelve were killed in one village during the liquor-drinking spree. The chief was so wicked they were afraid of him. They stopped trad- ing there on that account. Matthieu would lie down with a sober guard over him and sleep through their dreadful orgies and wake next morning to find dead Indians scattered about. This chief who was so wicked would keep sober while
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the rest were at it and he and his cronies would take their turn afterwards. The next morning he and his particular cronies were ready for their spree and demanded possession of the liquor keg. Matthieu told him: "I won't give it to you, but there it is. If you take it, it must be by force and I will report you to the American Fur Company." He said: "Are you mad?" being answered "Yes," he gave Matthieu ten buffalo robes worth $10 each, and said: "Then I will make your heart good!" He let his squaws pack the robes on a horse and the trader then said: "There's the liquor ; you can take it when I am gone!" Matthieu was doing well enough in a pecuniary way, but he could not bring himself longer to carry on this traffic in alcohol, and the com- pany found it very profitable.
BOUND FOR OREGON IN 1842
Hearing of a company bound for Oregon and having heard interesting accounts of this country from mountain men, Matthieu concluded to go there. So he joined East- ham's company in the spring of 1842. Near Independence rock a man was killed by the accidental discharge of a gun, and while they stopped to bury him Eastham and Lovejoy stayed behind to cut their names on a rock. A war party of Sioux came along and took them in, bringing them to the immigrant camps as lost or strayed property. Fitzpat- rick, the mountaineer, was pilot of the caravan but he did not know these Sioux, and they were rather in a quandary, as the gentlemen wore their war paint and were not amenable to ordinary usages. Very fortunately Matthieu knew their
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leaders and they recognized him kindly, shaking hands in the most friendly manner. On his advice they were given food and some powder and shot to pay for bringing our friends safely home and that made all things lovely. They were on their way to fight the Snakes and were glad to get powder and balls. Two days later they met another war party returning from some raid. They, happily, were across a deep river and talked across it to a chief who came opposite their camp to learn what they were about. He said: " This is my country and I want to know what you are doing in it?" a very pertinent inquiry, to which Matthieu responded in the Sioux language, "that sure enough it was his country and he was welcome to it and they kept it on their side of their country and the whites on the other side, all would be well," a cogent sort of reasoning the Sioux chief respected. Matthieu's former position as trader and acquaintance with them and their language was a safeguard to the emigrants.
To emphasize this hint that the Sioux had best stay on their own side of the river, at Matthieu's suggestion, the emi- grants resorted to a pardonable ruse. They had some sixty men in the company and were camped close by the deep but narrow river. There were hundreds of the Sioux, and they were not very friendly in manner. The sixty Ameri- cans suddenly sprang out from among their teams and wagons, brandishing their guns and yelling worse than a war-whoop. This led the Sioux to thinking they had no particular business with so many American rifles in hands that knew so well how to use them. The prairie actually swarmed with his men, but they did not dare to attack. Again they met a band of two hundred and fifty Sioux, with
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whom Matthieu was acquainted, but when they found the emigrants were going far West and had no intention to trade arms and ammunition with their hereditary enemies, the Snakes, they turned and travelled all day with his party and parted in great friendliness. They had never seen any white women and were very curious, going from tent to tent to see and talk with them. They were told the company was going West to salt water and thought it was a fearfully long journey.
AN INDIAN LOVER AT FIRST SIGHT
When the Indians were turning their admiring gaze on the women in the train, they became so annoying to the more modest girls and dames that Matthieu was asked to induce them to leave the camp. He represented the matter as pleas- antly as he could to them, and all but one young fellow with- drew. This chap wouldn't budge an inch nor listen to logic or reason, in good Sioux or better English. Mrs. Pleasant Armstrong was in the train, her maiden name being Smith. The Indians had been especially attentive to Mrs. Smith and her daughters, and at last the father of the family ap- pealed to Matthieu for protection from their too great at- tentions. All left but the one alluded to, who said he wanted to have a talk with the old chief (Smith) and inquired every moment what Smith said about him. In fact, the old man's remarks were not exactly complimentary. He disliked to tell either what the father said, but at last, to get rid of the Indian, explained to Smith that the Sioux warrior offered twenty horses for his choice of his girls. Smith ex- claimed: "The brute!" Matthieu then explained to the
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savage that it was not the custom among whites to sell their women. The Sioux was ready for him then, for he re- marked that "he knew that white men bought Indian girls, and why not have the rule work both ways?" He gave up the trade and went away rather reluctantly and the Smith family felt better when he was off.
The immigration reached Oregon City the 22d of Sep- tember, 1842; Matthieu married in 1844 and worked at the carpenter's trade, which he learned in the Cascades when a young man, until 1846. He worked for some time on the island mill for Governor Abernethy. In the year named he located a land claim where he now resides. In 1849 he went to the California gold mines, and lost money. He packed fourteen animals through with Hudson's Bay Company's goods, and while he was sick lost animals and goods and all he had. His intention was to hire Indians to work for him. The mines were so sickly that of one com- pany that went from Oregon, out of one hundred and twenty, eighty died of the scurvy and diarrhoea. He should have gone to the mountains, but tried to work in the valley and became ill from the excessive heat and malaria. La- Rocque, who was with him, made $12,000 in two or three weeks and gave Matthieu $500 to use.
In 1858 Matthieu went back to Canada via the isthmus, visited New Orelans, Portland, Me., went all over the United States and Canada. In a hearty old age Matthieu lives among his friends, who highly respect him for sound qualities of head and heart. A few years ago he represented his county in the legislature, being elected in a strong Re- publican community, while he is a Democrat. As a pioneer he is valued as one of those who did their part from earliest
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times to build up American principles and establish true representative government. Though of French extraction and Canadian birth, he is genuinely American in sentiment and is recognized as a true representative of Republican principles.
CHAPTER XLVII
THE IMMIGRATION OF 1843
THE adventurous men who peopled the border in the early forties found themselves remote from markets, isolated from the world, and, perhaps worse than all, the rich soil of the western valleys was so productive of chills and fever that they suffered more from malaria than life seemed worth. From early days Linn and Benton had been enthusiastic friends of Oregon and had worked in the Senate for develop- ment of the west coast and for government measures that should make Oregon certainly a portion of this Union. Not only so, but mountain men and traders who wintered on the frontier told tales of the west coast and of the soil and climate of Oregon-for then all was Oregon of the vast area that lay west of the Rocky Mountains-that made the name and the region familiar to the dwellers by the border.
When Elijah White came West in 1842, commissioned to work for an immigration for Oregon, that fact aroused public interest and incited many who were not prepared to leave on sudden notice. Therefore, when Whitman made his appearance in January of the succeeding year, bring- ing news that the immigration of 1842 had reached the Columbia in safety, that fact, with the information that a bill was pending to grant lands to all actual settlers- caused many to equip for the long and weary journey who could not have done so on short notice, but with four months to spare were able to make ready.
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It was proved beyond question, by the testimony of Wil- liam Waldo of Missouri, John Zachary of Texas, C. B. Carey of Missouri, and many others, that Whitman spread information through newspapers and by a pamphlet he had published, for the purpose of showing the value of the country and his determination to take wagons through from Fort Hall to the Columbia River. Whitman was a plain and unpretending man who asserted himself more in action than in words. He certainly worked with ardor and all the power he was capable of to secure immigration of the very best sort to this western country. Without pretending to be the official guide of the expedition, he did all in his power to render aid by his counsels and personal efforts. In this case of Whitman we may be reminded of the man who desired to be delivered from his friends ; for the indiscretion of over-zealous friends has caused Whitman's memory more trouble than could the efforts of pronounced enemies. He never claimed overmuch for himself ; but unwise admirers have and do claim for him all the credit for "saving Ore- gon ;" so have made, or roused, antipathies that are in the worst of taste. The place in history Whitman should oc- cupy is unique ; his memory will be more and more cherished as years go on ; the story of that mid-winter ride will be a page of romance that must be always read with interest.
In the story of Oregon told by William Barrows, the utmost exuberance is indulged in and many fearful inac- curacies occur. The book is based on sensational reports from injudicious sources that the author insists on quoting as history. But one fact that is entitled to consequence was within the author's own purview, for he says: "On his ar- rival at St. Louis, it was my good fortune that he should
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be quartered as a guest under the same roof and at the same table with me. The announcement of the man, in the little city of twenty thousand, as it was then, came as a surprise and a novelty. . . . All who were interested gathered around Dr. Whitman for fresh news from places of interest. . . . But the doctor was in great haste, had questions to ask: 'Was the Ashburton treaty concluded? Did it cover the Northwest? Where did it leave Oregon? Was the Oregon question under discussion in Congress? What bills were being urged in Senate or in house?' "
Thus Mr. Barrows bears personal testimony that Whit- man was in St. Louis; that he pushed on immediately to Washington ; and that he was bound up in the fate of Oregon.
Corroboration of this story by Barrows came to me in the spring of 1902, after the writer had read my tribute to Whitman in the New York Times, as follows :
I have read with great interest your interesting article in Saturday Times Review, February 15th, for the story of Marcus Whitman is woven into my life in a most curious way.
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