'OUR TO OREGON 1841=2 
 
 JOSEPH WILLIAMS 
 
Book .lAJ (g-5 
 
NARRATIVE 
 
 OF A TOUR 
 
 FROM THE STATE OF INDIANA 
 
 TO THE 
 
 OREGON TERRITORY 
 
 IN THE YEARS 1841-2 
 By JOSEPH WILLIAMS 
 
 With an Introduction by 
 JAMES C. BELL, Jr. 
 
 NEW YORK 
 
 THE CADMUS BOOK SHOP 
 
 1921 
 

 One of an edition of two hun- 
 dred and fifty copies printed 
 from type and type distributed. 
 
 Press 
 
 Standard Book Company 
 
 MancKester, N. H. 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 The book here published for the first time is the 
 narrative of a traveler who accompanied the first 
 emigrants from the United States to the Pacific 
 Coast in 1 84 1. It was printed for the author in 
 1843 and is practically unknown to scholars or the 
 collectors of books relating to the history of west- 
 ern America. Its importance to any who are inter- 
 ested in this phase of the development of the 
 United States will be evident, if for a moment we 
 consider certain aspects of the times in which the 
 writer lived. 
 
 It is a truism to say that most Americans enjoy 
 travel, and indulge themselves in this form of 
 amusement to an extreme degree. The glamor of a 
 journey, the thought of seeing new places, rather 
 than the discomfort and not infrequent hardships, 
 fill the minds of all would-be travelers; nor will 
 the experience of others often deter those who 
 have set their hearts upon visiting far places about 
 which rumor has been weaving bright illusions. 
 The desire for travel, mere travel for its own sake, 
 without other aim than that of satisfying our curi- 
 osity, is general among all classes of the American 
 people, as one may prove by glancing at the faces 
 upon the sightseeing buses of any city street. What 
 is, perhaps, not so generally realized is the fact that 
 this longing to visit new and distant places, is a 
 very old one in America; one frequently gratified 
 
 3 
 
4 TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 
 
 by all sorts of people in an earlier day when travel 
 was neither luxurious nor safe. 
 
 The book before us is the account of a traveler to 
 the Pacific Coast long before railway and automo- 
 bile made travel convenient for the tourist. It was 
 the day when goods were moved by canal boat or 
 raft, and passengers journeyed, either by "elegant" 
 river steamers, or in stage coaches, which had diffi- 
 culty in moving through muddy roads, that were 
 described by Charles Dickens as "having no vari- 
 ety but in depth." A few railways had been con- 
 structed between nearby cities, and the building of 
 the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, the first con- 
 ceived for the purpose of connecting two impor- 
 tant districts of the United States, had been under- 
 taken. It was the day when people thought of 
 transportation in terms of canals, rather than rail- 
 ways, while the idea of paved highways was a mat- 
 ter for future concern. 
 
 It was also the day before the country became 
 thickly populated; settlement in the Mississippi 
 Valley in i8/|0 was confined almost exclusively to 
 the neighborhood of navigable streams; the fron- 
 tier was the Missouri River. New Englanders 
 were settling on the rich lUinois prairies, farmers 
 from the north European countries were just be- 
 ginning to cultivate the rolling hills of Iowa and 
 Wisconsin, which had been recently surveyed by 
 the government and thrown open to settlement. 
 Beyond the frontier lay the open prairie and the 
 Rocky Mountains, west of which was the little 
 known region called "the great American desert." 
 Many warlike tribes inhabited this vast stretch of 
 
INTRODUCTION. 5 
 
 country, whose only contact with civiHzation came 
 through the occasional missionary and the fearless 
 trapper. 
 
 The trappers searched every mountain stream 
 for the beaver skins which were used in the man- 
 ufacture of gentlemen's hats; but they rarely ven- 
 tured into the great desert beyond the Rocky 
 Mountains as the game upon which man lived did 
 not exist in the sage brush country. No other fur- 
 bearing animal was so much sought as the beaver, 
 for the possession of a fur coat was not thought a 
 mark of wealth and distinction among occidental 
 peoples of that day. 
 
 The tourist attractions of the United States 
 about 1840 were rather limited for a resident of 
 Napoleon, Ripley County, Indiana; a summer 
 traveler might take the monotonous and sultry 
 boat trip down the Ohio to St. Louis, or go by 
 stage to Niagara Falls. At this latter spot of scenic 
 grandeur, the tourist's soul would be stirred by the 
 roaring of the waters, but there were no inter- 
 mediate points of interest to relieve the tedium of 
 the journey. Aside from this, there was little to 
 do except stay home and raise more grain than a 
 farmer could profitably sell. 
 
 There was, however, another alternative for a 
 man of sixty-four years who desired to preach to 
 others and see the country as well. He might go to 
 the Pacific Coast by a route which was literally 
 teeming with the varied and fantastic wonders of 
 nature. Oregon was occasionally visited by fur 
 traders and missionaries, while the peaceful ranch 
 life of the Mexicans in California was sometimes 
 
6 TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 
 
 disturbed by trappers and horse thieves from Mis- 
 souri. It mattered little that almost two thousand 
 miles of prairie, mountain and desert separated 
 the border towns of Independence and Westport, 
 Missouri, from the settlements of Oregon and Cal- 
 ifornia. 
 
 In the Willamette Valley of Oregon, near its 
 junction with the lower Columbia River, were a few 
 farms cultivated by New England missionaries and 
 French Canadians, old servants of the Hudson's 
 Bay Company. From San Diego to the Bay of 
 San Francisco were the scattered missions of 
 Spanish Franciscans, who were the first to carry 
 European civilization to California. Near the 
 Pacific Coast were vast stretches of rich agricul- 
 tural lands inviting cultivation. In Oregon the 
 coast natives were rapidly disappearing; while in 
 California the Indians supplied labor under the 
 economic system controlled by the Mexicans. Such 
 was the population and prospects of the habitable 
 region along the western edge of this continent 
 which has since become part of the United States. 
 
 Undoubtedly it would be a pleasure to make the 
 overland trip on horseback, if all the travelers of 
 a season would stick together so as to afiford each 
 other mutual protection from the plains' Indians. 
 Money, after the purchase of horses and equip- 
 ment, was of little use, though of relatively high 
 value. Food could be secured by the use of the 
 rifle, water was free and plentiful, even on the des- 
 ert, while the stars made an excellent covering be- 
 neath which to sleep soundly. Thus were the phy- 
 sical wants of man easily satisfied; — the really 
 
INTRODUCTION. 7 
 
 necessary qualities for such a journey were a mind 
 strongly set upon going and perfect ''trust in the 
 God of heaven." Both of these spiritual qualities 
 were the possession of old Joseph Williams in very 
 large measure, as the reader will presently learn. 
 
 An eager interest in the western- facing shore be- 
 yond the Stoney Mountains, as the great chain of 
 the Rockies was at first called, had long been char- 
 acteristic of the residents of the Mississippi Valley. 
 Before, and during the Revolution, French and 
 Spanish merchants of old St. Louis conducted a 
 trade with the Missouri River Indians and heard 
 from them about the mountain region. Thomas 
 Jefferson dreamt of the exploration and the possi- 
 ble future acquisition of territory in that direction, 
 years before the population of his country had 
 reached the Mississippi River, which was the new 
 Republic's western boundary. 
 
 In 1803 President Jefferson found the opportu- 
 nity to fulfill his dreams. By the purchase of 
 Louisiana he accomplished the large expansion of 
 the United States; just how large was a matter 
 of conjecture, but at the time of little importance. 
 General William Clark, leader of the most impor- 
 tant of the several expeditions sent by the Presi- 
 dent to explore the new territory, was directed to 
 proceed up the Missouri, cross the mountains to 
 Oregon, and seek a water communication with the 
 Pacific. The Lewis and Clark expedition could not 
 find any route practicable for such communication, 
 nor did the Indians know of any. It was Ramsay 
 Crooks, director of the private enterprise sup- 
 ported by John Jacob Astor, who discovered in 
 
8 TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 
 
 1813 a practicable route of communication across 
 the mountains, but it was not a water route. Wash- 
 ington Irving, in his book "Astoria," has placed the 
 history of that brave attempt to found a base for 
 American trade upon the Pacific, among our liter- 
 ary and scholarly classics for all time. Whether or 
 not the overland Astorians were the actual discov- 
 erers of the famed South Pass, through the conti- 
 nental divide, is an academic question. Their im- 
 portant contribution to knowledge of the far west 
 was the fact that the route they followed presented 
 no obstruction to wagon travel and was the short- 
 est as well.* When regular communication over- 
 land became an accomplished fact, wagons drawn 
 by horses or oxen were the means of travel. The 
 route used by the emigrant was almost the same as 
 that of the Astorians, which is now approximately 
 paralleled by the Union Pacific-Oregon Short Line 
 Railway systems. It was with one of the earliest 
 of the wagon parties that our friend Joseph Wil- 
 liams traveled through mountains, which a com- 
 panion described as so high and rugged that "no 
 person could ever believe that wagons ever passed 
 these huge eminences of nature, did he not witness 
 it with his own eyes."t 
 
 The fur traders developed the highway and 
 made safe the passage for the missionaries and 
 occasional adventure-seeking persons who crossed 
 the Rocky Mountains in the decade before 1840. 
 The people of St. Louis, where General Clark and 
 
 *Brackenridge, H. iM. Views of Louisiana, (Pittsburg, 1814), 
 p. 298. 
 
 tBidwell, John. Trip to California 1841, (n. p. n. d.) p. 9. 
 
INTRODUCTION. 9 
 
 Ramsay Crooks lived, maintained a lively interest 
 in the Pacific Coast and its development from the 
 time of the early explorations through all the 
 period of the mountain fur trade. They saw in the 
 Overland highway that led from their door-steps 
 a route by which the trade and wealth of India, 
 China and all the storied Orient might some day 
 be brought to their city. Reliable information 
 about Oregon was, therefore, of importance to the 
 Missourians, and the manner in which they ob- 
 tained it will be evident to the reader of this narra- 
 tive. 
 
 Those who consider the cost and difficulty of 
 modern transportation may smile at the marvelous 
 unconcern of these people regarding the distance 
 or the means of communication. But the smile will 
 quickly fade when we realize that Joseph Williams 
 in his sixty-fourth year started out alone to cross 
 the prairies with not much else than his faith in 
 God. vStrange! yet he fulfilled the prediction of a 
 missionary of just five years before that "the time 
 may not be far distant, when trips will be made 
 across the continent, as they have been made to 
 Niagara Falls, to see nature's wonders."* 
 
 A word must be said about the "Oregon terri- 
 tory," to which our elderly friend journeyed. In 
 1 84 1 it was not a territory of the United States in 
 the legal sense of the term. Rather it was a geo- 
 graphical expression covering a vast extent of 
 country west of the Rocky Mountains, north from 
 the California border to the Russian possessions in 
 
 *Parker, Rev. Samuel. Journal of an Exploring Tour beyond 
 the Eocky Mountains, (Ithaca, 1838), p. 73. 
 
10 TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 
 
 Alaska, — a region now embraced in the political 
 subdivisions of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and 
 parts of Wyoming, Montana and British Colum- 
 bia. Its discovery, even now, after the patient re- 
 searches of many historical scholars, is largely a 
 matter of conjecture. Its full exploration was the 
 work of private individuals, the fur traders of 
 many nationalities who exploited its natural re- 
 sources before civilized governments laid any 
 claim to sovereignty over the rich and varied re- 
 gion. 
 
 Under the firm and far-seeing guidance of John 
 Quincy Adams, when that gentleman was Secre- 
 tary of State, Spain and Russia were eliminated 
 as claimants to the Oregon territory, and the issue 
 of political sovereignty squarely joined with Great 
 Britain, whose real interests in that part of the 
 world were nearly equal to those of the United 
 States. As it was found impossible to agree upon 
 a compromise whereby the territory could be 
 equally divided, a convention permitting the joint 
 occupancy and commercial use of the whole, by the 
 nationals of both countries was entered into in 
 1818. This allowed the fur traders to carry on 
 their business pending a time when agricultural 
 development, requiring the definition of real prop- 
 erty rights, should compel the settlement of the 
 questions of sovereignty and boundary west of the 
 Rocky Mountains. 
 
 Under the joint occupancy convention between 
 1 818 and 1846 the Hudson's Bay Company, one of 
 the old British companies chartered for the pur- 
 pose of exploiting the wealth of distant lands, be- 
 
INTRODUCTION. 11 
 
 came so firmly established in Oregon that Ameri- 
 can traders were never able to offer successful 
 rivalry. The company did an extensive business in 
 all the region which is now the Dominion of Can- 
 ada; and, by using the navigable Columbia River, 
 maintained as regular communication with Mon- 
 treal and their posts on Hudson's Bay as they did 
 with London by the sea. At their principal Ore- 
 gon post, Fort Vancouver, a hundred miles from 
 the mo^th of the Columbia, Dr. John McLoughlin, 
 chief factor for the country west of the Rockies, 
 entertained occasional American traders who came 
 on horseback from St. Louis, but he never per- 
 mitted them to gain a foothold in the Oregon terri- 
 tory. Here also he supplied American mission- 
 aries, who came to Christianize the Indians, with 
 whatever was necessary for founding missions. 
 
 The mission stations of the great desert hinter- 
 land, east of the Cascade Mountains, were sup- 
 ported by the American Board of Commissioners 
 for Foreign Missions. The much larger enterprise 
 of the Missionary Board of the Methodist Epis- 
 copal Church was located in the rich agricultural 
 lands to the west of these mountains. This latter 
 mission, organized in 1834 by the Rev. Jason Lee, 
 and considerably reinforced from time tu time, is the 
 object of many comments by our traveler who had 
 himself been an itinerant preacher of the Church. 
 It is not known whether or not these observations 
 of Joseph Williams came to the notice of the Mis- 
 sion Board, which in 1844 recalled Jason Lee as 
 superintendent; but under the Rev. George Gary 
 who superseded him in 1844 **all that was secular, 
 
12 TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 
 
 and not essential to the prosecution of the mission, 
 was promptly divorced from the spiritual," as the 
 historian of the missions of the Methodist Episco- 
 pal Church has said.* Williams visited this mis- 
 sion at an important crisis in its development, 
 namely, when it was changing from an Indian 
 mission to one adapted to the spiritual leadership 
 of a mixed international settlement, which shortly 
 became wholly American in character. Therefore 
 his views relative to the activities of his spiritual 
 brethren should be of serious interest to those re- 
 cent historians of the mission who have found very 
 little first hand information covering this period. 
 
 Father Pierre Jean de Smet, S. J., one of the 
 party which crossed the plains in 1841, was at the 
 threshold of a long life of devoted service to the 
 Rocky Mountain Indians which has made his name 
 notable among missionaries. From his letters we 
 gain a description of Joseph Williams, which 
 throws a strong light upon the zeal that drove our 
 traveler into the furthermost part of America. 
 *'His zeal frequently induced him to dispute with 
 us," writes the Jesuit. "It was not difficult to show 
 him that his ideas, with the exception of one, were 
 vague and fluctuating. He acknowledged it him- 
 self; but after having wandered from point to 
 point, he always returned to his favorite tenet, 
 which, according to him, was the fundamental 
 principle of all true belief: 'that the love of God is 
 the first of duties, and to inculcate it we must be 
 tolerant.' This was his strongest point of support, 
 
 *Strickland, Rev, W. P. History of the Missions of the 
 Methodist Episcopal Church, (Cincinnati, 1850), p. 14i5. 
 
INTRODUCTION. 13 
 
 the foundation of all his reasoning, and the stimu- 
 lus of his zeal."* This zeal, which compelled the 
 author of this narrative to preach as well as travel, 
 is precisely the characteristic which lifts his per- 
 sonality from the commonplace and colors with in- 
 teresting and vivid light all that he sees and tells us 
 of the country and its inhabitants. However, this 
 is not the only merit of his pamphlet. 
 
 Joseph Williams entered upon this long journey 
 at the very outset of the great emigrant movement, 
 which peopled California and Oregon with agricul- 
 tural settlers from the Mississippi Valley. Later 
 the discovery of gold drew a horde of the pictur- 
 esque characters of Bret Harte into the far west; 
 but the pioneers were of a different quality. 
 
 In 1 84 1 the first band of emigrants set out from 
 the Missouri border for California and Oregon. It 
 was a small emigration, which has been overshad- 
 owed in written history by the much larger party 
 of two years later (1843). This latter emigration 
 was the first to enlarge the trail from Fort Hall to 
 the Columbia River into a wagon road, and it has 
 often been considered as the opening of the emi- 
 grant movement. In reality, however, it was but 
 the full flowering of that spirit which the pioneers 
 of 1841 first translated into action, — the desire to 
 plant a colony of American farmers on the Pacific 
 Coast. 
 
 The pioneers were the men who sought, not ad- 
 venture, but homes across the mountains; the men 
 
 *De Smet, p. 1 — Letters and Sketches: with a narrative of a 
 year's residence among- the Indian tribes of the Rocky Mount- 
 ains, (Philadelphia, 1843), p. 97. 
 
14 TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 
 
 who traveled with wife and children, household 
 goods and household gods in the white-topped 
 wagons. These men were essaying the great ad- 
 venture of treading out the long overland high- 
 way. These were the men and women who were 
 to found the American commonwealths on the 
 Pacific, and the first of them were the companions 
 of Joseph Williams. 
 
 The intense beauty of the country through which 
 they traveled attracted these pioneers as strongly 
 as it has their children of the present generation. 
 They wrote of their emotions in the same exalted 
 phrases. There was more than one high divide to 
 be traversed, while occasionally great bluffs which 
 shut in the valleys must be crossed. "But the pleas- 
 ing view we had from their top, just as the sun was 
 going to sleep behind the western mountains, paid 
 us for all our trouble. A most beautiful landscape 
 presented itself to view, the rugged summits of 
 almost every shape were fantastically pictured 
 upon the sky, bounding the western horizon, a 
 beautiful lake was seen to the south, whose surface 
 was fancifully mottled with numerous islands, 
 while the river meandered proudly through the val- 
 ley among willows and scattering cotton-woods, 
 till it disappeared among the hills in the shades of 
 evening."* These words which describe a tribu- 
 tary of the Great Salt Lake, the Bear River valley, 
 show that the beauty of the western mountains and 
 deserts was as strong an attraction to the restless 
 pioneers, as the much talked of wonders of nature 
 
 *Bidwell, J. Op. cit. p. &. 
 
INTRODUCTION. 15 
 
 which were to be seen along the route. Most of the 
 wonders are still to be found described in the rail- 
 way guide book, but usually the limited passes at 
 night, or they lie too far from the line to be seen to 
 advantage. 
 
 There is but a single copy of John Bidwell's 
 record entitled, "Trip to California, 1841," known 
 at this time. It is part of the famous Bancroft col- 
 lection in the Library of the University of Cali- 
 fornia. Bidwell became a well-known person in 
 the state he helped to found, and wrote in later 
 years several engaging reminiscences of pioneer 
 days which appeared in the Century Magazine for 
 1890-1891 (Vol. XIX, N. S.). Father De Smet, the 
 only other traveler with the emigration of 1841, 
 whose impressions are known to scholars, pub- 
 lished a volume of "Letters and Sketches" (Phila- 
 delphia, 1843). Oddly enough, these three writers, 
 — De Smet, Bidwell, and Williams, separated be- 
 fore they had traversed two-thirds of the journey, 
 to pursue their routes toward different goals. De 
 Smet turned north at Fort Hall to join the Flat- 
 head Indians on the upper waters of the Columbia ; 
 Bidwell left the party on Bear River to traverse 
 the deserts west of Salt Lake and find his way 
 across the Sierra Nevada to the open Sacramento 
 valley; while Williams, with about twenty-five 
 others, made his way over the Snake River desert 
 and Blue Mountains to the Oregon settlements 
 near the mouth of the Willamette River. Thus 
 our record of this most important emigration is 
 complete. 
 
 Joseph Williams' narrative of his trip to Ore- 
 
16 TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 
 
 gon was privately printed in Cincinnati in 1843 — 
 that is a year before the cry of "54° 40' or fight," 
 became a poHtical catchword, and the movement 
 for the expansion of the United States, which was 
 directed by James K. Polk when he became presi- 
 dent, had taken shape. In fact it appeared just at 
 the time when discussion of the long slumbering 
 question of sovereignty over Oregon was renewed 
 between the United States and Great Britain. From 
 its extreme rarity it is just to say that the book is 
 now published for the first time. Only two copies 
 of the book are known today : — one is in the private 
 collection of Mr. Henry R. Wagner of Berkeley, 
 California, while the other is in the Library of the 
 New York Historical Society, to which the writer 
 of this preface is indebted for permission to make 
 a photostat copy. 
 
 The book is important, not only because it 
 is practically unknown even to collectors, but be- 
 cause of the light it throws upon some mooted 
 points of historical interest, which are not purely 
 academic. Writers of Oregon history have sought 
 light upon the degree of difficulty experienced by 
 those earliest pioneers who enlarged the overland 
 pack-horse trail into the long wagon road of the 
 emigrants; here is one who assisted in that task 
 and who tells us just how much their travel was de- 
 layed thereby. The question of the obstacles thrown 
 in the way of emigrants from the States by the 
 agents of the great English fur monopoly, the 
 Hudson's Bay Company, in this, the opening years 
 of the movement, is another of those mooted points, 
 upon which this narrator throws a clear light. In 
 
INTRODUCTION. 17 
 
 this connection, however, it is necessary to say that 
 his opinion of the company's chief factor, Dr. 
 John McLoughlin, is not generally shared by others 
 who knew him at the time. Of the various mis- 
 sions, especially the Methodist, their personnel and 
 their work in behalf of the Indians, our elderly 
 friend has much to say. It must be remembered 
 that until the coming of the great migration of 
 1843, these missionaries were the principal repre- 
 sentatives of American citizenship in the Oregon 
 Territory. To the usually high character of that 
 citizenship, in the relations of individuals one to 
 another in this land beyond the territorial jurisdic- 
 tion of their government, Joseph Williams gives 
 eloquent testimony, for he was sensitive to all that 
 related to the spiritual side of life. Moreover, he 
 points out the diversity of interest among the four 
 classes of whites who then inhabited the far North- 
 west, and who gave to its society that "happy" 
 tone, which still makes Oregon so desirable a place 
 wherein to live. 
 
 Willia^ms did not overlook some of the distinct- 
 ive features of primitive society among the na- 
 tives, though his remarks are somewhat colored by 
 his sense of the "depravity of the heathen." Espe- 
 cially does he praise the wealth and progress of 
 those Indians who inhabited the great interior 
 basin of the Columbia, which he visited in the 
 autumn and again in the spring season. He saw 
 its possibilities for future development by men of 
 'his own kind; — "we traveled through rich plains, 
 and the mountains lay on our right hand, covered 
 with pine trees. All through this country good 
 
18 TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 
 
 mill sites abound." One of these spots, the great 
 plain on the east of Salt Lake, which Williams 
 thought well adapted for settlement was selected 
 only three years after by the Mormons, when they 
 were compelled to leave Missouri and Illinois to 
 seek a new and lonely home across the distant 
 mountains. Surely, this man, whose attention was 
 so earnestly fixed upon the dominant interests of 
 life — the propagation of the faith and the cultiva- 
 tion of the soil, may be called the Prophet of the 
 Inland Empire. He possessed also a certain jour- 
 nalistic instinct, as appears from the number of 
 rather sordid happenings, which he recounts in 
 great detail. 
 
 Sportsmen and all lovers of nature's beauty who 
 have traveled the high passes of the Rocky Mount- 
 ains in the present state of Colorado may find an 
 interest in the account of how the old preacher, 
 with three or four companions, negotiated these 
 rough and dangerous mountain trails. Many diffi- 
 culties he surmounted and not a few were such as 
 would hinder hardier men; yet he complains very 
 little of his discomforts, and is more discouraged 
 by the "wickedness" of his companions than all the 
 hardship to which he was subjected. Those were 
 days of good hunting — bear and bufifalo, antelope 
 and elk. 
 
 Through turning from the main Oregon route 
 by which he had traveled west, our friend on his 
 return journey saw nearly all the posts or forts of 
 the fur traders in this wide mountain district. 
 Most interesting of all is his visit to the Indian 
 Pueblo of Taos, where the hunters often wintered. 
 
INTRODUCTION. 19 
 
 The Mexicans never succeeded in greatly altering 
 its people's way of living, and it remains today a 
 quaint and lovely mecca of a society of artists, who 
 seek there that earthy inspiration which is so nearly 
 the font of artistic life. Joseph Williams describes 
 its life in considerable and sympathetic detail, 
 especially in such things as touched the productiv- 
 ity of the soil and the means of its cultivation. 
 
 It will not surprise the reader to know that once 
 back in St. Louis our friend was hospitably enter- 
 tained by William Sublette, the most important 
 partner of the old Rocky Mountain Fur Company, 
 whose business and social relations reached west- 
 ward to Oregon and eastward to England. Here, 
 too, he met Col. Thomas Hart Benton, Missouri's 
 foremost Senator, who represented western inter- 
 ests in the federal government during thirty years. 
 It was well that they met, for the one had informa- 
 tion of value to impart, while the other took a lead- 
 ing part in the political and international question 
 which soon developed over the status of the Oregon 
 territory. 
 
 Nor will the reader be surprised to learn that 
 our hardy friend, now sixty-six years of age, left 
 the party with which he returned across the plains, 
 to conclude his journey as it had begun — alone, 
 with the God in whom he had put his trust. It 
 would be difficult for one to bear stronger witness 
 to his faith, or the power of the Lord. 
 
 James C. Bell, Jr. 
 
NARRATIVE 
 
 OF A TOUR 
 
 FROM THE STATE OF INDIANA 
 
 OREGON TERRITORY 
 
 IN THE YEARS 1841-2 
 
 BY JOSEPH AYILLIAMS 
 
 CIN C IN N ATI : 
 
 PRINTED FOR THE AUTHOR 
 
 J. B. Wilson, Printer 
 1843 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 At the earnest request of my friends, I have 
 consented to publish an account of my journey, 
 from my residence in the state of Indiana, to the 
 Oregon Territory. The information contained in 
 my Narrative may be of great interest to those 
 who may contemplate emigrating to that region, 
 or such as may wish to explore the vast west to the 
 Pacific Ocean. 
 
 I have given my own views of the country be- 
 yond the Rocky Mountains; and, although they 
 may not agree in every particular with the opinions 
 set forth by other travelers, yet I have tried to fol- 
 low the best convictions of my own mind, produced 
 by personal observation, and the best information 
 I could obtain from the inhabitants on the ground. 
 As to the correctness of my opinions, I leave that 
 for others to judge. It will be easily perceived 
 that I am not practiced in the art of book-making; 
 but as I have stated facts, in my own plain way, 
 without any attempt to embellish my style, I hope 
 the reader will be satisfied. It is probable that 
 errors will be discovered in the orthography of 
 proper names; having no standard authorities at 
 hand, by which to correct my spelling of them. In 
 most cases, I have given those names according to 
 
 23 
 
24 TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 
 
 the usual pronunciation of them by the inhabitants 
 of that region. 
 
 I am a native of Cumberland county, Pennsyl- 
 vania ; was raised in Virginia ; am now in my sixty- 
 sixth year; and that I should be conducted in 
 safety, and be sustained through all dangers and 
 fatigues of so long a journey, at my advanced age, 
 is matter of unfeigned gratitude to that God who 
 "preserveth man and beast." 
 
 Joseph Williams. 
 
TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY 
 
 April 26th, 1841. This morning" I started from 
 my residence, near Napoleon, Ripley county, Indi- 
 ana, for the Oregon Territory, on the Columbia 
 River, west of the Rocky Mountains ; though many 
 of my friends tried to dissuade me from going, tell- 
 ing me of the many dangers and difficulties I should 
 have to go through, exposed to hostile Indians and 
 the wild beasts, and also on account of my advanced 
 age, being at this time in my 64th year. But my 
 mind leads me strongly to go; I want to preach to 
 the people there, and also to the Indians, as well as 
 to see the country. I try to put my trust in the God 
 of heaven, who rules the earth, and seas, and mount- 
 ains, and the savage tribes, and all the wild beasts 
 of the forest, and the storms, and all the poisonous 
 vapors of the earth and air ; who preserves all who 
 put their trust in him. My soul seems wholly re- 
 signed to his will in all things, whether to live or 
 die, to prosper or suffer. All is right that the Lord 
 doeth; why then should we fear? So I bade my 
 children and friends farewell, not knowing that I 
 should ever see them again in this world. Lord, 
 keep us near thee! 
 
 That night I reached the neighborhood of St. 
 
 25 
 
26 TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 
 
 Omer, on the Flat Rock Creek. The next night I 
 staid at brother Rector's; and the next day, soon 
 after I started, the rain began to fall in torrents — 
 the coldness of the wind and rain rendered me very 
 uncomfortable. This day I passed through Indian- 
 apolis, and that night staid at Bridgeport. Next 
 morning I started very early, the cold west wind 
 blowing in my face, and at night reached brother 
 Messer's, in Putnam county. Next day attended 
 to some temporal business, and rested my horse. 
 On Sunday, went to hear brother Belotte preach, at 
 the brick meeting-house; and in the afternoon, 
 tried to preach myself from Ephesians v, 14: 
 "Awake, thou that sleepest." Staid that night at 
 brother Clearwater's, and enjoyed myself very 
 well. Next day traveled twenty-eight miles, and 
 staid at brother Daniel Dickenson's, a Methodist 
 preacher. That same day, had a short controversy 
 with a Campbellite preacher on baptism. Next 
 day, passed through Terrehaute, staid at a class- 
 leader's, having traveled thirty-three miles that 
 day. Next day, passed several small towns. 
 Preached at Woodbury that night, on the waters 
 of Embarrass River, in Illinois. Staid with Mr. 
 Needham, where I slept comfortably, and rose 
 happy in the morning. This dear people want re- 
 ligion ; O that the Tord would breathe on them his 
 Spirit's influence, and make them Christians ! Next 
 day rode thirty-three miles, and staid at Mr. Guy's. 
 He seems much of a gentleman, and his wife a 
 kind-hearted Methodist. Next morning, started out 
 in the rain, and rode to Jacob Tinker's, where I 
 dined and fed my horse, and felt very comfortably. 
 
TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 27 
 
 Started on, and passed through VandaHa, and met 
 a very solemn procession, going to bury one of their 
 respectable citizens. That night staid at brother 
 Wollard's, and enjoyed myself very well. He is a 
 Methodist traveling preacher. Next day rode to 
 brother Miles', and the day following went to hear 
 brother Wollard preach, and exhorted after him. 
 We had a very good class meeting. There was 
 some difficulty in the Church to settle, which was 
 soon done. That night I tried to preach at brother 
 Gorman's, and met some old acquaintances from 
 Indiana. Next day traveled thirty miles, staid at 
 brother Hadley's, in the American Bottom; en- 
 joyed myself very well. Next day crossed the 
 Mississippi River at St. Louis, in company with 
 brother Joseph Oglesby. 
 
 Here I learned that the company which I ex- 
 pected to join was broken up. I then went on to 
 try to overtake the company that had previously 
 started from Independence, in Missouri; rode 
 twenty-three miles, and that night staid at Alex- 
 ander Ove's, near Baldwin. After I laid down, 
 and before I got to sleep, I was called up to go and 
 pray for a woman that was dying; but when I got 
 there, her husband was not willing that I should 
 pray with her. I then returned back to my bed. 
 Here they treated me very kindly. Next day 
 reached Union, where I staid with Dr. Chids; 
 preached that night from Ephesians iv, 5: "One 
 Lord, one faith, one baptism." I had some liberty 
 in preaching, and the people paid good attention, 
 and behaved well. Next day I traveled over high, 
 poor, barren and stony hills, and staid at Mr. 
 
28 TOUB TO OREGON TERRITORY. 
 
 M'Afee's; endeavored to get a preaching place, 
 but the people seemed indifferent about it, so I gave 
 it up. These looked like poor, distressed people. 
 Next morning crossed Gasconade River, and after- 
 wards the Osage River. Here I was mortified to 
 find that I had expended all my money, and had to 
 sell a pair of saddle-bags for two dollars. Staid 
 that night with Esquire Price. Still traveling over 
 poor hills, I passed next day through Jefferson 
 City. Here I once more saw the Missouri River, 
 preached that night at brother Michael Barger's, 
 to a small congregation, mostly Baptists. They in- 
 vited me to come back, which I promised to do. 
 Next day had a tedious travel over the wide and 
 rich prairies, and in the evening passed through 
 Georgetown, and missed my way; but reached the 
 house of a fine old man and woman, who were not 
 religious, but treated me very kindly, and charged 
 me to call on them as I returned. Next day trav- 
 eled through the rich prairies, and reached War- 
 rensburg, in Johnson county. I went to brother 
 Brown's, and asked him if he would let a Methodist 
 preacher preach there that night. He told me there 
 was an appointment made there already for the 
 circuit preacher, who asked me to preach in his 
 place. I did so ; we had a comfortable and sociable 
 time. Next day I rode to brother M'Kine's, a 
 Methodist preacher, where I received information 
 that the company at Independence, which was 
 going to the Mountains, had already started ten 
 days before. I then went on to Independence the 
 next day, and preached there that night, from 
 Ephesians iv, 5: "One Lord, one faith, one bap- 
 
TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 29 
 
 tism," which caused some of the people to stare at 
 me. Here brother Ford and brother Pertee ear- 
 nestly remonstrated against my proceeding any 
 farther, telling me that I never would be able to 
 encounter the difficulties. 
 
 I rode over, the next morning, to Westport, and 
 finding the company were all gone, and no possi- 
 bility of overtaking them, with much pain of mind 
 I gave up going any farther, and knew not what to 
 do. I then rode across to the Shawnee mission, 
 three miles from Westport, across the Missouri 
 line, and there I met brother Greene, presiding 
 elder, who told me the company, about four days 
 previous, was eighty miles ahead of me, on the 
 Caw River. I said within myself, surely the Lord 
 is opening my way to go on. I began to get ready 
 to go on, but could not get half prepared. Bought 
 some powder and lead, and some provision and a 
 gun, but was disappointed in getting my gun. My 
 feelings were much harrowed up with the brethren 
 trying to discourage me, and keep me from going 
 to the Mountains. One. of the preachers told me it 
 was almost presumptuous for so old a man as I to 
 attempt such a hazardous journey, and added, that 
 he had awful feelings for me through the last 
 night; and he said, so had some of the rest. Mr. 
 Greene said there was a possibility of my return- 
 ing, but not a probability. 
 
 I started out on Saturday, with brother Johnson, 
 a missionary, and two Indian chiefs of the Caw 
 tribe. We reached, that night, Wakloosa Creek, 
 and camped under the trees. Brother Johnson 
 cooked supper, and we had cakes and coffee. We 
 
30 TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 
 
 laid down to sleep ; the thunder and lightning could 
 be heard and seen, and the wind began to blow. I 
 was somewhat alarmed, for fear of the trees fall- 
 ing on us. The rain soon began, and the wind 
 ceased. Then I soon fell asleep, and rested well 
 and comfortably. I arose next morning happy; 
 bless the Lord, O my soul; praise him who takes 
 care of us in the desert ! 
 
 This day we traveled through extensive rolling 
 prairies, with some few skirts of timber. We rode 
 forty-five miles that day, and reached brother 
 Johnson's mission. Brother and sister Johnson 
 furnished me with provision, and every thing that 
 I needed, and offered to do any thing that they 
 could for me. Brother Johnson has died since, 
 and I doubt not, has gone to heaven to reap his re- 
 ward. I shall never forget their kindness to me. 
 Next morning I started, in company with Mr. 
 Brensill. When we came to the Caw River, the 
 Indians said we could cross it. We entered in, and 
 the water ran over our horses' backs, and I got my 
 provisions wet. We inquired of the Indians, and 
 they told us the company was ahead about four 
 days' journey, and they gave me directions and 
 how to find their trail. I rode about seven miles. 
 I was then alone, about 9 o'clock; and being about 
 to pass through the territory occupied by the 
 Pawnee tribe, I thought of what they told me about 
 being robbed or killed, and put my whip to my 
 horse. Passing through a small thicket of woods, 
 I saw a pishamore lying near the trail, and lit down 
 to get it, when I saw that there was an Indian's 
 pack, that I concluded was laid there to decoy me. 
 
TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 31 
 
 I then sprang upon my horse, gave him the whip, 
 and rode till dark. This day traveled about forty 
 miles, and came to a willow thicket ; tied my horse 
 with a long rope, laid down, and slept till next 
 morning, nothing breaking the silence of the night 
 but a few bull-frogs. I arose and returned to the 
 road, and saw some fresh horse tracks that had 
 been made during the night, I supposed by the Indi- 
 ans, who had been following me. The Caws (or 
 Kauzas) told me that the Pawnees were a bad na- 
 tion, and that they had a battle with them; that 
 they had their women and children hid in a thicket, 
 whom they (the Pawnees) slaughtered in a bar- 
 barous manner. I can hardly describe my feel- 
 ings as I was traveling alone, up Caw (or Kauzas) 
 River. Pursuing my journey that day, I tried to 
 give myself up to the Lord. I could scarcely fol- 
 low the wagon tracks, the ground was so hard in 
 the prairie. I had almost concluded, at last, to turn 
 back, and got down on my knees, and asked the 
 Lord whether I should do so or not. These words 
 came to my mind: 'The Lord shall be with thee, 
 and no hand shall harm thee." I then renewed my 
 resolution to go on in the name of the Lord, believ- 
 ing that all would be well, and that I should, in the 
 end, return safely home. I went cheerfully for 
 some time; but was occasionally perplexed with 
 doubts. About an hour before sunset, I got down 
 off my horse, and prayed again. God renewed the 
 promise, and I got up and started on, refreshed in 
 spirit, and with renewed courage, thinking all 
 would be well; and instead of sleeping in the prai- 
 rie, I got to an encampment where there was fire. 
 
32 TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 
 
 and plenty of wood, and good water, and I praised 
 God with all my heart. I roasted my meat, sweet- 
 ened some water, and, with my biscuits, made a 
 hearty supper; laid down by my fire, and slept 
 well and comfortably till morning. A little dog 
 that the company had left, kept around the camp, 
 barking and howling. 
 
 Next morning I arose quite happy in my soul, 
 and said, "My God hath preserved me hitherto, and 
 now God has answered my prayer." I then ate my 
 breakfast and started, happy in my soul. I crossed 
 the Vermillion Creek, and arose on the rolling prai- 
 rie. I shouted some hours over these beautiful 
 plains. No fear nor trouble came near me, for God 
 had given me so many glorious promises, that I 
 could not doubt or fear for a moment. Not an 
 Indian appeared that day. About 4 o'clock in the 
 afternoon, I saw the company about four miles 
 ahead, but soon lost sight of them again ; and com- 
 ing to the place where the company had stopped to 
 eat dinner, I alighted, and let my horse feed awhile. 
 At this place, as the company afterwards told me, 
 about two hundred Indians had been seen only an 
 hour before. They had sometimes hung on the rear 
 of the company, and had made some show of at- 
 tacking those who lingered behind the main body. 
 Awhile before, they had robbed four men of all 
 they had, stripped them naked, and left them in the 
 open prairies to perish before they could get to the 
 white settlements. The company said it was ninety- 
 nine chances to one that I escaped the hands of the 
 Indians, for they had been seen all along where I 
 had come. Surely a wise God controlled the heath- 
 
TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 33 
 
 ens, and protected me ; for as I came along the day 
 before, I found a piece of a buffalo robe in the 
 trail, which I thought some of the company had 
 dropped, but after I had put it on my saddle, I 
 saw on the other side of the road a skin bag, full 
 of something, which I then knew was an Indian 
 bag. I then rode on as fast as I could till evening, 
 when I took up my lodging. O how good the Lord 
 is; let all the world with me praise him. Praise 
 him, O my soul; for I trusted in him, and 
 he has preserved me. How good it is to con- 
 verse with the Lord. The company seemed 
 glad that I had made my escape. The com- 
 pany consisted of about fifty. The greater part 
 were bound for California; a few only for Ore- 
 gon. There was about twenty wagons belong- 
 ing to the expedition, drawn by oxen. One of the 
 company was a Catholic priest, a Mr. de Smidt, 
 who was extremely kind to me, and invited me to 
 come and eat supper with him that night, and next 
 morning brought me some venison. He appeared 
 to be a very fine man. I was invited to sing by a 
 woman, and then to pray. I did so. 
 
 May 27th. We marched on through plains. 
 28th. Saw two antelopes, the first I ever saw of 
 those animals. We traveled three hundred miles 
 up the Caw River from Westport, on the west line 
 of the Missouri, all the way through prairies, which 
 seem almost to have no end. On Sunday, 30th, I 
 had a thought of trying to preach to the company. 
 There were some as wicked people among them as 
 I ever saw in all my life. There was some reluc- 
 tance shown by the captain of the company; others 
 wanted me to preach to them. Part of this Sabbath 
 day was a happy time to me. My soul was drawn 
 
34 TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 
 
 out to God, for he was with me, though in the 
 midst of an ignorant and hard-hearted people. The 
 men killed several antelopes, and saw some elks. 
 On Monday, the 31st, we left the Blue (or Blue 
 Earth) River, a fork of Caw River, and traveled 
 over to the Platte River. We passed the Pawnee 
 towns the next day, about six miles to the north of 
 us. We then turned more to the southwest, and 
 camped on Platte River that night. We had two 
 Methodists in company with us. Col. Bartleson 
 had been a Methodist, but is now a backslider. 
 Our leader, Fitzpatrick, is a wicked, worldly man, 
 and is much opposed to missionaries going among 
 the Indians. He has some intelligence, but is deist- 
 ical in his principles. At 2 o'clock, commenced a 
 most tremendous bad storm, with wind, which blew 
 down most of the tents, accompanied with rain and 
 lig-htning and thunder almost all night. I slept but 
 little, the ground being all covered with water. 
 That night, dreadful oaths were heard all over the 
 camp ground. O the wickedness of the wicked. 
 
 On this night I was called upon to marry a cou- 
 ple of young people belonging to our company, 
 without law or license, for we were a long way 
 from the United States. Perhaps this was the first 
 marriage in all these plains, among white people. 
 
 Next morning we continued up the Platte River. 
 This river is said to be about sixteen hundred miles 
 long, and is here about one-fourth of a mile wide, 
 and very muddy. The Indians call it Elk River. 
 It empties into the Missouri, a few miles below 
 Council Blufif. The Caw River is said to be 
 about seven hundred miles long. It empties 
 into the Missouri River, at the west line of the 
 
TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 35 
 
 state of Missouri. On Thursday, we traveled 
 through the most level plains I ever saw in my life. 
 Here is such a scenery of beauty as is seldom wit- 
 nessed. The Platte plains are lower than the 
 banks. There are bluffs all along here, for four or 
 five miles. The next day there came on a tre- 
 mendous storm of rain, wind, and thunder, which 
 lasted about an hour and a half. We traveled up 
 the river, and encamped all night where wood was 
 very scarce, and hard to be got, and we made our 
 fires of some willow bushes. On Friday evening 
 the company had a terrible alarm. One of our 
 hunters, who was in the rear, was robbed of all he 
 had by the Indians. They struck him with their 
 ram-rods, and he ran from them. Soon a war 
 party of the Sioux Indians appeared in view. We 
 soon collected together in order of battle, to be 
 ready in case of an attack. The Indians stood 
 awhile and looked at us, and probably thinking 
 that "the better part of valor is discretion," they 
 soon showed signs of peace. Captain Fitzpatrick 
 then went to them, and talked with them, for he 
 was acquainted with them. They then gave back 
 all that they had taken from the young man, and 
 our men gave them some tobacco, and they smoked 
 the pipe of peace. 
 
 The next morning we continued up this river, 
 along smooth banks, without any timber. That 
 afternoon we had a very severe hail storm, accom- 
 panied with thunder; one Indian was knocked 
 down with a hail stone, about as large as a goose 
 egg. We soon discovered a water spout, which 
 came down into the river. When it struck the river 
 
36- TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 
 
 it made a great foam^ and then passed off in a 
 dreadful tornado. The next day we saw six flat- 
 bottomed boats coming down, loaded with buffalo 
 robes and skins. The poor fellows in the boats 
 looked very dirty and ragged. We now began to 
 see plenty of buffalo signs; all the way previous, 
 game had been scarce. Here we had not very good 
 water to drink, having to use the muddy water of 
 the Platte River. On Sunday, we staid where we 
 had tolerably good water. Companies of Indians 
 still came into our camp to trade with us. 
 
 The bluffs here are getting larger and higher 
 and wider from the river. These plains are cov- 
 ered all over with buffalo bones and skulls. I long 
 to get out of these plains to where we can get plenty 
 of good water and wood. I am still weary of 
 hearing so much swearing by the wicked white 
 men. On Monday night, we had another hard 
 storm of rain, hail, and thunder. These beautiful 
 bluffs look, in some places, like magnificent build- 
 ings. 
 
 June ist. We had storms all the time. Sunday, 
 7th. Our hunters killed an elk, for the first time. 
 On Wednesday, they killed three buffaloes. The 
 Indians still continued to travel with us. This 
 night we were threatened with another thunder 
 storm, but it passed off without much rain. Our 
 hunters killed some more buffaloes, and we then 
 had plenty of meat. It is thought that the Platte 
 plains here are several feet below the surface of the 
 water. The river banks are very low, but never 
 overflow. Some small cedars grow on the top of 
 the bluffs. The bluffs get larger and higher as we 
 
TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 37 
 
 ascend the river. Monday morning we began to 
 make ready to cross the south fork of Platte River. 
 This fork is about one-fourth of a mile wide, with 
 sandy bottom; some places the wagons nearly 
 swam. We got apross with some difficulty, but 
 not much danger. There were seven or eight buf- 
 faloes seen coming up with our oxen; our hunters 
 shot one of them. Some more were seen with the 
 other oxen. They seemed to form an attachment 
 to each other. Thursday, we traveled up the north 
 side of the south fork. Here we saw thousands of 
 buffalo, all along the plains. Our hunters shot 
 down one bull; they thought it unnecessary to kill 
 any more. Here we saw packs of wolves, which 
 followed them. This morning there was a great 
 alarm given that the Indians had driven off some 
 of the oxen, and our men went in pursuit of them, 
 and brought them back. One man said he saw an 
 Indian, and shot at him, but some did not believe 
 him. All this time, I had to stand guard every 
 fourth night. The Indians still come to trade with 
 us. Here we have nothing to make our fires 
 but buffalo manure. This morning a large buf- 
 falo bull came near us, when we were march- 
 ing along and seemed regardless of the bullets; 
 but after fifteen or twenty were shot at him, 
 he fell. We started across to the north fork, 
 about two miles to the northwest, and then trav- 
 eled about twenty miles up the river; staid 
 there on Saturday night. Here an awful cir- 
 cumstance took place: A young man by the name 
 of Shotwell, shot himself accidentally, and died in 
 about two hours afterwards. I was called upon, 
 
38 TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 
 
 by his comrades, to preach his funeral, which I did. 
 The death of this young man caused some serious- 
 ness in his comrades for a few days. On Sunday 
 evening, we went up the river about eight miles, to 
 the mouth of Ash Creek, and staid there one day 
 and two nights. We then traveled up through the 
 bluffs and bald hills, the weather still cold and 
 windy. Nothing grows here but some willow 
 bushes on the banks. The plains are poor and 
 broken. Many curious shapes and forms may be 
 seen among the bluffs. Some abrupt elevations 
 look like houses, with steeples to them. One we saw 
 sixteen or eighteen miles ahead of us, which re- 
 sembled a house with the chimney in the middle of 
 it; or like a funnel, with the small end uppermost, 
 and covering about two acres of ground. The 
 chimney part is about one hundred feet high, and 
 about thirty feet square. We passed an old fort 
 below the mouth of the Larrimee River ; and cross- 
 ing that river, we went up to a new fort that they 
 were building, called Fort Johns. Here is a mix- 
 ture of people ; some white, some half breeds, some 
 French. Here is plenty of talk about their dam- 
 nation, but none about their salvation; and I 
 thought of the words of David, "Woe is me that I 
 sojourn in Mesech, that I dwelt in the tents of 
 Kedar." Here we came in sight of the Black 
 Hills. We have now buffalo meat in abundance, 
 which they cut up in slices, and dry in the sun. I 
 never experienced colder weather for the time of 
 year, now late in June. The people here appear 
 healthier than at any other place in the country. 
 The white people have Indian women for their 
 
TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 39 
 
 wives. There are two Forts here, about one mile 
 apart, and another about one hundred and fifty 
 miles south. I tried to preach twice to these peo- 
 ple, but with little effect. Some of them said they 
 had not heard preaching for twelve years. 
 
 Leaving the Fort, we soon entered the Black 
 Hills. Traveling up the Larrimee River, we had 
 plenty of good wood and water, and felt ourselves 
 much refreshed, thanks be to God. I am now get- 
 ting well used to eating buffalo meat. 
 
 July ist. We crossed the north fork with diffi- 
 culty, and in the passage had a mule drowned. 
 Buffaloes and bears are very plenty, and our hunt- 
 ers shot them down all around, so that we had good 
 fat meat in abundance. All this country is still 
 very poor and the timber small — cotton wood and 
 willow. Few Indians to be seen; some mixed 
 breeds are with Mr. de Smidt, going on to the 
 Columbia River to the Catholic mission. Here 
 grow a great many wild shrubs, with wild sage and 
 grease-wood, resembling young pine, with which 
 the bald hills are covered. It is seldom eaten by any 
 kind of animal. Here we have the Black Hills 
 upon our left. The third day of the month, we left 
 the Platte and went on to the Sweet River, a branch 
 of the Platte, which heads up in the mountains. We 
 are now supposed to be in north latitude 41°. The 
 streams of water are very good. I notice here large 
 quantities of something like glauber salts. It looks 
 like white frost. This country is thought to be ex- 
 tremely healthy. 
 
 July 4th. Came in sight of the Big Horn (or 
 Wind River) Mountain. The next day we passed 
 
40 TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 
 
 the Red Bluffs, and at night reached the Indepen- 
 dence Rock, on Sweet River, at which a company 
 celebrated the 4th of July, 1838. Next night (Sun- 
 day) I proposed having prayers; several of the 
 wicked class came up. Near this, we passed a place 
 where the whole river runs through a narrow chan- 
 nel, or sluice in the rocks. This night we have the 
 sound of the violin, but not much dancing. "Woe 
 unto the wicked; for they shall have their reward." 
 Our company is mostly composed of Universalists 
 and deists. Here is an almost solid rock, like a 
 mountain, on the right side of Sweet River. Buf- 
 faloes and antelopes are very plenty in this region. 
 Driving through dry, rough plains, we try to get 
 to the creeks to obtain grazing for our animals. We 
 aie now in the neighborhood of the Crow nation of 
 Indians, who are peaceable. We have this morn- 
 ing again come in sight of the Wind River Moun- 
 tain. Its summit is still spotted with snow. 
 
 July ioth. At night we were cold. I could not 
 keep warm, although I had a buffalo robe to cover 
 me. It is said here, that the ground is sometimes 
 frozen in August an inch deep. Today we traveled 
 over some high, bald hills ; dined on good fat buf- 
 falo, that our hunters had just killed. We went 
 over on Sweet River, and dried our meat for the 
 remaining part of our journey, where we expected 
 not to find any more game. We are still in sight of 
 the big Wind Mountain ; for it may be seen at the 
 distance of seventy or eighty miles. For hundreds 
 of miles we have to pass over barren ground. I 
 went out with the hunters to bring in meat to dry, 
 and we soon killed a buffalo, which Mr. Jones and 
 
TOTJB TO OREGON TERRITORY. 41 
 
 myself loaded our animals with, and started back to 
 camp, T acting as pilot. We struck too high on the 
 creek, and such places for rocks and hills and cliffs 
 I never traveled over before. We arrived home 
 just after dark. The next day we came in sight of 
 the Sweet River Mountain. Its peaks were toler- 
 ably well whitened with snow. There are some 
 white bears in these mountains, but we have not 
 killed any yet. There are also some white wolves, 
 about as white as sheep. They are a dull, sleepy 
 looking animal, and very surly ; not very mindful of 
 any thing, nor much afraid. They are about the 
 size of a common wolf. i6th, July. We are en- 
 gaged in drying our meat for crossing the moun- 
 tains. This morning we had a very great frost, 
 and some ice. We are still in sight of the Sweet 
 River Mountain. 
 
 Today, we lay by for the arrival of the Snake 
 Indians to come and trade for our articles, and a 
 man was sent to tell them to come. Today, Col. 
 Bartleson gave some of our deists a down-setting, 
 which pleased me very well. We moved about three 
 miles up the river, to get better grazing ground for 
 our animals. This river is very beautiful; clear, 
 running water, fine springs all along; no timber, 
 soil poor and barren. Sunday, i8th. We lodged 
 on Little Sandy Creek, a beautiful stream. 19th. 
 We stand on Big Sandy Creek. These two creeks 
 run into Green River, a branch of the Colorado 
 River. 
 
 We have now just crossed the ridge between the 
 Green River and the Missouri. All these mountains 
 that we have been traveling through, are spurs of 
 
42 TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 
 
 the Rocky Mountains, whose peaks are covered 
 with eternal snow. Although the mountains are 
 spotted with snow, yet the plains are very hot and 
 sultry. Today, we saw some white, grizzly bears, 
 and killed some mountain sheep, the horns of which 
 are as thick as a man's leg, and about two feet 
 long; but they have no wool upon them, and are 
 not much larger than our common sheep. Friday, 
 23rd. We lay on Green River bottom, where we 
 fell in with Mr. Frap, who was on a hunting expe- 
 dition. This man, with nine or ten of his company, 
 was afterwards killed in a skirmish with the Sioux 
 Indians. His company was mostly composed of 
 half breeds, French, and Dutch, and all sorts of 
 people collected together in the mountains, and 
 were a wicked, swearing company of men. Here 
 sugar sold for $1.50 per pound; powder and lead 
 from $1.50 to $2.50 per pound. While here, a 
 wedding took place in our company, between Mr. 
 Richard Fillan and a Mrs. Gray, who had left her 
 husband in Missouri. They were married by Mr. 
 de Smidt, the Catholic priest. Six of our company 
 left us and returned to the United States. Leaving 
 Mr. Frap's company, we continued our journey 
 down Green River. On Sabbath we have nothing 
 but swearing, fishing, etc. Here I gave myself up 
 to God, determined to serve him better than ever. 
 27th. We encamped on Black's fork. We are 
 now among the Snake nation and Flat Head In- 
 dians. These latter are like other Indians, but 
 their heads have been clamped up in a box while 
 infants. We traveled about ten miles a day, much 
 impeded by the thickets of sage and grease-wood. 
 
TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 43 
 
 Here we find the little prairie dogs. They are about 
 the size of the fox squirrel, and of a brownish 
 color. They are in shape like a little dog with short 
 tails. Here we also find other small animals, about 
 the size of the ground squirrel. They all live, as it 
 were, in towns, burrowed in the ground. These 
 little animals appear to visit one another, from the 
 appearance of their paths from one burrow to an- 
 other. Their houses are covered up; and when 
 they see travelers, they run to their holes. The sage 
 hen is found here also. They are somewhat less 
 than the turkey hen, and are supposed to live on the 
 sage leaves. They are not very good to eat. 
 
 July 28th. On Ham's fork of Green River. One 
 of our wagons broke down today. 30th. We trav- 
 eled across the barren hills towards Bear River. 
 This was a hot, sultry day; yet we could see snow 
 on the Eutaw Mountains, on the head waters of 
 the Colorado River. Next night we lay on Black's 
 fork. August 1st. At night I tried to preach to 
 the deists and swearers. Some of them seemed 
 angry, but I thought I cleared my conscience. Next 
 day we traveled through hills and bad roads till we 
 came to Bear River, which runs into Big Salt Lake. 
 Here we rested, and waited for the Snake Indians 
 to come and trade with us. The Bear River bot- 
 toms are beautiful to look at, but not rich, and have 
 no timber. On each side of the river are high, 
 naked blufifs, in some places like small mountains; 
 and in the valleys, large springs of beautiful cold 
 water abound. Farther on, we found tolerably 
 good lands, and beautiful small creeks, having good 
 mill sites. Some few pines are growing along these 
 
44 TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 
 
 bluffs. This day I felt weak from living on dry 
 buffalo meat, without bread. Sunday, 8th. We 
 rested. The employment is still fishing and himt- 
 ing, and such swearing I never heard in my life be- 
 fore. God will surely punish these swearers. Still 
 we find large beautiful streams coming down from 
 the mountains, whose sides are covered with pine 
 trees. Fish are plenty in all these streams. A fine 
 settlement might be formed along this river. 
 
 We next came to the soda springs. These 
 springs seem to boil like a pot of water; but there 
 is no heat in them, except one, that is just on the 
 bank of the river, which is built in the form of a 
 crawfish hole, about three feet high, formed a sedi- 
 ment thrown up by the water, which spouts about 
 three feet high every quarter of a minute. There 
 is an air hole near it that makes a noise like a 
 steamboat, but not so loud. This water is something 
 similar to the artificial soda water. Some of these 
 springs are situated in the bottom of the river, and 
 occasion an ebullition on the surface. This water 
 is somewhat purgative, and is thought by some to 
 possess medical qualities, which may hereafter 
 make it a place of great resort by Invalids and 
 others. This place looks as if it might once have 
 been a great volcano. There is something like lava 
 that has been thrown out of a hole, and lies some 
 inches thick on the ground. Around it is a fine 
 country of rich land, good fresh water, healthy, 
 and a very mild climate. Some of the sediment is 
 of a red color, and the stones have the appearance 
 of pumice. 
 
 Here our hunters killed a pelican, as white as 
 
TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 45 
 
 snow, and its legs and feet like those of a goose. 
 Its bill is about eighteen inches long, and it has a 
 pouch under its jaw that will hold about three 
 pints. The pelican is about six feet long, its tail 
 short, the flesh coarse, and not very good to eat. 
 This day we parted with some of our company. 
 They went down the Bear River in order to go to 
 California. There was some division and strife 
 among us about going ; some who set out for Cali- 
 fornia changed their minds to go to the Columbia. 
 Those who went to California, (as I afterwards 
 learned) were much perplexed about getting 
 through, as they had no regular guide; and were 
 forced to kill some of their animals, to save them- 
 selves from perishing with hunger. They passed 
 the Big Salt Lake. At this Lake, abundance of 
 salt is made by evaporation in the sun. 
 
 We turned off from the Bear River, and struck 
 over on to the waters of Snake River. Next morn- 
 ing we started down one of its branches, but found 
 that we could not get along with the wagons. We 
 therefore turned back again, and staid near where 
 we encamped the night before. The next day we 
 continued on up, and fell over on Snake River, at 
 Fort Hall. Here the Flat Heads met the Catholic 
 priest, who, with his little company, left us, and 
 turned to the right to go to the Flat Head tribes, 
 where he had a mission. I felt sorry when we 
 parted with him. After we had got some provi- 
 sions, and the men had exchanged their wagons 
 for horses, we pursued our journey. Our company 
 is now going with Mr. Armington, who is our cap- 
 tain. W> passed the Ponock Indians. They seemed 
 
46 TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 
 
 to show some dislike to us. Our captain said, if 
 they were not for peace, they would not come 
 openly to us. Here news came to us that about two 
 hundred wSioux had attacked Frap's company, men- 
 tioned in a former part of my narrative. We now 
 started on down the Snake River. We have now 
 beautiful plains to travel through. At Fort Hall, 
 we had to give one dollar a pint for flour. Fort 
 Hall is a beautiful place, in a handsome part of the 
 country. 
 
 August 2 1 St. Went down the Snake River. Here 
 are half breeds, and Indians, and French, and Wy- 
 hees, all together. We staid at the American Falls, 
 on Snake River, where we took breakfast. These 
 falls afford beautiful scenery, and are heard to a 
 great distance. We traveled over some tremendous 
 bad roads; and on the 21st, we passed the Salmon 
 Falls on Lewis River. A large company of the 
 root diggers live here, in little lodges made of wil- 
 low bushes and grass. Here they catch thousands of 
 salmon. These, with the roots they dig, constitute 
 their food. Their little lodges were lined with fish, 
 of which we bought plenty to do us. We now 
 fared well on fish, and I have recruited my strength 
 of body. Our captain, Armington, is one of the 
 most liberal, freehearted men in this country. He 
 has shown us a great deal of kindness, though far 
 from being a religious man. 28th. We crossed the 
 river, which was deep and dangerous, and contin- 
 ued down it. The Snake Indians are now with us, 
 and want to sell us fish, and trade horses. We have 
 tremendous rough roads, and it is very dangerous 
 
TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 47 
 
 traveling up and down the rocky hills. We passed 
 two hot springs, where we saw some iron ore. 
 
 September ist. We reached Fort Bois. Timber 
 grows along the Bois, principally cotton wood. 
 There are some flour and Indian meal to be sold 
 here ; seven pounds of flour for a dollar — mountain 
 price ! Here we rested two days. Our captain is a 
 very profane man, which seems to give fresh spring 
 to our swearers. The first night we staid at Fort 
 Bois, I lay on the bank of the river, where I could 
 scarcely sleep for the Indians, who sung all night in 
 a very curious manner. This is their practice when 
 they are gambling. The poor things were almost 
 naked. The salmon also kept a great noise, jump- 
 ing and splashing about in the water. We now 
 started for Wallawalla, over hills and rough roads. 
 We don't see any timber, scarcely, except a few 
 pines. We passed some more hot springs today, 
 and traveled some very dangerous roads. 8th. 
 We came to Gunpowder River, a small stream. The 
 next day we staid on a pleasant plain, where beauti- 
 ful springs come down from the spurs of the Blue 
 Mountains. We staid on the Grand Round, a beau- 
 tiful plain, about twenty miles long and ten broad. 
 It is well calculated for farming, and well watered. 
 Here we pass some beautiful pines, spruce, and 
 fir trees. After crossing the mountain, we staid 
 at the foot of it, on the margin of a small creek. 
 We had some frost this morning. Next day we 
 traveled over the hills, and got into the rich prai- 
 ries ; camped on the Umatilla River, where we saw 
 a variety of fruits, black haws and brown cherries ; 
 and trees like the balm of Gilead, with pods and 
 
48 TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 
 
 gum on them. The Indians brought some good, 
 sweet roots to sell us. We traveled on, and got 
 to Dr. Whiteman's and Mr. Gray's, on the Walla- 
 walla, where the Presbyterian mission is located. 
 These were kind, friendly people. We heard the 
 Doctor hold a meeting on Sunday, in a well-be- 
 haved congregation of Indians. I tried to preach 
 to them myself that day. Here we had all kinds of 
 garden vegetables, which they gave to us very 
 freely. 
 
 On Wednesday following we left the mission, 
 and traveled on down the Wallawalla about 
 twenty-five miles, and reached the Fort at the 
 mouth thereof, on the Columbia River. We con- 
 tinued down the Columbia River on a very danger- 
 ous road, on the side of hills, where, if a horse 
 should stumble, he would fall two hundred feet 
 down into the river. We traveled through large 
 white sand banks, and passed the falls, where the 
 Indians catch great quantities of fish. We staid 
 among these Indians awhile. They seem very re- 
 ligious. We prayed together, and gave them some 
 bread. They sung and prayed before they ate, and 
 then returned thanks afterwards. At this place, 
 some of our Methodist missionaries had preached. 
 We crossed a small river below the falls, where, 
 while we stopped to let our animals graze, we had 
 some of our articles stolen by the Indians. We 
 passed the "Dalles," or Narrows, where the Colum- 
 bia River is contracted to not more than twenty 
 yards wide. Around this place the Indians are 
 numerous. 
 
 Shortly after this, we arrived at the Methodist 
 
TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 40 
 
 mission, where brother Daniel Lee, brother Per- 
 kins, brother Brewer, and their famiHes, are sta- 
 tioned. They are making some progress among the 
 Indians. I was truly glad to see a Methodist house, 
 and see the Methodist people once more. They 
 were very good to us, and supplied us with pro- 
 visions, free of charge. I was often invited to eat 
 with them, but not to sleep in the house. I tried to 
 preach to them one night, and had a very good 
 time. After resting three days, we left them, and 
 traveled on with four men and one family. We 
 passed two mountains — Mount St. Helena and 
 Mount Hood. The tops of these mountains are cov- 
 ered with perpetual snow, and may be seen for one 
 hundred miles. We lodged on a large creek, in 
 company with some Indians. The Indians requested 
 me to hold prayers with them, which I did. From 
 thence we struck through to the falls of the Willa- 
 mette River. On our way, we passed through the 
 thickest wood I ever saw in my life, mostly spruce, 
 pith pine, and fir trees. In these thickets it is al- 
 most like night in mid-day, so dense is the forest of 
 large and heavy topped trees. The high hills, logs, 
 and mud-holes, made our travel very difficult, and 
 even dangerous. There were a woman and three 
 children in company with us, while we lay out two 
 nights in the rain. I had a bufifalo rug for a tent 
 cloth. Here are some of the largest trees I ever 
 saw in my life; some of them are supposed to be 
 two hundred and fifty feet high. One tree, which 
 I measured, was thirty feet in circumference. We 
 passed a number of large water-falls, affording 
 
60 TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 
 
 great water power for mills. There are also a great 
 many fine, cold springs. 
 
 After traveling eight days of a wearisome jour- 
 ney, we reached the Methodist mission, at the Falls 
 of the Willamette River, where brother Wilson 
 and brother Waller are missionaries. Here I lay 
 out under the saplings in the woods, and slept but 
 little on account of the fleas. Mr. Moore, from 
 Missouri, came and staid with me. Some young 
 men who were building a ship, came and supplied 
 us with provision. On the 9th, we arrived at the 
 beautiful plains of Willamette, where we staid 
 with Mr. Hubbard, who was married to an Indian 
 woman, as are all the white men in this country, 
 excepting the missionaries. He used us very well, 
 and charged us nothing. Today, I traveled up the 
 river among the beautiful plains, and had a view of 
 Mt. Jefferson and Mt. M'Laughlin, the tops of 
 which are elevated above the clouds, covered with 
 snow, and may, I think, be seen one hundred miles ; 
 as may also some other mountains in this region. 
 I rode to Jason I.ee's station, the first he built 
 after going there, and gave him a bundle of papers 
 that were sent to him. Here are several mission- 
 aries. Next day I rode to brother Judson's mis- 
 sionary station, where they have built a grist and 
 saw-mill, and are doing a very good business for 
 themselves. I remained awhile at brother Judson's 
 and brother Ouley's, where I enjoyed myself very 
 well, and became acquainted with brother Hole- 
 man and brother Hines, and brother Campbell. 
 They and their families seemed very friendly. I 
 then returned to Lees' old station, and staid at 
 
TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 51 
 
 brother Raymond's, who gave me some small pres- 
 ents. I went to hear brother Lasley (one of the 
 missionaries) preach on Sunday. He preached. a 
 cold, formal sermon. In the afternoon, I tried to 
 preach to them. We had but a small congregation, 
 all dull and flat. I said within myself, "I fear the 
 world, and speculation, has too much influence 
 over these missionaries." It is in vain for men to 
 come to this country to teach the Indians the way 
 of salvation, and be so indifferent themselves. I 
 said, "O Lord, turn away the captivity of Zion, and 
 send faithful laborers into the vineyard, to teach 
 the way of salvation to the heathen." These In- 
 dians are of the Callapooyan tribe, and the mis- 
 sionaries have as yet learned but little of their 
 language. They have no regular school here at this 
 time, but are making preparations to build a house 
 at the upper station, but none here. Nor are there 
 any converted Indians here. I believe there have 
 been three or four that were members of the Meth- 
 odist Episcopal Church, but there are none now; 
 and no Indian society at all on the Willamette. 
 They say that the Roman Catholics tried to hinder 
 their influence in this country. The Catholics have 
 a majority of the French and Indians. I was often 
 asked by the Indians to go to their camps and hold 
 prayer meetings with them. I fell in company with 
 brother Frost, one of the missionaries who live at 
 the mouth of the Columbia River, among the Che- 
 nook Indians. I told him I had a mind to go down 
 there with him ; and I started in a canoe down the 
 Willamette River, in company with some Chenook 
 Indians. We lay out two nights before we reached 
 
52 TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 
 
 the Falls. One night it rained upon us. We reached 
 the Falls, and staid there one night. Brother Wal- 
 ler preached to a few of the Klackamus Indians, 
 and brother Frost exhorted and I exhorted through 
 an interpreter. These men preached in the "jar- 
 gon," (a language or dialect taken from all the 
 tribes) but did not altogether understand the lan- 
 guage used by the natives. Brother Waller and my- 
 self went down to the mouth of the Klackamus 
 River to preach to the Indians; but with little 
 effect. Here is the place where the Roman Cath- 
 olics hold their meetings. That night tried to 
 preach to a few whites, but with little effect. I 
 did not now sleep in the woods as I did before, 
 being in company with brother Frost. 
 
 Next day we started down to Fort Vancouver, 
 which we reached in two days. Here I met with 
 Mr. Littlejohn, and concluded to go with him to 
 Qualitine Plains, as he was about moving, and was 
 to start that night, or the next morning. So I 
 brought up my baggage to the house where Little- 
 john was staying, and with his consent put them 
 in there, without asking leave of Mr. M'Laughlin, 
 the proprietor. Immediately after, Mr. M'Laughlin, 
 came into the house, looking very angry; he asked 
 me if I had any recommendation to him. I told 
 him I had not. He then told me he could not receive 
 me. I showed him my credentials as a preacher in 
 the Methodist Church, but he cared not for these. 
 I then asked him to let my articles lay a few hours 
 in his room, but it was not granted. He is an ill- 
 natured, old Roman Catholic. I went down to the 
 river and staid with some people who were going 
 
TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 53 
 
 to travel with me. Next day we went down to the 
 mouth of the Willamette River, then went up it in 
 a canoe, and laid on the bank. Next day I went on 
 foot across the mountain, in company with Samuel 
 Kelsey. Climbing over the mountains and travers- 
 ing the plains, fatigued me ; and by so overheating 
 myself, it gave me the chills and fevers for near a 
 week. 
 
 October 29th. Wet weather is setting in, and it 
 continues until the ist of April, and then it is dry 
 all summer. Not much corn can be raised here. 
 Good wheat, oats, barley, onions, potatoes, beets, 
 carrots, peas, beans, turnips, carrots, etc., grow 
 very well here. These prairies afford fine grazing; 
 for on them, horses, cattle, sheep and hogs, will be 
 as fat in the winter as in the summer. The streams 
 all abound with salmon. The tide-water comes up 
 to the Falls. There are several fishing places along 
 these rivers; plenty of springs of clear, good, and 
 cold water. The best portion of the country lies in 
 the valleys along the streams. Elk, bear, and deer 
 are found in the mountains. The people dwelling 
 on the plain are subject to the chills and fevers. I 
 soon recovered, though, from this disease, and 
 began to try to preach to the people at this place, 
 where there are but ten or twelve families. 
 
 Here I met with brother and sister Carter, who 
 are excellent people, and were kind to me. Sister 
 Carter is a true believer in Christ. I then staid a 
 few weeks with Mr. Kelsey, who was one of our 
 company from the United States. I built a house 
 on an improved piece of land, to live in by myself; 
 but I soon found it would not do. Mr. Kelsey and 
 
54 TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 
 
 his wife were very poor, though kind. These times 
 passed very unpleasantly. I attended the preaching 
 of Mr. Griffin, a Presbyterian missionary from the 
 east. He showed me no friendship at all. Some- 
 times I would exhort after he was done, asking the 
 leave of the people; but he would leave the house. 
 He soon lost the good will of the people. They 
 seemed desirous that I should preach to them. I 
 felt my heart much pained to see the coldness of 
 the preachers, and the low state of religion. I got 
 word from Willamette to return there. So I started 
 back, in company with brother and sister Carter, 
 and brother Ab ert. The waters being very deep, 
 we had to cross on logs and swim our animals. We 
 lay out that night in the woods. Next morning 
 started early, and reached the Falls of the Willam- 
 ette, at brother Waller's and brother Wilson's. 
 Passed a waste cabin, where I had laid out a few 
 nights before, hunting horses. I tarried at the 
 Falls of the Willamette, waiting for a passage up 
 the river. I tried to labor in picking brush and 
 clearing, for brother Waller; but could not do 
 much at it. 
 
 Here Satan much disturbed my peace. I was 
 much plagued with needless fears and distress of 
 mind, looking back to my family. Nearly three 
 thousand miles from my home, my clothes begin- 
 ning to get thread-bare; somewhat affected with 
 the rheumatism; my money almost gone; my breth- 
 ren seeming to look coldly and indifferently at me ; 
 all combined to depress me in spirits. I attended, 
 with brother Waller, some Indian meetings, and 
 tried to preach to the white people. I prayed 
 
TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 55 
 
 mightily to God to deliver me from all my needless 
 fears, and from all sin. On New Year's day, I 
 started in company with some Frenchmen, up the 
 Willamette, in a canoe. This rapid stream is very 
 dangerous to navigate above the Falls. Some 
 canoes had been overset here; but the Lord pre- 
 served us. I had given my name, and the name of 
 the place where I lived, to brother Waller; so that 
 in case I should be drowned or die, he might write 
 liome to my family. I came to our landing place, 
 and then I had to walk about fifteen miles through 
 the water and mud. It was sometime in the night 
 before I reached Mr. Roe's, where I staid that 
 night, and next morning started on foot for the 
 Methodist mission, with my saddle-bags on my 
 back. I traveled all day in the wet, and at night 
 missed my way; and coming to a water about a 
 hundred yards wide, I feared to enter in. I 
 hallooed, and a Frenchman rode across to me, and 
 I followed after him. The water was about knee- 
 deep. I got to Mr. Jennings, a French Catholic, who 
 was very kind and friendly to me. I was very wet 
 and cold. This day's traveling caused me to lay by 
 nearly all the winter with the rheumatism. I this 
 night felt happy in God, to think he had brought 
 me safely so far, it being now January 6, 1842. 
 Next day, Sunday, I got to the Methodist mission, 
 and heard brother Parish preach. Their meetings 
 still seem cold and flat. At night, I attended prayer 
 meeting. I do not feel well, either in body or soul. 
 My only prayer is, that God would give me victory 
 over myself, that I may be wholly given up to him. 
 I told the missionaries they might do much more 
 
56 TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 
 
 for the Indians than they were doing, as they had 
 no schools, and very few meetings for the Indians, 
 and at some stations, no preaching to them at all. 
 I soon fell under their displeasure. They examined 
 m.e about my authority to preach; I showed them 
 my credentials. They asked me if I had no recent 
 recommendation from the elder or circuit preacher. 
 J told them I had not. Then, said they, we cannot 
 receive you as a preacher. But this did not shut up 
 my way; for I had plenty of friends to preach to, 
 without these few individuals. These dear people, 
 who are sent to preach to the Indians, I fear have 
 either lost the spirit of their station, or else never 
 had it. 
 
 I went to brother Lasley's, and staid a week; 
 although the old man is, in his own way, very stiff, 
 and rigid, and self-conceited. He was very kind 
 and obliging, however, to me. Brother Jason Lee 
 came in, and staid all night. We had considerable 
 talk about the state of the mission. He told me 
 that T knew but little about the state of the mission, 
 as T was only a stranger passing through the coun- 
 try ; and counseled me not to state any thing about 
 them, except what I knew. I replied, that I should 
 state only what I knew, and what I had good rea- 
 son to believe. "At this time," said he, "we are pre- 
 paring to erect a very large building, for the pur- 
 pose of teaching the Indian children." I believe 
 that it is brother Lee's intention to do good for the 
 heathen; but it c-eem? he has a great deal of busi- 
 ness on hand, which seems a hindrance to the work 
 of religion. They have had some kind of a sch )ol 
 heretofore, but I believe not to much purpose. 
 
TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 57 
 
 These people are so scattered up and down in the 
 mountains and valleys, that it seems hard to make 
 much progress ; and in the summer, they are all out 
 digging roots and hunting. And in this scattered 
 situation it is hard to keep up any kind of a society, 
 until the young ones are informed by schools, and 
 get to farming, and become a more settled people; 
 and until our missionaries succeed in this work, I 
 fear there will be but little good done towards re- 
 ligion ; for while they live in their old Indian habit?, 
 they will not live up to any kind of discipline. They 
 are a poor, indigent, and distressed people. 
 
 In conversation with brother O'Neal, he tells me 
 that the white people live without any forms of 
 law; but in general are very honorable in paying 
 their debts, and give notes and bonds. They have 
 no sheriffs, constables, fees, nor taxes to pay. They 
 profess to be very hospitable to strangers, and kind 
 to one another. No breaking each other up for 
 debts. Here are no distilleries, no drunkenness, 
 nor much swearing. They seem, indeed, to be a 
 very happy people. They have large droves of 
 horses and cattle, who graze on the green grass all 
 winter; and there is no other cost or trouble to 
 raise stock, than to keep them from going wild. 
 The greater part of our American mountain men, 
 and some of their Indian women, have joined the 
 Methodist Episcopal Church, and are good citi- 
 zens. In this country there are about four classes 
 of people: ist. The Hudson Bay Company, mostly 
 Canadians. 2d. The New England missionaries. 
 3rd. The French farmers, mostly Catholics. 4th. 
 The mountain men, who have settled along the 
 
58 TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 
 
 Willamette River. At Vancouver, they keep a large 
 quantity of goods, which they sell very cheap. Eng- 
 lish ships come in about twice a year. They belong 
 to the Hudson Bay Company, and exchange their 
 goods for beaver, and other skins, flour, beef, and 
 pork. There was lately a very serious circumstance 
 took place, with a man named Monger, one of the 
 mechanics of the Presbyterian mission, who con- 
 sidered that he was a great prophet; and said that 
 if he were to burn himself to death, God v/ould raise 
 him up again. To test the truth of what he said, 
 he went into a shop, by himself, where he made a 
 great fire, and then hauled out the coals, and laid 
 down upon them. His wife being in another part 
 of the house, heard him making a great noise, and 
 ran into the room, and found him struggling in the 
 pangs of death. She, with the help of some others, 
 got him out of the fire. He, then saw his dreadful 
 delusion, and prayed to the Lord to forgive him. 
 He lived three days after this, and then expired. 
 He had always appeared to be a sincere man, and 
 we hope that the Lord heard his prayer and for- 
 gave him. How careful ought Christians to be to 
 shun the delusions of the devil ! 
 
 The Roman Catholics here appear to be buying 
 the good will of the people by presents, and, I 
 believe, are trying to get the control of the Indians. 
 I fear our missionaries are too scornful toward the 
 poor, naked Indians; indeed, too much so with all 
 the poor people. 
 
 ^ January 25th. I offered a few thoughts on jus- 
 tification and redemption in their class-room. My 
 mind is a good deal troubled about the difficulties 
 
TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 59 
 
 of my returning home. These words came very 
 forcibly to my mind: ''Let not your hearts be 
 troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me." 
 These were great words of joy and comfort to my 
 soul. I could not for a moment doubt the promise 
 of God. Why am I not more resigned to suffer all 
 things that come upon me? 
 
 Next Sabbath I went out to Mr. Rowe's, about 
 sixteen miles, to preach; but the appointment had 
 fell through. Went that night to Dr. Bailey's, and 
 returned next day to the mission. My knees became 
 very painful with rheumatism. I went to brother 
 Abernathy's who used me very well. I then went 
 around among the people; but had very hard and 
 dry times. O, why is "the god of this world" so 
 much reverenced? Why is it that these mission- 
 aries, who are sent here to convert the Indians, 
 cannot find any time to do it? These poor, tawny 
 sons of the forest, wandering about with no kind 
 shepherd to watch over them, are often driven 
 from door to door. They look dirty and filthy, 
 which does not suit the delicate feelings of the peo- 
 ple. They are often heard to pray for the Indians, 
 yet they do but little for them. "But we intend," 
 say they, "when we get better fixed, to do some- 
 thing for them;" and some of them say, "We ought 
 to have higher salaries, and then we could do more 
 for them. But we must take good care of our own 
 household, for 'charity begins at home.' " One 
 Indian said, "What did white men come here for, 
 if they could not bear with poor Indian? Why do 
 they not try more to learn us the good book?" They 
 often reply, "We will do something when we get 
 
60 TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 
 
 ready." These poor Indians almost starve for 
 something to eat, which causes them to steal, and 
 then they often get whipped for it. The poor things 
 know but little about farming, and their game is 
 nearly gone. I know not what the consequence 
 will be. They have great complaints against the 
 white people, seeing they know not what plan to 
 fall upon to make their living, and the white peo- 
 ple are killing all their game. 
 
 I staid a few days at brother Holeman's and 
 tried to shave shingles three or four days, but i^ 
 hurt my knees so much that I had to quit it. I then 
 tried the cross-cut saw three or four days, but this 
 also hurt my knees so that I could not stand it. 
 Brother M'Cadden, brother Hines, and his wife, 
 and brother Campbell and his wife, gave me some 
 articles of clothing, which were very acceptable. I 
 hope the Lord will reward them. Here I saw a 
 scene of distress which shocked me. There came 
 a company of poor, starved Indians through the 
 mud, and finding an old horse of Jason Lee's 
 which had died, they cut him up, and carried him 
 off with joyful looks and glad hearts, although the 
 carcass was so stinking that we could hardly come 
 near it, and the hogs and dogs had been eating at 
 it. 
 
 I will now give a short account of the missions 
 in Oregon: 
 
 First. The highest up is the Catholic mission, 
 on the Columbia River. Mr. de Smidt, and two 
 other priests, are stationed there. They have bap- 
 tized a great many; six hundred the first winter, 
 and a great many more since. Mr. Blancet, on the 
 
TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 61 
 
 Willamette, has a great many French and Cana- 
 dians. 
 
 Second. The Presbyterian mission — Dr. White- 
 man's and Mr. Gray's. They have a respectable 
 congregation of Indians; yet they have had some 
 trouble, and have had their lives threatened by the 
 Indians. They have begun a very good farm, and 
 the past summer, raised about six hundred bushels 
 of wheat, and a small crop of corn ; about one hun- 
 dred bushels of all kinds of melons, pumpkins, cu- 
 cumbers. All kinds of vegetation seem to grow 
 well. Some timber and beautiful plains all about, 
 and a small mill. The natives are mostly of the 
 Skyuse Indians. They are making small progress 
 in farming. Mr. Spaulding, on the Snake River, 
 among the Nezperees, is doing well, and is learning 
 the Indians to farm; and his wife is learning the 
 women to spin and weave. They have begun to 
 raise flocks of sheep. Mr. Walker and Mr. Smith 
 are missionaries, some distance apart, and are try- 
 ing to teach the Indians. Next is Mr. Griffin, at the 
 Qualitine Plains ; but he is not doing any thing. 
 
 Third. Is the Methodist missions. The first is 
 Mr. Frost, at the mouth of the Columbia River, 
 among the Chenooks and Klackamus Indians, be- 
 low Fort George; but there is nothing doing there 
 for the Indians. Brother Cohen, one of the preach- 
 ers, has feft there. 
 
 Fourth. In the care of Dr. Richmond, on the 
 other side of the Columbia, at the Puget Sound, 
 among the Nisqually Indians ; who, it is said, have 
 chiefly left there. 
 
 Fifth. The station at the Falls of Willamette, 
 
62 TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 
 
 where brother Waller is the preacher, and brother 
 Wilson the mechanic. These are of the Klackamus 
 Indians. Brother Waller preaches almost every 
 Sabbath, but seems to do but little good. There is 
 no society there. They say that the Roman Cath- 
 olic priests prejudice the minds of the Indians 
 against them. Brother Waller and brother Wilson 
 are very much enthralled in working and trading, 
 and have but little time to do any thing for the 
 Indians. Perhaps times may soon alter. 
 
 Sixth. At the Dalles, or Narrows, on the Colum- 
 bia River. Brother Daniel Lee and brother Per- 
 kins, preachers, and brother Brewer, farmer. They 
 have had a great many under their influence, and 
 some souls have been converted. They have a tol- 
 erably good society. Brother Lee and brother Per- 
 kins seem very diligent in traveling round, and 
 preaching, and I believe are faithful men. They 
 were assisted by a blacksliding preacher (Mr. 
 Wright), who was reclaimed amongst them, and 
 the Lord blessed his labors in that place. They are 
 about building a log house to preach in. They have 
 got a small farm, and raise some wheat, and made 
 about four hundred bushels of potatoes this sum- 
 mer. This is a very hilly place, but healthy. Good 
 salmon, and other fish, in abundance. 
 
 Seventh. Brother Jason Lee's, on the Willa- 
 mette River, surrounded with beautiful plains. 
 They are among the Callapooyan Indians. They 
 have considerable business going on, and own 
 herds of cattle. Their mission cattle number about 
 three hundred head. It is somewhat sickly here. 
 Mr. Jason Lee is the superintendent, and brother 
 
TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 63 
 
 Lasley and brother Hinds the itinerant preachers. 
 Brother Lee has lost his second wife, and 
 brother Laslie his first. Brother Shepphard died. 
 Brother Parish, is a blacksmith and preacher; 
 brother Babcock, doctor and class-leader; brother 
 Abernathy, store-keeper; Mr. Raymond and Mr. 
 Bears, farmers; brother Whitcomb, very sickly, 
 and not able to do any thing. They have 
 about two hundred acres of land under culti- 
 vation, and hire Indians to work for them. They 
 live in good, warm log houses, and have plenty to 
 live on, and live well; have as good horses to ride 
 as any men in this country, and generally ride ac- 
 cording to the customs of this country — that is, go 
 in a full gallop ; and they dress as well as any other 
 set of gentlemen in the Oregon Territory. In this 
 station there are neither Indian schools nor Indian 
 meetings this winter. The Indians appear to be 
 getting a little shy of them, and distant. The 
 French farmers and French Catholics accuse them 
 of being too unfriendly to strangers, and the poor. 
 Brother Babcock told me they were willing to re- 
 ceive me as a man, but not as a preacher, because 
 I had not a recent recommendation from the pre- 
 siding elder. Truly, I did not look much like a 
 preacher ; for after traveling three thousand miles, 
 my old iinsey coat looked very shabby. But many 
 of the people about there said, if I had worn as fine 
 a coat as Dr. Babcock, I would have been very well 
 received. I felt contented; but was very sorry to 
 see some of them so high-minded, and doing so 
 little in the cause of God, and fear they have lost 
 the spirit of their station, and have turned their 
 
64 TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 
 
 attention too much to speculation. I leave this to 
 be determined in the day of judgment ; but fear the 
 bad example of some here will do great hurt to the 
 heathen. 
 
 Eighth. The new station at the mill, nine miles 
 above the old station, on the Willamette River, sit- 
 uated on a delightful plain, beautifully studded 
 with green groves of fir trees, and having a creek 
 running through it, with a grist-mill and a saw- 
 mill, which sunnlies the country all around with 
 grinding and lumber. Here we see herds of cattle 
 grazing on the plains. Brother Jason Lee is super- 
 intendent of the whole. Brother Judson, preacher 
 and mechanic, who labors very hard, has charge 
 of the mills. Brother Auley, preacher and me- 
 chanic, also labors hard, with a number of 
 hired men, working at the school-house. They are 
 about building a large seminary, which, if com- 
 pleted and properly conducted, may be of great ser- 
 vice. Here brother Lee has held some Indian 
 meetings, in a small shantee near the mill. I at- 
 tended with him at some of the meetings, and the 
 Indians behaved very well. Some others and my- 
 self exhorted after him. Brother Campbell is class- 
 leader, and brother Hinds sometimes meets the 
 children in another shantee. Here, I thought, there 
 were too many missionaries living in one place. It 
 may be brother Lee is right in keeping them all to- 
 gether, but I thought differently. Brother Lasley 
 and brother Hinds stay too much at home, and only 
 preach sometimes on Sunday. I have not seen any 
 Indians converted here, nor do I know of any. 
 
 I was now about beginning to fit up for my re- 
 
TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 65 
 
 turn to the States, it being the ist of March. This 
 seemed a long and tedious winter to me. Brother 
 Sutton, brother Campbell, and brother Judson, 
 drew up a small subscription, and made up plenty 
 to supply me on the road. Brother M'Cadden and 
 brother Larrison gave orders to Dr. Whiteman to 
 give me two horses on the head of Wallawalla 
 River. A few nights before I started, I staid with 
 old Mr. Jervais, a Frenchman. He gave me a de- 
 tailed account of the Indians, who, he said, were 
 rapidly diminishing in number, and wasting away, 
 on that side of the Mountain. He had lived here 
 most of his time for thirty years. He says more of 
 the Indians have died within ten or fifteen years 
 past, than formerly, and that he has known three 
 thousand to die in two years on the Sacramento and 
 Maries Rivers, and in other places in the Oregon, 
 mostly with the ague and fever and venereal dis- 
 eases; together with the effects of exposure to the 
 wet weather, and for the want of food. Sometimes, 
 he says, he has seen whole lodges of them lying 
 dead together, the little infants sucking the breasts 
 of their dead mothers, and no one to do anything 
 for them; that he has known them to kill and eat 
 their own children, when almost starved, and has 
 known an Indian to choke his little child to death, 
 because it was cross, and hindered its mother from 
 digging roots, which are their chief food. A 
 Frenchman told me that he knew three Indians to 
 kill eleven men, women and children, and live on 
 their flesh all winter! and they showed him their 
 scaffold, on which they had dried their flesh! 
 Those three men, he said, looked fat and well. Those 
 
66 TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 
 
 poor, wicked, and degraded creatures, seem as if 
 destined to destruction. They are always at war 
 with one another, and sell their prisoners for 
 slaves, as the white people of our slave states sell 
 the negroes. What a monster is man in his natural 
 state, without cultivation, or religion! 
 
 Those Callapooyans, on the Willamette River, 
 appear to be a lazy and degraded people. All the 
 rivers between the Willamette and California, are 
 mostly settled with uncultivated people. On the 
 Ambakaw River there are beautiful plains, which 
 may make handsome farms. The Yamhill River 
 also affords a beautiful prospect, south of the Wil- 
 lamette. All along here, the country is settled with 
 Indians. 
 
 April 3d. I attended sacrament among the mis- 
 sionaries. It looked like a cold, lonesome time. I 
 took but little part with them, but wished them all 
 well in my heart : although sorry to see such a cold, 
 indifferent spirit among them. Tuesday, I started 
 down the river in a canoe, in company with Jason 
 Lee, Lasley, Rogers and Ross, and two Indians. 
 This day it rained on us all day, and it was a very 
 cold rain. We staid with Charles Ross that night, 
 on the bank of the river. The next day we had a 
 pleasant time to sail, and reached the Falls that 
 night. I tried to preach that night at brother 
 Hathaway's, from Luke xii, 21 : "Strive to enter in 
 at the strait gate." Brother Lee and brother 
 Lasley exhorted after me. I think some good im- 
 pressions were made on the minds of the people. 
 The next morning, soon after we started, the rain 
 began to fall, accompanied with high wind. We 
 
TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 67 
 
 soon found ourselves wet and cold; and the river 
 being very rough, we stopped about 2 o'clock and 
 camped under some fir trees. The next morning 
 we started, and reached Vancouver about 11 
 o'clock, and camped on the bank of the river. Here 
 brothers I.asley, and Lee, and Clark, and Rogers, 
 went and lodged with Dr. M'Laughlin, the great 
 rich man, who had refused on a former occasion to 
 receive me. Here I staid in company with Ross, 
 and some Indians, with the property, at the camp. 
 It was very cold, rainy, and windy, and I was in- 
 vited to the house of a Scotchman, who kept a hos- 
 pital near our camp, and was well provided for by 
 Dr. Douglass, one of the Hudson Bay Company. I 
 felt well resigned to the will of God, whether to be 
 exalted or abased. 
 
 Mr. Laslie preached at M'Laughlin's on Sunday. 
 He tried to tower very high before the nobility, 
 but seemed to have little power to his preaching. 
 Mr. Lee exhorted after him. The old doctor 
 M'Laughlin, attended meeting with his Catholic 
 brethren, in another place. He appears to have the 
 uncontrolled sway of all the people around the 
 place and the Fort, mostly Canadians, French 
 and Indians. His hirelings he calls his ser- 
 vants; and they all appear to have to stay with 
 him until he gives them a discharge. He is a 
 wicked old sinner. Our Methodist missionaries 
 seem very much at home with him, and he seems 
 somewhat kind to them, I suppose for self-interest. 
 He is very wealthy, and belongs to the English 
 company. We staid nearly ten days, expecting a 
 ship, which we thought had some letters for Jason 
 
68 TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 
 
 Lee; but started a few hours before the ship came 
 in. But we heard the roaring of the cannon, as a 
 signal that the ship was coming in. We lay that 
 night about ten miles from Vancouver, on the bank 
 of the river. The next day was the Sabbath, and 
 we lay by. On Monday, 22d of April, we started 
 up the river, passed a place called Cape Horn, and 
 some high, large cliffs, like pyramids. It rained 
 and snowed on us all along the hills. On Wednes- 
 day we passed the Cascades. In two places we had 
 to carry our canoes and baggage about half a mile, 
 through the large, rough rocks and mud, along the 
 bank of the river. While we were busy doing so, 
 the Indians stole some of our articles. All night we 
 lay in the wet and cold, the rain still continuing on 
 us. We had a sort of tent-cloth, which did but 
 little good. We kindled a fire next morning, cooked 
 breakfast, made some coffee, and it seemed to 
 nourish us. This morning we heard a tremendous 
 rumbling, like thunder, but found it was the rocks 
 falling from the cliffs. 
 
 This day we passed some very dangerous places 
 on our route, where several people had been 
 drowned. Here Mr. Lasley showed us a place 
 where he and his company had been overset; but 
 fortunately, all were saved but one child. The wind 
 blew fair, and we hoisted sail, and went up the 
 river very fast. The waves run very high, and 
 sometimes ran over the sides of our canoe. The 
 next day we reached the Dalles, or Narrows. Here 
 we held some meetings, and I felt at liberty to en- 
 joy myself among Christians. I tried to preach 
 to them, and exhort. These kind people used us 
 
TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 69 
 
 very well, and seemed full of zeal for the cause of 
 God. Here the Indians, also, seem to have religion. 
 Brother Lee and brother Perkins seemed to be 
 doing much good. On Sunday night I proposed 
 taking the parting hand at a prayer meeting, and 
 to bid them farewell in public. Brother Jason Lee, 
 brother Lasley, and brother Rogers rose up and 
 opposed it, yet could assign no reason why; but 
 said, we are all determined to meet in heaven, 
 without giving each other our hands; and said 
 further, that their prayer meeting was not quite 
 over, which I thought was very imprudent in them. 
 They hurt some feelings by it. I told Mr. Lee the 
 next morning that I thought he acted very impru- 
 dently. He had been too full of vain talk while 
 coming up the river. That day we parted; and 
 Ross, Rogers, and myself, with some Indians, pur- 
 sued our journey, leaving the others at the Dalles. 
 We hired some Indians, with their horses, to carry 
 us up to Dr. Whiteman's. That day we were in 
 sight of Mt. Hood and Mt. St. Helena, whose tops 
 were covered with snow. We reached De Shutz 
 River after dark, and it was too deep to cross that 
 night. It rained on us almost all night. Next 
 morning we arose, wet and cold. The Indians soon 
 came and helped us over, and swam our horses 
 across by the side of their little tottering canoes, 
 for which we gave them some tobacco, and contin- 
 ued our journey in the rain. Came to the Johndays 
 River. It was very deep and full, and we crossed 
 in the Indian's little canoe, and swam our horses as 
 before. That night we camped on the bank of the 
 Columbia River. Next morning came to the Uma- 
 
70 TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 
 
 tilla River. It was also very full, occasioned by the 
 rain, and the melting of the snow. The Indians 
 helped us across, as formerly, and we paid them in 
 tobacco. These Indians are the Umatilla's. About 
 twenty of them staid with us part of the night, and 
 I sung and prayed with them, and exhorted them 
 to turn to the Lord and seek for religion. A young 
 Indian by the name of Elijah, a son of one of the 
 chiefs, who could talk some English, had obtained 
 religion, and was my interpreter. He exhorted 
 them some himself. They seemed to be much 
 affected, and were very friendly. Next day we 
 bought some fish of them, and starting on, passed 
 the Wallawalla ; and late at night we reached some 
 Indian encampments, where we lodged with, and 
 bought some venison of them. Next day we trav- 
 eled over some high, rich prairies, and saw some 
 beautiful droves of Indian horses; and that night 
 reached the Presbyterian mission, where Dr. 
 Whiteman and Mr. Gray live. 
 
 Here we spent two weeks, waiting for Mr. 
 Grant and his company. I lodged with Mr. Gray, 
 my old friend, who was very kind to me, as was 
 also his wife. Next Sabbath I tried to preach to 
 the people here. I bless the Lord for opening my 
 way by good friends. 
 
 May 4th. Coming in at the door of Mr. Gray's 
 house, an Indian within was fixing the lock of his 
 gun, when it went off, just as I was stepping up 
 before the muzzle of it, which I did not see. I had 
 just made a short pause, which saved me from be- 
 ing shot through the head. I bless the Lord for 
 his mercy, in protecting me from this sudden death. 
 
TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 71 
 
 This evening, Mr. Edward Rogers arrived, to go 
 with us to the United States. We are now but three 
 in number ; but I hope the Lord will open our way. 
 We are dreading the high waters, in consequence 
 of the snow melting in the mountains. Here we 
 see the Indians, both men and women, out in the 
 plains and mountains digging roots, to dry for food 
 for themselves. But some of them are beginning 
 to make little farms, and raise wheat. Mr. Walker 
 and another missionary, with their families, have 
 arrived at Dr. Whiteman's, having come about one 
 hundred and eighty miles to hold an annual meet- 
 ing. They galloped out, about four or five miles 
 into the plains, to amuse themselves. They had 
 with them a coarse violin, which was poor music 
 on Sunday. They read two sermons, which was 
 all the preaching that was done. They appeared 
 very dull in religion; and I cannot hear them say 
 that they have any Indian converts. 
 
 The Indians have no ceremonies in their mar- 
 riages. When the young woman makes the match, 
 the young man gives her a horse, and her father 
 gives her one also. This ratifies the bargain 
 between the two young people. They must also 
 have the consent of the chief of that tribe; then 
 they are considered man and wife. Among other 
 tribes it is somewhat dififerent. When a young man 
 of the Shiennes marries a young woman, all of her 
 sisters are counted his wives. On the 17th of May 
 we started, after having completed our outfit. Each 
 of us had one pack-horse with provision. Mr. 
 Gray offered to furnish me with every thing I 
 needed, without charging me a cent. Mr. Cornelius 
 
72 TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 
 
 Rogers also ofifered to help me ; but I thanked him, 
 telling him that Mr. Gray had fully equipped me. 
 Mr. Rogers, however, was very helpful to me. We 
 went on seven miles that day, and waited for Mr. 
 Grant; for he had lost twenty-one of his pack- 
 horses, and was detained hunting them. Next 
 night we joined company with him on Horse Creek. 
 His company was composed of French, and In- 
 dians, and half breeds, mostly Roman Catholics. 
 There are some beautiful prairies about here, but 
 no timber except on the creeks, where there was 
 some cotton wood. A beautiful creek runs through 
 these plains. This place is very healthy, and well 
 calculated for raising horses, cattle, and sheep. 
 They say that on the head of the Wallawalla, in 
 this country, the ewes will have their lambs twice 
 a year, and young heifers, sixteen months old, will 
 have calves. Cattle and horses need no feeding in 
 the winter. 
 
 Next day we crossed the Umatilla River, and 
 passed the farm where the young chief lives. Here 
 is good land, beautifully diversified with low hills. 
 The Indians are beginning to make small farms. 
 The chief has a handsome place, and a tolerably 
 good house. We camped about six miles from the 
 Umatilla River. All the way along, we could see 
 the snow upon the Blue Mountains, which lay on 
 our left hand. Here we passed some of the pret- 
 tiest gangs and bands of horses I ever saw in my 
 life, belonging to the Indians. Some of the Indians 
 own four or five hundred head. All the plains and 
 valleys are covered with green grass to within a 
 few yards of the snow, which covers the moun- 
 
TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 73 
 
 tains. 22d. We ascended to the top of one of the 
 spurs of the Blue Mountains, where we passed 
 some snow drifts, and descended among the beau- 
 tiful pine trees. We lay that night on a beautiful 
 plain, where we had good grazing for our horses, 
 and plenty of wood, and good water. We had a 
 heavy frost, and some ice, that morning. That day 
 being Sunday, I requested Mr. Grant to rest; but 
 he said he had got so far behind-hand that he was 
 obliged to go on. On Monday night we reached 
 the Grand Round. This is a beautiful valley, all 
 covered with green grass. The mountains around 
 it are covered with snow. Here the pine grows on 
 the mountains, but none in the plains. This is on 
 the waters of the Snake River. On Tuesday night, 
 we lay on the waters of Powder River. There is 
 plenty of good land all around us, and good water. 
 Next day we traveled through rich plains, and the 
 mountains lay on our right hand, covered with pine 
 trees. All through this country, good mill-seats 
 abound. We had deep waters to cross all along, 
 caused by the melting of the snow on the mount- 
 ains. We passed some banks of snow that were 
 three feet deep. We had rain that day; and at 
 night lay on a branch of the Powder River. We 
 had plenty of cold water to drink, and plenty of 
 timber to make our fires. Here I heard it thunder, 
 for the first of any consequence since last June. We 
 crossed the main Powder River, and passed 
 through some rich land, with good water, and large 
 plains. It rained on us that day also. We camped 
 that night on a small branch of Bruly River, and 
 next dav we traveled over rough ridges and hills. 
 
74 TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 
 
 June ist. We stopped on Snake River, at Fort 
 Bois. This day I heard some dreadful oaths from 
 Mr. Grant, about some threats which he had heard 
 from Mr. Bridger, one of the American Fur Com- 
 pany, against Fort Hall ; and respecting some goods 
 which had been stolen by Mr. Bridger's company 
 from the Hudson Bay Company. 
 
 We are now detained on Snake River. I feel 
 very unpleasant in my present situation, on account 
 of the noise of the French and Indians. The French 
 are all married to Indian women. We started on 
 up the Snake River, where we were tormented with 
 mosquitoes, and almost stifled with dust ; and when 
 chopping some wood, I struck the tomahawk into 
 my shin-bone, and it bled very copiously. Mr. Grant 
 soon came up, and applied some medicine to it, 
 which stopped the blood, and it got well in a few 
 days. Here I had the charge of three horses (one 
 pack-horse) and my gun to carry, which was very 
 fatiguing to me. My situation seems unpleasant; 
 for, instead of being in the pulpit on the Sabbath 
 day, I am packing my gun on my back, and driving 
 my horses before me. I feel much worn-out and 
 tired. My eyes were almost ruined with the dust. 
 Mr. Grant gave me a piece of a green silk veil, 
 which he tore from his own. This I put over my 
 eyes, and found it to be a great help to me. Mr. 
 Grant has been very kind to me, although he is 
 subject to intoxication. After leaving Fort Bois, 
 we crossed Wyhee River, and so continued up 
 Snake River. 
 
 Here an unhappy circumstance occurred with an 
 Indian woman. Her husband had three wives, 
 
TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 75 
 
 and had turned her away and took another in her 
 place. At night she put on her best clothes, made 
 some small arrangements, and took a rope and 
 hung hersejf upon the corner of a high rock. Her 
 mother passing by saw her hanging, apparently 
 dead, and soon cut her down. Mr. Grant was im- 
 mediately sent for. He bled her, and gave her 
 some medicine, and she came to again. She could 
 not speak for some days. What villians these men 
 are, that act so cruelly toward their women. 
 
 All along up this river we could see snow on the 
 mountains, while we were suffering with heat in 
 the plains. Here we passed by the Trois Butes, 
 which were on our right hand. We hear some 
 unfavorable news about the hostility of the Indians 
 between here and the United States, and we have 
 no assurance of company farther than Fort Hall, 
 except one man besides ourselves, making four in 
 all; but I am determined to persevere, unless my 
 way is completely stopped up, and trust that God 
 will protect me, and open the way for my return — 
 though it looks dark and gloomy, through lone- 
 some hills and valleys, and over mountains which 
 reach almost to the clouds, and across waters, deep 
 and dangerous. 
 
 Here we had an example of the hardihood of the 
 Indians. One of their women, whose husband had 
 gone on to Fort Hall, staid behind the company by 
 herself, and was delivered of a still-born child, and 
 buried it in the sand ; then mounted her horse, and 
 came on. Some of the company, missing her, went 
 back about seven or eight miles, and met her com- 
 ing on. 
 
76 TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 
 
 Thursday, June i6th. We arrived at Fort 
 Hall. Here we saw the Snake Indians holding a 
 dance around a scalp, which they had taken from 
 the Black Feet Indians. They had set the scalp 
 upon the top of a pole. Here we learned from the 
 Indians, that the Black Feet and Crows and Sioux 
 were determined to kill all the white people they 
 could. This did not disturb me much, for I 
 trusted in the Lord, that he would be with me. On 
 Sunday I tried to preach to these people, who 
 seem to be hard-hearted and wicked. Mr. Grant 
 was drunk, and made some disturbance. Here I 
 was told that the Sanpach Indians would sell their 
 wives for horses; and sometimes kill their horses, 
 and eat them, in case of hunger. Mr. Eubanks, 
 who lived in Fort Hall, showed me a woman whom 
 he lived with, and for whom he had given two hun- 
 dred dollars. 
 
 June 28th. We left Fort Hall; camped with a 
 large company of French and Indians, who were 
 on a hunting expedition. Next night we staid on 
 ■'X[ Ross Creek. Mr. Shutz is now our leader. Two 
 Frenchmen and their women are still in the com- 
 pany with us. We staid next night on the head 
 waters of the Pont Neuf River, and next night at 
 
 i"^ the Soda Springs. Next day we traveled twenty 
 miles up Bear River; then turned to the left, and 
 left Bear River to the right hand. We saw snow 
 for five or six days on the mountains, whilst in the 
 valleys the grass is much burnt. Next day we left 
 
 ^^ a beautiful stream and crossed the mountains. We 
 went through some small thickets of aspen trees, 
 and some pine. We saw a band of elks and ante- 
 
TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 77 
 
 i^ lopes. Staid that night with a company of Ponark 
 Indians, on a creek of Ham's fork of Green River. 
 We traded with these Indians, exchanging some 
 tobacco and ammunition, for some buffalo skins, 
 and halters for our horses; and next night we lay 
 ^^ on a small branch of Green River. 
 
 July 3d. We reached Green River an hour after 
 night, where we expected the company to rendez- 
 vous; but found nothing there but one dog. We 
 had expected some company from there to the 
 United States. 
 
 Here I was told that the Eutaw Indians wish to 
 have a missionary to come and settle amongst 
 them, and to learn them to raise grain. I am of the 
 opinion, that on the east side of Big Salt Lake, 
 that Bear River empties into, would be a great 
 place to establish a mission, and well calculated for 
 raising all kinds of grain. It is good, rich land, a 
 well watered and healthy country. Fish and fowls 
 are very plenty. A beautiful prairie, about one 
 hundred miles long, lies between the lake and the 
 mountain. The plains are covered with green 
 grass all winter, and well calculated for raising 
 stock. Some pines on the mountains, and cotton 
 wood along the creeks and rivers that flow into 
 the lake. There is plenty of salt on the edges of 
 the lake. It is about two hundred and fifty miles 
 in circumference, and lies in 40° north latitude. 
 
 From Green River, we turned out of our in- 
 tended route, and went about a southwest course, 
 in order to avoid the Black Feet Indians. 
 
 July 3d. Reached Bridgers Fort. Company 
 had left for the United States about thirty days be- 
 
?>e 
 
 Y8 TOVR TO OREGON TERRITORY, 
 
 fore, and we saw nothing there but three little, 
 starved dogs. We saw the grave of an Indian 
 woman, who had been killed by the Shiennes. From 
 here we could see the mountain-tops spotted with 
 snow. Mr. Shutz began to talk of going back ; but 
 still I felt confident that there would be some way 
 opened for me to get back to the United States ; for 
 I trusted in the Lord. This night I was somewhat 
 alarmed by the running of the horses, and we 
 thought that the Indians were trying to steal them ; 
 but next morning we found them without much 
 trouble. Next day we had a rough road to travel. 
 ^'^ We came to a beautiful valley, where we found a 
 fine, cool stream of water. Next day we traveled 
 through brush, and pine saplings, and rocks, and 
 logs, so that we could scarcely get along with our 
 pack-horses. We went through piles of snow two 
 feet deep, and camped on the side of the mountain. 
 It both rained and snowed a little. 
 
 Next day we traveled through brush and logs 
 and rocks till 12 o'clock, and only gained half a 
 mile. Then we began to ascend the mountain. The 
 wife of one of the Frenchmen was our pilot. She 
 had two children along; one tied to a board, and 
 hung to the horn of the saddle, and the other in a 
 blanket, tied to her back. When we got to the top 
 of the mountain, it was raining and snowing and 
 thundering, and I was shivering with the cold. 
 There are elk and sheep on this mountain. There 
 were snow piles on the mountain; and yet there 
 was green grass, and flowers, and it looked like the 
 spring of the year. In descending the other side of 
 the mountain, we passed the same kind of loose 
 
TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 79 
 
 rocks that we had to come up on. It was very dan- 
 gerous on account of the rocks, which were easily 
 started to rolHng down the mountains, endanger- 
 ing the legs of our horses. At night we got down 
 to a beautiful, clear lake, at the head of a small 
 creek that came out of the mountains. Here we 
 staid two days. Mr. Miles and his squaw were 
 both taken sick. Mr. Shutz started on Saturday, 
 by himself, to go to Rubedeau's Fort, on Wintey 
 River. 
 
 Next day (Sabbath), Rogers and Ross were 
 anxious to start on to Rubedeau Fort. I gave up 
 to go with them, (not, however, without some 
 scruples of conscience for traveling on the Sab- 
 bath), as I was anxious to know the prospect of 
 company to go with us from thence to the States. 
 So we started, on and left two men and their wives 
 at the lake. We soon got lost, having no pilot, and 
 had to travel by guess; pressing over steep hills, 
 and through brush, and logs, and saplings, and 
 rocks. Our horses were almost distracted with 
 swarms of flies. That night got to a small prairie, 
 by a small stream, where we staid all night. Next 
 morning we continued our way through logs and 
 brush again, and got to the brow of the mountain, 
 on its southern declivity, but saw no way down. 
 We went back and forth seeking a place to get 
 down, and about an hour before sunset, we com- 
 menced the descent. Our horses were sometimes 
 sliding down among the stones. I went foremost ; 
 and while leading my horse, I was afraid of get- 
 ting my bones broke with the loose rocks that were 
 now and then rolling down from above. We scram- 
 
80 TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 
 
 bled along, however, till we got down to the base 
 of the mountain, after dark, which was about a 
 mile and a quarter. When we reached the bottom 
 we were wet and cold, and found that we had lost 
 four of our horses, two of them with packs on 
 them. Next morning we found them, and were 
 glad to find that nothing was lost but my saddle- 
 blanket. This morning we had some frost. We 
 are now on the head of the Wintey River, down 
 which we pursued our journey toward Rubedeau's 
 Fort. About two miles of our journey was almost 
 impassable for the brush, and logs, and rocks. Then 
 we got out of the mountains into a prairie, and 
 reached the Fort about 2 o'clock. 
 
 We had to wait there for Mr. Rubedeau about 
 eighteen days, till he and his company and horse- 
 drivers were ready to start with us to the United 
 States. This delay was very disagreeable to me, 
 on account of the wickedness of the people, and the 
 drunkenness and swearing, and the debauchery of 
 the men among the Indian women. They would buy 
 and sell them to one another. One morning I heard 
 a terrible fuss, because two of their women had ran 
 away the night before. I tried several times to 
 preach to them; but with little, if any effect. 
 
 Here I heard the mountain men tell of the mis- 
 erable state of the Indian root-diggers. Numbers 
 of them would be found dead from pure starva- 
 tion; having no guns to kill game with, and poor 
 shelters to live in, and no clothing except some few 
 skins. These creatures have been known, when 
 pressed with hunger, to kill their children and eat 
 them! and to gather up crickets and ants; and dry 
 
TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 81 
 
 them in the sun, and pound them into dust, and 
 make bread of it to eat! These creatures, when 
 travehng in a hurry, will leave their lame and blind 
 to perish in the wilderness. Here we have a strik- 
 ing example of the depravity of the heathen in their 
 natural state. I was told here, of a Frenchman, 
 who lived with an Indian woman, and when one of 
 his children became burdensome, he dug a grave 
 and buried it alive! At another time he took one 
 of his children and tied it to a tree, and called it a 
 "target," and shot at it, and killed it ! 
 
 Mr. Rubedeau liad collected several of the In- 
 dian squaws and young Indians, to take to New 
 Mexico, and kept some of them for his own use! 
 The Spaniards would buy them for wives. This 
 place is equal to any I ever saw for wickedness and 
 idleness. The French and Spaniards are all 
 Roman Catholics; but are as wicked men, I think, 
 as ever lived. No one who has not, like me, wit- 
 nessed it, can have any idea of their wickedness. 
 Some of these people at the Fort are fat and dirty, 
 and idle and greasy. 
 
 July 27th. We started from Rubedeau's Fort, 
 over the Wintey River, and next crossed Green and 
 White Rivers. Next night we lay on Sugar Creek, 
 the water of which was so bitter we could scarcely 
 drink it. Here two of Rubedeau's squaws ran 
 away, and we had to wait two days till he could 
 send back to the Fort for another squaw, for com- 
 pany for him. 
 
 August ist. We camped under a large rock, by 
 a small stream, where we could get but very little 
 grass for our animals. Next night we lay under 
 
82 TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 
 
 the Pictured Rock, and being sheltered from the 
 rain, slept very comfortably. Next day we trav- 
 eled over rough roads and rocks, and crossed the 
 Grand River, a branch of the Colorado, which runs 
 into the Gulf of California, at the head thereof. 
 Next day crossed another fork of Grand River, 
 and came to Fort Compogera, below the mouth of 
 the Compogera River. 
 
 August 14th (Sunday). I preached to a com- 
 pany of French, Spaniards, Indians, half breeds, 
 and Americans, from Proverbs xiv, 32: "The 
 wicked is driven away in his wickedness: but the 
 righteous hath hope in his death." I felt the power 
 of the word, and I believe some of the people felt 
 also. I spoke plainly and pointedly to them, and 
 felt as though I would be clear of their blood in the 
 day of eternity. 
 
 Next day we started to go through New Mexico, 
 which is a long distance out of our route, to shun 
 the range of the Apahoc Indians; and at night we 
 camped on a small creek. Tuesday morning, we 
 started, and crossed Union River; and next day, 
 crossed Lake River, and lay that night on a small 
 creek. Here are good, clear streams of water; 
 but rough, hilly roads — rocky, sandy, and gravelly ; 
 good grazing for our animals all the way. 
 
 August 19th. We could see snow on the mount- 
 ains. We had a very cold rain. Next day we 
 came to Rubedeau's wagon, which he had left there 
 a year before. He hitched his oxen to it, and took 
 it along. This morning my moccasins were frozen 
 so hard I had to thaw them by the fire before I 
 could put them on. Here we had reports of In- 
 
TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 83 
 
 dian hostilities having commenced near Sante Fe, 
 in New Mexico. Rubedeau sent on an express to 
 see whether it was so, and found it to be a false 
 report. 
 
 Sunday, 20th. The frost was like a little snow. 
 My blanket, which I used for a tent-cloth, being 
 rained on the night before, was now frozen quite 
 stiff and hard. We left this beautiful plain, which 
 lies between two mountains, with a fine stream of 
 water running through it. How different my feel- 
 ings were on this Sabbath day, with my gun on my 
 shoulder, and my butcher-knife and tomahawk by 
 my side, in this heathen land, than they would have 
 been in the pulpit with my Bible and Hymn-Book 
 in my hand. On Sabbath evening I tried to preach 
 to them; but being wet and cold after traveling 
 through mountains and plains, we had but little 
 satisfaction. Next morning my blankets and 
 moccasins were frozen hard again. Some snow and 
 rain fell during the night. I pray God to give me 
 more faith, more patience, and more courage to 
 preach the Gospel. 
 
 We are now on the waters of the Del Norte 
 River, which falls into the Gulf of Mexico, and are 
 passing the North Mountain. We are now travel- 
 ing down Tous Valley, which leads down to Tous 
 (a Spanish village) and Sante Fe. This is a beau- 
 tiful valley, about eighty or a hundred miles long. 
 We remained sometime in this valley, encamped 
 by some beautiful streams of water, waiting for 
 the express to return. We then traveled for sev- 
 eral days about a south course, and encamped in 
 the neighborhood of Tous. Here I tried in vain to 
 
84 TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 
 
 persuade our company to leave Rubedeau; for he 
 would detain us too late, as winter was coming on. 
 It will be recollected that there were only four of 
 us in company, bound for the United States; and 
 Rubedeau had hired three of them to stay with 
 him. 
 
 We are now in New Mexico, surrounded by 
 Spaniards. They live in little houses covered with 
 mud. The sides are mostly of posts set in the 
 ground, and filled up with mud. In these houses 
 they are warm and comfortable, on their dirt 
 floors. Some of them build their houses with what 
 they call ''dobbeys," made of mud, in the shape of 
 brick. Here are beautiful, clear streams of water, 
 and a very healthy country. It is no uncommon 
 thing for th^ Spaniards in this region to live to the 
 age of a hundred years. Their crops are mostly 
 wheat. They sow it in the spring, and their har- 
 vest comes on in September. They have no fences 
 around their farms; for every farmer that has 
 stock, keeps herdsmen to guard his flocks. And, 
 like ancient shepherds, they have large flocks of 
 sheep and goats, to watch both day and night. The 
 milk and meat of the goats are part of their food, 
 and they also make excellent cheese of the milk. I 
 went out to see them making molasses from their 
 small corn-stalks. They ground them, and then 
 pressed out the juice, and boiled it into molasses. 
 A great part of their ground they water by dig- 
 ging small channels, to convey the water to their 
 farms. Mr. Turley, who lives here, has a mill and 
 distillery, and makes a great many drunkards. 
 Here the time seems to pass away very heavily. I 
 
TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY, 85 
 
 feel very restless and lonesome, and want to be 
 traveling towards home. These Spaniards are all 
 Roman Catholics, and live neatly and cleanly in 
 their houses. 
 
 We started on for Bent's Fort, which is about 
 two hundred and fifty miles distant, on the Ar- 
 kansas River. We traveled a north course, up the 
 valley which we came down before. We have now 
 furnished ourselves with provisions, and have 
 nothing to hinder us ; and we mean to travel on as 
 fast as we can. We saw Mr. Collins, who said he 
 had been chased by the Indians. He was one of 
 the trappers, and had come nearly the same route 
 which we had. We crossed some high spurs, and 
 saw it raining from the dark clouds below us. We 
 heard the thunder roaring and saw the lightning 
 flashing, while the sun was shining brightly where 
 we were. That night we reached Red River, near 
 where some Spanish shepherds kept their sheep, 
 where we lodged all night. Next day traveled up 
 the same valley, where we saw the Two Butes, 
 which we had seen twenty days before. 
 
 September 3d. At night we reached Tous 
 Mountain. Here were plenty of bears, deers, and 
 antelopes. That day it rained on us, and we were 
 wet and cold. Next day we crossd Tous Mountain, 
 and camped on a small river, a branch of the Ar- 
 kansas; on the next day crossed the Arkansas 
 River, and camped there that night. We then 
 went down through the plains. We staid on the 
 Arkansas two nights, and saw bands of buffaloes. 
 
86 TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 
 
 We now meet a great many travelers. This is 
 poor sandy land. 
 
 September i6th. We reached Bent Fort, Ar- 
 kansas River. We now have warm days and cool 
 nights. I tried to preach on two Sabbaths; once, 
 from Revelation vi, 17: **For the great day of his 
 wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?" 
 There was a Baptist preacher present, who was a 
 backslider; who, as I afterwards learned, took 
 notes of my sermon, and spoke his sentiments on it 
 after I was gone. These people were wicked, and 
 would play cards and billiards on the Sabbath. But 
 they were very civil, friendly, and kind to me. 
 There was not as much swearing and drunkenness 
 as at other places I had passed. Here we heard 
 of eight men being killed this summer on this side 
 of the mountain, by the Indians, at diif erent times ; 
 two of whom had been killed on the route we had 
 come along. At one time we had some trouble 
 with our horses, they having strayed away. We 
 had one more added to our company — a Mr. 
 M'Carty. Here I bought some sugar and coffee, 
 for each of which I gave two dollars a pound ! 
 
 I have now about fourteen hundred miles to 
 travel before I reach home. Five of us started on 
 the 26th of September, to wit: Solomon P. Sub- 
 lette, A. Shutz, James Ross, Mr. M'Carty, and my- 
 self. We passed seventy or eighty lodges of the 
 Shiennes Indians, as we came along. A lodge is 
 made of about eight or nine elk skins, dressed and 
 sewed together, and stitched over poles sunk in 
 the ground, and fastened at the top. This makes a 
 
TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 87 
 
 good, warm house to winter in. One of these will 
 hold about twelve or fifteen persons. The first day 
 we started, we traveled down the river about four- 
 teen miles and camped. We have about seven hun- 
 dred miles to travel to get to the United States, 
 through a very dangerous route, on account of the 
 Pawnee and Camanche Indians. Next night we 
 ate supper after sun-down; then started and trav- 
 eled about five or six miles out into the prairie, and 
 laid down and slept without fire, in order not to let 
 the Indians know where we were. Here we saw 
 droves and bands of bufifaloes and wolves, some 
 droves a mile long, pleasantly grazing on the beau- 
 tiful plains. Sublette shot down a young bull, by 
 which we got plenty of fresh meat. Every night 
 we were disturbed by the howling of the wolves, 
 and the noise of the bufifalo bulls. One night I 
 heard a noise near my bed; and throwing my 
 blanket off of my head, beheld a wolf standing close 
 by my side; but as I moved he instantly sprang 
 away. Next morning we started by daylight. 
 That day we saw hundreds and thousands of buf- 
 faloes feeding on the plains on both sides of the 
 river. 
 
 October ist. We stopped to kill and dry meat. 
 We traveled for fourteen days without being out 
 of sight of buffaloes. We had some cold, windy 
 days, and camped in the open prairie every 
 night. We always traveled several miles after 
 dark, and left the road and lay all night with- 
 out fire; then rose before day, and pursued our 
 journey. One evening, after sunset, as we were 
 
88 TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 
 
 about starting, a grizzly bear came galloping up, 
 and stood upon her hind feet. One of the men 
 quickly shot her down. As we came along, the 
 small prairie dogs would come out of their little 
 holes, which they had dug in the ground, barking 
 at us. This day we saw thousands of buffaloes and 
 antelopes, quietly feeding along the plains ; and we 
 also saw gangs of black, white, gray, and prairie 
 wolves. After we crossed the Pawnee fork of 
 little Arkansas, we saw no more buffaloes. We saw 
 a company of the friendly Caw Indians, who told 
 us that the Pawnees were all gone off. We traded 
 some with them. 
 
 Here my mind was burdened on account of some 
 of my company, who indulged in profane swearing 
 and ill language. We got to the Council Grove, 
 and remained there parts of two days, and two 
 nights, and traded some with the Indians. This 
 grove is about one hundred miles from the state of 
 Missouri, in a fine, rich country. The bottoms are 
 well timbered, and are about a mile wide ; timbered 
 with walnut, hickory, ash, hackberry, sycamore, 
 cherry, and pawpaw, which is the first of this sort 
 of timber that I have seen since I left the States. 
 Here we got some honey from the Indians, which 
 was the first I tasted since I left Missouri. Here 
 will be a beautiful country, if it is purchased by 
 the United States, which is probable, as the In- 
 dians are now talking of selling out. 
 
 Next morning we started, and traveled six miles, 
 when Sublette's horse took sick, and the company 
 agreed to stop for that night. Being anxious to get 
 
TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 89 
 
 home, I left them, and traveled on sometime after 
 night, and lodged by myself, in a grove, by a small 
 creek. I was somewhat alarmed at seeing fire at a 
 distance before me; and thinking it to belong to 
 Indians, I hitched my horses and went to it, and 
 found it was only some logs burning. I then re- 
 turned to my horses, tied them up, and kindled a 
 fire; cooked my supper, and ate it; then committed 
 myself to the hands of the Lord, and lay down to 
 repose, and slept comfortably till about 3 o'clock in 
 the morning. I then arose and started on my 
 journey (it being moonlight), and traveled on till 
 next night without halting, except to let my horses 
 eat a little at the spots of grass. The plains being 
 burnt over by the Indians, my horses were almost 
 starved. I traveled that night about two hours 
 after dark, then took up my lodging in a grove, 
 near a water course. The night being wet and 
 rainy, I crept under a large log, and slept comfort- 
 ably. Next morning I arose about an hour before 
 day, and started; traveled about eight miles, and 
 came to where four men (hunters) were camped, 
 two of whom were Colonel Boon's grandsons. It 
 seemed to do me good to see the faces of white 
 men. They invited me to eat breakfast with them, 
 which I did, and felt much refreshed. I then started 
 on, and two of these men went with me, and 
 showed me the way. I traveled on, and reached 
 Elm Grove, making about thirty miles that day. 
 Here I made a small tent of willow bushes, which 
 I covered with my blanket, expecting it would 
 rain. I then ate my supper, and turned out my 
 
90 TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 
 
 horses, and commended myself into the hands of 
 the Lord, as usual. I awoke about 3 o'clock, and 
 started; missed my way, and became somewhat 
 bewildered, but soon found the track again. I 
 traveled on that day till dark, and then let my 
 horses graze a little. I sat down and went to sleep. 
 On awakening, I arose and took the back track, for 
 my head seemed to be turned around. I traveled 
 some distance that way, until the moon rose. I 
 then saw that I was wrong, and changed my 
 course. I had traveled nearly all this day without 
 water, and kept on till almost midnight, and came 
 to a small pond of water. I drank, and after eat- 
 ing some supper, laid down and slept four hours, 
 leaving my horse to graze on the burnt plains. In 
 the morning started again, and traveled until about 
 10 o'clock, which was on the Sabbath day. I there 
 found water, cooked my breakfast, and ate and 
 drank joyfully. Spent a while in prayer, with 
 thanksgiving to the Lord, who had preserved me 
 from the wild beasts, and the ruthless hands of the 
 heathen Indians, and was happy in my soul. I 
 then traveled on, and reached the Shawnee mission 
 that evening. On this day I saw an Indian coming 
 from the plains in a gallop, and thinking he might 
 be an enemy, I soon loaded my gun ; but he turned 
 another way. When I reached the Shawnee mis- 
 sion, I can hardly describe my feelings of gratitude 
 that I had once more reached the land of civiliza- 
 tion. This is just on the Missouri state line. The 
 people came out to see the old man, who they all 
 thought was dead, and would return no more. 
 
TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 91 
 
 That evening I went to meeting, and heard 
 brother Berryman preach; and an Indian preacher 
 exhorted after him, who seemed to speak very 
 lively. They both spoke in the Indian language. 
 Next morning I disburdened myself of my cook- 
 ing utensils, and other baggage, which were now 
 useless to me, and purchased some few necessary 
 articles out of the store. I then exchanged two of 
 my horses for one, with brother Evans; but when 
 I saddled him, and mounted, he ran away with me 
 and threw me ofif; but God preserved my life, and 
 I was not hurt. I then gave the horse up, as he 
 would not suit me, and next morning I traded three 
 of my horses for one, they being poor, and almost 
 starved to death, having traveled three hundred 
 miles over the burnt plains, where there was but 
 very little grazing. I resumed my journey on the 
 25th of October, and rode to Independence; tried 
 to preach to a few at night. Here I staid with 
 brother Pertee and brother Ford, who told me that 
 they never expected to see me again. Here I met 
 with Mr. Rickman, one of the company who had 
 traveled to Bear River, and had parted with us 
 there to go to California. He had just returned to 
 the settlements. We were very glad to see each 
 other, although we had parted with some degree of 
 strife. Next night I reached brother M'Kinney's, 
 who was a Methodist preacher. Felt myself very 
 comfortable. Next night came to brother Harri- 
 man's, an old Methodist; and next night to War- 
 rensburg, and staid with brother Davis. Next night 
 staid at brother Walker's, and preached there. The 
 
92 TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 
 
 next day, which was the Sabbath, staid for class 
 meeting among the blacks. There appears to be a 
 great work of religion among the black people. I 
 hear of great revivals all along here. I preached 
 that night to them again. The black people seem 
 to have the power of religion. I staid that night 
 with brother Forbus, an old acquaintance of mine. 
 Next day reached brother North's. They were 
 very kind to me. I traveled on for several days, 
 and reached St. Louis, meeting with many of my 
 old acquaintances. Staid all night at William 
 Sublette's. Met with Col. Benton, a member of 
 Congress, and had some talk with him about the 
 proposed occupation of the Oregon Territory. He 
 said he intended to do all he could in Congress for 
 the encouragement of the settling of that country. 
 Here I was very kindly treated. Next day crossed 
 the Mississippi, and went to brother Ludwick's, a 
 Methodist preacher. They seemed glad to see me. 
 Continued on to brother Wollard's, where I had 
 staid before. Here I felt comfortable. There I 
 heard of the death of my brother, Robert Williams, 
 who lived in Tennessee. Still traveled on, crossed 
 the Wabash, and went through Terrehaute. Staid 
 at brother Gray's, an old acquaintance of mine. 
 Meeting kind friends every night, I reached Wood- 
 bury, and staid at brother Needham's. He and his 
 wife had joined the Methodists, and have professed 
 to experience religion since I had been there before. 
 I preached twice there, and felt comfortable. Sun- 
 day following, I preached in a small town, and 
 dined with Dr. Burnet. That night preached at 
 Bridgeport, and staid at brother Kelley's ; and next 
 
TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 93 
 
 day passed through Indianapolis, and staid at 
 brother Rector's, a Methodist preacher. Here I 
 felt refreshed. Next day I went through Shelby- 
 ville, and staid at night with brother Henry Fisher, 
 who was an old itinerant. I was very joyful to see 
 him, not having seen him for thirty years before. 
 He is still on his way to heaven. For several days 
 past I have had some extremely cold weather to 
 travel in, and some rainy days. This morn- 
 ing I started, and brother Fisher went a few 
 miles with me. The company of our old Meth- 
 odist preachers seems very refreshing to each 
 other. After brother Fisher left me, the wind be- 
 gan to blow and the snow to fall, which made it 
 very disagreeable. I reached home about lo 
 o'clock at night, and found my children, that were 
 at home, all well. 
 
 I now look back at my travels, and see the 
 promise of the Lord verified : "I will not leave thee, 
 nor forsake thee." I can see the toilsome and dan- 
 gerous way I have traveled; the many lonesome 
 and sleepless hours I have spent in the mountains 
 and on the plains, where nought but the wolves and 
 the owls broke the silence of the night, and nothing 
 but the wide-spread canopy of heaven over me. 
 For upwards of seven months in succession, I have 
 not slept in a house ; have lived among the heathen 
 and wild beasts the last two summers; and have 
 tried to bear testimony to the name of Jesus in the 
 mountains, on the plains, on the hills and in the 
 valleys, wherever sinners were to be found. I am 
 
94 TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 
 
 now advanced in years, and the evening of life is 
 at hand. My travels and troubles will soon be 
 over; and ere long, I expect to take up my per- 
 manent abode in the high realms of glory ; 
 
 ''And range the blest fields on the banks of the 
 river, 
 And shout hallelujah! for ever and ever." 
 
 Joseph Williams. 
 
 THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS. 
 
 There mountains high in grandeur rise, 
 That almost pierce the arched skies; 
 The vales beneath are dark and low. 
 Where streamlets murmur soft and slow. 
 
 'Tis there the panther's loudest yell 
 Re-echoes to the distant hills — 
 There hungry bears, with angry growl, 
 And famish'd wolves, with dismal howl, 
 
 In fearful sounds they seem to tell, 
 That there's no place for man to dwell: 
 But man will have a dwelling there, 
 In spite of panther, wolf, and bear. 
 
 There rivers flow both deep and wide — 
 Along the vales in grandeur glide; 
 And often swell with angry waves. 
 To threaten men with watery graves. 
 
TOUR TO OREGON TERRITORY. 95 
 
 But still the desert we pass through, 
 And bring the Savior's death to view ; 
 The Word on craggy mountains preach, 
 With many prayers and tears we teach. 
 
 Some hut or camp to shield my head, 
 With no kind friend to give me bread; 
 Though wet and cold, I lay me down, 
 To slumber on the chilling ground. 
 
 Souls shall from these mountains rise, 
 To deck our crowns above the skies; 
 If they by us are brought to know 
 That God can pardon sins below. 
 
 My soul has caught the heavenly flame, 
 While musing on this glorious plan. 
 Of calling sinners home to God, 
 To know and taste a Savior's love. 
 
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