Tii1ztpm in the Pacific Northwest in the Pacific K Story of Missionary Days K Story of a -- T5o $T.R Arg-Nf-Tt- Aeaict in Memory of Lissette ' ?Eter
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Tii1ztpM Its Rise fliTLd Fall k story of Missionary days in the Pacific Northwest 1836 184T Miles Cannors A -- T5o $t.r arg-nf-tt- aeaict in memory of Lissette_' ?eter a ThL /7i55/on'' /847 WAI1LATPU ITS RISE AND FALL 1836-1847 A STORY OF PIONEER DAYS IN THEPACIFIC NORTHWEST BASED ENTIRELY UPON HISTORICAL RESEARCH By MILES CANNON FEATURING T H B JOURNEY 0 F NARCISSA PRENTISS WHITMAN, THE FIRST AMERICAN WOMAN TO CROSS THE CONTINENT AND LOOK UPON THE COLUMBIA RIVER-HER BEAUTIFUL CHARACTER-INCIDENTS OF THE TRAIL-HER MISSIONARY LIFE WITH THE CAYUSE INDIANS -HER DREADFUL MASSACRE TOGETHER WITH HER HUSBAND AND TWELVE OTHERS-THE TAKING INTO CAPTIVITY OF TWO SCORE WOMEN AND GIRLS, AND THE TREATMENT ACCORDED THEM BY THE SAVAGE INDIANS- THE FINAL RESCUE, ETC. 'TEUS WE ARE PUT IN TRAINING FOR A. LOVE WHICH KNOWS NO SEX. NOR PERSON. NOR PARTIALITY, BUT WHICHSEEKETH VIRTUE AND WISDOM EVERYWHERE, TO THE END OF INCREAS- ING VIRTUE AND WISDOM" 1915 CAPITAL NEws JoB ROOMS BoISE. IDAHo TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter I Page I NARCISSA PRENTISS-THE AMERICAN BOARD-LIBERTY LANDING-REV. SAMUEL PARKER-JYR. MARCUS WHITMAN. Chapter II Page 5 A STUDY OF DR. WHITMAN-THE MARRIAGE-HENRY H. SPAIJLDING-A PEACE CON1RENCE-WM. H. GRAY-MRS. SPAULDING. Chapter III Page S A STUDY OF HENRY H, SPAULDING-THE RECONCILIA- TION-DESCRIPTION OF MRS. SPAULDING. Chapter IV Page 11 THE START-ARRIVAL AT ST. LOUIS-TWILIGHT ON THE MISSOURI-THE AMERICAN FUR COMPANY-OTOR AGENCY - FORT LARAMIE - BELLEVUE - FORT HALL - PA'WNEE VILLAGE. Chapter V Page 17 ON THE OREGON TRAIL-THE GREEN RIVER RENDEZ- VOUS-INCIDENTS OF THE JOURNEY-GRAY'S IMPRES- SIONS-JULY 4TH, ON THE SUMMIT-THE LAMENT. Chapter VI Page 22 LEAVING GREEN RIVER-TROiJBLE AT BEAR RIVER- DOWN THE RIVER FROM FORT HALL-PILGRIM SPRINGS- FORDING SNAKE RIVER-ARRIVAL AT TEE BOISE RIVER- AT FORT BOISE-THE FIRST WAGON. Chapter VII Page 27 THE FutST WAGONS TO REACH THE COLUMBIA-THE LONE PINE OF THE POWDER RIVER-GRANDE RONDE- ARRIVAL AT THE WALLA WALLA-MRS. WHITMAN'S IM- PRESSIONS-FORT WALLA WALLA. Chapter VIII Page 34 FORT VANCOUVER AS IT WAS IN 1839. Chapter IX Page 37 WAIILATPU MISSION - CAYUSE INDIANS - LAPWAI MIS- SION-THE ABODE IN THE WILDERNESS-OLD OREGON- THE HUDSON'S BAY COMPANY-MAIL ROUTES. Chapter X Page 43 THE FIRST CHILD IS BORN-PEU-PEU-MOX-MOX-HIS- TORIC PLACES ON THE IJMATILLA-THB PIOUS STICKAS- PROGRESS AT WAIILATPU-THE FIRST BEEF-GRAY RE- TURNS. Chapter XI Page 49 DEATH OF LITTLE ALICE-THE FUNERAL-TROUBLE WITH THE INDIANS-TROUBLE A1fONG THE MISSIONARIES -GRAY'S OPINION OF SPAULDNG. Chapter XII Page 54 A PATHETC LETTER-ARRIVAL OF THE CATHOLICS-THE FIRST PRINTING PRESS-DEATH OF PAMBRUN-THE DE- STRUCTIVE ORDER-THE ARRIVAL OF DR. WHITE AND A. L. LOVEJOY-A CONFERENCE-A RECONCILIATION-A WIN- TER'S RIDE-THE ROUTE OF TRAVEL. Chapter XIII Page 65 ARRIVAL AT BOSTON-THE RETURN JOURNEY-THE TRAIN OF 1843-MRS. WHITMAN ALONE-AN ATTEMPT TO ASSAULT-ZEAL OF THE MISSIONARIES-A TRIBUTE. Chapter XIV Page 69 STORY OF THE SEVEN ORPHANS-THE TRAIN OF 1844- THE OREGON TRAIL. Chapter XV Page 74 THE STORY CONTINUED-A FROLIC IN THE SAGER FAM- ILY-LIFE ON THE TRAIL-DEATH OF THE FATHER. Chapter XVI Page 78 THE STORY CONTINUED - SUFFERING FROM ROUGH ROADS-DEATH OF THE MOTHER-PILGRIM SPRINGS-THE BURIAL-THE ISLAND FORD-ARRIVAL AT WAIILATPU. Chapter XVII Page 83 LIFE AT THE MISSION-MRS. WHiTMAN'S LETTERS-NO INTIMATION OF HER DOOM. Chapter XVIII Page 87 CONDITIONS BEFORE THE STROKE FELL--A STUDY OF THE AMERICAN CITIZENSHIP-'I'OM HILL-THE CAUSE OF THE MASSACRE-MISSIONARIES TAKE NO PRECAUTION. Chapter XIX Page92 THE AUTUMN OF 1847-Er. REV. A. M. A. BLANCHET- OBLATE PRIESTS-THE YAXIMA MISSION-YOUNG CHIEF- FATHER EROTJILLET-THE BURNING OF THE GRIST MILL. v. Chapter XX Page 99 EMIGBATION OF 1847RAVAGES OF DISEASESPAULD1NG ARRIVES AT THE MISSIONVISITS FORT WALLA WALLA MEETS THE CATHOLICSDR. WHITMAN VISITS THE UMA- TILLA FOR THE LAST TIMETHE PARTING WITH SPAULD- INGINDIANS ENGAGED IN THE MASSACEETAMSUKY THE MURDERER. Chapter XXI Page 106 THE MISSION ROSTERANDREW ROGERSMRS. WHIT- MAN'S LETTERS. Chapter XXII Page 112 DR. WHITMAN RETURNSTHE LAST NIGHT IN THE MIS- SION - MONDAY MORNING - HOW ENGAGED - TILAUKAIT AND TAMSUKY ARRIVETHE BLOW FALLSMARY ANN BRIDGER - DR. WHITMAN MORTALLY WOUNDEDJOHN SAGER KILLEDA CONCERTED ATTACK"THE INDIANS ARE KILLING US ALL." Chapter XXIII Page 118 MR. HOFFMAN FIGHTSDEATH OF L. W. SAUNDERS- DEATH OF ISAAC GILLILANDPETER HALL ESCAPES SCENES IN THE MISSION HOUSEMRS. WHITMAN WOUND- EDRETREAT TO THE CHAMBERDAY DARKENSDEATH OF MRS. WHITMANANDREW ROGERSFRANCIS SAGER. Chapter XXIV Page 126 ISH-AL-HALOSBORNE ESCAPESA CAROIJSAL OF MUR- DERFIRST DAY CLOSESHOW THE VICTIMS DIEDA NIGHT OF HORRORCANFIELD ESCAPESKIMBALL IN CONCEALMENTMARSH AND HOFFMAN DEADMORNING DAWNSTHE SECOND DAYDEATH OF NATHAN KIMBALL. Chapter XXV Page 132 SECOND DAY CONTINUEDNICHOLlS FINLEYTHE MAN- SON BOYSSTORY OF A WAIFDAVID MARSHALL MALIN- THE NEWS REACHES FORT WALLA WALLAMcBEAN'S LETTERSTICKAS THEREDEATH OF JAMES YOUNG STORY OF JOE STANFIELD AND MRS. HAYS. Chapter XXVI Page 140 THE ARRIVAL OF FATHER BROUILLETTHE THIRD DAY THE BURIAL OF THE DEADSPAULDING RETURNS FROM THE LODGE OF STICKASHIS MEETING WITH THE PRIEST HIS ESCAPEIN CAPTIVITY. V. Chapter XXVII Page 147 THURSDAY, EVENTS OF-SCENES OF DESOLATION-F'RI- DAY-THE COUNCIL-THE NEWSSPREADS-SATURDAY- MISS BEWLEY OUTRAGED-SUNDAY-DEATH OF LOUISE SAGER - MONDAY - ANOTHER MASSACRE - TUESDAY- STORY CONTINUES-WEDNESDAY-OLD BEARDY. Chapter XXVIII Page 154 THURSDAY-MESSENGER FROM FIVE CROWS-MISS BEW- LEY TAKEN AWAY-HER TESTIMONY-SPAIJLDINGWRITES A LETTER-EDWARD TILAUKAIT MARRIED TO A CAPTIVE GIRL-SUSAN KIMBALL-TREATMENT OF THE GIRLS. Chapter XXIX Page 160 DESTRUCTION OF MISSION PROPERTY-COUNCIL ON THE UMATILLA - PETER SKENE OGDEN ARRIVES AT FORT WALLA WALLA-CALLS A COUNCIL THERE-MISS BEWLEY RELEASED FROM BONDAGE-ARRIVES AT WAIILATPU- THE LAST NIGHT IN THE MANSION HOUSE. Chapter XXX Page 167 THE DEPARTURE OF THE SURVIVORS-ARRIVAL AT FORT WALL A WALLA-ARRIVAL OF THE CAPTIVES FROM LAP- WAI-tEPARTURE FOR FORT VANCOUVER-DESTRUCTION OF WMILATPU-MURDERERS SURRENDER-EXECUTED- FINAL CURTAIN. vi. FOREWORD It was on the evening of Monday, November 29th, 1897, that the writer, a stranger in the country, chanced to be in the city of Walla Walla, Washington.The fiftieth anniversary of an Indian massacre was being commemorated, and, on the morrow, there was to be dedicated to the victims, an imposing monument.Eight survivors were present, and the assembled multitude at the opera house betokened the interest taken in the ceremonies upon the part of the inhabitants. The morning papers of the day following carried a full account covering the commemoration of the same event, which had been held in the City of Washington, and at which Justice David B. Brewer, of the United States Supreme Court, Hon. John L. Wilson, of the United States Senate, and Gen. 0. 0. Howard, were the speakers. During the same week the press reported that the Catholic clergy of Walla Walla had called a meeting at the opera house, the capacity of which was taxed to the limit, and that the priest had characterized certain public utterances at the former cele- bration as historical fabrications and malicious slander. To a stranger such proceedings were well intended to excite an in- terest in the tragedy, if not in the controversy, and a diligent enquiry was instituted for the purpose of informing himself as to the details of an event that had precipitated such an un- seemly sectarian dispute.Like the traditional ghost the alter- cation would not down, but, on the other hand, its power of attraction increased until it drew into the fray not only the masses but men of renown, and even books were printed in numbers which sought to establish this or that theory arising out of the Whitman massacre.Nor was it content to confine itself within sectarian limits, for it assumed a political phase and drew into the debate secular gladiators, such as Harvey Scott, Mrs. I. F. Victor, Hon. Elwood Evans, and Judge Deady, though only a feeble light was thrown upon the trag- edy itself. viL In view of the subsequent prosperity of both the Catholics and Prostestants, and their tireless efforts to better conditins and elevate our citizenship, it would seem that the contro- versy resulted in no particular good, except that it may have served to uproot some obnoxious weeds in the historical fields of old Oregon. To engage in the work of destruction ofa co-ordinate institution, it is quite necessary to lapse,as it were, in the more commendable work of constructionupon which all progress is founded. To the secular mind, therefore, it would appear as the better part of wisdom for all denominations to strive to outdo, rather than undo their brethren of a different creed. In the government of mankind, as well as in the promotion of science, we are constantly accumulating and bringing for- ward from one generation to another, in so far as it has proven an element of national strength, the experience and wisdom of the past, with which we amalgamate the comparatively meager achievements of the present.To know the past, therefore, and to become more intimately acquainted with the characters that live in history, promote a higher anda more sincere appreciation of what has been undergone in the acqui- sition of that which has been bequeathed to usthe priceless boon of human libertyand the better enablesus to preserve it to posterity. In searching through the darkened corridors of the past, it has been a source of much gratification to the. author to find in Narcissa Prentiss Whitmana character well intended to exemplify the higher and nobler qualities of our race.It was her great privilege to be the first American woman tocross the continent and look upon the waters of the Columbia River, and that fact alone should entitled her to distinction.But when, moreover, the records of the past reveal in her the beau- tiful personality we so much admire, and the womanly quali- ties we would perpetuate, it would be strange indeed if her followers, actuated by her untimely death and the serene and.