USA > Oregon > Marion County > Salem > Oregon and its institutions; comprising a full history of the Willamette University, the first established on the Pacific Coast > Part 18
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it, the enchanting nature of its scenery, and the fine water privilege, afforded by the beautiful rivulet meandering through it, rendered it, in our judg- ment, a place of great future importance. Surveying this beautiful locality, and indulging in many con- jectures in regard to the probable time that would elapse before its then silent and broad area would become the theater of busy life, and a flourishing city with its din and noise occupy the fields of solitude by which we were surrounded, we proceeded on our course through a country beautifully diversified with rising grounds, varying from the gentle undulation to the majestic hill, and fertile valleys, variegated with here and there a grove of yellow and white oak, and now and then a stately fir which had braved the fury of a thousand storms, and at nightfall we en- camped near one of the tributaries of the Willamette River, called "Santiam's Fork." We reposed for the night under the wide-spread branches of a majestic fir, and our trusty horses cropped the wild grass of the prairie around us while we slept. Six o'clock the next morning found us prepared to resume our jour- ney, and at twelve we had traveled twenty miles over a beautiful prairie country now densely popu- lated, then without an inhabitant, when we stopped for dinner on the bank of the Callapooia Creek. Repacking our animals after resting two hours, we traveled in the evening about ten miles, and encamped for the night by the side of a small pool of water in the center of a large prairie. The country through which we passed was flat, low, and
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subject to inundations. The prairies had been all overrun with fire a short time previous, and it was with difficulty that we could find sufficient feed for our horses. However, around the pool the grass was so green that the fire had passed it by, and this rendered it a suitable place to spend the night, par- ticularly for our animals. There was something
very peculiar about this pool. It embraced a super- ficial area of some ten rods of ground, with no visible inlet or outlet, and it was several miles from any other water, though the water of the pool was nearly upon a level with the surrounding land. It was also literally filled with frogs, there being at least five to every square foot.
We spread down our bed of blankets where the grass was abundant, but soon after lying down we were disturbed by a somewhat novel circumstance. I began to feel a gentle stir directly under my back, though for some time I made no mention of it, not yet deciding what it might be. But as the effort beneath me continued, as though some living being was thrown into convulsions through suffocation, I at length cried out that there was some living creature under my blanket. The "captain," un- derstanding, exclaimed, " A snake! a snake!" and knowing that rattlesnakes were no uncommon thing on these prairies, and not fancying one as my bed- fellow, I sprang to my feet, seized my blankets, and scattered my bed around the prairie, when, to the 'amusement of our party, ont jumped a large bull- frog, who made his best way back to the pool.
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After the excitement occasioned by this little episode passed away we again composed ourselves to sleep, and on the morning of the twentieth arose invigo- rated, and were moving on at an early hour; and traveling twenty-five miles, we found ourselves at one o'clock on the bank of the Willamette River, at the place where we designed to cross that stream, our trail having been thus far on the east side of the river. Examining the ford we found the river too deep and the current too strong to admit of our crossing our pack-horses in safety, and discovering an Indian below us in his canoe, we beckoned him to come up to us, which he accordingly did. He appeared very shy at first, was entirely naked, not having so much clothing as an apron of fig-leaves ; but after a while we induced him to take our things into his canoe and carry them across the river. Dr. White accompanied him, while Mr. Lee, myself, and the captain crossed over the horses. The water was up to the animals' backs, and the current so strong that we feared it would bear us down ; but with the exception of get- ting thoroughly wet, we gained the opposite shore without difficulty. Here the most luxurious grass covered the prairie, and we allowed our horses an hour to avail themselves of its benefits, while at the same time we refreshed ourselves from our diminish- ing stoek of viands, and then continued our way over a delightful plain known as the Grand Prairie for fifteen miles, and at night stopped on the California trail at a place which, by the numerous fires which had been built around, and other signs which we dis-
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covered, we judged had been recently occupied by a band of Indians. None, however, had the temerity to show themselves. Friday, 21, we resumed our march, and traveling about twenty miles over a rolling country, presenting almost every variety of scenery, we halted for dinner on a stream called "Bridge River," on account of a log bridge having been thrown across it by some California party. This stream runs in a deep cut, and but for the bridge would have been difficult to cross. It is now known as Siuselaw.
In the afternoon we crossed the Callapooia Mount- ains, which consist of a vast assemblage of overgrown hills thrown together in wild confusion, and covered with a heavy forest of fir and cedar trees. The latter is the most stately and majestic timber of the kind which I had ever seen. On beholding it one is re- minded of the Scripture account of the cedars of Leb- anon. It required three hours to cross this mountain, and as we were descending it to the south the fire was making sad havoe with the fine timber with which its sides were adorned. In some places it raged so fiercely along the trail as to render it quite difficult for us to pass ; but urging our way along, we suc- ceeded at sundown in reaching Elk River, at the foot of the mountain, and crossing over, we camped for the night on a beautiful plain on its south bank.
Saturday, 22, leaving the California trail, we took a path that bore further to the west, following the direction of the Elk River. During the day we passed over an exceedingly mountainous country. Some of the mountains were rocky and precipitous,
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and it was with great difficulty that we were able to keep our balance on the narrow path among the rocks that in its zigzag course marked our way up and down their almost perpendicular sides; but urging our way along, now plunging into the deep ravine, now scaling the high ledge of rocks, now climbing the precipitous mountains, now descending into the dark valley, and fording Elk River over the slippery rocks, where the water came to our saddle seats not less than five times, at two P. M. we found ourselves on the bank of the Umpqua River, directly opposite a trading fort owned by the Hudson's Bay Com- pany. We stripped our horses of their packs and saddles, and turned them loose to roam at large on the north side of the river until we performed a voyage to the coast, and crossing over in a canoe, we were kindly received at the fort by an old French- man having charge of it by the name of Gonea. We were made welcome to all the comforts the place afforded, and a king could not have done better. This Frenchman lived with an Indian woman, whom he called his wife, and who belonged to a tribe that resided on the Pacific coast, near the mouth of the Umpqua River.
A liberal supply of boiled pork and potatoes, fur- nished us by our Indian hostess, and a good night's rest on a bed of Mackinaw blankets, wonderfully recruited us after the excessive fatigues of our jour- ney. We found no Indians around the fort, except a small band of twenty-five Callapooias from the Willa- mette Valley. These, on Sunday. the 23d. we col-
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lected in one of the huts within the stockades of the fort, and held religious service with them, Mr. Lee addressing them concerning the things that belonged to their peace ; and the chief, who understood the jargon, interpreted it to his people. As we expected to return by the way of his country, we engaged to meet him and his people on a certain day and give them another talk.
On Monday morning, the 24th, Dr. White and the captain left us and returned to the Willamette, and Mr. Lee and myself went about making preparations to visit the Indians at the mouth of the Umpqua River. We had been informed by Mr. Gonea that there would be great danger in our going among them alone, and indeed he seemed to stand in the utmost fear of them. Of their hostility to the whites, and especially the Americans, we were ourselves aware, as they had in more than one instance at- tacked them, and only a few years before they had cut off an entire party of fourteen men who were coming through from California to Oregon, except three persons, who fortunately escaped to tell the story of the massacre of their companions. But Provi- dence seemed to favor our design of going among them. On Sunday afternoon a brother of the French- man's wife, with a small party of Indians from the coast, arrived at the fort, having come up the river in a canoe. After having an interview with them, we proposed to the Frenchman that his wife, who, we learned, was a relative of the principal chiefs of the tribe, should take ns under her protection, and
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with her brother and his party conduct us to her people. To this the Frenchman consented, saying, "Now I think the danger small, before it was great." According to arrangements which were mainly su- perintended by the Indian woman, under whose pro- tection we had placed ourselves, at ten o'clock on Monday, the 24th, we put out with our light canoe into the dashing current of the Umpqua. We ran a number of narrow shoots where the current was at least twelve knots an hour, and in some instances shot past the rocks which projected into the stream with the velocity of an arrow ; but our Indians, of whom there were seven, showed themselves to be in their proper element by the astonishing dexterity with which they ran the dangerous rapids with which the river abounds. Fifteen miles below the fort the river rushes over a ledge of rocks in a number of narrow channels, and falling about twenty-five feet in so many rods, forms a fine salmon fishery. Here we found, crowded into four small lodges, about one hundred Indians, exceedingly squalid in their appear- ance, and subsisting entirely on fish. We remained here but a few moments, and, passing on, nine of them, five men and four women, jumped into a large canoe for the purpose of accompanying us down the river.
Having thus increased our company more than half we proceeded on our voyage, contemplating the barbarous appearance of both animate and inanimate nature around us until the gathering shadows re- minded us that night approached, and running our canoes in along the right hand shore. we at length
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found a place sufficiently broad from the river to the base of the mountain to admit of our encamping, and here we pitched our tent for the night.
Our Indians soon struck up two good fires, one for themselves, and one for us. Mr. Lee and myself prepared our supper, our female friend providing us with a choice piece of salmon, which she had broiled, and which, with bread, butter, and tea, constituted our humble repast. Never did we partake of a sup- per with a better relish.
While we were enjoying it, our newly-made neo- phytes prepared supper for themselves, and it was not a little interesting, to one who was not familiar with such scenes, to see them prepare their food. Their supper consisted of fresh salmon and a species of hazel-nut, which is found in the country in great abundance. Having made a suitable fire, they com- menced the operation of cooking their salmon. This was performed in the following manner. They all provided themselves with sticks about three feet long, pointed at one end and split at the other. They then apportioned the salmon, each one receiv- ing a large piece, and filling it with splinters to pre- vent its falling to pieces when cooking, placed it with great care into the forked end of the stick, and fastened the forks together with a small withe. Then placing themselves around the fire so as to describe a circle, they stuck the pointed end of the sticks into the ground a short distance from the fire, inclining the top toward the flames so as to bring the salmon in contact with the heat, thus forming a kind of
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pyramid of salmon over the whole fire. One side being cooked the other was turned to the heat, and speedily the whole was prepared for eating. Stones were then provided for the purpose of cracking nuts, and all being seated on the ground the eating process commenced. The extreme novelty of their appear- ance, the nut cracking, the general merriment, the apparent jokes, ready repartees, and bursts of laugh- ter were sufficient to have excited the risibilities of even a Romish priest, however phlegmatic. And certainly a more jovial set of fellows than these sons of nature I have never seen. They were as untamed as the elk they chase over their mountains, but they feasted upon their fish and nuts with as much of a zest, and with as much seeming satisfaction to them- · selves, as the most fashionable and refined party that ever graced the gay saloon ever enjoyed while re- galing themselves with the most costly viands. Sup- per being over, we called the attention of the Indians while we engaged in our evening devotions. I sang a hymn, and then we both engaged in prayer, the Indians all kneeling with us, and evidently manifest- ing a peculiar interest in what was passing before them. And thought I, Why should they not feel interested ? Never before had the death-like silence which reigned along this valley been broken by the voice of prayer and praise. The somber shades of moral darkness, which had ever cast a melancholy gloom upon the people, had never before been pene- trated by the rays of Gospel light. The heralds of mercy, who bring glad tidings of good things to those
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who wander upon the dark mountains, had never before set their feet upon these hostile shores. After prayer Mr. Lee addressed the Indians through our interpreter in relation to the objects of our visit, and they listened as to a story calculated to exeite the utmost wonder, but expressed great satisfaction at what they had heard. At ten o'clock we lay down upon our bed of blankets in quietness, slept in peace, arose in the morning in safety, and breaking our fast on bread and salmon, proceeded on our way along the widening Umpqua toward the great Pacific, and at noon arrived among the Indians at the mouth of the river.
We found the Indians living in three small vil- lages, the larger being on the south, and the other two on the north side of the river. The whole num- ber, including some that were absent, as near as we could ascertain, amounted to about three hundred men, women, and children. About one third of the tribe had gone into the mountains for the purpose of gathering berries. It was thought best by our guar- dian and adviser to pitch our tent some half a mile distant from the larger village, on the south side of the river, near which, she told us, the chiefs and their people would meet us to hold a talk.
Though the news of our arrival quickly flew to all the lodges, none of the people came near us until we sent them a message that we had come and desired to see them at our tent. Complying with our invita- tion, three chiefs and fifty-five of their people, mostly men, came out to see us. Seating themselves in the
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sand in the form of a crescent in front of our tent. the chiefs very ceremoniously informed us through our interpreter that "they were ready to hear what we had to say." Mr. Lee then addressed them on the objects of our visit. He told them whence we came; how long it took us to perform our voyage from our native land to their country ; that we had many friends at home who desired us not to leave them ; that a sense of duty had brought us to their country to tell them about Jesus Christ; that in coming to them we had been exposed to a thousand dangers, but had been preserved in the midst of them all by the "Great Chief above;" that we had heard much about them and the Indians generally in the country, and that we were glad now to be per- mitted to see them for ourselves, and become ac- quainted with them. He then inquired of them whether they approved of our visit, and whether they desired to be instructed ?
After a few moments' consultation among them- selves, the chiefs, one after another, arose, and ad- vancing to within six feet of Mr. Lee, addressed him in substance as follows, there being but little differ- ence in their speeches: "Great Chief, we are very much pleased with our lands. We love this world. We wish to live a great while. We very much desire to become old men before we die. It is true we have killed many people, but we have never killed any but bad people. Many lies have been told about us. We have been called a bad people, and we are glad that you have come to see us for yourselves. We
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have seen some white people before, but they came to get our beaver. None ever came before to instruct us. We are glad to see you; we want to learn; we wish to throw away all our bad things and be- come good." They spoke very loud, and their ges- tures were remarkably violent. Sometimes in the course of their speeches they would rise upon tiptoe, with both hands stretched high above their heads, and then throw themselves forward until their faces al- most touched the ground. After they concluded their speeches they returned to their places in the sand, and told us that they would then hear us more particularly on the subject of our mission.
At the request of Mr. Lee, who was no singer him- self, I stepped out into an open space and struck into Heber's Missionary Hynın,
" From Greenland's icy mountains," etc.,
and while singing the first verse the Indians all seated themselves on the sand, forming three fourths of a circle around us, and then with the most fixed attention listened to the remaining part of the hymn. We then both engaged in prayer, all the Indians kneeling with us, and invoked upon our enterprise the blessing of Almighty God. Though our congre- gation was totally ignorant of the true nature of wor- ship, yet the scene to us was deeply affecting. Never before had they thus bowed; never before had they heard the voice of prayer. We then preached to them the Gospel as well as we could through the jargon of the country, giving them an account of the
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creation of the world, the fall of man, the advent, sufferings, death, resurrection, ascension, and inter- cession of Christ to save mankind from sin, death, and hell, all of which was interpreted to her people by our female friend. We cherished the fond belief that, for the first time in their history, a few rays from the Sun of Righteousness had pierced the gloom of the long and dismal night which had hung around them. The chiefs expressed their approbation of what they had heard, saying "it was all very good," and that " they had never heard such things before." They then all dispersed and went to their lodges, and Mr. Lee and myself prepared and took our supper of salmon and bread, the last of which our wives had prepared for us ten days before. After the shades of the evening had gathered around us, the Indians all returned to our tent, for the purpose, as they told us, of " hearing us talk to God" previous to our lying down for the night. They collected wood and built a large fire, and then seated themselves around it. I then sang another hymn, after which we again en- gaged in prayer .. As they still lingered around, Mr. Lee gave them another lesson from the word of the Lord, after which they reluctantly scattered away to their wigwams, leaving_us to repose ourselves on our bed of blankets spread upon the sand.
Mr. Lee having been accustomed to sueh experi- ence slept soundly during the night ; but the strange scenes of the preceding day, the circumstances at- tending the night, and the remembrance that we were lying at the mercy of those who had proved
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themselves among the most treacherous of savages, produced such an effect upon my nerves as to destroy all inclination to close my eyes. From hearing noises outside, I frequently drew aside the tent cloth and cast a look around, and in every instance ob- served that our protectress and her brother and an- other Indian, who had lived among the whites but had returned to his people, were keeping up a large fire in front of our tent, which threw its light back into the dense forest which lay in our rear. Sometimes they were in earnest conversation ; then they would pile on the dry sticks until the flames would ascend to the height of ten feet, and enabled them to dis- tinguish every object within a circle of twenty rods. This they continued during the whole night, neither of them for a moment attempting to sleep. That
night of anxiety wore away and the morning dawned, and none of the Indians, to our knowledge, had shown any disposition to molest us during the night. After our breakfast was over, they all collected again, and seating themselves on the sand, expressed a wish once more to witness our devotions before parting with us. Accordingly we again offered up our fervent prayers to the Desire of nations in their behalf. After prayers we addressed to them a few parting words, and were preparing to leave them, when one of the chiefs, standing on his knees, began to speak. He said he was very glad that we had come to see them; that their hearts toward us were like our hearts toward them; that he wanted us to continue with them another day, and tell them
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more about God; that they had heard about us, and had been told we were a bad people; that they were glad to see us for themselves, and were convinced that what they had heard was a lie; that they now believed us to be a good people, and that they meant to be good also. When they were informed that probably the next summer one of us would come and visit them again they were exceedingly well pleased, and said, "It is very good, we will be glad to see you."
Having fully satisfied ourselves with regard to the number, disposition, and accessibility of the Indians in this solitary region, we told the chiefs that we must go, and the people all came out to witness our departure. Distributing among them a few presents, on Wednesday morning at nine o'clock, driven forward by the strokes of the Indian paddle, we were rounding a high bluff situated on the south side of the mouth of Umpqua River, and forming one side of a small bay in the bosom of which the Indian village we had just left was situated, and which was fast disappearing behind the point of the projecting cliff. Crossing the mouth of the river, which is about one mile wide, we stopped a few moments on the north side to lay in a little provision, and give ourselves an opportunity to take some observations of the surrounding country.
Contemplating the probable period when the barbarism of both animate and inanimate nature along this river shall give place to civilization and Christianity, we turned our backs upon the great
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Paeifie, and by the combined assistance of the Indian paddle and the flood tide passed rapidly up the river, and at nightfall encamped again at the salmon fishery. We here ascertained that the Indians at the falls are not of the same tribe of those on the eoast, though they speak a similar language.
Spreading our blankets down upon the rocks, we slept without molestation though surrounded by treacherous savages. The next day we started at an early hour, and though we had but fifteen miles to travel, yet on account of the numerous strong rapids we had to ascend, and the portages we had to make, we were till sunset in reaching the fort. We were again welcomed by the Frenchiman, and refreshed with a supper of bread made of the flour of wheat pounded in a mortar, and roasted elk beef. During the evening Mr. Gonea came to us very much excited, and congratulated us on the safe guardian- ship his wife had exercised over us in our absence. He told us that in all probability we should have been robbed of all that we had, if we had not lost our lives, had it not been for the faithfulness of his wife and her brother. He said that one of the chiefs of the clan we had visited was at the fort on our first arrival, and saw us as we came in. Learn- ing that we designed to visit his people on the coast, and excited with the utmost fear, he hastened down the river and reported many evil things about us, intending thereby to instigate the Indians to prevent our going among them. Mr. Lee had brought with him a fowling piece, and had in his possession a
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