Page:Centennial History of Oregon 1811-1912, Volume 1.djvu/423



THE CENTENNIAL HISTORY OP OREGON 29

Rev. David Green, seeretaiy of the American Board of Foreign Missions, b(uu's similar testimony, and says: "The welfare and improvement of the In- dians of that territory-, and the introduction there of the blessings of civiliza- tion, and the useful arts, with education and Christian knowledge, seemed to be his leading object. Much of the early interest felt in the Oregon country by the New England people was probably the result of Mr. Kelley's labors." In 1829 Kelley procured from the legislature of Massachusetts an Act to in- corporate "The American Societj^ for Encouraging the Settlement of the Ore- gon Territory." and in 1830 he published a "Geographical Memoir of Oregon," accompanied by a map of Oregon, drawn by himself, and also a "Manual of the Oregon Expedition," for the information and guidance of emigrants to Oregon.

Then Kelley went to Washington city and spent the winters of 1830 and 1831 in explaining his scheme to members of Congress and high government offi- cials with a view of securing the action of the government and aiding or en couraging emigration to Oregon.

And that after many rebuffs and disappointments he left Boston for Oregon in 1832, two years before Jason Lee started for Oregon; and on his way west stopped at Washington city, where he was the recipient of many favors, as he says, and encouraged by public officers to go west and explore the country. Leaving Washington, he traveled by the way of the Cumberland wagon road to the Ohio river, and thence down the Ohio and Mississippi to New Orleans, and from thence by sailing vessel to Vera Cruz in Mexico and from thence by stages to Jalapa and the City of Mexico. From the capital of Mexico by mule team pack trains he made his way to San Bias, and from thence up the coast in a little schooner to Monterey, California. Here he offered his services to the Mex- ican governor of California to make a survey of the Sacramento valley, which being declined,. he made a reconnoisance of the valley on his own ac- count and made a map of the valley. Here he fell in with Ewing Young, whose estate, without heirs, was afterward urged as a reason for organizing a Provisional Government in Oregon. Young was an American trader from New jMexico, and K'elley persuaded him to undertake a trading venture up to Oregon with horses. And gathering up a party of adventurers and deserting sailors, with a lot of cheap horses, one hundred and fifty or more, they all started for Oregon. Getting as far as the mountains of southern Oregon, Kelley was taken sick. And here he fell in with the Frenchman fur trader, Michael La Framboise, who seeing Kelley's unfortunate condition in the grasp of a rack- ing ague fit, at once proceeded to alleviate his distress with quinine and hot venison broth. Kelley remained with and traveled with the Frenchman for several days, until overtaken by the Young party, when they all came downi to Fort Vancouver. Here, weary and worn out, sick from a relapse, he finds the gates of Vancouver closed against him. He is informed that the Mexican governor of California had sent word to Dr. McLoughlin that Young and his party were a gang of horse thieves, and cautioning McLoughlin against the whole company. In vain does the sick man", a scholar and educated gentleman, and a Christian, protest his innocence. McLoughlin says: "When Kelley ar- rived he was very ill, and out of humanity I placed him in a house, and put a man to nurse him, the surgeon of the establishment attended him, and