Page:Centennial History of Oregon 1811-1912, Volume 1.djvu/456



coast. Among them are artisans of every trade, comprising with farmers, the very best material for a new colony. As pioneers these people have undergone incredible hardships, and having now safely passed the Blue mountains with their wagons and effects, have established a durable road from Missouri to Ore- gon, which will serve to mark permanently the route for larger numbers each succeeding year."

The note of triumph in this letter may be pardoned Whitman when we re- member how persistently he had labored to bring his wagon over this route when he first came to Oregon, and how firmly he believed in the face of all assertions to the contrary that the trail through the mountains would yet prove to be an open highway for immigrants and their wagons and herds ; and when we remem- ber, too, how clearh' he saw that the iiltimate demonstration of this would bring a solution of the Oregoii qiiestion favorably to his country. In the great caravan safely encamped on the Columbia, he saw with pardonable pride, the accomplish- ment of a cherished hope and of a purpose persisted in for seven j^ears ; and full justification of all the hardships and toil he had endured to bring it to a success- ful accomplishment.

On his return the mission work was resumed, the school re-opened and its numbers enlarged, the grist mill was re-built, and in addition, a saw mill erected ; and new efforts were made to induce the Indians to settle down to the pursuits of agriculture and stock raising. But conditions had changed ; Wliitman felt it, and the Indians showed that they, too, felt it. It was no longer a matter of doubt to either that the Americans were to have Oregon, and both foresaw that this meant sooner or later, the dispossession of the Indian, of a large portion of his land. In a letter to his father and mother in the May following his return, Whit- man gives expression to his view to the changed condition :

"It gives me much pleasure to be back again, and quietly at work again for the Indians. It does not concern me so much what is to become of any particular set of Indians, as to give them the offer of salvation through the gospel, and the opportunity of civilization, and then I am content to do to all men as I have the opportunity. I have no doubt our greatest work is to be to aid the white settle- ment of this country and help to found its religious institutions. Providence has its full share in all these events. Although the Indians have made, and are mak- ing rapid advance in religious knowledge and civilization, yet it cannot be hoped that time will be allowed to mature either the work of christianization or civiliza- tion before the white settlers will demand the soil and seek the removal of both the Indians and the missions.

In April of the same year ^Ivs. Whitman had written to Mrs. Brewer of the Methodist Mission: "Our Indians have been very much excited this spring, but are now quiet. The influx of immigration is not going to let us live in as much quiet, as it regards the people, as we have done."

The fall of 1845 broi;ght a larger immigration than ever, ni;mbering in all several thousand. Shortly after this ilrs. Whitman writes again of her appre- hension :

"It ma.v be that we shall be obliged to leave here in the spring. The state of things now looks very much as though we should be required to. * * * For the poor Indians' sake and the relief of future ti'avelers to this country, I could