Page:History of Oregon Literature.djvu/83

 Percé but in establishing a poetic bond between civilized and uncivilized races, should be entitled to inclusion, creatively, in the ranks of the poets.

The registry of these adapted hymns upon the Indians was not merely formal and ritualistic and emotionless; they provided a common denominator of poetic feeling between the savage and the missionary. The Indian had to learn how to shoot the white man's rifle and drink the white man's whiskey, and his women had to learn and did learn how to kiss upon becoming the white men's squaws, but he did not have to learn how to gamble or to appreciate poetry.

Jason Lee was born in Canada of New England parentage in 1803 and came to Oregon in 1834, as leader of the Methodist Mission—the man selected to carry the response of Methodist America to the Macedonian cry of the Nez Percés. Much has been written about him in books and articles. He died in Canada in 1845. His body was brought back to Oregon in 1906 and was buried in the Lee Mission cemetery in Salem.

Mission House, Willamette River, Feb. 6, 1835

My Dear Brother:

After a long and somewhat fatiguing journey we landed safe Sept. 15 at Vancouver, where we met with the kindest reception from the Gentlemen of the H. B. Company. For an account of our journey I must refer you to the Advocate. where you will find it in detail. In a communication to Dr. Bangs, or rather to the Board, I have given some reasons for setling here, instead of going to the Flat Heads. We are doing little directly, as yet, to benefit the Indians, but we trust we are laying the foundation for extensive usefulness in future.