Page:History of Oregon volume 1.djvu/113

62 Jason Lee by eye-witnesses: Noticing on one occasion that a cow belonging to his herd was suffering from the burden she carried, he stopped to milk her, and in so doing fell behind the company. The cry of 'Indians!' was raised. "Mr Lee! Mr Lee! They will be on you!" his men shouted. Jason turned his eyes in the direction of the rising dust which marked the approach of the savages, then slowly said, "Unless the Lord will it otherwise this cow moves not until her load is lightened," and continued his milking till the arrival of the band, which proved to be friendly Nez Percés instead of terrible Blackfoot. So all through the journey, which was pleasant and profitable, mentally, to the missionaries, Mr Lee stood ever as ready to minister to the comfort of his dumb beasts, and to the bodily necessities of his men, as to hold forth in abstract spiritual propositions, though he did not fail to preach as occasion offered.

For example, service was held at Fort Hall on Sunday, the 27th of July, which was not only attended by Wyeth's men, but by the fur-hunters of the vicinity, and notably by a body of Hudson's Bay Company people, half-breeds and Indians under Thomas McKay, who, owing to the Sunday training at the forts, were exceptionally devotional. It was a grand and solemn sight, these rough and reckless children of the forest, gathered from widely remote quarters, with varied tongues and customs, here in the heart of this mighty wilderness, the eternal hills their temple-walls, and for roof the sky, standing, kneeling, with heads uncovered, their souls bowed in adoration before their one creator and governor. What these same devout worshippers were doing an hour afterward, drinking, trafficking, swearing, and stabbing, it is needless to detail. Man is oft an irrational animal, and we are least of all to look for reason in religion.

The following Wednesday the missionaries continued their westward way, driving with them their