Page:History of Oregon volume 1.djvu/207

156 sailed out of New Bedford on more than one whaling voyage. Judging from the commendations lavished upon him by his associates, he was a more than ordinarily worthy man. Tall, with a well-knit frame, cheerful temper, and an affectionate disposition, kind to children and animals, he was a general favorite, aside from the stories of sea-going adventures with which he was ever ready to entertain his listeners. Mr Willson was unmarried. While on this journey he studied medicine under White, and was afterwards given the title of Doctor, to distinguish him from others of the same name in Oregon, who spelled their name with only one l.

The other adults of the reenforcement were Miss Anna Maria Pitman of New York; Miss Susan Downing of Lynn, Massachusetts, who was engaged to marry Cyrus Shepard; and Miss Elvira Johnson, from central New York. Miss Pitman was tall, dark, somewhat gifted with poetic genius, fervently pious, and full of enthusiasm for the missionary life. Miss Downing was a less pronounced character, personally attractive, possessed of a fine figure, dark hair, blue eyes, always exercising good taste in dress, and popular with her associates. Miss Johnson, winning in manner, and pure and zealous of spirit, was devoted to her duty. She, like Miss Downing, had dark hair and blue eyes, and was to become the wife of a missionary.

It was understood that Miss Pitman was to marry Jason Lee, if they should suit each other. The meeting, therefore, was of considerable interest, not to say embarrassment, to both, when McLoughlin having introduced Dr White, that gentleman brought the superintendent face to face with the lady. "A light blush rose to her cheek, and a slight trepidation, which, added to the charm of her manner, was all the evidence," says White, "that she was conscious of the peculiarity of her position." With Jason Lee it was