Page:History of Oregon volume 1.djvu/248

Rh that White, who was prone to take the upper hand, led Leslie, the superintendent of the work, to spend more money in building the hospital than was approved of by Lee, who had other uses for the money. The disagreement ended in the resignation of White, who took passage for home in the Lausanne, in the summer of 1840. As a penalty for being too much influenced by White, Leslie was left without an appointment, and consequently without a salary, when the next annual meeting of the society came round. The affair was unfortunate for the superintendent. White presented himself to the board, and pleaded his cause, which resulted in having his expenses paid, though he was censured for deserting his post without leave from the board. Then he quietly resumed his former practice. Letters received by the Lausanne from Richmond, Kone, and others, comfirmed the unfavorable impression which White was able to give of the superintendent's course.

In these dissensions, which arose soon after the assignment of the reënforcement to their several places, Hines, Waller, Abernethy, and Parrish, with the laymen employed in the Willamette Valley and in the more favorable locations, appeared on the side of the superintendent, while the others arrayed themselves against him. Probably dissatisfaction with their circumstances had much to do with this ill feeling. Some complained that they were not allowed to visit the Mission in the Willamette, or their missionary predecessors, before being sent to the wilderness to hew out uncomfortable homes. But Lee knew the value of time, and the necessity of providing shelter and getting established before winter, and had cause, besides, to fear that if they saw the Willamette Valley they might not go so willingly to another quarter. The misunderstandings which disturbed