Page:Journal of John H. Frost, 1840-42 part 1.pdf/20

 morning in time for Divine service; but in the afternoon it commenced raining, and we had a very gloomy day, our progress was slow. On Saturday, it was also stormy, and notwithstanding we were busy all the time, yet on Saturday night we found that one half of our voyage remained yet to be performed. And as night was approaching we determined to go ashore & camp. but as the shore was bold and rugged we, with difficulty, found a place large enough to pitch our tent, and where we did camp, if it had been very high tides, we must have been afloat before morning, but notwithstanding, it was very damp, so much so, that it was with great difficulty that we were able to kindle a fire, we passed the night in safety, and the morning found us in health.

This being Sabbath morning, we would gladly have spent the day in the worship of God, but after considering the subject for some time we judged it to be duty to decamp and proceed down the river until we could obtain a safe camping place. We accordingly embarked, and proceeded to the Catlamet Islands, where we found, by the direction of our indian, a very good camping place; there we continued until monday morning, when with the ebb tide we made our way to fort George. I found my family in a better state of health than I had expected, & was happy to meet them once more in the flesh, and had abundant reason to be thankful to almighty God for the many mercies shown me & mine in our absence from each other. I need not say that Mrs. Frost was happy to be put in possession of the society of a female friend at this time, and especially as Sister Kone and Mrs. F. were intimate on our passage to this country.

But now the rainy season was soon to set in, and we must build a house to cover us, & Mr. Smith, having gone to his family on Clatsop Plains, about 8 miles by water, and 12 by land, immediately on his arrival at Fort George, and having not been heard of since, we found ourselves some what perplexed, inasmuch as I had directed him when he should have seen to the wants of his family, to commence chopping logs for a house at the place of which we had spoken when I met him on my way to Willamette. But in the afternoon of the same day, as the Lord would have it, Br. Smith came to the fort with his canoe.