Page:McLoughlin and Old Oregon.djvu/138



Fifty miles an Indian runner sped to Fort Vancouver. Back came McLoughlin's compliments in the schooner " Cadboro'," bringing milk and vegetables, a bag of fresh bread, and a tub of Sauvie's fresh-churned butter. The "Lausanne "anchored at Vancouver with the largest company of missionaries that had ever left an American port. Dr. McLoughlin came on board his momentary surprise at their numbers passed, as with the courtesy for which he was famous he invited them all to the hospitalities of the fort.

"Pest take it all!" grumbled the clerks. "The governor goes too far when he turns us out of our comfortable bunks to make room for these Americans."

The same day four ragged boys came down the Columbia in a canoe. "Well! well! well! "ejaculated Dr. McLoughlin, unprepared for this second accession. " And where do you come from? "

"From the States, across the plains," answered the boys.

"At this time of year? And where did you winter, pray?"

"Among the Indians."

"They are certainly runaways," said the missionaries.

"No," said the boys, "we heard Jason Lee's first lecture when he reached the States, and we resolved to meet him here and grow up with the country."

With very round eyes the benevolent doctor sent them to the dairy to get some bread and milk.

"It won't be long before others will follow in their footsteps," said Josiah Parrish, the mission blacksmith.

"Tut, tut, tut! "laughed the doctor, waving his arm with grandiloquent air. "For all coming time we and our children will have uninterrupted possession of this country."