Page:McLoughlin and Old Oregon.djvu/296



2QO McLOUGHLIN AND OLD OREGON

dug kouse and camas. Now they began to neglect the camas-beds to hoe in their little gardens of pumpkins and potatoes and corn and carrots.

"Thank the Lord, my farm-work is done for this year," said Dr. Whitman. "My Indian trade-goods are about used up."

"I wish we could get rid of this soul-belittling, pietykilling farm-work and give our whole time to teaching and preaching," said Spalding, riding over the hills from Lapwai.

u Brother, brother," said the doctor, "'t is a part of our work. Agriculture and the gospel go hand in hand. Christianize an Indian, give him a home and a farm, and he has too much at stake to go to war with the whites."

"Yes, yes, yes," said Spalding. "You have said that before. They must have hoes and homes. We cannot teach them on the wing. I passed the cabin of Five Crows to-day. He has it complete, with floor and fireplace and doors and windows, but he can't live in it. He says it is too close, and has set up his old lodge. There they stand, the cabin and teepee side by side."

"That Indian desires civilization more than any other I ever knew," said Dr. Whitman. "He is insane now on the subject of a white wife. He thinks it would help him to become like white men."

"I know; he has talked with Mrs. Spalding about it. Three winters now he has driven his herds to the Clearwater and come with Chief Joseph to school. Both of them have made remarkable progress; they read and write with considerable fluency. Why did n't Five Crows accompany Elijah to California?"

"Mrs. Whitman thinks he stayed to meet the immigrants. Every few days he goes out to meet them, and