Page:Oregon, her history, her great men, her literature.djvu/71



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any trouble in ^^overning. I continued in the school over eighteen months, diirin<^ which the scholars learned to speak English. Several could repeal some of Murray's grammar verbatim. Some had gone throu<>h arithmetic, and upon review copied it—entirely. These copies were afterward used as school books, there having been only one printed copy at Fort Vancouver. The school numbered twentyfive pupils."

Indians Ask for the White Man's Book of Hmmu Lewis and Clark also French and English fur traders and poaribly native missionaries from eastern tribes had told the Nez Perces that the greatness of the white people was due * to their religion. Hence some of the more intelligent Indians naturally wanted to learn of thei white man*s God. These facts reached the attention of churches in the states and accounts like the following' were published so extensively diat missionary acttvi^ was greatly stimulated:

'The Nez Perces sent five of their leading men toward the rising sun for the White Man's Book of Heaven. Though one of their number soon returned, the other four continued their journey to Sl Louis where they were kindly received. For a time they experienced much difficulty in making their wants known. When General Clark came to learn the purpose of their visit, he reminded them that they had not yet learned to read the Book, but that teachers would be sent to their people,—^ promise which was soon made good by churches and later by the government. The Indians were treated as guests by General Clark; but being unaccustomed to indoor life, two of them died during the winter. When spring came the remaining two departed for their tribal home. But on the journey another died, leaving only one to return to his people with the White Man's Book of Heaven.**

While historians 'differ somewhat as to the accural of this and similar accounts, it is known that untutored Indians from the Oregon Countiy visited St Louis at van