Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 18.djvu/214



186 Fred Wilbur Powell

"The last two years, adversaries, at and about the place of my abode, have very much troubled me. The troops at this place have come daily to vex and to torture, hoping speedily to make an end of me ; guerillas, headed by one of my bitterest enemies — at times, another with him — ^both were, as it regarded their ccm- duct toward me, much like despots and demons. Within the last thirty years, until the two last, since beginning to write histories of countries explored by me, and to prepare accoimts of my scientific researches in the far west, and of my efforts to propagate Christianity about the shores of the Pacific, and of the war of persecutions so long ago waged against me, they have often ccMne to plunder my property — have plundered, and carried off, the value of several thousand dollars; and to de- vastate my estate; and have so done; and have desolated the village of Three Rivers, so that it now is, and has been for several years, a desolation, *a heap'. They at times break into my house, and take away documents and manuscripts and papers of great value to me, such as furnish the best material for the book ; perhaps, within this period, what of the last would make a 4to. volume of a thousand pages.^

"In telling about the conspiracy, it is not my intention to designate persons, unless hard provoked to it, nor specify as to conduct, cruel as it has been, further than it shall be duty in the vindication of myself. . . ."

"To confuse my head and delay my writings, I am everywhere represented as stupid, an idler, and prodigal of my means of living. But I am certain that neither my greai calamity, nor the persecutions and afflictions I am made to endure, have in the slightest degree impaired my understanding ; it was never better than at the present day. And diligent search of the Scriptures, the last thirty years . . . has much enlarged my comprehension of things himian and divine. I consider also

20 SettlemsHt of Oregon, iii-iv. "The author has recently lost from hi» house all the copies of a pamphlet called 'History of the Colonization of Ore- gon;* which was to comprise portions of the supplemenUl appendix of this book; and also, manuscripts and papers of (|[reat value to him. He has Kood reason to believe, it was the felonious service of some hireling or sub-affent of the friends of the H. B. Co., to vex and trouble him."— Norrolwe of EvenU and Diniculttss, appx. insert.