Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 23.djvu/280



232 CHARLES HENRY CAREY

eral feeling of Christian sympathy was manifested in the Churches for these interesting heathen and the of- ficers & mam'gers of the missionary society of the Metho- dist Episcopal Church immediately determined by leave of Providence to establish a mission among the Flathead indians. Pursuant of this determination, a request was presented to Rev. Jason Lee of Stanstead L. C. to under- take the superintendency of sd. mission and having complied with the request, was solemnly set apart for the purpose at the sitting of the New-England conference in the City of Boston, in June, 1833, by Bishop Hedding.

In August following Rev. Daniel Lee of the New- hampshire & Vermont conference, was appointed, at the sitting of the Troy conference, colleague with Rev. J. Lee to labour among the Flatheads. In Nov. of the same year notice appearing in the public A: journals that Capt. N. J. Wyeth of Cambridge Mass, had recently returned from a tour west of the mountains & that he contem- plated returning in the following spring on receiving this intelligence J. L. immediately repaired to Boston had an interview with Capt. W. and readily obtained permission to accompany him back to the mountains. There he procured an outfit which he shiped on board the May Dacre bound to the Columbia river, and engaged Cyrus Shepard, lay member to accompany the mission. Early in 1834 the brethern left New-England on their way to the west & all met at Independence, Mo. (place of general rendezvous before starting for the moun- tains) on the 24th April 1834. Messrs. P. L. Edwards (lay member) and C. M. Walker (non professor) both of Richmond, Mo., having previously joined the mission party.

Friday 25 April 1834.

Made preparation for departing & on Saturday 20th journeyed a few miles & put up at the house of a Mr. Rickman, who gratuitously provided food both for our- selves & animals.