Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 23.djvu/360



310 CHARLES HENRY CAREY

all in good health and spirits. They arrived at the Mis- sion House, at the mouth of the Willamette River, which empties into the Columbia about sixty miles from the Pacific, about the last of May, 1837, and were rejoiced to find the two missionaries, Brothers Jason and Daniel Lee, in health and peace, and prospering in their work. They had succeeded in procuring a good farm, on which they had erected a convenient log house with three rooms for preaching and for a school, as well as for domestic purposes. Here they found a school under the superin- tendence of the teacher, Brother Shepard, consisting of about thirty children, mostly half-breeds, which promises much good to the rising generation.

The family which sailed in January, 1837, had not yet arrived, though they were daily expected, as we have information of their arrival at the Sandwich Islands in June last. When these shall have arrived the family will consist of twenty-three, including minors, namely, four missionaries, a male and four female teacher, a physician, a blacksmith and a carpenter.

This mission promises great usefulness to the rising colony in that part of the country, and therefore demands the vigorous support of the Society.

We are informed by a gentleman attached to the United States Navy, 8 who visited the mission about eigh- teen month since, that the superintendent of the mission had, by his pious and prudent conduct acquired the con- fidence of the entire settlement and was laying a founda- tion for immense good in that new Territory. And now that he is assisted by those who recently joined him in his work it is believed that their sphere of usefulness will be much enlarged and that the natives will share more largely in the benefits of their Gospel labors. It is re- gretted that we are not able to report the exact number which have been brought into church fellowship, but we

8 Lieut. William A. Slacum.