Page:The Early Indian Wars of Oregon.djvu/44

26 upon his escort, and was in no way responsible. They were finally persuaded to accept presents and release their captives.

But this was not the end of the early troubles at the Presbyterian missions. A. B. Smith, the year after his arrival with Gray s party, was sent to establish a mission upon Ellis land at Kamiah, east of Lapwai. To do this he had permission, but was forbidden to cultivate the land. After being at Kamiah one year, Smith made some preparations to till a small field, but Ellis reminded him that he had been warned not to do so. "Do you not know," he asked, "what has been told you, that you would be digging a hole in which you should be buried?" At this he desisted, but the following year made another attempt, and was again reminded, when he made no more such efforts. In 1841 he left the country for the Sandwich Islands, having during his residence in Oregon written a grammar of the Nez Percés language, which was printed on a press brought from Honolulu, together with a hymn book, and primers to be used in the schools.

Why it was that Spalding was permitted to cultivate does not appear, unless it was that he was able to convince the Indians by actual test that it was good for them to be able to raise food, and save themselves the trouble of taking long journeys every summer to procure game, roots, and berries. At all events he seems to have been very successful, and his reports upon the fertility of the country compare well with those written at a much later period. He presented those whom he could induce to cultivate, with hoes and ploughs—a present going a long way toward convincing an Indian that your word can be trusted.

Mrs. Spalding was a balance wheel in the missionary machinery. Her quiet devotion to duty, her kindliness and firmness, made a real impression upon the Nez Percés, the women looking upon her as their true friend, whose wisdom they never questioned. She taught them house-