Trouble was sometimes had with the Indians at The Dalles, who were a roguish and impertinent set of rascals, playing thieving tricks upon persons having to pass their way, and exacting double pay for any services when they had made these services indispensable by their own acts; but so far they had been held in check by the influence of the resident fur company.
It was among these that Daniel Lee and H. K. W. Perkins attempted missionary work in 1838, which they con tinued with little success for four or five years. At one time they sent east glowing accounts of congregations of several hundred Indians and numerous conversions. But they had not made allowance for the shrewdness of the savage, nor for his cupidity and literalness. When Per kins was solicited by one of his neophytes for a coat, he said to him, "You must work and earn one"; whereupon the innocent replied, "You told me if I became converted and prayed for what I wanted I should get it. If it is work only that will bring a coat, I can get one any time of the Hudson s Bay Company." They often demanded pay for praying, or on receiving some great favor declared their hearts were full of pray." It did not take them long to discover that supplication was not always rewarded with their heart s desire in other matters. On the death of a chief, one of Lee and Perkins converts asked sorrowfully, "What is the good of prayer? Our chief prayed, and now he is dead?" Lee himself was forced to purchase immunity from theft by valuable gifts. Refusing to pay an indemnity for a boy who died after being in his service, the mission horses were stolen. They resented not being allowed to avenge the murder of their relatives, and put on airs of equality with their teachers, demanding a visit of ceremony from the superintendent, such as the missionaries received.
Such conduct would not be permitted by the officers of the Hudson's Bay Company, and the Indians judged the missionaries accordingly. That there was danger in it the missionaries saw, but knew no way, as peace men, to avert it.
