following year, met, in the vicinity of Whitby island, with several Indians who had never seen a priest, and yet were acquainted with the sign of the cross, and knew several pious canticles.
{32} While Mr. Blanchet was at Cowlitz,[26] his fellow-laborer visited Nisqualy, where he found the savages in the best dispositions. Having but a short time, however, to pass among them, he merely laid the foundation of a more important mission, and returned to Vancouver by the month of June,—the time when the agents from New Caledonia, Upper Columbia, and other different posts assemble there to deposite their furs. After spending a month at Vancouver, availing himself of the favorable opportunity for instruction which the concourse of visitors afforded, he set out for Upper Columbia, where he visited Walla Walla, Okanagan and Colville,[27] baptizing all the children that were brought to him in the course of his journey. He spent three months in this excursion, during which Mr. Blanchet attended to the wants of the faithful at Vancouver, Willamette, and {33} Cowlitz. Though these stations afforded ample occupation for a missionary, Mr. B. paid another visit to Nisqualy, where he was again met by a considerable number of savages from Puget sound, who hastened to Nisqualy as soon as they heard of his arrival, and listened with joy and profit to the words of life.
