Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 13.djvu/201

SLACUM'S REPORT ON OREGON, 1836-7 193 the river. My men had been in the, canoe paddling against a strong current for twenty-two hours, without any intermission except in making the portage at the falls. "Camp Maud du Sable" is distant about fifty-five miles from the Columbia, running nearly due South. The first settler was "Jean Baptiste Deshortez McRoy," who came to the country with the Ameri- can Fur Company in 1809, (Astor's company.) McRoy pitched his tent permanently at this place, six years since. For the first two years he was almost alone ; but within four years past the population has much increased, and is now one of the most prosperous settlements to be found in any new country. The Rev. Jason Lee, missionary of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of New York, having heard through Dr. McLaughlin of my intention to visit the Willhamett settlement, politely came down from the mission house, distant eighteen miles, to meet me at this place. In company with this gentleman, I called on all the settlers in the lower settlement, and next day visited the mission house and upper settlement. No language of mine can convey an adequate idea of the great benefit these worthy and most excellent men, the Messrs. Jason and Daniel Lee ? Messrs. Shephard and Edwards, their assistants, have conferred upon this part of the country, not by precept, but example as I think the following result of their labors will show. To use Mr. Jason Lee's own words, "it was after having heard that an Indian, of the Flat Head tribe had crossed the Rocky mountains to inquire of Governor Clark, at St. Louis, about the God that the pale faces worshipped, that first led me to think of establishing a 'mission' west of the mountains." Two years since, last October, Mr. Lee's party encamped on the ground where their dwelling now stands, immediately on the banks of the "Willhamett." They commenced felling tim- ber with their own hands, and by Christmas they erected the frame of their house and had it half covered in, and fenced 24 acres of land. In the spring they put in a crop which produced the first year, 1835,