passage to the Sandwich Islands in one of the company's vessels, he met with a refusal, although he was willing to pay whatever might be reasonably required. Nor would Dr. McLoughlin have any business transactions with him. When a silver dollar was sent to the company storehouse for certain necessary articles desired by Kelley, the articles were not forthcoming under the pretense that the money was not genuine. "The dollar was current, and the metal pure," naively remarked Kelley.[1]
When he was able to get about, some of his party visited him and asked him to plat out the land on the site which he had chosen for a settlement. "A day for that service, two or three weeks off, was appointed; but, prior to its coming, other visits were made of an unfriendly nature. . . . Also two letters were received from the party, threatening my life, if seen on the Wallamet. All things considered, I thought it prudent to keep from that quarter."[2] One of these letters was from Young.[3]
Yet there were those whose attitude was not unfriendly. '^Those who treated me with respect were the Indians and the common people. The Rev. Jason Lee privily called, at times, and talked freely of obligations of himself and the public to me, always expressing his haste. Mr. Stuart, now in the British Parliament, whose mind differed from other minds at Vancouver, something as light differs from darkness, honored me with his society and expressions of his kind regards—not fearing the displeasure of Mr. McLaughlin."[4]
About the first of February, his health being improved, Kelley began to make exploring excursions about the Columbia and to collect all available information as to the geography and economic characteristics of the country, with particular reference to the activities of the Hudson's Bay company and to the possibilities of blocking those efforts through an influx
