Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 23.djvu/356

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306 CHARLES HENRY CAREY

may and ought to be established at Larmie's Fork, which is about 30 days' march from Fort Independence.

Among the Crow Indians which inhabit the country between the Missouri and the Yellow Stone Rivers; and among the BlackFeet Indians, who live in the immediate neighborhood of the Rocky Mountains. By thus estab- lishing a line of missionary operations among the several tribes who inhabit the intermediate places between the frontier white settlements and the Rocky Mountains, by which the natives would be conciliated and their friend- ship secured, a medium of communication would be estab- lished, affording facilities to the missionaries of obtain- ing supplies, of receiving and communicating intelligence. This subject therefore, is affectionately and respectfully commended to the notice of those who have the superin- tendence of these missions.

Seventeenth Anniversary, Forsyth St., New York, April 18, 1836.

From the Oregon Mission we have very encouraging information. On the arrival of the missionaries it was ascertained that the real Flat Head Indians were few in number, and had no settled habitations. The mission- aries therefore proceeded on to Fort Vancouver, at the mouth of the Columbia River, where they arrived in September, 1834, and were received with great cordiality and treated with much hospitality by the governor, Doc- tor McLaughlin, 2 and his family. On Sabbath, Sept. 28th, Brother Lee preached in the fort to a very atten- tive audience, which was the first sermon ever delivered in that part of the country, west of the Rocky Moun- tains. On the 14th of December he preached again and baptized four women and fifteen children. This was considered a solemn and interesting occasion by all pres- ent. After looking about them and taking the best coun-

2 Dr. John McLoughlin, Chief Factor of Hudson's Bay Company.