McLaughlin. Thus I am wholly occupied & can scarcely find as much time as I want for writing.
"Oct 18thThis afternoon the Montreal express arrived, and a general time of rejoycing it is to every one. News from distant friends both sad & pleasing. Mr. Spalding has come with it & brought a letter from my Husband filled with pleasing information. The Lord has been with them, since they left us & has prospered them beyond all expectation. They have selected each a location & Husband remains their to build while Mr S comes for us. Cheering thot this to be able to make a beginning in our pleasing work so soon. He writes me that our location[1] is on the Walla Walla River an eastern branch of the Columbia about 25 miles east of the Fort & about the same distance South east of the mouth of Snake or Lewis River. He is pleased with the situation thinks the soil very favourable & will be able to cultivate next year quite extensively. The spot selected can be enclosed with 80 rods of fence & brushing up the rest along two streams, by which it is most surrounded & by which may be watered. It is thought to contain 300 acres. There is no want of good land for cultivation & herding. This is the country of the Cayouses, who speak the same language as the Nez Perces. Mr. Spalding has fixed upon a place 110 miles east of us on the North side of Snake river near the mouth of CoosCoos river a small branch The land is very good but not very extensive but sufficient for the establishment, & most of the Indians. Enough may be found near on other streams for the remainder. Plenty of good timber, stone clay & water that is, fine springs, more timber on this location than on ours. We have enough for present use however such as it is, no pine all cottonwood shall be obliged to go to the mountains fifteen miles for pine. The Nez Perces are exceedingly anxious for the location. Make many promises to work & listen to instruction. They do not like to have us stop with the Cayouses. Say they do not have difficulty with the white men as the Cayouses do
- ↑ Soon to be known as the Wa-i-lat-pu mission among the Cayuse Indians. Mrs. Spalding was to be at the Lapwai mission among the Nez Perce Indians, about 125 miles further away from Fort Walla Walla.
