Journal of Travels From St. Josephs to Oregon / With Observations of That Country, Together With Some Description of California, Its Agricultural Interests, and a Full Description of Its Gold Mines.

by Riley Root

CHAPTER XIII.

Same subject continud.

25th. To-day, Mr. Jackson, Mr. Rogers and myself left for Walla-walla. Encampd with the Walla-walla chief, Piyu-piyu Maks-maks, (Yellow Swan, often calld Yellow Bird, or Yellow Serpent.) We had a pleasant interview. He said the Catholics had often urgd him to leave the Protestants, and join them, but he should never join them, as it was too much like their old religion, worshipping men, women, clothes, swords,—&c. They had frequently requestd of him a place for a station, but he had refused. They had told him in reply, he must go to hell, if he followd the Protestants. He replied that as you say the Protestants are bad, and I am bad, sure it is better that the bad go together. He said that they had frequently told him that we were poisoning the Indians, that the Bishop told them it was the Americans who brought the measles into the country, that God had sent this disease upon them, to show his displeasure at heretics.

This declaration, the chief thought the Bishops made in order to prejudice the Indians against the heretics. Immediately on its being made, the statement spread through the country like electricity. It was in the mouth of every Indian, old and young—the great chief of the Black gowns, (the Bishop,) tells us that the Americans brought the measles into the country—that God sends this disease among the heretics, to show the Indians how he hates the Americans. The excitement was intense, and we felt our situation to be most critical,—we felt that we were in danger from this source.

But the difficulties in our minds were, are these tangible evidences that we can present to the public and our Board, that will convince them that we are in danger from this source? Now that the bloody transaction has taken place, circumstances and facts seem to point so plainly to this source as the source whence originated the indirect causes of the massacre, that many are ready to exclaim, “why did you not leave your fields before?” And even our Catholic friends seem to be so thoroughly convincd that our situation was a dangerous one, that many of them are loudest in exclaiming, “you should have left your fields before.” But so entirely hidden from the eye of the Christian world, were those influences we feard, that had we left 3 days before the massacre, the Papists would have settld quietly through the country, the Cayuse continued, as they have been for years, friendly to the Americans—had we publishd to the world as a reason of our leaving that we considerd our lives in danger from the influences which the Papists were every where exerting upon the minds of the Indians through their prejudices and superstitions, who would have believd us? The world, the church and the Board would have condemnd us as cowards leaving our work before there was danger.

Besides, the Board have ever enjoind upon us, as also the Captain of our salvation, to contend earnestly for the pure principles of christianity against the errors and subverting principles of Romanism, and NOT TO FLEE before them.

26th. Last night a niece of the chief died. He requested me to pray and converse with the afflicted family. He farther requested that after arriving at the fort, I would hold myself in readiness to attend the funeral as soon as the corpse could be taken to the fort some four miles distant, and preparations made for burying. As we were about to leave, the chief took me by the hand and said, his heart would ever be with the Americans. I am happy to learn that to a good degree, (considering the influences which have been about him,) he has kept his word.

Reachd the fort early. Found here the “Bishop of Walla-walla” and five priests. Three or four others had crossd to the north side of the Columbia river, and were commencing stations on the Yankmaw river. Let it be distinctly notied that this bishop was appointed “Bishop of Walla-walla,” and sent into this field with his priests, while as yet there was not a Catholic church or station, or priest (stationary) in the whole district, but the field was entirely occupied by Protestant missionaries, most of whom had been quietly laboring in their places for eleven years.

Soon after we arrivd, a messenger came into the fort stating that all things were ready for the funeral services. Mr. Rogers accompanid me to the grave. A canoe had been cut into parts for the coffin and its cover.