Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 16.djvu/314

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288 REVEREND EZRA FISHER

ing but the small number of people and the distance of this point from the present populous part of Oregon will prevent me from fixing my family in this vicinity and labouring from this point. Even now my convictions are so strong of the relative importance of this point and of the probable future character of its population, that I may in a few months deem it my duty to take my family to that place.

I still preach on Sabbaths and visit only as I travel from place to place.

Your Board may be desirous of knowing what will be neces- sary to enable us to devote ourselves to the ministry. I think that after fixing our location we can support the family, should the Board see fit to make an appropriation of $150 or $200 the first year, and hope we may be blessed with favor of the people so that we can afterward live on a less sum. Should your Board make an appropriation for another year, we wish you to put us up a box of the following articles and pay for the same from the appropriation : 1 pair no. 9 thick calf-skin boots; 1 pair of calf-skin shoes no. 4, women's; 2 pair of no. 3 shoes, boys' ; 2 pair of children's shoes for a girl 7 years old, and 2 pair for a girl 4 years; 2 bolts of common calico, dark coloured, worth 12 or 15 cents per yd; 10 yards of Ken- tucky janes and 4 yards of black cassimere ; 20 yards of woollen linsey, plaid, for children's dresses ; 25 spools of common sew- ing thread ; 8 pounds of cotton batting ; 1 cast bake kettle, with lid, that will hold about ten quarts; 1 large octavo Bible and five or six spelling books. We are in an entirely new country and have little or no crockery or cooking utensils at any price. You will probably get the box on board Mr. Benson's ship bound for the mouth of the Columbia ; if not, direct to me as one of your missionaries, Oregon City, Oregon Territory, to the care of E. A. Hall, Financier of the A.B.C.F.M. at Hono- lulu, Oahu, one of the Sandwich Islands, and it will probably come safe. Yours truly, EZRA FISHER.

Rec'd Aug. 19, 1846.