Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 17.djvu/266

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258 JASON LEE

ernor kindly invited me to make the fort my home, and prof- fered me any provisions he had and regretted that he had no better supply. I know not whether to leave our animals here and go by water or go by land. O Lord, do thou direct us. Capt. Wyeth has arrived in good health. Capt. Stewart killed a horse for meat, being the only kind he could get here, as he could not eat fish. We concluded to live on fish.

Wednesday, Sept. 3. Closed a bargain with Mr. Pambrun in relation to our animals. We are to have two cows, a bull and five horses for the same number at Fort Vancouver, and 2 each for five horses, and 3 for four mules, to be paid in provisions or goods at the lowest price. This looks very little, but it is probably the best we can do with them under existing circumstances. No news of Capt. Wyeth's vessel, and he is fearful she is lost; but I trust a kind Providence will direct her safe to port. The Wallah Wallah tribe is small and far more filthy and indolent than the Kioos. They are constantly about us, watch us when we eat, crowd around our fire even slept in front of our tent. The old chief, father of the acting chief, is very anxious that we should return to Wallah Wallah, also that I should preach to them now, but the governor re- garded it not expedient as the chiefs are absent, and the good that could be effected would be comparatively little as I could tell them nothing that they could understand, but what has been told them before we came.

Thursday, September 4. This morning packed our baggage (took) it to the boat with the expectation of getting off in good season, but did not embark until after dinner. Took our leave of Mr. Pambrun, who rendered us every possible at- tention while at the fort. I soon discovered that the water came into the boat so fast that the goods would soon be wet. After passing the riffle, which was in sight of the fort, we