LETTERS OF REV. WILLIAM M. ROBERTS 249
took down the barn and made a stockade fort and when the U. S. Gov. comes doubtless it will be wanted for a military station. The business is not yet consummated and I could have wished counsel before acting in the case. But it is one of those plain cases which did not admit of the delay necessary to abtain such counsel and I must therefore act according to the light I have trusting the Board will approve. The Papists have settled a mile or two off the premises, and some day would be accessory to the murder sooner or later of any Pro- testants who might tenant the station. But when once the jurisdiction of the U. S. Gov. is extended here no fear of Papists should ever keep me one hour from going or sending men to labor there if no other reasons existed.
They now infest every part of the upper country despite the prohibition of our Prov. Gov. and when that prohibition is removed I purpose visiting the Station if not called away to California, and any interferance with our property by them will be laid before the proper authorities. Such visit in com- pany with Bro. Wallar will enable me to form some more enlightened opinion as to the state of the Indians in the Upper Country, and as to the question whether their final abandon- ment by all Protestant Missionaries is really unavoidable. You will know much sooner than we can what are the intentions of the American Board and will be prepared to give some counsel with regard to the question.
The Indians have been severely rebuked for the murders committed and will not be likely to misbehave in future. I am sorry in my heart that we can hear of nothing which you have done for California. Others are now on the ground before us after all. A Mr. Hunt from the Islands went to San Fran- cisco last fall, and the people made him up a salary of $2500. for one year. So he is now their chaplain.
I cannot resist the conviction that our movements are in- excuseably slow and dilatory. I yet hope some of these days to receive intelligence that the Board has acted with great promptness and all that spontaniety of fear which the case called for.
There have been so many sources from which I expected to get advices that I have not dared to move a step from my own work here, lest they should come in my absence and thus time be lost, and withal our hands are filled with work here else I should have gone down the coast and preached at the Bay of San Francisco myself.
