for leaving his station on so useless an errand, refused to pay his expenses, and left him to get back again as best he could. It is very probable they were more or less disgusted with him,—these highly proper, clean-shaven, decorous Presbyterians,—for seven years spent among sav ages, with every kind of farm labor to perform, could not have given that finish to his manner which the Bostonians "admired to see." So, they told him to go home and do the best he could without their aid. This was his reward for what he had endured for conscience' sake—for Dr. Whitman was a thoroughly conscientious man where a principle was in question.
structed almost entirely of adobe or sun-dried bricks, with stone foundations only, can be easily and cheaply erected.
There are very eligible places for as many of these as the government will find necessary, at suitable distances, not further than one or two hundred miles apart, at the main crossing of the principal streams that now form impediments to the journey, and consequently well supplied with water, having alluvial bottom lands of a rich quality, and generally well wooded. If I might be allowed to suggest the best sites for said posts, my personal knowledge and observation enable me to recommend, first, the main crossing of the Kansas river, where a ferry would be very convenient to the traveler, and profitable to the station having it in charge; next, and about eighty miles distant, the crossing of Blue river, where, in times of unusual freshet, a ferry would be in like manner useful; next, and distant from one hundred to one and fifty miles, from, the last mentioned, the Little Blue, or Republican fork of the Kansas; next, and from sixty to one hundred miles distant from the last mentioned, the point of intersection of the Platte river; next, and from one hundred to one hundred and fifty miles distant from the last mentioned crossing of the South fork of the Platte river; next, and about one hundred and eighty or two hundred miles distant from the last mentioned, Horseshoe creek, which is about forty miles west of Laramie s fork in the Black Hills; here is a fine creek for mills and irrigation, good land for cultivation, fine pasturage, timber, and stone for building. Other locations may be had along the Platte and Sweetwater, on the Green river, or Black s fork of the Bear river, near the Great Soda Springs, near Fort Hall, and at suitable places down to the Columbia. These localities are all of the best description, so situated as to hold a ready intercourse with the Indians in their passage to and from the ordi nary buffalo hunting grounds, and in themselves so well situated in all other respects as to be desirable to private enterprise, if the usual advantages of trade existed. Any of the farms above indicated would be deemed extremely valuable in the states.The government cannot long overlook the importance of superintending the savages that endanger this line of travel, and that are not yet in treaty with it. Some of these are already well known to be led by desperate white men and mongrels, who form bandits in the most difficult passes, and are at all times ready to cut oft I some lagging emigrant in the rear of the party, or some adventurous one who may proceed a few miles in advance, or at night to make a descent upon the sleeping camp and carry away or kill horses and cattle. This is the case even now in the commencement of our western emigration, and when it comes to be more generally known that large quantities of valuable property and considerable sums of money are yearly carried over this desolate region, it is to be feared an organized banditti will be instituted. The posts in contemplation would effectually counteract this; for that
