Excerpts from Narcissa Whitman: My Journal, 1836 (Fairfield, WA: Ye Galleon Press, 1985). Narcissa Whitman recorded her experiences as she traveled to the northwest, spending the Fall of 1836 at Fort Vancouver. The excerpts reflect her view of the landscape of eastern Oregon and Washington as well as her views toward native peoples.
August 1st Monthly Concert day. How sweet & sacred the influence of this day apon the weary & solitary Missionary.
2nd Had an unusual long ride today. Heat excessive. Truly I thought “the Heavens over us were brass, & the earth iron under our feet.” Our route for two or three days past has been quite level. But the same scenery prevails, rocks & sandy plains covered with a species of wormwood called sage of a pale of green, offensive both to the sight & smell. We meet with frequent fertile spots however, often enough to furnish us & our animals with a comfortable Inn for the night. Had a feast of service berries today the first ripe ones we have seen. They are a small black berry, very sweet, something like the Pear in its flavour. Stoped & gathered some which rested me much, & answered the place of a dinner very well.
3rd Came to Fort Hall, this morning distance eight miles. A cool breeze made our ride very pleasant. Husband & myself were alone entirely behind the dust of camp & enjoyed a sweet repast in conversing about home & dear friends. Particularly Mother Loomis in her new situation. Thought a sight of her in her Diary would be particularly pleasant. Was much cheered with a view of the Fort at a considerable distance. Any thing that looks like a house makes us glad. Called and were hospitably entertained by Capt Thing who keeps the Fort. It was built by Capt Wyeth a gentleman form Boston, whom we saw at Rendezvous, on his way to the east. Our dinner consisted of bry buffalo meat, turnips & fried bread, which was a luxury. Mountain bread, is simply course flour & water mixed, & roasted or fried in buffalo grease. To one who has had nothing but meat for a long time this relishes very well! For tea we had the same with addition of some stewed service berries.
4th Enjoyed the cool retreat of an uper room this morning while writing. The buildings of the Fort are made of hewed logs roof covered with mud bricks, chimney & fireplaces also of the same. No windows except a square hole in the roof, & in the bastion a few port holes large enough for guns only. The buildings are all enclosed in a strong log wall. This affords them a place of safty when attacked by hostile Indians, as they frequently are, the Fort being in the Black Feet country. We were invited to breakfast & dinner, dined with them only. Since dinner visited the garden & corn field. The turnups in garden appear thrifty, the tops very large & tall but the roots quite small. The peas looked well but had most of them been gathered by the mice. Saw a few onions that were going to seed, these looked quite natural. This is all the garden contained. He told us his corn did extremely well untill the eighth of June when the frost of one night completely prostrated it. It has since come up again but does not look as well as before. This is their first attempt at cultivation. The building at Fort William on Larimys Fork of Paltte, Black Hills, are made in the same way, but larger & more finished than here. Here we had stools to sit on there we had very comfortable chairs, bottomed with buffalo skins. Thus you see, we have a house of entertainment almost or quite as often as Christian of the Pilgrim’s Progress did. We expect one more before we get to Walla Walla That is Snake Fort belonging to Mr McKay who is jouneying with us. If prospered we expect to be there in fifteen days. From this on our company will be small. The Indians all leave us today except one or two who go with us to assist in driving the cattle. Kentuck who went with Mr. Parker last year & the Chief Rottenbelly The whole tribe are exceedingly anxious to have us go with them, use every argument they can invent to prevail on us to do so, & not only argument, but stratagem. We all think it not best. We are very much fatigued & wish to get through as soon as possible. To go with them would take us two months or more, when now we expect to go to W.W. in twenty-five days, or be there by the first of September. When we get there rest will be sweet to us. So it will be to the christian, when he gets to heaven. Ah! will Mother & Father get there before I do? if so then they will be ready to greet me upon its threshold. Here we have raised our Ebenezer, saying “Hith[er]
the Lord hath helped us.” Now we leave it & pass on. Farewell Dear Parents for the presant. Our animals are nearly ready. It is now half past two expect to go but a short distance & encamp.
August 20th Sat. Last night I put my cloths in water & this morning finished washing before breakfast. I find it not very agreable to do such work in the middle of the day when I have no shelter to protect me from the suns schorching rays. This is the third time I have washed since I left the states or home either. Once at Fort Williams & at Rendezvous. Mr McLeod call this eve to see if we were ready to leave Observed that we had been so engaged in labor as to have no time for rest & proposed for our sakes (the Ladies) to remain over the Sabbath This I can assure you was a favour for which we can never be to thankful for as our souls need the rest of the Sab, as well as our bodies.
August 27th Came in sight of the hill that leads into Grand Round, & should have come quite to it, had it not been for a circumstance that occurred during the day This morning Mr McLeod remained behind in persuit of game, & did not come into camp untill we had made a long nooning. Began to feel a little concerned & it was proposed to send back in persuit of ducks, having taken twenty two. Now Mother he did just as he always did, during the whole journey sent me nine of them. Here also Richard caught a fresh Salmon which made us another good meal & if we had been out of provisions, we might have made a dinner upon fresh water clams for the river was full of them where we nooned. We left at four o’clock PM. And in the morn, but took a long sleep at noon while waiting, which refreshed me very much. Girls how do you think we manage to rest ourselves every noon having no housese to shelter us from the schorching heat of the noonday sun, or sofas on which to recline. Perhaps you think we always encamp in the shade of some thick wood. Such a sight I have not seen lo these many weeks. If we can find a few small willows or a single low tree, we think ourselves amply provide for. But often our camping places are in some open plain, & freqently a sand plain, even here is comfort & rest. My Husband who is one of the best world ever knew is always ready to provide a comfortable shade, with one of our saddle blankets, spread upon some willows or sticks placed in the ground. Then our Saddles & pishmores, with the others placed upon the ground constitute our sofa. Here we recline & rest until dinner is ready. How do you think you would like this? Would you not think a seat by Mother in some cool room preferable? Sometimes, my wicked heart has been desposed to murmur, thinking I should have no rest for the heat, when I stoped. But have always been reproved for it by the comfort & rest I received under these circumstances. I never have wished to go back such a thought finds no place in my heart. “The Lord is better to us than our fears” I always find it so.
August 28th This morn lingered with Husband on the top of the hill, that overlooks Grand Round, for berries, until we were some distance behind camp. Have no distressing apprehensions now the moment we are out of sight of camp for we have entirely passed the dangerous country. Always enjoy riding alone with him, especially when we talk about home friends. It is then the tedious hours are sweetly decoyed away. We decend a very steep hill in coming into Grand Round at the foot of which is a beautiful cluster of pine trees, pich & spruce, but no white pine like what I have been accostomed to see at home Grand Round is indeed a beautiful place. It is a circular plain, surrounded with lofty mountains & has a beautiful stream coursing through it skirted with quite large timber. The scenery while passing through it in some places, is delightful, & the soil rich, in other places we find the white sand & sage as usual so peculiar to this country. We nooned upon Grand Round River. The Cammas grows here in abundance & it is the principal resort of the Cayouses & many other tribes, to obtain it of which they are very fond. It resembles an onion in shape & colour, when cooked is very sweet, tastes like a fig. Their manner of baking them is very curious. They dig a hole in the ground, throw in a heap of stones, heat them to red heat cover them with green grass, upon which they put the Cammas & cover the whole with earth, when taken out it is black. This is the chief food of many tribes during winter. After dinner we left the plains & ascended the Blue mountains. There a new & pleasing scene presented itself, mountains covered with timber through which we rode all the afternoon, a very agreable cahnge, The scenery reminded me of the hills in my native county Steuben.
August 31st came to Walla W. river, within eight miles of the fort. Both Husband & myself very much exhausted with the fatigue of this day’s lengthy ride. Sandy most of the way, and no water for many miles. When we left Mr S Husband rode an Indian horse one that he had never mounted before. Found him a hard rider upon every gate except a gallop, & slow in all his movement especially on a walk. He could not pace as mine did, so as to make up the deficiency in that easy way, so for the last six days when the ground would admit, we galloped most of the way.
September 1st 1836. You can better immagine our feelings this morning than I can describe them. I could not realize that the end of our long journey was so near. We arrose as soon as it was light, took a cup of coffe & eat of the duck we had given us last night, then dressed for Walla W. we started while it was yet early, for all were in haste to reach the desired haven. If you could have seen us now you would have been surprised, for both man & beast appeared alike propeled by the same force the whole company galloped almost all the way to the Fort. The first appearance of civilization we saw was the garden, two miles this side of the Fort. The fatigues of the long journey seemed to be forgoten in the excitement of being so near the close. Soon the Fort appeared in sight, & when it was announced that we were near Mr. McLeod Mr Pambrun, the gentleman of the house & Mr Townsand sallyed forth to meet us After the usual introduction & salutation, we entered the Fort & were comfortable seated in cushioned armed chairs. They were just eating breakfast as we rode up soon we were at the table & were treated to fresh Salmon potatoes, tea bread & butter. What a variety, thought I. You cannot immagine what an appetite these rides in the mountains give a person, I wish some of the feble ones in the States could have a ride over the mountains, they would say like me, victuals even the plainest kind never relished so well before. After breakfast we were shown the novelties of the place, they are so to us. While at breakfast, however, a young cock placed himself upon the cell of the dorr & crowed. Now whether it was the sight of the first white female, or out of compliment to the company I know not this much for him. I was pleased with his appearance. You may think me Simple for speaking of such a small cicumstance as this No one knows the feelings occasioned by seeing objects once familiar after a long privation, especially it is heightened by the expectation of not meeting with them. The door yard was filled with hens turkeys pigeons, & in another place we saw cows hogs & goats in abundance & I think the largest & fattest cattle & swine I ever saw We were soon shown a room, which Mr Pambrun said he had prepared for us, by making two bedsteads on bunks, on hearing of our approach. It was the west bastion of the fort full of port holes in the sides, but no windows & filled with fire arms. A large cannon, allway loaded stood behind the door, by one of the holes. These things did not move me. Im so well pleased with the possession of a room to shelter us from the scorching sun that I scarcely noticed them Having arranged our things, we were soon called to a feast of mellons the finest I think I ever saw or tasted. The mushmelon was the largest measuring eighteen in length, fifteen around the small end & nineteen arround the large. You may be assured we were not any of us satisfied or willing to leave the table until we had filled our plates with chips At four o’clock we were call’d to dine I[t] consisted of pork, potatoes, beats, cabbage, turnips, tea bread & butter, my favourite dinner & much like the last dinner I eat with Mother Loomis. I am thus particular in my discription of eatbles, so that you may be assured we find something to eat beyond the Rocky mountains as well as at home. We find plenty of salt but very many here prefer to do almost & some entirely without it on their meat and other eatibles.
September 5th Mr and Mrs Spalding have concluded to go with us to Vancouver, as nothing can be done by either of the party about location, untill the Indians return from their Summer hunt Expect to leave tomorrow. Have had exceeding high winds for two days & nights past, to which this place is subject. Our room shakes and the wind make such a noise, that we can scarcely hear each other converse.
September 7th We set sail from W W yesterday 2 o’clock P.M. Our boat is an open one, maned with six oars & the steersman. I enjoy it much, it is a very pleasant change in our manner of traveling. The Columbia is a beautiflu [river]. Its waters are clear as crystal & smoth as a sea of glass, exceding in beauty the Ohio of the east. But the scenery on each side of it is very different. No timber to be seen. High perpendicular banks or rocks in some places, ruged bluffs and plains of sand is all that greets the eye, as we pass down the waters of this Majestic river, we sailed untill near sunset landed piched our tents, supped on tea bread & butter, boiled ham & potatoes, commited ourselves to the care of a kind Providence then retired to rest. This morn arrose before sunrise, embarked & have sailed untill nine o’clock & are now landed for breakfast. Mr Pambruns cook is preparing it while Husband & myself are seted by a lttle shrub in the sand writing. We are this moment called Farewell
12th Breakfasted at the sawmill five miles from Vancouver, & made preparation for entering it. You may be surprised, to hear of a saw Mill here when I said there was no timber on the Columbia. Since we passed the cascades the scene is changed & we are told there is timber all the way to the Coast, above the Cascades we saw none. Eve. We are now in Vancouver The New York of the Pacific Ocean. Our first sight as we approached the Fort were two Ships, lying in the harbour, one of which, the Neriade Capt. Royal had just arrived from London. The Columbai Capt Darby came last May & has since been to the Sandwich Islands & returned. On landing we first met Mr. Townsend whom we saw at W W.but did not then say who he was, He is from Phillidelphia, has been in the mountains two years, He is sent here by a Society to collect the different species of bipeds & quadrupeds peculiar to this country We brought a parcel of letters to him the first he has received since he left home, Mr Townsend led us into the Fort. But before we reached the house of the Chief Factor Doct MacLaughlin, were met by several gentlemen, who came to give us a welcome. Mr Douglas Doct Tolmie & Doct McLaughlin of the Hudson Bay Company who invited us in & seated us on the Sofa. Soon after we were Introduced to Mrs McLaughlin & Mrs Douglas, both natives of the country (half breed) After chatting a little we were invited to a walk in the garden. And what a delightful place this. What a contrast this to the barren sand plains through which we had so recently passed. Here we find fruit of every discription. Apples peaches grapes. Pear plum & Fig trees in abundance. Cucumbers melons beans peas beats cabbage, taumatoes, & every kind of vegitable, to numerous to be mentioned. Every part is very neat & tastefully arranged fine walks, eich side lined with straberry vines. Here I must mention the origen of these Apples & grapes A gentleman twelve years ago, while at a party in London put the seeds of the grapes & apples, he ate in his vest pocket & soon after took a voyage to this country and left them here. Now they are greatly multiplied. After promonading as much as we wished, & returning were met by Mrs. Capendel, a Lady from England who arrived in the Ship Columbia last May & Miss Mariah, Daughter of Doct McLaughlin quite an interesting young Lady. After dinner were introduced to Rev. Mr Beaver & Lady Clergiman of the Church of England, who arrived last week in the Ship Neriade. I mention in a former letter that they were expected by the way of Montreal. But they have come by sea around Cape Horn. This is more than we expected when we left home that we should be privaleged with the accquaintance & society of two English ladies. Indeed we seem to be nearly allied to old England itself, for most of the Gentlemen of the Company are from thence & Scotland. We have not found Mr Parker here to our great disappointment. He went to Oahu in the Ship Columbia a few weeks before we arrived. We have mourned about it considerably for we thought it would be so acceptable to our dear Parents & friends at home, to hear him say that he had seen us alive here, after completing this long unheard of journey & besides I wish to send home many things which I cannot now. More than all this his counsels & advice would have been such a relief to us at this important time, concerning location character of the Indians &c. But it is wisely ordered & we submit. He appears to have been a favourite here & to have done much good The Messers Lees left Vancouver on Sat. last for their Station on the Wallamut. Mr Daniel Lee has been out of health, & for the year past has been at Oahu, returned in the Neriade, benefited by his visit.
17th A subject is now before the minds of a certain number of individuals, in which I feel a great interest, especially in its termination It is that we Ladies spend the Winter at Vancouver, while our Husbands go seek their locations & build. Doct McLaughlin our host is certain that it will be best for us, & I believe is determined to have us stay. The tho’ts of it is not very pleasing to either of us for several reasons I had rather go to W. W. where if we failed of making our location or of building this fall, we could stay very comfortably & have enough to eat but not as comfortable, nor have as great variety to eat as here, & besides the difficulty of ascending the river in high water, not to say anything of a six months seperation when it seems the least desireable But all will be ordered for the best.
21st Our friends left us this morning early. One thing I should have mentioned as decided before they left, was the propriety of making two stations. After consideration it was concluded best to for several reasons. The Cayouses as well as the Nez Perces are very anxious to have teachers among them. They are a numerous tribe and speak the same language as the Nez Perces. There are many other fields open ready for the harvest O! that there were many other labourers here, ready to occupy them immediately Several places have been recommended which they will visit before fixing upon any place. You will recollect that we had Grand Round in view when we left home, as a location. Our reasons for not fixing upon that place are insurmountable. The pass in the Blue Moun[tains] is so difficult & the distance so great, that is would be next to impossible to think of obtaining supplies sufficient for our support. We could not depend upon game for it is very scarce & uncertain. Mr Parker recommended a place on the Koos Kooske river six days ride above W. W. I hope to be able to give you our exact location before I send this.
Oct 18th This Afternoon the Montreal express arrived, and a general time of rejoycing it is to everyone. News from distant friends both sad & pleasing. Mr Spalding has come with it & brought a letter from my Husband filled with pleasing information. The Lord has been with them, since they left us & has prospered them beyond all expectaition They have selected each a location & Husband remains their to build, while Mr S comes for us. Cheering thot this to be able to make a beginning in our pleasing work so soon. He writes me that our “location is on the Walla Walla River an eastern branch of the Columbia about 25 miles east of the Fort,, & about the same distance Southeast of the mouth of the Snake or Lewis River. He is pleased with the situation thinks the soil very favourable, & will be able to cultivate next year quite extensively. The spot selected can be enclosed with 80 rods of fence & brushing up the rest along two streams, by which it is most surronded & by which may be watered. It is thought to contain 300 acres. There is no want of good land for cultivation & herding. This is the country of the Cayouses who speak the same language as the Nez Perses. Mr Spalding has fixed upon a place 110 miles east of us, on the North side of Snake river near the mouth of Coos Coos river a small branch The land is very good but not very extensive but sufficient for the establishment, & most of the Indians. Enough may be found near on other streams for the remaineder. Plenty of good timber, stone clay & water that is, fine springs, more timber on this location than on ours. We have enough for present use however, such as it is, no pine all cottonwood. shall be obliged to go to the mountains fifteen miles for pine. The Nez Perces are exceedingly anxious for the location. Make many promises to work & listen to instruction. They do not like to have us stop with the Cayouses. Say they do not have difficulty with the white men as the Cayouses do, & that we shall find it so. The Fort is on Columbia river just above Walla W. river. We shall be near neighbors to them. They intend to build both houses this fall & winter and be prepared for crops next spring. Say they shall put in their crops next spring & if they cannot fence, employ Indians to guard during the day, and yard the animals at night. When they left here did not expect to make but one location this fall, feel that they are greatly prospered in making both. We expect to leave here on the first of Nov, would be glad to go sooner if we could get out things made on account of the rain; have had none yet which is quite remarkable. Have the promise of having a room ready for me as soon as I get there. Mrs S. goes immediately to her location without waiting for a house to be built.
Nov 1st I have seen a sight today which makes me shudder. A poor Indian woman sailing in a boat with her husband, just below here yesterday, who was shot dead by the chief of the tribe. The ball that killed him went through her arm & jus grazed her breast but did not kill her. She came in to the Fort today, a pitiful object. Mr S had told us of a case which occured just after they arrived at Walla W. from here a woman sickened & died leaving a little child. She was buried. Her husband obtained a woman to nurse the child for him. A few days after in the absence of the Father of the Child, The Father of the Child’s Mother came & took the child away from the woman & carried it to the grave of its Mother, dug it open placed the child in & buried it alive with its mother. When its Father returned & heard what had become of the child was very much grieved & wished to have the man shot. But no measures were then taken to redress the wrong. These things with others make me feel that I am on heathen ground.
Eve. My school of singers are assembling & invite my attendance. They have improved much in their singing, & learned very many tunes for the short time I have been here. Doct thinks it a great assistance to them in learning to speak the English language. All regret my leaving. Doct says if I was not situated so far off he would send them all to me. 18 of them are orphans which the Doct has pick’d up & saved alive. Mrs McLaughlin has a fine ear for music & is greatly delighted. She is one of the kindest women in the world. Speaks a little French, but mostly Cree, her native tougue She wishes to go & live with me her Daughter & Mrs Douglas also. The Lord reward them for their love & kindness to us.
9 o’clock. The Doct urges me to stay all winter, he is a very sympathetic man is afraid we shall suffer, presents many obstacles in the way of our going which apper so to him but not to us. I have just learned that we cannot leave tomorrow. The new boat is not ready quite. No work done for us today because it is the Roman Catholic All Sants’ day, a Holladay. You will see the Seal of my host upon the enclosure of this journal. They are over nice in following the rules of etiquette here in some particulars. It is considered impolite to seal a letter with a wafer, for the reason that it is wet with spittle. Very impolite to send spittle to a friend. You will laugh at this I know, but so it is. We are both of us without a Seal & if I use wax I shall have to make a stamp of my thimble. How does Frances do C. & J.G. I want to hear from them, also Mary ann. But when shall I? You will write me, every one I hope. I want to hear every one speak H & Livonia Clarissa & – J A. H & Edward, all write. Husband is so filled with business, that he writes but little. He often speaks of writing you, but says I mus write for him untill he is less hurried in his business (he is far away now poor husband three hundred miles. If I had wings I would fly) adieu. I intended to have written this so plain that Father & Mother could read it without difficulty. Perhaps I have failed in doing so.
