A History of Oregon, 1792-1849: Drawn From Personal Observation and Authentic InformationGray, W. H. (William Henry)
History
A History of Oregon, 1792-1849: Drawn From Personal Observation and Authentic Information
Gray, W. H. (William Henry)
Frontier and pioneer life -- Oregon; Oregon Territory -- History
The doctor, not being in the habit from his youth of calmly
listening to vulgar and abusive language, especially when addressed to
his face, laid aside his reverence for the cloth, as also the respect
due to his position and age, and gave Rev. Mr. Beaver a caning, some say
kicking, causing his reverence to retreat, and abruptly suspend
enforcing moral lessons in conformity to church usage. Rev. Mrs. Beaver
very naturally sympathized with her husband, and they soon made
arrangements and left the country, to report their case at head-quarters
in London. Dr. McLaughlin chose to comply with civil usage, and as James
Douglas had received a commission from her Majesty as civil magistrate
under the English law, acting as justice of the peace, he united Dr.
John McLaughlin in marriage to Mrs. Margaret McKay, whose first husband
had been lost in the destruction of the bark _Tonquin_ some years
previous. This wedding occurred at Vancouver, about the end of January,
1837. The doctor was married privately, by Esquire Douglas, either a
short time before, or a few days after, I have not yet learned which.
Rev. Mr. Beaver and lady arrived at Vancouver about four weeks before
Mrs. Spalding and Mrs. Whitman. The gentlemen of the company, like the
rough mountaineers who paid their respect to Mrs. Whitman and Mrs.
Spalding at the American rendezvous, attempted to be polite and kind to
Mr. and Mrs. Beaver. They most emphatically failed. The parsonage was a
terror to them. They had become objects of _contempt_, _scorn_, and
_derision_ in the estimation of their religious guide and moral patron.
Their wives and children were looked upon as filthy savages, not fit to
associate with decent people. This feeling was so strong in the chaplain
and his wife that it leaked out in very injudicious and indiscreet
expressions of disapproval of actions and conduct, that, in a refined
and polished society, would be considered offensive; yet these traders
and Indian merchants, not having been in refined society for many years,
did not understand or comprehend their own awkwardness and want of more
refinement. They had forgotten that, in the progress of society, six
hundred years had passed since their great great grandmothers were like
the women they saw about them every day. They forgot that Mrs. Beaver
was an English clergyman's wife, and claimed to belong to the best
English society. They thought there was but little difference in
womankind; in short, they were much better qualified to deal with
Indians than with civilians. Under such circumstances, and with such
feelings existing in Fort Vancouver, the reader will not be astonished
at the reception of two ladies who could interest and command the esteem
and respect of the savage, the mountain hunter, and the Hudson's Bay
Company fur trader. They came among them expecting nothing but rough
treatment; any little mistakes were overlooked or treated as a jest.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account