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
These missionaries have made no attempt to improve the condition of the
Indians, but have impressed upon their ignorant minds a reverence for
themselves and their superstitions. See Bishop Blanchet's reply to
Cayuse Indians, November 4, 1847, page 44 of Brouillet's "Protestantism
in Oregon;" also pages 34-5, Executive Doc. No. 38, J. Ross Browne, as
given below:--
"The bishop replied that it was the pope who had sent him; that he
had not sent him to take their land, but only for the purpose of
saving their souls; that, however, having to live, and possessing no
wealth, he had asked of them a piece of land that he could cultivate
for his support; that in his country it was the faithful who
maintained the priests, but that here he did not ask so much, _but
only a piece of land_, and that the priests themselves would do the
rest. He told them that he would not make presents to Indians, that
he would give them nothing for the land he asked; that, in case they
worked for him, he would pay them for their work, and no more; that
he would assist them neither in plowing their lands nor in building
houses, nor would he feed or clothe their children," etc.
At Moose Factory, Mr. Barnley says: "A plan which I had devised for
educating and training to some acquaintance with _agriculture_ native
children _was disallowed_, but permission was given me by the governor
in council to collect seven or eight boys from various parts of the
surrounding country, to be clothed, and at the company's expense. A
proposal made for forming a small Indian village near Moose Factory _was
not acceded to_; and, instead, permission only given to attempt the
location of one or two old men who were no longer fit for engaging in
the chase, _it being very carefully and distinctly stated by Sir George
Simpson that the company would not give them even a spade toward
commencing their new mode of life_. When at length a young man was found
likely to prove serviceable as an interpreter, every impediment was
interposed to prevent his engaging in my service, although a distinct
understanding existed that neither for food nor wages would he be
chargeable to the company. And the pledge that I should be at liberty to
train up several boys for future usefulness, though not withdrawn, was
treated as if it had never existed at all; efforts being made to produce
the impression on the mind of my general superintendent that I was, most
unwarrantably, expecting the company to depart from their original
compact, when I attempted to add but two of the stipulated number to my
household.----
"At Moose Factory, where the resources were most ample, and where
was the seat of authority in the southern department of Rupert's
Land, the hostility of the company (and not merely their inability
to aid me, whether with convenience or inconvenience to themselves)
was most manifest.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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