THE DALLES MISSION-INDIAN PRAYERS.



to make it doubtful about getting them over the Cascade
Mountains that fall. Accordingly the goods were trans-
ferred to pack-horses for the remainder of the journey.
In the following year, however, one of the wagons was
brought down by Newell, and taken to the plains on the
Tualatin River, being the first vehicle of the kind in the
Wallamet Valley.
  On arriving at the Dalles of the Columbia, our moun-
tain men found that a mission had been established at that
place for the conversion of those inconscionable thieves,
the-Wish-ram Indians, renowned in Indian history for their
acquisitiveness. This mission was under the charge of
Daniel Lee and a Mr. Perkins, and was an offshoot of the
Methodist Mission in the Wallamet Valley. These gentle-
men having found the benighted condition of the Indians
to exceed their powers of enlightment in any ordinary
way, were having recourse to extraordinary efforts, and
were carrying on what is commonly termed a revival;
though what piety there was in the hearts of these savages
to be revived, it would be difficult to determine. How-
ever, they doubtless hoped so to wrestle with God them-
selves, as to compel a blessing upon their labors.
  The Indians indeed were not averse to prayer. They
could pray willingly and sincerely enough when they could
hope for a speedy and actual material answer to their
prayers. And it was for that, and that only, that they
importuned the Christian's God.  Finding that their
prayers were not answered according to their desire, it at
length became difficult to persuade them to pray at alL
Sometimes, it is true, they succeeded in deluding the mis-
sionaries with the belief that they were really converted,
for a time. One of these most hopeful converts at the
Dalles mission, being in want of a shirt and capote, volun-
teered to "pray for a whole year," if Mr. Lee would fur.
nish him with these truly desirable articles.



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