MISSION STATIONS OF THE UPPER COUNTRY.



to be benefited as had been hoped, as the whites were
turning their attention to benefiting themselves.
  As early as 1839, Mr. Smith, an associate of Mr. Spald-
ing in the country of the Nez Perces, was forbidden, by
the high chief of the Nez Perces to cultivate the ground.
He had been permitted to build, but was assured that if he
broke the soil for the purpose of farming it, the ground
so broken should serve to bury him in. Still Smith went
on in the spring to prepare for ploughing, and the chief
seeing him ready to begin, inquired if he recollected that
he had been forbidden. Yet persisting in his undertaking,
several of the Indians came to him and taking him by the
shoulder asked him again " if he did not know that the hole
he should make in the earth would be made to serve for
his grave."  Upon which third warning Smith left off, and
quitted the country. Other missionaries also left for the
Wallamet Valley.
  In 1842 there were three mission stations in the upper
country; that of Dr. Whitman at Waiilatpu on the Walla-
Walla River, that of Mr. Spalding on the Clearwater River,
called Lapwai, and another on the Spokane River, called
Cimakain. These missions were from one hundred and
twenty to three hundred miles distant from each other,
and numbered altogether only about one dozen whites of
both sexes. At each of these stations there was a small
body of land under cultivation, a few cattle and hogs, a
flouring and saw mill, and blacksmith shop, and such im-
provements as the needs of the mission demanded. The
Indians also cultivated, under the direction of their teach-
ers, some little patches of ground, generally but a small
garden spot, and the fact that they did even so much was
very creditable to those who labored to instruct them.
There was no want of ardor or industry in the Presbyterian



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