The
missions planted on the upper Columbia by Dr. Whitman and his associates in 1836 and the years following were influenced very little by the colonizing movement described in the preceding chapters. Their location on the broad interior plains prevented them from quickly becoming centres of extensive settlements like the Willamette mission, so favourably located near the coast. Therefore, while western Oregon had been growing into a state, the up-river missionaries were labouring faithfully to teach the elements of civilization to a horde of barbarous natives. For a few years their success was sufficient to bring considerable encouragement. But, as the novelty of the new life and teaching wore off, the interest also slackened; Catholic priests came into the country, teaching by different methods from those used by the Protestants, and, as we have seen, this tended to disturb the relations between the missionaries and their wards. Worse than all, a number of dissipated, renegade Americans wandered among the tribes, doing all the mischief in their power.
Action of the American board closing the southem missions. At last discouragements mounted to such a height that the American board at Boston, regarding the work in Oregon as partly a failure, passed a resolution to close the missions at Waiilatpu and Lapwai, retaining only the one in the north. ^ News of this action reached Dr. Whitman in the fall of 1842. A meeting of the missionaries was iThis action was probably due to exaggerated reports of the
