furnished with horses and employed Craig to drive, thus becoming interested in the undertaking. Meek was engaged to drive Newell's remaining wagon, and Walker drove his own.
Loading the little train with their scanty possessions, the party, having been joined at the last moment by a German named Nicholas, set out on the 5th of August, and despite the great difficulties of the road, reached Waiilatpu in good season, and with the frames of their wagons intact, though they had been forced to throw away the beds.[1]
Craig remained in the upper country and settled at Lapwai, while Meek, Newell, and Wilkins proceeded to the Dalles on horseback, leaving their wagons to be brought on at the first opportunity.[2] Newell owned a few poor footsore cows which had been left by the passing missionaries at Fort Hall, and these he drove with him toward the Willamette Valley.
They reached the Dalles on a Sunday, and, fully expecting a cordial reception, at once called on their countrymen, Lee, Perkins, and Carter. But, to their surprise, the doors were closed against them, and no one appeared to give them welcome. They encamped at some little distance from the Mission, and were shortly afterward visited by Carter, who explained that he and his friends did not receive visitors on Sunday; at the same time he hospitably invited his famishing countrymen to partake of a meal of spiritual food at the evening prayer-meeting. They went, inwardly cursing rather than praying, and amused themselves with the antics of Jandreau, a lively Frenchman who accompanied them. This facetious personage had no particular love or reverence for the missionaries, though he affected to be suddenly smitten with an overwhelming sense of guilt, and kneeling
