118 Fred Wilbur Powell
ment of Oregon. This was Ewing Young, "a native of Ten- nessee, a man remarkable for sagacity, enterprise, and courage," according to Kelley. Young "had been twelve years a hunter about the wilds of Oregon, California and New Mexico ; and had lost, perhaps, some of the refinements of manners once possessed ; and had missed some of those moral improvements peculiar to Christian civilization." With him was a small party of hunters. "This was the man to accompany me; because, like myself, he had an iron constitution, and was inured to hardships. He was almost persuaded."*^
From San Diego Kelley took passage to San Pedro on the ship Lagoda out of Boston, and continued by land to Monte- rey, the seat of government.® His chief aim was to get some- one to accompany him. "The country between the 38th and 44th parallels appeared dark and threatening, no civilized men save hunters, as I could learn, had roamed there. To penetrate that trackless region alone seemed too hazardous. In hopes, therefore, of collecting a party of emigrants to travel with me, in whatever place countrymen could be found for hearers, I preached Oregon." His appeal was soon to be answered, for Young was then on his way to join him. "The last of June, 1834, he arrived at my encampment on the prairie, five miles eastward of Monterey, and consented to go and settle in Ore- gon, with, however, this express understanding — ^that if I had deceived him, woe be to me."^
There was much to be done, however, before the journey could be resumed. The matter of trading relaticMis demanded attention, and arrangements had to be made for supplies both for the long trip northward and for the settlers after their arrival on the Columbia. It was also necessary to obtain all available information as to the country yet to be traversed. As was his custom, Kelley sought out the leading men and laid his plans before them. "The Catholic priests in California
5 M^moriai, 1848: 13; Hist, of the Cohnisation of Oregon, 7; Settlement of Oregon, 56-9.
6 Settlement of Oregon, 54.
y Memorial, 1848:13; Settlement of Oregon, 59.
