CHAPTER III.
PLANTING NEW MISSIONS.'
Tarrying at Fort Vancouver-Farewell to their ship-Up the Willamette - Received by Vicar-General Blanchet - Selecting the site for St. Francis Xavier Mission - Sickness and hard work - De Smet sets forth for the interior-Up the Columbia-Hospitably entertained at the Dales and Walla Walla - Across the Spokan Plain- Makes a map and names some streams -Met by Hoeken and the Kalispels - The first St. Ignatius Mission - The Coeur d'Alenes apologize - He visits them at their Sacred Heart Mission-Attempts to cross to the Bitter Root-Deep snow and a flood-Tries again by way cl Clark's Fork - Gives up and winters with the Kalispels - A glorious Christmas - Easter among the Flatheads - Starts the work at St. Ignatius and returns to Fort Vancouver-Bright prospects of work in Oregon - Sets out overland with supplies for upper missions - A visit to the fishing Indians - St. Ignatius of the Bay.
Off SET out for Fort Vancouver on the 2d of August, [as stated in the previous chapter] wishing to reach there before my companions, that I might inform the Reverend
Mr. Blanchet of our happy arrival. As to our Fathers, the remainder of their voyage may be summed up in few words. On the 3d and 4th their vessel was almost stationary, for want of a favorable wind. At a glance, their three days' voyage might be measured. Toward evening a gentle breeze sprang up, and thus permitted them to pursue their
1 This chapter is in part translated from Father De Smet's manuscript journal, and in part taken from his published letters, as follows: Letters II, IV, V and XX, Oregon Missions, corresponding to Letters I, III, IV and XX, Missions de ''Oregon. The first was written to his brother Francis and dated St. Francis Xavier on the Willamette, Oct. 9, 1844; the second and third to Bishop (afterward Archbishop) Hughes of New York, both writen from the above place and dated respectively June 2o and August 7, 1845; and the fourth to Mrs. Parmentier of Brooklyn, dated St. Ignatius, July 23, 1846.