Notes to reader:
The following transcriptions have tried to maintain
the original spelling,capitalization and punctuation of the original
letters. In his letters Dr. Whitman often used "+" for "and" and
"+c" for "etc." Comments by the transcriber are enclosed in square
brackets, [].
"Islands" refers to the Sandwich Islands
(Hawaii), where the American Board had established missions. Any
mention of Fort Walla Walla or the place "Walla Walla"
refers to the Hudson's Bay Company post at the confluence of the
Walla Walla and Columbia rivers. The US Army's Fort Walla Walla
did not exist until after the deaths of the Whitmans.
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List of Selected 1843 Correspondence
April 7, 1843: Dr. Whitman to
Reverend David Greene
Dr. Whitman: describes the Natives' traditional
food gathering cycle and migratory patterns; discusses how farming
has been merged into this cycle; mentions that some of the Natives
are interested in obtaining cattle; dicusses the missionaries'
progress in changing beliefs; describes the traditional belief
system and the role of the medicine man; relates how one medicine
man demonstrated his power; and mentions progress made at the
missionary schools at Waiilatpu and Lapwai.
RETURN:
Marcus Whitman Correspondence by Year
April 7, 1843
Comments:
From Dr. Whitman, Waiilatpu Mission, to Reverend
David Greene, Boston.
Original letter begins below:
Boston Aprile 7th 1843
Rev
David Greene
Secretary of the A B C F M
Dear Sir
In presenting you with a brief acount of that
part of the Oregon mission to which I am attached I shall best make
you understand all its parts by giving a general view of the migratory
habits of the people + the maner in which these govern + modify
the opportunities for religious instruction + attention to agriculture
The Months of February + March bring a return
of the Indians from their winter dispersion in order to commence
the agricultural year + also to avail themselves of such provisions
as were stored the previous fall; of which potatoes, corn + wheat
form an important part. The Months February, March + Aprile are
mostly occupied with the labour of preparing + planting the ground.
About fifty cultivate in the vicinity of Waiilatpu varying from
one fourth of an acre to three or four. A number of others have
smaller patches mostly of potatoes which still do much for a poor
+ often fatherless family. I have been most agreeably surprised
by being called on by individuals to grind corn for them the last
of June but more especially by an old man that is deprived, by a
rheuumatick affection of the help of his wife; in providing food;
who said to me last fall after corn harvest; I want to get four
or five bags of last years corn ground as my new crop is now secured.
I adduce this as evidence of growing econemy + industry. The first
+ second year all were furnished one or two grubbing hoes by the
station who were thought likely to make a good use of them. Ploughs
have of late either been lent or sold to all who were able + desired
to use them. Seed was furnished for the first three years without
any particular restriction not only to those near the station but
to those also from a distance.
Since that time we demand pay except where we
are convinced there has been no neglect to save it for themselves
Our object has ever been to aid them in a way most effectually to
call forth their own energy; econemy + resourse I may remark that
the effort to culivate has not been confined to the station only
but has had a very general introduction with more or less success
among most of the Indians at their respective places of resort.
At Lapwai the station of Mr Spalding + its vicinity there has been
as much success in cultivation as at Waiilatpu + the number who
cultivate are greater + I believe the quantity of ground is more.
Near the vacant station at Kamiah a great addition was made the
last year to the cultivated lands of the Indians besid the land
of the station most of which was cultevated by them also
At this as also at the other stations the last
season a number of cattle were brought from the Wallamette settlement
in exchange for horses One horse is given for a cow of the California
breed
The Indians have from fifty to seventy horned
cattle mostly cows which they have obtained partly from the H B
Company, the settlers + Methodist Mission on the Wallamette, the
Boards Mission + then the last year from emigrants.
One Indian only has been furnished with any sheep
by our mission. That was in payment for care taken of the sheep
of the Mission in the winter; to guard them from wolves The number
who resort to the Waiilatpu station has not greatly changed since
its formation but all do not now attend our meeting as formerly;
some having addopted the Papal forms.
Their migrations are much in the following order
+ manner. The spring return is the most general + least changing
of any of their visits to the station
During this period the congregations on the sabbath
have been from two to four hundred + from twenty to fifty on week
day evenings. Planting commences about the middle of Aprile which
is also period for commencing the Kaush harvest. To obtain this
root which is a farinatious one known by travelers + Traders as
the biscuit root they have to disperse along the streams coming
out of the Blue Mountains. Some are not more than ten or fifteen
miles from the station while others are thirty or forty. This root
forms a great staple of native food + will be likely for a long
time to hold in the minds of the natives a collateral station with
the cultivated roots + grains.
From six to eight weeks are given to gathering
drying + depositing this root. During this time from the tenth to
the fifteenth of May the salmon arrive + some fruits are ripe +
each receive their share of attention At this season all the smaller
tributaries of the Columbia are barred by a webb or wiker work of
willows for taking salmon The skill + resource of the natives is
well displayed in this simple construction + their small toil amply
repayed by the ease with which a very considerable number are taken.
While thus occupied they visit the station in order to attend to
the hoeing + cultivation of their crops a labour in most cases performed
with care + neatness. The last weeks of June brings the usual period
for those to leave who go after Buffalo + the same period marks
the time for gathering the Kamsh.
A migration of from forty to sixty miles brings
them across the Blue Mountains to the southeast into the Grand Round
which is a large Kamsh plain Here also the River of Grand Round
abounds with fish + the Mountains with Bear, Elk + Deer,
The wheat harvest which begins the latter part
of July + the care of their other crops bring many around the station
from this time to the first of October or untill the potatoe harvest
is passed. During this period there are more about the station than
at any period except the spring + our congregation averages from
fifty to two hundred. This period is marked by a great number comeing
+ remaining for a short time + then going again, + others comeing;
than by great numbers remaining stationary for any considerable
time. During this period their attention is divided between their
crops + herds, hunting + fishing + preparring dried fruit
Soon after the potatoes are secured they begin
to disperse for winter quarters. From fifty to sixty only remain
during the winter + thus the year comes round + February + March
bring them back again As many are benefited by this station who
seldom if ever bring their families to the station as there are
who migrate to + from it. Individuals from these places visit the
station for the purpose of being taught + to receive medicine +
other favours.
Occasional visits are also made to some of these
places + instruction imparted
In this way an extencive acquaintance is made
and much usefull information + religious instruction given. Those
who resort to this station are the Waiilatpu, Walla Walla + Numiper
Indians. A general good attendanc is given to religious worship
+ Solem, + thoughtfull + carefull attention to instruction. Worship
is maintained by the principal men morning + evening to which a
general attendance is given. Those who do not attend in this way
have what comes nearer family worship in their separate lodges Their
migration do not form any exceptions to this practice that I know
of. I have abundant evidence of the restraining power of religious
truth upon the minds of the natives both from remarks + observations
of their own; + from my own observation. A noted chief of great
supernatural + charm notarity has often told me what he would have
done in casses such as he named; intimating in what way he would
taken revenge or resorted to violence, but he aded I am made weak
by what I have been taught of my future accountability. Murder,
violence, + revenge were a terror to him now.
The most violent + vexed states of rage I have
ever seen among them have calmly yielded into kindness + perhaps
submission under its restraining influence. The superstition of
the supernatural agencies of Magick, Charm + Sorcery are universal
+ by no means easily eradicated.
Their legend is that the present race of beasts
birds reptiles + fish were once a race of men who inhabited the
globe before the presant race That they were doomed to their presant
state from that of man, but that still their language is retained
+ these beasts, birds, reptiles, + fish have the power to convey
this language to the people into whome they transfix themselves
as they think them able to do. For the very important purpose of
obtaining this transfixtion boys were required to leave the lodge
+ repair to the Mountains alone + there to stay for several days
without food in order to be addressed in this manner by some of
these supernatural agencies + receive the transfixing of some one
or more beast bird reptile or fish into his body. Some returned
without any assurance of the kind Others believe themselves to be
addressed + are very free to tell what was said to them + what beast
or bird addressed them while others profess great secrecy + claim
great reverence on account of their Magick possession
At these time they profess to be told what is
to be their future character + in what way to secure honour, wealth,
+ long life, how they will be invulnerable and if wounded by what
means they may recover themselves. This generally consists in directions
how to cast off the extravasated blood + then to sit in a stream
of water + sing as he so teaches him to do + he will be cured they
say
In this way they say one person becomes possessed
of power to strike or shoot another with an invisible influence
or arrow as it may be, so that disseas + death will follow. This
is the foundation of the system of Sorsery as seen in the so called
Medicin men, but truely conjurers -
Most of their efforts to cure the sick consist
in obtaining one medicin man to counteract another, who is supposed
to have caused the sickness. This is attempted by calling on one
of thesse Sorcerers who calls to his aid a number of persons to
sing + beat upon sticks with a horible noise, while he goes through
with Singing talking contorting himself + using incoherent expression
supposed to be repeating what he knows of the language of the former
rase of men as delivered to him by the beast bird reptile or fish
whose transfix which he has in his body is helping him to conjure
After a sufficient display of this kind + a full
lecture to his coajutors about the disseas, its cause + cure he
procedes to extract the evil by placing his hands on the disseased
or painful spot + extracting as it were by magick power + then if
sucessfull he casts himself upon the floor with his hands in water
as though what he had extracted burnt his hands. He then shows what
he has drawn out + afterwards drives it off int the broad space
+ prognosticates a cure But when he sees a prospect of death he
often points out some one whom he says is causing the sickness +
declares the other to be possesed by a more powerful agent than
himself so that he cannot overcome him
In the event of death in such a case as this,
they watch the dying person to see if any expression is made by
him to confirm + fix suspicion upon the person named + all are careful
to remember if any hard words had passed or any cause whatever confirms
the suspision. Very often in casse of this kind nothing can save
the Conjurer but one or more conspire to kill him. The number +
horror of the deaths of this kind that have come under my observation
+ knowledge have been great In the same way individuals arrogate
to themselves power over the winds, the clouds, the rain, the snow
+ the seasons. In short all + every desired or desirable object
is attributed + looked for from this sourse. Some are loosing their
confidence in such power while others are yet strong in the belief.
A young man under this influence shot himself
through the body last July in order to convince his countrymen of
the strength of his supernatural + protecting agent The ball entered
the abdomen a little to the right + below the umbilicus + came out
by an oblique line above + near the spine on the same side. This
occurred sixty miles from my house at the Grand Round + the third
day he encamped near me for the night + I saw him + examined his
wound in the morning. He was walking rond + getting ready to move
on, + rode off on horse back This was his second trial of his strength
having shot himself through much the same way about two years before.
The sicatrix where the ball entered was near the last wound on the
right side below the umibilicus + that where it escaped was behind
but near the spine on the left side + higher upon the body. This
must have passed the large artery called the Aorto in its oblique
cours across the body. The body was preserved from the flash by
his leather shirt He will now be able to make himself reverenced
+ thought to be a strong mystery or medicin man
The school has been more interrupted at our station
than at Lapwaii where Mrs Spalding has taught a considerable number
of people + children to read + write their own language
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