# Oregon Historical Quarterly/Volume 23/The History of the Oregon Mission Press

THE HISTORY OF THE OREGON MISSION PRESS
By Howard Malcolm Ballou
Hawaiian Historical Society
The early impression of the first American missionaries to the Nez Perces tribe of Indians was that it would be unnecessary ever to reduce their language to writing, but instead that they might be instructed in English and so at once introduced to the Gospel.
In a letter to the A. B. C. F. M. dated Nez-Perces Mission House, February 16, 1837, Rev. H. H. Spalding, the missionary in charge of the station at Clear Water or Lapwai says:
   "Judging from the present, this people will probably acquire the English, before we do the Nez-Perces language, though we flatter ourselves, that we are making good progress. If so, by the time we are ready to reduce theirs to writing, it will not be deemed expedient For why should years be spent in reducing their language to a written state, which when done, must necessarily be increased one-third, or one-half, with new words, in order to embrace the scriptures. And if it is necessary for them to learn so many English words, of course the most difficult, by reason of having nothing in their language to explain them, why not learn the other half, easy to be learned, because they have corresponding words in their own language that will explain them, & then they are introduced at once into an inexhausible fountain of religious & scientific reading. This is my present opinion, but what our duty will be, when we have acquired their language & are prepared to write and teach it, or to teach the English to better advantage than we are now, we wait the future leadings of providence & the better wisdom than ours, of yourself & coadjutors."
This course was soon found to be not only impracticable, but absolutely impossible, and at the general meeting of the Oregon Mission in 1838 it was formally voted:
   "That we apply ourselves to the study of the Native Language & reduce it to writing."
The Rev. H. H. Spalding as a preliminary step had devised an artificial alphabet, in which the English consonants not needed in the Nez Perces language were used to designate the ​different vowel sounds ordinarily expressed in English by the same letter.
He had also written to Honolulu requesting the donation of a second-hand press and that the Sandwich Islands Mission should instruct someone, to be sent there from Oregon, in the art of printing, and in the meantime print a few small books in Nez Perces.
On March 15, 1838, he reports as follows:
   "I have completed an alphabet in the Nez-Perces language, & a spelling book with some 60 or 70 scripture & animal cuts explained, which I shall send to the Islands to be printed, by the first opportunity. I hope to complete a small elementary work to accompany it, & a large one during the year to be printed at Boston—
   NEZ-PERCES ALPHABET
   A sound of a in Father N n in Note
   B "am Hawk O o in Not
   C a in Man P p in Paint
   D e in Men Q " qu in Question
   E e in We R i in time
   F u in Sun S s in Small
   G Soft T t in Time
   H h in He U " oo in Moon
   I i in Pin V o in Note
   J a in Name W " w in World
   K k in Hawk X u in Use
   L 1 in Lamb Y y in Yoke
   M " m in Man " ou in South.
   I have given no character two sounds. I have taken the English alphabet, as I see no reason why characters very extensively used throughout the world, should be cast away & others substituted as in the case of the Chocktaw & Ojibwa. The sounds represented by nine characters, viz, b. c. d. f. j. r. v. x. z. are not found in this language. The sounds represented in English by the consonants h klmnpqustwy are found, I have retained the characters. To the vowels a e i o & u. I have given the five vowel sounds that occur most frequently, for convenience sake, as these letters are most abundant in every printing establishment, especially, at the one we expect to get our printing done at present. I have taken 8 of the 9 consonants not required to represent the remaining 8 vowel sounds. There is but one dipthongal sound, which I have represented by the letter z. The hint, respecting the ​importance of giving the most frequent English characters, to the most frequent sounds in the native language, by missionaries who have not the command of their printing, I received from a missionary east of the mountains. Mr. Pickering's objections to the c & x seem valid as their place can be supplied by k & s & ks. To Mr. P/s objections of substituting the letter u, or letters oo, for w, another might be added, it would give those characters more than one sound, a fundamental principle laid down by him at the out set (see page 1 & 2) & a principle by which I have been guided. But his method of disposing of qu, in my opinion, conflicts with the above important principle, at least so far as this & the English language are concerned. It gives more than one sound to the letter u, an evil to be deprecated far more than the addition of dozen new characters to the alphabet, each having but one sound. Could you hear the Nez-Perces words, Kui & Qrfs sounded, you would see the impossibility of making ku take the place of Q & still the u retain its own sound—The following english words, Quiet & Kumiss may explain what I mean. To give the ku in Kumiss the sound of qu in Quiet would make a word which could not be pronounced or if pronounced would be a very different word from ku-miss. I object to points & dashes above or below letters, as such letters are always more difficult to learr. & manage, expecially by untutored eyes, than twice the number of new characters. For instance, a child will learn & read a word with a & l in it easier than with a & ä in it."
A spelling book and an elementary book were soon prepared by Mr. Spalding to be forwarded to Honolulu to be printed on the presses of the Mission there. According to the Rev. Myron Eells, Mrs. Whitman copied a book of seventy-two pages, which Mr. Spalding intended to send to the Sandwich Islands.
Meanwhile, at the delegate meeting of the Hawaiian Mission, in June, 1838, it was voted in reply to Mr. Spalding's communication:
   "That we comply with his request to print small books for the Nez Perces missions and also forward a few copies of scripture and other cuts; also a Ramage press and small font of types from Lahainaluna, at the discretion of the printer there."
They discouraged Mr. Spalding's suggestion that he should send a man on from Oregon to be instructed in printing and ​
42 HOWARD MALCOLM BALLOU
proposed rather to send one of their native assistants to him.
This offer was accepted at a general meeting of the Oregon Mission held immediately after the arrival on Aug. 29, 1838, of the reinforcement consisting of Messrs. Walker, Eells, and Smith, as reported to the A. B. C. F. M. by Mr. Walker in a letter dated Weiletpoo, Oct. 15, 1838, when it was voted:
"That the Press, Printer, Type, Paper & binding Apparatus offered by the Sandwich Island mission, be accepted."
Mr. Edwin Oscar Hall, a printer, who had sailed from Bos- con Dec. 5, 1834, in the ship Hellespont, with the sixth re- inforcement to the mission, arriving in Honolulu June 6, 1835, had been stationed at the press in Honolulu, and it was finally decided that as the health of Mrs. Hall necessitated her tem- porary sojourn in a cooler climate, and Mr. Hall could well be spared for a while after the completion of the work then in hand, it would be best to send him to Oregon for a year to set up the printing establishment there and instruct those desig- nated to carry on the work.
Although mention is made in letters of manuscripts sent on by the Oregon mission, and, as stated above, it was voted to print them on the mission press, no record of any such print- ing can be found in the very exact record kept of all printing done by the Hawaiian Mission press.
The cut shown of the Spelling Book (see plate I) is from a proof discovered in Hilo, island of Hawaii, a few years ago by Rev. W. D. Westervelt, in the possession of Mrs. Mary T. C. Hitchcock, the daughter of Mr. S. N. Castle, the assistant secular superintendent of the Hawaiian Mission in 1839.
It can only be regarded as a printer's proof, however, as the two pages are printed side by side in the wrong position as regards each other, the title page being to the left, and, as will be quoted later, Rev. A. B. Smith writes : "Respecting the book sent to the Islands to be printed, it came back as it was sent."
In a letter to the secretary of the A. B. C. F. M. dated lam. 26. 1839. Mr. Hall writes from Honolulu:
"Mr. Spalding- has sent me a small elementary book in the Nez Perces language in order that I could see the proportions of
OREGON MISSION PRESS 43
he shall this winter prepare some others, so that they will be readv for me to print when I arrive. I have accordingly put up our old fount of Pica and Long Primer English, and also the new fount of English, received within a year or two. The. two former are nearly worn out ; but the latter is almost new. but a small fount, being- all contained in one case. This latter we can dispense with, with some inconvenience; and the two former are supplied with new founts recentlv received. The Press designed to be taken is only a small hand card press, which was a donation to this Mission, and came out with us in the Hellespont. I have had it put in order, by adding a frisket, points, etc. and hope to make it answer the purpose till the wants of those missions shall require greater facilities for the prosecution of that branch of labor. The type, also, will probably do till the language is so far reduced to system that the proper proportions can be sent for of all the letters. This will be done in the course of year or two."
From Honolulu, Mr. Levi Chamberlain, the secular agent of the Hawaiian Mission, writes to the Rev. R. Anderson on Feb- ruary 11, 1839:
"The health of Mrs. Hall has been feeble for a long time. A voyage to the region of Columbia River has been recommended as a measure of promising benefit. An opportunity now offers of a passage to Vancouver in one of the Hudson Bay Com- pany's vessels, and Mr. Hall has concluded to avail himself of it. He will take passage with his wife in the ship Nereide to sail in about a fortnight. We shall send by him about 50 reams of paper, a small assortment of types and a card press, being the one which was sent to this mission some years ago, and for which we have had no use.
Mr. Hall will make himself useful to the Mission in the Oregon Territory in various ways, and by putting up this press and printing such little works as the means which we are able to furnish will admit. His passage and freight of goods will be $250 payable here."
Rev. Hiram Bingham had greatly interested his church, the Kawaiahao Church of Honolulu, in the matter of converting the Indians of Oregon, and the previous year it had made a small present to assist the missions there.
This year a subscription by the native women of the con- gregation was used to defray the expenses of sending Mr. Hall and the little press to Oregon. ​
44 HOWARD MALCOLM BALLOU
In a letter written from Honolulu, April 19, 1839, he informs Mr. Anderson:
"The church & congregation of which I am pastor has re- cently sent, a small but complete printing and Binding estab- lishment by the Hand of Brother Hall, to the Oregon mission, which with other substantial supplies amount to 444.00 doll. The press was a small Hand press presented to this mission but not in use. The expense of the press with one small font of type, was defrayed by about 50 native females including Kinau or Kaahumanu 2d. This was a very pleasing act of Charity. She gave 10 doll, for herself & 4 for her little daugh- ter Victoria Kaahumanu 3d."
The preceding extract can be found printed in Vol. 36, Missionary Herald, page 188, May 1840.
It is possible that this press is that described among the gifts to the A. B. C. F. M. in Vol. 29, Missionary Herald, page 296, August, 1833:
"Middlesex North and vie. Ms. A small printing press and apparatus, fr. char. so. $50.00."
Mr. Hall and his wife left Honolulu March 2, 1839, arriv- ing at Fort Vancouver on the Columbia River about April 10, 1839.
According to Mr. George H. Himes in his article, History of the Press of Oregon, (Quarterly of the Oregon Historical Society, Volume 3, December 1902, pp. 327-370) an express was sent to Dr. Whitman at Wai-il-et-pu and to Mr. Spalding at Lapwai, Clear Water, that Mr. and Mrs. Hall, with F. Ermatinger as a guide, would leave Fort Vancouver on April 13 with the hopes of reaching Fort Walla Walla April 30.
Mr. Spalding, in a letter begun at Clear Water, March 5, 1839, informs Air. Greene:
"April 22. Sine writing the above, the Co's vessel has arrived from Honolulu bring Mr & Mrs Hall with a press, small font of type, binding materials & a quantity of paper all which I believe is a donation to this Mission from Rev Mr Bingham's church & congregation. Also a quantity of sugar, Molases & salt. Mr Hall has come to this country on account of Mrs H's health, & while he remains will put our press in oppcration Si labor otherwise as he may find occasion.
Fort Walla Walla May 3. Mrs S" & myself arrived hear ​
OREGON MISSION PRESS 45
30 ult & Mr and Mrs Hall with the press &c safe 29, hope to start tomorrow, Mrs Hall in a canoe effects on horses."
After a week's rest the party started on May 6 for Lapwai, which was reached on the evening of May 13th.
The journey is thus described by Mr. Spalding in a letter to the A. B. C. F. M. dated, Clear Water, Oct. 2, 1839:
"My last date left myself & Mrs Spalding at Ft W. W. expecting soon to leave with Mr & Mrs Hall for this station. We had a pleasant journey up the river Mrs Hall alone in the canoe polled by 3 men the remainder of us on horses, obliged frequently to cut high points which presented impass- able bluffs by the waters edge. We reached home in 7 days travel from W. W. Mrs Hall suffered no inconvenience from the journey Mr Hall arranged our little printing establish- ment & printed for us the first book in the Nezpercs language. A few copies are sent you we hope to have other books ready for the press during the winter. Mr Rogers, who was em- ployed at this station last year is to spend this winter with Revd Mr Smith he is somewhat acquainted with printing & may be able to render us some assistance in this department of our labor The whole donation from the First Native church at Honolulu to this Mission, consisting of the press, Type, paper, Ink, Binding aparatus & family supplies, amounted to about $500 & will be acknowledged by the committee appointed to write to the Board on the subject, you will recollect that the same church made a donation to this mission last year of $80, in money & 10 bushels of salt, with two of their No. a man & his wife who have given themselves to our work & are rendering Doct Whitman important assistance in his secular affairs. Others will doubtless come to our assistance next season. The same church has offered to sustain a missionary in this field, which offer has been accepted by our mission & directions suggested as to the best manner of contributing to ths object."
On May 16th the press was set up and on May 18th the first proof-sheet was struck off. By May 24, 1839, four hundred copies of a small 8-page book in Nez-Perces in the artificial alphabet devised by Mr. Spalding were printed, this constitut- ing the first book ever printed in the Oregon Territory.
In 1914, Mr. Wilberforce Eames, of the New York Public Library, discovered the four outer pages of this book used as a paper cover to a copy of the 20-page Nez Perces First Book ​
46 HOWARD MALCOLM BALLOU
belonging to the library of Oberlin College, and the librarian at Oberlin afterwards discovered a second similar copy.
The writer has just discovered two more pages of this little book pages 5 and 6, two specimens of which were used in the binding of the copy of the 20-page First Book presented by Mr. Hall to Dr. Anderson of the A. B. C. F. M., and the Library of Congress has made a similar discovery in their copy, as has also the E. E. Ayer Library of Chicago.
The book is bound in blue paper, strengthened by printed paper, which on being steamed apart proved to be two copies of one leaf of the discarded book.
Specimens of the four outer pages have similarly been found by him at the Massachusetts Historical Society and by the librarian of Pacific University, Forest Grove, Oregon.
Other owners of the 20-page Nez-Perces First Book in the original paper binding may find by examination against a strong light that they too possess pages of the pioneer 8-page book which were utilized by Mr. Hall when binding his work of August, 1839. Pages 3 and 4 are as yet unknown.
The 8-page book was printed in one signature of eight pages. It was almost immediately abandoned, for reasons explained in letters following.
Mr. Himes' account, which was based on information fur- nished him by Dr. Myron Eells, purporting to be a condensa- tion of a diary kept by Mr. Spalding at the time, continues:
"On July 10 the style of alphabet was agreed upon, it hav- ing been decided to adopt the one used in the Sandwich Islands. This was done at Kamiah by Doctor and Mrs. Whitman, Mr. Spalding and wife, Rev. A. B. Smith and wife and Mr. Hall.
On Aug. 1 the printing of another book was commenced in the new alphabet and by the 15th, 500 copies were com- pleted."
The statement that the Hawaiian alphabet was adopted by the missionaries stationed within the sphere of the Nez-Perces language is of course inaccurate. The Hawaiian alphabet con- sists of only 12 letters, a, e, i, o, u, h, k, 1, m, n, p, and w, written in that order, while according to the statement by Mr. Spalding already quoted the Nez-Perces language required in
​OREGON MISSION PRESS 47
A plate is shown of the Pickering alphabet as it appears in the new book, which contained 20 pages.
The account also contains so many minor inaccuracies in direct contradiction to Mr. Spalding' s statements in letters to the A. B. C. F. M. that the writer cannot accept it as a con- temporaneous diary by Spalding.
Nor does the writer believe that the missionaries assembled at Kamiah on July 10 to change the alphabet. Dr. Whitman's little daughter was buried on June 29, at Waiilatpu, Messrs. Spalding and Hall attending the funeral, and while it is pos- sible that Dr. and Mrs. Whitman accompanied them back to Lapwai and the party proceeded thence to Kamiah, it does not seem likely, especially as Dr. Whitman makes no mention of a visit to Kamiah in a list of six absences from his station during the year, though he does mention a visit to Lapwai to visit Mrs. Hall, the date not being given. Nor would Mrs. Spalding have left her bedridden guest, Mrs. Hall, to go with the others to Kamiah.
This book has a similar title page to that of the abandoned 8-page book, a little wider spacing between the words of "Designed for children and new beginners" showing that the page was reset by Mr. Hall.
It is 5^x4^ inches in size and printed in five unnumbered signatures of four pages each.
It is this second book that has commonly been considered as the first publication from the mission press,
In a letter written by Mr. Spalding to Mr. Walker, who had not been present at the annual meeting, dated Clear Water, Sept. 10, 1839, is found this sentence:
"We have taken Mr. Pickering's alphabet as you will see from the little book."
Dr. Whitman in a letter to Mr. Greene dated Waiilatpu, Oct. 22, 1839, gives the following account of the change of alphabet :
"We have settled upon the Alphabet recommended by your- self & the Board with the exception of v for short u which is represented by a All had become weary of the first attempt at writing with the one fixed upon by Mr. Spalding.
I never consented to it & on the accession of Mr Smith ​48 HOWARD MALCOLM BALLOU
to the Language, laid before him your views on the subject After an examination he said he preferred Mr Spaldings Method to Mr Pickering or yourself and this seemed to be the only prospect for a time, indeed one book was printed in that alphabet But by the judicious advice of Mr Hall an easy adjustment was made^-& we now have a small book printed which we are teaching written with Pickering's Alphabet
The Pickering alphabet mentioned by Dr. Whitman was based on John Pickering's "An essay on a uniform orthography for Indian languages of North America," Cambridge : 1820.
Mr. Spalding thus informs Mr. Greene from Clear Water, March 16, 1840:
"We found as you predicted, the alphabet which I had adopt- ed, impracticable by reason of the short vowels. No two per- sons would spell alike & even the same person would always be in doubt what vowel to give to a short vowel sound in a given word you perceive we have adopted the alphabet you proposed to Doct. Whitman before he left the States.
As to teaching the English language, a majority of the mis- sion do not think it advisable to make the attempt & w r e have resolved to give our attention entirely to the Native as the only safe way of communicating religious truth to the mind."
At the annual meeting of the Oregon meeting held at the house of Rev. H. H. Spalding, Clear Water, commencing on Sept. 2nd, 1839, and ending on the 5th, the following assign- ments had been made.
"Resolved That Mr Rogers be invited to prepare a small elementary arithmetic & Mr Smith his reviewer
Also. That Dr Whitman be appointed to prepare a reading book & Mr. Rogers his reviewer
Also. That Mr. Smith be appointed to prepare a book con- taining religious instruction or translation from the New Testa- ment & Mr. Spalding his reviewer
Also. That Mr. Spalding be appointed to prepare a book containing religious instruction from the Old Testament & Mr. Smith his reviewer
Also. That Messrs Spalding & Smith be a committee to translate the ten commandments to be published at the Islands under a cut.
Also. That Messrs Spalding & Smith be appointed to pre- pare Hymns in the native language & each other's reviewers" ​
OREGON MISSION PRESS 49
The records of the Sandwich Islands press do not give any evidence that the Ten Commandments referred to in the as- signments were ever printed.
Mr. Himes' account continues :
"On Dec. 30th the press was packed with the intention of sending it to Doctor Whitman's station, Wai-il-et-pu, to print a book there. The next day it started on its journey and that evening the pack horse fell down a precipice and it was sup- posed that the press was dashed to pieces. On Jan. 1, 1840, Mr. Rogers rode to the scene of the accident, gathered all the material together and returned. By the 17th the press was again set up, and it was discovered that nothing was lost save a few type. By this experience it was found that it would be easier to send the manuscript to the press than the press to the manuscript. Printing was resumed on the 20th, and on the 28th, Mr. Hall having started for the Sandwich Islands, Mr. Rogers who had been taught to set type and operate the press by Mr. Hall, was employed to take charge of the press and do the printing for the mission for 30, English money per year and his board, thereafter, so long as the mission was sustained, the usual routine of work was pursued."
As Mr. and Mrs. Hall were spending the winter at Dr. Whit- man's station at Waiilatpu, where Mrs, Hall had given birth to a child on Nov. 5, 1839, the reason for the attempt to send the press there was probably the better to accommodate the printer, rather than the manuscript, since Dr. Whitman had not written the book as originally planned, but had deputed the task to Messrs. Smith and Rogers at Kamiah.
To Mr. Hall's anxiety to return to his wife and infant daugh- ter at Waiilatpu, must also be ascribed his haste in leaving the completion of the book in the hands of Mr. Rogers, for he did not leave Dr. Whitman's for Fort Vancouver, on his way back to the Islands, until February 29, Dr. Whitman ac- companying 4 him as far as Fort Walla Walla.
He embarked for Honolulu May 19, 1840, arriving home safely June 24, with Mrs. Hall's general health much improved.
Dr. Whitman in a letter to Mr. Greene from Waiilatpu, March 27, 1840, thus describes the new book and its printing :
"The Book which the Anual Meeting of the mission, ap- pointed me to write I employed Mr Smith & Mr Rogers to ​
50 HOWARD MALCOLM BALLOU
write as being better qualified to do it than myself & so much of my time being taken up in making Medical calls for the mission. It is now printed & makes a fine adition to our means of instruction, & must supercede the one written by Mr Spalding, as it is much more correct in language & ortho- graphy It contains fifty two pages & an edition of eight hun- dred copies are printed.
Mr. Hall commenced printing it but being in haste to return to the Islands Mr Rogers was employed to finish it.
At Mr Halls advise we have employed him to do the print- ing for the Mission at 30 sterling per anum, & his board His knowledge of the Native language makes him very useful in any department of labour.
Mr Hall was with us at this station six months but has now gone to Vancouver to return to the Islands."
Rev. A. B. Smith, the missionary at Kamiah, in a letter to Mr. Greene dated Kamiah, Oregon Ter'y, Feb. 6th, 1840, writes :
"On pp. 387 of the Herald for 1838, it is mentioned that 'an alphabet in the Nez Perces language' is completed, & three books are mentioned as completed or hoped to be during the year. That alphabet has been thrown away, it being found before the reception of your letter, not only 'unclassical & out- landish' but also attended with such difficulties as to render it entirely impracticable to use it. Respecting the book sent to the Islands to be printed, it came back as it was sent. Mr. Hall came last spring with a press, which was kindly pre- sented to us by the members of Mr. Binghams church, & all the printing that was done during the summer was a small work of 20 pp. prepared by Mr. Spalding. Before it went to press it was sent to me for correction. On examining it, I found scarcely a correct sentence of Nez Perces in the whole of it. I corrected it as well as I was able to at that time & sent it back. Some of the corrections were admitted & some rejected The book was printed. The result is that the book is so incorrect as to be almost entirely useless, & has been used but little. This is all that has appeared of those books. At our meeting in Sept. last, assignments were made for the prep- aration of books as you will see from the minutes of the meet- ing, a copy of which I will send you, among which an ele- mentary reading book was assigned to Dr. Whitman. This of course was the first book to be needed In Dec. Dr. W con- cluded that he was unable to prepare such a work, & applied ​
OREGON MISSION PRESS 51
to Mr. Rogers & myself to do it for him. We have accordingly prepared matter for some 50 or 60 pages, which is now in press. Mr. Rogers with a little instruction from Mr. Hall is printing the work. He has sent me the first 28 pp. & it appears very well This work, tho' not entirely correct, I think to be gen- erally free from grammatical errors, & will answer our pur- pose tolerably well I find my own style quite stiff & fre- quently not according to the idiom of the language What Mr. Rogers has prepared, however, is in a more easy style & more according to the idiom of the language By travelling with the people & being much with them, he is able to speak the language with great ease & propriety He is a very valuable helper to us"
As an assistant to Mr. Hall had been employed a young man named Cornelius Rogers, who had traveled out to Oregon with the re-enforcement consisting of Messrs. Eells, Smith and Walker, which arrived at Walla Walla, August 29, 1838.
According to Mr. Smith he was to have lived with him at Kamiah, for on August 27, 1839, writing to the A. B. C. F. M. he says:
"Br Rogers, a young man who came out with us from Cin- cinnati, is to be associated with me the coming year, & will engage in teaching & preparing some school books He is a valuable helper in the language He has been with the Indians to buffalo this season & has made great proficiency in the language He has a natural talent for acquiring language & it is probable that he has surpassed all other white men in the acquisition of the Nez Perces language."
At the fifth annual meeting at Kamiah, Sept 2, 1840, by vote of the mission Mr. Rogers was formally placed in charge of the printing of the mission by the following resolutions :
"Resolved : That as soon as practicable a building, suitable for the printing establishment be erected at Lapwai, & such furniture provided as is necessary to carry on the department.
'Resolved: That the printing establishment, together with the erection of a building be entrusted to Mr. Rogers, under the superintendence of the Pru. Committee
Resolved : That 30 pr annum be appropriated for the sup- port of Mr. Rogers according to previous arrangements."
Mr. Rogers makes the following report of activities in the printing department, as quoted by A. B. Smith in his annual ​
52 HOWARD MALCOLM BALLOU
report to the A. B. C. F. M. in a letter dated Kamiah, Oregon, Sept 28, 1840.
"Since I have had any connection with this department, a small book of 52 pages has been printed with the assistance of Mr. Hall, a copy of which accompanies this report. 800 copies were printed & 250 have been bound.
A room in Mr Spalding's house has been occupied with the press & types, but it is too small to do anything in to advantage.
A large font of Pica type has not been opened. It is the type needed for printing school books, but cannot be opened for want of cases, six pairs of which are needed.
In order to do anything to advantage a suitable building is needed, together with the furniture as recommended, by Mr. Hall."
The book is in size 5^x4^2 inches, and was printed in thirteen numbered signatures of four pages each.
The books mentioned as bound were furnished with a printed blue paper cover, a cut of which is shown herewith. (See plate).
Mr. Rogers however did not do any further printing for the Mission, for before the next book was printed he resigned, in the spring of 1841, on account of disagreements with Mr. Spalding, causing his late associates much anxiety through the report that he was engaged to be married to a Catholic, the quarter-breed daughter of Mr. Pambrun, then recently killed by a fall from his horse.
Mr. Rogers, however, married the daughter of the Rev. Mr. Leslie, one of of the Methodist missionaries, and on Feb. 1, 1843, was drowned while landing from a canoe at the falls of the Willamette.
[To be concluded]