The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1934-08-02
The Invitation to the President

Eventually Wyeth and the remnants Of his party
reached the Columbia in destitute condition.
But they were kindly received by DR.. John Nc
Loughlin, chief factor Of the Columbia river dis
trict for the Hudson's Bay company at Fort
Vancouver, and there began lasting friendship
between Mclaughlin and Wyeth, even though
the Yankee adventurer was potential business
rival Of the 81. B. G. factor.
At Vancouver came the browning blow to
Wyeth's misfortunes. He learned that the ship
which was bringing his supplies around Cape
Horn had been shipwrecked and all of his goods
lost. Nothing remained for him to do but to
release his men from their contract and return
home to recoup his lost fortunes Some Of his
men remained In the Oregon country and these
remnants Of Wyeth's first expedition became
part Of the nucleus around which later Oregon
immigrants clustered" SO from the historical
point Of view the expedition was not an utter
loss.
Accompanied by two men Wyeth set out for
the East in the spring Of 1888 and by November
3 Of that year he was home again after an
absence of 10 months, having made the first
continuous land journey on record from Boston
to the mouth Of the Columbia" It is tribute
to both the integrity Of the man and the force
of his personality that despite his failure he was
able to interest his friends IN second expedi-
ton. Within II days after his return to Massa-
chusetts he had organized the Columbia River
money from New York and Boston business men
and chartered another ship for the journey
around Cape Horn.
On his return trip east he had again come into
contact with representatives of the Rocky Noun
tain Fur company, this time In the persons OF
Milton Sublette and Thomas Fitzpatrick, and
had obtained from them the contract for supply
ing the merchandise to be used in their trading
operations. So he purchased about 200 pounds
Of goods to fill this contract part of 1t In east
ern markets and, shipping 1t down the Ohio,
secured the remainder In St. Louis. Again he
prepared to start from Independence There he
was Joined by the two young scientists, Nuttall
and Townsend, who were also Oregonbound.
But more important contingent of his party
was a group of five men, whose presence Is
accounted for by Mrs. Brown as follows: when
Wyeth had returned to Boston the preceding
year, he was accompanied by two Indian lads,
one about eighteen years Of age, kind OF serv-
ant Of all work, and half-breed boy Of thirteen,
the son of Hudson's bay trader and Flathead
beauty. Their presence in the East, and also the
visit Of a party of Indians to St Louis in search
of a Book the Guide to Heaven had aroused
great zeal in missionary circles. Partly as a
result of these visits small party of Methodist
missionaries was in Wyeth's company for safe
conduct on their way to the Oregon Indians.
Their leader was Jason Lee, described by Town
send as a tall, powerful man, capable of han
ding men in a wild country With him was his
nephew, Daniel Lee and three lay brethren,
P L. Edwards, Cyrus Sheppard and c. NJ Walk
er, all of whom proved to be good travellers and
excellent companions on a long tedious trip"
The journey across the plains was compare
lively uneventful His destination place
the Snake river In the country claimed by
the Shoshoni or Snake Indians. En- route there
his party joined by Thomas Mckay, Hud-
sons Bay man, who was hunting in that region
with band of Canada IS and Indians and who
Travelled along with him until he reached the site
which he picked out for his fort.
1t was natural meadow of rich bottom land,
enclosed by sharp bend of the Snake river on