The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1936-07-16
D. MISS ELINOR HENRY
Chapter w

Chapter w ..r
On Thursday morning, Septem-
ber l, 1886. Dr.. Marcus Whitman,
l(arcissa Prentiss Whitman. and
william II. Gray rode into Fort
Wa1la Walla in time for breakfast.
This, they felt, was journeys end
Tie goad toward which they had
been travelling since March 8, the
day Marcus and Narcissa set out
from Nashville, New York, now
more than $500 miles away.
The rest Of the Whitman band
reached Fort Walla Walla on Sat-
urday, September 3. That Sunday
there was no question Of travelling
On the Sabbath. It was a day Of rest
for them all. ...'.... 49,, -
Monday was spent in preparing
for a 800 mile journey by water to
Fort Vancouver, to see DR.. John Nc
Loughlin, chief Hudson's Bay factor.
There were two reasons for this:
one was that they needed supplies;
the other was that they had to
present the letter from the Secre-
fary Of War and ask Mel oughlin's
advice about establishing mission
in the interior. The women decided
that they would not be left behind,
feeling strong and well as ever
sitter their cross continental trip.
They were q week On the river,
due to adverse winds which made
them. two days later than usual in
IDEAS which attacked the travellers
seem to have been more annoying
1ham portaging and running rapids
- N~1,-HSA
4Rrived at Vancouver September II.
cd were much impressed. Mrs.
Whitman called It the New York
e The Pacific" for there were two
urge ships In the harbor and many
beildines = the fort itself
They were disappointed 70 find
thAt Rev. Samuel Parker had
1ailed several weeks earlier. They
I'D hoped TO send things back TO
1heir New York relatives and
friends. The only message Parker
6Ad left was q suggestion for pos
agble mission site on the Kooskooska
Clearwater River, six days ride
above Walla Walla.
Whiting the school. dairy, -four
md saw mills. gardens. and barns Of
TIE Fort occupied much Of Narcissa
Whitman's time n the next few
days. She was disappointed to find
no geese. for she had hoped to make
q feather bed. Practically every
hing else they needed, however,
Dr.. McLoughlin was willing to let
them have. They could not have
1sked for heartier welcome or a
kinder host.
Various mission sites were dis
ealssed. and the men decided to ex-
plore each Of them before deciding.
Dr.. Mel. oughlin insisted that the
women should stay at Vancouver
during the winter, which would
mean six months separation from
their husbands. That did not suit
Narcissa and Eliza at all. They did
agree to stay q few weeks, when il
WNs found the boat was 80 heavily
loaded there would not be room for
them. DR.. Whitman and Mr.. Spald-
ing promised, however, to return
for their wives and take them to
Fort Walla Walla as soon as the
mission sites were chosen.
Just before her husband left, Mar
ELSA made some necessary purchases
for her first foster children. the
two Indian boys, Richard and John,
Regretfully. they had been left at
Fort Walla Walla. Mrs. Whitman
wrote: I'VE love. them both, and
feel deeply interested in their wei
fare, and shall treat them as our
own as long as they deserve it,
Already Mrs. Whitman was right
fully earning the title Pioneer
Mother" /,
Whitman, Spalding, and Gray
started back up the river on Sep
tember q. Mrs. Whitman was kept
busily occupied in their absence. DR..
1cLoughlin, put his quarterbreed
daughter in her care, asking her to
hear Miss Marie's recitations. About
IN hour every evening she would
aing with the children Of the Fort
families, teaching them new tunes
She spent as much time as she pos
aibly could in writing.
On October Is. Spalding arrived
at Fort Vancouver with the Mon.
treal Express. DR.. Whitman haC
gone up TO Waiilatpu, The Place
OF We Grass" to work with Gray
Dbl u HAQVECT