On their way to the Western valley of Oregon, some of the emigrants, who were afflicted with the measles, passd through Dr. Whitman’s place, and imparted them to the Indians, from which cause, many of them died.
The Indians are great believers in sorcery. They are of the opinion, that the man who has power to cure, has also power to kill, by means of witchcraft. From this belief, has arisen the custom amongst the Indians, of killing their doctors, when any of their patients do not recover.
Before closing the subject of the Oregon Indians, I have seen fit to insert Mr. Spalding’s account of Dr. Whitman’s death, as given him by his own daughter, who was present during the distressing event, which is given by him as follows.
Account of the murder of Dr. Whitman, as given by Rev. H. H. Spalding.
In this communication I will commence the history of the bloody tragedy of the 29th of November at Waiilatpu. In all such massacres there is usually one or more escapes to tell the dreadful tale. It would seem God rescued me from the murderer’s hand, to perform this painful office. May kind Heaven grant that it may never again be my painful duty to record a like tragedy. May the friends of missions never again be calld upon to supply the places of their missionaries, cut down by the hands of those to whom they may be sent with the blessings of the gospel of peace. Especially may the dreadful act not again be done by the hands of those who have been baptized in the name of the sacred Trinity, and introducd into the Christian church. Considering all the circumstances which attended the massacre at Waiilatpu, I think it stands first on the catalogue of Indian crimes. The massacres committed in the first settlements of America, were the acts of uncivilized, unchristianizd heathens. The much lamented Dr. Whitman and esteemd lady and those who fell with them, were murderd by the Cayuse Indians, who wishd to be regarded a christianizd people, strictly honest, particularly friendly to the Americans, having adopted the habits of civilizd life—with whom my departed brother and sister had labord for more than eleven years, had been the means under God of introducing among them numerous herds of cattle, of planting fields of grain all through the country, had deliverd them from their former precarious source of subsistence roots and fish, and in their place, furnishd them, or causd them to possess in abundance, all the comforts of life, various grains, vegetables, milk, butter, beef, plows, &c. They had been indefatigable in their labors, to instruct them in the principles of the Christian religion and to introduce schools.