ment-hundreds of immortal beings moving to and fro, some preaching some praying for mercy-others praising God-all presented a scene indescribably solemn and affecting.

These meetings soon spread through all the settlements in the West, and such was the eagerness of the people to attend, that entire neighborhoods were forsaken, and the roads literally crowded by those pressing forward on their way to the groves. As the Methodists and Presbyterians usually united in these gatherings, they took the name of "General Camp-Meetings." The prominent clergymen on these occasions, were the M'Ghees, the Rev. Messrs. Gready, Hoge and Rankin, of the Presbyterian Church, and William M'Kendree, William Burke, John Sale, Benjamin Lakin and Henry Smith, of the Methodist Church.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that camp-meetings first originated in the West. They were not the result of a previously digested plan-nor did they commence with the Methodists, but upon a sacramental occasion among the Presbyterians, where there was such an exhibition of the Divine Spirit, that the meeting was protracted to an unusual length, which, being noised abroad, brought others to the place, and finally, in such numbers that no house could hold them. This induced them to go into the field, erect temporary shelters, and bring provision for their sustenance; and finding that God so abundantly blessed them, they were continued until they became general among the Methodists throughout the Union.

LEWIS AND CLARKE'S AND PIKE'S EXPLORING EXPEDITIONS.

Expedition of Lewis and Clarke.-Just before the transfer of Louisiana to the United States, in 1803, President Jefferson was preparing to have explored what now comprises the northwestern part of our country, of which then but little was known. In January, 1803, Congress having approved of his suggestions, he commissioned Captains Meriwether Lewis and William Clarke, to explore the Missouri and its principal branches to their sources, and then to seek and trace to its termination in the Pacific, some stream which might give the most direct and practicable water communication across the continent, for the purposes of commerce. Other persons were, at the same time, appointed to examine the Upper Mississippi and its principal western tributaries below the Missouri; exact information being desired as soon as possible of the newly acquired territories from France, that power having previously possessed the country west of the Mississippi, under the general name of Louisiana.

Shortly after Lewis had received his instructions, the news of the conclusion of the treaty for the cession of Louisiana, reached the United States. In May, 1804, the party of Lewis and Clarke

commenced the ascent of the Missouri in boats. Their ascent being slow, they did not arrive at the country of the Mandan Indians, sixteen hundred miles from the Mississippi, near lat. 48 deg., until the latter part of October.

Remaining in their encampment in the Mandan country until the 7th of April, following, Lewis and Clarke, with thirty men, commenced their voyage westward up the Missouri, and about the 1st of May, reached the mouth of the principal branch, called by the French traders, the Roche Jaune, or Yellow Stone River. Thence continuing their progress westward on the main stream, their navigation was arrested on the 13th of June, by the Great Falls of the Missouri, a series of cataracts extending about ten miles in length, in the principal of which, the whole river rushes over a precipice of rock eighty-seven feet in height. Again embarking in canoes, they on the 19th of July, passed through the Gates of the Rocky Mountains, where the Missouri, emerging from that chain, runs for six miles in a narrow channel between perpendicular, black rocky walls of twelve hundred feet in height. Beyond this, they ascended its largest source, named by Lewis, Jefferson River, near lat. 44 deg., where the navigation of the Missouri ends near three thousand miles from its entrance into the Mississippi. While the canoes were ascending Jefferson River, Lewis and Clarke, with some of their men, proceeded through the mountains, and soon found streams flowing to the west, and meeting several parties of Indians belonging to a nation called Shoshonee, they were satisfied from their accounts, that those streams were the head waters of the Columbia. They then rejoined their men at the head of Jefferson, and having cached (concealed in pits) their canoes and goods, and procured some Shoshonees for guides, and some horses, the whole party pursued their journey overland, and on the 30th of August, entered the Rocky Mountains.

Up to this time their difficulties and privations were comparatively small; but during the three weeks they were passing through the mountains, they underwent every suffering which hunger, cold, and fatigue could impose. The mountains were high, and the passes through them rugged and in many places covered with snow; and their food consisted of berries, dried fish, and the meat of dogs or horses, of all which the supplies were scanty and precarious.

About four hundred miles by their route from Jefferson River they reached the Kooskooske, and on the 7th of October, began its descent in canoes which they constructed. In three days they entered the principal southern branch of the Columbia, which they named Lewis, and in seven more reached its junction with its larger northern branch, which was called by them Clarke. They were then fairly launched on the Great River of the West, and passing down it through many dangerous rapids, they, on the 31st, arrived at the Falls of the Columbia, where it rushes through the

lofty chain of mountains nearest the Pacific. On the 15th of November, they landed on Cape Disappointment, at the mouth of the Columbia, after having passed over about six hundred miles on its waters, and reaching a point of more than four thousand miles from the mouth of the Missouri.

The winter, or rather rainy season, soon setting in, they built a dwelling in that vicinity, which they named Fort Clatsop, where they remained until March 23d, 1806. Then they commenced their return by ascending the Columbia in their canoes. Proceeding carefully up the stream they discovered the Cowelitz and the Willamette, the latter now noted for having on its banks the most flourishing settlements in Oregon.

At the Falls of the Columbia they abandoned their canoes, and proceeded on horses to their point of embarkation on the Kooskooske in the preceding year; thence due eastward through the Rocky Mountains to Clarke River, which flows for some distance in a northerly direction from its sources before turning southward to join the other branches of the Columbia. There, on the 3d of July, in latitude forty-seven degrees, Lewis and Clarke separated to meet at the mouth of Yellow Stone.

Lewis with his party proceeded northward some distance down the Clarke, and then, quitting it, crossed the Rocky Mountains to the headwaters of the Maria, which empties into the Missouri just below the falls. There they met a band of Indians belonging to the numerous and daring race, called the Blackfoot, who infest the plains at the base of the mountains, and are ever at war with all other tribes. These savages attempted to seize the rifles of the Americans, and Lewis was obliged to kill one of them before they desisted. The party then hastened to the Falls of the Missouri, and thence floated down to the mouth of the Yellow Stone, which is scarcely inferior in length to the main branch of the Missouri.

Meanwhile, the party under Clarke rode southward up the Clarke to its sources; and after exploring several passes in the mountains between that and the headwaters of the Yellow Stone, they embarked on it in canoes, and descending, joined Lewis and his men at its mouth on the 12th of August. From thence the whole body floated down the Missouri, and on the 23d of September, 1806, arrived in safety at St. Louis after an absence of more than two years, during which they had traveled over nine thousand miles.

The Missouri had been ascended to the mouth of the Yellow Stone by the French and Spanish Indian traders, long before this expedition, but no correct information had been obtained of the river and country. With regard to the country between the Great Falls of the Missouri and those of the Columbia, we have no accounts earlier than those furnished by this exploring expedition. Their journal is still the principal source of information, respecting the geography, natural history, and the aboriginal inhabitants of that region.

Politically, the expedition was an announcement to the world

of the intentions of the American government to occupy and settle the countries explored, and they thus virtually incurred the obligation to prosecute and fulfill the great ends for which the labors of Lewis and Clarke were preparatory.

A few years since there was residing at Brown's Hole, in Oregon, an old Shoshonee Indian, who was the first of his tribe who saw the cavalcade of Messrs. Lewis and Clarke, on the headwaters of the Missouri, in 1805. He appears to have been galloping from place to place in the office of sentinel to the Shoshonee camp, when he suddenly found himself in the very presence of the whites. Astonishment fixed him to the spot. Men with faces as pale as ashes had never been seen by him or his nation. "The head rose high and round, the top flat; it jutted over the eyes in a thin rim; their skin was loose and flowing, and of many colors." His fears at length overcoming his curiosity, he fled in the direction of the Indian encampment. But being seen by the whites, they pursued and brought him to their camp, exhibited to him the effect of their fire-arms, loaded him with presents, and let him go. Having arrived among his own people, he told them he had seen men with faces pale as ashes, who were makers of thunder and lightning, etc. This information astounded the whole tribe. They had lived many years, their ancestors had lived many more, and there were many legends which spoke of many wonderful things, but a tale like this they had never before heard. A council was, therefore, held to consider the matter. The man of strange words was summoned before it, and he rehearsed in substance what he had before told others, but was not believed. "All men were red, and therefore, he could not have seen men as pale as ashes. The Great Spirit made the thunder and lightning; he, therefore, could not have seen any men of any color that could produce it. He had seen nothing he had lied to his chief, and should die." Upon this, the culprit produced some presents which he had received from the pale men. These being quite as new to them as pale faces were, it was determined "that he should have the privilege of leading his judges to the place where he had declared he had seen these strange people; and if such were found there, he should be exculpated; if not, these presents were to be considered as conclusive evidence that he dealt with evil spirits, and that he was worthy of death by the arrows of his kinsfolks." The pale men—the thunder makers were found, and were witnesses of the poor fellow's story. He was released, and was ever after much honored and loved by his tribe and every white man in the mountains. He was then about eighty years old, and poor, but was never permitted

to want.

Pike's Expedition.-During the absence of Lewis and Clarke, the United States prosecuted other explorations in different parts of Louisiana. Lieutenant Z. M. Pike-afterward the celebrated General Pike, who fell at York, Upper Canada, in 1813-was sent, in 1805, to explore the sources of the Mississippi. Having set out

lofty chain of mountains nearest the Pacific. On the 15th of November, they landed on Cape Disappointment, at the mouth of the Columbia, after having passed over about six hundred miles on its waters, and reaching a point of more than four thousand miles from the mouth of the Missouri.

The winter, or rather rainy season, soon setting in, they built a dwelling in that vicinity, which they named Fort Clatsop, where they remained until March 23d, 1806. Then they commenced their return by ascending the Columbia in their canoes. Proceeding carefully up the stream they discovered the Cowelitz and the Willamette, the latter now noted for having on its banks the most flourishing settlements in Oregon.

At the Falls of the Columbia they abandoned their canoes, and proceeded on horses to their point of embarkation on the Kooskooske in the preceding year; thence due eastward through the Rocky Mountains to Clarke River, which flows for some distance in a northerly direction from its sources before turning southward to join the other branches of the Columbia. There, on the 3d of July, in latitude forty-seven degrees, Lewis and Clarke separated to meet at the mouth of Yellow Stone.

Lewis with his party proceeded northward some distance down the Clarke, and then, quitting it, crossed the Rocky Mountains to the headwaters of the Maria, which empties into the Missouri just below the falls. There they met a band of Indians belonging to the numerous and daring race, called the Blackfoot, who infest the plains at the base of the mountains, and are ever at war with all other tribes. These savages attempted to seize the rifles of the Americans, and Lewis was obliged to kill one of them before they desisted. The party then hastened to the Falls of the Missouri, and thence floated down to the mouth of the Yellow Stone, which is scarcely inferior in length to the main branch of the Missouri.

Meanwhile, the party under Clarke rode southward up the Clarke to its sources; and after exploring several passes in the mountains between that and the headwaters of the Yellow Stone, they embarked on it in canoes, and descending, joined Lewis and his men at its mouth on the 12th of August. From thence the whole body floated down the Missouri, and on the 23d of September, 1806, arrived in safety at St. Louis after an absence of more than two years, during which they had traveled over nine thousand miles.

The Missouri had been ascended to the mouth of the Yellow Stone by the French and Spanish Indian traders, long before this expedition, but no correct information had been obtained of the river and country. With regard to the country between the Great Falls of the Missouri and those of the Columbia, we have no accounts earlier than those furnished by this exploring expedition. Their journal is still the principal source of information, respecting the geography, natural history, and the aboriginal inhabitants of that region.

Politically, the expedition was an announcement to the world