y V / I hJ tVH- / 1 / NARRATIVE OF A JOURNEY ACROSS THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, TO THE COLUMBIA RIVER, AND A VISIT TO THE SANDWICH ISLANDS, CHILI, &c. WITH A SCIENTIFIC APPENDIX. L BY JOHN K. TOWNSEND, Member of the Academy of NatuJ-al Sciences of Philadelphia. PHILADELPHIA: HENRY PERKINS, 134 CHESTNUT STREET. BOSTON : PERKINS & MARVIN. 1839. Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1839, by John K. Townsend, in the Office of the Clerk of the District Court of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. MERRIHEW AND THOMPSON, PRINTERS, No. 7 Carter's Alley. ADVERTISEMENT, The Columbia River Fishing and Trading Company was formed in 1834, by several individuals in New York and Boston. Capt. Wyeth, having an interest in the enterprise, collected a party of men to cross the continent to the Pacific, with the purpose chiefly of establishing trading posts beyond the Rocky Mountains and on the coast. The idea of making one of Capt. Wyeth's party was suggested to the author by the eminent botanist, Mr. Nuttall, who had himself determined to join the expedition across the North American wilder- ness. Being fond of Natural History, particularly the science of Ornithology, the temptation to visit a country hitherto unexplored by naturalists was irresistible ; and the following pages, originally penned for the family-circle, and without the slightest thought of publication, will furnish some account of his travels. PUBLIC LIBHAKY ERRATA. Page 9, sixth line of the Contents, for "sharon," read charon. Page 79, ninth line from the bottom, for " for which we have exchanged," read which we have exchanged fur. Page 84, for " melhiglen," read methegUn. Page 120, third line of the chapter, for " winnowing," read winnying. Page 248, third line from the bottom, for " hallowed," read hallooed. Page 286, third line from the bottom, in note, for " dulcits," read dulcis. CONTENTS Chapter I. Arrival at St. Louis — Preparations for the journey — Saque In- dians— Their appearance, dress, and manners — Squaws — Commencement of a pedestrian tour — Sandhill cranes — Prairie settlers — Their hospitality — Wild pigeons, golden plovers and prairie hens — Mr. P. and his daughters — An abundant repast — Simplicity of the prairie maidens — A deer and turkey hunt — Loutre Lick hotel — A colored charon — Comfortable quarters — Young men of the west — Reflections on leaving home — Loquacity of the inhabi- tants— Gray squirrels — Boonville — Parroquets — Embarkation in a steam- boat— Large catfish — Accident on board the boat — Arrival at Independence — Description of the town — Encampment of the Rocky Mountain company — Character of the men — Preparation for departure — Requisites of a leader — Backwoods familiarity — Milton Sublette and his band — Rev. Jason Lee, the missionary — A letter from home — Mormonites — Military discipline and its consequences, 9 Chapter. II. Departure of the caravan — A storm on the prairie — Arrange- ment of the camp — Kanzas Indians — Kanzas river — Indian lodges — Passage of the river — Buffalo canoes — Kanzas chief — Upper Kaw village — their wig- wams— Catfish and ravens — Return of Mr. Sublette — Pawnee trace — Deser- tion of three men — Difficulties occasioned by losing the trail — Intelligence of Mr. Sublette's party — Escape of the band of horses — Visit of three Otto In- dians— Anectlote of Richardson, the chief hunter — his appearance and cha- racter— White wolves and antelopes — Buffalo bones — Sublette's deserted camps — Lurking wolves, ■ .27 Chapter III. Arrival at the Platte river — Wolves and antelopes — Anxiety of the men to sec bufl'alo — Visit of two spies from the Grand Pawnees — -Forced march — A herd of buffalo — Elk — Singular conduct of the horses — Killing a buffalo — Indian mode of procuring buffalo — Great herd — Adventure with an Indian in the tent — Indian feat with bow and arrow — Notice of the Paw- nee tribes — Disappearance of the buffalo from the plains of the Platte — A hunting adventure — Killing a buffalo — Butchering of a bull — Shameful de- struction of the game — Hunters' mode of quenching thirst, . . . .42 Chapter IV. Change in the face of the country — Unpleasant visitation — N. fork of the Platte — A day's journey over the hills — Poor pasture — Marmots — Rattlesnake and gopher — Naturalist's success and sacrifices — A sand storm — Wild horses — Killing of a doe antelope — Bluffs — The Chimney — " Zip Koon," the young antelope — Birds — Feelings and cogitations of a naturalist — Laramie's fork — Departure of two " free trappers" on a summer " hunt" — Black hills — Red butes — Sweet-water river, and Rock Independence — Avo- cets — Wind river mountains — Rocky Mountain sheep — Adventure with a grizzly bear — Rattlesnakes — Toilsome march, and arrival at Sandy river — Suffering of the horses — Anticipated delights of the rendezvous, . . 57 Chapter V. Arrival at the Colorado — The author in difficulty — Loss of a journal, and advice to travelling tyros — The rendezvous — Motley groups in- festing it — Rum drinking, swearing, and other accomplishments in vogue — Description of the camp — Trout — Abundance of game — Cock of the plains — VI CONTENTS. Leave the rendezvous — An accession to the band — A renegado Blackfoot chief— Captain Stewart and Mr. Ashvvorth — Muddy creek — More carous- ing— Abundance of trout — Bear river — A hard day's march — Volcanic coun- try— White-clay pits and " Beer spring" — Rare birds and common birds — Mr. Thomas McKay — Captain Bonneville's party — Captains Stewart and Wyetii's visit to the lodge of the "bald chief" — Blackfoot river — Adventure with a grizzly bear — Death of " Zip Koon" — Young grizzly bears and buf- falo calves — A Blackfoot Indian — Dangerous experiment of McKay — the three " Tetons" — Large trout — Shoshone river — Site of " Fort Hall" — Pre- parations for a buflalo hunt, 72 Chapteh VL Departure of the hunting camp — A false alarm— Blackfeet In- dians— Requisites of a mountain-man — Good fare, and good appetites — An experiment — Grizzly bears — Ncz Perce Indian — Adventure with a grizzly bear — Hunters' anecdotes — Homeward l)ound — Arrival at " Fort Hall" — A salute — Emaciation from lowdiet — Mr. McKay's company — Buffalo lodges-- Effects of judicious training — Indian worship — A " Camp Meeting" — Mr. Jason Lee, a favorite — A fatal accident and a burial, 92 CiiAPTEU VII. Departure of McKay's party, Captain Stewart, and the mis- sionaries— Debauch at the fort — Departure of the company — Poor provision — Blackfeet hunting ground — Sufferings from thirst — Goddin's creek — An- toine (toddin, the trapper — Scarcity of game — A buffalo — Rugged moun- tains— More game — Unusual economy —Habits of the white wolf — " Thorn- burg's pass" — Difficult traveiUng — The captain in jeopardy among the snow — A countermarch — Deserted Banneck camp — Toilsome and dangerous passage of the mountain — Mallade river — Beaver dams, and beaver — A party of Snake Indians — Another Banneck camp — " Kamas prairie" — Indian mode of preparing the kamas — Racine blanc, or biscuit root — Loss of horses by fatigue — Boisee or Big-wood river — Salmon — Choke-cherries, &c. 110 Chapter VIIL A substitute for game, and a luxurious breakfast — Expecta- tions of a repast, and a disappointment — Visit of a Snake chief — his abhor- rence of horse meat — A band of Snake Indians — their chief — Trade with Indians for salmon — Mr. Ashworth's adventure — An Indian horse-thief — Visit to the Snake camp — A Banneck camp — Supercilious conduct of the Indians — Snake river — Equipment of a trapping party — Indian mode of catching salmon — Loss of a favorite horse — Powder river — Cut rocks — Grand Ronde — Captain Bonneville — Kayouse and Nez Perce Indians — An Indian beauty — Blue mountains— A feline visit, 129 Chapter IX. Passage of the Blue mountains — Sufferings from thirst — Utalla river — .\ transformation — A novel meal — Columbia river and Fort Walla-walla — A dinner with the missionaries — Anecdote of Mr. Lee — Brief notice of the Fort — Departure of the missionaries — Notice of the Wal- la-walla Indians — Departure for Fort \'^ancouver — Wild ducks — Indian graves — Visits from Indians — Ophthalmia, a prevalent disease — A company of Chinook Indian.s — The Dalles — The party joined by Captain Wyeth — Embarkation in canoes — A heavy gale — Dangerous navigation — Pusillani- mous conduct of an Indian helmsman — A zealous botanist — Departure of Captain Wyeth with five men — Cascades — A portage — Meeting with the missionaries — Loss of a canoe — A toilsome duty — Arrival at Fort Vancou- ver— Dr. John McLoughhn, the chief factor — Domiciliation of the travel- lers at Fort Vancouver, 1 50 Chapter X. Fort Vancouver— .Agricultural and other improvements— Van- couver "camp"— Expedition to the Wallammot— The falls— A village of CONTENTS. VU Kiikatat Indians — Manner of flattening the head — A Flathead infant — - Brig " May Dacre" — Preparations for a settlement — Success of the natural- ists— Chinook Indians — their appearance and costume — Ague and fever — Desertion of the Sandwich Islanders — Embarkation for a trip to the Islands — George, the Indian pilot — Mount Coffin — A visit to the tombs— Superstition — Visit to an Indian house — Fort George— Site of Astoria — A blind Indian boy — Cruel and unfeeling conduct of the savages — their moral character — Baker's Bay— Cape Disappointment — Dangerous bar at the entrance of the river — The sea beach — Visit of Mr. Ogden — Passage across the bar — Sea birds — Landsmen at sea — A sperm, whale — Albatrosses, &c. — Tropic birds — A " school" of whales — Dolphins — Make the Sandwich Islands — Oahu —A rhapsody, 170 Chapter XI. Honoruru — Canoes — Amphibious habits —Capt. Charlton, H.B. M. consul — Mr. Jones, the American consul — reception by him — Description of the town, and of the natives — Party-colored hair of the women — The pa- goda— A visit from Kev. Hiram Bingham, the missionary — Opinions regard- ing the missionary fraternity — First view of the king, Kauikeaouli — his train — Seamen's chapel — A visit to the native church — Kinau and Keku- anoa — Orderly conduct of the natives during worship — Introduction to the king — His fondness for the chase, and athletic exercises — Native food — Man- ner of eating — The runii-rumi — its efficacy — A Lu-au party — The valley of Nuano — A visit to the Pari — The last battle of Tamehameha — A feast — Manner of cooking — A party of native ladies — An adventure, . . 191 Chapter XII. Visit to the island of Kauai — A royal call — Rev. P. J. Gulick, — Description of the island — A present from Kauikeaouli — Royal mode of obtaining supplies — Birds — Native method of catching them — The travellers wind-bound — Shell hunting — Habits of the natives— Beach food, and mode of eating it — Visit of the king, and governor Kekeoeva — Charac- teristics of the latter — Anxiety of the king to return home — Arrival of his followers — A metamorphosis — A royal supper — Evening service— Royal guard — A sail in sight — Joy of the king— His letter — Return of the Avon — Departure from Kauai, and arrival at Oahu — A pic-nic party at Pearl river — Calabash dance by the natives — Departure for Columbia river — A primitive passage to the shore — A storm at sea— A flight of shore birds — Land ahead — Arrival at the Columbia, . . 205 Chapter XIII. Passage up the Columbia— Birds — A trip to the Wallammet — Methodist missionaries — their prospects — Fort William— Band-tail pigeons Wretched condition of the Indians at the falls — A Kallapooyah village In- dian cemetery — Superstitions — Treatment of diseases — Method of steaming — " Making medicine" — Indian sorcerers — Death of Thornburg — An inquest Verdict of the jury — Inordinate appetite for ardent spirits — Eight men drowned— Murder of two trappers by the Bannsck Indians— Arrival of Cap- tain Thing — His meeting and skirmish with the Blackfeet Indians — Mas- sacre— A narrow escape, 218 Chapter XIV. Indians of the Columbia — Departure of Mr. Nuttall and Dr. Gairdner — Arrival of the Rev. Samuel Parker — his object — Departure of .he American brig — Swans — Indian mode of taking them — A large wolf — A night adventure — A discovery, and restoration of stolen property — Fraternal tenderness of an Indian — Indian vengeance — Death of Waskema, the Indian girl— "Busy-body ," the little chief— A village of Kowalitsk Indians— Cere- mony of" making medicine"— Exposure of an impostor — Success of legiti- mate medicines — Departure from Fort Vancouver for a visit to the interior — Arrival of a stranger — "Cape Horn" — Tilki, the Indian dhief—Indian vil- viii CONTENTS. lages— Arrival at Fort Walla-walla— Sharp-tailed grouse— Commencement of a journey to the Blue mountains, 231 Chaptek XV. A village ofKayouse Indians— Appearance and dresses of the women— family worship— Visit to the Blue mountains— Dusky grouse— Re- turn to Walla-walla— Arrival of Mr. McLeod, and the missionaries— Letters from home— Death of Antoine Goddin— A renegado white man— Assault by the Walla-walla Indians — Passage down the Columbia— Rapids — A dog for supper— Prairies on fire— Fishing Indians— Their romantic appearance — Salmon huts—The shoots — Dangerous navigation— Death of Tilki— Seals- Indian stoicism and contempt of pain— Skookoom, the strong chief— his death— Maiming, an evidence of grief— Arrival at Fort Vancouver — A visit to Fort George— Indian cemeteries — Lewis and Clarke's house — A medal — Visit to Chinook — Hospitality of the Indians— Chinamus' home — The idol — Canine inmates, • 245 Chapteii XVI. Northern excursion — Salmon — Indian mode of catching them — Flathead children — A storm on the bay — Pintail ducks — Simple mode of killing salmon — Return to Chinook — Indian garrulity — Return to Fort George — Preparations for a second trip to the Sandwich Islands — De- tention within the cape — The tropics, and tropic birds — Make the island of Maui — Arrival at Oahu — Accession to the society — A visit to the king — Illness of the princess, Harieta Nahienaena — Abrupt exit of the king — A ride to Waititi — Cocoanut grove — Native mode of climbing — Death of the princess — grief of her people — barbarous ceremonies — Residence in the valley of Nuano — A visit to the palace — Kahiles — Coffin of the princess, and inscrip- tion— Ap[)urtenances — Ceremony of carrying the body to the church — Des- cription of the pageant — Dress of the king — Conclusion of the ceremony, 259 Chapter XVII. Embarkation for a tour of the islands — Lahaina — Forts — La- hainaluna — Missionaries of Maui — High school — Karakakua bay — Kairua — Cook's rock — Reverence of the natives for his memory — Cook's monument — Kawaihae — Colossal mountains — Mrs. Young — Heiau, or native temple — Human sacrifices— Morai — Heathenish rites — A cargo of cattle — Unsavory practice of the native women — Departure from Oahu — A sail by moonlight — Dean's island — A " complaisant" — Arrival at Tahiti — Native pilot — Papeete hay — Appearance of the shore — Orange groves, &c. — A young native song- ster— Visit to the queen — Native service — The chapel — A bedridden Tahai- tian — Jungle fowls — Leave the harbor — Dangerous navigation — A narrow escape — A shipwreck, 275 Chapteii XVIII. Island of Eimeo — Juan Fernandez— Make the coast of Chili — Town of Valparaiso — suburbs — Indisposition — Kindness of the fo- reign residents, &c.— Preparation by the government for an expedition against Peru— Foreign adventurers— Disaffection of Vidaurre and other officers in the Chilian army— Murder of Signor Portales by the rebels — Pre- paration for invading the town of Valparaiso— A battle— defeat of the insur- gents—Capture and imprisonment of Vidaurre and seven officers— Florine, the murderer— Sentence of the court martial— A military execution— Ap- pearance of the bodies after death— Sail for the United States— Cape Horn— Pernambuco— Cape Henlopen— A gale— Arrival at Philadelphia, . 295 Appendix, • ojj NARRATIVE OF A JOURNEY ACROSS THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, &c. CHAPTER I, Airival at St. Louis— Preparations for the journey — Saqiie Indians Their appearance, dress, and manners— Squaws — Commencement of a pedestrian tour — Sandhill cranes — Prairie settlers — Their hospitality — Wild pigeons, golden plovers and prairie hens — Mr. P. and his daughters — An abundant repast — Simplicity of the prairie maidens — A deer and turkey hunt Loutre Lick hotel — Untoelcome bed-fellows — Jl colored sharon — Comfortable quar- ters— Young men of the west — Reflections on leaving hmne — Loquacity of the inhabitants — Gray squirrels — Boonville — Parroquets — Embarkation in a steamboat — Large catfish — Accident on board the boat — Arrival at Indepen- dence— Description of the town — Procure a supply of horses — Encampment of the Rocky JMonntain company — Character of the men — Preparation for departure — Requisites of a leader — Backwoods familiarity — JMilton Sublette andhis band — Rev. .Tason Lee, the missionary — A letter from home — JMormon- ites — JMilitary discipline and its consequences. On the evening of the 24th of March, 1834, Mr. NuxxALLand myself arrived at St. Louis, in the steamboat Boston, from Pitts- burg. On landing, we had the satisfaction to learn that Captain Wyeth was already there, and on the afternoon of the next day we called upon him, and consulted him in reference to the outfit which it would be necessary to purchase for the journey. He accompanied us to a store in the town, and selected a number of articles for us, among which were several pairs of leathern 10 JSARKATIVE OF A JOUKNEY pantaloons, enormous overcoats, made of green blankets, and white wool hats, with round crowns, fitting tightly to the head, brims five inches wide, and almost hard enough to resist a rifle ball. The day following we saw about one hundred Indians of the Saquc tribe, who had left their native forests for the purpose of treat in"- for the sale of some land at the Jefferson barracks. They were dressed and decorated in the true primitive style; their heads shaved closely, and painted with alternate stripes of fiery red and deep black, leaving only the long scalping tuft, in which was interwoven a quantity of elk hair and eagle's fea- thers. Each man was furnished with a good blanket, and some had an under dress of calico, but the greater number were en- tirely naked to the waist. The faces and bodies of the men were, almost without an exception, fantastically painted, the pre- dominant color being deep red, with occasionally a few stripes of dull clay white around the eyes and mouth. I observed one whose body was smeared with light colored clay, interspersed with black streaks. They were unarmed, with the exception of tomahawks and knives. The chief of the band, (who is said to be Black Hawk's father-in-law,) was a large dignified looking man, of perhaps fifty-five years of age, distinguished from the rest, by his richer habiliments, a more profuse display of trinkets in his cars, (which were cut and gashed in a frightful manner to receive them,) and above all, by a huge necklace made of the claws of the grizzly bear. The squaws, of whom there were about twenty, were dressed very much like the men, and at a little distance could scarcely be distinguished from them. Among them was an old, superannuated crone, who, soon after her arrival, had been presented with a broken umbrella. The only use that she made of it was to wrench the plated ends from the whale- bones, string them on a piece of wire, take her knife from her belt, with which she deliberately cut a slit of an inch in leno-th I ACROSS THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC. 11 along the uppei' rim of her ear, and insert them in it. I saw her soon after this operation had been performed ; her cheeks were covered with blood, and she was standing with a vast deal of assumed dignity among her tawny sisters, who evidently envied her the possession of the worthless baubles. 2Sth. — Mr. N. and myself propose starting to-morrow on foot towards the upper settlements, a distance of about three hundred miles. We intend to pursue our journey leisurely, as we have plenty of time before us, and if we become tired, we can enter the stage which will probably overtake us. 29i/i. — This morning our Indians returned from the barracks, where I understand they transacted their business satisfactorily. I went on board the boat again to see them. I feel very much interested in them, as they are the first Indians I have ever seen who appear to be in a state of uncultivated nature, and who retain the savage garb and manners of their people. They had en- gaged the entire covered deck for their especial use, and were lolling about in groups, wrapped in their blankets. Some were occupied in conversation, others seemed more contemplative, and appeared to be thinking deeply, probably of the business which brought them amongst us. Here and there two might be seen playing a Spanish game with cards, and some were busily em- ployed in rendering themselves more hideous with paint. To perform this operation, the dry paint is folded in a thin muslin or gauze cloth, tied tightly and beaten against the face, and a small looking-glass is held in the other hand to direct them where to apply it. Two middle-aged squaws were frying beef, which they distributed around to the company in wooden bowls, and several half loaves of bread were circulating rapidly amongst them, by being tossed from one to another, each taking a huge bite of it. There were among the company, several younger fe- males, but they were all so hard favored that I could not feel much sympathy with them, and was therefore not anxious to cul- 12 NARRATIVE OF A JOURNEY tivate tlicir acquaintance. There was another circumstance, too, that was not a very attractive one ; I allude to the custom so universal amongst Indians, of seeking for vermin in each others' heads, and then eating them. The fair damsels were engaged in this way during most of the time that I remained on board, only suspending their delectable occupation to take their bites of bread as it passed them in rotation. The effect upon my person was what an Irishman would call the attraction of repulsion, as I found myself almost unconsciously edging away until I halted at a most respectable distance from the scene of slaughter. At noon, Mr. N. and myself started on our pedestrian tour. Captain Wyeth offering to accompany us a few miles on the way. I was glad to get clear of St. Louis, as I felt uncomfortable in many respects while there, and the bustle and restraint of a town was any thing but agreeable to me. We proceeded over a road generally good, a low dry prairie, mostly heavily timbered, the soil underlaid with horizontal strata of limestone, abounding in organic remains, shells, coralines, &c., and arrived in the evening at Florisant, where we spent the night. The next day Captain Wyeth lefl us for St. Louis, and my companion and myself pro- ceeded on our route. We observed great numbers of the brown, or sandhill crane, (Grus canadensis,) flying over us ; some flocks were so high as to be entirely beyond the reach of vision, while their harsh, grating voices were very distinctly heard. We saw several flocks of the same cranes while ascending the Mississippi, several days since. At about noon, we crossed the river on a boat worked by horses, and stopped at a little town called St. Charles. We find it necessary, both for our comfort and convenience, to travel very slowly, as our feet are already becoming tender, and that wc may have an opportunity of observing the country, and collecting interesting specimens. Unfortunately for the inirsuits of my companion, tho plants (of which he finds a ACROSS THE ROCKY MOUNTAIXS, ETC. 13 number that arc rare and curious) arc not yet in flower, and therefore of little use to him. The birds are in considerable numbers, among the principal of which is the large pileated woodpecker, (Picus pileatus.) Mr. N. and myself are both in high spirits. We travel slowly, and without much fatigue, and when we arrive at a house, stop and rest, take a drink of milk, and chat with those we see. We have been uniformly well treated ; the living is good, and very cheap, and at any house at which we stop the inhabitants are sure to welcome us to their hospitality and good cheer. They live comfortably, and without much labor ; possess a fruitful and easily tilled soil, for which they pay the trifling sum of one dollar and a quarter per acre ; they raise an abundance of good In- dian corn, potatoes, and other vegetables ; have excellent beef and pork, and, in short, every thing necessary for good, whole- some living. 31s<. — The road to-day was muddy and slippery, rendered so by a heavy rain which fell last night. This morning, we observed large flocks of wild pigeons passing over, and on the bare prairies were thousands of golden plovers ; the ground was often literally covered with them for acres. I killed a considerable number. They were very fat, and we made an excellent meal of them in the evening. The prairie hen, or pinnated grouse, is also very numerous, but in these situations is shy, and difficult to be procured. Towards evening we were overtaken by a bluff, jolly looking man, on horseback, who, as is usual, stopped, and entered into conversation with us. I saw immediately that he was superior to those we had been accustomed to meet. He did not ply us with questions so eagerly as most, and when he heard that we were naturalists, and were travelling in that capacity, he seemed to take considerable interest in us. He invited us to stop at his house, which was only a mile beyond, and as night was almost 14 NARRATIVE OF A JOrRXEY upon us, we accepted the invitation with cheerfulness. Upon arriving at his mansion, our good host threw wide his hospitable doors, and then with a formal, and rather ultra-dignified polite- ness, making us a low bow, said, " Gentlemen, my name is P., and I am very happy of your company." We seated ourselves in a large, and well-furnished, parlor. Mr. P. excused himself for a few minutes, and soon returned, bringing in three fine looking girls, whom he introduced as his daughters. I took a particular fancy to one of them, from a strong resemblance which she bore to one of my female friends at home. These girls were certainly very superior to most that I had seen in Missouri, although somewhat touched with the awkward bash- fulness and prudery which generally characterizes the prairie maidens. They had lost their mother when young, and having no companions out of the domestic circle, and consequently no opportunity of aping the manners of the world, were perfect chil- dren of nature. Their father, however, had given them a good, plain education, and they had made some proficiency in needle work, as was evinced by numerous neatly worked samplers hanging in wooden frames around the room. Anon, supper was brought in. It consisted of pork chops, ham, eggs, Indian bread and butter, tea, coffee, milk, potatoes, preserved ginger, and though last, certainly not least in value, an enormous tin dish of plovers, (the contents of my game-bag,) fricaseed. Here was certainly a most abundant repast, and we did ample justice to it. I endeavored to do the agreeable to the fair ones in the eve- ning, and Mr. N. was monopolized by the father, who took a great interest in plants, and was evidently much gratified by the information my companion gave him on the subject. The next morning when we rose, it was raining, and much had evidently fallen during the night, making the roads wet and muddy, and therefore uni)leasant for pedestrians. I confess I ACROSS THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC. 15 I was not sorry for this, for I felt myself very comfortably situated, and had no wish to take to the road. Mr. P. urged the propriety of our stopping at least another day, and the motion being seconded by his fair daughter, (my favorite,) it was irresistible. On the following morning the sun was shining brightly, the air was fresh and elastic, and the roads tolerably dry, so that there was no longer any excuse for tarrying, and we pi'epared for our departure. Our good host, grasping our hands, said that he had been much pleased with our visit, and hoped to see us again, and when I bid good bye to the pretty Miss P., I told her that if I ever visited Missouri again, I would go many miles out of my way to see her and her sisters. Her reply was unsophisticated enough. " Do come again, and come in May or June, for then there are plenty of prairie hens, and you can shoot as many as you want, and you must stay a long while with us, and we'll have nice times; good bye; I'm so sorry you're going." April Ath. — I rose this morning at daybreak, and left Mr. N. dreaming of weeds, in a little house at which we stopped last night, and in company with a long, lanky boy, (a son of the poor widow, our hostess,) set to moulding bullets in an old iron spoon, and preparing for deer hunting. The boy shouldered a rusty rifle, that looked almost antediluvian, and off" we plodded to a thicket, two miles from the house. We soon saw about a dozen fine deer, and the boy, clapping his old fire-lock to his shoulder, brought down a beautiful doe at the distance of a full hundred yards. Away sprang the rest of the herd, and I crept round the thicket to meet them. They soon came up, and I fired my piece at a large buck, and wounded the poor creature in the leg ; he went limping away, unable to overtake his com- panions; I felt very sorry, but consoled myself with the reflection that he would soon get well again. 16 NAKKATIVE OF A JOURNEY We then gave up the pursuit, and turned our attention to the turkies, wliicli were rather numerous in the thicket. They were shy, as usual, and, when started from their lurking places, ran away like deer, and hid themselves in the underwood. Occasionally, however, they would perch on the high limbs of the trees, and then we had some shots at them. In the course of an hour we killed four, and returned to the house, where, as I expected, Mr. N. was in a fever at my absence, and after a late, and very good breakfast, proceeded on our journey. We find in this part of the country less timber in the same space than we have yet seen, and when a small belt appears, it is a great relief, as the monotony of a bare prairie becomes tiresome. Towards evening we arrived at Loutre Lick. Here there is a place called a Hotel. A Hotel, forsooth ! a pig-stye would be a more appropriate name. Every thing about it was most exceedingly filthy and disagreeable, but no better lodging was to be had, for it might not be proper to apply for accommodation at a private house in the immediate vicinity of a public one. They gave us a wretched supper, not half so good as we had been accustomed to, and we were fain to spend the evening in a comfortless, unfurnished, nasty bar-room, that smelt intolerably of rum and whiskey, to listen to the profane conversation of three or four uncouth individuals, (among whom were the host and his brother,) and to hear long and disagreeably minute discussions upon horse-racing, gambling, and other vices equally unpleasant to us. The host's brother had been to the Rocky Mountains, and soon learning our destination, gave us much unsought for advice re- garding our method of journeying ; painted in strong colors the many dangers and difficulties which we must encounter, and concluded by advising us to give up the expedition. My fast ebbing patience was completely exhausted. I told him that ACROSS THE KOCKV MOUNTAINS, ETC. 17 nothing that he could say would discourage us, — that we went to that house in order to seek repose, and it was unfair to intrude conversation upon us unasked. The ruffian made some grum- bling reply, and left us in quiet and undisturbed possession of our bench. We had a miserable time that night. The only spare bed in the house was so intolerably filthy that we dared not undress, and we had hardly closed our eyes before we were assailed by swarms of a vile insect, (the very name of which is offensive,) whose effluvia we had plainly perceived immediately as we entered the room. It is almost needless to say, that very early on the following morning, after paying our reckoning, and refusing the landlord's polite invitation to " liquorize,^^ we marched from the house, shook the dust from our feet, and went elsewhere to seek a breakfast. Soon after leaving, we came to a deep and wide creek, and strained our lungs for half an hour in vain endeavors to waken a negro boy who lived in a hut on the opposite bank, and who, we were told, would ferry us over. He came out of his den at last, half naked and rubbing his eyes to see who had disturbed his slumbers so early in the marning. We told him to hurry over, or we'd endeavor to assist him, and he came at last, with a miserable leaky little skiff that wet our feet completely. We gave him a pickayune for his trouble, and went on. We soon came to a neat little secluded cottage in the very heart of a thick forest, where we found a fine looking young man, with an interesting wife, and a very pretty child about six months old. Upon being told that we wanted some breakfast, the woman tucked up her sleeves, gave the child to her hus- band, and went to work in good earnest. In a very short time a capital meal was smoking on the board, and while we were partaking of the good cheer, we found our vexation rapidly evaporating. We complimented the handsome young hostess, 18 NARRATIVE OF A JOURNEY putted the cliubby cheeks of the child, and were in a good humor with every body. 6th. — Soon after we started this morning, we were overtaken by a stage wliich was going to Fulton, seven miles distant, and as the roads were somewhat heavy, we concluded to make use of this convenience. The only passengers were three vouno- men from the far west, who had been to the eastward purchasing goods, and were then travelling homeward. Two of them evidently possessed a large share of what is called mother wit, and so we had jokes without number. Some of them were not very refined, and perhaps did not suit the day very well, (it being the Sabbath,) yet none of them were really offensive, but seemed to proceed entirely from an exuberance of animal spirits. In about an hour and a half we arrived at Fulton, a pretty little town, and saw the villagers in their holiday clothes parading along to church. The bell at that moment sounded, and the peal gave rise to many reflections. It might be Ions ere I should hear the sound of the " church-2;oino; bell" again. I was on my way to a far, far country, and I did not know that I should ever be permitted to re-visit my own. I felt that I was leaving the scenes of my childhood ; the spot which had v/itnessed all the happiness I ever knew, the home where all my affections were centered. I was entering a land of strangers, and would be compelled hereafter to mingle with those who might look upon me with indifference, or treat me with neglect. These reflections were soon checked, however. We took a light lunch at the tavern where we stopped. I shouldered my gun, Mr. N. his stick and bundle, and off we trudged again, westward, ho ! We soon lost sight of the prairie entirely, and our way lay through a country thickly covered with heavy timber, the roads very rough and stony, and we had frequently to ford ACROSS THE KOCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC. 19 the creeks on our route, the late freshets having carried away the briclfres. Our accommodation at the farm houses has generally been good and comfortable, and the inhabitants obliging, and anxious to please. They are, however, exceedingly inquisitive, pro- pounding question after question, in such quick succession as scarcely to allow you breathing time between them. This kind of catechising was at first very annoying to us, but we have now become accustomed to it, and have hit upon an expedient to avoid it in a measure. The first question generally asked, is, "where do you come from, gentlemen?" We frame our answer somewhat in the style of Dr. Franklin. " We come from Penn- sylvania; our names, Nuttall and Townsend ; we are travelling to Independence on foot, for the purpose of seeing the country to advantage, and we intend to proceed from thence across the mountains to the Pacific. Have you any mules to sell 1" The last clause generally changes the conversation, and saves us trouble. To a stranger, and one not accustomed to the manners of the western people, this kind of interrogating seems to imply a lack of modesty and common decency, but it is cer- tainly not so intended, each one appearing to* think himself enti- tled to gain as much intelligence regarding the private aifairs of a stranger, as a very free use of his lingual organ can pro- cure for him. We found the common gray squirrel very abundant in some places, particularly in the low bottoms along water courses; in some situations we saw them skipping on al- most every tree. On last Christmas day, at a squirrel hunt in this neighborhood, about thirty persons killed the astonish- ing number of twelve hundred, between the rising and setting of the sun. This may seem like useless barbarity, but it is justified by the consideration Ihat all the crops of corn in the country arc fre- 20 :^ARnATivE of a journey quently destroyed by these animals. This extensive extermina- tion is carried on every year, and yet it is said that their numbers do not appear to be much diminished. About mid-day, on the 7th, we passed through a small town called Columbia, and stopped in the evening at Rocheport, a little village on the Missouri river. We were anxious to find a steam- boat bound for Independence, as we feared we might linger too long uj)on the road to make the necessary preparations for our contemplated journey. On the following day, we crossed the Missouri, opposite Roche- port, in a small skiif. The road here, for several miles, winds along the bank of the river, amid fine groves of sycamore and Athenian poplars, then stretches off for about three miles, and does not again approach it until you arrive at Boonville. It is by far the most hilly road that we have seen, and I was frequently re- minded, while travelling on it, of our Chester county. We entered the town of Boonville early in the afternoon, and took lodgings in a very clean, and respectably kept hotel. I was much pleased with Boonville. It is the prettiest town I have seen in Missouri; situated on the bank of the river, on an elevated and beautiful spot, and overlooks a large extent of lovely country. The town contains two good hotels, (but no grog shops, properly so called,) several well-furnished stores, and five hundred inhabitants. It was laid out thirty years ago by the celebrated western pioneer, whose name it bears. We saw here vast numbers of the beautiful parrot of this country, (the Psittacus carolinensis.) They flew around us in flocks, keeping a constant and loud screaming, as though they would chide us for invading their territory ; and the splendid green and red of their plumage glancing in the sunshine, as they whirled and circled within a few feet of us, had a most magnificent ap- pearance. They seem entirely unsuspicious of danger, and after being fired at, only huddle closer together, as if to obtain protec- ACROSS THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC. 21 tion from each other, and as their companions are falling around them, they curve down their necks, and look at them fluttering upon the ground, as though perfectly at a loss to account for so unusual an occurrence. It is a most inglorious sort of shooting ; down right, cold-blooded murder. On the afternoon of the 9th, a steamboat arrived, on board of which we were surprised and pleased to find Captain Wyeth, and our ^^ plunder.'''' We embarked immediately, and soon after, were puffing along the Missouri, at the rate of seven miles an hour. When we stopped in the afternoon to " wood," we were gratified by a sight of one of the enormous catfish of this river and the Mississippi, weighing full sixty pounds. It is said, however, that they are sometimes caught of at least double this weight. They are excellent eating, coarser, but quite as good as the common small catfish of our rivers. There is nothing in the scenery of the river banks to interest the traveller particularly. The country is generally level and sandy, re- lieved only by an occasional hill, and some small rocky accli- vities. A shocking accident happened on board during this trip. A fine looking black boy (a slave of one of the deck passengers) was standing on the platform near the fly-wheel. The steam had just been stopped off", and the wheel was moving slowly by the impetus it had acquired. The poor boy unwittingly thrust his head between the spokes^ a portion of the steam was at that moment let on, and his head and shoulders were torn to frag- ments. We buried him on shore the same day ; the poor wo- man, his mistress, weeping and lamenting over him as for her own child. She told me she had brought him up from an infant ; he had been as an affectionate son to her, and for years her only support. March 20th. — On the morning of the 14th, we arrived at Independence landing, and shortly afterwards, Mr. N. and 22 NARRATIVE OF A JOURNEY myself walked to the town, three miles distant. The country here is very hilly and. rocky, thickly covered with timber, and no prairie within several miles. The site of the town is beautiful, an* very well selected, standing on a high point of land, and overlooking the surround- ing country, but the town itself is very indifferent ; the houses, (about fifty,) are very much scattered, composed of logs and clay, and are low and inconvenient. There are six or eight stores here, two taverns, and a few tipling houses. As we did not fancy the town, nor the society that we saw there, we concluded to take up our residence at the house on the landing until the time of starting on our journey. We were very much disap- pointed in not being able to purchase any mules here, all the saleable ones having been bought by the Santa Fee traders, several weeks since. Horses, also, are rather scarce, and are sold at higher prices than we had been taught to expect, the demand for them at this time being greater than usual. Mr. N. and myself have, however, been so fortunate as to find five excellent animals amongst the hundreds of wretched ones offered for sale, and have also engaged a man to attend to packing our loads, and perform the various duties of our camp. The men of the party, to the number of about fifty, are en- camped on tlie bank of the river, and their tents whiten the plain for the distance of half a mile. I have often enjoyed the view on a fine moonlight evening from the door of the house, or perched upon a high hill immediately over the spot. The beau- tiful white tents, with alight gleaming from each, the smoulder- ing fires around them, the incessant hum of the men, and occasionally the lively notes of a bacchanalian song, softened and rendered sweeter by distance. I probably contemplate these and similar scenes with the more interest, as they exhibit the manner in which the next five months of my life are to be spent. ACROSS TIIK ROCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC. 23 We have amongst our men, a great variety of dispositions- Some who have not been accustomed to the kind of life they are to lead in future, look forvv^ard to it with eager delight, and talk of stirring incidents and hair-breadth 'scapes. Others who are more experienced seem to be as easy and unconcerned about it as a citizen would be in contemplating a drive of a few miles into the country. Some have evidently been reared in the shade, and not accustomed to hardships, but the majority are strong, able-bodied men, and many are almost as rough as the grizzly bears, of their feats upon which they are fond of boasting. During the day the captain keeps all his men employed in arranging and packing a vast variety of goods for carriage. In addition to the necesssary clothing for the company, arms, am- munition, &,c., there are thousands of trinkets of various kinds, beads, paint, bells, rings, and such trumpery, intended as pre- sents for the Indians, as well as objects of trade with them. The bales are usually made to weigh about eighty pounds, of which a horse carries two. I am very much pleased with the manner in which Captain W. manages his men. He appears admirably calculated to gain the good will, and ensure the obedience of such a company, and adopts the only possible mode of accomplishing his end. They are men who have been accustomed to act independently ; they possess a strong and indomitable spirit which will never succumb to authority, and will only be conciliated by kindness and fami- liarity. I confess I admire this spirit. It is noble ; it is free and characteristic, but for myself, I have not been accustomed to seeing it exercised, and when a rough fellow comes up without warning, and slaps me on the shoulder, with, " stranger what for a gun is that you carry ?" I start, and am on the point of making an angry reply, but I remember where I am, check the feeling instantly, and submit the weapon to his inspection. Captain W. 24 Is'ARRATIVE OF A JOUKNEV may frequently be seen sitting on the ground, surrounded by a knot of his independents, consulting them as to his present ar- rangements and future movements, and paying the utmost defer- ence to the opinion of the least among them. We were joined here by Mr. Milton Sublette, a trader and trapper of some ten or twelve years' standing. It is his intention to travel with us to the mountains, and we are very glad of his com- pany, both on account of his intimate acquaintance with the country, and the accession to our band of about twenty trained hunters, " true as the steel of their tried blades," who have more than once followed their brave and sagacious leader over the very track which we intend to pursue. He appears to be a man of strong sense and courteous manners, and his men are enthu- siastically attached to him. Five missionaries, who intend to travel under our escort, have also just arrived. The principal of these is a Mr. Jason Lee, (a tall and powerful man, who looks as though he were well cal- culated to buffet difficulties in a wild country,) his nephew, Mr. Daniel Lee, and three younger men of respectable standing in society, who have arrayed themselves under the missionary banner, chiefly for the gratification of seeing a new country, and participating in strange adventures. My favorites, the birds, are very numerous in this vicinity, and I am therefore in my element. Parroquets are plentiful in the bottom lands, the two species of squirrel are abundant, and rabbits, turkies, and deer are often killed by our people. I was truly rejoiced to receive yesterday a letter from my family. I went to the office immediately on my arrival here, con- fidently expecting to find one lying there for me ; I was told there was none, and I could not believe it, or would not ; I took all the letters in my hand, and examined each of them myself, and I suppose that during the process my expressions of disappoint- ment were " loud and deep," as I observed the eyes of a number ACROSS THE KOCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC. 25 of persons in the store directed towards me with manifest curiosity and surprise. The obtuse creatures could not appreciate my feelings. I was most anxious to receive intelligence from home, as some of the members of the family were indisposed when I left, and in a few days more I should be traversing the uncultivated prairie and the dark forest, and perhaps never hear from my home again. The letter came at last, however, and was an inexpressible consolation to me. The little town of Independence has within a few weeks been the scene of a brawl, which at one time threatened to be attended with serious consequences, but which was happily settled without bloodshed. It had been for a considerable time the stronghold of a sect of fanatics, called Mormons, or Mormonites, who, as their numbers increased, and they obtained power, showed an inclination to lord it over the less assuming inhabitants of the town. This was a source of irritation which they determined to rid them- selves of in a summary manner, and accordingly the whole town rose, en masse, and the poor followers of the prophet were forcibly ejected from the community. They took refuge in the little town of Liberty, on the opposite side of the river, and the villagers here are now in a constant state of feverish alarm. Reports have been circulated that the Mormons are preparing to attack the town, and put the inhabitants to the sword, and they have therefore stationed sentries along the river for several miles, to prevent the landing of the enemy. The troops parade and study military tactics every day, and seem determined to repel, with spirit, the threatened invasion. The probability is, that the re- port respecting the attack, is, as John Bull says, " all humbug," and this training and marching has already been a source of no little annoyance to us, as the miserable little skeleton of a saddler who is engaged to work for our party, has neglected his busi- ness, and must go a soldiering in stead. A day or two ago, I tried to convince the little man that he was of no use to the army, 4 26 NARRATIVE OF A JOURNEY ibr if a Monnoii were to say pooh at him, it would blow him away beyond the reach of danger or of glory ; but he thought not, and no doubt concluded that he was a "marvellous pro- per man," so we were put to great inconvenience waiting for our saddles. ACROSS THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC. 27 CHAPTER 11. Departure of the caravan — A storm on the prairie — Arrangement of the camp — The cook''s desertion — Kanzas Indians — Kanzas river — Indian lodges — Passage of the river — Buffalo canoes — Kanzas chief — Costume of the In- dians— Upper Kaw village — their wigwams — Catfish and ravens — Iteturn of JUr. Sublette — Pawnee trace — Desertion of three men — Difficulties occa- sioned by losing the trail — Intelligence of J\ir. Sublette's party — Escape of the band of horses — Visit of three Otto Indians —Anecdote of Richardson, the chief hunter — his appearance and character — Tf'hite wolves and antelopes — Buffalo bones — Sublette^s deserted cainp — Lurking wolves. On the 28th of April, at 10 'o'clock in the morning, our caravan, consisting of seventy men, and two hundred and fifty horses, began its march ; Captain Wyeth and Milton Sublette took the lead, Mr. N. and myself rode beside them ; then the men in double file, each leading, with a line, two horses heavily laden, and Captain Thing (Captain W.'s assistant) brought up the rear. The band of missionaries, with their horned cattle, rode along the flanks. I frequently sallied out from my station to look at and admire the appearance of the cavalcade, and as we rode out from the encampment, our horses prancing, and neighing, and pawing the ground, it was altogether so exciting that I could scarcely contain myself. Every man in the company seemed to feel a portion of the same kind of enthusiasm ; uproarious bursts of merriment, and gay and lively songs, were constantly echoing along the line. We were certainly a most merry and happy company. What cared we for the future 1 We had reason to expect that ere long difficulties and dangers, in various shapes, 28 NARRATIVE OF A JOURNEY would assail us, but no anticipation of reverses could check the happy exuberance of our spirits. Our road lay over a vast rolling prairie, with occasional small spots of timber at the distance of several miles apart, and this will no doubt be the complexion of the track for some weeks. In the afternoon we crossed the Big Blue river at a shallow ford. Here we saw a number of beautiful yellow-headed troopials, (Icterus zaiithrocephalus,) feeding upon the prairie in company with large flocks of black birds, and like these, they oflen alight upon the backs of our horses. 29th. — A heavy rain fell all the morning, which had the effect of calming our transports in a great measure, and in the afternoon it was succeeded by a tremendous hail storm. During the rain, our party left the road, and proceeded about a hundred yards from it to a range of bushes, near a stream of water, for the purpose of encamping. We had just arrived here, and had not yet dismounted, when the hail storm com- menced. It came on very suddenly, and the stones, as large as musket balls, dashing upon our horses, created such a panic among them, that they plunged, and kicked, and many of them threw their loads, and fled wildly over the plain. They were all overtaken, however, and as the storm was not of long duration, they were soon appeased, and staked for the night. To stake or fasten a horse for the night, he is provided with a strong leathern halter, with an iron ring attached to the chin strap. To this ring, a rope of hemp or plaited leather, twenty- two feet in length, is attached, and the opposite end of the line made fast with several clove hitches around an oak or hickofy pin, two and a half feet long. The top of this pin or stake is ringed with iron to prevent its being bruised, and it is then driven to the head in the ground. For greater security, hopples made of stout leather are buckled around the fore legs ; and then, ACROSS THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC. 29 if tlie tackling is good, it is almost impossible for a horse to escape. Care is always taken to stake him in a spot where he may eat grass all night. The animals are placed sufficiently far apart to prevent them interfering with each other. Camping out to-night is not so agreeable as it might be, in consequence of the ground being very wet and muddy, and our blankets (our only bedding) thoroughly soaked ; but we expect to encounter greater difficulties than these ere long, and we do not murmur. A description of the formation of our camp may, perhaps, not be amiss here. The party is divided into messes of eigh|. men, and each mess is allowed a separate tent. The captain of a mess, (who is generally an " old hand," i. e. an experienced forester, hunter, or trapper,) receives each morning the rations of pork, flour, «Sz;c. for his people, and they choose one of their body as cook for the whole. Our camp now consists of nine messes, of which Captain W.'s forms one, although it only contains four persons besides the cook. When we arrive in the evening at a suitable spot for an en- campment. Captain W. rides round a space which he considers large enough to accommodate it, and directs where each mess shall pitch its tent. The men immediately unload their horses, and place their bales of goods in the direction indicated, and in such manner, as in case of need, to form a sort of fortification and defence. When all the messes are arranged in this way, the camp forms a hollow square, in the centre of which the horses are placed and staked firmly to the ground. The guard consists of from six to eight men, and is relieved three times each night, and so arranged that each gang may serve alternate nights. The captain of a guard (who is generally also the captain of a mess) collects his people at the appointed hour, and posts them around outside the camp in such situations that they may com- 30 NARRATIVE OF A JOURNEY mand a view of the environs, and be ready to give the alarm m case of danger. The captain cries the hour regularly by a watch, and alVs well, every fifteen minutes, and each man of the_ guard is re- quired to repeat this call in rotation, which if any one should fail to do, it is fair to conclude that he is asleep, and he is then immediately visited and stirred up. In case of defection of this kind, our laws adjudge to the delinquent the hard sentence of walking three days. As yet none of our poor fellows have incurred this penalty, and the probability is, that it would not at this time be enforced, as we are yet in a country where little molestation is to be apprehended ; but in the course of another week's travel, when thieving and ill-designing Indians will be outlying on our trail, it will be necessary that the strictest watch be kept, and, for the preservation of our persons and pro- perty, that our laws shall be rigidly enforced. 31(11/ 1st. — On rising this morning, and inquiring about our prospects of a breakfast, we discovered that the cook of our mess (a little, low-browed, ill-conditioned Yankee) had decamped in the night, and left our service to seek for a better. He probably thought the duties too hard for him, but as he was a miserable cook, we should not have much regretted his departure, had he not thought proper to take with him an excellent rifle, powder-horn, shot-pouch, and other matters that did not belong to him. It is only surprising that he did not select one of our best horses to carry him ; but as he had the grace to take his departure on foot, and we have enough men without liim, wc can wish him God speed, and a fair run to the settlements. We encamped this evening on a small branch of the Kanzas river. As wc approached our stopping place, we were joined by a band of Kanzas Indians, (commonly called Kaic Indians.) They are encamped in a neighboring copse, where they have ACROSS THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC. 31 six lodges. This party is a small division of a portion of this tribe, who are constantly wandering; but although their journeys are sometimes pretty extensive, they seldom approach nearer to the settlements than they arc at present. They are very friendly, are not so tawdrily decorated as those we saw below, and use little or no paint. This may, however, be accounted for by their not having the customary ornaments, &c., as their ears are filled with trinkets of various kinds, and are horribly gashed in the usual manner. The dress of most that we have seen, has consisted of ordinary woollen pantaloons received from the whites, and their only covering, from the waist up, is a blanket or buffalo robe. The head is shaved somewhat in the manner of the Saques and Foxes, leaving the well known scalping tufl; but unlike the Indians just mentioned, the hair is allowed to grow upon the middle of the head, and extends backwards in a longi- tudinal ridge to the occiput. It is here gathered into a kind of queue, plaited, and suffered to hang down the back. There were amongst them several squaws, with young children tied to their backs, and a number of larger urchins ran about our camp wholly naked. The whole of the following day we remained in camp, trading buffalo robes, apishemeaus, &c., of the Indians. These people became at length somewhat troublesome to us who were not traders, by a very free exercise of their begging propensities. They appear to be exceedingly poor and needy, and take the liberty of asking unhesitatingly, and without apparent fear of refusal, for any articles that happen to take their fancy. I have observed, that among the Indians now with us, none but the chief uses the pipe. He smokes the article called kanikanik, — a mixture of tobacco and the dried leaves of the poke plant, {Phytolacca decandra.) I was amused last evening by the old chief asking me in his impressive manner, (first by pointing with his finger towards the sunset, and then raising his 32 NARRATIVE OI" A JOURNEY hands high over his head,) if 1 was going to the mountains. On answering him in the affirmative, he depressed his hands, and passed them around his head in both directions, then turned quickly away from me, with a very solemn and significant ugh! He meant, doubtless, that my brain was turned ; in plain lan- guage, that I was a fool. This may be attributed to his horror of the Blackfcet Indians, with whom a portion of his tribe was formerly at war. The poor Kaws are said to have suffered dreadfully in these savage conflicts, and were finally forced to abandon the country to their hereditary foes. We were on the move early the next morning, and at noon arrived at the Kanzas river, a branch of the Missouri. This is a broad and not very deep stream, with the water dark and turbid, like that of the former. As we approached it, we saw a number of Indian lodges, made of saplings driven into the ground, bent over and tied at top, and covered with bark and bufililo skms. These lodges, or wigwams, are numerous on both sides of the river. As we passed them, the inhabitants, men, women, and children, flocked out to see us, and almost prevented our pro- gress by their eager greetings. Our party stopped on the bank of the river, and the horses were unloaded and driven into the water. They swam beautifully, and with great regularity, and arrived safely on the opposite shore, where they were confined in a large lot, enclosed with a fence. After some difficulty, and considerable detention, we succeeded in procuring a large flat bottomed boat, embarked ourselves and goods in it, and landed on the opposite side near our horse pen, where we encamped. The lodges are numerous here, and there are also some good frame houses inhabited by a few white men and women, who subsist cliiefly by raising cattle, which they drive to the settle- ments below. They, as well as the Indians, raise an abundance of good corn ; potatoes and other vegetables are also plentiful, and they can therefore live sufficiently well. ACROSS THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC. 33 The canoes used by the Indians are mostly made of buflalo skins, stretched, while recent, over a light frame work of wood, the seams sewed with sinews, and so closely, as to be wholly impervious to water. These light vessels are remarkably buoyant, and capable of sustaining very heavy burthens. In the evening the principal Kanzas chief paid us a visit in our tent. He is a young man about twenty-five years of age, straight as a poplar, and with a noble countenance and bearing, but he appeared to me to be marvellously deficient in most of the requisites which go to make the character of a real Indian chief, at least of such Indian chiefs as we read of in our popular books. I begin to suspect, in truth, that these lofty and dignified attributes are more apt to exist in the fertile brain of the novelist, than in reality. Be this as it may, our chief is a very lively, laughing, and rather playful personage ; perhaps he may put on his dignity, like a glove, when it suits his convenience. We remained in camp the whole of next day, and traded with tlic Indians for 'a considerable number of robes, apishemeaus, and halter ropes of hide. Our fat bacon and tobacco were in sreat demand for these useful commodities. The Kaws living here appear to be much more wealthy than those who joined our camp on the prairie below. They are in better condition, more richly dressed, cleaner, and more com- fortable than their wandering brothers. The men have gene- rally fine countenances, but all the women that I have seen are homely. I cannot admire them. Their dress consists, univer- sally of deer skin leggings, belted around the loins, and over the upper part of the body a buffalo robe or blanket. On the 20th in the morning, we packed our horses and rode out of the Kaw settlement, leaving the river immediately, and making a N. W. by W. course — and the next day came to an- other village of the same tribe, consisting of about thirty lodges, and situated in the midst of a beautiful level prairie. 5 34 NARHATIVE OF A JOUnNEY The Indians stopped our caravan almost by force, and evinced so much anxiety to trade with us, that we could not well avoid gratifying them. We remained with them about two hours, and bought corn, moccasins and leggings in abundance. The lodges here are constructed very differently from those of the lower village. They are made of large and strong timbers, a ridge pole runs along the top, and the different pieces are fast- ened together by leathern thongs. The roofs, — which are sin- gle, making but one angle, — are of stout poplar bark, and form an excellent defence, both against rain and the rays of the sun, which must be intense during midsummer in this region. These prairies are often visited by heavy gales of wind, which would probably demolish the huts, were they built of frail materials like those below. We encamped in the evening on a small stream called Little Vermillion creek, where we found an abundance of excellent catfish, exactly similar to those of the Schuylkill river. Our people caught them in great numbers. Here we first saw the large ravens, (Corvus corax.) They hopped about the ground all around our camp ; and as we left it, they came in' pell-mell, croaking, fighting, and scrambling for the few frag- ments that remained. Sth. — This morning Mr. Sublette lefl us to return to the set- tlements. He has been suffering for a considerable time with a fungus in one of his legs, and it has become so much worse since we started, in consequence of irritation caused by riding, that he finds it impossible to proceed. His departure has thrown a gloom over the v/hole camp. We all admired him for his amia- ble qualities, and his kind and obliging disposition. For myself, I had become so much attached to him, that I feel quite melan- choly about his leaving us.* *1 have since learned that his liml) was twice amputated; but notwitlistanding this, the disease lingered in the system, andal)outa year ago, terminated his life. ACROSS THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC. 35 The weather is now very warm, and there has been a dead cahn all day, which renders travelling most uncomfortable. We have frequently been favored with fresh breezes, which make it very agreeable, but the moment these fail us we are almost suffocated with intense heat. Our rate of travelling is about twenty miles per day, which, in this warm weather, and with heavily packed horses, is as much as we can accomplish with comfort to ourselves and animals. On the afternoon of the next day, we crossed a broad Indian trail, bearing northerly, supposed to be about five days old, and to have been made by a war party of Pawnees. We are now in the country traversed by these Indians, and are daily expecting to see them, but Captain W. seems very desirous to avoid them, on account of their well known thieving propensities, and quar- relsome disposition. These Indians go every year to the plains of the Platte, where they spend some weeks in hunting the buffalo, jerking their meat, and preparing their skins for robes ; they then push on to the Black Hills, and look out for the parties of Blackfeet, which are also bound to the Platte river plains When the opposing parties come in collision, (which frequently happens,) the most cruel and sanguinary conflicts ensue. In the evening, three of our men deserted. Like our quondam cook, they all took rifles, &c., that did not belong to them, and one of these happened to be a favorite piece of Captain W.'s, which had done him good service in his journey across this country two years ago. He was very much attached to the gun, and in despite of his calm and cool philosophy in all vexatious matters, he cannot altogether conceal his chagrin. The little streams of this part of the country are fringed with a thick growth of pretty trees and bushes, and the buds are now swelling, and the leaves expanding, to " welcome back the spring." The birds, too, sing joyously amongst them, grosbeaks, thrushes, and buntings, a merry and musical band. I am par- 36 NARRATIVE OF A JOURNEY ticularly fond of sallying out early in the morning, and strolling around the camp. The light breeze just bends the tall tops of the grass on the boundless prairie, the birds are commencing their matin carollings, and all nature looks fresh and beautiful. The horses of the camp are lying comfortably on their sides, and seem, by the glances which they give me in passing, to know that their hour of toil is approaching, and the patient kine are ruminating in happy unconsciousness. 11th. — We encountered some rather serious difficulties to-day in fording several wide and deep creeks, having muddy and miry bottoms. Many of our horses, (and particularly those that were packed,) fell into the water, 'and it was with the greatest difficulty and labor that they were extricated. Some of the scenes presented were rather ludicrous to those who were not actors in them. The floundering, kicking, and falling of horses in the heavy slough, man and beast rolling over together, and squattering amongst the black mud, and the wo-begone looks of horse, rider, and horse-furniture, often excited a smile, even while we pitied their begrimed and miserable plight. All these troubles are owing to our having lost the trail yesterday, and we have been travelling to-day as nearly in the proper course as our compass indicated, and hope soon to find it. 12th. — Our scouts came in this morning with the intelligence that they had found a large trail of white men, bearing N. W. We have no doubt that this is Wm. Sublette's party, and that it passed us last evening. They must have travelled very rapidly to overtake us so soon, and no doubt had men ahead watching our motions. It seems rather unfriendly, perhaps, to run by us in this furtive way, without even stopping to say good morning, but Sublette is attached to a rival company, and all stratagems are deemed allowable when interest is concerned. Tt is a matter of some moment to be the first at the mountain rcn- ACROSS THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC. 37 dezvous, in order to obtain the furs brought every summer by the trappers. Last night, while I Avas serving on guard, I observed an unusual commotion among our band of horses, a wild neighing, snorting, and plunging, for which I was unable to account. I directed several of my men to go in and appease them,, and endeavor to ascertain the cause. They had scarcely started, liowever, when about half of the band broke their fastenings, snapped the hopples on their legs, and went dashing right through the midst of the camp. DoAvn went several of the tents, the rampart of goods was cleared in gallant style, and away went the frightened animals at full speed over the plain. The whole camp was instantly aroused. The horses that remained, were bridled as quickly as possible ; we mounted them without saddles, and set off in hard pursuit after the fugitives. The night was pitch dark, but we needed no light to point out the way, as the clattering of hoofs ahead on the hard ground of the prairie, sounded like thunder. After riding half an hour, we overtook about forty of them, and surrounding them with difficulty, succeeded in driving them back, and securing them as before. Twenty men were then immediately despatched to scour the country, and bring in the remainder. This party was headed by Mr. Lee, our missionary, (who, with his usual promptitude, volunteered his services,) and they returned early this morning, bringing nearly sixty more. We find, however, upon counting the horses in our possession, that there are yet three missing. While we were at breakfast,three Indians of the Otto tribe, came to our camp to see, and smoke with us. These were men of rather short stature, but strong and firmly built. Their coun- tenances resemble in general expression those of the Kanzas, and their dresses are very similar. We are all of opinion, that it is to these Indians we owe our difficulties of last night, and we have no doubt that the three missino; horses are now in their 38 NARRATIVE OF A JOURNEY — possession, but as we cannot prove it upon them, and cannot even converse with them, (having no interpreters,) we are com- pelled to submit to our loss in silence. Perhaps we should even be thankful that we have not lost more. While these people were smoking the pipe of peace with us, after breakfast, I observed that Richardson, our chief hunter, (an experienced man in this country, of a tall and iron frame, and almost child-like simplicity of character, in fact an exact coun- terpart of Hawk-eye in his younger days,) stood aloof, and re- fused to sit in the circle, in which it was always the custom of the old hands to join- Feeling some curiosity to ascertain the cause of this unusual diffidence, I occasionally allowed my eyes to wander to the spot where our sturdy hunter stood looking moodily upon us, as the calamet passed from hand to hand around the circle, and I thought I perceived him now and then cast a furtive glance at one of the Indians who sat opposite to me, and sometimes his countenance would assume an expression almost demoniacal, as though the most fierce and deadly passions were raging in his bosom. I felt certain that hereby hung a tale, and I watched for a corresponding expression, or at least a look of consciousness, in the face of my opposite neighbor, but expression there was none. His large features were settled in a tranquillity which no- thing could disturb, and as he puffed the smoke in huge volumes from his mouth, and the fragrant vapor wreathed and curled around his head, he seemed the embodied spirit of meekness and taciturnity. The camp moved soon after, and I lost no time in overhaul- ing Richardson, and asking an explanation of his singular con- duct. " Why," said he, " that Jnjen that sat opposite to you, is my bitterest enemy. I was once going down alone from the rendez- vous with letters for St. Louis, and when I arrived on the lower ACROSS THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC. 39 part of the Platte river, (just a short distance beyond us here,) I fell in with about a dozen Ottos. They wez'e known to be a friendly tribe, and I therefore felt no fear of them. I dismounted from my horse and sat with them upon the ground. It was in the depth of winter ; the ground was covered with snow, and the river was frozen solid. While I was thinking of nothino; but my dinner, which I was then about preparing, four or five of the cowards jumped on me, mastered my rifle, and held my arms fast, while they took from me my knife and tomahawk, my flint and steel, and all my ammunition. They then loosed me, and told me to be off. I begged them, for the love of God, to give me my rifle and a few loads of ammmunition, or I should starve before I could reach the settlements. No — I should have nothing, and if I did not start off immediately, they would throw me under the ice of the river. And," continued the excited hunter, — while he ground his teeth with bitter, and uncontrollable rage, — " that man that sat opposite to you was the chief of them. He recog- nised me, and knew very well the reason why I would not smoke with him. I tell you, sir, if ever I meet that man in any other situation than that in which I saw him this morning, I'll shoot him with as little hesitation as I would shoot a deer. Several years have passed since the perpetration of this outrage, but it is still as fresh in my memory as ever, and I again declare, that if ever an opportunity offers, I will kill that man." " But, Richard- son, did they take your horse also ?" " To be sure they did, and my blankets, and every thing I had, except my clothes." " But how did you subsist until you reached the settlements ? You had a long journey before you." " Why, set to trappin' prairie squir- rels with little nooses made out of the hairs of my head." I should remark that his hair was so long, that it fell in heavy masses on his shoulders. " But squirrels in winter, Richardson, I never heard of squirrels in winter." " Well but there was plenty of them, though ; little white ones, that lived among the 40 NARRATIVE OF A JOURNEY snow." " Well, really, this was an unpleasant sort of adventure enough, but let me suggest that you do very wrong to remember it with such blood-thirsty feelings." He shook his head with a dogged and determined air, and rode off as if anxious to escape a lecture. A little sketch of our hunter may perhaps not be uninterest- ing, as he will figure somewhat in the following pages, being one of the principal persons of the party, the chief hunter, and a man upon whose sagacity and knowledge of the country we all in a great measure depended. In heisht he is several inches over six feet, of a spare but re- markably strong and vigorous frame, and a countenance of almost infantile simplicity and openness. In disposition he is mild and affable, but when roused to indignation, his keen eyes glitter and flash, the muscles of his large mouth work convul- sively, and he looks the very impersonation of the spirit of evil. He is implacable in anger, and bitter in revenge ; never forgetting a kindness, but remembering an injury with equal tenacity. Such is the character of our hunter, and none who have known him as I have, will accuse me of delineating from fancy. His na- tive place is Connecticut, which he left about twelve years ago, and has ever since been engaged in roaming through the bound- less plains and rugged mountains of the west, often enduring the extremity of famine and fatigue, exposed to dangers and vicissi- tudes of every kind, all for the paltry, and often uncertain pit- tance of a Rocky Mountain hunter. He says he is now tired of this wandering and precarious life, and when he shall be enabled to save enough from his earnings to buy a farm in Connecticut, he intends to settle down a quiet tiller of the soil, and enjoy the sweets of domestic felicity. But this day will probably never arrive. Even should he succeed in realizing a little fortune, and the farm should be taken, the monotony and tameness of the scene will weary his free spirit ; he will often sigh for a habi- ACROSS THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC. 41 tation on the broad prairie, or a ramble over the dreary moun- tains where his lot has so long been cast. I5th. — We saw to-day several large white wolves, and two herds of antelopes. The latter is one of the most beautiful animals I ever saw. When full grown, it is nearly as large as a deer. The horns are rather short, with a single prong near the top, and anabiupt backward curve at the summit like a hook. The ears are very delicate, almost as thin as paper, and hooked at the tip like the horns. The legs are remarkably light and beautifully formed, and as it bounds over the plain, it seems scarcely to touch the ground, so exceedingly light and agile are its motions. This animal is the Antelope furcifer of zoologists, and inhabits the western prairies of North America exclusively. The ground here is strewn with great quantities of buffalo bones; the skulls of many of them in great perfection. I often thought of my friend Doctor M. and his golgotha, while we were kicking these fine specimens about the ground. We are now travelling along the banks of the Blue river, — a small fork of the Kanzas. The grass is very luxuriant and good, and we have excellent and beautiful camps every night. This morning a man was sent ahead to see W. Sublette's camp, and bear a message to him, who returned in the evening with the information that the company is only one day's journey beyond, and consists of about thirty-five men. We see his deserted camps every day, and, in some cases, the fires are not yet extinguished. It is sometimes amusing to see the wolves lurking like guilty things around these camps, seeking for the fragments that may be left ; as our party approaches, they sneak away with a mean, hang-dog air, which often coaxes a whistling bullet out of the rifle of the wayfarer. 6 42 NAKRATIVE OF A JOURIVEV CHAPTER III. Arrival at the Platte river — Wolves and antelopes — Saline efflorescences — Anxiety of the men to see buffalo — Visit of two spies from tlie Grand Paw- nees—Forced march — A herd of bvffiilo — Elk — Singular conduct of the liorses— Killing a hnffalo — Indian mode of proairing buffalo — Great herd — Intention of the men to desert— Adventure with an Indian in the tent — Cir- cumspection necessary — Indian feat with bow and arrow — J\~otice of the Pawnee tribes — Disappearance of the buffalo from the plains of the Platte — A hunting adventure — XiUing- a buffalo — Butchering of a bull — Shameful desti^ction of the game — Hunters^ mode of quenching thirst. On the 18th of May we arrived at the Platte river. It is from one and a half to two miles in width, very shoal ; large sand flats, and small, verdant islands appearing in every part. Wolves and antelopes were in great abundance here, and the latter were frequently killed by our men. We saw, also, the sandhill crane, great heron, (Ardea heroidas,) and the long- billed curlew, stalking about through the shallow water, and searching for their aquatic food. The prairie is here as level as a race course, not the slightest undulation appearing throughout the whole extent of vision, in a north and westerly direction ; but to the eastward of the river, and about eight miles from it, is seen a range of high bluffs or sand banks, stretching away to the south-east until they are lost in the far distance. The ground here is in many places encrusted with an impure salt, which by the taste appears to be a combination of the sul- phate and muriate of soda ; there are also a number of little pools, of only a few inches in depth, scattered over the plain, the water of v.hich is so bitter and pungent, that it seems to pene- ACROSS THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC. 43 trate into the tongue, and almost to produce decortication of the mouth. We are now within about three days' journey of the usual haunts of the buffalo, and our men (particularly the uninitiated) look forward to our arrival amongst them with considerable anxiety. They have listened to the garrulous hunter's details of " approaching,'''' and " running,'''' and " quartering,'''' until they fancy themselves the very actors in the scenes related, and are fretting and fuming with impatience to draw their maiden triggers upon the unoffending rangers of the plain. The next morning, we perceived two men on horseback, at a great distance; and upon looking at them with our telescope, discovered them to be Indians, and that they were approaching us. When they arrived within three or four hundred yards, they halted, and appeared to wish to communicate with us, but feared to approach too nearly. Captain W. rode out alone and joined them, while the party proceeded slowly on its way. In about fifteen minutes he returned with the information that they were of the tribe called Grand Pawnees. They told him that a war party of their people, consisting of fifteen hundred warriors, was encamped about thirty miles below; and the cap- tain inferred that these men had been sent to watch our motions, and ascertain our place of encampment ; he was therefore careful to impress upon them that we intended to go but a few miles further, and pitch our tents upon a little stream near the main river. When we were satisfied that the messengers were out of sight of us, on their return to their camp, our whole caravan was urged into a brisk trot, and we determined to steal a march upon our neighbors. The little stream was soon passed, and we went on, and on, without slackening our pace, until 12 o'clock at night. We then called a halt on the bank of the river, made a hasty meal, threw ourselves down in our blankets, without pitching the tents, and slept soundly for three hours. We were 44 NARRATIVE OF A JOURNEY then aroused, and off we went again, travelling steadily the whole day, making about thirty-five miles, and so got quite clear of the Grand Pawnees. The antelopes are very numerous here. There is not half an hour during the day in which they are not seen, and they fre- quently permit the party to approach very near them. This afternoon, two beautiful does came bounding after ns, bleating precisely like sheep. The men imitated the call, and they came up to within fifty yards of us, and stood still; two of the hunters fired, and both the poor creatures fell dead. We can now pro- cure as many of these animals as we wish, but their flesh is not equal to common venison, and is frequently rejected by our people. A number are, however, slaughtered every day, from mere wantonness and love of killing, the greenhorns gloryino- in the sport, like our striplings of the city, in their annual murder- ing of robins and sparrows. 20th. — This afternoon, we came in sight of a large ga7ig of the long-coveted buffalo. They were grazing on the opposite side of the Platte, quietly as domestic cattle, but as we neared them, the foremost winded us, and started back, and the whole herd followed in the wildest confusion, and were soon out of sio-ht. There must have been many thousands of them. Towards evening, a large band of elk came towards us at full gallop, and passed very near the party. The appearance of these animals produced a singular effect upon our horses, all of which became restive, and about half the loose ones broke away, and scoured over the plain in full chase after the elk. Captain W. and several of his men went immediately in pursuit of them, and returned late at night, bringing the greater number. Two have, however, been lost irrecoverably. Our observed latitude, yes- terday, was 40° 31', and our computed distance from the Mis- souri settlements, about 360 miles. ACROSS THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS^ ETC. 45 The day following, we saw several small herds of buffalo, on our side of the river. Two of our hunters started out after a huge bull that had separated himself from his companions, and gave him chase on t?eet horses. Away went the buffalo, and away went the men, hard as they could dash ; now the hunters gained upon him, and pressed him hard ; again the enormous creature had the advantage, plunging with all his might, his terrific horns oflen ploughing up the earth as he spurned it under him. Sometimes he would double, and rush so near the horses as almost to gore them with his horns, and in an instant would be off in a tangent, and throw his pursuers from the track. At length the poor animal came to bay, and made some unequivocal demonstrations of combat ; raising and tossing his head furiously, and tearing up the ground with his feet. At this moment a shot was fired. The victim trembled like an aspen, and fell to his knees, but recovering himself in an instant, started again as fast as before. Again the determined hunters dashed after him, but the poor bull was nearly exhausted, he proceeded but a short distance and stopped again. The hunters approached, rode slowly by him, and shot two balls through his body with the most perfect coolness and precision. During the race, — the whole of which occurred in full view of the party, — the men seemed wild with the excite- ment which it occasioned ; and when the animal fell, a shout rent the air, which startled the antelopes by dozens from the bluffs, and sent the wolves howling like demons from their lairs. This is the most common mode of killing the buffalo, and is practised very generally by the travelling hunters ; many are also destroyed by approaching them on foot, when, if the bushes are sufficiently dense, or the grass high enough to afford con- cealment, the hunter, — by keeping carefully to leeward of his game, — may sometimes approach so near as almost to touch 46 NARRATIVE OF A JOURNEY the animal. If on a plain, without grass or bushes, it is neces- sary to be very circumspect ; to approach so slowly as not to excite alarm, and, when observed by the animal, to imitate dexterously, the clumsy motions of a young bear, or assume the sneaking, prowling attitude of a wolf, in order to lull suspi- cion.* The Indians resort to another stratagem, which is, perhaps, even more successful. The skin of a calf is properly dressed, with the head and legs left attached to it. The Indian envelopes himself in this, and with his short bow and a brace of arrows, ambles off into the very midst of a herd. When he has selected such an animal as suits his fancy, he comes close alongside of it, and without noise, passes an arrow through its heart. One arrow is always sufficient, and it is generally delivered with such force, that at least half the shaft appears through the opposite side. The creature totters, and is about to fall, when the Indian glides around, and draws the arrow from the wound lest it should be broken. A single Indian is said to kill a great number of buffaloes in this way, before any alarm is communicated to the herd. Towards evening, on rising a hill, we were suddenly greeted by a sight which seemed to astonish even the oldest amongst us. The whole plain, as far as the eye could discern, was covered by one enormous mass of buffalo. Our vision, at the very least computation, would certainly extend ten miles, and in the whole of this great space, including about eight miles in width from the bluffs to the river bank, there was apparently no vista in the incalculable multitude. It was truly a sight that would have excited even the dullest mind to enthusiasm. Our party rode up to within a few hundred yards of the edge of the herd, before any alarm was communicated ; then the bulls, — which are always stationed around as sentinels, — began pawing the ground, and * 1 have several times seen Ricliardsoii kill bufT;ilo in tiiis nianiier. ACROSS THE ROCKV 3I0ITNTAINS, ETC. 47 throwing tlie earth over their heads ; in a few moments they started in a slow, clumsy canter ; but as we neared them, they quickened their pace to an astonishingly rapid gallop, and in a few minutes were entirely beyond the reach of our guns, but were still so near that their enormous horns, and long shaggy beards, were very distinctly seen. Shortly after we encamped, our hunters brought in the choice parts of five that they had killed. For the space of several days past, we have observed an inclination in five or six of our men to leave our service. Immediately as we encamp, we see them draw together in some secluded spot, and engage in close and earnest conversation. This has occured several times, and as we are determined, if possible, to keep our horses, &c., for our own use, we have stationed a sentry near their tent, whose orders are peremptory to stop them at any hazard in case of an attempt on their part, to appropriate our horses. The men we are willing to lose, as they are of very little service, and we can do without them ; but horses here are valuable, and we cannot afford to part with them without a sufficient compensation. 22d. — On walkincr into our tent last niarht at eleven o'clock, after the expiration of the first watch, (in which I had served as supernumerary, to'prevent the desertion of the men,) and stooping to lay my gun in its usual situation near the head of my pallet, I was startled by seeing a pair of eyes, wild and bright as those of a tiger, gleaming from a dark corner of the lodge, and evidently directed upon me. My first impression was, that a wolf had been lurking around the camp, and had entered the tent in the prospect of finding meat. My gun was at my shoulder instinctively, my aim was directed between the eyes, and my finger pressed the trigger. At that moment a tall Indian sprang before me with a loud wah ! seized the gun, and elevated the muzzle above my head ; in another instant, a second Indian was by my side, and I saw his keen knife glitter as it left the 48 A^AERATIVE OF A JOURNEV scabbard. I had not time for thought, and was struggling with all my might with the first savage for the recovery of my weapon, when Captain W., and the other inmates of the tent were aroused, and the whole matter was explained, and set at rest in a moment. The Indians were chiefs of the tribe of Pawnee Loups, who had come with their young men to shoot buffalo : they had paid an evening visit to the captain, and as an act of courtesy had been invited to sleep in the tent. I had not known of their arrival, nor did I even suspect that Indians were in our neighborhood, so could not control the alarm which their sudden appearance occasioned me. As I laid myself down, and drew my blanket around me. Captain • W. touched me lightly with his finger, and pointed significantly to his own person, which I perceived, — by the fire liofht at the mouth of the tent, — to be garnished with his knife and pistols ; I observed also that the muzzle of his rifle laid across his breast, and that the breech was firmly grasped by one of his legs. I took the hint ; tightened my belt, drew my gun closely to my side, and composed myself to sleep. But the excitement of the scene through which I had just passed, effectually banished repose. I frequently directed my eyes towards the dark corner, and in the midst of the shapeless mass which occupied it, I could occasionally see the glittering orbs of our guest shining amidst the surrounding obscurity. At length fatigue conquered watchfulness, and I sank to sleep, dreaming of Indians, guns, daggers, and buffalo. Upon rising the next morning, all had lefl the tent : the men were busied in cooking their morning meal ; kettles were hanging upon the rude cranes, great ribs of meat were roasting before the fires, and loading the air with fragrance, and my dreams and midnight I'everies, and apprehensions of evil, fled upon the wings of the bright morning, and nought remained but a feeling of surprise that the untoward events of the night should have disturbed my equanimity. ACROSS THE KOCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC. 49 While these thoughts were passing in my mind, my e}e suddenly encountered the two Indians. They were squatting upon the ground near one of the fires, and appeared to be surveying, with the keenness of morning appetite, the fine "/mmp ribs''' which were roasting before them. The moment they perceived me, I received from them a quick glance of recognition : the taller one, — my opponent of the previous night, — rose to his feet, walked towards me, and gave me his hand with great cordiality ; then pointed into the tent, made the motions of raising a gun to his shoulder, taking aim, and in short repeated the entire pantomime with great fidelity, and no little humor, laughing the whole time as though he thought it a capital joke. Poor fellow ! it was near proving a dear joke for him, and I almost trembled as I recollected the eager haste with which I sought to take the life of a fellow creature. The Indian evidently felt no ill will towards me, and as a proof of it, proposed an exchange of knives, to which I willingly acceded. He deposited mine, — which had my name engraved upon the handle, — in the sheath at his side, and walked away to his hump ribs with the air of a man who is conscious of having done a good action. As he left me, one of our old trappers took occasion to say, that in consequence of this little act of savage courtesy, the Indian became my firm friend ; and that if I ever met him again, I should be entitled to share his hospitality, or claim his protection. While the men were packing the horses, after breakfast, I was again engaged with my Indian friend, I took his bow and ar- rows in my hand, and remarked that the latter were smeared with blood throughout : upon my expressing surprise at this, he told me, by signs, that they had passed through the body of the buffalo. I assumed a look of incredulity ; the countenance of the savage brightened, and his peculiar and strange eyes actually flashed with eagerness, as he pointed to a dead antelope lying upon the ground about forty feet from us, and which one of 7 50 NAKKATIVE OF A JOURNEY the guard had shot near the camp in the morning. The animal lay upon its side with the breast towards us : the bow was drawn slightly, without any apparent effort, and the arrow flew through the body of the antelope, and skimmed to a great distance over the plain. These Indians were the finest looking of any I had seen. Their persons were tall, straight, and finely formed ; their noses slightly aqualine, and the whole countenance expressive of high and daring intrepidity. The face of the taller one was particu- larly admirable ; and Gall or Spurzheim, at a single glance at his magnificent head, would have invested him with all the noblest qualities of the species. I know not what a physiognomist would have said of his eyes, but they were certainly the most wonderful eyes I ever looked into ; glittering and scintillating constantly, like the mirror-glasses in a lamp frame, and rolling and dancing in their orbits as though possessed of abstract volition. The tribe to which these Indians belong, is a division of the great Pawnee nation. There are four of these divisions or tribes, known by the names of Grand Pawnees, Pawnee Loups, Pawnee Republicans, and Pawnee Picts. They are all independent of each other, governed exclusively by chiefs chosen from among their own people, and although they have always been on terms of intimacy and friendship, never intermarry, nor have other in- tercourse than that of trade, or a conjunction of their forces to attack the common enemy. In their dealings with the whites, they are arbitrary and overbearing, chaffering about the price of a horse, or a beaver skin, with true huckster-like eagerness and mendacity, and seizing with avidity every unfair advantage, which circumstances or their own craft may put in their power. The buffalo still continue immensely numerous in every di- rection around, and our men kill great numbers, so that we are in truth living upon the fat of the land, and better feeding need ACROSS THE KOCKV MOUNTAINS, ETC. 51 no man wish. The savory buflalo hump has sufiered no depre- ciation since the " man without a cross" vaunted of its good qualities to " the stranger ;" and in this, as in many other par- ticulars, we have reahzed the truth and fidelity of Cooper's admi- rable descriptions. 23d. — When we rose this morning, not a single buffalo, of the many thousands that yesterday strewed the plain, was to be seen. It seemed like magic. Where could they have gone? I asked my- self this question again and again, but in vain. At length I ap- plied to Richardson, who stated that they had gone to the bluifs, but for what reason he could not tell ; he, however, had observed their tracks bearing towards the bluffs, and was certain that they would be found there. He and Sandsbury (another hunter) were then about starting on a hunt to supply the camp, and I con- cluded to accompany them ; Mr. Lee, the missionary, also joined us, and we all rode ofT together. The party got under way about the same time, and proceeded along the bank of the river, while we struck off south to look for the buffalo. About an hour's brisk trotting carried us to the bluffs, and we entered amongst large conical hills of yellow clay, intermixed with strata of lime- stone, but without the slightest vegetation of any kind. On the plains which we had left, the grass was in great luxuriance, but here not a blade of it was to be seen, and yet, as Richardson had predicted, here were the buffalo. We had not ridden a mile before we entered upon a plain of sand of great extent, and ob- served ahead vast clouds of dust rising and circling in the air as though a tornado or a whirlwind were sweeping over the earth. " Ha !" said Richardson, " there they are ; now let us take the wind of them, and you shall see some sport." We accordingly went around to leeward, and, upon approaching nearer, saw the huse animals rolling over and over in the sand with aston- ishing agility, enveloping themselves by the exercise in a per- fect atmosphere of dust ; occasionally two of the bulls would 52 NARRATIVE OF A JOURNEY spring from the ground and attack each other with amazing ad- dress and fury, retreating for ten or twelve feet, and then rush- ing suddenly forward, and dashing their enormous fronts together with a shock that seemed annihilating. In these rencontres, one of the combatants was often thrown back upon his haunches, and tumbled sprawling upon the ground ; in which case, the vic- tor, with true prizefighting generosity, refrained from persecut- ing his fallen adversary, contenting himself with a hearty re- sumption of his rolling fit, and kicking up the dust with more than his former vigor, as if to celebrate his victory. This appeared to be a good situation to approach and kill the buffalo, as, by reason of the plentiful distribution of the little clay hills, an opportunity would be afforded of successful conceal- ment ; we separated, therefore, each taking his own course. In a very few minutes I heard the crack of a rifle in the direction in which Richardson had gone, and immediately after saw the frightened animals flying from the spot. The sound reverberated among the hills, and as it died away the herd halted to watch and listen for its repetition. For myself, I strolled on for nearly an hour, leading my horse, and peering over every hill, in the hope of finding a buffalo within range, but not one could I see that was sufiiciently near ; and when I attempted the stealthy approach which I had seen Richardson practise with so much success, I felt compelled to acknowledge my utter insufficiency. I had determined to kill a bufTalo, and as I had seen it several times done with so much apparent ease, I considered it a mere moonshine matter, and thought I could compass it without difficulty; but now I had attempted it, and was grievously mistaken in my estimate of the required skill. I had several times heard the guns of the hunters, and felt satisfied that we should not go to camp without meat, and was on the point of altering my course to join them, when, as I wound around the base of a little hill, I saw about twenty buffalo lying quietly on the ground within ACROSS THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC. 53 thirty yards of me. Now was my time. I took my picket from my saddle, and fastened my horse to the ground as quietly as possible, but with hands that almost failed to do their office, from my excessive eagerness and trembling anxiety. When this was completed, I crawled around the hill again, almost suspending my breath from fear of alarming my intended victims, until 1 came again in full view of the unsuspecting herd. There were so many fine animals that I was at a loss which to select ; those nearest me appeared small and poor, and I therefore settled my aim upon a huge bull on the outside. Just then I was attacked with the " hull fever^'' so dreadfully, that for several minutes I could not shoot. At length, however, I became firm and steady, and pulled my trigger at exactly the right instant. Up sprang the herd like lightning, and away they scoured, and my bull with them. I was vexed, angry, and discontented ; I concluded that I could never kill a buffalo, and was about to mount my horse and ride off in despair, when I observed that one of the animals had stopped in the midst of his career. I rode towards him, and sure enough, there was my great bull trembling and swaying from side to side, and the clotted gore hanging like icicles from his nostrils. In a few minutes after, he fell heavily upon his side, and I dismounted and surveyed the unwieldy brute, as he panted and struggled in the death agony. When the first ebullition of my triumph had subsided, I per- ceived that my prize was so excessively lean as to be worth nothing, and while I was exerting my whole strength in a vain endeavor to raise the head from the ground for the purpose of removing the tongue, the two hunters joined me, and laughed heartily at my achievement. Like all inexperienced hunters, I had been particular to select the largest bull in the gang, sup- posing it to be the best, (and it proved, as usual, the poorest,) while more than a dozen fat cows were nearer me, either of which I miffht have killed with as little trouble. 54 NARRATIVE OF A JOURNEY As I had supposed, my companions had killed several animals, but they had taken the meat of only one, and we had, therefore, to be diligent, or the camp might suffer for provisions. It was now past mid-day ; the weather was very warm, and the atmos- was charged with minute particles of sand, which produced a dryness and stiffness of the mouth and tongue, that was exceed- ingly painful and distressing. Water was now the desideratum, but where was it to be found 1 The arid country in which we then were, produced none, and the Platte was twelve or fourteen miles from us, and no buffalo in that direction, so that we could not afford time for so trifling a matter. I found that Mr. Lee was suffering as much as myself, although he had not spoken of it, and I perceived that Richardson was masticating a leaden bullet, to excite the salivary glands. Soon afterwards, a bull was killed, and we all assembled around the carcass to assist in the manipulations. The animal was first raised from his side where he had lain, and supported upon his knees, with his hoofs turned under him ; a longitudinal incision was then made from the nape, or anterior base of the hump, and continued backward to the loins, and a large portion of the skin from each side removed ; these pieces of skin were placed upon the ground, with the under surface uppermost, and the fleeces, or masses of meat, taken Irom along the back, were laid upon them. These fleeces, from a large animal, will weigh, perhaps, a hundred pounds each, and comprise the whole of the hump on each side of the vertical processes, (commonly called the hump ribs,) which are attached to the vertebra. The fleeces are con- sidered the choice parts of the buffalo, and here, where the game is so abundant, nothing else is taken, if we except the tongue, and an occasional marrow bone. This, it must be confessed, appears like a useless and unwar- rantable waste of the goods of Providence ; but when are men economical, unless compelled to be so by necessity? Plei'e are ACROSS THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC. 55 more than a thousand pounds of delicious and savory flesh, which would delight the eyes, and gladden the heart of any epicure in Christendom, left neglected where it fell, to feed the ravenous maw of the wild prairie wolf, and minister to the ex- cesses of the unclean birds of the wilderness. But I have seen worse waste and havoc than this, and I feel my indignation rise at the recollection. I have seen dozens of buffalo slaughtered mei-ely for the tongues, or for practice with the rifle ; and I have also lived to see the very perpetrators of these deeds, lean and lank with famine, when the meanest and most worthless parts of the poor animals they had so inhumanly slaughtered, would have been received and eaten with humble thankfulness. But to return to ourselves. We were all sutFei-ing from ex- cessive thirst, and so intolerable had it at length become, that Mr. Lee and myself proposed a gallop over to the Platte river, in order to appease it ; but Richardson advised us not to go, as he had just thought of a means of relieving us, which he imme- diately proceeded to put in practice. He tumbled our mangled buffalo over upon his side, and with his knife opened the body, so as to expose to view the great stomach, and still crawling and twisting entrails. The good missionary and myself stood gaping with astonishment, and no little loathing, as we saw our hunter plunge his knife into the distended paunch, from which gushed the green and gelatinous juices, and then insinuate his tin pan into the opening, and by depressing its edge, strain off the water which was mingled with its contents. Richardson always valued himself upon his politeness, and the cup was therefore first offered to Mr. Lee and myself, but it is almost needless to say that we declined the proffer, and our fea- tures probably expressed the strong disgust which we felt, for our companion laughed heartily before he applied the cup to his own mouth. He then drank it to the dregs, smacking his lips, and drawing a long breath after it, with the satisfaction of a man 56 NARRATIVE OF A JOURNEY taking his wine after dinner. Sansbury, the other hunter, was not slow in following the example set before him, and we, the audience, turned our backs upon the actors. Before we lefl the spot, however, Richardson induced me to taste the blood which was still fluid in the heart, and immediately as it touched my lips, my burning thirst, aggravated by hunger, (for I had eaten nothing that day,) got the better of my abhorrence; I plunged my head into the reeking ven- tricles, and drank until forced to stop for breath. I felt some- what ashamed of assimilating myself so nearly to the brutes, and turned my ensanguined countenance towards the mis- sionary who stood by, but I saw no approval there : the good man was evidently attempting to control his risibility, and so I smiled to put him in countenance ; the roar could no longer be restrained, and the missionary laughed until the tears rolled down his cheeks. I did not think, until afterwards, of the horrible ghastliness which must have characterized my smile at that particular moment. When we arrived at the camp in the evening, and I enjoyed the luxury of a hearty draft of water, the effect upon my stomach was that of a powerful emetic : the blood was violently ejected without nausea, and I felt heartily glad to be rid of the disgust- ing encumbrance. I never drank blood from that day. ACKOSS TUB ROCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC. 57 CHAPTER IV. Change in the face of the country — Unpleasant visitation — its effects — J^orth fork of the Platte — .'? day's jotlrriey over the hills — Wormwood bushes, and poor pasture — J\Iarmots — Rattlesnake and gopher — JVatiiralist's success and sacrifices — ^1 sand storm — Jlild ho7-ses — Killing of a doe antelope — Bluffs of the Platte — The chimney — " Zip JCoon," the young antelope — Birds — Feel- ings and cogitations of a Jiaturcdist — Jlrrival at Laramie's fork — Departure of tivo ^^free trappers'" on a summer " hunt" — Black Hills — Rough travel- ling— Red butes — Sweet-water river, and Rock Independence — Avocets — Wind river mountains — Rocky JMountain sheep— Adventure of one of the m^n with a grizzly bear — Rattlesnakes — Toikome march, and arrival at Sandy river — Suffering of the horses — Anticipated delights of the rendezvous. On the morning of the 24th of May we forded the Platte river, or rather its south fork, along which we had been travelling during the previous week. On the northern side, we found the country totally different in its aspect. Instead of the extensive and apparently interminable green plains, the monotony of which had become so wearisome to the eye, here was a great sandy waste, without a single green thing to vary and enliven the dreary scene. It was a change, however, and we were therefore enjoying it, and remarking to each other how particularly agreea- ble it was, when we were suddenly assailed by vast swarms of most ferocious little black gnats ; the whole atmosphere seemed crowded with them, and they dashed into our faces, assaulted our eyes, ears, nostrils, and mouths, as though they were determined to bar our passage through their territory. These little creatures were so exceedingly minute that, singly, they were scarcely visible ; and yet their sting caused such excessive ; pain, that for 8 ' 58 NARRATIVE OF A JOURNEY the rest of the day our men and horses were rendered ahiiost fran- tic, the former bitterly imprecating, and the latter stamping, and kicking, and rolling in the sand, in tremendous, yet vain, efforts to rid themselves of their pertinacious little foes. It was rather amusing to see the whole company with their handkerchiefs, shirts, and coats, thrown over their heads, stemming the animated torrent, and to hear the greenhorns cursing their tormenters, the country, and themselves, for their foolhardiness in venturing on the journey. When we encamped in the evening, we built fires at the mouths of the tents, the smoke from which kept our ene- mies at a distance, and we passed a night of tolerable comfort, after a day of most peculiar misery. The next morning I observed that the faces of all the men were more or less swollen, some of them very severely, and poor Captain W. was totally blind for two days afterwards. 25th. — We made a noon camp to-day on the north branch or fork of the river, and in the afternoon travelled along the bank of the stream. In about an hour's march, we came to rocks, precipices, and cedar trees, and although we anticipated some difficulty and toil in the passage of the heights, we felt glad to ex- change them for the vast and wearisome prairies we had left behind. Soon after we commenced the ascent, we struck into an Indian path very much worn, occasionally mounting over rugged masses of rock, and leaping wide fissures in the soil, and sometimes picking our way over the jutting crags, directly above the river. On the top of one of the stunted and broad spreading cedars, a bald eagle had built its enormous nest ; and as we descended the mountain, we saw the callow young lying within it, while the anxious parents hovered over our heads, screaming their alarm. In the evening we arrived upon the plain again ; it was thickly covered with ragged and gnarled bushes of a species of worm- wood, (Artcmesia,) which perfumed the air, and at first was ACROSS THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC. 59 rather agreeable. The soil was poor and sandy, and the strag- gling blades of grass which found their way to the surface were brown and withered. Here was a poor prospect for our horses ; a sad contrast indeed to the rich and luxuriant prairies we had left. On the edges of the little streams, however, we found some tolerable pasture, and we frequently stopped during the day to bait our poor animals in these pleasant places. We observed here, several species of small marmots, (^Arcto- mys,) which burrowed in the sand, and were constantly skipping about the ground in front of our party. The short rattlesnake of the prairies was also abundant, and no doubt derived its chief subsistence from foraging among its playful little neighbors. Shortly before we halted this evening, being a considerable dis- tance in advance of the caravan, I observed a dead gopher, {Di- plostoma,) — a small animal about the size of a rat, with large ex- ternal cheek pouches, — lying upon the ground ; and near it a full grown rattlesnake, also dead. The gopher was yet warm and pliant, and had evidently been killed but a few minutes pre- viously; the snake also gave evidence of very recent death, by a muscular twitching of the tail, which occurs in most serpents, soon after life is extinct. It was a matter of interest to me to ascer- tain the mode by which these animals were deprived of life. I therefore dismounted from my horse, and examined them care- fully, but could perceive nothing to furnish even a clue. Neither of them had any external or perceptible wound. The snake had doubtless killed the quadruped, but what had killed the snake? Their being no wound upon its body was sufficient proof that the gopher had not used his teeth, and in no other way could he cause death. I was unable to solve the problem to my satisfaction, so I pocketed the animal to prepare its skin, and rode on to the camp. The birds thus far have been very abundant. There is a con- 60 NARRATIVE OF A JOURXF.Y siderable variety, and many of them have not before been seen by naturalists. As to the plants, there seems to be no end to them, and Mr. N. is finding dozens of new species daily. In the other branches of science, our success has not been so great, partly on account of the rapidity and steadiness with which we travel, but chiefly from the difficulty, and almost impossibility, of carrying the subjects. Already we have cast away all our use- less and superfluous clothing, and have been content to mortify our natural pride, to make room for our specimens. Such things as spare waistcoats, shaving boxes, soap, and stockings, have been ejected from our trunks, and we are content to dress, as we live, in a style of primitive simplicity. In fact the whole appearance of our party is sufficiently primitive ; many of the men are dressed en- tirely in deer skins, without a single article of civilized manufac- ture about them ; the old trappers and hunters wear their hair flowing on their shoulders, and their large grizzled beards would scarcely disgrace a Bedouin of the desert. The next morning the whole camp was suddenly aroused by the falling of all the tents. A tremendous blast swept as from a fun- nel over the sandy plain, and in an instant precipitated our frail habitations like webs of gossamer. The men crawled out from under the ruins, rubbing their eyes, and, as usual, muttering im- precations against the country and all that therein was ; it was unusually early for a start, but we did not choose to pitch the tents again, and to sleep without them here was next to impossi- ble; so we took our breakfast in the open air, devouring our well sanded provision as quickly as possible, and immediately took to the road. During the whole day a most terrific gale was blowing directly in our faces, clouds of sand were driving and hurtling by us, often with such violence as nearly to stop our progress ; and when we halted in the evening, we could scarcely recognise each ofiier's faces beneath their odious mask of dust and dirt. ACROSS THE ROCKY >r JTINTAINS, ETC. 61 There have been no buffalo upon the plain to day, all the game that we have seen, being a few elk and antelopes ; but these of course we did not attempt to kill, as our whole and undivided attention was required to assist our progress. 2Sth. — We fell in with a new species of game to day; — a large band of wild horses. They were very shy, scarcely per- mitting us to approach within rifle distance, and yet they kept within sight of us for some hours. Several of us gave them chase, in the hope of at least being able to approach sufficiently near to examine them closely, but we might as well have pur- sued the wind ; they scoured away from us with astonishing velocity, their long manes and tails standing out almost horizon- tally, as they sprang along before us. Occasionally they would pause in their career, turn and look at us as we approached them, and then, with a neigh that rang loud and high above the clatter- ing of the hoofs, dart their light heels into the air, and fly from us as before. We soon abandoned this wild chase, and contented ourselves with admiring their sleek beauty at a distance. In the afternoon, I committed an act of cruelty and wanton- ness, which distressed and troubled me beyond measure, and which I have ever since recollected with sorrow and compunc- tion. A beautiful doe antelope came running and bleating after us, as though she wished to overtake the party ; she continued following us for nearly an hour, at times approaching within thirty or forty yards, and standing to gaze at us as we moved slowly on our way. I several times raised my gun to fire at her, but my better nature as often gained the ascendency, and I at last rode into the midst of the party to escape the temptation. Still the doe followed us, and I finally fell into the rear, but without intending it, and again looked at her as she trotted behind us. At that moment, my evil genius and love of sport triumphed ; I slid down from my horse, aimed at the poor ante- lope, and shot a ball through her side. Under other circum- 62 NARRATIVE OF A JOURNEV stances, there would have been no cruelty in this; but here, where better meat was so abundant, and the camp was so plentifully supplied, it was unfeeling, heartless murder. It was under the influence of this too late impression, that I approached my poor victim. She was writhing in agony upon the ground, and exertins: herself in vain efforts to draw her mangled body farther from her destroyer ; and as I stood over her, and saw her cast her large, sofl, black eyes upon me with an expression of the most touching sadness, while the great tears rolled over her face, I felt myself the meanest and most abhorrent thing in crea- tion. But now a finishing blow would be mercy to her, and I threw my arm around her neck, averted my face, and drove my lona; knife throuah her bosom to the heart. I did not trust myself to look upon her afterwards, but mounted my horse, and galloped off to the party, with feelings such as I hope never to experience again. For several days the poor antelope haunted me, and I shall never forget its last look of pain and upbraiding. The bluffs on the southern shore of the Platte, are, at this point, exceedingly rugged, and often quite picturesque ; the for- mation appears to be simple clay, intermixed, occasionally, with a stratum of limestone, and one part of the bluff bears a striking and almost startling resemblance to a dilapidated feudal castle. There is also a kind of obelisk, standinij at a considerable dis- tance from the bluffs, on a wide plain, towering to the height of about two hundred feet, and tapering to a small point at the top. This pillar is known to the hunters and trappers who tra- verse these regions, by the name of the " chimney.^^ Here we diverged from the usual course, leaving the bank of the river, and entered a large and deep ravine between the enormous bluffs.* ♦ These are called " Scott's Bluffs;" so named from an unfortunate trader, who perished here from disease and hunger, many years ago. He was deserted by his companions ; and the year following, his crumbling bones were found in this spot. ACROSS THE KOCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC. 63 The road was very uneven and difficult, winding from amongst innumerable mounds six to eight feet in height, the space between them frequently so narrow as scarcely to admit our horses, and some of the men rode for upwards of a mile kneeling upon their saddles. These mounds were of hard yel- low clay, without a particle of rock of any kind, and along their bases, and in the narrow passages, flowers of every hue were growing. It was a most enchanting sight ; even the men noticed it, and more than one of our matter-of-fact people ex- claimed, beautiful, beautiful ! Mr. N. was here in his glory. He rode on ahead of the company, and cleared the passages with a trembling and eager hand, looking anxiously back at the approaching party, as though he feared it would come ere he had finished, and tread his lovely prizes under foot. The distance through the ravine is about three miles. We then crossed several beautiful grassy knolls, and descending to the plain, struck the Platte again, and travelled along its bank. Here one of our men caught a young antelope, which he brought to the camp upon his saddle. It was a beautiful and most deli- cate little creature, and in a few days became so taniC as to re- main with the camp without being tied, and to drink, from a tin cup, the milk which our good missionaries spared from their own scanty meals. The men christened it " Zip Coo7i" and it soon became familiar with its name, running to them when called, and exhibiting many evidences of affection and attachment. It be- came a great favorite with every one. A little pannier of willows was made for it, which was packed on the back of a mule, and when the camp moved in the mornings, little Zip ran to his station beside his long-eared hack, bleating with impatience until some one came to assist him in mounting. On the afternoon of the 31st, we came to green trees and bushes again, and the sight of them was more cheering than can 64 NARBATIVE OF A JOUEXEY be conceived, except by persons who have travelled for weeks without beholding a green thing, save the grass under their feet. We encamped in the evening in a beautiful grove of cottonwood trees, along the edge of which ran the Platte, dotted as usual with numerous islands. In the morning, Mr. N. and myself were up before the dawn, strolling through the umbrageous forest, inhaling the fresh, bracing air, and making the echoes ring with the report of our gun, as the lovely tenants of the grove flew by dozens before us. I think I never before saw so great a variety of birds within the same space. All were beautiful, and many of them quite new to me ; and after we had spent an hour amongst them, and my game bag was teeming with its precious freight, I was still loath to leave the place, lest I should not have procured specimens of the whole. None but a naturalist can appreciate a naturalist's feelings — his delight amounting to ecstacy — when a specimen such as he has never before seen, meets his eye, and the sorrow and grief Avhich he feels when he is compelled to* tear himself from a spot abounding with all that he has anxiously and unremittingly sought for. This was peculiarly my case upon this occasion. We had been loncp travelling over a sterile and barren tract, where the lovely denizens of the forest could not exist, and I had been daily scanning the great extent of the desert, for some little oasis such as I had now found ; here was my wish at length gratified, and yet the caravan would not halt for me ; I must turn my back upon the El Dorado of my fond anticipations, and hurry forward over the dreary wilderness which lay beyond. What valuable and highly interesting accessions to science might not be made by a party, composed exclusively of natural- ists, on a journey through this rich and unexplored region ! The botanist, the geologist, the mamalogist, the ornithologist, and ACROSS THE ROCKY MOUNTAIiVS, ETC. 05 the entomologist, would find a rich and almost inexhaustible field for the prosecution of their inquiries, and the result of such an expedition would be to add most materially to our knowledge of the wealth and resources of our country, to furnish us with new and important facts relative to its structure, organization, and natural productions, and to complete the fine native collec- tions in our already extensive museums. On the 1st of June, we arrived at Laramie's fork of the Platte, and crossed it without much difficulty. Here two of our " free trappers" left us for a summer " hunt" in the rugged Black Hills. These men joined our party at Inde- dependence, and have been travelling to this point with us for the benefit of our escort. Trading companies usually encourage these free trappers to join them, both for the strength which they add to the band, and that they may have the benefit of their generally good hunting qualities. Thus are both parties accom- modated, and no obligation is felt on either side. I confess I felt somewhat sad when I reflected upon the pos- sible fate of the two adventurous men who had left us in the midst of a savage wilderness, to depend entirely upon their unassisted strength and hardihood, to procure the means of sub- sistence and repel the aggression of the Indian. Their expedition will be fraught with stirring scenes, with peril and with strange adventure ; but they think not of this, and they care not for it. They are only two of the many scores who annually subject themselves to the same difficulties and dangers ; they see their friends return unscathed, and laden with rich and valuable furs, and if one or two should have perished by Indian rapacity, or fallen victims to their own daring and fool-hardy spirit, they mourn the loss of their brethren who have not returned, and are only the more anxious to pursue the same track in order to avenge them. On the 2d, we struck a range of high and stony mountains, 9 66 NARRATIVE OF A JOURNEY called the Black Hills. The general aspect here, was dreary and forbidding ; the soil was intersected by deep and craggy fissures ; rock jutted over rock, and precipice frowned over precipice in frightful, and apparently endless, succession. Soon after we commenced the ascent, we experienced a change in the temperature of the air ; and towards mid-day, when we had arrived near the summit, our large blanket capeaus, — which in the morning had been discarded as uncomfortable, — were drawn tightly around us, and every man was shivering in his saddle as though he had an ague fit. The soil here is of a deep reddish or ferruginous hue, intermixed with green sand; and on the heights, pebbles of chalcedony and agate are abundant. We crossed, in the afternoon, the last and steepest spur of this chain, winding around rough and stony precipices, and along the extreme verges of tremendous ravines, so dangerous looking that we were compelled to dismount and lead our horses. On descending to the plain, we saw again the north fork of the Platte, and were glad of an opportunity of encamping. Our march to-day has been an unusually wearisome one, and many of our loose horses are bruised and lame. 7th. — The country has now become more level, but the prairie is barren and inhospitable looking to the last degree. The twisted, aromatic wormwood covers and extracts the strength from the burnt and arid soil. The grass is dry and brown, and our horses are suffering extremely for want of food. Occasion- ally, however, a spot of lovely green appears, and here we allow our poor jaded friends to halt, and roam without their riders, and their satisfaction and pleasure is expressed by many a joyous neigh, and many a heart-felt roll upon the verdant sward. In the afternoon, we arrived at the " Red Butes," two or three brown-red cliffs, about two thousand feet in height. This is a remarkable point in the mountain route. One of these cliffs terminates a long, lofty, wooded ridge, which has bounded our ACROSS THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC. 67 southern view for the past two days. The summits of the cliffs are covered with patches of snow, and the contrast of the dazzling white and brick-red produces a very pretty effect. The next day, we left the Platte river, and crossed a wide, sandy desert, dry and desolate ; and on the 9th, encamped at noon on the banks of the Sweet-water. Here we found a large rounded mass of granite, about fifty feet high, called Rock Inde- pendence. Like the Red Butes, this rock is also a rather re- markable point in the route. On its smooth, perpendicular sides, we see carved the names of most of the mountain bourgeois, with the dates of their arrival. We observed those of the two Sublette's, Captains Bonneville, Serre, Fontinelle, &c., and after leaving our own, and taking a hearty, but hasty lunch in the shade of the rock, and a draught from the pure and limpid stream at its base, we pursued our journey. The river is here very narrow, often only twelve or fifteen feet wide, shallow, and winding so much, that during our march, to-day, we crossed it several times, in order to pursue a straight course. The banks of the stream are clothed with the most luxuriant pasture, and our invaluable dumb friends appear per- fectly happy. We saw here great numbers of a beautiful brown and white avocet, (the Recurvirostra americana of ornithologists.) These fine birds were so tame as to allow a very near approach, run- ning slowly before our party, and scarcely taking wing at the report of a gun. They frequent the marshy plains in the neigh- borhood of the river, and breed here. On the 10th, about ninety miles to the west, we had a striking view of the Wind-river mountains. They are almost wholly of a dazzling whiteness, being covered thickly with snow, and the lofty peaks seem to blend themselves with the dark clouds which hang over them. This chain gives rise to the sources of the Missouri, the Colorado of the west, and Lewis' river of the 68 NARRATIVE OF A JOURNEV Columbia, and is the highest land on the continent of North America. We saw, to-day, a small flock of the hairy slieep of the Rocky Mountains, the big horn of the hunters, [Ovis montana.) We exerted ourselves in vain to shoot them. They darted from us, and hid themselves amongst the inaccessible cliffs, so that none but a chamois hunter might pretend to reach them. Richardson says that he has frequently killed them, but lie admits that it is dangerous and wearisome sport ; and when good beef is to be found upon the plains, men are not anxious to risk their necks for a meal of mutton. In the afternoon, one of our men had a somewhat perilous adventure with a grizzly bear. He saw the animal crouching his huge frame in some willows which skirted the river, and approaching on horseback to within twenty yards, fired upon him. The bear was only slightly wounded by the shot, and with a fierce growl of angry malignity, rushed from his cover, and gave chase. The horse happened to be a slow one, and for the distance of a half a mile, the race was hard contested ; the bear frequently approaching so near the terrified animal as to snap at his heels, while the equally terrified rider, — who had lost his hat at the start, — used whip and spur with the most frantic diligence, frequently looking behind, from an influence which he could not resist, at his rugged and determined foe, and shrieking in an agony of fear, " shoot him, shoot him ?" The man, who was one of the greenhorns, happened to be about a mile behind the main body, either from the indolence of his horse, or his own carelessness; but as he approached the party in his desperate flight, and his lugubrious cries reached the ears of the men in front, about a dozen of them rode to his assistance, and soon succeeded in diverting the attention of his pertinacious foe. After he had received the contents of all the guns, he fell, and was soon dispatched. The man rode in among his fellows, pale and ACROSS THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC. 69 haggard from overwrought fecUngs, and was probably effectually cured of a propensity for meddling with grizzly bears. A small striped rattlesnake is abundant on these plains : — it is a different species from our common one at home, but is equally malisnant and venomous. The horses are often startled by them, and dart aside with intuitive fear when their note of warning is sounded in the path. 12i/t. — The plains of the Sweet-water at this point, — latitude 43° 6', longitude 110° 30', — are covered with little salt pools, the edo-es of which are encrusted with alkaline efflorescences, look- ing like borders of snow. The rocks in the vicinity are a loose, fine-grained sandstone, the strata nearly horizontal, and no organic remains have been discovered. We have still a view of the lofty Wind-river mountains on our right hand, and they have for some days served as a guide to determine our course. On the plain, we passed several huge rhomboidal masses of rock, standing alone, and looking, at a little distance, like houses with chimneys. The freaks of nature, as they are called, have often astonished us since we have been journeying in the wilderness. We have seen, moddled without art, representations of almost all the most stupendous works of man ; and how do the loftiest and most perfect creations of his wisdom and ingenuity sink into insignificance by the comparison. Noble castles, with turrets, embrazures, and loop holes, with the drawbridge in front, and the moat surrounding it : behind, the humble cottages of the subser- vient peasantry, and all the varied concomitants of such a scene, are so strikingly evident to the view, that it requires but little stretch of fancy to imagine that a race of antediluvian giants may here have swayed their iron sceptre, and left behind the crumbling palace and the tower, to tell of their departed glory. On the 14th, we left the Sweet- water, and proceeded in a south-westerly direction to Sandy river, a branch of the Colorado of the west. We arrived here at about 9 o'clock in the evening. 70 NARKATIVE OF A JOURNF.Y after a hard and most toilsome march for both man and beast. We found no water on the route, and not a single blade of grass for our horses. Many of the poor animals stopped before night, and resolutely refused to proceed ; and others with the remarkable sagacity, peculiar to them, left the track in defiance of those who drove and guided them, sought and found water, and spent the night in its vicinity. The band of missionaries, with their horses and horned cattle, halted by the way, and only about half the men of the party accompanied us to our encampment on Sandy. We were thus scattered along the route for several miles ; and if a predatory band of Indians had then found us, we should have fallen an easy prey. The next morning by about 10 o'clock all our men and horses had joined us, and, in spite of the fatigues of the previous day, we were all tolerably refreshed, and in good spirits. Towards noon we got under way, and proceeded seven or eight miles down the river to a spot where we found a little poor pasture for our horses. Here we remained until the next morning, to recruit. I found here a beautiful new species of mocking bird,* which I shot and prepared. Birds are, however, generally scarce, and there is here very little of interest in any department of natural history. We are also beginning to suffer somewhat for food : buffalo are rarely seen, the antelopes are unusually shy, and the life of our little favorite, " Zip," has been several times menaced. I believe, however, that his keeper, from sheer fondness, would witness much greater suffering in the camp, ere he would con- sent to the sacrifice of his playful little friend. IGth. — We observed a hoar frost and some thin ice, this morning at sunrise ; but at mid-day, the thermometer stood at 82°. We halted at noon, after making about fifteen miles, and dined. Saw large herds of buffalo on the plains of Sandy river, ♦ This is the mountain mocking binl, {Orpheus montanus,) described in the Appendix. ACROSS THE KOCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC. 71 o-razino- in every direction on the short and dry gi'ass. Domes- tic cattle would certainly starve here, and yet the bison exists, and even becomes fat ; a striking instance of the wonderful adaptation of Providence. 17^^. — We had yesterday a cold rain, the first which has fallen in our track for several weeks. Our vicinity to the high mountains of Wind river will perhaps account for it. To-day at noon, the mercury stood at 92° in the shade, but there being a strong breeze, we did not suffer from heat. Our course was still down the Sandy river, and we are now looking forward with no little pleasure to a rest of two or more weeks at the mountain rendezvous on the Colorado. Here we expect to meet all the mountain companies who left the States last spring, and also the trappers who come in from various parts, with the furs collected by them during the previous year. All will be mirth and jollity, no doubt, but the grand deside- ratum with some of us, is to allow our horses to rest their tired limbs and exhausted strength on the rich and verdant plains of the Siskadee. At our camp this evening, our poor horses were compelled to fast as heretofore, there being absolutely nothing for them to eat. Some of the famished animals attempted to allay their insatiable cravings, by cropping the dry and bitter tops of the wormwood with which the plain is strewed. We look forward to brighter days for them ere long ; soon shall they sport in the green pastures, and rest and plenty shall compensate for their toils and privations. 72 INAKUATIVK OF A JOURNEY CHAPTER V. ,1rrival at the Colorado — The author in difficulty — Loss of a journal, and advice to travelling tyros— The rendezvous — SMotlei/ groups infesting it — Rum drinking, swearing, and other accomplishments in vogne — Description of the camp — Troid and grayling — Mundauce of game — Cock of the plains — Departure from the rendezvous — ^in accession to the band — ..^ renegado Blackfoot chief Captain Stetuart and JMr. Jlshworth — JMuddy creek — Jtfore carousing — Mundance of trout — Bear river — A hard day''s march — Volcanic country — IJ'hite claii pits and ''Beer spring" — Bare birds and com- monbirds — Mr. Thomas J\lc Kay — Rough and arid country — JMeeting -with Captain Bonneville's party — Captains Stewart and Jl'yeth's visit to the lodge of the "bald chief" — Blackfoot river — Adventure with a grizzly bear — Death of '• Zip JCoon^' — Young grizzly bears and buffalo calves — A Blackfoot Indian — Dangerous experiment of JMcKay — the three " Tc/ons" — Large trout — Departare of our Indian companions — Shoshone river — Site of " Fori Hall" — Preparations for a buffalo hunt. June 19'EY Nez Perces, 6jc. They were very friendly towards us, each of the chiefs taking us by the hand with great cordiality, appearing pleased to see us, and anxious to point out to us the easiest and most expeditious route to the lower country. These Indians are, almost universally, fine looking, robust men, with strong aqualine features, and a much more cheerful cast of countenance than is usual amongst the race. Some of the women might almost be called beautiful, and none that I have seen are homely. Their dresses are generally of thin deer or antelope skin, with occa- sionally a boddice of some linen stuffs, purchased from the whites, and their whole appearance is neat and cleanly, forming a very striking contrast to the greasy, filthy, and disgusting Snake females. I observed one young and very pretty looking woman? dressed in a great superabundance of finery, glittering with rings and beads, and flaunting in broad bands of scarlet cloth. She was mounted astride, — Indian fashion, — upon a fine bay horse, whose head and tail were decorated with scarlet and blue ribbons, and the saddle, upon which the fair one sat, was ornamented all over with beads and little hawk's bells. This damsel did not do us the honor to dismount, but seemed to keep warily aloof, as though she feared that some of us might be inordinately fascinated by her fine person and splendid equipments, and her whole de- portment proved to us, pretty satisfactorily, that she was no common beauty, but the favored companion of one high in office, who was jealous of her slightest movement. After making a hasty meal, and bidding adieu to the captain, and our friendly Indian visitors, we mounted our horses, and rode off. About half an hour's brisk trotting brought us to the foot of a steep and high mountain, called the Blue. This is said to be the most extensive chain west of the dividing ridge, and, with one exception, perhaps the most difficult of passage^ The whole mountain is densely covered with tall pine trees, with ACSOSS THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC. 149 an undergrowth of service bushes and other shrubs, and the path is strewed, to a very inconvenient degree, with volcanic rocks. In some of the ravines we find small springs of water; they are, however, rather rare, and the grass has been lately consumed, and many of the trees blasted by the ravaging fires of the In- dians. These fires are yet smouldering, and the smoke from them effectually prevents our viewing the surrounding country, and completely obscures the beams of the sun. We travelled this evening until after dark, and encamped on a small stream in a gorge, where we found a plot of grass that had escaped the burning. September 1st. — Last evening, as we were about retiring to our beds, we heard, distinctly, as we thought, a loud halloo, several times repeated, and in a tone like that of a man in great distress. Supposing it to be a person who had lost his way in the darkness, and was searching for us, we fired several guns at regular intervals, but as they elicited no reply, after waiting a considerable time, we built a large fire, as a guide, and lay down to sleep. Early this morning, a large panther was seen prowling around our camp, and the hallooing of last night Avas explained. It was the dismal, distressing yell by which this animal entices its prey, until pity or curiosity induces it to approach to its destruction. The panther is said to inhabit these forests in considerable num- bers, and has not unfrequently been known to kill the horses of a camp. He has seldom the temerity to attack a man, unless sorely pressed by hunger, or infuriated by wounds. 150 NARRATIVK OF A JOURNEV CHAPTER IX. Passage of the Blue Mountains— Sufferings from thirst— Utalla river— A transformation— A novel meal— Walla-walla river— Columbia river and Fort Walla-walla — 1 dinner with the missionaries — inecdote of Mr. Lee— A noble repast— Brief notice of the Fort— Departure of the missionaries— JVotice of the Walla-walla Indians— Departure for Fort Vancouver-Wild ducks- Indian graves— Indian horses— Visits from Indians— Ophthalmia, a prevalent disease— Hough travelling— A company of Chinook Indians— The Dalles— The party joined by Captain Wyeth— Embarkation in canoes — 4 heavy gale— Dangerous navigation— Pusillanimous conduct of an Indian helms- man—A zealous botanist— Departure of Captain Wyeth with five men- Cascades— A portage— Meeting rvith the missionaries— Loss of a canoe— A toilsome duty — Arrival at Fort Vancouver —reflections suggested by it— Dr. John McLoughlin, the chief factoi — Domiciliation of the travellers at Fort Vancouver. September 1st.— The path through the valley, in which we encamped last night, was level and smooth for about a mile; we then mounted a short, steep hill, and began immediately to descend. The road down the mountain wound constantly, and we travelled in short, zig-zag lines, in order to avoid the extremely abrupt decli- vities; but occasionally, we were compelled to descend in places that made us pause before making the attempt : they were, some of them, almost perpendicular, and our horses would frequently slide several yards, before they could recover. To this must be added enormous jagged masses of rock, obstructing the road in many places, and pine trees projecting their horizontal branches across the path. The road continued, as I have described it, to the valley in the plain, and a full hour was consumed before we reached it. k ACROSS THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC. 151 The country then became comparatively level again to the next range, where a mountain was to be ascended of the same height as the last. Here we dismounted and led our horses, it being impracticable, in their present state, to ride them. It was the most toilsome march I ever made, and we were all so much fatigued, when we arrived at the summit, that rest was as indispensable to us as to our poor jaded horses. Here we made a noon camp, with a handful of grass and no water. This last article appears very scarce, the ravines affording none, and our dried salmon and kamas bread were eaten unmoistened. The route, in the after- noon, was over the top of the mountain, the road tolerably level, but crowded with stones. Towards evening, we commenced • descending again, and in every ravine and gulley we cast our anxious eyes in search of water ; we even explored several of them, where there appeared to exist any probability of success, but not one drop did we find. Night at length came on, dark and pitchy, without a moon or a single star to give us a ray of light; but still we proceeded, depending solely upon the vision and sagacity of our horses to keep the track. We travelled steadily until about 9 o'clock, when we saw ahead the dark out- line of a high mountain, and soon after heard the men who rode in front, cry out, joyously, at the top of their voices, " water ! xcater r It was truly a cheering sound, and the words were echoed loudly by every man in the company. We had not tasted water since morning, and both horses and men have been suffering considerably for the want of it. 2«i. — Captain W. and two men, left us early this morning for Walla-walla, where they expect to arrive this evening, and send us some provision, of which we shall be in need, to-morrow. Our camp moved soon after, under the direction of Captain Thing, and in about four miles reached Utalla river, where it stopped, and remained until 12 o'clock. As we were approaching so near the abode of those in whose 152 NARRATIVE OF A JOURNEY eyes wc vvislied to appear like fellow Christians, we concluded that there would be a propriety in attempting to remove at least one of the heathenish badges which we had worn throughout the journey; so Mr. N.'s razor was fished out from its hiding place in the bottom of his trunk, and in a few minutes our encumbered chins lost their long-cherished ornaments ; we performed our ablutions in the river, arrayed ourselves in clean linen, trimmed our long hair, and then arranged our toilet before a mirror, with great self-complacence and satisfaction. I admired my own appearance considerably, (and this is, probably, an acknowledge- ment that few would make,) but I could not refrain from laugh- ing at the strange, party-colored appearance of my physiognomy, the lower portion being fair, like a woman's, and the upper, brown and swarthy as an Indian. Having nothing prepared for dinner to-day, I strolled along the stream above the camp, and made a meal on rose buds, of which I collected an abundance ; and on returning, I was sur- prised to find Mr. N. and Captain T. picking the last bones of a bird which they had cooked. Upon inquiry, I ascertained that the subject was an unfortunate owl which I had killed in the morning, and had intended to preserve, as a specimen. The temptation was too great to be resisted by the hungry Captain and naturalist, and the bird of wisdom lost the immortality which he might otherwise have acquired. In the afternoon, soon after leavinjj the Utalla, we ascended #; a high and very steep hill, and came immediately in view^ beautiful, and regularly undulating country of great extent, ""^e' have now probably done with high, rugged mountains ; the sun shines clear, the air is bracing and elastic, and we are all in fine spirits. The next day, the road being generally level, and tolerably free from stones, we were enabled to keep our horses at the swiftest gate to which we dare urge them. We have been some- ACROSS THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC. 153 what disappointed in not receiving the expected supplies from Walla-walla, but have not suffered for provision, as the grouse and hares are very abundant here, and we have shot as many as we wished. At about noon we struck the Walla-walla river, a very pretty stream of fifty or sixty yards in width, fringed with tall willows, and containing a number of salmon, which we can see frequently leaping from the water. The pasture here, being good, we al- lowed our horses an hour's rest to feed, and then travelled on over the plain, until near dark, when, on rising a sandy hill, the noble Columbia burst at once upon our view. I could scarcely repress a loud exclamation of delight and pleasure, as I gazed upon the magnificent river, flowing silently and majesti- cally on, and reflected that I had actually crossed the vast Ame- rican continent, and now stood upon a stream that poured its waters directly into the Pacific. This, then, was the great Ore- gon, the first appearance of which gave Lewis and Clark so many emotions of joy and pleasure, and on this stream our in- defatigable countrymen wintered, after the toils and privations of a long, and protracted journey through the wilderness. My re- verie was suddenly interrupted by one of the men exclaiming from his position in advance, " there is the fort." We had, in truth approached very near, without being conscious of it. There stood the fort on the bank of the river; horses and horned cattle were roaming about the vicinity, and on the borders of the _ .>r^ Jittle Walla-walla, we recognised the white tent of our long lost missionaries. These we soon joined, and were met and received by them like brethren. Mr. N. and myself were invited to sup with them upon a dish of stewed hares which they had just pre- pared, and it is almost needless to say that we did full justice to the good men's cookery. They told us that they had travelled comfortably from Fort Hall, without any unusual fatigue, and like ourselves, had no particularly stirring adventures. Their 20 154 NARRATIVE OF A JOURNEY route, although somewhat longer, was a much less toilsome and difficult one, and they suffered but little for food, being well pro- vided with dried buffalo meat, which had been prepared near Fort Hall. Mr. Walker, (a j'oung gentleman attached to the band,) re- lated an anecdote of Mr. Lee, the principal, which I thought eminently characteristic. The missionaries were, on one occa- sion, at a considerable distance behind the main body, and had stopped for a few moments to regale themselves on a cup of milk from a cow which they weie driving. Mr. L. had unstrapped the tin pan from his saddle, and was about applying himself to the task, when a band of a dozen Indians was descried at a dis- tance, approaching the little party at full gallop. There was but little time for consideration. The rifles were looked to, the horses were mounted in eager haste, and all were ready for a long run, except Mr. Lee himself, who declared that nothing should deprive him of his cup of milk, and that he meant to " lighten the old cow before he moved." He accordingly pro- ceeded coolly to fill his tin pan, and, after a hearty drink, grasped his rifle, and mounted his horse, at the very moment that the Indians had arrived to within speaking distance. To the great relief of most of the party, these proved to be of the friendly Nez Perce tribe, and after a cordial greeting, they tra- velled on together. The missionaries informed us that they had engaged a large barge to convey themselves and baggage to Fort Vancouver, and that Captain Stewart and Mr. Ashworth were to be of the party. Mr. N. and myself were very anxious to take a seat with them, but to our disappointment, were told that the boat would scarcely accommodate those already engaged. We had therefore to re- linquish it, and prepare for a journey on horseback to the Dalles, about eighty miles below, to which place Captain W. would I ACROSS THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC. 1^^ precede us in the barge, and engage canoes to convey us to the lower fort. This evening, we purchased a large bag of Indian meal, of which we made a kettle of mush, and mixed with it a con- siderable quantity of horse tallow and salt. This was, I think, one of the best meals I ever made. We all ate heartily of it, and pronounced it princely food. We had been long without bread stuff of any kind, and the coarsest farinaceous substance, with a proper allowance of grease, would have been highly prized. The next morning, we visited Walla-walla Fort, and were introduced, by Captain W., to Lieutenant Pierre S. Pambrun, the superintendent. Wyeth and Mr. Pambrun had met before, and were well acquainted; they had, therefore, many reminis- cences of by-gone days to recount, and long conversations, rela- tive to the variety of incidents which had occurred to each, since last they parted. The fort is built of drift logs, and surrounded by a stoccade of the same, with two bastions, and a gallery around the inside. It stands about a hundred yards from the river, on the south bank, in a bleak and unprotected situation, surrounded on every side by a great, sandy plain, which supports little vegetation, except the wormwood and thorn-bushes. On the banks of the little river, however, there are narrow strips of rich soil, and here Mr. Pambrun raises the few garden vegetables necessary for the support of his family. Potatoes, turnips, carrots, &c., thrive well, and Indian corn produces eighty bushels to the acre. At about 10 o'clock, the barge got under way, and soon after, our company with its baggage, crossed the river in canoes, and encamped on the opposite shore. There is a considerable number of Indians resident here, Kayouse's and a collateral band of the same tribe, called Walla- 156 NARRATIVE OF A JOURNEY wallas. They live along the bank of the river, in shantys or wigwams of drift wood, covered with buffalo or deer skins. They are a miserable, squalid looking people, are constantly lolling around and in the fort, and annoy visitors by the impor- tunate manner in which they endeavor to force them into some petty trade for a pipe, a hare, or a grouse. All the industrious and enterprising men of this tribe are away trading salmon, kamas root, &c. to the mountain companies. Notwithstanding the truly wretched plight in which these poor people live, and the privations which they must necessarily have to suffer, they are said to be remarkably honest and upright in their dealings, and generally correct in their moral deportment. Although they doubtless have the acquisitive qualities so characteristic of the race, they are rarely known to violate the principles of common honesty. A man may leave his tent unguarded, and richly stored with every thing which ordinarily excites the cupidity of the Indian, yet, on returning after a long absence, he may find all safe. What a commentary is this on the habits and conduct of our Christian communities ! The river is here about three-fourths of a mile in width, — a clear, deep, and rapid stream, the current being generally from three to four miles an hour. It is the noblest looking river I have seen since leaving our Delaware. The banks are in many places high and rocky, occasionally interrupted by broad, level sandy beaches. The only vegetation along the margin, is the wormwood, and other low, arid plants, but some of the bottoms are covered with heavy, rank grass, affording excellent pasture for horses. 5th. — This morning we commenced our march down the Colum- bia. We have no provision with us except flour and horse tallow, but we have little doubt of meeting Indians daily, with whom we can trade for fish. Our road will now be a rather monotonous one ACROSS THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC. l-'j? along the bank of the river, tolerably level, but often rocky, so that very rapid travelling is inadmissible. The mallard duck, the widgeon, and the green-winged teal are tolerably abundant in the little estuaries of the river. Our men have killed several, but they are poor, and not good. Gth. — We have observed to-day several high, conical stacks of drift-wood near tlie river. These are the graves of the Indians. Some of these cemeteries are of considerable extent, and probably contain a great number of bodies. I had the curiosity to peep into several of them, and even to remove some of the coverings, but found nothing to compensate for the trouble. We bought some salmon from Indians whom we met to day, which, with our flour and tallow, enable us to live very comfortably. nth. — We frequently fall in with large bands of Indian horses. There are among them some very beautiful animals, but they are generally almost as wild as deer, seldom permitting an approach to within a hundred yards or more. They generally have owners, as we observe upon many of them strange hieroglyphic looking characters, but there are no doubt some that have never known the bit, and will probably always roam the prairie uncontrolled. When the Indians wish to catch a horse from one of these bands, they adopt the same plan pursued by the South Americans for taking the wild animal. 8th. — Our road to-day has been less monotonous, and much more hilly than hitherto. Along the bank of the river, are high mountoins, composed of basaltic rock and sand, and along their bases enormous drifts of the latter material. Large, rocky pro- montories connected with these mountains extend into the river to considerable distances, and numerous islands of the same dot its surface. We arc visited frequently as wc travel along, by Indians of 158 ' NARRATIVE OF A JOURNEY the Walla-walla and other tribes, whose wigwams we see on the opposite side of the river. As we approach these rude huts, the inhabitants are seen to come forth in a body ; a canoe is im- mediately launched, the light bark skims the water like a bird, and in an incredibly short time its inmates are with us. Some- times a few salmon are brought to barter for our tobacco, paint, &c., but more frequently they seem impelled to the visit by mere curiosity. To-day a considerable number have visited us, and among them some very handsome young girls. I could not but admire the gaiety and cheerfulness which seemed to animate them. They were in high spirits, and evidently very much pleased with the unusual privilege which they were enjoying. At our camp in the evening, eight Walla-walla's came to see us. The chief was a remarkably fine looking man, but he, as well as several of his party, was suffering from a severe puru- lent ophthalmia which had almost deprived him of sight. He pointed to his eyes, and contorting his features to indicate the pain he suffered, asked me by signs to give him medicine to cure him. I was very sorry that my small stock of simples did not contain anything suited to his complaint, and I endeavored to tell him so. I have observed that this disease is rather prevalent among the Indians residing on the river, and I understood from the chiefs signs that most of the Indians towards the lower country were similarly affected. 9th. — The character of the country has changed considerably §ince we left Walla-walla. The river has become gradually more narrow, until it is now but about two hundred yards in width, and completely hemmed in by enormous rocks on both sides. Many of these extend for considerable distances into the stream in perpendicular columns, and the water dashes and breaks against them until all around is foam. The current is here very swift, probably six or seven miles to the hour; and the ACKOSS THE KOCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC. 159 Indian canoes in passing down, seem literally to fy along its surface. The road to-day has been rugged to the very last degree. We have passed over continuous masses of sharp rock for hours together, sometimes picking our way along the very edge of the river, several hundred feet above it ; again, gaining the back land, by passing through any casual chasm or opening in the rocks, where we were compelled to dismount, and lead our horses. This evening, we are surrounded by a large company of Chinook Indians, of both sexes, whose temporary wigwams arc on the bank of the river. Many of the squaws have young children served up in the usual Indian fashion, wrapped in a skin, and tied firmly to a board, so that nothing but the head of the little individual is seen. These Indians are very peaceable and friendly. They have no weapons except bows, and these are used more for amusement and exercise, than as a means of procuring them sustenance, their sole dependence being fish and beaver, with perhaps a few hares and grouse, which are taken in traps. We traded with these peo- ple for a ^ew fish and beaver skins, and some roots, and before we retired for the night, arranged the men in a circle, and gave them a smoke in token of our friendship. lOth. — This afternoon we reached the Dalles. The entire water of the river here flows through channels of about fifteen feet in width, and between high, perpendicular rocks ; there are several of these channels at distances of from half a mile to one mile apart, and the water foams and boils through them like an enormous cauldron. On the opposite side of the river there is a large Indian village, belonging to a chief named Tilki, and containing probably five hundred wigwams. As we approached, the natives swarmed like bees to the shore, launched their canoes, and joined us in a few 160 NARRATIVE OF A JOURjVEY minutes. We were disappointed in not seeing Captain W, here, as this was the spot where we expected to meet him ; the chief, however, told us that we should find him about twelve miles below, at the next village. We were accordingly soon on the move again, and urging our horses to their fastest gait, we arrived about sunset. The captain, the chief of the village, and several other Indians, came out to meet us and make us welcome. Captain W. has been here two days, and we were pleased to 'earn that he had completed all the necessary arrangements for transporting ourselves and baggage to Vancouver in canoes. The route by land is said to be a very tedious and difficult one, and, in some places, almost impassable, but even were it other- wise, I believe we should all much prefer the water conveyance, as we have become very tired of riding. Since leaving the upper village this afternoon, we have been followed by scores of Indians on foot and on horseback ; some of the animals carrying three at a time; and although we tra- velled rapidly, the pedestrians were seldom far behind us. We have concluded to leave our horses here, in charge of the chief of the village, who has promised to attend to them during the winter, and deliver them to our order in the spring. Captain W. having been acquainted with this man before, is willing to trust him. llth. — Early this morning, we launched our three canoes, and each being provided with an Indian, as helmisman, we ap- plied ourselves to our paddles, and were soon moving briskly down the river. In about an hour after, the wind came out dead ahead, and although the current was in favor, our progress was sensibly checked. As we proceeded, the wind rose to a heavy gale, and the waves ran to a prodigious height. At one moment our frail bark danced upon the crest of a wave, and at the next, fell with a surge into the trough of the sea, and as we looked at the swell before us, it seemed that in an instant we ACROSS THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC. 161 must inevitably be engulphed. At such times, the canoe ahead of us was entirely hidden from view, but she was observed to rise again like a seagull, and hurry on into the same danger. The Indian in my canoe soon became completely frightened ; he frequently hid his face with his hands, and sang, in a low melancholy voice, a prayer which we had often heard from his people, while at their evening devotions. As our dangers were every moment in- creasing, the man became at length absolutely childish, and with all our persuasion and threats, we could not induce him to lay his paddle into the water. We were all soon compelled to put in shore, which we did without sustaining any damage ; the boats were hauled up high and dry, and we concluded to remain in our quarters until to morrow, or until there was a cessation of wind. In about an hour it lulled a little, and Captain W. ordered the boats to be again launched, in the hope of being able to weather a point about five miles below, before the gale again commenced, where we could lie by until it should be safe to proceed. The calm proved, as some of us had suspected, a treacherous one ; in a very few minutes after we got under way, we were con- tending with the same difficulties as before, and again our cow- ardly helmsman laid by his paddle and began mumbling hi? prayer. It was too irritating to be borne. Our canoe had swung round broad side to the surge, and was shipping gallons of water at every dash. At this time it was absolutely necessary that every man on board should exert himself to the utmost to head up the canoe and make the shore as soon as possible. Our Indian, however, still sat with his eyes covered, the most abject and contemptible looking thing I ever saw. We took him by the shoulders and threatened to throw him overboard, if he did not immediately lend his assistance : we might as well have spoken to a stone. He was finally aroused, however, by our presenting a loaded gun at his breast ; he dashed the muzzle away, seized his paddle 21 162 NARRATIVE OF A JOURNEY again, and worked with a kind of desperate and wild energy, until he sank back in the canoe completely exhausted. In the mean time the boat had become half full of water, shipping a part of every surf that struck her, and as we gained the shallows every man sprang overboard, breast deep, and began hauling the canoe to shore. This was even a more difficult task than that of propelling her with the oars ; the water still broke over her, and the bottom was a deep kind of quicksand, in which we sank almost to the knees at every step, tlie surf at the same time dashing against us with such violence as to throw us repeatedly upon our faces. We at length reached the shore, and hauled the canoe up out of reach of the breakers. She was then un- loaded as soon as possible, and turned bottom upwards. The goods had suffered considerably by the wetting; they were all unbaled and dried by a large fire, which we built on the shore. We were soon visited by several men from the other boats, which were ahead, and learned that their situation had been almost precisely similar to our own, except that their Indians had not evinced, to so great a degree, the same unmanly terror which had rendered ours so inefficient and useless. They were, however, considerably frightened, much more so than the white men. It would seem strange that Indians, who have been born, and have lived during their whole lives, upon the edge of the water, who have been accustomed, from infancy, to the manage- ment of a canoe, and in whose childish sports and manly pas- times these frail barks have always been employed, should ex- hibit, on occasions like this, such craven and womanly fears ; but the probability is, as their business is seldom of a very urgent nature, that they refrain from making excursions of any con- siderable extent in situations known to be dangerous, except during calm weather ; it is possible, also, that such gales may be rare, and they have not been accustomed to them. Immediately after we landed, our redoubtable helmsman broke away from us, ACROSS THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC. 163 and ran at full speed back towards the village. We have doubt- less lost him entirely, but we do not much regret his departure, as he proved himself so entirely unequal to the task he had undertaken. I2th. — The gale continues with the same violence as yes- terday, and we do not therefore think it expedient to leave our camp. Mr. N.'s large and beautiful collection of new and rare plants was considerably injured by the wetting it received ; he has been constantly engaged since we landed yesterday, in opening and drying them. In this task he exhibits a degree of patience and perseverance which is truly astonishing ; sitting on the ground, and steaming over the enormous fire, for hours to- gether, drying the papers, and re-arranging the whole collection, specimen by specimen, while the great drops of perspiration roll unheeded from his brow. Throusrhout the whole of our lonaf journey, I have had constantly to admire the ardor and perfect indefatigability with which he has devoted himself to the grand object of his tour. No difficulty, no danger, no fatigue has ever daunted him, and he finds his rich reward in the addition of nearly a thousand new species of American plants, which he has been enabled to make to the already teeming flora of our vast continent. My bale of birds, which was equally exposed to the action of the water, escaped without any material injury. In the afternoon, the gale not having abated, Captain W. be- came impatient to proceed, as he feared his business at Vancou- ver would suffer by delay ; he accordingly proposed taking one canoe, and braving the fury of the elements, saying that he wished five men, who were not afraid of water, to accompany him. A dozen of our fearless fellows volunteered in a moment, and the captain selecting such as he thought would best suit his purpose, lost no time in launching his canoe, and away she went over the foaming waters, dashing the spi'ay from her bows, and la- boring through the heavy swells until she was lost to our view. 164 NARRATIVE OF A JOURNEY The more sedate amongst us did not much approve of this some- what hasty measure of our principal ; it appeared like a useless and daring exposure of human life, not warranted by the exigen- cies of the case. Mr. N. remarked that he would rather lose all his plants than venture his life in that canoe. On the 13th the wind shifted to due north, and was blowing somewhat less furiously than on the previous day. At about noon we loaded our canoes, and embarked ; our progress, how- ever, during the afternoon, was slow ; the current was not rapid, and the wind was setting up stream so strongly that we could not make much headway against it ; we had, also, as before, to contend with turbulent waves, but we found we could weather them with much less difficulty, since the change of the wind. ' I4:th. — Before sunrise, a light rain commenced, which in- creased towards mid-day to a heavy shower, and continued steadily during the afternoon and night. There was, in the morning, a dead calm, the water was perfectly smooth, and dis- turbed only by the light rain pattering upon its surface. We made an early start, and proceeded on very expeditiously until about noon, when we arrived at the " cascades," and came to a halt above them, near a small Indian village. These cascades, or cataracts are formed by a collection of large rocks, in the bed of the river, which extend, for perhaps half a mile. The cur- rent for a short distance above them, is exceedingly rapid, and there is said to be a gradual fall, or declivity of the river, of about twenty feet in the mile. Over these rocks, and across the whole river, the watei dashes and foams most furiously, and with a roar which we heard distinctly at the distance of several miles. It is wholly impossible for any craft to make its nCay through these difficulties, and our light canoes would not live an instant in them. It is, therefore, necessary to make a portage, either by carrying the canoes over land to the opposite side of the cataracts, or by wading in the water near the shore, where the surges are ACROSS THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC. 165 lightest, and dragging the unloaded boat through them by a cable. Our people chose the latter method, as the canoes felt very heavy and cumbersome, being saturated with the rain which was still falling rapidly. They were accordingly immediately unloaded, the baggage placed on the shore, and the men entered the water to their necks, headed by Captain Thing, and addressed them- selves to the troublesome and laborious task. In the meantime, Mr, N., and myself were sent ahead to take the best care of ourselves that our situation and the surroundins; circumstances permitted. We found a small Indian trail on the river bank, which we followed in all its devious windings, up and down hills, over enormous, piles of rough flinty rocks, through brier bushes, and pools of water, &c. &c., for about a mile, and descending near the edge of the river, we observed a number of white men who had just succeeded in forcing a large barge through the torrent, and were then warping her into still water near the shore. Upon ap- proaching them more closely, we i-ecognised, to our astonishment, our old friend Captain Stewart, with the good missionaries, and all the rest who left us at Walla-walla on the 4th. Poor fellows! Every man of them had been over breast deep in water, and the rain, which was still falling in torrents, was more than sufficient to drench what the waves did not cover, so that they were most abundantly soaked and bedraggled. I felt sadly inclined to laugh heartily at them, but a single glance at the sorry appear- ance of myself and my companion was sufficient to check the feeling. We joined them, and aided in kindling a fire to warm and dry ourselves a little, as there was not a dry rag on us, and we were all in an ague with cold. After a very considerable time, we succeeded in igniting the wet timber, and had a tolerably large fire. We all seated ourselves on the ground around it, and related our adventures. They had, like ourselves, suffered somewhat from the head-wind and heavy swells, but unlike us they had a craft that would weather it easily ; even they, how- '■■y 166 NARRATIVE OF A JOURNEY eveH, shipped some water, and made very little progress for the last two days. They informed us that Captain W.'s canoe had been dashed to pieces on the rocks above, and that he and all his crew were thrown into the water, and forced to swim for their lives. They all escaped, and proceeded down the river, this morning, in a canoe, hired of the Indians here, one of whom accompanied them, as pilot. After a hasty meal of fish, purchased on the spot, our friends reloaded their boat and got under way, hoping to reach Vancou- ver by next morning. Mr. N. and myself remained some time longer here, expecting intelligence from our people behind; we had begun to feel a little uneasy about them, and thought of re- turning to look into their situation, when Captain T. came in haste towards us, with the mortifying intelligence that one canoe had been stove upon the rocks, and the other so badly split, that he feared she would not float ; the latter was, however, brought on by the men, and moored where we had stopped. A man was then despatched to an Indian village, about five miles below, to endeavor to procure one or two canoes and a pilot. In the mean time, we had all to walk back along the circuitous and almost impassable Indian trail, and carry our wet and heavy baggage from the spot where the boats had been unloaded. The distance, as I have stated, was a full mile, and the road so rough and encumbered as to be scarcely passable. In walking over many of the large and steep rocks, it was often necessary that the hands should be used to raise and support the body ; this, with a load, was inconvenient. Again, in ascending and de- scending the steep and slippery hills, a single mis-step was cer- tain to throw us in the mud, and bruise us upon the sharp rocks which were planted all around. This accident occurred several times with us all. Over this most miserable of all roads, with the cold rain dash- ing and pelting upon us durmg the whole time, until we felt as ACROSS THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC^ lf57 though we were frozen to the very marrow, did we all have to travel and return four separate times, before our baggage was properly deposited. It was by far the most fatiguing, cheerless, and uncomfortable business in which I was ever engaged, and truly glad was I to lie down at night on the cold, wet ground, wrapped in my blankets, out of which I had just wrung the water, and I think I never slept more soundly or comfortably than that night.* I arose the next morning rested and refreshed, though some- what sore from sundry bruises received on the hills to which I have alluded. 15th. — The rain still continued falling, but lightly, the weather calm and cool. The water immediately below the cascades foams and boils in a thousand eddies, forming little whirlpools, which, however insignificant they may appear, are exceedingly dangerous for light canoes, whirling their bows around to the current, and capsising them in an instant. Near the shore, at the foot of the cataract, there is a strong backward tow, through which it is necessary to drag the canoe, by a line, for the dis- tance of a hundred yards ; here it feels the force of the opposite current, and is carried on at the rate of seven or eight miles to the hour. The man whom we sent yesterday to the village, returned this morning ; he stated that one canoe only could be had, but that three Indians, accustomed to the navigation, would accom- pany us ; that they would soon be with us, and endeavor to re- pair our damaged boat. In an hour they came, and after the necessar}'- clamping and caulking of our leaky vessel, we loaded, and were soon moving rapidly down the river. The rain ceased about noon, but the sun did not appear during the day. * 1 could not but recollect at that time, the last injunction of my dear old grand- mother, not to sleep in damp beds ! ! 168 NARKAtlVE OF A JOtJKNEY lath. — The day was a delightful one ; the sky was robed in a large flaky cumulus, the glorious sun occasionally bursting through among the clouds, with dazzling splendor. We rose in the morning in fine spirits, our Indians assuring us that " King George," as they called the fort, was but a short distance from us. At about 11 o'clock, we arrived, and stepped on shore at the end of our journey. It is now three days over six months since I left my beloved home. I, as well as the rest, have been in some situations of dan- ger, of trial, and of difficulty, but I have passed through them all unharmed, with a constitution strengthened, and invigorated by healthful exercise, and a heart which I trust can feel deeply, sincerely thankful to that kind and overruling Providence who has watched over and protected me. We have passed for months through a country swarming with Indians who thirsted for our blood, and whose greatest pride and glory consisted in securing the scalp of a white man. Enemies, sworn, determined enemies to all, both white and red, who in- trude upon his hunting grounds, the Blackfoot roams the prairie like a wolf seeking his prey, and springing upon it when unpre- pared, and at the moment when it supposes itself most secure. To those who have always enjoyed the comforts and security of civilized life, it may seem strange that persons who know them- selves to be constantly exposed to such dangers — who never lie down at night without the weapons of death firmly grasped in their hands, and who are in hourly expectation of hearing the terrific war whoop of the savage, should yet sleep soundly and refreshingly, and feel themselves at ease ; such however is the fact. I never in my life enjoyed rest more than when travel- ling through the country of which I speak. I had become accustomed to it : I felt constant apprehension certainly, but not to such an extent as to deprive me of any of the few comforts which I could command in such an uncomfortable country. The ACROSS THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC. 169 guard might pass oiu' tent, and cry " all's well," in his loudest key, without disturbing my slumbers : but if the slightest unusual noise occurred, I was awake in an instant, and listening painfully for a repetition of it. On the beach in front of the fort , we were met by Mr. Lee, the missionary, and Dr. John McLoughlin, the chief factor, and Governor of the Hudson's Bay posts in this vicinity. The Dr. is a large, dignified and very noble looking man, with a fine ex- pressive countenance, and remarkably bland and pleasing manners. The missionary introduced Mr. N. and myself in due form, and we were greeted and received with a frank and unassuming politeness which was most peculiarly grateful to our feelings. He requested us to consider his house our home, provided a separate room for our use, a servant to wait upon us, and furnished us with every convenience which we could possibly wish for. I shall never cease to feel grateful to him for his disinterested kindness to the poor houseless and travel-worn strangers. 22 170 AAKRATIVE OF A JOURNEY ' CHAPTER X. Fort Vancouver — JlgricuUural and other improvements — Vancouver " camp^' — approach of the rainy season — Expedition to the Wallammet — The falls — ^1 village of KUkatat Indians — JManner of flattening the head — A Flathead infant — Brig " JMarj Dacre^' — Preparations for a settlement — Success of the natvralists — Chinook Indians — their appearance and costume — ^flgue and fever — Superstitious dread of the Indians — Desertion of the Sandvjich Islanders from Captain TTyeth^s party — Embarkation for a trip to the Islands — George, the Indian pilot — Mount Coffin — A visit to the tombs — Su- perstition— Visit to an Indian house — Fort George — Site of Astoria — A blind Indian buy — Cruel and unfeeling conduct of the savages — their moral character — Baker's Bay — Cape Disappointment — Dangerous bar at the en- trance of the river — The sea beach — Visit of Mr. Ogden — Passage across the bar — Sea birds — Landsmen at sea — A spei-m. whale — Albatrosses, SJc. — Tro- pic birds A "school" of tihales — Dolphins— Make the Sandwich Islands — Oahu— A rhapsody. Fort Vancouver is situated on the north bank of the Co- himbia on a large level plain, about a quarter of a mile from the shore. The space comprised within the stoccade is an oblong square, of about one hundred, by two hundred and fifty feet. The houses built of loers and frame-work, to the number of ten or twelve, are ranged around in a quadrangular form, the one occu- pied by the doctor being in the middle. In front, and enclosed on three sides by the buildings, is a large open space, where all the in-door work of the establishment is done. Here the Indians assemble with their multifarious articles of trade, beaver, otter, venison, and various other game, and here, once a week, several scores of Canadians are employed, beating the furs which have been collected, in order to free them from dust and vermin. ACUOSS THE ROCKVT MOUNTAINS, ETC. 171 Mr. N. and myself walked over the farm with the doctor, to inspect the various improvements which he has made. He has already several hundred acres fenced in, and under cultivation, and like our own western prairie land, it produces abundant crops, particularly of grain, without requiring any manure. Wheat thrives astonishingly ; I never saw better in any country, and the various culinary vegetables, potatoes, carrots, parsnips, &c., are in great profusion, and of the first quality. Indian corn does not flourish so well as at Walla-walla, the soil not being so well adapted to it; melons are well flavored, but small ; the greatest curiosity, however, is the apples, which grow on small trees, the branches of which would be broken without the support of props. So profuse is the quantity of fruit that the limbs are covered with it, and it is actually packed together precisely in the same manner that onions are attached to ropes when they are exposed for sale in our markets. On the farm is a grist mill, a threshing mill, and a saw mill, the two first, by horse, and the last, by water power; besides many minor improvements in agricultural and other matters, which cannot but astonish the stranger from a civilized land, and which reflect great credit upon the liberal and enlightened chief factor. In the propagation of domestic cattle, the doctor has been par- ticularly successful. Ten years ago a few head of neat cattle were brought to the fort by some fur traders from California ; these have now increased to near seven hundred. They are a large framed, long horned breed, inferior in their milch qualities to those of the United States, but the beef is excellent, and in consequence of the mildness of the climate, it is never necessary to provide them with fodder during the winter, an abundant sup- ply of excellent pasture being always found. On the farm, in the vicinity of the fort, are thirty or forty log huts, v/hich are occupied by the Canadians, and others attached 172 NARRATIVE OF A JOURNEY to the establishment. These huts are placed in rows, with broad lanes or streets between them, and the whole looks like a very neat and beautiful village. The most fastidious cleanliness appears to be observed ; the women may be seen sweeping the streets and scrubbing the door-sills as regularly as in our own proverbially cleanly city.* Sunday, Septetnber 25th. — Divine service was performed in the fort this morning by Mr. Jason Lee. This gentleman and his nephew had been absent some days in search of a suitable place to establish themselves, in order to fulfil the object of their mission. They returned yesterday, and intend leaving us to- morrow with their suite for the station selected, which is upon the Wallammet river, about sixty miles south of the fort. In the evening we were gratified by the arrival of Captain Wyeth from below, who informed us that the brig from Boston, which was sent out by the company to which Wyeth is attached, had entered the river, and was anchored about twenty miles below, at a spot called Warrior's point, near the western entrance of the Wallammet. Captain W. mentioned his intention to visit the Wallammet country, and seek out a convenient location for a fort which he wishes to establish without delay, and Mr. N. and myself accept- ed an invitation to accompany him in the morning. He has brought with him one of the brig's boats, and eight oarsmen, five of whom are Sandwich Islanders. We have experienced for several days past, gloomy, lowering, and showery weather; indeed the sun has scarcely been seen for * I have given this notice of the suburbs of the fort, as I find it in mj- journal written at the time; I had reason, subsequently, to change ray opinion with regard to the scrupulous cleanliness of the Canadians' Indian wives, and particularly after inspecting the internal economy of the dwellings. What at first struck me as neat and clean, by an involuntary comparison of it with the extreme filthincss to which I had been accustomed amongst the Indians, soon revealed itself in its proper light, and I can freely confess that my first estimate was too high. ACROSS THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC. 173 a week pasn This is said to indicate the near approach of the rainy season, which usually sets in about the middle of October, or even earlier. After this time, until December, there is very little clear weather, showers or heavy clouds almost constantly prevailing. On the 29th, Captain Wyeth, Mr. N., and myself, embai'ked in the ship's boat for our exploring excursion. We had a good crew of fine robust sailors, and the copper-colored islanders, — or Kanakas, as they are called, — did their duty with great alacrity and good will. At about five miles bolow the fort, we entered the upper mouth of the Wallammet. This river is here about half the width of the Columbia, a clear and beautiful stream, and navigable for large vessels to the distance of twenty-five miles. It is covered with numerous islands, the largest of vvhich is that called Wappatoo Island, about twenty miles in length. The vegetation on the main land is good, the timber generally pine and post oak, and the river is margined in many places with a beautiful species of willow with lai-ge ob-lanceolate leaves like those of the peach, and white on their under surface. The timber on the islands is chiefly oak, no pine growing there. At about 10 o'clock we overtook three men whom Captain W. had sent ahead in a canoe and we all landed soon after on the beach and dined on a mess of salmon and peas which we had provided. We were under way again in the afternoon, and encamped at about sunset. We have as yet seen no suitable place for an establishment, and to-morrow we proceed to the falls of the river, about fifteen miles further. Almost all the land in the vicinity is excellent and well calculated for cultivation, and several spots which we have visited, would be admirably adapted to the captain's views, but that there is not a sufficient extent unincumbered, or which could be fitted for the purposes of tillage in a space of time short enough 174 NARRATIVi: or A JOURNEY to be serviceable ; others arc at some seasons inundated, which is an insurmountable objection. We embarked early the next morning, and at 11 o'clock arrived at the falls, after encountering some difficulties from rapids, through which we had to warp our boat. There are here three falls on a line of rocks extending across the river, which forms the bed of the upper channel. The water is precipitated through deep abrazed gorges, and falls perhaps forty feet at an angle of about twenty degrees. It was a beautiful sight when viewed from a distance, but it became grand and almost sublime as we approached it nearer. I mounted the rocks and stood over the highest fall, and although the roar of the cataract was almost deafening, and the rays of the bright sun reflected from the white a glittering foam threatened to deprive me of sight, yet I became so absoi'bed in the contemplation of the scene, and the reflections which were involuntarily excited, as to forget every thing else for the time, and was only aroused by Captain W. tapping me on the shoulder, and telling me that every thing was arranged for our return. While I visited the falls, the captain and his men had found what they sought for ; and the object of our voyage being accomplished, we got on board immediately and shaped our course down the river with a fair wind, and the current in favor. About two miles bel^w the cataract is a small village of Klikatat Indians. Their situation does not appear different from what we have been accustomed to see in the neighborhood of the fort. They live in the same sort of miserable loose hovels, and are the same wretched, squalid looking people. Although enjoying far more advantages, and having in a much greater degree the means of rendering themselves comfortable, yet their mode of living, their garments, their wigwams, and every thing connected with them, is not much better than the Snakes and ACROSS THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC. 175 Bannecks, and very far inferior to that fine, noble-looking race, the Kayouse, whom wc met on the Grand ronde. A custom prevalent, and almost universal amongst these In- dians, is that of flattening, or mashing in the whole front of the skull, from the superciliary ridge to the crown. The appearance produced by this unnatural operation is almost hideous, and one would suppose that the intellect would be materially affected by it. This, however, does not appear to be the case, as I have never seen, (with a single exception, the Kayouse,) a race of people who appeared more shrewd and intelligent. I had a con- versation on this subject, a few days since, with a chief who speaks the English language. He said that he had exerted him- self to abolish the practice in his own tribe, but although his peo- ple would listen patiently to his talk on most subjects, their ears weie firmly closed when this was mentioned ; " they would leave the council fire, one by one, until none but a few squaws and children were left to drink in the words of the chief." It is even considered among them a degradation to possess a round head, and one whose caput has happened to be neglected in his infancy, can never become even a subordinate chief in his tribe, and is treated with indifference and disdain, as one who is unworthy a place amongst them. The flattening of the head is practiced by at least ten or twelve distinct tribes of the lower country , the Klikatats, Kalapooyahs, and Multnomahs, of the Wallarnmet, and its vicinity ; the Chi- nooks, Klatsaps, Klatstonis, Kowalitsks, Katlammets, Killemooks, and Chekalis of the lower Columbia and its tributaries, and pro- bably by others both north and south. The tribe called Flat- heads, or Salish, who reside near the sources of the Oregon, have long since abolished this custom. The mode by which the flattening is effected, varies consider- ably with the different tribes. The Wallarnmet Indians {dace the infant, soon afier birth, upon a board, to the edges of which 176 NARRATIVE OF A JOURNEY are attached little loops of hempen cord or leather, and other similar cords are passed across and back , in a zig-zag manner, through these loops, enclosing the child, and binding it firmly- down. To the upper edge of this board, in which is a depression to receive the back part of the head, another smaller one is attached by hinges of leather, and made to lie obliquely upon the forehead, the force of the pressure being regulated by several strings attached to its edge, which are passed through holes in the board upon which the infant is lying, and secured there. The mode of the Chinooks, and others near the sea, differs widely from that of the upper Indians, and appears somewhat less barbarous and cruel. A sort of cradle is formed by exca- vating a pine log to the depth of eight or ten inches. The child is placed in it on a bed of little grass mats, and bound down in the manner above described. A little boss of tightly plaited and woven grass is then applied to the forehead, and secured by a cord to the loops at the side. The infant is thus suffered to remain from four to eight months, or until the sutures of the skull have in some measure united, and the bone become solid and firm. It is seldom or never taken from the cradle, except in case of severe illness, until the flattening process is completed. I saw, to-day, a young child fi'om whose head the board had just been removed. It was, without exception, the most frightful and disgusting looking object that I ever beheld. The whole front of the head was completely flattened, and the mass of brain being forced back, caused an enormous projection there. The poor little creature's eyes protruded to the distance of half an inch, and looked inflamed and discolored, as did all the sur- rounding parts. Although I felt a kind of chill creep over me from the contemplation of such dire deformity, yet there was something so stark-staring, and absolutely queer in the physiog- nomy, that I could not repress a smile; and when the mother amused the little object and made it laugh, it looked so irresist- ACROSS THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC. 177 fbly, SO terribly ludicrous, that I and those who were with me, burst into a simultaneous roar, which frightened it and made it cry, 'in which predicament it looked much less horrible than before. On the 1st, of November we arrived at the brig. She was moored, head and stern, to a large rock near the lower mouth of the Wallammet. Captain Lambert with his ship's company, and our own mountain men, were all actively engaged at various employments; carpenters, smiths, coopers, and other artisans were busy in their several vocations ; domestic animals, pigs, sheep, goats, poultry, &c., were roaming about as if perfectly at home, and the whole scene looked so like the entrance to a country village, that it was difficult to fancy oneself in a howling wilderness inhabited only by the wild and improvident Indian, and his scarcely more free and fearless neighbors, the bear and the wolf. An excellent temporary storehouse of twigs, thatched with grass, has been erected, in which has been deposited the ex- tensive assortment of goods necessary for the settlement, as well as a number of smaller ones, in which the men reside. It is intend- ed as soon as practicable, to build a large and permanent dwelling of logs, which will also include the store and trading establishment, and form the groundwork for an American fort on the river Columbia. bth. — Mr. N. and myself are now residing on board the brig, and pursuing with considerable success our scientific researches through the neighborhood. I have shot and prepared here several new species of birds, and two or three undescribed quadj^upeds, besides procuring a considerable number, which, though known to naturalists, are rare, and therefore valuable. My companion is of course in his element ; the forest, the plain, the rocky hill, and the mossy bank yield him a rich and most abundant supply. 23 178 NARRATIVE OF A JOURNEY We are visited daily by considerable numbers of Chinook and Klikatat Indians, many of whom bring us provisions of various kinds, salmon, deer, ducks, &c., and receive in return, powder and shot, knives, paint, and Indian rum, i. e. rum and water in the propoi-tion of one part of the former to two of the latter. Some of these Indians would be handsome were it not for the abominable practice, which, as I have said, is almost universal amongst them, of destroying the form of the head. The features of many are regular, though often devoid of expres- sion, and the persons of the men generally are rather symme- trical ; their stature is low, with light sinewy limbs, and remark- ably small delicate hands. The women are usually more rotund, and, in some instances, even approach obesity. The principal clothing worn by them is a sort of short petticoat made of Strang of pine bark or twisted hempen strings, tied around the loins like a marro. This article they call a kalaquarte; and is often their only dress ; some, however, cover the shoulders with a blanket, or robe made of muskrat or hare skins sewed together. A disease of a very fatal character is prevalent among these Indians ; many of them have died of it ; even some of those in the neighborhood of the fort, where medical assistance was always at hand. The symptoms are a general coldness, soreness and stiffness of the limbs and body, with violent tertian ague. Its fatal termination is attributable to its tendency to attack the liver, which is generally affected in a few days after the first symptoms are developed. Several of the white people attached to the fort have been ill with it, but no deaths have oc- curred amongst them, the disease in their case having yielded to the simple tonic remedies usually employed at home. This I have no doubt would be equally the case with the Indians, were they ACROSS THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC. 179 willing to submit to proper restrictions during the time of admi- nlsterino; medicine. Captain Lambert informs me that on his first landing here the Indians studiously avoided his vessel, and all kind of intercourse with his crew, from the supposition, (which they have since ac- knowledged) that the malady which they dread so much was thus conveyed. As in a short time it became desirable, on account of procuring supplies of provision, to remove this impression, some pains were taken to convince the Indians of their error, and they soon visited the ship without fear. Mr. N. and myself have been anxious to escape the wet and disagreeable winter of this region, and visit some other portion of the country, where the inclemency of the season will not inter- fere with the prosecution of our respective pursuits. After some reflection and consultation, we concluded to take passage in the brig, which will sail in a k\v weeks for the Sandwich Islands. We shall remain there about three months, and return to the river in time to commence our peregrinations in the spring. 2Sd. — At Fort Vancouver. A letter was received yesterday by Dr. McLoughlin, from Captain Wycth, dated Walla-walla, stating that the twelve Sandwich Islanders whom he took with him a week since for a journey to Fort Hall, had deserted, each taking a horse. They had no doubt heard from some of their countrymen, whom they met at the fort, of the difficulties of the route before them, which were probably very much exaggerated. Captain W. is on the alert to find them, and is sending men on their trail in every direction, but it is more than probable that they will not be overtaken, and the consequence will then be, that the expedition must be abandoned, and the captain return to the fort to spend the winter. December Sd, — Yesterday Mr. N. and myself went down the river to the brig, and this morning early the vessel left her 180 NARRATIVE OF A JOTJRNEV moorings, and with her sails unloosed stood out into the channel way. The weather was overcast, and we had but little wind, so that our progress during the morning was necessarily slow. In the afternoon we ran aground in one and a half fathoms water, but as the tide was low, we were enabled to get her clear in the evening. The navigation of this river is particularly difficult in consequence of numerous shoals and sand bars, and good pilots are scarce, the Indians alone officiating in that capacity. To- wards noon the next day, a Kowalitsk Indian with but one eye, who said his name was George, boarded us, and showed a letter which he carried, written by Captain McNeall, in the Hudson's Bay service, recommending said George as a capable and expe- rienced pilot. We accepted his services gladly, and made a bar- gain with him to take us into Baker's bay near the cape, for four bottles of rum; with the understanding, however, that every time the brig ran aground, one bottle of the precious liquor was to be forfeited. George agreed to the terms, and taking his station at the bow, gave his orders to the man at the wheel like one having authority, pointing with his finger when he wished a de- viation from the common course, and pronouncing in a loud voice the single word ookook, (here.) On the afternoon of the 4th, we passed along a bold precipi- tous shore, near which we observed a large isolated rock, and on it a great number of canoes, deposited above the reach of the tides. This spot is called Mount Coffin, and the canoes contain the dead bodies of Indians. They are carefully wrapped in blankets, and all the personal property of the deceased, bows and arrows, guns, salmon spears, ornaments, 6z;c., are placed within, and around his canoe. The vicinity of this, and all other ceme- teries, is held so sacred by the Indians, that they never approach it, except to make similar deposites ; they will often even travel a considerable distance out of their course, in order to avoid in- truding upon the sanctuai'y of their dead. ACROSS THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC. 181 We came to anchor near this rock in the evening, and Captain Lambert, Mr. N., and myself visited the tombs. We were espe- cially careful not to touch or disarrange any of the fabrics, and it was well we were so, for as we turned to leave the place, we found that we had been narrowly watched by about twenty In- dians, whom we had not seen when we landed from our boat. After we embarked, we observed an old withered crone with a long stick or wand in her hand, who approached, and walked over the ground which we had defiled with our sacrilegious tread, waving her enchanted rod over the mouldering bones, as if to purify the atmosphere around, and exorcise the evil spirits which we had called up. I have been very anxious to procure the skulls of some of these Indians, and should have been willing, so far as I alone was concerned, to encounter some risk to effect my object, but I have refrained on account of the difficulty in which the ship and crew would be involved, if the sacrilege should be discovered ; a prejudice might thus be excited against our little colony which would not soon be overcome, and might prove a serious injury. 6th. — The weather is almost constantly rainy and squally, making it unpleasant to be on deck ; we are therefore confined closely to the cabin, and are anxious to get out to sea as soon as possible, if only to escape this. In the afternoon, the captain and myself went ashore in the long-boat, and visited several Indian houses upon the beach. These are built of roughly hewn boards and logs, usually covered with pine bark, or matting of their own manufacture, and open at the top, to allow the smoke to escape. In one of these houses we found men, women, and children, to the number of fifty-two, seated as usual, upon the ground, around numerous fires, the smoke from which filled every cranny of the building, and to us was almost stifling, although the Indians did not appear to suffer 182 NAKRATIVE OF A JOURNEY any inconvenience from it. Although living in a state of the most abject poverty, deprived of most of the absolute necessaries of life, and frequently enduring the pangs of protracted starva- tion, yet these poor people appear happy and contented. They are scarcely qualified to enjoy the common comforts of life, even if their indolence did not prevent the attempt to procure them. On the afternoon of the 8th, we anchored off Fort George, as it is called, although perhaps it scarcely deserves the name of a fort, being composed of but one principal house of hewn boards, and a number of small Indian huts surrounding it, presenting the appearance, from a distance, of an ordinary small farm house with its appropriate outbuildings. There is but one white man residing here, the superintendent of the fort ; but there is probably no necessity for more, as the business done is not very consider- able^ most of the furs being taken by the Indians to Vancouver. The establishment is, however, of importance, independent of its utility as a trading post, as it is situated within view of the dangerous cape, and intelligence of the arrival of vessels can be communicated to the authorities at Vancouver in time for them to render adequate assistance to such vessels by supplying ihem with pilots, 6z;c. This is the spot where once stood the fort established by the direction of our honored countryman, John Jacob Astor. One of the chimneys of old Fort Astoria is still standing, a melancholy monument of American enterprise and domestic misrule. The spot where once the fine parterre over- looked the river, and the bold stoccade enclosed the neat and substantial fort, is now overgrown with weeds and bushes, and can scarce be distinguished from the primeval forest which surrounds it on every side. Captain Lambert, Mr. N. and myself visited the Indian houses in the neighborhood. In one of them we saw a poor little boy about three years of age who had been blind from his birth. He I NARRATIVE OF A JOURNEY 183 was sitting on the gi'ound near the fire, surrounded by a quantity of fish bones which he had been picking. Our sympathy was very much excited for the poor little unfortunate, particularly as he was made a subject for the taunting jibes and laughter of a number of men and women, squatting around, and his mother sat by with the most cruel apathy and unconcern, and only smiled at the commiseration which we expressed for her innocent and peculiarly unhappy offspring. It seems difficult to believe that those who possess the form and countenance of human creatures, should so debase the natural good feelings which God has im- planted in them : but these ignorant and gross v/retches seemed to take credit to themselves in rendering this afflicted being unhappy, and smiled and looked at each other when we endeavored to infuse a little pity into them. The child had evi- dently been very much neglected, and almost starved, and the little articles which we presented it, (in the hope, that the Indians on seeing us manifest an interest in it, would treat it more ten- derly,) it put to its mouth eagerly, but finding them not eatable, threw them aside in disgust. Oh ! how I wished at that moment for a morsel of bread to give this little famished and neglected creature. We soon left the place, and returned to the brig, but I could think of nothina; durinnj the remainder of the evening but the little blind child, and at night I dreamed I saw it, and it raised its dim and sightless orbs, and stretched out its little emaciated arms towards me, as if begging for a crumb to prevent its starving. These people, as I have already said, do not appear to possess a particle of natural good feeling, and in their moral character, they are little better than brutes. In the case of the blind boy, they seemed to take pride in tormenting it, and rendering it miserable, and vied with each other in the skill and dexterity with which they applied to it the most degrading and insulting epithets. These circumstances, with others, in regard to their 184 ACROSS THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC. moral character, which I shall not even mention, have tended very considerably to lower the estimation in which I have always held the red man of the forest, and serve to strengthen the opinion which I had long since formed, that nothing but the intro- duction of civilization, with its good and wholesome laws, can ever render the Indian of service to himself, or raise him from the state of wretchedness which has so long characterized his expiring race. The next morning, we ran down into Baker's bay, and anchored within gunshot of the cape, when Captain Lambert and my- self went on shore in the boat, to examine the channel, and decide upon the prospect of getting out to sea. This passage is a very dangerous one, and is with reason dreaded by mariners. A wide bar of sand extends from Cape Disappointment to the opposite shore, — called Point Adams, — and with the exception of a space, comprehending about half a mile, the sea at all times breaks furiously, the surges dashing to the height of the mast head of a ship, and with the most terrific roaring. Sometimes the water in the channel is agitated equally with that which covers the whole length of the bar, and it is then a matter of imminent risk to attempt a passage. Vessels have occasion- ally been compelled to lie in under the cape for several weeks, in momentary expectation of the subsidence of the dangerous breakers, and they have not unfrequently been required to stand offshore, from without, until the crews have suffered ex- tremely for food and water. This circumstance must ever form a barrier to a permanent settlement here ; the sands, which com- pose the bar, are constantly shifting, and changing the course and depth of the channel, so that none but the small coasting vessels in the service of the company can, with much safety, pass back and forth. Mr. N. and myself visited the sea beach, outside the cape, in the hope of finding peculiar marine shells, but although we ACROSS THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC. 185 searched assiduously during the morning, we had but little suc- cess. We saw several deer in the thick forest on the side of the cape, and a great number of black shags, or cormorants, flying over the breakers, and resting upon the surf-washed rocks. On the morning of the 11th, Mr. Hanson, the mate, returned from the shore, and reported that the channel was smooth ; it was therefore deemed safe to attempt the passage immediately. While we were weighing our anchor, we descried a brig steering towards us, which soon crossed the bar, and ran up to within speaking distance. It was one of the Hudson's Bay Company's coasters, and, as we were getting under way, a boat put off from her, and we were boarded by Mr. Ogden, a chief factor from one of the Company's forts on the coast. He informed us that the brig left Naus about the first of October, but had been delayed by contrary winds, and rough, boisterous weather. Thus the voyage which usually requires but about eight days for its perform- ance, occupied upwards of two months. They had been on an allowance of a pint of water per day, and had suffered considerably for fresh provision. Mr. Ogden remained with us but a short time, and we stood out past the cape. When we entered the channel, the water which had before been so smooth, became suddenly v.ery much agitated, swelling, and roaring, and foaming around us, as if the surges were up- heaved from the very bottom, and as our vessel would fall in the trough of the sea, pitching down like a huge leviathan seeking its native depths, I could not but feel positive, that the enormous Avave, which hung like a judgment over our heads, would inevita- bly engulph us ; but the good ship, like a creature instinct with life, as though she knew her danger, gallantly rose upon it, and but dipped her bows into its crest, as if in scorn of its mighty and irresistible power. This is my first sea voyage, and everything upon the great deep is of course novel and interesting to me. During the scene which I have just described, although I was 24 186 NARRATIVE OF A JOURNEY aware of oui- imminent peril, and the tales that I had frequently- heard of vessels perishing in this very spot, and in precisely such a sea, recurred to my mind with some force, yet I could not but feel a kind of secret and wild joy at finding myself in a situation of such awful and magnificent grandeur. I thought of the lines of Shelley, and repeated them to myself in a kind of ecstasy. " And see'st thou, and hear'st thou, And fear'st thou, and fear'st thou, "■ And ride we not free O'er the terrible sea, I and thou ?" In about twenty minutes we had escaped all the danger, and found ourselves riding easily in a beautiful placid sea. We set the sails, which had been shortened on the bar, and the gallant vessel feeling the impulse of the wind, rushed aliead as if exulting in the victory she had achieved. We saw, outside the bar, a great number of birds, of various kinds — ducks of several species, two or three kinds of guillemots, (U?'ia,) — shags, (PJialacrocorax,) among which was a splendid new species,* brown albatross, (^Diomedea fusca,) the common dusky pelican, (P. fuscus,) and numerous Pi'ocellariee, — also, the beautiful marine animal, called Medusa. It is a cartilagi- nous or gummy substance, flattish, and about the size of a man's hand, with a tube projecting from it, expanded or flared out like the end of a clarionet. Within the body, near the posterior part is a large ovate ball, of a bright orange color, resembling the yolk of an ess^. 14^A.— There is to-day a heavy sea running, and we lands- men are affording some merriment to the seasoned crew, by our " lubberly" manner of " fetching away" in our attempts to walk * See appendix. ACROSS THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC, 187 the deck. I find, for myself, that I must for the present consent to relinquish an erect and dignified carriage, and adopt the less graceful, but safer method of clinging to the rails, &c., to assist locomotion. One thing, however, I cannot but feel thankful for, which is, that I have never felt in the least degree sea sick ; and having so far escaped, I have no apprehension for the future. Saw, in the afternoon, a large sperm, whale, lazily rolling about a quarter of a mile ahead of the vessel. It occasionally spouted up a stream of water to the height of six or seven feet, but was perfectly quiescent until wc approached near it, when it suddenly sank away and was lost to sight. 20th. — We observe constantly around us several species of dark albatross, pufiins, petrels, &c. They follow closely in our wake, sailing over the svirges with astonishing ease and grace, frequently skimming so near the surface that the eye loses them for an instant between the swells, but at such times they never touch the water, although we not un frequently see them resting upon it. 22d. — The weather has become very mild, the thermometer ranging from 65° to 75°, indicating our approach to the tropics ; and as a further proof of it, we saw, this morning, a beautiful tropic bird, (Ph(Pton.) It sails around the vessel with an easy, graceful sweep, its long train being very conspicuous, and suffi- ciently distinguishing it from a tern, which, in other respects, it closely resembles. Its voice is very much like that of the great tern, {Sterna hirundo,) being a harsh, loud, and gutteral croak, emitted while sailing high, and 'vith its head curved downwards, examining the surface of the sea in search of its finny prey. SOth. — For the last four or five days we have been making but little headway, having been, occasionally, almost becalmed, and not going at any time more than two, or two and a half knots. The weather is so warm that our upper garments have become uncomfortable, the mean of the thermometer being about 188 NARKATIVE OF A JOURNEY 77^, but we have, for several days past, been favored with cool, refreshing showers in the evening, which tend very much to our comfort. Saw, this afternoon, in latitude 23° 20' N., longitude 149° 30' W., a " school" of eight or ten sperm, whales. Several passed within twenty yards of the vessel, and we had an excellent opportunity of observing them. They were so near that w^e could distinctly see the expansion of the nostrils as they spouted the brine before them, with a noise like the blowing of a mighty forge. There were among them several calves, which were sporting around their dams, sometimes dashing against them head foremost, and gliding half out of w ater upon the backs of the old ones. We were followed to-day by several large dolphins. I had' often heard of the surpassing beauty of this fish, but my imagi- nation had never pictured any thing half so splendid as I then witnessed. We were going at about three knots, and the fish easily kept up with us, swimming in the wake without any appa^ rent exertion, or even motion of their fins. At one moment they appeared to be of a clear, uniform grass-green, glistening and sparkling in the waves like emeralds, and in the next, they had changed their color wholly, appearing of an iridescent purple, with large oval spots of green and shining red ; again, they were speckled and striped with all the colors of the rainbow, but without any one appearing predominant, and these changes were going on every minute while they remained near us, which was for the space of half an hour. When caught, and taken from the water, it is said that these changes occur precisely as when in their native element, with scarcely any diminution of brilliancy; and as vitality becomes less active, the variations are less frequent, until the colors finally settle into a dark greenish hue, and the animal is dead. January 2d, 1835. — This evening at 5 o'clock, we made dis- ACROSS THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC. 189 tinctly, the head laud of three of the Sandwich group, Hawaii, Maui, and Morokai, being within about eighteen miles of the nearest. We have now light trade winds which bear us at the rate of five knots, and an unusually smooth and placid sea. This, combined with the free, unwavering breeze, is considered by our mariners as a fortunate circumstance for us, particularly, as we shall approach, and perhaps pass the dangerous rocky coast of Maui in the night. It is much more common for vessels to feel the land breeze, as they near it, setting them off shore, while the trades, operating in a contrary direction, they become unmanage- able, and not unfrequently founder upon the rocks. This has been the fate of a number of vessels approaching as we are at present, and our skilful and careful captain, always on the alert and anxious in situations of apprehended danger, is at this moment pacing the quarter-deck, giving directions regarding the manage- ment of the vessel, in tones as firm, and with a decision as prompt as ever; but through it all, he cannot conceal the anxiety under which he is evidently laboring. We passengers consider ourselves perfectly safe under such good guardianship, but can- not help feeling for the captain, who to insure our safety is losing the repose which he absolutely requires. On the afternoon of the 4th, we ran by several islands, and all within five miles. We could distinctly see the lofty and precipi- tous rocks of the coast, the deep ravines between them, and, by the assistance of our glasses, the green and rich looking vege- tation of the interrupted plains. At noon next day, we made the island of Oahu, our destination, distant about forty miles. In the evening we were enabled to run, the moon shining brightly, and the atmosphere being unu- sually free from haze. At 10 o'clock we were within a few miles of the island, so that we could distinctly see a number of lights from the huts on the beach ; we let go our anchor off a 190 NARRATIVE OF A JOURNEY point called Diamond hill ; and soon after, the mountain ranges, and the quiet valleys echoed the report of our pilot gun. As I leaned over the rail this eveninsj, gazing at the shoi'e on our quarter, with its lofty peaks, and lovely sleeping vales, clearly defined by the light of the full orbed moon, T thought I never had witnessed any thing so perfectly enchanting. The warm breeze which came in gentle puffs from the land, seemed to bear fra- grance on its wings, and to discourse of the rich and sunny climes from which it came. The whole scene was to me like fairy land. I thought of Captain Cook, and fancied his having been here, and gazing with delighted eyes upon the very pros- pect before me, little dreaming, that after all he had endured, he should here be sacrificed by the very people to whom he hoped to prove a benefactor and friend. The noise and bustle on deck, sailors running to and fro making the ship " snug" for harbor, and all the preparations for an arrival, effectually banished my meditations, and I descended to my state room, to sleep away the tedious hours, 'till the morrow should reveal all the new and strange features of the land to which we had come. ACROSS THE ROOKY MOUNTAINS, ETC. 191 CHAPTER XI. Ilonoruru — J\''ative canoes— Amphibious habits — Captain Charlton, his Britanic J\lajesty''s consul — JMr. Jones, the American consul — reception by him — Desj- cription of the town, and of the natives — Party-colored hair of the luomen — The pagoda — A visit from Rev. Hiram Bingham, the missionary — Opiniotis regarding tlie missionary fraternity — First view of the king, Kauikeaouli — his train — Seaman's chapel — A visit to the native church — Kinau and Keku- anoa — Orderly conduct of the natives durins" worship — Introduction to the king — His fondness for the chase, ayid athletic exercises — JVativefood — Man- ner of eating — The rumi-rumi — its efficacy — A Lu au party — The valley of JVuano — A visit to the Pari — The last battle of Tamehameha—A feast — Manner of cooking — A party of native ladies — An adventure. Early on the morning of the 5th, Mr. Reynolds, the deputy- pilot, boarded us in a whale boat manned by natives, and accom- panied by two American gentlemen, residents of the town of Ho- noruru, — Captain William S. Hinckley and P. A. Brinsmade, Esq. Our anchor was soon weighed, and with a fine, (tee. wind, we rounded Diamond hill, and passed along a beautiful indenta- tion in the shore, called Waititi bay, within sight of a large coral reef, by which the whole island is surrounded. We very soon came in view of the lovely, sylvan looking village of Honoruru. The shore below the town from Waititi, to a considerable dis- tance above, is fringed with graceful cocoanut trees, with here and there a pretty little grass cottage, reposing under their shade. As we approached the harbor, these cottages became more numerous, until at last they appeared thickly grouped to- gether, with occasionally a pretty garden dividing them. The 192 NARRATIVE OF A JOURNEY fort, too, which fronts the ocean, with its clean, white washed walls, and cannon frowning from the embrazures, adds very much to the effect of the scene ; while behind, the noble hills and fertile valleys between, clothed with the richest verdure, soften down and mellow the whole, and render the prospect indescribably beautiful. On nearing the shore, we observed some scores of curiously formed canoes, with large outriggers, which had just put off, and were bound out on a fishing excursion. A number of these passed close to our vessel, and usually paused when opposite, that the denuded mariners might have an opportunity of survey- ing the strangers, and of bidding them welcome to their shores, by a loud and gay Aroha. Near the land a number of natives, of both sexes, were swimming and playing in the surf, and diving to the bottom searching for echince, and sea weeds, re- maining under the water for a considerable time, while their heels were seen moving to and fro above the surface. Our brig soon entered the narrow channel, opposite the harbor, and with a light, but steady breeze, stood in close to the town and let go her anchor within a hundred yards of the shore. As we were about leaving the vessel, Captain Charlton, H. B. M. consul, and Captain W. Darby of the H. B. Co.'s brig Eagle came on board, and gave Mr. N. and myself a passage to the shore in their boat. They walked with us to the house of Mr. Jones, the American consul, to whom T had a letter from my friend Doctor M. Burrough, of Philadelphia. We were received by this gentleman in a manner calculated to make us feel per- fectly at home ; a good and comfortable house was immediately provided for us, and every assistance was offered in forwarding ourviews. We dined at the sumptuous table of W.French, Esq., an American gentleman, and one of the most thriving merchants of the town, and were here introduced to several highly respectable foreign residents, Captain E. Grimes, Doctor Thomas, Dr. Rooke, ACROSS THE ROCKY BIOUNTAINS, ETC. 193 Mr. Paty, and others. In the afternoon we strolled out with two or three gentlemen to view the village and its environs. The town of Honoruru contains about three hundred houses, the great majority of which are composed of grass exclusively, and those occupied by the natives consist of a single room. Others, in which many of the foreigners reside, are partitioned with boards, and form as comfortable and agreeable residences as could be desired in a climate always warm. There are some few houses of frame, and several of coral rock, built by the resi- dent merchants and missionaries; but they are certainly not superior, except in being more durable, to those of grass, and probably not so comfortable in the intensely hot seasons. The houses are scattered about without any regard to regularity, the hard, clay passage-ways winding amongst them in every direc- tion ; but an air of neatness and simple elegance prervades the whole, which cannot fail to make a favorable impression on the stranger. The natives ax'e generally remarkably well formed, of a dark copper color, with pleasant and rather intellectual countenances, and many of the women are handsome. The dress of the men, not in the employment of the whites, consists of a large piece of native cloth, called a Tapa, or a robe of calico thrown loosely round the body, somewhat like the Roman toga, and knotted on the left shoulder. The women wear a loose gown of calico, or native cloth, fastened tightly round the neck, but not bound at the waist, and often with the addition of several yards of cotton cloth tied round above the hips. Their hair is generally of a beautiful glossy black, and of un- usual fineness ; it is folded around the back part of the head, very much in the manner common to our ladies at home, and splendid tortoise shell combs, of their own manufacture, are used to confine it. They display much taste in the arrangement of wild flowers amongst their hair, and a common ornament for the 194 NARRATIVE OF A JOURNEY forehead is the Re of beautiful yellow feathers which is bound upon it. I have repeatedly seen women with hair of two, and, in some instances, of three distinct colors. Deep black and chestnut- brown ; not promiscuously mingled throughout, but lying in separate masses ; and in the rare instances of which I have spoken, they were black, brown, and a kind of ash color, giving to the head a most singular appearance. I had supposed that this party-colored character of the hair was the etfect of art, but was soon informed to the contrary, and perceived that by the natives themselves it was considered a deformity. ' 8th. — Mr. N. and myself are now fairly domiciliated. We occu- py a large and commodious room, in a building called the Pagoda, which is in a central part of the town ; from our front windows we have a fine view of the harbor and the shipping, and from a balcony in the rear, we can see almost the entire length of the lovely valley of Nuano, with its bold and rugged rocks, and the luxuriant verdure on their sides; while nearer, the little square taro patches, crowded together over the intermediate plain, look like pretty garden plots, as the' broad green leaves of the plant are tinted by the sunbeams. In the afternoon, a gentleman somewhat past middle age, in a plain, but neat garb, called upon me, and introduced himself as the Rev. Hiram Bingham, one of the missionaries resident upon the island. He gave me a very interesting account of the first landing and establishment of the missionaries at the Sand- wich Islands, and discoursed very pleasantly upon ordinary * topics for half an hour. As Mr. N. was absent on a concholo- gical excursion, I had the good man all to myself, and I may truly say, I have rarely spent a half hour more agreeably. I was particularly interested in Mr. Bingham, from the circum- stance of his being one of the oldest missionaries at these islands, and from the knowledge (which I had before acquired) of the very great influence he had exerted in the establishment of the ACROSS THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC. 195 iis"siorfe, and of the excellent condition to which they had attain- ed under his supervision and guardianship. It is well known to all who visit the Sandwich Islands, as well as to many at home who have friends residing there, that the missionaries are exceedingly unpopular amongst the resident fo- reigners. Why it is, or should be so, I will not stop to inquire, but will merely remark, that so far as my own intercourse with these missionaries has extended, and according to the opportuni- ties I have had of judging of the relative merits of the case, my opinion decidedly is, that there is no good and sufficient reason for this ill-feeling. Who are the missionaries ? They are men who have left the homes of their childhood, the parents, the bro- thers, the sisters, the friends of their bosoms, and for what ? To dwell in distant lands, among the uncivilized and the barbarous.; to labor for these with all the energy of their minds and bodies; and for this they receive so trifling a compensation, that nothing except the reward of a good conscience, and of a life spent in the noblest service that can engage the bodily and mental powers of a Christian, could ever induce them to engage in it. Why, then, should they be opposed 1 Why should those calling themselves Christians, take every possible opportunity of thwarting and renderino; null the labors of men such as these? Grant that there may be bad and designing persons among them, does this circumstance affect the cause itself? Surely not. Why then should not the foreigners, instead of opposing and laboring to subvert their measures, endeavor to aid these devoted people in their most laborious task, or if they do not aid, let them at least assume a neutrality, and neither place themselves in the ranks of opposition, nor endeavor to induce others to do so. 10th. — This morning I saw the king for the first time. He is a very young man, only about twenty years of age, of ordinary size, and rather ordinary appearance. He was dressed in a little blue jacket, such as is worn by sailors when ashore, white panta- 196 NARRATIVE OF A JOURNEY loons, and common black hat. He was walking in the street at a rapid, and not very dignified gate, and was followed closely by about twenty natives. Some of these were rather fantastically dressed, with old naval coats and rusty epaulets, which had seen long service, and huge sabres with iron scabbards, which jingled on the ground as the wearer stalked majestically along. Others were habited plainly, like their master, and some few were of the true tatterdemalion school. I had the curiosity to follow the royal escort for a little way to see what would become of them all ; they soon turned a corner and halted near a little waggon which had just stopped. The king approached the vehicle and handed from it an old and venerable looking native, (who I afterwards learned was the chief Kekeoeva, the former guardian of the king,) and they walked off arm in arm in a very affection- ate manner, followed, as before, by the motley group of retainers. The natives have very generally become acquainted with the pursuits of my companion and myself, and at almost all hours of the day, our mansion is beseiged by men, women and children. Some bring shells, pearls, living birds, cocoanuts, bananas, &c., to sell, and others are attracted by curiosity to see us, which is no doubt much excited in re2;ard to the use which we intend making of all the strange things they bring us. Sunday, 11th. — Mr. Jones, the consul, called for us this morning, and we accompanied him to the Seamen's chapel in our neighborhood, the only church in the town in which English service is performed. The chapel is a handsome building of adobes, or sun-dried bricks, lately erected, and, as its name im- ports, is intended chiefly for the benefit of the mariners who visit the island. It is surmounted by a handsome dome and belfry of wood, from which the bell was pealing out its solemn notes as we approached it. The Rev. John Deill, the pastor, officiated, to whom we were introduced at the conclusion of the service. In the afternoon, Mr. N. and myself walked with the consul to ACROSS THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC. 197 the native church, at the lower extremity of the town. This is an enormous building, one hundred and ninety-six feet in length by sixty in breadth, and capable of containing four thousand people. It is built in the native style, of grass tied in bundles on a rude frame work of sticks, and the ridge pole, which extends along the whole length of the apex of the roof within, is support- ed by numerous roughly hewn pillars driven into the ground. The natives, in great numbers, were flocking to the church ; men in every variety of costume, from the plain and dignified dress of the European gentleman, to the simple and primitive tapa or native cloth ; and women, from the gay hat and feathers, silk gowns and stays of polished life, to the light and much better adapted robe of the country, with its invariable accompaniment, the pau or waist-fillet of figured calico. While we were stand- ing, surveying the moving throng, we observed a little two wheeled cart approach, drawn by four men in the native dress, in which sat one of the great rotund beauties of the island, attired in gay silk, with a large black hat, from which drooped a magni- ficent ostrich feather. This was Kinau, the ex-queen, and wife of Kekuanoa, the commandante of the fort, commonly called the colonel. At the door of the chui'ch she was assisted to dis- mount ; and as she swept along by us and entered the aisle, she made us a low and graceful bow, tossing back her great head, and looking around upon the company assembled, with the air of one who expected profound admiration and unlimited homage. In the church, we were invited by Kekuanoa to take a seat on the bench beside him and his wife ; and when Mr. Bingham commenced the service by reading a native hymn, Kinau did me the honor to present me with her book, pointing to the place with a dignified and patronising air, which I acknowledged with all suitable respect. The sermon, in the native language, by Mr. Bingham, was delivered in an easy and fluent manner, and in the whole of the 198 NARRATIVE OF A JOURNEY great concourse there was scarcely a movement during the service. All seemed deeply engaged in the business for which they had assembled ; and as I looked around upon the quiet and attentive multitude, a comparison with the wild and idolatrous scenes which their assemblies exhibited in times past was irresist- ibly forced upon me. A few days after this I was introduced by Captain Charlton, his Britanic majesty's consul, to the king Kauikeaouli, or Tameiiameha III., as he is sometimes called. He was accom- panied by John Young, one of his prime favorites, a fine, noble looking young man, who I thought looked much more like a king than his master. His majesty was very condescending and kind. He conversed easily and freely, though in broken English, and having understood that I had been somewhat of a traveller, was very curious to hear my adventures through the wild regions of the west. The stories of buffalo and grizzly bear hunting pleased him particularly, and his dark eye actually glittered as I recounted to him the stirrinn; and thrilling incidents of the wild buffalo chace, and the no less moving perils of the encounter with the fierce bear of the prairies. He remarked that he should enjoy such hunting ; that here there was nothing for his amuse- ment but the chasing of wild cattle, and the common athletic exer- cise of quoits, bar-heaving, &c. , but he should like to see these big buffalo and bears, and then asked me, with great simplicity, if I supposed he could kill them. The king is said to be one of the strongest and most active men on the island. He is not yet encumbered with flesh, like most of the chiefs, and he has all the elasticity and vigor of youth, superadded to a naturally strong and robust frame. He has a great fancy for all kinds of break-neck adventures, and I have no doubt, that, were he transplanted to the plains of the west, he would soon be a hunter of the first water. The food of the natives, consists principally of an article called , ACROSS THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC. 199 poe, which is made by beating the baked roots of the taro, (^Aruni esculentum,) on a sort of wooden trencher, with a large oval stone. The mass so prepared is mixed with a small quan- tity of water, and set aside for several days to ferment, when it becomes about of the consistence of paper hanger's paste. This, with fish, either raw or baked, constitutes almost the sole food of the common people. Give a Sandwich Islander plenty of poe, with a raw fish or two, at each meal, and he asks for nothing more ; deprive him of his dear loved sour paste, and he loses his spirits, and is miserable. I have seen this strikingly shown in the case of the Islanders at the Columbia. The poor Kanakas tried their utmost to manufacture a sort of poe — sweet potatoes, Irish potatoes, and even wappatoos, were operated upon, but all to no purpose ; and when our brig left the river, their farewell's to us were mingled with desires loudly expressed, that on our return, we would bring them each a calabash of poe. >/ The manner in which an islander takes his food is primitive to the last degree. He seats himself cross-legged upon the ground with his calabash before him, and a fish and a little pile of salt on a wooden dish by his side. His two first fingers are immersed in the paste, and stirred round several times until enough adheres to coat them thickly, when they are carried by a quick motion to the mouth, which is open to receive them, and are sucked clean — a little pinch with the fingers is then taken of the fish which is perhaps floundering beside him, followed by a similar pinch of salt, to season the whole repast. The principal beauty of the islanders, in their own estimation, con- sists in their being enormously fat, some of them weighing upwards of three hundred pounds, and measures are consequently resorted to, that will successfully and expeditiously produce this much desired result. With this view, the chiefs take but little exercise, and eat enormously of the nutritive paste before spoken of. After they have stuffed as much as their stomachs will contain. 200 NARRATIVE OF A JOURNEY without the risk of positive suffocation, they roll over on their backs upon the ground, grunting like huge swine, when two attendants approach and place themselves on each side of the patient. One wields a kahili, or feather fly brush, to cool his master, and keep off the mosquetoes, while the other commences his operations by punching his fist violently into the stomach of the fallen man, who, with a great snort, acknowledges his con- sciousness, and the pleasure he derives from it. Soon the other fist of the serving man follows, and the regular kneading process is performed ; at first, slowly and cautiously, but gradually in- creasing in quickness and severity until the attendant is forced to stop for breath, and the pogr stupified lump of obesity forgets to grunt in unison with the rapidly descending blows. This is the operation called rumi-rumi, and is usually continued from ten to fifteen minutes, after which the patient rises, yawns, stretches his limbs, and calls loudly for another calabash of poe. This custom is followed almost exclusively by the chiefs, but is not confined to the male sex, the women enjoying the luxury equally with the men. The rumi-rumi is also practised in cases of abdominal pains, and in dyspeptic complaints. Even the fo- reigners sometimes resort to it, and find it beneficial. nth. — Mr. N. and myself were invited to participate in a lu-au dinner, to be given in the valley of Nuano this afternoon. At about 2 o'clock, Mr. Jones called for us, and furnished us with good horses, upon which we mounted, and galloped off" to the valley. After a delightful ride of about five miles, over a good, though rather stony road, between the hills which enclose the valley, we arrived at a pretty little temporary cottage, formed entirely of the broad green leaves of the ti plant, and perched on a picturesque hill, overlooking the whole extent of our ride. Here we found a number of the foreign gentlemen; others soon joined us, and our company consisted of fifty or sixty persons. ACKOSS THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC. 201 the king, John Young, and several other distinguished natives being of the party. As the collation was not yet ready to be served up, Mr. Jones, Captain Hinckley, Mr. N. and myself remounted our horses for a visit to the great pari, or precipice, two miles above. We found the road somewhat rough, and very hilly, in some places ex- tremely narrow, and the path wound constantly through bushes and tall ferns to the elevated land which we were approaching. When within a few hundred yards of the precipice, we left our horses in charge of several native boys, who had followed us for the purpose, and ascended to the edge of the pari. The wind was blowing a gale, so that it was necessary to remove our hats and bind up our heads with handkerchiefs, and when we stood upon the cliff', some care was required to keep our footing, and to brace ourselves against the furious blast which was eddying around the summit. The pari is an almost perpendicular precipice, of about six hundred feet, composed of basaltic rock, with occasional strata of hard white clay. On the north is seen the fertile and beautiful valley of Kolau, with its neat little cottages, taro-patches and fields of sugar cane, spread out before you like a picture ; and beyond, is the indented shore, with its high and pointed cliffs, margining the ocean as far as the eye can discern. Down this precipice, on the north side, is a sort of rude path, which the natives have constructed, and up this we saw a number of them toiling, clinging with their hands to the jutting crags above, to raise and support their bo- dies in the ascent. As they approached nearer to us, I was sur- prised to perceive that every man bore a burthen on his shoulder ; some had large calabashes of poe, suspended one on each end of a long pole, and others carried living pigs, similarly suspended, by having their feet tied together, and the pole passed between them. The porkers, although hanging back downwards, in a 26 202 NARRATIVE OF A JOURNEY position not the most comfortable, did not complain of the treat- ment, until they were deposited on the terra firma of the summit, when they tuned their pipes to a lusty squeal, and made amends for their former silence. This spot is the scene of the last great battle of King Tame- hameha, by which he acquired the sole and absolute sovereignty of the whole Sandwich group. The routed army of the petty island king was driven to take refuge among the wild crags of the pari, and hither it was followed by the conquering forces of the invader. No quarter was shown. The fugitives were hunted like savage beasts, and, almost to a man, were hurled from the giddy height and dashed to pieces on the frightful rocks below. On returning to the cottage, we found that the dinner had been dished up, and that the guests were about taking their seats. Our table was the green grass, upon which had been arranged, with native taste, a circular table cloth, composed of ti leaves, placed one above another. On this the viands were laid. They consisted of fat pigs, and fat dogs, turkies, chickens, boiled ham, and fish, with vegetables of various kinds, taro, sweet po- tatoes, &c., — all cooked in the native manner, in pits made in the ground, in which heated stones had been placed. Each pig and dog had such a stone within him, and around it had been wrapped a quantity of ti leaves, which were eaten as greens, and were excellent. The whole of the cookery was, in fact, very su- perior, and would have delighted the most fastidious epicure of our own enlightened land. We had also various liquors : Champagne, cherry, Madeira, and mountain dew, and were waited upon by native men and boys, with chaplets of green bound around their heads, and their persons profusely ornamented with the " fern and heather of their native valleys." Among the attendants, Mr. Mills, or Deacon Mills, as he is sometimes called, stood pre- eminent; he acted as purveyor and major dome; was every ACROSS THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC. 203 where at the same moment, and showed, by his uniform con- duct, that he was fully alive to the high responsibilities of his office. When the meats were removed, wine usurped the board, toasts were drunk, and songs were sung, and all was hilarity and cheerfulness. Towards evening the whole party mounted their horses and galloped down the valley into the town. As we entered the precincts we formed ourselves into a battalion, and reined in our horses to a dignified trot, in order to pass a troop of gay native ladies who were returning from a visit to Waititi. At the head of this equestrian cavalcade, I was surprised to observe the large person of Madam Kinau, sitting astride upon a noble steed which evidently made an effort to curvet and appear proui^d of its K queenly burthen. While we were proceeding at this slow gait, a man suddenly sprang up behind my saddle and fixed his arms firmly around my waist. I was not more astonished than my horse at this intru- sion ; and the spirited animal which I rode, not being accustomed to carrying double, and feeling unwilling to be so imposed upon, began kicking up his heels, and darting wildly about the road. I requested the intruder to dismount instantly, but the only atten- tion which was paid to this was a reply, in the native language, which I did not understand. Supposing him to be one of the ser- vants who had been heated by the refuse wine of the feast, and con- sidering myself in real danger from the unruly conduct of my horse, I turned half round and dealt my merry companion a blow in the chest, which I intended should have unseated him. How was I astonished to hear the exclamation, " don't strike so hard, hauri" from him who occupied my crupper, and I w^as not long in discovering that the joker was the king, Kauikeaouli, himself I apologized in the best manner I could, though out of breath with 204 NARRATIVE OF A JOURNEY the exertion of restraining the fiery horse. Flis majesty did not seem in the least offended, but passing one arm each side of me, and taking the bridle in his hands, he guided the animal into one of the largest stores of the town, through which we went jumping and prancing, followed by all the king's train, and several white men of the party. ACROSS TUB ROCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC. 205 V- CHAPTER XII. Visit to the island of Kauai — A royal call — Rev. P. J. Gulick, the mission- ary— Description of the island — A present from Kauikeaouli — Royal mode of obtaining supplies — A change of residence — Excursions through the coun- try— Birds — JVative method of catching them, — The travellers wijid-bound — Shell hunting — Habits of the natives — Beach food, and mode of eating it — Visit of the king, and governor Kekeoeva — Characteristics of the latter — Anxiety of the king to return home — Arrival of his folloivers — A inetamor- phosis — A royal supper — Evening service — Royal guard — A sail in sight — Joy of the king — His letter — Return of the Avon — Departure from Kauai, and arrival at Oahu — A pic-nic party at Pearl river — Calabash dance by the natives — Departure for Columbia river — A primitive passage to the shore— A storm at sea — A flight of shore birds — Land ahead — Arrival at the Columbia. February \Oth. — Mr. Nuttall and myself were kindly invited by Captain Hinckley, to take a trip with him to the island of Kauai, in the brig Avon, owned by him. We embarked this morning, and with the pilot on board sailed out of the harbor. This being one of the leeward islands, towards which the trade-winds al- ways blow, we made the passage quickly ; and in the evening ran into the harbor of Koloa, and anchored within half a mile of the shore. The next morning we landed in our boat, and took possession of a large untenanted native liouse, near the beach, belonging to Captain II. Our servant busied himself in making our new re- sidence comfortable, arranging the bedding and mosquitoe cui'- tains, procuring mats for partitions, and, finally, in setting before us a good breakfast, cooked on the spot. We had scarcely 206 NARRATIVE OF A JOURNEY finished our meal, when two horsemen rode up, and dismounting at the door, entered the house. Our visitors proved to be the king and John Young, who had mounted their horses this morn- ing for a cattle hunt on the hills, but hearing of the arrival of the foreigners, had hastened to pay their respects to us , and as- sure us of their protection. The king, and his train came a few days since to this island, and propose remaining two or three weeks longer ; his majesty's object appears to be to inspect the condition of his people here, and to give them an opportunity of evincing their loyalty and affection. He was so kind as to express much interest for Mr. N. and myself, gave us one of his own body servants for our attendant, while we remain, and promised that in the afternoon he would send us some provisions. Shortly after the king left us, we were visited by the Rev. P. J. Gulick,the missionary of this station, to whom I had a letter from my kind friend, Mr. Deill, and after sitting half an hour, we ac- companied him to his house, about a mile distant. This part of the island of Kauai exhibits no particularly in- teresting features : from the beach to the mission station there is a good road made by the natives over a gentle ascent of about two miles, on each side of which taro patches, yam and maize fields abound. Back from the ocean and at right angles with it, are seen several ranges of long, high hills, with narrow valleys between ; the hills are covered with low trees of Tu-tui and Pan- danus, and the valleys with dense bushes, tall ferns, and broad leaved bananas. The good missionary introduced us to his wife, a very intelli- gent and agreeable woman, and to his three pretty children, and we spent an hour with them very pleasantly. In the afternoon we returned to our cottage near the beach, where we found a native waiting for us with a hand cart filled with provisions of various kinds, which he said the king had sent to us as a present. There was a very large hog, three pigs, three or ACROSS THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC. 207 four turkies, and several pairs of chickens, all living; with vegetables in great abundance, taro, sweet-potatoes, melons, &c. I thought the man must certainly have made a mistake, but he assured me that it was right : " the king had sent them to the ' kauris' (foreigners) who had just arrived, and wished him to say that in tree days he would send them as much more." His majesty had evidently measured our appetites by the standard oi his own people, and we determined to see him immediately, and countermand the sumptuous order v/hich he had given. It may be proper here to remark, that when the king, or chiefs, wish a supply of provisions, or any other articles in which the common people deal, or of which they are possessed, a messenger is sent to demand such things in the name of the master, and a levy is made upon the property of the poor native, without any kind of compensation being ever offered. We were aware that our pro- vision had been obtained in this way, and were unwilling that the industrious poor should lose their labor to contribute to our wants, preferring to buy from them the necessary supplies. \/ The next day we paid another visit to Mr. Gulick, and ac- cepted a pressing invitation to make our home with him, his house being much more convenient to the valleys, which we wished to explore in search of birds and other natural objects. Here we had another interview with the king, who insisted upon our occupying a fine large house in the neighborhood of Mr. Gulick's residence, as a depository for our collections. We accepted this offer with pleasure, and the missionary's accommo- dation being somewhat contracted, we used the king's house as our study and sleeping apartment, taking our meals with the family of our kind friend. We made here several long excursions over the hills and through the deep valleys, without much success. The birds are the same as those we found and collected at Oahu, but are not so numerous. They are principally creepers (Certhia) and honey- 208 NARRATIVE OF A JOUBNEY suckers (Nectarinia ;) feed chiefly upon flowers, and the sweet juice of the banana, and some species are very abundant. The native boys here have adopted a singular mode of catching the honey sucking birds. They lay themselves, flat upon their backs on the ground, and cover their whole bodies with bushes, and the campanulate flowers of which the birds are in search. One of these flowers is then held by the lower portion of the tube be- tween the finger and thumb; the little bird inserts his long, curved bill to the base of the flower, when it is immediately seized by the fingers of the boy, and the little flutterer disappears beneath the mass of bushes. In this way, dozens of beautiful birds are taken, and they are brought to us living and unin- jured. 20th. — We expected to have lefi; the island several days ago, but the Avon has not returned, and she would not now be able to come, in consequence of a steady S. W. wind which has prevailed for the last week. Our ammunition, and materials for the preparation of birds, are entirely exhausted, and we cannot here obtain a supply, so we amuse ourselves in collecting shells on the beaches, plants, fish, &c. We are living very comfort- ably in the house furnished us by the king, and we have become completely domesticated in the agreeable family of Mr. Gulick. We sometimes spend whole days wandering along the rocky coast in search of shells, and in these journeys we are always accompanied by a troop of boys and girls, and sometimes men and women, often to the number of twenty or thirty. They are indefatigable shell-hunters, and prove of great service to us, being compensated for each one that they bring us, with pins or needles. In their habits they are perfectly amphibious, diving into the sea, and through the dashing surf without the least hesi- tation, and exploring the bottom for an almost incredible time without risinsf to breathe. In the§e sub-marine excursions they frequently find the echinus. ACROSS THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC. 209 with spines four or five inches in length, and the black, kimpish substance called heclie la mer. Both these animals are eaten ^t. by them as they are taken living from the water ; the spines of the former are knocked off against the rocks, and the soft con- tents of the case sucked out ; the latter, after having the tough outside skin removed, are eaten like biscuits to qualify the meal. There is also another sea animal which is considered by the na- tives a great delicacy, the sepia, or cuttle fish. This is a large, ill-looking creature, with an oval body, and eight or ten long arms or tentacula ; within the cavity of the thorax is a sack, containing a fluid resembling ink, and as the teeth are sunk into this, the black juice squirts into the face of the masticator, while the long feelers are twisting about his head like serpents. March 5th. — The king, and Kakeoeva, the governor of the island, called on us before breakfast this morning, and partici- pated in our family worship. After the usual prayer in English, by Mr. Gulick, Kakeoeva supplicated in his own language, in a tone peculiarly solemn and impressive, which concluded the service. This chief is, I believe, a sincerely good and pious man, and his piety consists not in profession alone, but is exhibited in nume- rous acts of unassuming benevolence to his oppressed people, and in uniform and well directed effoi'ts for meliorating their condi- tion. He enforces all the tabus, which have for their object the suppression of vice and immorality, and while his people fear to disobey his injunctions in the smallest particular, they love and venerate him as their father and friend. The principal object of the king in calling upon us, was to request, (which he did with great apparent diffidence,) the loan of his house for a few days, as he wished to move his residence to a point nearer the sea, in order to catch the first glimpse of the white sails of the Avon, the arrival of which he is expecting with great anxiety. His impatience to return to Oahu is said, sometimes, to exceed all reasonable bounds ; he works himself into a perfect 27 210 NARRATIVE OF A JOURNEY fury ; fancies that every thing is going wrong at home, and that his people are in mourning for his protracted absence ; but although he is a king, the winds of heaven will not obey him, and, with the meanest follower in his train, he must wait the appointed time. We, of course, relinquished the house cheerfully, and, with the assistance of our native servants, transferred all our commo- dities to the mansion of the good missionary. In the afternoon, the natives from all parts of the island began to flock to the king's temporary residence. The petty chiefs, and head men of the villages, were mounted upon all sorts of horses, from the high-headed and high-mettled Californian steed, to the shaggy and diminutive poney raised on their native hills ; men women and children were running on foot, laden with pio-s, calabashes of poe, and every production of the soil; and though last, certainly not least, in the evening there came the troops of of the island, with fife and drum, and ' " tinkling cymbal," to form a body guard for his majesty, the king. Little houses were put up all around the vicinity, and thatched in an incredibly short space of time, and when Mr. N. and myself visited the royal mansion, after nightfall, we found the whole neighborhood metamorphosed ; a beautiful little village had sprung up as by magic, and the retired studio of the naturalists had been trans- formed into a royal banquet hall. His majesty soon recognised us in the crowd, and taking us each by the hand, led us into the house, and introduced us to the queen, Kalama, who received us in a dignified and very pleasant manner, and made room for us near her at the supper, which the attendants were spreading upon the ground. This consisted of a variety of meats lu aued, fish, potatoes and tare, and before each guest was placed a little calabash of poe. As I have before stated, this last article is an indispensable requisite in the economy of every meal; and even the refined Kauikeaouli, who has abolished in his own person so ACROSS THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC. 211 many of the rude customs of his forefathers, must sip a little poe to conclude his supper. I remarked, however, that on this occa- sion, he did not soil his fingers, as is usual, but fed himself with a spoon as delicately as possible. The queen, on the contrary, and all the chiefs assembled at the board, plunged their hands into the paste, and sucked their fingers after the approved fashion. When the supper was concluded, the people were all assembled under a ranai, or shed, which had been constructed for the occasion, and prayer was made in a loud and solemn tone, by John li, the king's chaplain. At its conclusion, the people scattered themselves about as before ; some were collected in little groups on the ground, smoking their short pipes, and re- salins themselves with sea-urchins and succulent cuttle-fish, while the stenlor voices of the royal guard pealed out an " all's well" from their station near the palace of the monarch. This royal guard, whicTi we had an opportunity of seeing next morning, would not do discredit to a militia gathering in yan- kee land. Like our own redoubtable troops, the men were of all sizes, in every variety of costume, and with all sorts of v/eapons; muskets without bayonets or locks, and no muskets at all, broom- sticks, and tin pans, swords, pistols, and taro tops. They were arranged every morning in line before the door of the palace, and laboriously drilled in the manual exercise, by James Young, a half-caste who has been in America. Poor fellows ! they had hard duty to perform, and were no doubt longing for the time when his majesty should depart, that they might exchange the arduous and uncongenial duties of the camp, for the toil of their simple husbandry. About a week after, as I was strolling near the palace, which, being on a hill, commanded a fine view of the ocean, the cry of " sail, O !" was uttered in a joyful tone, by a bevy of urchins, who • - 212 NARRATIVE OF A JOURNEY were on the look out, and was echoed all round the neighbor- hood. The king, who had of late become unusually dull and spiritless, seemed suddenly to have acquired new life. He was seen rushing out of the house, like one distraught, and jumping and capering all about in a perfect agony of joy. Seeing me near him, he grasped my hand in the most cordial manner, while his eyes filled with tears : " We shall go back to Oahu, hauri, my people want me again ; the wind has changed, and this ship is sent to take me away." I participated in the anxiety of the king to return ; for, in ad- dition to the ennui which is always the accompaniment of a forced detention, even in pleasant places, I feared that our brig would leave the islands for the Columbia without us, and we should thus lose the opportunity of hailing the opening of spring, in our western world, the season which, of all others, is the most interesting to us. Next morning a messenger came to the king from Waimea, a port about fourteen miles distant, with information that the schooner which we had seen, had put in there, and only waited the embarkation of his majesty to steer direct for Oahu. No time was lost in taking advantage of this opportunity; and at noon, the spot, which the day before had swarmed with hundreds of dingy natives, was silent and untenanted. On the day following, learning that the schooner had not sail- ed, and fearing that the Avon would not arrive early enough,! wrote a letter to the king, requesting a passage for Mr. N. and myself, with him. To this, — which I sent by a runner, — the following laconic reply was received. It was directed "To the missionary, Mr. Gulick," and is rendered literally from the native language : " Say thou to the foreigners, we have sailed. Let them look out when we arrive there. King Kauikeaouli." The an-ival spoken of, alluded to the vessel passing the port ACROSS THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC. 213 of Koloa, where the schooner would back her topsails and lie to, that we might board her in a canoe. After some consideration, and consultation with Mr. Gulick, we concluded that we would decline the king's offer, as we knew the vessel would be crowded, and therefore uncomfortable ; and as the wind now blew steadily in its accustomed quarter, we had Uttle doubt of the early arrival of the Avon. In the after- noon we saw the schooner of the king come booming along past us, the deck, and even the rigging, alive with natives, but a mes- senger whom we had previously sent off, saved them the trouble of bringing to ; and away went the little vessel on a wind, and soon became a dim and ill-defined speck upon the far hori- zon. 15t7i. — A sail was descried at daylight this morning, bearing towards our island ; and while we were at breakfast, two fisher- men called, to tell us that it was the Avon come at last. She was standing towards the harbor of Koloa, with a fair wind, and when Mr. N. and myself arrived at the beach, she was hauling in under the land. The captain and Mr. Smith, a resident of Ho- noruru, came on shore to meet us. They informed us that the king arrived at Oahu last evening, after an unusually boisterous and uncomfortable passage, and that his majesty was almost be- side himself with joy to receive once more the warm and affec- tionate greetings of his people at home. The brig was detained here a day, in order to take in a cargo of live stock, pigs, goats, &c.; and the next morning we bade adieu to the kind and affectionate family of the missionary, and went on board. In the afternoon our anchor was weighed, and we were soon ploughing the wide ocean, while the rugged, iron- bound coast of Kauai rapidly receded from our view. We had on board several distinguished natives, as passengers, the princi- pal of whom was Kekeoeva, the governor, and at each meal which we took on board, the old gentleman asked an audible 214 NARRATIVE OF A JOURNEY blessing on the viands, and regularly returned thanks at its con- clusion. After a pleasant passage of two days we arrived at Oahu, and were warmly greeted by our friends, who sympathized with us, and thought that our long tarriance must have been peculiarly irksome. They knew but little of the resources of the natural- ist ; they knew not that the wild forest, the deep glen, and the rugged mountain-top possess charms for him which he would not exchange for gilded palaces ; and that to acquaint himself with nature, he gladly escapes from the restraints of civilization, and buries himself from the world which cannot appreciate his en- joyment. 22(1. — I joined a party of ladies and gentlemen this morning, in an excursion to Pearl river, on the west side of the island. We embarked in several small schooners and barges, and had a delightful trip of two hours. The king, who was with us, with a number of his favorites, John Young, Kanaina, Halileo, &c., procured for our accommodation several native houses, in which we slung our cots and hammocks,' and slept at night. We took our meals under a large shaded ranai, and the amusements of the party were riding, shooting, and a variety of sylvan games, which rendered our pic-nic of three days a constant scene of pleasant festivity. The night before we left, the gentlemen of the party were in- vited by the king to witness the curious exhibition called the " calabash dance." We entered a large house, crowded with na- tives, with the exception of a wide space in the middle, which had been reserved for the performers. These were men and wo- men to the number of ten or twelve, in a state of almost perfect nudity, having no covering, except the small maro of tapa bound around the loins. Each was furnished with a very large gourd, having the neck attached, and from the under surface the contents had been removed through a small aperture. The // / ACROSS THE ROCKt MOUNTAINS, ETC. 215 performers kneeled upon the ground, and each grasped his gourd by the neck and lifted it, when one of the number commenced a strange kind of howling song, lifting his calabash with one hand and beating it with the other so as to keep accurate time to his music. This song was soon taken up by the others, until the whole company joined, and every one thumped his calabash most musically. I was astonished at the exceeding nicety with which this was done. No band of civilized drummers could have kept time more perfectly, nor flourished their sticks with more grace, than did these unsophisticated people their inartificial instruments. During the whole time of the singing, the bodies of the perform- ers were not idle ; every muscle seemed to have something to do ; and was incessantly brought into action by the strange motions, twistings and contortions of the frame, which were also as eva- nescent as the sound of their voices. This singular exhibition pos- sessed interest for me, as being one of the idolatrous games, which in former years constituted a portion of their religious ex- ercisesr - The calabash dance is now almost exploded, the natives generally not understanding the manipulations, and like other relics of heathenism it is of course discouraged by the mission- aries, and will probably soon be unknown amongst them. On the 26th of March we embarked on board the brig May Dacre, upon our return to the Columbia. As we sailed out of the harbor, and the lovely shore of the island became more and more indistinct, I felt sad and melancholy in the prospect of parting, perhaps for ever, from the excellent friends who had treated me with such uniform kindness and hospitality. We have had an accession to our crew of thirty Sandwich Islanders, who are to be engaged in the salmon fishery on the Columbia, and six of these have been allowed the unusual privi- lege of taking their wives with them. Some six or eight natives, of both sexes, friends and relatives of the crew, came on board when we weighed anchor, and their parting words were prolonged 216 NARRATIVE OF A JOURNEY until the brig cleared the reef, and her sails had hlled with the fresh trade wind. They thought it then time to withdraw, and putting their noses together after their fashion, they bade their friends an affectionate farewell, and without hesitation dashed into the sea, and made directly for shore. I thought of blue sharks, tiger sharks, and shovel-noses, and would not have run such a risk for all the wealth of all the islands. April 5th. — Yesterday we had an inlding of a storm. Some rain fell in the morning early; and at noon, while sitting in the cabin, I was startled by hearing a flapping, as if all the sails in the ship were being torn to pieces, and a roaring not unlike the escape of steam from the boiler of a boat. Upon ascending to the deck, I observed the whole ocean covered with glittering white foam, the surges boiling, and dashing, and breaking over our vessel as she labored heavily amongst them. The sails were flapping about most unmanageably. The studding-sails, — all of which had been set before the storm, — were immediately taken in, and hands were sent aloft to furl the remaining can- vass, until in a very short time we were scudding under bare poles, and defying the utmost fury of the elements. In about half an hour, the storm abated, and, soon after, entirely ceased ; the wind became steady and fresh ; the white folds of our can- vass were again let loose, and away we went before a " smashing breeze" at the rate of ten knots an hour. \2tli. — The mate has several times spoken of having seen large flocks of a small species of land bird sailing around the ves- sel. As it is scarcely possible they could have emigrated from the distant continent, Captain L. supposes that they are residents of a small uninhabited island, somewhere in these latitudes, which has long been supposed to exist, but has i:iever been found. He who may hereafter be so fortunate as to discover this land, will probably be rendered a rich man for the remainder of his days, for it doubtless abounds in seal, which never having been inter- ACROSS THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC. 217 rupted, will be easily taken. I have not seen the birds spoken of, but suppose them to be some of the small gralloe. On the 15th, the wind, which had foi' several days been light, began steadily to increase, until we were running ten knots by the log. In the afternoon, the atmosphere became thick and hazy, indicating our approach to the shores of the continent. In a short time, a number of the small Auks, — of which we saw a few immediately after leaving the Columbia, — were observed sporting in the waves, close under our l)ows ; then several gulls of the species common on the river, and soon after large flocks of geese and canvass-back ducks. The sea gradually lost its legitimate deep blue color, and as- sumed a dirty, green appearance, indicating soundings. Upon heaving the lead here, we got only eleven fathoms, and found that we had approached nearer than was prudent, having been misled by the haze. Wore ship immediately, and soon saw land, bear- ing east, which we ascertained to be south of Cape Disappoint- ment. Stood off during the night, and the next morning at 4 o'clock, the wind favoring us, we bore up for the cape, and at 7 crossed the dangerous bar safely, and ran direct for the river. 28 218 NARKATIVE OF A JOUKNKY CHAPTER XIII. I'assage up the Columbia — Jiirds — ^d trip to the IVallammet — Methodist mis- sionaries— their prospects — Fort TVillia?n — Band-tail pigeons — Wretched condition of the Indians at the falls — A Kallapooyah village — Indian cemetery — Superstitions — Treatment of diseases — JMethcd of steaming — " JMaking medicine^^ — Indian sorcerers — An interruption of festivities — Death of Thornburg — An inquest — Verdict of the Jury — Inordinate appetite for ardent spirits — JVlisfortunes of the American Compani/ — Eight men dro-wned — Murder of two trappers by the Banneck Indians — Arrival of Captain Thing — His meeting and skirmish with the Blackfeet Indians — Massacre — A narroiu escape. On the 16th, we anchored abreast of Oak point. Our decks were almost immediately crowded with Indians to welcome us, and among them we recognised many faces with which we were familiar. Chinamus, the Chinook chief, was the principal of these, who, with his wife, Aillapust, or Sally, as she is called at the fort, paid us an early visit, and brought us red deer and sturgeon to regale upon after our voyage. On the afternoon of the next day, we ran up to Warrior's point, the brig's old mooring ground. The people here had been anxious to see us ; extensive preparations had been made to pro- secute the salmon fishery, and the coopers have been engaged the whole winter in making barrels to accommodate them. Mr. Walker, the missionaries' quondam associate, was in charge of the post, and he informed us that Captain Wyeth had returned only a few weeks since from the upper country, where he had been spending the winter, engaged in the arduous business of ACROSS THK ROCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC. 219 trapping, in the prosecution of which he had endured great and various hardships. May 12th. — The rainy season is not yet over ; we have had almost constant showers since we arrived, but now the weather appears settled. Birds are numerous, particularly the warblers, (Sylvia.) Many of these are migratory, remaining but a few weeks : others breed here, and reside during the greater part of the summer. I have already procured several new species. 20th. — Mr. Wyeth, camo down from Walla-walla yesterday, and this morning I embarked with him in a large canoe, manned by Kanakas, for a trip to the Wallammet falls in order to procure salmon. We visited fort William, (Wyeth's new settlement upon Wappatoo island,) which is about fifteen miles from the lower mouth of the Wallammet. We found here the missionaries, Messrs. Lee and Edwards, who arrived to-day from their station, sixty miles above. They give flattering accounts of their pros- pects here ; they are surrounded by a considerable number of Indians who are friendly to the introduction of civilization and religious light, and who treat them with the greatest hospitality and kindness. They have built several comfortable log houses, and the soil in their vicinity they represent as unusually rich and productive. They have, I think, a good prospect of being service- able to this miserable and degraded people ; and if they commence their operations judiciously, and pursue a steady, unwavering course, the Indians in this section of country may yet be redeem- ed from the thraldom of vice, superstition, and indolence, to which they have so long submitted, and above which their energies have not enabled them to rise. The spot chosen by Captain W. for his fort is on a high piece of land, which will probably not be overflown by the periodical freshets, and the soil is the rich black loam so plentifully dis- tributed through this section of country. The men now live in tents and temporary huts, but several log houses are constructing 220 NARRATIVE OF A JOURNEY which, when finished, will vie in durability and comfort with Vancouver itself. 21st. — The large hand-tail pigeon (Colombafasciata) is very- abundant near the river, found in flocks of from fifty to sixty, and perching upon the dead trees along the margin of the stream. They are feeding upon the buds of the balsam poplar ; are very fat, and excellent eating. In the course of the morning, and witlLut leaving the canoe, I killed enough to supply our people with provision for two days. 24th. — We visited the falls to-day, and while Captain W. was inspecting the vicinity to decide upon the practicability of drawing his seine here, I strolled into the Indian lodges on the bank of the river. Tke poor creaturCvS were all living miserably, and some appeared to be suffering absolute want. Those who were the best supplibd, had nothing more than the fragments of a few sturgeons and lamprey eels, kamas bread, &c. To the roofs of the lodges were hung a number of crooked bladders, filled with rancid seal oil, used as a sort of condiment with the dry and unsavory sturgeon. On the Kiakamas river, about a mile below, we found a few lodges belonging to Indians of the Kalapooyah tribe. We ad- dressed them in Chinook, (the language spoken by all those in- habiting tlie Columbia below the cascades,) but they evidently did not comprehend a word, answering in a peculiarly harsh and gutteral language, with which we were entirely unacquainted. However, we easily made them understand by signs that we wanted salmon, and being assured in the same significant man- ner that they had none to sell, we decamped as soon as possible, to escape the fleas and other vermin with which the interior of their wretched habitations were plentifully supplied. We saw here a large Indian cemetery. The bodies had been buried un- der the ground, and each tomb had a board at its head, upon which was rudely painted some strange, uncouth figure. The ACROSS THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC. 221 pans, kettles, clothing, &c., of the deceased, were all suspended upon sticks, driven into the ground near the head board. June 6th. — The Indians frequently bring us salmon, and we observe that, invariably, before they part with them, they are careful to remove the hearts. This superstition, is religiously adhered to by all the Chinook tribe. Before the fish is split and prepared for eating, a small hole is made in the breast, the heart taken out, roasted, and eaten in silence, and with great gravity. This practice is continued only during the first month in which the salmon make their appearance, and is intended as a kind of pro- pitiation to the particular deity or spirit who presides over the finny tribes. Superstition in all its absurd and most revolting aspects is rife among this people. They believe in " black spi- rits, and white, blue spirits, and grey," and to each grizzly monster some peculiar virtue or ghastly terror is attributed. When a chief goes on a hunting or fishing excursion, he puts him- self under the care of one these good spirits, and if his expedition is unsuccessful, he affirms that the antagonist evil principle has gained the victory ; but this belief does not prevent his making another, and another attempt, in the hope, each time, that his guardian genius will have the ascendency. In their treatment of diseases, they employ but few remedies, and these are generally simple and inefficacious. Wounds are treated with an application of green leaves, and bound with strips of pine bark, and in some febrile cases a sweat is administered. This is effected by digging a hole two or three feet deep in the ground, and placing within it some hemlock or spruce boughs moistened with water ; hot stones are then thrown in, and a frame work of twigs is erected over the opening, and covered closely with blankets to prevent the escape of the steam. Under this contrivance, the patient is placed ; and aficr remaining 222 NARRATIVE OF A JOURNEY fifteen or twenty minutes, he is removed, and plunged into cold water. Their mode of " making medicine,^'' to use their own term, is, however, very different from this. The sick man is laid upon a bed of mats and blankets, elevated from the ground, and sur- rounded by a raised frame work of hewn boards. Upon this frame two "medicine men" (sorcerers) place themselves, and commence chaunting, in a low voice, a kind of long drawn, sighing song. Each holds a stout stick, of about four feet long, in his hand, with which he. beats upon the frame work, and keeps accurate time with the music. After a few minutes, the song begins to increase in loudness and quickness, (a corres- ponding force and celerity being given to the stick,) until in a short time the noise becomes almost deafening, and may well serve, in many instances, to accelerate the exit of him whom it is their intention to benefit. During the administration of the medicine, the relations and friends of the patient are often employed in their usual avoca- tions in the same house with him, and by his bedside ; the wo- men making mats, moccasins, baskets, &c., and the men lolling around, smoking or conversing upon general subjects. No appearance of sorrow or concern is manifested for the brother, husband, or father, expiring beside them, and but for the presence and ear-astounding din of the medicine men, you would not know that any thing unusual had occurred to disturb the tran- quillity of the family circle. These medicine men are, of course, all impostors, their object being simply the acquisition of property ; and in case of the re- covery of the patient, they make the most exorbitant demands of his relations ; but when the sick man dies, they are often com- pelled to fly, in order to escape the vengeance of the survivors, who generally attribute the fatal termination to the evil influence of tlie practitioner. ACROSS TUE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC. 223 July Ath. — This morning was ushered in by the firing of can- non on board our brig, and we had made pi*eparations for spend- ing the day in festivity, when, at about 9 o'clock, a letter was received from Mr. Walker, who has charge of the fort on Wap- patoo island, stating that the tailor, Thornburg, had been killed this morning by Hubbard, the gunsmith, and requesting our pre- sence immediately, to investigate the case, and direct him how to act. Our boat was manned without loss of time, and Captain L. and myself repaired to the fort, where we found every thing in confusion. Poor Thornburg, whom I had seen but two days previously, full of health and vigor, was now a lifeless corpse; and Hubbard, who was more to be pitied, was walking up and down the beach, with a countenance pale and haggard, from the feel- ings at war within. We held an inquest over the body, and examined all the men of the fort severally, for the purpose of eliciting the facts of the case, and, if warranted by the evidence, to exculpate Hubbard from blame in the commission of the act. It appeared that, several weeks since, a dispute arose between Hubbard and Thorn- burg, and the latter menaced the life of the former, and had since been frequently heard to declare that he would carry the threat into effect on the first favorable opportunity. This morning, be- fore daylight, he entered the apartment of Hubbard, armed with a loaded gun, and a large knife, and after making the most deliberate preparations for an instant departure from the room, as soon as the deed should be committed, cocked his gun, and prepared to shoot at his victim. Hubbard, who was awakened by the noise of Thornburg's entrance, and was therefore on the alert, waited quietly until this crisis, when cocking his pistol, without noise, he took deliberate aim at the assassin, and fired. Thornburg staggered back, his gun fell from his grasp, and the two combatants struggled hand to hand. The tailor, being wounded, 224 NARRATIVE OF A JOURNEY was easily overcome, and was thrown violently out of the house, when he fell to the ground, and died in a few minutes. Upon ex- amining the body, we found that the two balls from the pistol had entered the arm below the shoulder, and escaping the bone, had passed into the cavity of the chest. The verdict of the jury was " justifiable homicide," and a properly attested certificate, con- taining a full account of the proceedings, was given to Hubbard, as well for his satisfaction, as to prevent future difficulty, if the subject should ever be investigated by a judicial tribunal. This Thornburg was an unusually bold and determined man, fruitful in inventing mischief, as he was reckless and daring in its prosecution. His appetite for ardent spirits was of the most inordinate kind. During the journey across the country, I con- stantly carried a large two-gallon bottle of whiskey, in which I deposited various kinds of lizards and serpents and when we arrived at the Columbia the vessel was almost full of these crawling creatures. I left the bottle on board the brig when I paid my first visit to the Wallamraet falls, and on my return found that Thornburg had decanted the liquor from the precious reptiles which I had destined for immortality, and he and one of his pot companions had been " happy" upon it for a whole day. This appeared to me almost as bad as the " tapping of the Admiral," practised with such success by the British seamen; but unlike their commander, I did not discover the theft until too late to save my specimens, which were in consequence all destroyed. 11th. — Mr. Nuttall, who has just returned from the dalles, where he has been spending some weeks, brings distressing intelligence from above. It really seems that the " Columbia River Fishing and Trading Company" is devoted to destruction ; disasters meet them at every turn, and as yet none of their schemes have prospered. This has not been for want of energy or exertion. Captain W. has pursued the plans which seemed ACEOSS THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC. 225 to him best adapted for insuring success, witli the most indefati- gable perseverance and industry, and has endured hardships without murmui'ing, which would have prostrated many a more robust man ; nevertheless, he has not succeeded in making the business of fishing and trapping productive, and as we can- not divine the cause, we must attribute it to the Providence that rules the destinies of men and controls all human enter- prises. Two evenings since, eight Sandwich Islanders, a white man and an Indian woman, left the cascades in a large canoe laden with salmon, for the brig. The river was as usual rough and tempestuous, the wind blew a heavy gale, the canoe was cap- sized, and eight out of the ten sank to rise no more. The two who escaped, islanders, have taken refuge among the In- dians at the village below, and will probably join us in a few days. Intelligence has also been received of the murder of one of Wyeth's principal trappers, named Abbot, and another wjiite man who accompanied him, by the Banneck Indians. The two men were on their way to the Columbia with a large load of beaver, and had stopped at the lodge of the Banneck chief, by whom they had been hospitably entertained. After they left, the chief, with several of his young men, concealed themselves in a thicket, near which the unsuspicious trappers passed, and shot and scalped them both. These Indians have been heretofore harmless, and have always appeared to wish to cultivate the friendship of the white people. The only reason that can be conceived for this change in their sentiments, is that some of their number may lately have received injury from the white traders, and, with true Indian animosity, they determined to wreak their vengeance upon the whole race. Thus it is always unsafe to travel among Indians, as no one 2i) 226 NARRATIVE OF A JOURNEY knows at what moment a tribe which has always been friendly, may receive ill treatment from thoughtless, or evil-designing men, and the innocent suffer for the deeds of the guilty. Avgust 19th. — This morning, Captain Thing (Wyeth's part- ner) arrived from the interior. Poor man ! he looks very much worn by fatigue and hardships, and seven years older than when I last saw him. He passed through the Snake country from Fort Hall, without knowing of the hostile disposition of the Bannecks, but, luckily for him, only met small parties of them, who feared to attack his camp. He remarked symptoms of distrust and coolness in their manner, for which he w-as, at the time, unable to account. As I have yet been only an hour in his company, and as a large portion of this time was consumed in his business affairs, I have not been able to obtain a very par- ticular account of his meeting and skirmish with the Blackfeet last spring, a rumor of which we heard several weeks since. From what I have been enabled to gather, amid the hurry and bustle consequent upon his arrival, the circumstances appear to be briefly these. He had made a camp on Salmon river, and, as usual, piled up his goods in front of it, and put his horses in a pen erected temporarily for the purpose, when, at about day- break, one of his sentries heard a gun discharged near. He went immediately to Captain T.'s tent to inform him of it, and at that instant a yell sounded from an adjacent thicket, and about five hundred Indians, — three hundred horse and two hundred foot, — rushed out into the open space in front. The mounted savages were dashing to and fro across the line of the camp, discharging their pieces with frightful rapidity, while those who had not horses, crawled around to take them in the rear. Notwithstanding the galling fire which the Indians were con- stantly pouring into them. Captain T. succeeded in driving his horses into the thicket behind, and securing them there, placing over them a guard of three men as a check to the savages who ACROSS THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC. 227 were approaching from that quarter. He then threw himself, with the remainder of his little band, behind the bales of goods, and returned the fire of the enemy. He states that occa- sionally he was gratified by the sight of an Indian tumbling from his horse, and at such times a dismal, savage yell was uttered by the rest, who then always fell back a little, but re- tui-ned immediately to the charge with more than their former fury. At length the Indians, apparently wearied by their unsuccess- ful attempts to dislodge the white men, changed their mode of at- tack, and rode upon the slight fortification, rapidly and steadily. Although they lost a man or two by this (for them) unu- sually bold proceeding, yet they succeeded in driving the brave little band of whites to the cover of the bushes. They then took possession of the goods, &c., which had been used as a defence, and retired to a considerable distance, where they were soon joined by their comrades on foot, who had utterly failed in their attempt to obtain the horses. In a short time, a man was seen advancing from the main body of Indians towards the scene of combat, holding up his hand as a sign of amity, and an intima- tion of the suspension of hostilities, and requested a " talk" with the white people. Captain T., with difficulty repressing his in- clination to shoot the savage herald down, was induced, in con- sideration of the safety of his party, to dispatch an uiterpreter towards him. The only information that the Blackfeet wished to communicate was, that having obtained all the goods of the white people, they were now willing that they should continue their journey in peace, and that they should not again be molest- ed. The Indians then departed, and the white men struck back on their trail, towards Fort Hall. Captain Thing lost every thing he had with him, all his clothing, papers, journals, &c. But he should probably be thankful that he escaped with his life, for 228 NARRATIVE OF A JOURNEY it is known to be very ususual for these hostile Indians to spare the lives of white men, when in their power, the acquisi- tion of property being generally with them only a secondary consideration. Captain T. had two men severely, but not mortally, wounded. The Indians had seven killed, and a considerable number wounded. 20th. — Several days since a poor man came here in a most deplorable condition, having been gashed, stabbed and bruised in a manner truly frightful. He had been travelling on foot con- stantly for fifteen days, exposed to the broiling sun, with nothing to eat during the whole of this time, except the very few roots which he had been able to find. He was immediately put in the hospital here, and furnished with every thing necessary for his comfort, as well as surgical attendance. He states that he left Monterey, in California, in the spring, in companj'' with seven men, for the purpose of coming to the Wallammet to join Mr. Young, an American, who is now settled in that country. They met with no accident until they arrived at a village of Potdmeos Indians,* about ten days journey south of this. Not knowing the character of these Indians, they were not on their guard, allowing them to enter their camp, and finally to obtain posses- sion of their weapons. The Indians then fell upon the defence- less little band with their tomahawks and knives, (having no fire arms themselves, and not knowing the use of those they had taken,) and, ere the white men had recovered from the panic which the sudden and unexpected attack occasioned, killed four of them. The remaining four fought with their knives as long as they were able, but were finally overpowered, and this poor fellow left upon the ground, covered with wounds, and in a state * Called by the inhabitants of this country, the" rascally Indians,''' fcom their uuilbrnily evil disposition, and hostility to white people. ACROSS THE KOCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC. 229 of insensibility. How long he remained in this situation, he has no means of ascertaining ; but upon recovering, the place was vacated by all the actors in the bloody scene, except his three dead companions, who were lying stark and stiff where they fell. By considerable exertion, he was enabled to drag himself into a thicket near, for the purpose of concealm'ent, as he rightly con- jectured that their captors would soon return to secure the trophies of their treacherous victory, and bury the corpses. This happened almost immediately after ; the scalps were torn from the heads of the slain, and the mangled bodies removed for inter- ment. After the most dreadful and excrutiating sufferings, as we can well believe, the poor man arrived here, and is doing well under the excellent and skilful care of Doctor Gairdner. I ex- amined most of his wounds yesterday. He is literally covered with them, but one upon the lower part of his face is the most frightful. It was made by a single blow of a tomahawk, the point of which entered the upper lip, just below the nose, cutting entirely through both the upper and lower jaws and chin, and passing deep into the side of the neck, narrowly missing the large jugular vein. He says he perfectly recollects receiving this wound. It was inflicted by a powerful savage, who at the same time tripped him with his foot, accelerating his fall. He also remembers distinctly feeling the Indian's long knife pass five separate times into his body ; of what occurred after this he knows nothing. This is certainly by far the most horrible looking wound I ever saw, rendered so, however, by injudicious treatment and entire want of care in the proper apposition of the sundered parts ; he simply bound it up as well as he could with his handkerchief, and his extreme anguish caused him to forget the necessity of accuracy in this respect. The consequence is, that the lower part of his face is dreadfully contorted, one side being considerably lower than the other. A union by the 230 NARRATIVE OF A JOURNEY first intention lias been formed, and the ill-arranged parts are uniting. This case has pi'oduced considerable excitement in our little circle. The P'Dix. maries, secondaries, and of some of the coverts, grayish-white ; throat, breast, and medial portion of the belly dusky-cinereous; sides under the wings and flanks, dusky ; the whole inferior surface of the body is banded transversely with blackish ; the bands upon the throat are broken, and not well defined, but as they approach the tail they become more distinct ; lower tail-coverts with strongly marked alternate transverse lines of blackish and white. The tail is much longer in proportion than that of the preceding species. Irides dark hazel. Legs and feet bright yellow. Length about 7 inches. This fine bird inhabits the swiftly running streams of fresh water in the vicinity of Fort Vancouver. It is a very scarce species, as in all my peregrinations I have met with but two in- dividuals, only one of which I was enabled to procure. This I observed swimming about among the rapids of the stream, occasionally flying for short distances over the surface, and then diving into it, and reappearing after a long interval. Occasionally it would alight on the stones, and at such times jerked the tail in the manner of some of the sandpipers. I did not hear it utter any note. Hermit Warbler. Sylvia *occide.ntalis, (Townsend.) Journal Acad. Nat. Sciences, Vol. 7, part IL, p. 190. Audubon's Birds of America, Vol. IV., pi. 39.5. Male and female. The bill is wholly black ; the frontlet, crown, and sides of the head yellow, the former rather sparingly dotted with blackish near the nape, where the yellow color almost disappears, by the increase in the size of the spots ; upper parts grayish, thickly spotted with black, and most of the feathers tinged with olive ; the rump is somewhat lighter, having few or no spots, and more strongly tinged with light olive ; wings cinereous, with two bands of white ; tail darker, the three lateral feathers with white on their inner vanes ; throat deep black ; whole' lower parts white. Legs and feet blackish, the soles yellow. Length 5 inches. Extent 7 inches. The female difl^ers from the male in having the yellow of the crown and cheeks less bright, the dark spots upon the head are larger and more numerous ; the back is of a lighter tint ; the black centres of lTie feathers smaller, and the throat wants the jetty black which is so conspicuous in the male. APPENDIX. 341 I shot a single pair of these birds in a pine forest on the Co- lumbia river, on the 28th of May, 1835. They were flitting about among the pine trees, very actively engaged in searching for insects, and frequently hanging from the boughs like titmice. Black-throated Gray Warbler. Sylvia *nigrescens, (Townsend.) Journal Acad. Nat. Sci- ences, Vol. 7, part II, p. 191. Audubon's Birds of America, Vol. IV, pi. 395, male. The bill is black, and stout ; crown and hind head black, the feathers edged with grayish-plumbeous ; a line from the lower mandible on each side of the head, extending to the neck, white; a similar broad white line above the cheeks, running parallel v/ith the first, and approaching it on the neck ; a small bright yellow spot on the lores ; upper parts grayish-plumbeous, the back and upper tail-covei"ts with a ^ew oblanceolate spots of black ; wings and tail dusky, the former with two white bands ; and the three exterior feathers of the latter with white on their inner vanes ; throat and pectoral collar black; flanks with nu- merous spots of black ; axillaries grayish-white ; belly and vent white, with a tinge of yellowish. Legs and feet dusky-brown. Length nearly 5 inches. Extent of wings 7 inches. This species is not uncommon in the forests of oak on the Co- lumbia river. It is, however, singularly retired and seden- tary. Its note is a rather feeble, but agreeable warble. Sings chiefly in the morning early ; silent at mid-day. I have reason to believe, that at least a ky^ pairs breed on the Columbia, but I have never been so fortunate as to find the nest. Townsend's Warbler. Sylvia * Townsendi, (Nuttall,) Jour. Acad. Nat. Sci. Vol. 7, pt. II., pagel91. Audubon's Birds of America, Vol. IV. pi. 393. Male. The crown, lores, a broad patch through the eye to the hind- head, and throat, deep black, the first thickly touched towards the back part, with greenish ; back and rump greenish- yellow, spotted all over with black, the spots somewhat concealed b)'' the recumbent plumage ; wings dusky-cinereous, edged with grayish lead-color, and crossed by two "ra- ther broad bands of white ; tail emarginate, of twelve dusky feathers, the three lateral ones, with white on their inner vanes ; over the eye, from the bill to the hind-head, is a broad 342 APPENDIX. line of I'ich yellow ; a similar yellow line from the lower mandi- ble, round to the back of the neck, joining the first, and enclos- ing the black patch ; a spot below the eye, also yellow; breast yellow ; flanks marked with yellow, black, and white, the black predominating ; axillaries, belly and vent, pure white ; bill and feet black, the soles of the latter, yellow. Length 5 inches. Extent of winors 7 inches. I procured but one specimen of this beautiful bird, on the Co- lumbia river, in the spring of 1835. Early in autumn of the same year, I shot another male, in a somewhat plainer livery. It does not breed there, and I know nothing of its habits. Audubon's Warbler. Sylvia *Audvboni, (Townsend.) Journal Acad. Natural Sciences, Vol. 7, part II., p. 191. Audubon's Birds of America, Vol. IV., pi. 395. Male and female. Bill slender, black; upper parts light plumbeous; crown, throat, rump, and sides under the wings, gamboge yellow ; lores, and a broad space behind and below the eye, including the auri- culars, black ; a white spot above and below the eye ; feathers of the back with large, pointed spots of black, occupying the shafts, and a portion of each vane ; wings dusky, all the feathers edged exteriorly with grayish ; wing-coverts tipped with white, forming a large spot below the shoulder ; upper tail-coverts light plumbeous, largely lipped with black ; tail long, nearly even, blackish, edged with dark gray, and every feather, except the two middle ones, with a large spot of white on the inner vane, near the tip ; breast and sides of the belly, black ; medial por- tion of the latter, vent and inferior tail-coverts, white ; legs and feet brownish-black. Irides dark hazel. Length 5 inches. The female has the upper parts brownish, spotted and streaked with black ; the yellow on the crown, rump, and flanks is more restricted and fainter than in the male, and it wants the large bed of white upon the wing; throat white; breast and belly varied with black and white. Very common on the Columbia river in the spring, where it breeds. It sings quite prettily, but, like some others of its family, is rather monotonous. The note very much resembles that of S. coronata, to which the species is closely allied, but unlike the bird just named, it keeps in the thickest and most impervious APPENCIIX. 343 clumps of bushes while singing, and is always silent when en- gaged in seeking its food. Tolmie's Warbler. Sylvia *Tolmiei, (Townsend.) Journal Acad. Nat. Sciences, Vol. 8, part I. Audubon's Birds of America, Vol. IV., pi. 399. Male and female. (S, Philadelphia in the plate.) The bill is brownish above, pale flesh-color beneath, darker at the point ; lores and narrow frontlet black ; whole head, neck, and upper part of the breast, dark sooty-ash, the feathers of the latter fringed with white ; upper parts greenish yellow-olive ; the tail brighter, and of a uniform color, without spots ; wings lightish cinereous, the exterior vanes of all the feathers, including the coverts, yellow. Legs and feet flesh-color. Length 5 inches. Extent of wings 6^ inches. The female differs from the male, chiefly by having the head and throat light ash-color, without any black, and in being desti- tute of the black frontlet and lores. This pretty species, so much resembling the curious S. Phila- delphia of Wilson, is common in spring on the Columbia. It is mostly solitary, and extremely wary, keeping chiefly in the densest and most impenetrable thickets, and gliding through them in a very cautious and suspicious manner. It may, however, sometimes be seen towards mid-day, perched upon a dead twig over its favorite place of concealment, and at such times it war- bles a very sprightly and pleasant little song, raising its head until the bill is almost vertical, and swellins: its throat in the manner of many of its relatives. I dedicate the species to my friend W. F. Tolmie, Esq., of Fort Vancouver. Western Blue Bird. Sialia *occ.identalis, (Townsend,) Journal Acad. Nat. Sciences, Vol. 7, part II., p. 188. Audubon's Birds of America, Vol. IV., pi. 393. Male and female. Bill dark horn color, or nearly black; head, upper portion of the back, and throat, of a fine deep mazarine blue, the last some- what paler ; a broad transverse band on the interscapular region, and thewhole of the lower breast and belly, dark rufous bay; wings, back, upper tail-coverts and tail, of the same deep blue as the head ; the inner vanes of all the wing feathers dark fuscous; vent and 344 APPENDIX. lower tail-coverts white ; legs and feet blackish horn-color. Irides dark hazel. Length 6| inches. The female has the upper parts dark cinereous, slightly waved with blue; the shoulders, primary quills, upper tail-coverts and tail, are rich blue, as in the male ; the greater coverts and in- terior edges of the scapulars and secondaries, whitish ; whole lower parts light bay, the vent and lower tail-coverts white. About half an inch shorter than the male. Common on the Columbia river in the spring. It arrives from the south early in April, and about the first week in May com- mences building. The nest is placed in the hollow of a decayed tree, and is very loose and unsubstantial. The eggs, four to five, are light blue, somewhat larger than those of the common blue bird, (S. Wilsonii.) A flock of eight or ten of these birds visited the British fort on the Columbia, on a fine day in the winter of 1835. They con- fined themselves chiefly to the fences, occasionally flying to the ground and scratching among the snow for minute insects, the fragments of which were found in the stomachs of several which I killed. After procuring an insect, the male usually returned to the fence again, and warbled for a minute most delightfully. This note, although somewhat like that of our common Wilsonii, is still so different as to be easily recognised. It is equally sweet and clear, but of so little compass, (at this season,) as to be heard only a short distance. In the spring it is louder, but it is at all times much less strong than that of the common species. Chestnut-colored Finch. Plectrophanes *o?'nata, (Townsend,) Journal Acad. Nat. Sciences, Vol. 7, part II., p. 189. Audubon's Birds of America, Vol. IV., pi. 394. Male. Mandibles pale flesh-color, the upper, black along the ridge, and both black at tip ; upper portion of the head black ; a line of white commences at the nostrils, and passes over the eye, where it is expanded so as to form a large semi-lunated spot, and is con- tinued irregularly back to the nape ; below this and towards the throat are several irregular alternate spots of white and black ; auriculars, and gular region faint rufous ; a broad transverse band of deep bay on the hind part of the neck, comprehending a portion of the back ; upper part of the body light cinereous, with APPENDIX. 345 numerous spots of dusky ; these spots run into each other so as to be scarcely distinguishable; wings dusky ; first and second primaries nearly equal, and longest; upper coverts of the wing slightly edged with cream ; a large transverse band of white upon the lower portion of the throat, margining the faint rufous of the gular region, and joining the bay on the hind part of the neck ; breast and abdomen deep black, irregularly waved with cinereous and white ; vent and inferior tail-coverts white ; tail emarginate, the outer feathers nearly all white; all the others with a large portion of white, chiefly on their inner vanes, the tips dusky. Legs and feet yellowish-dusky. Irides dark hazel. Length Ss inches. Female unknown. Inhabits the plains of the Platte river, near the first range of the Rocky Mountains. It appears to live exclusively upon the ground, and is a very rai'e and shy species. I procured but one specimen. Townsend's Ground Finch, or Longspur. Plectrophanes ^Townsendi, (Audubon.) Birds of America, Vol. IV., pi. 424. Female. Upper mandible cinnamon ; lower, light yellow ; whole upper parts, and tail, dark rufous ; wing feathers blackish, edged with yellowish-rufous ; throat, breast, and belly white, with numerous irregular spots and blotches of dark brown ; a line of brown and black spots extends from the base of the lower mandible on each side, down upon the throat ; inferior portion of the flanks, vent, and upper tail-coverts, yellowish-brown, with a few spots of black occupying the centre of the feathers. Legs and feet yel- lowish, claws black. Irides dark hazel. Length 65 inches. This species is common in the neighborhood of Foi't Vancou- ver on the Columbia. It inhabits the dense bushes chiefly in the vicinity of low, marshy places, and feeds upon coleopterous in- sects and worms, for which it searches in the ground by scratch- ing up the earth with its feet. It is observed only in the autumn and winter. Oregon Snow Finch. Fringilla *oregona, (Townsend.) Journal Acad. Natural 44 346 APPENDIX. Sciences, Vol. 7, part II., page 188. Audubon's Birds of Ame- rica, Vol. IV., pi. 398. Male and female. The bill is a pale flesh color, the upper mandible brownish at the point ; head, neck, and upper part of the breast, black ; the feathers slightly tipped with white ; on the hind-head and back of the neck, are some touches of brown or bay, mixed with the white sprinkling ; back rufous-brown or bay ; rump grayish- plumbeous, slightly touched with bay ; upper tail-coverts and tail cinereous, the former slightly tipped with pale brown, the outer vanes of the feathers of the latter edged with the same color; first lateral tail-feather pure white ; second white, with the exception of a small edging of cinereous on the outer vane, near the tip ; third, with a broad stripe of white on the inner vane, extending from the point nearly to the base; wings dark cinereous, the outer vanes edged with whitish, the greater coverts and ter- tials margined with bay ; third and fourth primaries nearly equal, and longest ; lower part of the breast and belly white ; flanks light yellowish-bay, the lower tail-coverts with a lighter tint of the same color ; tibial feathers cinereous, spotted v/ith gray. Legs and feet flesh-color ; claws light horn color. Length 5| inches. Extent of wing 8| inches. The female is very similar to the male, except that the general colors are somewhat fainter. Common on the Columbia river in winter. Gregarious. Voice, and general habits similar to F. hyemalis. Prairie Finch. Fringilla *bicolo?-, (Townsend,) Journal Acad. Nat. Sciences, Vol. 7, part. II., p. 189. Audubon's Birds of America, Vol. IV., pi. 390. Male and female. The head and back are black, shaded with ash ; rump ash ; superior tail-coverts and tail, blackish-brown, the former slightly edged with white ; all the feathers of the latter tipped with white ; a broad patch of white upon the wing ; secondaries and tertials tipped and edged with white ; throat, cheeks, and whole lower parts, deep black, the feathers on the belly, and the inferior tail- coverts, tipped with white. The upper mandible is of a lightish brown color, the lower, pale bluish-white. Legs and feet olive- brown. Length 7^ inches. Extent about 11 inches. APPENDIX. 347 Tlie female has the head, and whole upper parts, of a light ash, or cinereous color, varied with blackish ; large patches of yellowish-white upon the wing-coverts ; throat and breast varied with black, and white ; belly white ; all the lateral tail-feathers tipped with white on their inner webs. This very pretty and distinct species inhabits a portion of the Platte country, east of the first range of the Rocky Mountains. It appears to be strictly gregarious. Feeds upon the ground, along which it runs swiftly, like the grass finch (F. graminea,) to which it is somewhat allied. As the large flocks, (consisting often of from sixty to a hundred,) were started from the ground by our caravan in passing, the piebald appearance of the males and females promiscuously intermingled, presented a curious, but by no means unpleasing effect. While the flock is engaged in feeding, the males are frequently observed to rise suddenly to a considerable height, and poising themselves over their com- panions, with their wings in constant and rapid motion, they be- come nearly stationary. In this situation, they pour forth a number of very lively and sweetly modulated notes, and at the expiration of about a minute, descend to the ground, and course about as before. I never observed this bird west of the Black Hills. Harris's Woodpecker. Picus *Harrisi, (Audubon,) Birds of America, Vol. IV., pi. 417. Male and female. Bill bluish-black ; feathers covering the nostrils cinereous- brown ; upper part of the head, and an oblong spot below the eye, back ; a stripe of white commences in front of the eye above, and extends back to the nape, where it is joined by a similar stripe, which begins at the lower mandible ; the semicircle form- ed by this white line, encloses the black spot on the auriculars ; another black line commences at the base of the lower mandible, bounding the white, and is continued down upon the shoulder, where it is somewhat expanded anteriorly; a broad occipital band, red ; upper parts black, the wings strongly glossed with blue ; the primaries, secondaries, and a few of the tertails, with nume- rous spots of white ; a stripe down the middle of the back, white; tail long, cuneiform, black, the three exterior feathers brownish- wliite ; the whole of the lower plumage is of a deep sooty-brown. 348 APPENDIX. whitish on the flanks ;- legs and feet bluish-black. Irides dark hazel. Length 8 inches. The female differs from the male, chiefly in the absence of the red occipital band. This species, so much resembling the common P. villostis, is abundant in the forests on the Columbia river. Its habits are very similar to those of its near relative. Builds a loose and un- substantial nest, in the hollow of a decayed tree, and lays four white e2:gs. Vaux's Chimney Swallow. Cypcelus *Vauxl, (Townsend,) Journal Acad. Nat. Sciences, Vol. 8, part I. Female. , Bill slender, black ; upper parts of a dull smoke-brown, in- clining to blackish upon the interscapular region ; shoulders and primary quills blackish ; the rump and tail are of a much lighter color than the back, being dull cinereous-brown ; shafts of the tail-feathers, and their points, black ; wings of ordinary length, extending about two inches beyond the tail ; throat, and upper portion of the breast, grayish-white ; belly, and all below, cine- reous-gray. Legs and feet brownish-black. Irides dark hazel. Length 3| inches. Extent of wings 10 inches. It differs from the C pelasgius, with which it has been confounded, in several very striking particulars. It is one inch shorter, and two inches less in extent ; the body is proportionably smaller in every aspect, and the color much lighter. This species, (which I dedicate to my friend, Wm. S. Vaux, Esq., of Philadelphia,) is common on the Columbia river; breeds in hollow trees, forming its nest in the same manner as the pelas- gius, and lays four white eggs. White-legged Oyster Catcher. Hcematopus *Bachmani, (Audubon.) Birds of America, Vol. IV., pi. 427. Male. Bill yellow, red at base, and on the superior portion of the upper mandible ; whole head, neck, and throat black ; back, wings, and rump, brownish-fuscous, varied with a darker tint ; tail somewhat rounded, blackish, the feathers edged with lighter; flanks deep black ; belly, vent, and upper tail-coverts, brownish- APPENDIX. 349 fuscous. Legs and feet white; claws yellowish-horn color; eyelids bright red ; irides yellow. Length about 17 inches. This fine species was shot near Puget's sound, by my friend William Fraser Tolmie, Esq., surgeon of the Honorable Hud- son's Bay Company, by whom it was presented to me. I was anxious to give to it the name of its discoverer, but I have been overruled by Mr. Audubon, who has probably had good reasons for rejecting my proposed specific appellation, TolmicL Rocky Mountain Plovkr. Charadrius *montanvs, (Townsend.) Journal Acad. Nat. Sciences, Vol. 7, part IL, p. 192. Audubon's Birds of America, Vol. IV., pi. 3.50. Male. Bill and lores black ; front white, this color being continued in a narrow line over the eye to the nape ; head-brownish-cine- reous ; back of the neck, and cheeks behind the eye, yellowish- tawney ; whole upper parts yellowish-cinereous, varied with a darker tint ; wings ligJiter, the shoulders and flexura whitish ; nearly all the secondaries, and some of the primaries, edged with white ; upper tail-coverts, and even tail, brownish-cinereous, the latter tipped with white ; legs and feet yellowish-dusky ; claws black. Irides dark hazel. Length 85 inches. Inhabits the table land of the Rocky Mountains. I saw but one specimen of this beautiful bird, and, as our party was on the move, I was compelled to kill it without delay. Townsend's Sandpipek. *Frinca *Toionsendi, (Audubon.) Birds of America, Vol. IV., pi. 428. Female. Bill yellowish-brown, black at the point; a white line below the eye ; whole upper parts dark ashy-cinereous, the secondaries centred with blackish ; rump blackish ; upper tail-coverts pure white ; tail blackish-brown, of ten feathers, the four lateral ones white from their insertion half way to the points, and each tipped with white ; greater wing-coverts, and bases of all the primaries, white, forming a spot upon the wing when closed ; throat white ; breast grayish-cinereous ; under surface of the wings white ; belly, vent, and lower tail-coverts white ; a kw oblong black spots, chiefly on the sides, and lower-coverts ; legs and feet greenish ; claws black. Irides dark hazel. Length 10^ inches. 350 AFPENEIX. I shot one specimen of this curious bird on the base of tlie rocky cape at the entrance of the Columbia river, in November 1836. It was sitting on the edge of the steep rocks, and the heavy surf frequently dashed its spray over it, as it foraged among the retreating waves. When it started, it flew with a quick, jerking motion of its wing, and alighted again at a short distance. Although I resided for many weeks in the vicinity of the cape, I never saw a second specimen. The stomach, which was remarkably strong and muscular, contained fragments of a small black shell fish, of the genus Modiola, which adheres in clusters to the rocks. Violet-green Cormorant. Phalacrocorax *splendens. (Toavns. in lit. to Audubon.) nP. resplendens (Audubon.) Birds of America Vol. IV., pi, 412. Female in winter. Bill greenish-dusky, blackish above ; front, light sea-green, which color passes behind the eye, and around the gular region, occupying the chief portion of the neck below ; neck above, deep Prussian blue, with strong reflections of purple ; lateral part of the neck lighter, with numerous minute specks of white, formed by very small, hair-like feathers ; whole upper parts deep green, reflecting shades of purple and violet ; wings greenish, varied with dusky ; bare space on the gullet contracted, of a yellowish-red color ; it includes the eye, but does not extend in front to the lores ; tail long, rounded, dusky ; below, the colors are nearly the same as the back ; a few white spots on the in- ferior portion of the flanks. Legs and feet black ; the middle claw strongly pectinated. Irides light sea-green. Length about 2 feet. This most splendid of all the species of cormorants yet disco- vered, inhabits in considerable numbers the Rocky Cape at the entrance of the Columbia river, upon the sides of which it often rests, and no doubt rears its young within the natural cavities which front the tempestuous ocean, and in situations wholly in- accessible to man. Sometimes many weeks elapse in which not a single cormorant is seen, when suddenly a flock of fifty or six- ty, is observed to enter the bay, every individual of which imme- diately commences an assiduous search for the small fish and mollusca which constitute its food. It never ascends the APPENDIX. 351 river, but keeping almost constantly around the cape, under shel- ter of the enormous breakers which are incessantly dashing against it, successfully defies all attempts to shoot it. The pro- curing of the only specimen which I was ever enabled to kill, almost cost the lives of myself and eight men. Our boat was carried with frightful velocity into the furious breakers, and a full hour was consumed in unremitting efforts to escape the danger towards which the swift current was hurrying us. The Indians of the N. W. coast make cloaks of the skins of this bird sewed together. It is probably even more numerous to the north of Cape Disappointment, and must necessarily frequent less inaccessible places. TowjVsend's Cormokant. Phalacrocorax *Townsendi, (Audubon.) Birds of America, Vol. IV., pi. 412. Male. Bill light-yellow, black above ; crown, and upper part of the neck to the interscapulars, yellowish-fuscous ; lateral part of the hind-head and neck, pointed with white like the preceding spe- cies ; middle of the back, rump and upper tail-coverts, dark greenish, reflecting purple ; tail long, dusky ; lateral portion of the upper surface of the body, including the scapulars and wings, yellowish-fuscous, each feather edged with blackish ; bare space on the gullet, which includes the eye, and extends upon the lores, light red, streaked with a deeper tint ; sides of the head, and throat whitish-cinereous ; breast and belly yellowish-rufous, slightly varied with dusky ; vent and lower tail-coverts dark brownish-fuscous ; a few longitudinal points of white on the tibial feathers ; legs and feet black. Irides dai-k hazel. Length about 28 inches. This species inhabits the Columbia river, and is not uncom- mon. It is seldom seen near the sea, but is mostly observed high up upon the river. It is, like most species of its genus, par- tially gregarious, and is fond of resting in company. The old trees which are fastened in the bottom of the river, and protrude above the surface, and the isolated rocks in the stream, are its favorite places of resort. Here it sits, sometimes for hours to- gether, indolently gazing into the water, and only leaving its perch to seize an unsuspecting fish, which may happen to pass 352 APPENDIX. near it. It is very shy and cautious, and is seldom killed even by the Indians, who are fond of its flesh. Slendee-billed Guillemot. Uria *Townscndi, (Aubudon.) Birds of America, Vol. IV., pi. 430. Male and female. Bill very slender, black ; nostrils small, rounded, open ; an interrupted circle of white around the eye; head and neck above, dark umber brown, slightly waved with blackish ; back, rump, and upper tail-coverts, light yellowish-fuscuos, with broad transverse bands of black ; wings blackish, edged with grayish-plumbeous, the greater coverts tipped with white ; tail short, rounded, extend- ing about an inch beyond t,he closed wings ; throat cinereous- gray waved transversely with a darker tint ; lower parts black, spotted with white; flanks white; legs and feet sulphur yellow; claws black. Irides dark hazel. Length 8 inches. The female has the whole upper parts of a dull cinereous color ; scapulars, and a narrow occipital band, white ; whole lower parts white; a hw black, longitudinal streaks on the flanks. Length about the same as the male. Inhabits the bays of the N. W. Coast of America, in latitude 38° to 40°. The specimens were shot and presented to me by Captain W. Brotchie, to whom I am under very great obligations for the addition to ray collection of several line species.