84 A TEDIOUS VOYAGE. 



struggling through rapids, and watching the 

 ' deck hands ' take in wood at the different 

 ' wooding stations.' The boilers are heated with 

 wood only, which is hauled by ox-teams from 

 the nearest forest or timbered district, often 

 many miles: cutting, cording, and hauling the 

 wood requisite for the trip from the Des Chutes 

 to Walla-walla is a very heavy item. 



We pass the mouth of John Day's river, the 

 Umatilla, and several other tributaries. Where 

 the rivers joined, small encampments of Indians 

 were busy fishing, but we did not go sufficiently 

 near to see what fish they were taking. As we 

 get farther up-stream, colossal piles of basaltic 

 rocks, naked and cinderous, appear to have grown 

 from out the sand; quaint are the shapes these 

 masses assume, and from resemblances really 

 startling are named Chimney-rocks, Castle-rocks, 

 Turret-rocks, and so on, as they suggest some well- 

 known object to the traveller. The weariest day 

 must have an ending; at night we tie up as 

 before, only twelve miles below old Fort Walla- 

 walla our destination. 



June 7. We are at old Walla-walla, 5.30 

 A.M. ; wind blowing a hurricane, and carrying 

 along with it sand, and even small pebbles. The 

 landing is effected on a kind of floating pier; and 



