56 Mr Scouler's Voyage to the Pacific Ocean. 



Although the people of the Company never interfere in the 

 quarrels of the natives, except to recommend peaceful mea- 

 sures, we did not like to venture much into the woods, as it 

 would not be prudent to meet the Indians in their present ir- 

 ritated state. 



Fort-George is a square Jbuilding, consisting entirely of 

 wood, and situated about 100 yards from the river. It is sur- 

 rounded by palisades, and furnished with bastions. The prin- 

 cipal gate looks towards the river, and opens into a large 

 court. On the west side are the stores and warehouses, and 

 opposite to them the houses of the people, and the shops 

 of the merchants. On the south side, is the mess-room, and 

 the apartments of the gentlemen. They have cleared about 

 eighty acres of land around the fort, on which they raise fine 

 crops of potatoes, and the banks of the river afford plenty of 

 pasture for their cattle. The hogs, which thrive remark- 

 ably well, were brought from the Sandwich Islands, and the 

 horned cattle from California. The Indian village is situated 

 a little to the west of the fort, on a sandy beach, and may 

 contain about twelve houses, each of them holding from fif- 

 teen to thirty inmates. 



14th. — While at the fort, we had an opportunity of seeing the 

 war-dance of the Indians. About fifty of them paraded from 

 a small hill in the vicinity of the fort, to the house of their 

 chief. They were dressed and painted in a most hideous man- 

 ner, and had many different kinds of arms, as fowling-pieces, 

 pistols, bows, arrows, and daggers. Some had their faces 

 painted black, and their hair powdered with the down of fowls ; 

 others were painted with alternate lines of blue, red, and black. 

 Their war-dress consisted of tanned elk skins, resembling a shirt 

 without sleeves. The leader of the procession carried a stick, to 

 which was suspended a number of large shells, (Pecten maxi- 

 mus,) which he incessantly rattled. They moved one abreast, 

 and in a most tortuous manner, occasionally firing a fowling- 

 piece, and giving one of their war shouts. As they are by no 

 means careful in what direction they fire, accidents frequently 

 happen, and before this dance was finished, one of their own 

 number was killed in consequence of their thoughtlessness 



