NARRATIVE AND ITINERARY TYSCH CREEK FORT DALLES. 87 



crossing Tysch. prairie we reached the edge of the deep cailon of a creek of the same name, 

 which washes the base of the spur forming its northern boundary. We crossed the stream a 

 short distance above the junction of two branches, the first of which was turbid with sand, but 

 the second clear and pure. Both fords were good. There was considerable grass on the 

 sides of this canon, and a narrow strip of good land in the bottom, and we saw before us, with 

 a feeling of strange pleasure, a settler s log cabin and a fenced field. This rancho, together 

 with a ferry across the Des Chutes river, near the mouth of Tysch creek, belonged to Mr. 

 Evelyn, formerly of Cleveland, Ohio, who treated us with great kindness, both at this time 

 and subsequently. We encamped on the creek, and feasted sumptuously on some fine potatoes, 

 which were fully appreciated, as the want of fresh vegetables had begun to cause scurvy among 

 the party. 



There was, near our camp, a large rancheria of Indians, among whom a disease resembling 

 the cholera had been raging. About thirty had recently died ; and, in accordance with their 

 customs, the relations of the deceased spent their nights among the rocks of the canon sides, 

 shrieking and howling in lamentation. These sounds, now near, and now remote, were very 

 mournful and impressive as we lay around our camp fire. We felt less sympathy for their 

 affliction, because one of our party, who had found a dead body lying in the bushes near us, 

 had been told rather disdainfully by an Indian to whom he pointed it out, that it was only a 

 prisoner, not worth burying. The ground near the rancheria was strewed with kous, a root 

 from which they make a kind of very hard bread called &quot; sup-pal-le.&quot; It had belonged to 

 their dead, and had, on this account, been thrown away as ill-omened. 



September 10. The trail this morning followed up the creek a short distance, and entered a 

 wagon road leading from the Dalles to the Willamette valley. It is very mountainous, and 

 bad for wagons. We had a good specimen of its character while toiling up the range of low 

 trap mountains north of Tysch creek, where the road gained an elevation of about 1,500 feet 

 above the stream, by an ascent in many places so steep, that it was difficult to conceive of 

 heavily loaded wagons passing up or down. After reaching the summit, our course lay over 

 a gently undulating country covered with bunch grass. About ten miles from camp we 

 crossed a small, dry ravine. In about seven miles more we entered, by a lateral defile, a fine 

 open valley, containing several ranches on the banks of a small, clear stream, called Fifteen 

 Mile creek. The road now became very hilly. Between four and five miles further on, we 

 crossed another stream, called Eight Mile creeek ; and in two miles more, another, called Five 

 Mile creek. Two miles more brought us to a beautiful valley, and on climbing the hills 

 beyond, a noble panorama burst upon our view. The grand snow peaks of Mount Adams and 

 Mount Hood, connected by dark fir-covered ridges, formed the background. In the distance, 

 the broad Columbia wound through a terraced valley, and disappeared among the mountain 

 gorges ; while in the foreground, our national flag waving over the little town of the Dalles 

 showed us that the wished for goal was won. 



The fort is pleasantly situated on a small creek, about a mile south of the town, and is con 

 siderably elevated above it. We were received with great kindness by Major Haller, Captain 

 Auger, Lieutenants Forsythe, Macfeely, and Dearing, of the 4th infantry, and Dr. Hammond, 

 the officers then stationed at the post. Everything which could contribute to our comfort was 

 thoughtfully supplied during our stay. I am also indebted to Major Haller for giving me much 

 valuable topographical information about the country in the vicinity of the Dalles. 



While waiting for provisions from Vancouver, I had an interview with William, a Chinook 



