1826, MARCH. WALLAWALLAH 159 



took a little breakfast on the rocks at The Dalles, four miles below 

 the Great Falls, at seven o'clock. The day was very pleasant, 

 with a clear sky. At five in the evening we made the portage over the 

 Falls, where we found the Indians very troublesome. I learned from 

 Mr. McLeod they had collected for the purpose of pillaging the boats, 

 which we soon found to be the case. After they had the usual present of 

 tobacco, they became desirous of our camping there for the night, no 

 doubt expecting to effect their purpose. The first thing that was observed 

 was their cunningly throwing water on the gun locks, and on the boats 

 being ordered to be put in the water they refused to allow them. As 

 Mr. McLeod was putting his hand on one of their shoulders to push him 

 back, a fellow immediately pulled from his quiver a bow and a handful 

 of arrows, and presented it at Mr. McLeod. As I was standing on the 

 outside of the crowd I perceived it, and, as no time was to be lost, I 

 instantly slipped the cover off my gun, which at the time was charged with 

 buckshot, and presented it at him, and invited him to fire his arrow, and 

 then I should certainly shoot him. Just at this time a chief of the Kyeuuse 

 tribe and three of his young men, who are the terror of all other tribes 

 west of the mountains and great friends of the white people, as they call 

 them, stepped in and settled the matter in a few words without any further 

 trouble. This very friendly Indian, who is the finest figure of a man that 

 I have seen, standing nearly 6 feet 6 inches high, accompanied us a few 

 miles up the river, where we camped for the night, after being remunerated 

 by Mr. McLeod for his friendship I being King George's Chief or the Grass 

 Man, as I am called. I bored a hole in the only shilling I had, one which 

 has been in my pocket since I left London, and, the septum of his nose 

 being perforated, I suspended it to it with a brass wire. This was to him 

 the great seal of friendship. 



After smoking, he returned to the Indian village and promised that he 

 would not allow us to be molested. Of course no sleep was had this night, 

 and to keep myself awake I wrote a letter to Dr. Hooker. Heavy rain 

 during the night. The following day, the 25th, at daylight we resumed 

 our route ; sleet and rain, with a keen north wind. Being almost benumbed 

 with cold, I preferred walking along the banks of the river, and, although 

 my path in many places was very rugged, I camped forty miles above 

 the Falls, much fatigued. During the night and the following morning 

 I found my knee troublesome and very stiff. 



2Qth to the 28th, Clear, fine, warm weather, maximum heat 64, 

 minimum 50. U-t three o'clock on the 28th arrived at Wallawallah 

 establishment, where I was very friendly received by S. Black, Esq., the 

 person in charge. The whole country from the Great Falls to this place is 

 nearly destitute of timber. Dry gravelly and rocky soils, with extensive 

 plains. iThe largest shrub to be seen on the plains is Tigarea tridentata,i 

 which we invariably used as fuel in boiling our little kettle, also several 

 very curious species of shrubby Artemisia, and other shrubs which to 

 me were perfectly unknown J and the whole herbage very different indeed 

 from the vegetation on the coast. To the south-east, at the distance of 

 1 Purshia tridentata, S. Wats. Bibl. Ind. N. Am. Bot. p. 309. 



