1826, OCTOBER. BLACK-TAILED DEER 227 



After passing two fine small rich plains, camped shortly before dusk at the 

 west end of the third, at the foot of some high mountains covered with 

 pine. I perceive a hardness in the sky and a softness in the atmosphere 

 for the last three days, with a gradual rise of the thermometer at night and 

 cooler during the day, which indicates our drawing near the ocean. A mes- 

 sage was sent to the Indian village a mile further down the river on the same 

 side, to inform them of our arrival. The chief, his son, and about twenty 

 followers accompanied the messengers back in several large fine canoes 

 similar to those used by the Columbian natives, and brought with them 

 a large number of very fine salmon-trout, 2 feet 5 inches long, 10 to 25 round, 

 and some 3 feet long, of fine quality ; is the same fish as is caught in 

 the small branches of the Columbia in spring and autumn. I learn they 

 are caught by the spear, and, as I understand, the Indians are totally 

 unacquainted with fishing with a net. Evening cloudy. 



Sunday, 22nd. Morning cloudy but pleasant, with alight breath of wind 

 from the west. We had been up not more than an hour when we were 

 again visited by our new Indian friends, who brought for us a fine quantity 

 of salmon-trout, a part of which we had cooked for breakfast and found it 

 excellent. About noon a very large Black-tailed Deer came close to the 

 camp, and was quietly feeding among the horses when Mr. McLeod and 

 Baptist Mackay laid him down with their rifles at the distance of two 

 hundred yards. It is a much larger animal than the Long-tailed, at least 

 a fifth larger, and assuredly a very distinct species. In form the same, 

 except the horns, which are rarely ever more than two-pronged and not 

 curved, standing more erect on the head. The neck is both longer and 

 thicker, and the tail short, 5 to 7 inches. The general colour on the 

 back is a light grey, bluish white on the belly, inside of the forelegs, and 

 thighs ; has a black ring round the nose at the nostrils and the crown 

 between the eyes ; roots of the horns and ears of the same colour ; has a 

 short black mane ; neck and ears same colour as the belly ; tail of course 

 black. Different from the Long-tailed Deer in its range of country and is 

 rarely to be seen on the plains ; is found abundantly on the high ground of 

 and near the Rocky Mountains and on those along the coast, and indeed 

 I might say on almost every hill throughout the country, but seems to 

 prefer a southern climate as it has scarcely ever been seen beyond 48 

 of N. latitude. By no means such a plentiful animal as the former. Last 

 spring Baptist Mackay brought me from this country a snare made from 

 a grass, as he said, which from its texture I thought would prove a species 

 of Helonias. I now find it to be a small species of Iris, found abundantly 

 on the low moist rich grounds. I regret that, being so late in the season, 

 it is doubtful if I can glean seeds of it. The snare is used in taking the elk 

 and Long- and Black-tailed Deer, and in point of strength will hold the 

 strongest bullock and is not thicker than the little finger. I observe that 

 the women are mostly all tattooed, principally the whole of the lower jaw 

 from the ear, some in lines from the ear to the mouth, some across, some 

 spotted, and some completely blue ; it is done by a sharp piece of bone 

 and cinder from the fire. It is needless to say it is considered a great 

 mark of beauty ; I have little doubt that such a lady in London would 



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