1826, OCTOBER. NEAR THE UMPQUA RIVER 231 



one 14 inches long, one 14, and one 13, and all containing fine seed. A 

 little before this the cones are gathered by the Indians, roasted on the 

 embers, quartered, and the seeds shaken out, which are then dried before 

 the fire and pounded into a sort of flour, and sometimes eaten round (sic). 

 (How irksome a night is to such a one as me under my circumstances ! 

 Cannot speak a word to my guide, not a book to read, constantly in 

 expectation of an attack, and the position I am now in is lying on the 

 grass with my gun beside me, writing by the light of my Columbian 

 candle namely, a piece of wood containing rosin. 



Friday, 27th. My last guide went out at midnight in quest of trout 

 with a flare and brought one small one in the morning, which I roasted for 

 breakfast. He came two hours before day in great terror and hurry, and 

 uttered a shriek. I sprang to my feet, thinking the Indians I saw yesterday 

 had found me out, but by gesture I learned he had been attacked by a 

 large grizzly bear. I signed to him to wait for day, and perhaps I would 

 go and kill it. A little before day Bruin had the boldness to pay me a 

 visit, accompanied by two whelps, one of last year's and one of this. As I 

 could not consistently with my safety receive them so early in the morning, 

 I waited daylight and accordingly did so. I had all my articles in the 

 saddle-bags and the horse a mile from the camp, when I mounted my 

 own, which stands fire admirably and rode back and found the three feeding 

 on acorns under the shade of a large oak. I allowed the horse to walk 

 slowly up to within twenty yards, when they all stood up and growled at me. 

 I levelled my gun at the heart of the mother, but as she was protecting one 

 of the young, keeping them right before her and one standing before her 

 belly, my ball entered the palate of the young one and came out at the 

 back part of the head. It dropped instantly, and as the mother stood up a 

 second time I lodged a ball in her chest, which on receiving she abandoned 

 the remaining live young and fled to an adjoining hummock of wood. The 

 wound was mortal, as they never leave their young until ready to sink. 

 With the carcase of the young one I paid my last guide, who seemed to 

 lay great store by it. I abandoned the chase and thought it prudent 

 from what happened yesterday to bend my steps back again without 

 delay. So I returned and crossed the river two miles further down, 

 and camped for the night in a low point of wood near a small stream. 

 Heavy rain throughout the day. . 



Saturday and Sunday, 28th and 29th. Both days very rainy, and (having 

 very little clothing and impossible to keep myself dry night or day obliged 

 me to make all the exertion in my power to reach the camp near the sea, 

 and being under the necessity of leading my horse the whole distance, he 

 being greatly fatigued and the road daily getting worse by the continual 

 rain. Camped on Saturday evening at my second crossing-place, but 

 could get no food from the Indians, the bad weather preventing them from 

 fishing, the river being much swollen. Boiled the last of my rice for supper, 

 without salt or anything else, and had but a scanty meal. At daybreak 

 on Sunday I resumed my march and went on prosperously until I came to 

 the large woody hill half-way between our first march on the north bank of 

 the river, when one of the poor horses fell and descended the whole height 



