232 DOUGLAS' JOURNAL 



over the dead wood and large stones, and would have been inevitably 

 dashed to pieces in the river had he not been arrested by being wedged fast 

 between two large trees that were lying across the hill. I immediately 

 tied his legs and head close to the ground to keep him from wrestling, 

 and with my hatchet I cut the lower tree and relieved him, having received 

 but little injury. I felt over this occasion much, for I got him from Mr. 

 McLoughlin and it was his favourite horse. Reached the camp in the dusk, 

 where I found Mr. Michel Laframboise, the Chenook interpreter, and an 

 Indian boy, who told me the Indians had been troublesome since the 

 brigade of hunters left him on Monday. He kindly assisted me in pitching 

 my tent, gave me a little weak spirit and water, and then made a basin of 

 tea, which I found very refreshing. Very heavy rain during the night. 



3Qth. Last night about ten o'clock several Indians were seen round our 

 camp all armed, and of course instead of sleep we had to make a large fire, 

 leave the camp a little distance, and hide in the grass to watch. An hour 

 and a half before day a party of fifteen passed us, crashing among the grass 

 towards our fire ; we immediately fired blank shot and scared them. 

 Returned to the camp and made some tea and ate a little dry salmon for 

 breakfast, and as I had not a single bit of dry clothing and it still raining, 

 I sat in my tent with a small fire before the door the whole day. | 



Tuesday, 31st. Heavy showers, with south-west wind off the ocean. 

 Cold and raw. Brought wood in the morning for fuel and some branches 

 of pine and Pteris aquilina l for bedding. At noon an Indian who had 

 undertaken to guide two of the hunters to a small lake twenty or thirty 

 miles to the south-east of this, returned to our camp and brought on his 

 back one of their coats and had in his possession some of the hunting- 

 implements, and looked altogether very suspicious : for the present, as we 

 do not understand their language, we pay no attention ; perhaps he has 

 stolen and not murdered them. Kept up our watch as usual ; find myself 

 greatly fatigued and very weak. Were not troubled during the night. 



Wednesday, November 1st. Heavy rain until two o'clock. In the 

 afternoon Baptist Mackay returned from the coast, who tells me he 

 hardly ever experienced such bad weather ; he had not a dry day. We felt 

 a little relieved to think our small party getting strong, particularly such a 

 one as Mackay, as he will soon procure us fresh food. Evening cloudy. 



Thursday, 2nd. Baptist Mackay went out in the morning and very 

 fortunately killed a fine large doe Long-tailed Deer, which he brought 

 home on his horse at noon. I was glad to stand cook, and ere 4 P.M. I had 

 a large kettle of fine rice soup made, and, just as we were sitting down to 

 eat, thirteen of the hunters came in sight in five canoes and of course were 

 invited to partake. I find this evening pass away agreeably to the eleven 

 preceeding, and although the society at many times uncouth, yet to have a 

 visage of one's own colour is pleasing ; each gave an account of the chase 

 in turn. I find myself stand high among them as a marksman and passable 

 as a hunter. 



Friday, 3rd. Early in the morning made a trip about twelve miles 

 below this place in hopes of meeting my companion, Mr. McLeod, whom 

 1 Pteridium aquilinum, Christensen, Ind. Fil. p. 591. 



