240 DOUGLAS' JOURNAL 



he is justly noted by people of the Establishment and his countrymen. 

 He regretted that dry salmon and berries ofr jfauUheria Shallon was all the 

 variety he could offer me. The boisterous weather had obliged the wild- 

 fowl to seek more sheltered situations than his neighbourhood afforded, 

 and it was too rough to venture on fishing. They were subsisting only on 

 these articles. The salmon is very bad, lean in the extreme, killed in 

 the small creeks in September, October, and November, in the spawning 

 season : when dried resembles rotten dry pine-bark. Having nothing but 

 this to subsist on, I was seized with a most violent diarrhoea, which reduced 

 me in four days unable to walk. The weather giving no proofs of improve- 

 ment and from my increasing weakness I became alarmed lest it should 

 prove dysentery I abandoned the idea of prolonging my stay. There- 

 fore in the morning I set oS for the Fort, having obtained one duck to make 

 a little broth. 1 Three days took me to the village of Oak Point, where the 

 Indians had that day caught ten sturgeon. Learning I stood in need of 

 some, they instantly told me I could have none unless I should give either 

 my hatchet or coat : being neither willing nor could I encourage such on 

 principle, I declined bargaining. I offered tobacco, powder, and ball, and 

 my knife for as much as would be one meal for myself and people, which 

 they refused, but as I was a good chief and liked them they would let me 

 have it if I would give the handkerchief from my neck for one small bit, 

 and seven buttons off my coat for a second bit of the same size, which I 

 did ! I have heard of people put to many shifts to live, but never in my 

 life was I in such a hard case in bargain-making. He had my blessing 

 and promise of a sound flogging should I ever meet him in a convenient 

 place. I slept half a mile above the village and the following morning 

 started early with the tide and a light air of wind. Put ashore for two 

 hours a short distance below the Multnomah and waited the tide, when I 

 again embarked ; went on all night, and arrived at Fort Vancouver on 

 Christmas Day at midday, having gleaned, like my trip in the same 

 quarter last year, less than any journey I have had in the country.) 

 Collected one specimen of Pinus (2nd, see Pursh), a low, scrubby, small tree, 

 on marshy ground, rare ; one variety Ledum latifolium ; Kalmia sp. ; 

 Vaccinium sp. ; Oxycoccus, on low marshy ground ; with a few mosses. 



December 26th to 31st. Weather dry and pleasant. On Saturday a 

 keen northerly wind, with appearance of frost. Occasionally out with my 

 gun hunting, gathering woods, and mosses. Got the blacksmith to make 

 me a mineral hammer, as my other was left in the interior. Soon recovered 

 from my sickness by a change of food. 



1827 



Monday, January 1st. Morning dull but dry. The New Year was 

 ushered in by a discharge of the great guns at daybreak. Day spent much 

 to my satisfaction : after breakfast took a ride on horseback and carried 

 my gun ; returned at dusk to dinner.^ The evening, like many I have 

 passed in N. W. America, lay heavy on my hands. J 



Tuesday 2nd to Wednesday 31st. On the 5th, heavy rain and sleet, 

 with a aouth-east wind, succeeded at night by keen frost, 10 above zero. 



