1827, APRIL. COLUMBIA RIVER 251 



the forest, imparts an indescribable beauty to the scene. A river seems to 

 flow into the bay on the east. At the end of the lake, at the foot of a high 

 and steep hill, were three Indian lodges. Camped on the land. Purchased 

 of them a little dried reindeer-meat and a little black bear, of which we 

 have just made a comfortable supper. They seem to live comfortably } 

 many skins of Black-tailed, Rein, and Red deer being in their possession. I 

 purchased a little wool of Mouton Blanche as a specimen of the quality of 

 the wool ; gave seven balls and the same number of charges of powder for 

 it. (Get a pair of stockings made of it.) Continued our route, leaving 

 the lake at 4 P.M., the river being due north. Very shallow, 2^ to 3 feet 

 deep, 200 yards broad, with a fine gravelly bottom ; the banks low and 

 covered to the water's edge with wood : poplar and birch of large dimen- 

 sions on the brink, with brushwood of Cornus and Symphoricarpos. This 

 part of the river has low banks and in many places long sandbanks with 

 large quantities of dead timber buried and bound together in the sand. 

 Observed flocks of a small bird fluttering in the pines resembling the 

 English wren but somewhat smaller : has a sweet chirping voice and 

 hangs by the claws, head down, from the cones of the pines. Camped at 

 dusk on a high point of wood (the channel of the river being here covered 

 with snow) on the right hand. A Sunday in any part of Great Britain is 

 spent differently from what I have had in my power to do. Day after day 

 without any observance (except date) passes, but not one passes without 

 thoughts of home. Plants not observed before are Pinus nigra, 1 Linnaea 

 borealis, and Pentstemon (shrubby species), which I found last year on 

 the hills at Kettle Falls ; Asplenium trichomanoides 2 and a species of 

 Polypodium. Pinus Strobus and Thuya occidentalis with Betula increase 

 in size the farther we go, while all others decrease. Our distance this 

 day is twenty-nine miles of the lake and seven of the river, equal to 

 thirty-six miles. 



Monday, 23rd. As usual, started in the grey of the morning, about 

 four o'clock. Banks of the river low and shallow with very gravelly banks ; 

 on the low points Thuya predominates, some enormously tall. I measured 

 one 157 feet and another 204 feet. Breakfasted on the right-hand side at 

 nine ; gained nine miles. Purchased some fish of a woman, consisting of 

 three kinds grey and red suckers, and white mullet, the latter of fine 

 quality. Continued our journey at ten. The river and country the same 

 until five o'clock P.M., being then about fifteen miles further, where the 

 river takes a sudden bend to the north-east and to all appearance loses 

 itself in the mountains. At this place and for two miles higher a scene 

 of the most terrific grandeur presents itself ; the river is confined to the 

 breadth of 35 yards rapids, whirlpools, and still basins, the water of a deep 

 dark hue, except when agitated. On both sides high hills with rugged 

 rocks covered with dead trees, the roots of which being laid bare by the 

 torrents are blown down by the wind, bringing with them blocks of granite 

 attached to their roots in large masses, spreading devastation before them. 

 Passing this place just as the sun was tipping the mountains and his feeble 



1 Picea nigra, Mast., loc. cit., p. 222. 



2 ? Asplenium platyneuron, Christensen, Ind. Fil. pp. 126, 136. 



