FROM NISQUALLY TO COLUMBIA RIVER. 243 



- 



On the following day we made an early start, and by 8 

 o'clock we reached the Portage. The chief woman was there 

 awaiting us, with her horses, five in number ; they were large 

 fine-looking animals, and in excellent condition, which is not 

 generally the case with Indian horses. She also brought with 

 her ten men, who were to assist in carrying the small canoe. 

 The large one, she declared, was too heavy to transport, and 

 if we would let her have it, she would give us a smaller one 

 in return, wmen we arrived at the Sachal River, which offer we 

 very thankfully accepted. In less than an hour all the ar- 

 rangements had been completed, and we proceeded on our 

 journey, the Indians bringing up the rear. 



It is due to the Chief Squaw to say, that we owe this dis- 

 patch principally to her ; though her husband was present, 

 she made all the bargains, and gave the Indians their direc- 

 tions. She is a woman of great energy of character, and 

 exercises greater authority over those around her than any 

 man chief I have met with since I have been in the country. 

 She is about fifty years of age, and dresses very neatly for an 

 Indian woman. 



We were three hours in accomplishing the Portage. It is 

 between four and five miles long, over a gently rising country 

 •thickly covered with maple and spruce trees. The soil is com- 

 posed of vegetable mould, and seemed to be entirely free from 

 rocks or stones. 



Soon after passing the Portage, we came to a small lake, 

 called by the Indians, Sachal, which we examined and found 

 to be three miles in circumference. The soil around it was 

 light brown, sandy loam, and the forest extends down to the 

 water's edge. In the deepest part of .the lake, the water 

 appears to have a reddish tinge, but on examining it in. a tum- 

 bler, it looked as clear as crystal. The Indians informed us, 



