FROM NISQUALLY TO COLUMBIA RIVER. 217 



with the exception of two girls, who could not have been more 

 than fourteen years of age. That they were ladies of easy- 

 virtue, no one, I think, could deny, w T ho had an opportunity of 

 witnessing their conduct. 



Shortly after Mr. Eld took his departure, one of the men 

 w T ho remained with me reported that he had just come in from 

 a short walk, and had found a place where there w T ere a num- 

 ber of Indian images. I repaired to the place with him ; it 

 was a small pine grove, situated not many yards distant from 

 the encampment. The images were six in number, cut out of 

 plank, and painted with a kind of red pigment. Some of the 

 figures had two heads, one above the other, and one appeared 

 to be intended as a representation of the Sun. - We had met 

 with nothing of the kind before, and we could learn nothing 

 now on the subject from the Indians who visited us. There is 

 reason, however, to believe that they had something to do w T ith 

 their notions on religion. Mr. Eld found the Sachal to be a 

 small stream, and utterly impenetrable on account of the 

 bushes and a kind of long grass overgrowing it ; he was therefore 

 obliged to leave his canoe and take horses. His guide turned out 

 to be a grand scoundrel, and he caught him in the act of steal- 

 ing a blanket and some other property, belonging to the party. 



On the first day out he met some Indians of the Squamish 

 tribe, who were anxious that he should encamp with them, but 

 as he saw enough of their character to convince him that they 

 were not to be trusted, he declined the invitation, and went on 

 some distance further. He also kept strict guard during the 

 night. He passed over some flats, but, generally speaking, 

 his route lay through a rough, hilly country, thickly covered 

 with pine, several of which he measured and found to be up- 

 wards of two hundred feet in height, and from twelve to 

 eighteen in circumference, 



