OVERLAND EXPEDITION TO SAN FRANCISCO. 273 



CHAPTER XXL 



FROM VANCOUVER TO SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA. 



At 11 A. M., September 2d, Messrs. Eld, Dana, Brack- 

 enbridge and myself, embarked in a canoe paddled by four 

 Indians, to join the Expedition I have before spoken of. At 

 2, we reached the mouth of the Willamette River, which we 

 entered. It is here about 800 feet in breadth, and its banks 

 are low and uninteresting. After ascending a few miles we 

 met the Rev. Mr. Cone, who was on his way to Vancouver. 

 He spoke of our party encamped in the valley, and stated that 

 several of the scientific gentlemen were suffering from the at- 

 tacks of the ague. Mr. C. is connected with the Methodist 

 Mission in Oregon. At sunset we encamped near an oak 

 grove on the left bank of the river. 



At an early hour the following morning, we resumed our 

 journey, and after pulling about eight miles, reached the 

 Klackamus, where we found five Americans building a schooner, 

 in which they intended to engage in the sea-otter trade. They 

 informed us that they had been in Oregon nearly a year, and 

 had crossed the Rocky Mountains. They did not speak fa- 

 vorably of the country, and stated, that they intended to leave 

 for California as soon as they could make a little money in 

 the fur business. The Willamette River is navigable at the 

 lowest stage of water as far as the Klackamus. After ascend- 

 ing another three miles, we arrived at the Falls. As we ap- 

 proached these, the breadth of the river rapidly diminished, 



