Fears for the 

 Peacock. 



DE FUCA'S STRAITS AND LOSS OF THE PEACOCK. ^pjj^* g e. rthe 285 



they reach the tributaries of the upper Columbia, 

 they are exceedingly exhausted, and have their 

 bodies and heads much disfigured and cut, and 

 their tails and fins worn out by contact with the 

 rocks. Many of the salmon in consequence die : 

 these the Indians are in the habit of drying for 

 food, by hanging them on the limbs of trees. This 

 is to preserve them from the wolves, and to be 

 used in time of need, when they are devoured, 

 though rotten and full of maggots. The fish of the 

 upper waters are said to be hardly edible, and, 

 compared with those caught at the mouth of the 

 Columbia, are totally different in flavour. The 

 latter are the richest and most delicious fish I ever 

 recollect to have tasted: if any thing, they were 

 too fat to eat, and one can perceive a difference 

 even in those taken at the Willamette Falls, which, 

 however, are the best kind for salting. There are 

 four different kinds of salmon, which frequent this 

 river in different months : the latest appears in 

 October, and is the only kind that frequents the 

 Cowlitz river. The finest sort is a dark silvery 

 fish, of large size, three or four feet long, and weigh- 

 ing forty or fifty pounds. 



One of the most remarkable places upon the 

 Columbia is called the Dalles. The river is here 

 compressed into a narrow channel, three hundred 

 feet wide, and half a mile long ; the walls are 

 perpendicular, flat at the top, and composed of 

 basalt; the river forms an elbow, being situated in 



an amphitheatre, extending several miles to the 

 north-west, and closed in by a high basaltic wall. 

 From appearances, one is led to conclude that in 

 former times the river made a straight course over 

 the whole; but, having the channel deeper, is now 

 confined within the present limits. Mr. Drayton, 

 on inquiry of an old Indian, through Mr. Ogden, 

 learned that he believed that in the time of his 

 forefathers they went up straight in their canoes. 



The country about the Dalles is broken, and the 

 missionaries report that this is the case for some 

 miles around. There are, however, also some 

 plains and table-lands, which are considered as 

 very valuable, being well watered with springs and 

 small streams ; excellent for grazing, and well 

 supplied with timber oak and pine. The soil 

 varies in quality, and portions of it are very rich. 

 Garden vegetables succeed, but require irrigation. 

 Potatoes also must be watered, by which mode of 

 culture they succeed well. Corn and peas can be 

 raised in sufficient quantities. Wheat produces 

 about twenty-five bushels to the acre : this is not, 

 however, on the best land. They sow in October 

 and March, and harvest begins towards the end of 

 June. 



I now returned to Nisqually, and found that 

 news had been received from the various surveying 

 and exploring parties, all of which it was reported 

 were advancing rapidly in the execution of their 

 duties. 



CHAPTER XXXII. 

 DE FUCA'S STRAITS AND LOSS OF THE PEACOCK. 



FEARS FOR THE PEACOCK OPERATIONS OF THE PORPOISE PORT ORCHARD PENH'S COVE WHIDBY*S ISLAND- 

 SACHET TRIBE PORT GARDNER POSSESSION SOUND BELLINGHAM BAY POINT ROBERTS FRASER*S RIVER 

 BOAT EXPEDITION FITTED OUT PROGRESS OF THE SURVEYS NEAH HARBOUR CLASSET INDIANS DE FUCA'S 

 PILLAR CAPE DISAPPOINTMENT PARTICULARS OF THE LOSS OF THE PEACOCK NEW DISPOSITION OF THE 

 SQUADRON THE VINCENNES SAILS FOR SAN FRANCISCO. 



IT would be difficult to give the reader an idea 

 of the anxieties that beset me when I joined the 

 Vincennes once more on the 16th June, 1841. Day 

 after day had passed in the anxious expectation of 

 receiving news of the Peacock and Flying-Fish, 

 until a conviction became general, with both offi- 

 cers and crew, that some serious accident had oc- 

 curred to one or both of them, among the danger- 

 ous coral reefs and islands they had been sent to 

 explore. They were now three months later than 

 the time appointed for their arrival at the Colum- 

 bia river. 



For my own part, after reviewing the whole of 

 the duties assigned to Captain Hudson in my in- 

 structions, and again estimating the time necessary 

 to fulfil them, I could not but apprehend, from the 

 length to which his voyage was protracted, that 

 disaster had occurred. In this state of feeling, the 

 officers of the Vincennes showed a highly com- 

 mendable spirit, and aware that additional labours 

 'were thus to be thrown upon them, strained every 

 nerve to avoid any further loss of time. The offi- 

 cers of the Porpoise, as I was informed by Lieu- 



tenant - Commandant Ringgold, manifested an 

 equally praiseworthy spirit. 



With the aid of both wind and tide, we succeeded 

 in getting through the pass at the Narrows before 

 dark, and when this was effected, I anchored under 

 Vashon's Island for the night. 



The next day we made but little progress, owing 

 to light winds, and a strong tide against us. 



On the 20th we came to anchor in New Dunge- 

 ness Roads, where we were joined by the Porpoise 

 agreeable to instructions. I shall therefore revert 

 to the surveying operations of the crew of that 

 vessel. 



On the 15th of May, the Porpoise left Nisqually, 

 and anchored the first night near the point where 

 the surveys were to begin, but outside of the Nar- 

 rows. 



The first bay at the bottom of Admiralty Sound 

 was termed Commencement Bay. Into this, the 

 Puyallup falls, a small river, ten or twelve miles 

 from Nisqually. Commencement Bay affords 

 anchorage, and a supply of wood and water may 

 be obtained. The Puyallup forms a delta, and 



