ACROSS THK ROCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC. 219 



trapping, in the prosecution of which he had endured great and 

 various hardships. 



May 12th. — The rainy season is not yet over ; we have had 

 almost constant showers since we arrived, but now the weather 

 appears settled. Birds are numerous, particularly the warblers, 

 (Sylvia.) Many of these are migratory, remaining but a few 

 weeks : others breed here, and reside during the greater part of 

 the summer. I have already procured several new species. 



20th. — Mr. Wyeth, camo down from Walla-walla yesterday, 

 and this morning I embarked with him in a large canoe, manned 

 by Kanakas, for a trip to the Wallammet falls in order to procure 

 salmon. We visited fort William, (Wyeth's new settlement upon 

 Wappatoo island,) which is about fifteen miles from the lower 

 mouth of the Wallammet. We found here the missionaries, 

 Messrs. Lee and Edwards, who arrived to-day from their station, 

 sixty miles above. They give flattering accounts of their pros- 

 pects here ; they are surrounded by a considerable number of 

 Indians who are friendly to the introduction of civilization and 

 religious light, and who treat them with the greatest hospitality 

 and kindness. They have built several comfortable log houses, 

 and the soil in their vicinity they represent as unusually rich and 

 productive. They have, I think, a good prospect of being service- 

 able to this miserable and degraded people ; and if they commence 

 their operations judiciously, and pursue a steady, unwavering 

 course, the Indians in this section of country may yet be redeem- 

 ed from the thraldom of vice, superstition, and indolence, to which 

 they have so long submitted, and above which their energies have 

 not enabled them to rise. 



The spot chosen by Captain W. for his fort is on a high piece 

 of land, which will probably not be overflown by the periodical 

 freshets, and the soil is the rich black loam so plentifully dis- 

 tributed through this section of country. The men now live in 

 tents and temporary huts, but several log houses are constructing 



