ACROSS THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC. 2G1 



ters of a mile in width, the water suddenly became so agitated as 

 at first nearly to upset our canoe. A perfect hurricane was 

 blowing right ahead, cold as ice, and the water was dashing over 

 us, and into our little bark, in a manner to frighten even the 

 experienced chief who was acting as helmsman. In a few 

 minutes we were sitting nearly up to our waistbands in water, 

 although one of the women and myself were constantly bailing it 

 out, employing for the purpose the only two hats belonging to the 

 party, my own and that of the chief. We arrived at the shore 

 at length in safety, although there was scarcely a dry thread on 

 us, and built a tremendous fire with the drift-wood which we 

 found on the beach. We then dried our clothes and blankets as 

 well as we could, cooked some ducks that we killed yesterday, 

 and made a hearty breakfast. My stock of bread, sugar, and 

 tea, is completely spoiled by the salt water, so that until I return 

 to Fort George, I must live simply ; but I think this no hardship : 

 what has been done once can be done again. 



In the afternoon the women collected for me a considerable 

 number of shells, several species of Cardium, Citherea, Ostrea, 

 &c., all edible, and the last very good, though small. 



The common pintail duck, {Anas acuta,) is found here in vast 

 flocks. The chief and myself killed twenty-six to-day, by a 

 simultaneous discharge of our guns. They are exceedingly fat 

 and most excellent eating ; indeed all the game of this lower 

 country is far superior to that found in the neighborhood of Van- 

 couver. The ducks feed upon a small submerged vegetable 

 which grows in great abundance upon the reedy islands in this 

 vicinity. 



The next day we embarked early, to return to Chinook The 

 wind was still blowing a gale, but by running along close to the 

 shore of the stormy bay, we were enabled, by adding greatly to 

 our distance, to escape the difiiculties against which we con- 



