262 NARRATIVE OF A JOURNEY 



tended yesterday, and regained the slues with tolerably dry gar- 

 ments. 



At about 10 o'clock, we arrived at the portage, and struck in- 

 to the wood, shouldering our baggage as before. We soon came 

 to a beautiful little stream of fresh water, where we halted, and 

 prepared our breakfast. In this stream, (not exceeding nine feet 

 at the widest part,) I was surprised to observe a great number of 

 large salmon. Beautiful fellows, of from fifteen to twenty-five 

 pounds weight, darting and playing about in the crystal water, 

 and often exposing three-fourths of their bodies in making their 

 way through the shallows. I had before no idea that these noble 

 fish were ever found in such insignificant streams, but the In- 

 dians say that they always come into the rivulets at this season, 

 and return to the sea on the approach of winter. Our slave 

 killed seven of these beautiful fish, while we made our hasty 

 breakfast, his only weapon being a light cedar paddle. 



We reached Chinook in the evening, and as we sat around the 

 fires in the lodge, I was amused by the vivid description given 

 to the attentive inhabitants by Chinamus and his wives, of the 

 perils of our passage across the stormy bay. They all spoke at 

 once, and described most minutely every circumstance that oc- 

 curred, the auditors continually evincing their attention to the 

 relation by a pithy and sympathizing hugh. They often appealed 

 to me for the truth of what they were saying, and, as in duty 

 bound, I gave an assenting nod, although at times I fancied they 

 were yielding to a propensity, not uncommon among those of 

 Christian lands, and which is known by the phrase, " drawing a 

 long bow." 



2\st, — The wind yesterday was so high, that I did not con- 

 sider it safe to attempt the passage to Fort George. This morn- 

 ing it was more calm, and we put off" in a large canoe at sunrise. 

 When we had reached the middle of Young's bay, the wind again 

 rose, and the water was dashing over us in fine style, so that we 



