-~ 
bad 
Hey 
+ 
5 
_ ner acquainted with the real value of goods, and to understand the eo a 
Jents of trade 
[ 174 ] 186 
t 
‘aux Chules,)a considerable tributary to the Columbia. We had heard, on 
reaching the Nez Percé fort, a repetition of the account in regard to ‘the 
unseitled character of the Columbia Indians at the present time; and to 
our little party they had at various points manifested a not very ‘friendly 
position, in several attempts to steal Aad horses. At this place I expected 
to find a badly disposed band, who had plundered a party of 14 heared 
men a few days before, and taken away their horses ; and accordingly w 
made ‘a necessary preparations for our security, but happily met with oH 
difficult 
The river was high, divided into several arms, ‘with a rocky island atite 
outlet into the Columbia, which at this place. it rivalled in size, and ap- 
ently deserved its highly characteristic name, which is received from 
one of its many falls some forty miles up the river. It entered the Colum- 
bia with a roar of falls and rapids, and is probably a favorite fishing station 
the Indians, with whom both banks of the river were populous; 
ba they scarcely paid any attention to us, The ford was very difficult at 
this time, and, had they entertained any bad intentions, they were offered a 
good opportunity to carry them out, as I drove directly into the river, and 
during the crossing the howitzer was occasionally several feet under water, 
and a number of the men appeared to be more often below than above. 
Our guide was well acquainted with the ford, and we succeeded in getting 
every thing safe over to the left bank. We delayed here only a short time 
to put the gun in order, and, ascending a long —* hill, left both 
rivers, and resumed our route again among the interior hi 
seThe roar of the Falls of the Columbia is heard from the: heights, where 
we halted a few moments to enjoy a fine view of the river below. In the 
season of high water it would be a very interesting object to visit, in order 
to witness what is related of the annual submerging of the fall under the — 
, eee which back up from the basin below, constituting a great natural 
at-this place. But time had become an object of serious consideration ; 
and the Falls, in their present state, had been seen and described by many. 
After a day’ S journey of 17 miles, we encamped among the hills on a 
little clear stream, where, aS usual, the Indians immediately gathered round 
us. Among them was a very old man, almost blind from age, with long 
and very white per I happened of my own accord to give this old man 
a present of to , and was struck with the impression which my un- 
propitiated notice aa on the Indians, who so Pree in a remarkable man- 
At evening, one of them spoke « ‘few words to his 
el no uneasiness in regard to our ani- 
as none of them would be disturbed, they went all quiet! A = In 
te aig, when they again came to the camp, I expressed to them the 
tion we felt at their reasonable conduct, making them a present of 
: ze es and a few smaller.articles 
ember The road continue among the hills, and, reaching an 
, We saw before us in a little green valley, watere d by a clear 
stream, a tol large valley, through which the trail passed. 
ison with the Indians of the Rocky mountains and the great 
hese mae yen ahtcpanttcl ale ch in their habits. 7 huts were 
a ed w 
scanty dress rate 
os 
