189 “Pray 
up large fires'am | the rocks, which were in la varge masses round about ; 
and, arranging ankets on the most sheltere saci | we could find, 
passed a delightful night. 
After an early open at daylight we resumed our journey, the eather 
being clear and beautiful, and the river smooth and still. On od 
= are all pine-timbered, rocky, and highe We 1 
P. ing one of the marked features of the lower Columbia, whine 
river forms a great cascade, with a series of rapids, in: : breaking through 
range of mountains to which the lofty peaks of Mount Hood and St. eéigey? 
belong, and which rise as great pillars of.snow on either side of the passage. 
The main branch of the Sacramento river, and the Tlamath, issue in cas- 
cades from this range; and the Columbia, ora through it in a “pita 
sion of cascades, gives the idea of cascades to the whole range; 
the name of the ‘CASCADE Ranex, which it Searls and distinguishes it heen 
the Coast Range lower down. In making a short turn to the south, the river 
‘the cascades in breaking overa point of agglomerated masses of rock, 
teeaing: a handsome bay to the right, with several rocky pine-eovered 
islands, and the mountains sweep at a distance around a cove te several 
small streams enter the bay. In an an hour we halted on the left 
bank, about five minutes’ walk above the cascades, where there renee 
Indian huts, and where our guides signified it was customary to hire Indians 
to assist in making the porfage. When travelling with a boat as light as 
a canoe, which may easily be carried on the shoulders of the Indians, this 
is much the better side of the river*for the portage, as the ground here is 
very good and Jevel, being a handsome bottom, which I temarke 
covered (as was now always the case along the river) with a growth of 
oe 
green and fresh-looking grass. It was long before vo couldcome toan un- — 
derstanding with the Indians ; but at length, when they had first received 
the price of their assistance in goods, they went vigorously to work; and, 
in a shorter time than had been occupiéd in making our “arrangements, 
— instruments, and baggage; were carried through (a distance of 
into a thousand whirlpools. ‘The boat passed with great rapidity 
and recrossing in the — obtiag current. 
mile broken water, w wild-looking rapids, which are called 
the Lower Rapids, being the. last on : the river, which below is tranquil and 
smooth—a broad, magnificent stream. On a low-broad point on the right’ 
bank of the river, at the lower end of these rapids, were pitched man 
tents of the emigrants, wlao were waiting here for their friends from abiee,: 
or for boats a d provisions which were expeeted from Vancouver. In our 
alf a mile) to the bank ragagend the main cascade, where we again em-* 
rerkede the’ water being white with foam among’ ugly rocks, an ‘boiling 
