88 
stormy weather), fell upon the wet deck, 
being driven down by the violence of the 
gale, and fractured his thigh so severely as 
to suffer most dreadful torture for several 
succeeding weeks. 
On the 12th of February we were in the 
latitude of the Columbia River, long. 136° 
W., but the weather was so boisterous, 
with such a tremendously heavy sea run- 
ning, that we were obliged to lay to, day 
after day, endeavouring repeatedly to en- 
ter, for six weeks, up to the 1st of April, 
and suffered more storms than we had 
done during the whole of our previous 
voyage of eight months. On the 3rd of 
April we saw Cape Disappointment twenty- 
eight miles a-head, and were approaching 
it with a fair breeze, when a strong westerly 
wind again drove us out to sea; a second 
attempt was made three days after, when 
we got within four miles, but with no bet- 
ter success. In short, we could declare 
the hurricanes of North- West America to 
be a thousand times worse than those of 
the noted Cape Horn. In this latitude 
there is abundance of a small species of 
Physahs, of a transparent azure hue, 
which were frequently washed on the main- 
yard by the spray breaking over the ves- 
sel. 
At last, on the morning of the 7th, a fa- 
_ vourable wind rising, we were within forty 
miles of the entrance to the harbour, and 
_ Joy and expectation sate on every counte- 
nance, all hands endeavouring to make 
themselves useful in accomplishing this 
.  wished-for object. Dr. Scouler and I kept 
the soundings, and safely passing over the 
. . Sand-bar, where many vessels have been 
. . injured, and others lost, we happily gained 
the much-desired harbour, and anchored 
in Baker's Bay, on the North side of the 
Columbia, at four o'clock in the afternoon, 
Several cannon-shots were immediatel 
fired to announce our arrival to the esta- 
blishment seven miles up the river, but they 
were not answered. Thus terminated my 
` long and tedious voyage of eight months 
and fourteen days. The joy of viewing 
land, and the hope of being able, in a few 
days, to range through this long-desired 
DOUGLAS’ SKETCH OF A JOURNEY TO THE 
-and other disagreeable attendants of a lon 
spot, and to resume my wonted pursuit 
and enjoyments, may be easily imag 
We spent the evening in great mirth, 
sea-voyage. I think I may truly reck 
this as among the happiest moments c 
my life. 
The following day, April 8th, was 
rainy and cold that we could not leave the 
ship, but the next morning Dr. Scouler ar 
I went ashore on Cape Disappointment. 
stepping out of the boat, we picked up Ru 
bus spectabilis (B. Reg. t. 1444.) and Gual- 
theria Shallon, with several other plan 
nium, not however yet in flower, with Tia- 
rella and Heuchera, both in full blossom, 
ew in the woods. In a few hours we 
returned to the ship, amply gratified. We 
found that during our absence a canoe with — 
one Canadian and several Indians had been | 
sent from the fort, bringing fresh provi- - 
sions, potatoes, and butter, The latter 
also offered game, dried salmon, and fresh - 
sturgeon, with dried roots and pre | 
berries of several kinds, for barter, and as 
they put many questions to us, by the aid 
of a little English and many signs we 
of perforating the septum of the nose an | 
ears, and inserting shells, bits of coppeh 
beads, or in fact any kind of hardware, 
gives a stranger a curious idea of the si 
gular habits of these people. 
On Monday the 11th, the ship went | 
the river, and anchored on the side opp 
site the establishment, at Point Ellis, and 
M‘Kenzie, the person then in charge, 
informed us they were about to abandon 
the present place for a more commodi 
situation, ninety miles up the river, on 
North side. Also, that the Chief F 
