Me ON THE COLUMBIA RIVER. 
. bacco as they had expected. We were 
: _ obliged-to watch the whole night. Having 
 &few of my small wax tapers, on which I 
. lay a great value, still remaining, I lighted 
one, and sat down to write to Mr. Murray 
of Glasgow, and to arrange in paper some 
Mosses that I had collected the preceding 
evening. Day-light was a most gladsome 
sight, as may be imagined, after spending 
the hours of darkness surrounded by at 
least four hundred and fifty savages, whose 
manners announced any thing but amicable 
feelings towards us. As no one in the 
brigade could converse with them much 
better than myself, little could be done by 
persuasion. However, discovering that 
two of the principal men understood the 
Chenook language, which I am slightly 
acquainted with, I found this circumstance 
some advantage. After taking a hurried 
and anxious breakfast on the rocks, we 
ed that the Indians were lying in wait 
with the intention of attacking us and pil- 
ing the boats. This warning proved too 
correct. No sooner had they received the 
customary present of tobacco than they 
became desirous of compelling us to en- 
camp for the night, that they might the 
better effect their purpose. The first symp- 
tom of hostile intentions which we observ- 
ed, was their cunning trick of sprinkling 
| water on the gun-barrels of our party ; and, 
when the boats were ordered to be put in- 
to the water, they would not allow it to be 
done, As Mr. M'Leod was laying his 
hand on the shoulders of one native to 
Push him back, another fellow immediately 
drew from his quiver a bow and a hand- 
of arrows, and presented it at Mr. 
M'Leod. My position at the time, at the 
. Outside of th 
to be lost, I instantly slipped the cover off 
My gun, which was fortunately loaded with 
buck-shot, and presenting it at him, I in- 
= ed him to discharge his arrow, when I 
Would return it with my own weapon. Just 
this moment, a Chief of the Kyemuse 
105 
tribe, and three of -his young men, who 
are the terror of all the other tribes West 
of the mountains, and the staunch friends 
of the white people (as they call us), step- 
ped in among the party and settled the 
affair without any further trouble. This 
very friendly Indian, who is one of the 
finest figures of a man I have ever seen, 
standing six feet six inches high, then ac- 
companied us several miles up the river to 
the spot where we intended to encamp for 
the night, and was liberally remunerated 
by Mr. M‘Leod for his courageous and 
timely interference and friendship. I be- 
ing King George’s Chief, or the “Grass 
Man,” as I am called, bored a hole through 
the only shilling which I possessed, and 
which had been in my pocket ever since I 
left London, and observing that the septum 
of his nose was perforated, I suspended 
the coin to it by a bit of brass wire, a ce- 
remony which afterwards proved a seal of 
lasting friendship between us. After 
smoking with us, our friend left us to re- 
turn to the Indian village, promising that 
he would not allow us to be molested. As 
we could not, of course, think of sleeping 
that night, I employed myself in writing a 
letter to Dr. Hooker.! 
! LETTER TO DR. HOOKER. 
** Great Falls of the Columbia River, 
March 24th, 1826. 
“ DEAR SIR, 
** From Dr. Scouler you must have obtained a good 
description of North- West America, mad 
quainted with many of its treasures. He left me in fine 
spirits ; and when we were together, not a day passed 
eat 
woods, we would sometimes sit 
down to rest our 
. 42 u ol 
limbs, and then the ften t d 
his eye, and was eagerly grasped and transferred to 
I felt very lonely during the first few weeks after Dr. 
Scouler had sailed. 
** The upper country here appears such an interest- 
vote the whole of this year to exploring it ; though 
somewhat doubtful whether I am justified jn so doing, 
my orders were strict from Mr. Sabine not to out- 
at thn A, ae Fa. AP tes. dq ah oh 
