132 
the head, when it instantly fell. A second 
shot hit the mother on the chest, as she 
stood up with the remaining cub under her 
belly, on which, abandoning it, she fled to 
an adjoining hummock of wood. The 
wound must have been mortal, as these ani- 
mals never leave their cubs until they are 
themselves on the point of sinking. With 
the carcase of the young bear, I paid my 
last guide, who seemed highly to prize the 
reward, and then abandoned the chase, 
deeming it only prudent, after what hap- 
pened yesterday, to retrace my steps to- 
wards the camp of my friends. So I re- 
turned, crossing the river two miles lower 
down than formerly, and halted at night in 
a low point of wood near a small stream. 
Saturday and Sunday, the 28th and 29th. 
Both these days being very rainy, as yes- 
terday also was, and having very little 
clothing, I made all the exertion in my 
power to reach Mr. M‘Leod’s encampment 
near the sea. It was impossible to keep 
myself dry, and the poor horses were so 
fatigued that I was obliged to walk all the 
way and lead my own by the bridle, the 
road becoming continually worse and worse 
from the floods of rain. On Saturday night 
I halted at my second crossing place, but 
could procure no food from the Indians, 
the bad weather having so swollen the ri- 
ver as to prevent their fishing. I boiled 
the last of my rice for supper, which gave 
but a scanty meal, and resuming my march 
the next day, proceeded pretty well, till, 
reaching the wooded top of the lofty river 
bank, my jaded horse stumbled, and roll- 
- ing down, descended the whole depth, over 
dead wood and large stones, and would in- 
fallibly have been dashed to pieces in the 
river below, had he not been arrested by 
getting himself wedged fast between two 
large trees that were lying across one ano- 
ther near the bottom. I hurried down af- 
ter him, and tying his legs and head close 
down,-to prevent his struggling, cut with 
my hatchet through one of the trees, and 
set the poor beast at liberty. I felt a great 
deal on this occasion, as the horse had been 
Mr. M‘Loughlin’s present to me, and was 
his own favourite animal. Reached the 
DOUGLAS’ EXCURSION TO 
camp at dusk, where I found only Mi 
La Framboise, our Chenook interpre 
an Indian boy, who told me that 
days before. 
me to pitch my tent, and gave me à 
weak spirits and water, with a basin ¢ 
made from some that he had brought 
Fort Vancouver, and which greatly 
ed me. Rain very heavy. j 
Monday the 30th. Last night, a 
o’clock, several Indians were seen 
our camp, all armed. Of course, ir 
of sleeping, we had to watch; we 
made a large fire, and leaving the ca n 
ourselves in the grass at a little à 
to watch their movements. An hi 
a half before day, a party of fifteen 
near where we were, crawling among 
grass towards our fire. We imm 
fired blank shot and scared them. 
then returned to the camp and bre 
on some tea and a little dried sain 
as I had not had a thread of dry 
upon me for some days, and the 
continued, I sat within my tent. 
small fire before the door the whol 
Tuesday the 31st. Heavy sho! 
companied by a North-west wind, 
off the ocean, which renders the | 
sively cold and raw. Brought in wot 
branches of 
thirty miles distant, returned to 9 
wearing one of their coats, and 
his possession some of their hunti 
plements. All this looks very * 
but as we know nothing of his 
and are too few to risk coming 10?" 
surrounded as we are by foes, We 
present, no notice, hoping t00, that * 
only have robbed, and not mut 
en. We continue 0% 
