COLUMBIA RIVER. 331 



ployed, for she consumes a large quantity of fuel, and has not 

 sufficient capacity to carry as much as is necessary for her entire 

 voyage. She is tiierefore obliged to stop at intermediate places to 

 obtain a supply of wood, which must be cut by her own crew. She 

 is fitted witli a suitable armament, barricades, and boarding-nettings, 

 which are deemed very essential on the northern coast, wliere the 

 savasfe tribes are both hostile and numerous. 



On the 1 7th, the boats left the ship under Lieutenant Case, Messrs. 

 Totten, Colvocoressis, and May. I had by this time succeeded in 

 establishing the observatory, and had ordered a log house to be built 

 to perform the pendulum experiments, and another for the purposes 

 of drawing, &c. These I purposed to use on my return from the 

 Columbia river trip. Lieutenant Carr, with Lieutenant Budd and 

 Mr. Eld, were left in charge of the duty connected with the observa- 

 tory, as well as of the ship. 



Knowing how much time is lost on boat expeditions by the use of 

 grog, and the accidents that are liable to occur when a strict watch 

 cannot be kept over it, I decided not to send any spirits with the 

 party. I am fully persuaded myself, that that portion of the ration is 

 unnecessary ; but in order not to deprive any of the sailors of it who 

 might deem it essential, I had the boats' crews called aft, and found 

 that nearly all were in the regular habit of drawing their grog. I 

 then offered to any who might wish to continue the use of that part 

 of their ration, the option of remaining witii the ship, and having 

 their places in the boats supplied by others. There was no hesitation 

 on the part of any of them : all wished to go ; and all were willing to 

 give up their spirit ration. I take this occasion to say, that all the 

 most laborious and exposed duty of the Expedition, was performed 

 without the spirit ration, and 1 am well satisfied that it may be dis- 

 pensed with without injury to any one, and indeed greatly to the 

 benefit of the naval service.* 



The land expedition, under Lieutenant Johnson, was finally ready. 

 Few can imagine the chafferings, delays, and vexations, attendant 

 upon the equipment of a land party in this region : the buying of 

 horses from the Indians; the non-arrival of guides; the various 

 equipments necessary for loading the horses, securing the loads to 

 prevent injury to the horses' backs, and the loss of them, all consume 



* Since our return, Congress has reduced the spirit ration one-half: this is a good step, 

 but its total abolishment would be a better one. 



