344 COLUMBIA RIVER. 



On the 23d (Sunday), it was reported that a vessel was off the 

 Cape, firing guns. This made me extremely anxious to go thither, 

 but as there was much difficulty in accomplishing this, Mr. Burnie 

 proposed a trip to Point Adams, and a visit to the missionaries 

 at Clatsop. This proposal I gladly accepted, and at an early hour 

 the next morning we set out, crossed Young's Bay, landed, and after 

 walking a mile came to the mission, where we had the pleasure of 

 seeing Mr. and Mrs. Frost. Mr. Frost gave us a kind welcome at 

 his new dwelling, which I understood him to say had been built with 

 his own hands. His wife appeared cheerful and happy, and made 

 herself quite agreeable. The house is a frame one, of one story, and 

 contains three rooms : it is situated in a young spruce and pine grove, 

 which is thought to be the most healthy situation here. There are 

 two American settlers, who are building houses here, named respec- 

 tively Tibbits and Smith; both of them are very respectable luen, 

 and good mechanics. This place is not susceptible of improvement, 

 and I understood that it had been chosen for its salubrity. I un- 

 derstood that Mr. Frost was engaored with the Rev. Mr. Koen in 

 cultivating a tract of land about four miles distant. The latter 

 resides upon the tract, and is occupied in raising a large crop and 

 superintending cattle. There appeared to me to be little opportunity 

 for exercising: their ministerial callinar, though I understood after- 

 wards that at particular seasons a number of Indians collected to 

 hear them. 



After spending some time with them, Mr. Burnie, Mr. Frost, and 

 myself set off for Point Adams and Clatsop village. I think, in all 

 my life, I liad never met with so many snakes as I saw during this 

 short walk: they were on the beach, where they were apparently 

 feeding at low water. We looked from the sand-hills on Point Adams 

 for vessels, but none were in sight ; and then we walked on to the 

 village. It consisted of a few rough lodges, constructed of boards or 

 rather hewn plaiik, of large size ; the interior resembled a miserably- 

 constructed ship's cabin, with bunks, &c. ; the only light was admit- 

 ted from above, near the ridge and gable-end. Pieces of salmon and 

 venison were hanging up in the smoke of their fire. Numbers of the 

 Indians are always to be seen lounging about, and others gambling. 

 On the bunk-planks are painted various uncouth figures of men, and 

 in one was seen hanginsr the head of an elk, which it was understood 

 they make use of occasionally as a decoy in the chase, for the purpose 

 of taking their game more easily. Around the whole is a palisade, 



