372 WILLAMETTE VALLEY. 



in the action. Johnson asked many questions about the young offi- 

 cers he had known. I was equally diverted with his own adven- 

 tures. Finding, after the excitement of war was over, he could not be 

 content to lead a quiet life, he determined to adopt the business of 

 trapping. In this he was engaged until the last few years, when he 

 had settled himself down here, and taken an Indian girl for his wife, 

 by whom he had several children. To the latter he said he was 

 desirous of giving a good education, and for this purpose he had 

 engaged old Mr. Moore, from Illinois, to pass several months with 

 him. Johnson had all the easy and independent character of a 

 trapper ; yet I could still perceive that he had hanging about him 

 somewhat of the feeling of discipline that he had acquired in the 

 service. His Indian wife is extremely useful in making every 

 thino-, besides taking- care of the household concerns, and is rather 

 pretty. Johnson's estimate of her was that she was worth " half a 

 dozen civilized wives." There is little cleanliness, however, about 

 his house, and many of the duties are left to two young male slaves, 

 of Indian blood, but of what tribe I did not learn. Johnson's farm 

 consists of about forty acres under cultivation : his wheat and potatoes 

 were flourishing, and he had a tolerable kitchen-garden. He has 

 some little stock, but complained much of the Oregon tiger, or Ame- 

 rican panther. These voracious animals are numerous and bold : the 

 night before we arrived, they had entered the pen and killed a calf, 

 regardless of the dogs ; and an alarm was given on the night of our 

 stay, when all the guns were in requisition, and noise enough was 

 made in getting ready, to scare away dozens of them. 



We were informed that there are plenty of elk, and deer, and that 

 the grizzly bear is also common. The flesh of the latter animal is 

 very much esteemed. Wild ducks and geese are quite numerous in 

 the spring and fall, covering the rivers, lakes, and ponds. 



There are four houses and three lodges in sight of Johnson's farm, 

 whence all the neighbours called to see us. They were just the sort 

 of men one would expect to see in such a place. One was an old 

 man by the name of Cannon, who had been one of the party with 

 Lewis and Clarke, and was from his own account the only remaining 

 one in the country. He likes the country, and says he thinks there 

 is no necessity for Dr. M'Laughlin's authority or laws to govern it. 



Old Moore had some shrewdness, and was exceedingly talkative; he 

 possessed much information in relation to the country he had passed 

 through, which I found to correspond to what I have since received 



