WILLAMETTE VALLEY. 385 



although erected at much expeuse, for there was little timber of 

 value in the neighbourhood. Shortly after Mr. Young's death the 

 mill-dam was washed away, and there was no money to erect it 

 again, even if it had been thought desirable to do so. We found it 

 wholly deserted. I was desirous of having some further search made 

 for the bones of a mastodon, parts of whose skeleton had been obtained 

 by Captain Goach, master of a small vessel engaged in the salmon- 

 fishery, a few months before our arrival. On the locality being 

 pointed out, I found that the mass of the dam and other alluvial 

 deposits had been heaped upon the place, and created such an ob- 

 struction as would have rendered their removal an herculean task, 

 and have required some weeks' labour. 



Neither I nor my officers had time to spare to accomplish this 

 task ; besides, it was very probable that the bones, which had been 

 represented to me as nearly denuded prior to the flood, had been 

 washed away and lost. The bank in which the bones were found 

 is composed of red marl and gravel. 



After leaving the mill, we had a long ride before us ; for it was our 

 intention to reach Champooing before dark. The country, as we 

 approached that place, became mxich more thickly settled, and the 

 ground stony. Before dark we reached a deserted house, belonging 

 to George Gay, opposite to Champooing, and formerly occupied by 

 Mr. Youncr. Finding- the stream difficult to cross, we determined to 

 take up our quarters in this house. About two miles from our stop- 

 ping-place, we passed some salt springs, to which the cattle and game 

 resort in great numbers : they are strongly saline, and cover a con- 

 siderable extent of ground. This is considered, as Johnson informed 

 me, the best grazing ground for their cattle. 



In consequence of the baggage-horses and party losing their way, 

 they did not reach the camp until near midnight. 



Shortly after our arrival, George Gay was employed " to break 

 in," as he called it, a cow for milking ! This operation, as performed 

 by George, however necessary, was not calculated to raise him in 

 any one's opinion, and therefore I shall not venture upon a descrip- 

 tion, farther than to say, that the treatment the poor beast received 

 was in my opinion as unnecessary as it was cruel. 



In the evening, we had a visit from Mr. Moore and several of the 

 other neighbours, and I was much amused with the various accounts 

 they gave of their trappers' life. I must here express the correct 



VOL. IV. 97 



