WILLAMETTE VALLEY. 395 



life. The deed was done in a remarkably bold and daring manner. 

 The Indian went to the fort and desired to see Mr. Black, saying he 

 was sick and cold. He was allowed to enter, and Mr. Black had a 

 fire made for him, without any suspicion of his intentions. On his 

 turning his back, however, towards the Indian, he was instantly shot, 

 and fell dead on his face, when the man made his escape from the 

 fort before any suspicions were excited of his being the murderer. 



To Mr. Black the world is indebted for the greater part of the geo- 

 graphical knowledge which has been published of the country west 

 of the Rocky Mountains; and he not only devoted much of his time 

 to tliis subject, but also to the making of many collections in the other 

 departments of natural history, as well as in geology and mineralogy. 



I remained at Vancouver till the morning of the 17th, and passed 

 these few days with much pleasure in the company of the gentlemen 

 of the fort, of whose attentions and great kindness I shall long enter- 

 tain a grateful remembrance. 



Mr. Waldron now joined me from Astoria, without bringing any 

 news of the Peacock or tender. I did not think it worth while to wait 

 any longer their coming, when I had so much duty to perform else- 

 where. After completing orders for Captain Hudson, I determined 

 to return. Plumondon was sent to the Willamette Falls for Mr. 

 Drayton, as I desired to have some consultation with him before my 

 departure. 



The day before I left the fort, Mr. Ogden informed me that he had 

 made arrangements to take me as far as the Cowlitz Farm in his boat, 

 on my way to Nisqually, and desired that I would allow Mr. Drayton 

 to accompany him up the river as far as Walla walla. To both of 

 these arrangements I readily assented. 



During my stay at Vancouver, I frequently saw Casenove, the chief 

 of tlie Klackatack tribe. He lives in a lodge near the village of Van- 

 couver, and has always been a warm friend of the whites. He was 

 once lord of all this domain. His village was situated about six miles 

 below Vancouver, on the north side of the river, and, within the last 

 fifteen years, was quite populous : he then could muster four or five 

 hundred warriors; but the ague and fever have, within a short space 

 of time, swept off" the whole tribe, and it is said that they all died 

 within three weeks. He now stands alone, his land, tribe, and property 

 all departed, and he left a dependant on the bounty of the Company. 

 Casenove is about fifty years of age, and a noble and intelligent-looking 



