422 W A L L A W A L L A. 



the country to the Grande Ronde, as the emblem of peace. Lewis 

 and Clarke, when in this country, presented an American tlag to the 

 Cayuse tribe, calling it a flag of peace ; this tribe, in alliance with the 

 Wallawallas, had up to that time been always at war with the Sho- 

 sliones or Snakes. After it became known among the Snakes that 

 such a flag existed, a party of Cayuse and Wallawallas took the flag 

 and planted it at the Grande Ronde, the old man above spoken of 

 beinof the bearer. The result has been, that these two tribes have 

 ever since been at peace with the Snakes, and all three have met 

 annually in this place to trade. Dr. Whitman confirmed the old 

 man's statement from other evidence he had received. The Grande 

 Ronde is likewise resorted to for the large quantities of cammass-root 

 that grow there, which constitutes, as I have before remarked, a 

 favourite food v.-ith all the Indians. 



These missionaries live quite comfortably, and seem contented ; 

 they are, however, not free from apprehension of Indian depreda- 

 tions. Dr. Whitman, being an unusually large and athletic man, 

 is held in much respect by the Indians, and they have made use of 

 his services as a physician, which does not seem to carry with it so 

 much danger here, as among the tribes in the lower country, or farther 

 north. 



These missionaries have quite a number of cattle and horses, which 

 require little or no attention, there being an abundance of hay and 

 grass. The price of a good horse is twenty dollars. 



This district is capable of supporting a vast number of cattle. 

 One Cayuse chief has more than a thousand horses on these feeding 

 grounds. 



The winters are of about three months' duration, and snow lasts 

 only a short time ; the grass indeed grows all winter. A better idea 

 of the climate here may be formed from the fact, that Mr. M'Kinley, 

 of the Hudson Bay Company, who passed from the Snake country 

 across the Blue Mountains in January, 1841, found the snow on the 

 mountains five and six feet deep, and the weather very cold ; but 

 when he descended to these plains the next day, the weather was 

 warm and pleasant, the grass green, and many flowers in bloom. 



On the Wallawalla river trees are again met with : they consist 

 of the poplar, willow, birch, and alder. The poplar grows to the 

 height of one hundred feet, and has a diameter near the base of two 

 and a half feet. 



As respects the success of the missionary labours, it is very small 



