468 PUGET SOUND AND OKONAGAN. 



there is not much reliance to be placed in the truth of this story, yet 

 it shows the desire the Indians have to perpetuate the truth ; and now 

 that its actual fulfilment, as they say, has come to pass, it has acquired 

 greater force, and is employed by them as an argument why the tribes 

 should embrace the Christian religion. There is little doubt that the 

 fall of ashes took place, for many traces of such phenomena are to 

 be seen in all parts of the middle section of Oregon ;* but they had 

 knowledge of the whites long before the epoch designated. A proof 

 that the white race was then known to them, may be cited in the 

 person of a half-breed Canadian, who is now living at Colville, who 

 had served under Burgoyne, and been fifty years in this country. f 

 Besides, the appearance of the Spaniards, and English under Cook, 

 on the coast, the existence of white men must have become known 

 through the intercommunication of the different nations. 



Lieutenant Johnson left the mission the next afternoon for Colville, 

 under the guidance of the son of Cornelius, and travelled throug^h an 

 extensive valley to the north, with hills on either side of from six 

 hundred to one thousand feet in height. This valley is crossed by 

 numerous streamlets and brooks, and appears to have a good and 

 extremely fertile soil. The largest stream passed was one near Col- 

 ville, on which the Hudson Bay Company have their grist-mill : this 

 is about fifty feet wide. Within ten miles of the fort, the house of the 

 Company's storekeeper was passed, and near to it is found a species 

 of white chalk or pigment, which is much used at the fort instead of 

 the common lime whitewash, from which it is scarcely distinguisha- 

 ble. They reached Fort Colville late in the afternoon, and were all 

 soon made to forget the fatigues of the journey by the kind attentions 

 of Messrs. M'Donald and Maxwell, who had charge of the post. 



* Within the last year, the craters on the top of Mount Rainier and Mount St. Helen's 

 have been in activity. 



t This man is still hale and hearty, though pretty much of a reprobate. His story 

 seemed to be credited by the officers of the Company at Fort Colville. 



INDIAN BASKErS OF OREGON. 



