122 COLUMBIA RIVER. 



Hudson. Several of the officers visited the mountain ranges, but did 

 not succeed in ascending the highest peaks. 



During the occupation of Astoria by the Expedition, the place 

 became quite civilized-looking, in comparison to what it was on my 

 first arrival, and a mart for all the commodities of the country. 

 Besides our own men, there were many Indians to be seen lounging 

 and moving about, seeking employment, or with some small articles 

 to sell. Short excursions were made by many of us in the vicinity, 

 and one of these was to visit the primeval forest of pines in the rear 

 of Astoria, a sight well worth seeing. Mr. Drayton took a camera 

 lucida drawing of one of the largest trees, which the opposite plate 

 is engraved from. It conveys a good idea of the thick growth of 

 the trees, and is quite characteristic of this forest. The soil on 

 which this timber grows is rich and fertile, but the obstacles to the 

 agriculturist are almost insuperable. The largest tree of the sketch 

 was thirty-nine feet six inches in circumference, eight feet above the 

 ground, and had a bark eleven inches thick. The height could not 

 be ascertained, but it was thought to be upwards of two hundred and 

 fifty feet, and the tree was perfectly straight. 



It was the season of the fishery when the Peacock was wrecked, 

 and the Kilamukes, Clatsops, and Chinooks, were collected in the 

 neighbourhood. Many of these came with their families, and took 

 up their abode near Astoria ; for it costs them little trouble to move all 

 their worldly goods. They generally had for sale salmon, venison, 

 sturgeon, moccasins, and mats. 



When the crew first landed, eight or ten salmon might be bought 

 for a cotton shirt, or its value in red or green baize ; but the Indians 

 soon found that higher prices might be obtained for the asking, and 

 before our departure from the Columbia river, the price was en- 

 hanced one half. 



The vicious propensities of the Indians were seen here, as they 

 appear around all the posts of the Hudson Bay Company, or where 

 strangers are encamped : gambling is the vice to which they are most 

 prone. Both sexes are equally filthy, and I am inclined to believe 

 will continue so ; for their habits are inveterate, and from all the 

 accounts I could gather from different sources, there is reason to 

 believe that they have not improved or been benefited by their con- 

 stant intercourse with the whites, except in a very few cases. It is 

 indeed probable that the whole race will be extinguished ere long, 



