COLUMBIA RIVER. 141 



away their time, were similar to those of the other tribes before 

 spoken of. 



On the 24th, they were glad to leave Gray's Harbour, after having, 

 by great perseverance and with much fatigue, completed the survey. 

 Mr. Eld now took up the remaining portion of the work he was 

 ordered to perform, namely, to trace the coast to Cape Disappoint- 

 ment. The Indians whom he hired to take the canoe around by 

 water, preferred to pass close along the beach, inside the surf, by 

 tracking the canoe : notwithstanding there was a very heavy surf, 

 they managed to pass along very quickly. This is the mode they 

 always adopt in journeying along the coast with their canoes, to avoid 

 accident from the heavy surf, of which they have much dread. The 

 evening of the day on which they left Gray's Harbour, they reached 

 a small islet, distant fifteen miles from Cape Shoalwater, where they 

 found the lodge of the Chickeeles chief before spoken of, who sup- 

 plied them with dried salmon, &c. 



The coast between Chickeeles Harbour and Cape Shoalwater is 

 bordered by sand-hills, behind which, from the Indians' account, 

 there are lakes and streams of fresh water, in which plenty of beaver 

 are found. 



From this chief they hired another canoe, and accompanied by 

 him they proceeded through Shoalwater Bay towards Cape Disap- 

 pointment. The two canoes separated, which caused them to pass 

 over the two portages between Shoalwater and Baker's Bay : that 

 to the east is about four and a half miles in length, while that to the 

 west is six or seven miles across. The former is usually preferred 

 by the Indians, and is one of the main passes of communication 

 between the different tribes on the sea-coast. The woods through 

 which they passed were of spruce trees, some of which were of large 

 dimensions ; the lesser plants were principally Vaccinium, Ledums, 

 and some candleberry-bushes (Myrica). 



On the 27th they reached the Flying-Fish, then in Baker's Bay, 

 and were taken over to Astoria. 



Mr. Eld received, on his arrival at Astoria, my orders to repair 

 with his party to Vancouver; where, being furnished by Mr. Burnie 

 with a large flat-bottomed barge, he set out to join me at that place, 

 which he reached on the 31st August. 



I cannot refrain from expressing the satisfaction I felt at the 

 manner in which the service was performed, and deem it my duty 



vol. v. 36 



