248 FROM NISQUALLY TO COLUMBIA RIVER. 



On Mr. Eld's return to the camp, the whole party again 

 embarked, and steered down the Chickelees. After a pull of 

 a few miles, the banks of the river on both sides became higher 

 and so steep as to render it quite difficult to land. The " log" 

 was thrown frequently to ascertain the strength of the current, 

 which was found to be one-eighth of a mile per hour. We 

 met this day only two Indians. They were Chickelees ; yet, 

 when the interpreter asked them some questions in their 

 tongue, respecting the navigation of the river further down, 

 they pretended not to understand him, and their whole bearing 

 went to show that they were not kindly disposed toward us. 



We encamped this day on the left bank of the river, and 

 could hear very distinctly the sound of breakers, a circum- 

 stance which convinced us that we must be near the sea-coast. 



At 9 A. M. the following morning, we resumed our course 

 down the river. For two or three miles the channel was 

 nearly of the same breadth as it was on the preceding day, 

 but after that it became several hundred feet wider. The 

 country, as far as the eye could see, varied in character — that 

 on the left bank was low, with only here and there a tree — 

 that on the right bank, high and well wooded. 



At length, at 9.30 A. M. we made our entrance into Grey's 

 Harbor. It had been our intention to encamp on the south- 

 eastern shore, that being near the scene of our operations ; 

 but the wind, sea, and tide, all three being against us, it was 

 impossible to make any progress. Indeed, my own canoe came 

 very near swamping, several times. We therefore bore away 

 for the southwest, or lee shore, where we finally succeeded in 

 effecting a landing, but found it an exceedingly uncomfortable 

 position. It was an extensive bed of brush, roots, and half- 

 decayed logs, that had been thrown up by the tides. Not- 

 withstanding this, we would have been compelled to remain 



