274 OVERLAND EXPEDITION TO SAN FRANCISCO. 



and the water shoaled ; the banks were also higher and more 

 precipitious. There is a mission station here under the charge 

 of Mr. Waller. The Hudson's Bay Company have likewise 

 a trading post near by, and pack a great many salmon, which 

 the Indians catch in large quantities. It is said to be the best 

 salmon fishery on the river. The Falls are between twenty 

 and thirty feet in height, and, when the country becomes 

 settled, they will be invaluable for their water-power. An 

 American by the name of Moore, told us, that the western 

 side of the Falls had become his property, he having bought 

 the land on that side of the river from an Indian chief. 



Our progress now was much slower than before, owing to 

 the strength of the current, and we crossed and re-crossed the 

 river frequently in order to take advantage of the eddies. 

 This part of the Willamette is considered very dangerous 

 when the water is high, and the Indians, in passing, invariably 

 make to it a propitiatory offering of some of their food, that 

 they may have a safe passage. 



The night was clear and pleasant, and we continued to pull 

 until we reached Champooing village, which was as far as Mr. 

 Eld and myself intended to proceed by water. 



On the following morning, we breakfasted by invitation, 

 with Mr. McKoy, one of the most noted individuals in this 

 part of the country. Among the trappers, he is the hero of 

 many a tale, and he entertained us during our stay with an ac- 

 count of several of his adventures with the Indians, which 

 certainly showed him to be a man of great nerve and shrewd- 

 ness. He is about forty years of age, tall, and straight, and 

 has a countenance expressive of great firmness and daring of 

 character. His crops had just been gathered, and he in- 

 formed us that the average yield of the wheat would be twenty- 

 five bushels to the acre. His house stands on the margin of 



