124 
COLUMBIA RIVER. 
and Captains M’Niel and Scarborough, the party was not left in want 
of any thing very material. 
The party under command of Mr. Eld, consisted of Passed Mid¬ 
shipman Colvocoressis, Mr. Brackenridge, Sergeant Stearns, privates 
Rodgers and Dinsman, John Brooks (seaman), Thomas Ford and 
Henry Waltham (ordinary seamen), with a half-breed boy, named Joe, 
who was to act as their interpreter. 
They left Nisqually on the 19th of July, and proceeded towards one 
of the southwest arms of Puget Sound (of which we had but a few 
days before finished the survey) in two canoes, that had been purchased. 
They were sorry craft, but better could not be procured, and Mr. Eld 
was not disposed to delay on account of imaginary difficulties. His 
instructions will be found in Appendix XIV., Vol. IV. 
I had told him he might be absent for forty days on his own resources, 
as I calculated he would, by the assistance of the Indians, be able to 
obtain both fish and game. I also enjoined upon him great attention to 
economy in the use of his provisions. 
On the same evening, he arrived within a short distance of the 
portage; and the next morning Mr. Colvocoressis went, with the 
sergeant and boy, to an old squaw chief, who had promised, at Nis¬ 
qually, to be their guide to the Sachal river, and to furnish horses and 
men to cross the portage. They returned at an early hour, without 
either horses or Indians, but with a promise that they were to be 
furnished the next day. The next morning they found that the chief 
had arrived, with five horses and a number of Indians, and was ready 
to transport the baggage. Some time, however, elapsed before an 
arrangement could be made for the large canoe, which was thought to 
be too heavy to transport; but this was finally settled by the same 
personage offering another in lieu of it, which, though of smaller dimen¬ 
sions, was accepted. Ten Indians were furnished to transport it and 
the rest of the articles, and they were soon in a condition to move. This 
despatch was principally owing to the directions and management of 
the squaw chief, who seemed to exercise more authority than any that 
had been met with; indeed, her whole character and conduct placed 
her much above those around her. Her horses were remarkably fine 
animals; her dress was neat, and her whole establishment bore the 
indications of Indian opulence. Although her husband was present, he 
seemed under such good discipline, as to warrant the belief that the 
wife was the ruling power, or, to express it in more homely language, 
“ wore the breeches.” 
The portage was easily accomplished : it passes through a forest of 
lofty spruce and maple trees, with an undergrowth of common hazel 
