COLUMBIA RIVER. 
133 
thority among his tribe, he succeeded, although with difficulty. As a 
proof of his good intentions, he invariably returned all the signals the 
others had stolen. 
This tribe lives principally on salmon, which they take during the 
season in vast quantities, and the fish are said to be as fine as those 
taken in the Columbia. On the Chickeeles, and in its branches, are 
many of the weirs and stakes that have been already described. Stur¬ 
geon are also taken in great numbers, and of a superior quality. 
It may be inferred from their seldom receiving any supplies of 
venison through the Indians, or meeting with any themselves, that 
there is but little game in this part of the country. 
They shot a few grouse, some wild geese were seen, and the mud- 
fiats were covered with white gulls in immense numbers, among which 
were a few pelicans. 
The amusements of the Indians, and the manner of lounging 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 T 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 supplied 
them w T ith dried salmon, &c. 
The coast between Gray’s Harbour and Cape Shoalwater is bor¬ 
dered 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 Disappoint¬ 
ment. 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 
M 
