SOUTHERN OREGON. 
221 
The party, including Passed Midshipmen Eld and Colvocoressis, 
Messrs. Dana, Brackenridge, and the sergeant, proceeded up the 
Willamette river. They reached Champooing on the 3d, where they 
disembarked. In the morning they were taken to the house of Thomas 
M’Kay, who is one of the most noted persons in this valley, particularly 
among the mountain trappers. He is a man of middle age, tall, well- 
made, and of muscular frame, with an expression of energy and daring, 
and a deep-set, piercing black eye, beneath a full projecting eyebrow. 
Among the trappers he is the hero of many a tale, and is himself prone 
to indulge his guests with his personal adventures. He lives in a house 
that answers both for a dwelling and grist-mill, and is said to be the 
best belonging to a settler in the valley. This man was engaged to 
go as guide; and, what speaks little for his veracity and principles, at 
the last moment refused to do so, and afterwards made his boast that 
he had fooled the party, as he had not intended to go from the first. 
His harvest had just been reaped, which he said had produced him 
twenty-five bushels to the acre. M’Kay furnished them with horses, 
and accompanied the party to the camp, where they arrived early in 
the afternoon. Here all was preparation for a speedy departure, and 
every one fully occupied with packs, saddles, and trappings. On the 
7th, the party made their final move, and after travelling only six 
miles, encamped near Turner’s, known as the mission butcher. He 
owns a farm, in the acceptation of the word in Oregon, having a 
log-hut, an Indian woman to reside in it, and an undefined quantity of 
land. The hut contains no furniture to sit or lie upon, and only the 
few articles most needed in cooking. He does not cultivate any thing, 
but supports himself by killing cattle semi-weekly. Report says that 
he was formerly a drummer in the United States service, but for 
upwards of thirteen years he has led the sort of life he now does. He 
seems both contented and independent, and appears an honest and 
good-natured fellow. He has had several narrow escapes, having 
been twice with parties that were attacked by the southern Indians, in 
the passage to and from California. The last time he was one of four 
who escaped, subsisted on berries and roots for a fortnight, and was 
obliged to travel only at night, to avoid the Indians who were in 
search of him. He furnished our party with fresh beef of his own 
stock, refusing to receive pay, and seemed very much incensed that 
the mission should have charged for what had been obtained from 
them. 
The country in the southern part of the Willamette Valley, stretches 
out into wild prairie-ground, gradually rising in the distance into low 
undulating hills, which are destitute of trees, except scattered oaks; 
T 2 
