NISQUALLY AND COLUMBIA RIVER. 305 



charge of the fort, and Captain M'Neil. They gave me a warm 

 welcome, and offered every assistance in their power to aid me in my 

 operations. 



Nothing can exceed the beauty of these waters, and their safety : 

 not a shoal exists within the Straits of Juan de Fuca, Admiralty Inlet, 

 Puget Sound, or Hood's Canal, that can in. any way interrupt their 

 navigation by a seventy-four gun ship. I venture nothing in saying, 

 there is no country in the world that possesses waters equal to these. 



The anchorage off Nisqually is very contracted, in consequence of 

 the rapid shelving of the bank, that soon drops off into deep water. 

 The shore rises abruptly, to a height of about two hundred feet, and 

 on the top of the ascent is an extended plain, covered with pine, oak, 

 and ash trees, scattered here and there so as to form a park-like scene. 

 The hill-side is mounted by a well-constructed road, of easy ascent. 

 From the summit of the road the view is beautiful, over the sound and 

 its many islands, with Mount Olympus covered with snow for a back- 

 ground. Fort Nisqually, with its out-buildings and enclosure, stands 

 back about half a mile from the edge of the table-land. 



In the morning I found that the ship lay opposite to a small run of 

 water, and finding the situation an agreeable one, the Vincennes was 

 safely moored there, and the boats hoisted out. 



Having arranged my plans, I proceeded forthwith to put so much 

 of them as lay within my own means into execution : the Porpoise and 

 boats were prepared for surveying, and the land parties organized. 

 Other parts of my proposed plans depended on the co-operation of the 

 Peacock. My instructions, for this purpose, to Captain Hudson had 

 been prepared previous to our arrival. I had, also, been informed that 

 the Peacock and Flying-Fish had reached the Columbia river in safety ; 

 and this news, although it turned out to be untrue, was for the moment 

 a source of congratulation. 



The Porpoise, with two of the Vincennes' boats, under Lieutenant- 

 Commandant Ringgold, w r ere directed to take up the survey of Admi- 

 ralty Inlet. The launch, first cutter and two boats of the Vincennes 

 were placed under the command of Lieutenant Case, to survey 

 Hood's Canal.* The land party intended to explore the interior, was 

 placed under the command of Lieutenant Johnson of the Porpoise. 

 With him were associated Dr. Pickering, Mr. T. W. Waldron of the 

 Porpoise, Mr. Brackenridge, Sergeant Stearns, and two men. Eighty 

 days were allowed for the operations of this party, which it was in- 

 tended should cross the Cascade range of mountains, towards the 



* For orders, see Appendix XI 

 VOL. IV. 2A2 39 



