NISQUALLY AND COLUMBIA RIVER. 317 



Northwest Territory ; and a more useful person I have seldom met 

 with, or one that could be so well depended on. He had been for 

 several years in this territory, having left the Company's service, 

 married an Indian wife, and was now living on a farm of about fifty 

 acres, at the Cowlitz, independent and contented. I have seldom seen 

 so pretty a woman as his wife, or a more cheerful and good house- 

 wife; before her marriage she was the belle of the country, and cele- 

 brated for her feats of horsemanship. 



Plumondon engaged several of the young Indians to accompany 

 him, and with two canoes we were all accommodated. The price for 

 each Indian was to be a check shirt. 



During our short stay at Cowlitz, several Indian women brought in 

 pieces of buckskin for sale, which they deem a necessary part of the 

 equipment of a traveller. From them I learned the manner in which 

 they prepare it, which is as follows. Immediately after the animal is 

 killed, the skin, after having all the hair scraped off, is stretched tight 

 on a frame ; it is there left until it becomes as dry as parchment, when 

 it is rubbed over with the brains of the animal, which impart oil to it; 

 it is then steeped in warm water, after which it is dried in the smoke, 

 two women stretching it all the time it is drying ; it is then again wet 

 and wound tightly round a tree, from which it is again taken, smoked, 

 and drawn by women as before ; when nearly dry, it is rubbed with 

 the hands as in washing, until it is soft and pliable ; and then it is 

 ready for use. 



Mr. Forrest stated to me that he had put a suit on, twenty-four 

 hours after the animal had been running in the forest. I am well 

 satisfied that no kind of apparel is so well suited as this to the life 

 of an Indian or trapper, and all who travel in a wild country should 

 be provided with such a dress. 



About a mile from the farm-house, we descended a steep bank, two 

 hundred feet high, to the river, where we found our canoes waiting 

 for us. The Cowlitz was here about two hundred yards wide, and 

 very rapid. Our company, or rather crew, consisted of nine young 

 Indians. We were soon seated and gliding down the stream, while 

 each boatman exerted his fullest strength to send us onwards. Just 

 before sunset, when we thought we had made nine miles, we landed 

 and pitched our tents on a small island in the river. The island was 

 covered with drift-wood, which soon enabled us to make a good fire, 

 which the temperature rendered quite acceptable. When our supper 

 was prepared, we found that our Indians had come away destitute of 

 any supply whatever, and that it was necessary to provide for them. 

 This I have generally found to be the case, not only with these 



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