322 NISQUALLY AND COLUMBIA RIVER. 



extremely well timbered, and is capable, when cleared, of growing 

 grain, and other agricultural produce. 



On the 23d (Sunday), it was reported that a vessel was off the Cape, 

 firing guns. This made me extremely anxious to go thither, but as 

 there was much difficulty in accomplishing this, Mr. Birnie proposed a 

 trip to Point Adams, and a visit to the missionaries at Clatsop. This 

 proposal I gladly accepted, and at an early hour the next morning we 

 set out, crossed Young's Bay, landed, and after walking a mile came 

 to the mission, where we had the pleasure of seeing Mr. and Mrs. 

 Frost. Mr. Frost gave us a kind welcome at his new dwelling, which 

 I understood him to say had been built with his own hands. His wife 

 appeared cheerful and happy, and made herself quite agreeable. The 

 house is a frame one, of one story, and contains three rooms : it is 

 situated in a young spruce and pine grove, which is thought to be the 

 most healthy situation here. There are two American settlers, who are 

 building houses here, named respectively Tibbits and Smith ; both of 

 them are very respectable men, and good mechanics. This place is 

 not susceptible of improvement, and I understood that it had been 

 chosen for its salubrity. I understood that Mr. Frost was engaged 

 with the Rev. Mr. Koen in cultivating a tract of land, about four miles 

 distant. The latter resides upon the tract, and is occupied in raising a 

 large crop and superintending cattle. There appeared to me to be 

 little opportunity for exercising their ministerial calling, though I 

 understood afterwards that at particular seasons a number of Indians 

 collected to hear them. 



After spending some time with them, Mr. Birnie, Mr. Frost, and 

 myself set off for Point Adams and Clatsop village. I think, in all my 

 life, I had never met with so many snakes as I saw during this short 

 walk : they were on the beach, where they were apparently feeding at 

 low water. We looked from the sand-hills on Point Adams for vessels, 

 but none were in sight ; and then we walked on to the village. It con- 

 sisted of a few rough lodges, constructed of boards or rather hewn 

 planks, of large size ; the interior resembled a miserably-constructed 

 ship's cabin, with bunks, &c. ; the only light was admitted from above, 

 near the ridge and gable-end. Pieces of salmon and venison were 

 hanging up in the smoke of their fire. Numbers of the Indians are 

 always to be seen lounging about, and others gambling. On the bunk- 

 planks are painted various uncouth figures of men, and in one was seen 

 hanging the head of an elk, which it was understood they make use 

 of occasionally as a decoy in the chase, for the purpose of taking their 

 game more easily. Around the whole is a palisade, made of thick 



