WILLAMETTE VALLEY. 347 



the Stony Islands, on a barren point of land, at some height above the 

 river, where we found several mosses in flower, which we had not met 

 with before. 



At this season of the year, the river is not high : its rise usually 

 takes place in February and March, when it becomes very much 

 swollen, and with its tributaries does much damage. These floods, 

 however, are of very short duration, for the descent is so rapid that 

 the waters are soon discharged. It was raining quite hard when we 

 passed Camp Maude du Sable, a sandy point just at the opening out 

 of the Willamette Valley, which was one of the points originally 

 occupied when the river was first explored by the whites. About two 

 miles further up the river is Champooing, eighteen miles above the 

 falls, which we reached at about 4 p. m. Here we found a few log 

 houses, one of which belonged to a Mr. Johnson, who gave us a 

 hearty welcome. Mr. Johnson was formerly a trapper in the Hudson 

 Bay Company's service, but has begun to farm here. He invited us 

 to take up our quarters with him, and although they were not very 

 pleasant in appearance, we thought it better to accept the invitation 

 than to pitch our tents on the wet ground in the rain. To reach his 

 dwelling, we passed through water over our shoes. The house had 

 little the appearance of belonging to a white man, but his welcome 

 made amends for many things. We were soon installed in his bed- 

 room, where, in looking round, my eye was arrested by a print of the 

 capture of the frigate Guerriere by the Constitution, which led me to 

 speak concerning it, when I found he had been in that action. This at 

 once made us old friends, for I found him familiar with the character 

 of all our naval men, and I had much pleasure in listening to his 

 anecdotes, and hearing him speak in high terms of many of those 

 officers to whom I feel personally attached. It was delightful to hear 

 his unvarnished account of Commodore Hull's coolness and conduct 

 in the action. Johnson asked many questions about the young officers 

 he had known. I was equally diverted with his own adventures. 

 Finding, after the excitement of war was over, he could not be con- 

 tent to lead a quiet life, he determined to adopt the business of trapping. 

 In this he was engaged until the last few years, when he had settled 

 himself down here, and taken an Indian girl for his wife, by whom he 

 had several children. To the latter he said he was desirous of giving 

 a good education, and for this purpose he had engaged old Mr. Moore, 

 from Illinois, to pass several months with him. Johnson had all the 

 easy and independent character of a trapper; yet I could still per- 

 ceive that he had hanging about him somewhat of the feeling of disci- 

 pline that he had acquired in the service. His Indian wife is extremely 



