360 WILLAMETTE VALLEY. 



away, and there was no money to erect it again, even if it had been 

 thought desirable to do so. We found it wholly deserted. I was 

 desirous of having some further search made for the bones of a masto- 

 don, parts of whose skeleton had been obtained by Captain Goach, 

 master of a small vessel engaged in the salmon-fishery, a few months 

 before our arrival. On the locality being pointed out, I found that the 

 mass of the dam and other alluvial deposits had been heaped upon 

 the place, and created such an obstruction as would have rendered 

 their removal an herculean task, and have required some weeks' 

 labour. 



Neither I nor my officers had time to spare to accomplish this task ; 

 besides, it was very probable that the bones, which had been repre- 

 sented to me as nearly denuded prior to the flood, had been washed 

 away and lost. The bank in which the bones were found is composed 

 of red marl and gravel. 



After leaving the mill, we had a long ride before us ; for it was our 

 intention to reach Champooing before dark. The country, as we 

 approached that place, became much more thickly settled, and the 

 ground stony. Before dark we reached a deserted house, belonging 

 to George Gay, opposite to Champooing, and formerly occupied by 

 Mr. Young. Finding the stream difficult to cross, we determined to 

 take up our quarters in this house. About two miles from our stop- 

 ping-place, we passed some salt springs, to which the cattle and game 

 resort in great numbers : they are strongly saline, and cover a con- 

 siderable extent of ground. This is considered, as Johnson informed 

 me, the best grazing ground for their cattle. 



In consequence of the baggage-horses and party losing their way, 

 they did not reach the camp until near midnight. 



Shortly after our arrival, George Gay was employed " to break 

 in," as he called it, a cow for milking ! This operation, as performed 

 by George, however necessary, was not calculated to raise him in any 

 one's opinion, and therefore I shall not venture upon a description, 

 farther than to say, that the treatment the poor beast received was in 

 my opinion as unnecessary as it was cruel. 



In the evening, we had a visit from Mr. Moore and several of the 

 other neighbours, and I was much amused with the various accounts 

 they gave of their trappers' life. I must here express the correct 

 views they entertained relative to the introduction of spirits into the 

 settlement. To my surprise, they seemed to be of an unanimous 

 opinion that spirituous liquors would soon destroy them; and since 

 Mr. Slacum's visit they have entered into an agreement among them- 

 selves to forego their use. It is a wise determination, and as long as 



