WILLAMETTE VALLEY. 373 



Forrest entered the room, and told me that he had found my watch 

 altogether wrong, (it showed Greenwich time,) and he had set it for 

 me. I could not help making an exclamation of astonishment. We 

 stood looking at each other, and he appeared fully as surprised as I 

 was, when I told him that he had changed my Greenwich time for 

 that of Cowlitz, and had interrupted my series of observations. He 

 thought it passing strange that I should prefer Greenwich time to that 

 of Cowlitz, and told me that he was sure his watch was right, for it 

 kept time with the sun exactly ! This incident, though sufficiently 

 provoking at the time, afforded me much amusement after it was over, 

 and was a lesson to me never to trust a chronometer to such an acci- 

 dent again. 



It having partially cleared up the next morning, I set off, accom- 

 panied by Plumondon, his wife and child, and another settler as my 

 guide. We departed at eight o'clock, and being provided with good 

 horses, made rapid progress. By the advice of Mr. Forrest, I endea- 

 voured to take a canoe on the Chickeeles, sending the horses to meet 

 us, without loads, over the mountain. 



We rode up to the Indian lodges, near the Chickeeles river, in order 

 to engage some of them to accompany us. I have before spoken of 

 making a bargain with them, and of the time and patience necessary 

 before any thing can be accomplished. I now saw that it was a hope- 

 less task to attempt to overcome their perfect nonchalance. Time, 

 haste, clothes, presents, are nothing to them ; rum is the only thing 

 that will move them at all times, and of this I had none, nor should I 

 have made use of it if I had. When Plumondon had exhausted his 

 words on them without effect, w 7 e rode off, succeeded in passing the 

 mountain road quickly, and were well satisfied that we had thus shown 

 our independence. 



I have noticed the excessive love that the whole Indian population 

 seem to have for rum : many of these poor creatures would labour for 

 days, and submit to all sorts of fatigue, for the sake of a small quan- 

 tity. No other inducement will move them in the salmon and cam- 

 mass seasons, for then they have nothing more to desire. 



Towards night we encamped on a small prairie, where the grasses, 

 flowers, and trees, were in every variety of bloom. 



The Indians o-n the Chickeeles river were engaged in the salmon- 

 fishery. This is effected by staking the river across with poles, and 

 constructing fikes or fish-holes, through which the fish are obliged to 

 pass. Over these are erected triangles to support a staging, on which 

 the Indians stand, with nets and spears, and take the fish as they 

 attempt to pass through : the fish are then dried by smoking, and pre- 



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