380 WALLAWALLA. 



present is made in consequence of his once having preserved Mr. 

 Ogden's party from an attack, by giving information that it was to 

 take place. By this timely notice Mr. Ogden was enabled to guard 

 himself and party, by taking refuge upon a small island just above the 

 Cascades. 



The Columbia, at this part, passes through the Cascade range of 

 mountains, between high and rocky banks. The geological character 

 of this range is basaltic lava, basaltic conglomerate, and sandstone. 

 Large quantities of petrified wood are to be found in the neighbour- 

 hood. Mr. Drayton obtained specimens of all of these. 



The river, thus far, is navigated by seeking out the eddies. The 

 great difficulty is found in doubling the points, which are at times 

 impassable, except by tracking and poling. The oars are used after 

 the French or Spanish fashion, adding the whole weight of the body 

 to the strength of arm. 



At the Cascades, during the fishing season, there are about three 

 hundred Indians, only about one-tenth of whom are residents: they 

 occupy three lodges ; but there was formerly a large town here. 

 Great quantities of fish are taken by them ; and the manner of doing 

 this resembles that at the Willamette Falls. They also construct 

 canals, on a line parallel with the shore, with rocks and stones, for 

 about fifty feet in length, through which the fish pass in order to avoid 

 the strong current, and are here taken in great numbers. 



There are two portages here, under the names of the new and the 

 old. At the first, only half of the load is landed, and the boats are 

 tracked up for half a mile further, when the load is again shipped. 

 The boats are then tracked to the old portage. A strong eddy occurs 

 at this place, which runs in an opposite direction ; and here it is 

 necessary to land the whole of the cargo ; after which, the empty 

 boats are again tracked three quarters of a mile beyond. 



To a stranger, unacquainted with the navigation of this river, the 

 management of these boatmen becomes a source of wonder ; for it is 

 surprising how they can succeed in surmounting such rapids at all as 

 the Cascades. Their mode of transporting the goods, and the facilities 

 with which they do it, are equally novel. The load is secured on the 

 back of a voyageur by a band which passes round the forehead and 

 under and over the bale; he squats down, adjusts his load, and rises 

 with ninety pounds on his back ; another places ninety pounds more 

 on the top, and off he trots, half bent, to the end of the portage. One 

 of the gentlemen of the Company informed me, that he had seen a 

 voyageur carry six packages of ninety pounds each on his back (five 

 hundred and forty pounds) ; but it was for a wager, and the distance 



