WALLAWALLA. 393 



The brigade, after remaining at Wallawalla till the 8th, took their 

 departure. In taking leave of Mr. Ogden, I must express the great 

 indebtedness I am under, for his attentions and kindness to Mr. 

 Drayton, as well as for the facility he offered him for obtaining infor- 

 mation during their progress up the Columbia. I am also under obli- 

 gations to him for much interesting information respecting this country, 

 which he gave without hesitation or reserve. He was anxious that Mr. 

 Drayton should accompany him to Okonagan ; but as this route had 

 just been traversed by another party, it would have been a waste of 

 the short time he had to spend about Wallawalla. Mr. Ogden is a 

 general favourite ; and there is so much hilarity, and such a fund of 

 amusement about him, that one is extremely fortunate to fall into his 

 company. 



After the departure of the brigade, Mr. Drayton set out to visit Dr. 

 Whitman, in company with Mr. M'Lean, who was to proceed to 

 Okonagan with horses, to join Mr. Ogden. They rode about twenty 

 miles before dark, and passed over some of the pastures of the horses 

 belonging to the Company. An alluvial bank, one hundred feet in height, 

 was pointed out, over which the wolves had driven part of a band of 

 the horses of the Company, by surrounding them just before dark. This 

 took place some months before, and the horses were killed and eaten by 

 these voracious animals. The wolves are very numerous in this 

 country, and exceedingly troublesome. 



The country passed over on the banks of the Wallawalla, and within 

 half a mile of it, was green and fertile. This will also apply to the 

 banks of the small tributaries falling into the Wallawalla. To the north 

 and south are extensive prairies, covered with the natural hay of the 

 country, on which the cattle feed ; here these grasses spring up in the 

 early spring rains, grow luxuriantly, and are afterwards converted 

 into hay, by the great heat of the month of July. Thus dried, they 

 retain all their juices. Of this hay the cattle are exceedingly fond, 

 and prefer it even to the young grass of the meadows bordering the 

 stream. 



The party reached the mission about dark, and were welcomed by 

 Dr. Whitman and Mr. and Mrs. Gray, of the American Board of 

 Missions. This station w r as established in 1837, with three others, and 

 is known by the name of Waiilaptu. The second station, called 

 Lapwai (clear water), is at the mouth of the Kooskooskee, under the 

 Rev. Mr. Spalding. The third was about sixty miles up that river, and 

 was called Kamia, where the Rev. Mr. Smith was stationed for two 

 years ; finding, however, that he had no Indians to teach, or within 

 reach of his station, he abandoned it. The fourth, called Chimikaine, 



vol. iv. 50 



