414 PUGET SOUND AND OKONAGAN. 



The ascent of these mountains has never been effected, but it was 

 my intention to attempt it, if my other duties had permitted, as I was 

 very anxious to get a view of their terminal craters. The absence of 

 the Peacock, however, and the great amount of work necessarily 

 devolving on the rest of the squadron, made it impossible for me to 

 undertake this additional labour. 



Around Nisqually there are many beautiful rides, and if there were 

 any vehicles, they would be equally favourable as drives ; for the 

 country admits of a carriage being driven in almost any direction, 

 within many miles of the fort. 



The Company have as yet few fields enclosed, nor is it necessary 

 that they should have, so long as the cattle are watched and penned in 

 at night. The practice of penning is adopted, not only to protect the 

 animals from the wolves, but to save the manure and apply it to a 

 useful purpose. These pens are about half an acre in size, and are 

 enclosed with our Virginia fence, made of pine rails. They are moved 

 once a week, which, in the course of the year, gives a fertilizing effect 

 to a large piece of ground ; and all those portions of it that have been 

 poor and barren are thus brought readily, and at little expense or 

 labour, under good cultivation. 



On this farm there were about two hundred acres under cultivation, 

 which I was informed would yield fifteen bushels of wheat to the acre, and 

 it is intended to convert it into a grazing farm, for which purpose a stock 

 of cattle was on its way from California, during the year of our visit. 



It is estimated that three thousand sheep, fifteen hundred head of 

 cattle, and about four hundred horses, may be maintained at this place. 

 Mr. Anderson, a clerk of the Company, whom I have mentioned as 

 being in charge of the post, receives no more than one hundred pounds 

 for his superintendence. 



The observatory duties being completed, I set out, with Lieutenant 

 Budd and Mr. Eld, in three boats, to join the surveying party under 

 Lieutenant Case. Mr. Anderson accompanied us, on a visit to the 

 Shute's River Falls, where we intended to take horses, to ride to the 

 Bute Prairie, with some men, to open several of the mounds, to dis- 

 cover their contents, if they had any. 



By the stupidity of the Indian guide, we took the wrong arm of the 

 sound, and did not discover our error until we reached its extreme 

 limit, where, as night overtook us, we were forced to encamp. 



The next day, however, we reached the falls, which were insignifi- 

 cant, both in height and volume of water. This arm, which I have 

 called Budd's, is a fine harbour, nine miles in depth, and about half a 

 mile wide. 



