PUGET SOUND AND OKONAGAN. 419 



in the summer season, are great and tantalizing. In making prepa- 

 rations for such a journey, the Indians were to be bargained with, 

 and, as I have before had occasion to remark, are enough to tire the 

 patience of Job himself. First, the Indian himself is to be sought out ; 

 then the horse is to be tried ; next the price is to be discussed, then the 

 mode of payment, and finally the potlatch : each and all are matters 

 of grave consideration and delay, during which the Indians make a 

 business of watching every circumstance of which they can take ad- 

 vantage. No one can be sure of closing his bargain, until the terms 

 are duly arranged, the potlatch given, and the horse delivered. After 

 obtaining horses, Lieutenant Johnson had the saddles, alforcas, saddle- 

 cloths, saddle-trees or pack-saddles, &c, with a variety of lashings, to 

 prepare. For many of these we were indebted to the kindness of 

 Captain M'Niel and Mr. Anderson. Others were made on board the 

 ship, after a pattern lent us. One of the most important persons to 

 obtain was a good guide, and hearing of one who resided at the 

 Cowlitz river, by the name of Pierre Charles, he was at once sent for ; 

 but I did not think it worth while to detain the party until his arrival, 

 as he could easily overtake it. Lieutenant Johnson, therefore, was 

 directed to hurry his departure, and to set out, which he did on the 

 19th May, at noon, and proceeded to the prairie about two miles dis- 

 tant, where the party encamped. 



There is little danger on these expeditions of having too few arti- 

 cles : the great difficulty is to avoid having too many. It turned out 

 as I had anticipated. The first night passed in their tent fully satisfied 

 them of this, and taught them to dispense with all other bedding save 

 blankets. 



Mr. Anderson rode to the encampment before night, bringing the 

 news of the arrival of Pierre Charles at the fort ; whereupon Lieu- 

 tenant Johnson returned to make an agreement with him and his com- 

 panion. This was done, although, as is to be supposed, their demands 

 were exorbitant, in consequence of the belief that their services were 

 indispensable. 



Pierre Charles's companion was a young man, named Peter Ber- 

 cier, (a connexion of Plumondon,) who spoke English, and all the 

 languages of the country. 



On the morning of the 20th, they obtained an accession to their 

 horses, and set out on their route towards the mountains. Although 

 the possibility of crossing them was doubted, yet I felt satisfied if ex- 

 ertion and perseverance could effect the object, the officer who had 

 charge of the party would succeed. This day, they made but five 

 miles ; after which they encamped, at the recommendation of Pierre 



