THE INTERIOR OF OREGON. 467 



by a violent effort he broke loose and fled. This struggle produced 

 the first rapids of the Peluse. A little farther up they again overtook 

 the beaver, who again made his escape, by producing the second 

 rapids ; and lastly, where he was secured, his dying struggles gave 

 rise to the great falls of the Aputaput. After killing him, and taking 

 his skin and fat, they cut up the body, and threw the pieces in various 

 directions, from which has arisen the various tribes in the region ; 

 among them the Cayuse, the Nez Perce, Wallawalla, &c. The 

 Cayuse are said to have sprung from the heart, and became, in con- 

 sequence, a strong and thriving people, which they continue to be to 

 this day. 



The party remained but a few days at Wallawalla. Their measure- 

 ment made the width of the river at this point, two thousand seven 

 hundred and sixty feet, but in it there are many small islets. 



At Wallawalla, as before stated, there is no soil, even for a garden ; 

 but a spot of about fifty acres, three miles from Wallawalla, on the 

 banks of the river Columbia, and called by the same name as the post, 

 has been for some time past cultivated. On this is grown wheat, corn, 

 peas, potatoes, &c. The garden embraces about two acres, where all 

 the smaller vegetables had been sowed, but it was entirely neglected, 

 and overgrown with weeds. The soil of this garden is a deep rich 

 brown loam. 



On the sandy plain about Wallawalla, as was to be expected, there 

 are but few plants to be found. A Salsola, Opuntia, Dalea, Oberonia, 

 and Rubiacese, with several Composite, were all that were found. 

 Hares were seen on the prairies in numbers : these are larger than the 

 English hare, had larger ears and limbs, and are of a lighter colour. 

 They do not burrow, as has generally been supposed, but form a shal- 

 low seat or nest under the wormwood-bushes. 



While they stayed at Wallawalla, Dr. Whitman came down to visit 

 them, and kindly offered his services. 



The diversity of languages heard during this jaunt, was very re- 

 markable. The dialect seemed to change with almost every party of 

 Indians they met with, and it was frequently necessary for words to 

 pass through three or four different interpreters, before they could be 

 comprehended, and an answer obtained. It was thought, at times, 

 that every family must have a language of its own. It is difficult 

 to account for this state of things. The tribes on the west of the 

 mountains have been, for the most part, at peace with each other, and 

 have had much intercourse, for the purpose of trading their fish and 

 other articles; yet but few can understand their immediate neighbours. 



