324 NISQUALLY AND COLUMBIA RIVER. 



dangerous to venture across the open bay in the small canoe we had 

 bought in lieu of the one we had come down in. 



We landed at Tongue Point and encamped ; but as we had much 

 time yet before dark, we went to the top of the Point, which is said 

 to be the position best adapted for a fortification to defend the channel 

 up the river. Tongue Point is a high bluff of trap rock, covered wi h 

 trees of large dimensions: the top has been cleared and taken posses- 

 sion of by Mr. Birnie, who has erected a log hut and planted a patch 

 of potatoes. The hut was inhabited for a year, by a Sandwich Islander 

 and his wife. It is rather a rough spot for cultivation, but the end of 

 occupancy was answered by it. There is a small portage on Tongue 

 Point, which canoes often use in bad weather, to avoid accidents that 

 might occur in the rough seas that make in the channel that passes 

 round it. 



Mr. Drayton picked up a considerable number of shells. 



Late in the afternoon, Mr. Birnie left us, and joined the barque 

 Columbia. Mr. Drayton and myself made ourselves comfortable, not- 

 withstanding it rained and blew hard. The next morning we set out 

 for Vancouver ; but our progress was slow, and we were obliged to 

 take advantage of all the eddies. By the afternoon, however, we had 

 reached Oak Point, and stopped at a collection of lodges in order to 

 obtain some salmon. 



Near Puget Island, we encountered a party fishing, and saw them 

 take a large salmon ; but they demanded such an exorbitant price for 

 it (equal to one dollar and twenty-five cents), that we refused to give 

 it; considering it bad policy to indulge their cupidity.* Plumondon 

 said, that they had no desire to sell the fish, as they had a superstitious 

 objection to dispose of the first fish to strangers : even if induced to 

 sell it, they will always take the heart out and roast it for themselves ; 

 for they believe, that if the heart of the fish were eaten by a stranger 

 at the first of the season, their success would be destroyed, and they 

 would catch no more fish. To prevent this, they consider it requisite 

 that a certain number of " sleeps" or days should pass before any are 

 sold. The price of a large salmon is about ten cents in trade. 



Here we unexpectedly found the medicine-man, employed in going 

 through his incantations and preparing his medicines. One of our 

 young Indians, who was a chief, landed, without knowing what was 

 going on, for the purpose of making the inquiries we desired. He 

 was met with direful looks, and in great wrath ordered by all the 



* On mentioning the subject at Vancouver, I was told I ought to have taken the fish 

 and paid the Indian what I thought proper. 



