346 WILLAMETTE VALLEY. 



rock. There they take many fish, that have succeeded in passing the 

 lower fall, with a hook fastened to the end of a pole. These are 

 esteemed to be of the best flavour, as they are the strongest and 

 fattest. It is said from these places the fish can be seen very dis- 

 tinctly passing up, and are taken very rapidly ; but few Indians are 

 willing or expose themselves to the risk of fishing there. The number 

 of Indians at the Willamette Falls during the fishing season, is about 

 seventy, including all ages and sexes : there are others who visit the 

 falls in canoes for fish, which at times will raise the number to not far 

 from one hundred. Those fish which are unable to get up, remain 

 some time at the falls, very much exhausted, and finally resort to the 

 smaller streams below. Mr. Drayton's sketch of the scene is given in 

 the vignette. 



The rocks here change their character within a few miles. Much 

 volcanic scoria, vesicular lava, and pudding-stone, intermingled with 

 blocks of trap, and many crystals of quartz, occur. My attention was 

 called to this particularly by old Mr. Moore, who had set up his claims 

 to the west side of the falls, communicating to me in confidence that 

 he intended to erect furnaces for smelting iron, &c. Although I saw 

 the old man some time afterwards, and told him of his mistake, he 

 would not believe that he had been in error. On the rocks are to be 

 seen large knots of lamprey eels, worming themselves up, which make 

 them look at a little distance as if alive with snakes. 



After spending some time at the falls, we returned to the house, and 

 thence passed over to the west side of the river in a boat. Plumondon 

 informed us that all our baggage had been transported over the portage, 

 which is about a third of a mile in length. 



On landing, we passed through an Indian village, which was abso- 

 lutely swarming with fleas; a filthier place cannot be found in Oregon. 

 Before we reached our boat, a heavy shower of rain overtook us, and 

 gave us a good drenching; we, however, embarked for Camp Maude 

 du Sable. We now found our progress very different from what we 

 had made below the falls : the current was strong, and we made but 

 little headway; our- boatmen being intent upon taking advantage of 

 the smallest eddies, we were continually crossing and recrossing the 

 river for this purpose. The banks had become much higher and more 

 picturesque. This part of the river is considered dangerous when the 

 water is high, and accidents frequently occur; for this reason, the 

 Indians in passing are still in the habit of making a propitiatory offering 

 of some of their food, such as dried salmon or peas, in order that they 

 may have a safe passage by. Before night we encamped just above 



