WALLAWALLA. 



383 



much progress with such a set, and they of course feel somewhat dis- 

 couraged, though they have succeeded in obtaining a moral influence 

 over a few. 



The river, between the Cascades and the Dalles, a distance of forty 

 miles, has no rapids, and is navigable for vessels drawing twelve feet 

 of water. It passes through high rocky banks of basalt. 



The missionaries informed Mr. Drayton, that the salmon-fishery at 

 the Dalles lasts six months, and that sturgeon are taken during the 

 greater part of the year. 



The mission is three miles from the Dalles. On Mr. Drayton 

 reaching the lower point of the portage, he found Mr. Ogden en- 

 camped, and a boat-load of packages spread out to dry. It appeared 

 that one of the boats had bilged in passing up, and required repairs. 

 The place was luckily fitted for these operations, as it had but one 

 entrance to protect against about, a thousand Indians, on the look-out 

 for whatever they could pick up, and who required the whole force of 

 the brigade to keep them in check. 



The Dalles is appropriately called the Billingsgate of Oregon. The 

 diversity of dress among the men was greater even than in the crowds 

 of natives I have described as seen in the Polynesian islands ; but they 

 lack the decency and care of their persons which the islanders exhibit. 

 The women also go nearly naked, for they wear little else than what 

 may be termed a breech-cloth, of buckskin, which is black and filthy 

 with dirt ; and some have a part of a blanket. The children go 

 entirely naked, the boys wearing nothing but a small string round the 

 body. It is only necessary to say that some forty or fifty live in a 

 temporary hut, twenty feet by twelve, constructed of poles, mats, and 

 cedar bark, to give an idea of the degree of their civilization. 



FISHING-HUTS AT THE DALLES. 



The men are engaged in fishing, and do nothing else. On the 

 women falls all the work of skinning, cleaning, and drying the fish 

 for their winter stores. As soon as the fish are caught, thev are laid 



