PUGET SOUND AND OKONAGAN. 417 



Island, about a mile and a half to the north of Nisqually anchorage, 

 where the shore has a considerable indentation. There, although the 

 water is deep, vessels would be protected from the winds which blow 

 most violently, from the southwest, southeast, and northwest, and also 

 from any sea, while Nisqually is not: this place is equally well supplied 

 with water, and the hill is by no means so precipitous. 



The spring tides were found to be eighteen feet, those of the neaps 

 twelve feet. High water, at the full and change, at 6 h 10 m , p. m. 

 During the whole of our stay there was found to be a great discrepancy 

 between the day and night tides, the latter not rising as high as the 

 former by two feet. 



The country in this vicinity is thought to be remarkably healthy, 

 and on all these salt-water inlets, the winter is represented to be mild, 

 and but of short duration. The mean temperature, six feet under 

 ground, during our stay at the observatory, from the 20th of May till 

 the 14th of July, was found to be 58-5°. I was not fully satisfied that 

 this record gave correct results for the mean temperature of the 

 climate, although frosts do not penetrate the ground; for by the same 

 manner of trying it, and under almost the same circumstances, at 

 Astoria, we obtained only 54°, although that place is a degree to the 

 south of Nisqually. 



The geographical position of Nisqually will be found in the tables. 

 The greatest range of temperature was found to be 55°, the lowest 

 37° ; and the mean, during the same period, 63-87° : the barometer 

 standing at 29-970 in. 



The Indians around Nisqually are few in number, and the whole 

 tribe does not amount to two hundred, including men, women, and 

 children. They belong to the tribes who flatten their heads, and are 

 represented as vicious and exceedingly lazy, sleeping all day, and 

 sitting up all night to gamble. So strong is the latter propensity 

 among all these tribes, that it is said, that after parting with all their 

 movable property, they will go so far as to stake their wives and 

 children, and lastly even themselves for years of slavery. 



Their clothing seldom consists of more than a blanket, a pair of 

 skin breeches, and moccasins. Little or no distinction of rank seems 

 to exist among them : the authority of the chiefs is no longer recog- 

 nised, and each individual is left to govern himself. 



They are addicted to stealing, and will run some risk to effect their 

 object : thus, several blankets were stolen from the hammocks of our 

 men while asleep in their tents, although a sailor was known to be on 

 guard with loaded arms, only a few paces from the spot. Mr. Ander- 

 son informed me that he had employed several of them to till the land, 



vol. iv. 53 



