COLUMBIA RIVER. 121 



survey, one of the small boats of the Porpoise, that we had in tow, 

 was, through the negligence of her crew, capsized. Every thing in 

 her except her oars was lost, and in addition to this the accident 

 caused us much detention. 



In the afternoon we reached Katalamet Point, and anchored at the 

 lower end of Puget Island, where we passed the next day (Sunday). 

 On Monday we again resumed our surveying duties, and reached Oak 

 Point, where the river takes a turn to the southward and eastward. 

 On the 24th, Lieutenant Emmons joined me, and received his instruc- 

 tions to pass through the country to the south, and join the ship at 

 San Francisco. His instructions will be found in Appendix IV. Just 

 before reaching Walker's Island we ran aground, by the pilot mis- 

 taking his marks, but were soon relieved. In the evening of the next 

 day, we reached Mount Coffin, at the mouth of the Cowlitz. This 

 mount afforded a favourable point for astronomical observations, being 

 seven hundred and ten feet high, and quite isolated. The canoes used 

 by the Indians as coffins are seen upon it in every direction, in all 

 stages of decay. They are supported between trees, at the height of 

 four or five feet above the ground, and about them are hung the 

 utensils that had belonged to the deceased, or that had been offered as 

 tokens of respect. 



I remained the whole day on the top of this mount, and obtained a 

 full set of observations ; the weather being remarkably clear and beau- 

 tiful. Here my boat's crew carelessly omitted to extinguish the fire 

 they had used for cooking our dinner, and as we were pulling off to 

 the brig, I regretted to see that the fire had spread, and was envelop- 

 ing the whole area of the mount ; but there was no help for it. The 

 fire continued to rage throughout the night, until all was burnt. I 

 took the earliest opportunity of explaining to the Indians who were 

 in the neighbourhood, that the fire was accidental; and, after receiving 

 a few small presents, they appeared satisfied that it was so. But a 

 few years earlier, the consequence of such carelessness would have 

 been a hostile attack, that might have involved us in difficulty of no 

 ordinary kind. We had a minor punishment to undergo, for the smoke 

 was so great that it enveloped all the signals towards the mouth of 

 the river, and made it necessary for me to anchor within sight of 

 Mount Coffin till the next morning. 



Before reaching the mouth of the Willamette, better known here as 

 the Wapautoo Branch, a long flat extends across the river, where we 

 were again unfortunately detained a few hours, by getting aground. 

 Warrior's Point, the locality where Mr. Wyeth proposed to erect his 

 great city of the west, was passed ; and on the 28th, at sunset, we 



vol. v. L 16 



