COLUMBIA RIVER. 133 



thority among his tribe, he succeeded, although with difficulty. As a 

 proof of his good intentions, he invariably returned all the signals the 

 others had stolen. 



This tribe lives principally on salmon, which they take during the 

 season in vast quantities, and the fish are said to be as fine as those 

 taken in the Columbia. On the Chickeeles, and in its branches, are 

 many of the weirs and stakes that have been already described. Stur- 

 geon are also taken in great numbers, and of a superior quality. 



It may be inferred from their seldom receiving any supplies of 

 venison through the Indians, or meeting with any themselves, that 

 there is but little game in this part of the country. 



They shot a few grouse, some wild geese were seen, and the mud- 

 flats were covered with white gulls in immense numbers, among which 

 were a few pelicans. 



The amusements of the Indians, and the manner of lounging away 

 their time, were similar to those of the other tribes before spoken of. 



On the 24th, they were glad to leave Gray's Harbour, after having, 

 by great perseverance and with much fatigue, completed the survey. 

 Mr. Eld now took up the remaining portion of the work he was 

 ordered to perform, namely, to trace the coast to Cape Disappoint- 

 ment. The Indians whom he hired to take the canoe around by 

 water, preferred to pass close along the beach, inside the surf, by 

 tracking the canoe : notwithstanding there was a very heavy surf, 

 they managed to pass along very quickly. This is the mode they 

 always adopt in journeying along the coast with their canoes, to avoid 

 accident from the heavy surf, of which they have much dread. The 

 evening of the day on which they left Gray's Harbour, they reached 

 a small islet, distant fifteen miles from Cape Shoalwater, where they 

 found the lodge of the Chickeeles chief before spoken of, who supplied 

 them with dried salmon, &c. 



The coast between Gray's Harbour and Cape Shoalwater is bor- 

 dered by sand-hills, behind which, from the Indians' account, there 

 are lakes and streams of fresh water, in which plenty of beaver are 

 found. 



From this chief they hired another canoe, and accompanied by him 

 they proceeded through Shoalwater Bay towards Cape Disappoint- 

 ment. The two canoes separated, which caused them to pass over 

 the two portages between Shoalwater and Baker's Bay: that to the 

 east is about four and a half miles in length, while that to the west is 

 six or seven miles across. The former is usually preferred by the 

 Indians, and is one of the main passes of communication between the 

 different tribes on the sea-coast. The woods through which they 



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