THE MONGOLIAN RACE. 



29 



agricultural territory, seem to promise a different fate from that which 

 has hitherto befallen their Continental brethren. They can only give 

 place to a maritime people, like themselves. It is certain tliat the 

 Chinooks are not altogether unaware of the threatening storm, and on 

 one occasion they gave us to understand that " we had no business 

 there; the land belonged to them." In docility the tribes of North- 

 west America are not to be compared with the Polynesians ; and they 

 are regarded by traders, as the " most dangerous people in the Pacific, 

 after the Feejeeans." 



INTERIOROREGON. 



Preparations for a journey into the Interior having been completed, 

 our party, under the charge of Lieutenant Johnson, left the head of 

 Puget Sound, on the 20th of May, 1841. The natives selected to 

 accompany us, chiefly belonged to the Nisqually tribe, a portion of 

 which was encamped in the neighbourhood of the fort ; and we ob- 

 tained the assistance of two Canadian interpreters. 



Even among the Chinooks, I had observed individuals who were 

 not readily distinguishable from the aboriginals of the United States; 

 but now such instances occurred more frequently, and I remarked 

 taller forms, and independent of the absence of artificial pressure, a 

 more ' hard-featured,' countenance. Indeed, I could not make out any 

 physical difference from our Eastern tribes, except in the inferiority 

 of stature, everywhere observable in Oregon. 



The country near the coast was interspersed with flowery prairies, 

 and afforded some game, chiefly deer ; but as we approached the 

 mountains, the woods became continuous. In all this distance we 

 saw no villages, and but three or four habitations ; and these, with 

 one exception, appeared to be deserted. Three or four individuals 

 were fallen in with on the way, and they were persuaded to join our 

 party. After some days, our natives became as jovial among them- 

 selves as so many Polynesians, and I once heard one of them hum- 

 ming a low plaintive tune. They combed their hair with a pronged 

 stick somewhat resembling a clotlies-pin. The Canadians on all oc- 

 casions, termed them 'savages;' and they had adopted the epithet, 

 unsuspicious of the implied opprobrium. 



The path we followed had been but once previously traversed by 

 civilized man. It leads over the crest of the Snowy Range, which 



8 



