580 Companion to the Botanical Magazine. 
hat, and a large collection of baskets, cups, and pouches of the same material, 
for which I paid in tobacco, knives, nails, and gun-flints. The roots of Cype- 
rus and Thuja are also used for the same purpose. When returning last sum- 
mer from the Grand Rapids, I saw one of these silver-headed eagles take a small 
sturgeon out of the water, and as he was soaring over my head, I lifted my gun 
and brought him down. The claws of the bird were so firmly clenched through 
the cartilaginous substance of the fish's back, that he would not let go, till I 
introduced a needle into the vertebrae of his neck. The sturgeon measured fif- 
teen inches long, and weighed four pounds." No. cxix. pp. 98, 99. 
" On Thursday 23d (March 1826,) we proceeded on our voyage with a strong 
westerly wind, which enabled us to hoist a sail, and reached the lower part of the 
great Falls at dusk, where we camped in a small cove under a shelving rock. 
Fortunately the night was fine, and the moon bright, which was the more agree- 
able, as the wind would not allow of our tent being pitched. Here we were 
placed in a dangerous predicament, from the natives who collected in unusually 
large numbers, and showed every disposition to be troublesome, because they 
did not receive so ample a supply of tobacco as they had expected. We were 
obliged to watch the whole night. Having a few of my small wax tapers still 
remaining, I lighted one, and sat down to write to Mr Murray of Glasgow, and 
to arrange in paper some mosses that I had collected the preceding evening. 
Daylight was a most gladsome sight, as may be imagined, after spending the hours 
of darkness surrounded by at least 450 savages, whose manners announced any- 
thing but amicable feelings towards us. As no one in the brigade could converse 
with them much better than myself, little could be done by persuasion. How- 
ever, discovering that two of the principal men understood the Chenook language, 
which I am slightly acquainted with, I found this circumstance of some advan- 
tage. After taking a hurried and anxious breakfast on the rocks, we proceeded 
several miles up the river, and in the afternoon made the portage over the great 
Falls, where Mr M'Leod was apprized that the Indians were lying in wait with 
the intention of attacking us and pillaging the boat. This warning proved too 
correct. No sooner had they received the customary present of tobacco, than 
they became desirous of compelling us to encamp for the night, that they might 
the better effect their purpose. The first symptom of hostile intentions which 
we observed, was their cunning trick of sprinkling water on the gun-bf rrels of 
our party, and when the boats were ordered to be put into the water, they would 
not allow it to be done. As Mr M'L. was laying his hand on the shoulders of 
one native to push him back, another fellow immediately drew from his quiver a 
bow and a handful of arrows, and presented it at Mr M'L. My position at the 
time, at the outside of the crowd, enabling me to perceive this manoeuvre, and 
no time being to be lost, I instantly slipped the cover off my gun, which was 
fortunately loaded with buck-shot, and presenting it at him, I invited him to dis- 
charge his arrow, when I would return it with my own weapon. Just at this 
moment, a chief of the Kyemuse, and three of his young men, who are the ter- 
ror of all the other tribes west of the mountains, and the staunch friends of the 
white people (as they call us) stepped in among the party, and settled the affair 
without any further trouble." P. 104 105. 
" The weather being pleasant, I begun preparing for my great excursion to 
the mountains, and sent accordingly to the Indian camp to bid my guide be ready 
by sunrise. During the night I was annoyed by the visit of a herd of rats, which 
