Page:Columbia - America's Great Highway.djvu/33

 great resort of Indians of many tribes for taking fish. We did not see many, however, for they had just left. * * * I was relieved from walking by the offer of a horse from a young chief. This was a kindness, for the way was mostly through the sand, and the walk would have been fatiguing."

Continuing her story of the journey in the boat Mrs. Whitman says, "We made fine progress this morning until nine o'clock, when we were met with a head wind and obliged to make shore. We met the crew last night with the Western express. This express goes from and returns to Vancouver twice a year.

"10th.—High winds and not able to move at all today.

"11th.—We came to the Cascades for breakfast — another important falls in the river, where we are obliged to make a portage of a mile. The boat was towed along by the rocks with a rope over the falls. This is another great place for salmon fishing. A boat load was just ready for Vancouver when we arrived. I saw an infant here whose head was in the pressing machine. This was a pitiful sight. Its mother took great satisfaction in unbinding and showing its naked head to us. The child lay upon a board between which and its head was a squirrel skin. On its forehead lay a small square cushion, over which was a bandage drawn tight around, pressing its head against the board. In this position it is kept three or four months or longer, until the head becomes a fashionable shape. There is a variety of shapes among them, some being sharper than others. I saw a child about a year old whose head had been recently released from pressure, as I supposed from its looks. All the back part of it was a purple color, as if it had been sadly bruised. W> are told that this custom is wearing away very fast. There are only a few tribes of this river who practice it.

"Sept. 12th.—Breakfasted in the saw-mill, five miles from Vancouver. * * * You may be surprised to hear of a saw-mill here, when I said there was no timber on the Columbia. Since we passed the Cascade the scene is changed, and we are told there is timber all the way to the Coast.