Page:History of Oregon volume 1.djvu/468

Rh satisfying diet, though it happened more than once that even these were absent.

Game was scarce and poor. In the winter wild fowl were numerous, but the lakes and bayous to which they resorted were distant and difficult of approach, and the settlers soon learned not to depend on either wild game or wild fruit. Had they given their time to procuring these supplies, they could have done nothing else. The sudden accession of population had raised the price of flour to four cents a pound, pork to ten cents, and other articles in proportion. Indeed, so hard was it to get enough to eat, without going hopelessly into debt, that an Indian who had come to Applegate's house to beg was moved with pity to divide his own slender store of dried venison with the hungry children.

In the matter of clothing there was the same destitution. Fortunate was the man who possessed a suit of dressed buckskin, for when the homespun suits which left Missouri were worn out, there were no others to take their place. The women made dresses out of wagon-covers, and some wore skin clothing like the men. Moccasins took the place of boots and shoes. Happy was he who had an order on either of the three merchants at Oregon City, Ermatinger, Abernethy, or Pettygrove, although when it was presented the dearth of goods at the American stores often obliged him to take something he did not want for the thing that he needed, the usual demand having exhausted the stock in these places.

The circulating medium of the country as established by the fur company, being either furs or wheat, was a serious inconvenience. The custom of the settlers was to deposit with the merchants a quantity of wheat, which represented so many dollars to their credit. Orders on the merchants then became the