Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 24.djvu/337

 Diary of Rev. George Gary — III 315 Sunday, 7. Today I go up the river about four miles with Bro. Waller ; here he preaches to about fifty hearers. Just as our meeting is out, we see a large company of Indians carrying one of the boats belonging to the Hud- son Bay Company (for here is a portage) ; we are soon informed that quite a number of boats belonging to the company, say nine, are here making their way down from their different trading posts in the interior to Fort Van- couver. They come down every June loaded with furs; and return in July loaded with merchandise; they have no Sabbaths on their routes ; at this portage they employ scores of Indians to aid them. The general influence of the whites among these natives is anything but good. I pity them from my heart, but know not what to do for their benefit. Monday, 8. This morning the Hudson Ba^ Company boats (called the Brigade) passed by early. Send a line to Mr. Douglass. 35 Tuesday, 9. This day Ellis, a chief of the Nez Perces, is here with fourteen attendants and one hundred and fifty horses. He is going to the Williamette to sell his horses for cows. In the evening, we have meeting with him and his company. He interprets. He understands and talks English very well. We buy of Ellis three bear skins ; one of them a beautiful grey bear skin. Wednesday, 10. Ellis and his company horses and &c leave, except one Indian, sick, and a boy to attend him. In the afternoon I go into the potato field; here is little more than an acre planted with potatoes, and they have not been hoed yet ; the weeds are higher than the potatoes ; they have been trying to plow among the potatoes, but as the weeds are so thick and high, the potatoes cannot be seen, and they are as likely to be plowed up as the weeds ; we conclude the only way, or at least the better 35 James Douglas. At this time Dr. McLaughlin had just retired and Douglas was now in sole charge at Vancouver. He had been McLaugh- lin's colleague, during the previous year.