Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 26.djvu/331

 generally half-breeds and mostly orphans who have come under the patronage of the Co. in various ways and are being educated and instructed in a manner that doubtless confer reciprocal benefits in time. Towards evening accompanied Dr McL. to his wheat fields and sheep farm down the river. The former were quite ready for harvesting, yielding bountiful crops averaging probably 30 bushels to the acre, low prairie ground. While upon this subject I will mention a fact which may not be common— adjoining the Fort there is a small bed of wheat that Dr McL. sowed for a sample, among this I saw 88 distinct shoots or spears of wheat springing from one seed and upon counting the kernels in one head found that they averaged about 60 making a total increase of 5279 kernels. The sheep were attended by a shepherd, all in excellent order, of several different breeds but principally Californian. Many had been imported from England at considerable expense, and were among the largest that I have ever seen. Upon the prairie farm there is a lake or narrow sheet of still water that connects with the Columbia many miles below and during high water is generally ascended by the Indians in their canoes to avoid the rapid current in the river, the portage at the head of this lake being narrow is easily overcome with light canoes. It was here that I first learned that pig would voluntarily dive under water, Dr McL— assuring me that he had frequently witnessed this curious anamoly and watched them until they reached' the shore & dispatched their prize which was nothing more or less than a species of clam or oyster. Just above this lake and upon the lower part of the prairie cool & wholsome water bubbles from the mellow earth at the rate of about 5 galls per minute. At this place we were refreshed with some lemonade, one of the Cos. servants having arrived with the neces-