Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 26.djvu/55

Rh Fence from the House to the steep Bank of the River. On the 5th Sepr. they arrived, as I saw 2 good Chiefs among them, I did not apprehend much Danger, but keeping on our Guard we did not permit them to enter the Fence, but sat without @ smoked with them. A few Kootanaes also dropped in, one after another, but soon decamped from the Trouble they had from the Peagans, in asking their Horses, Cloathing &c. On the evening Septr. 6th Bercier whom I had sent off to the great Band arrived with 2 Kootanaes they informed me, that a violent Distemper had taken the Flat Heads, which had communicated itself to/the Kootanaes @ Flat Bows, @ had brought the major part of them so low, as to prevent them from decamping, @ that many Children had already died of it; @ it was not expected they could be here under 12 or 15 days hence, altho' they were not far off. Three Tents of those People arriving Sepr. 7 & 8th confirmed the above, they were all very ill @ reduced to mere Skeletons— Sept. 9 part of the Kootanaes ill as they were decamped to get rid of the Peagans. One of them who had a good Horse @ which the Peagans wished to have, in order to get rid of their importunities gave his Horse to one of the Men for a sorry Mare, rather than the Peagans should have him.

A few Kootanaes also arrived with Provisions, these were mostly steady old Men, who were determined to stay @see the Peagans off. they traded abt. 4 days Provisions with me, @ would have graded half as much more, had not the Peagans begged so much from them. During this Time our Living was partly on Salmon @ partly on Meat, we made a Salmon Net of 45 fms long, but the strength of the Fish aided by the Current very often broke it. We also began a Net for small Herrings, but dare not set it till the Salmon are gone. The Timbers for the large Canoe being made of very bad cedar, for want of better at that Time, I sent off 2 Men in a small Canoe for green Cedar for other Timbers @ also wood for a small Canoe, which they brought at the end of five days. I again sent