Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 5.djvu/265

Rh the village which we passed, because it was abandoned, we pushed on with as much speed as possible to Cape Foulweather, which we pained, after proceeding forty miles along the coast. The rain continuing to fall heavily the next day, we sent the canoe back to the Columbia from this place, it being also impossible, with so few hands, to carry it over a portage of sixteen miles. The Indians, too, were solicitous to leave me, when they knew that all the provisions were exhausted. The wind increased about midnight, two or three hours after they had departed, to a perfect hurricane, accompanied with sleet and hail, which obliged us twice to shift our camp, as the sea rose unusually high and almost reached us, and which also rendered me very anxious about the safety of the Indians, who, as I afterward learned, were so fortunate as to gain the shelter of a creek until the storm abated. We had no protection, save what was afforded by our wet blankets and a few pine branches, and were destitute of provisions. A few berries of Arbutus Uva-Ursi were all that could be got at this place, and the wind and heavy rain almost rendered it impossible to keep up any fire. All the wild fowl had fled to the more sheltered spots; not a bird of any kind could be seen. Long ere daylight we were ready to leave Cape Foul weather; well convinced that it deserved its name, as there appeared no likelihood of procuring food, we walked along the sandy beach to endeavor to reach Whitby Harbour, where my guide expected to meet a fishing party. On arriving there, when we found the village deserted, I can hardly descibe the state I was in. While my guide and the Indians were collecting some drift-wood. I made a small booth of pine branches, straw and old mats. My blanket having been drenched all day, and the heavy rain affording no oppor-