Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 5.djvu/368

 358 JOURNAL AND LETTERS OF DAVID DOUGLAS. screen from the scorching sun. In the cool of the even- ing we generally made fifteen or twenty miles more. Except that good water may always be obtained, there is nothing to render this country superior, in summer, to the burning deserts of Arabia. Salmon are caught in the river, and sometimes in great numbers, but they are neither so plentiful nor so good as in the Columbia ; we obtained occasionally a few from the Indians, to vary our standing dish of horse flesh, boiled, or roasted at the end of a stick; but such is the indolence of these people that they will almost rather starve than incur much labor in fishing. I found great relief from the burning heat by bathing every morning and evening, and, though the practice is certainly enfeebling, yet I doubt if I could at all have prosecuted my journey without it. Monday, 24th. Arrived at the forks of the river at dusk, where we found a camp 'of three different nations, upwards of six hundred men, able to bear arms: these were the Pierced-Nose Indians, the Chawhaptan and the Chamniemucks. The chiefs, or principal men of each tribe, came and stayed with us till late, when they pre- sented us with some favorite horses. Tuesday, 25th. Understanding from my companions that their stay here would be for a few days, I was desir- ous of making a trip to the mountains, distant about sixty miles, and part of the same ridge which I had visited, in a part much to the southeast, during spring. As, how- ever, no arrangement had yet been made with the natives, it was deemed imprudent for me to venture any distance from the camp ; but, on Wednesday a conference being held, which terminated amicably, and with all the pomp and circumstance of singing, dancing, haranguing, and smoking, the whole party being dressed in their best gar- ments, I took advantage of the conclusion of this novel and striking spectacle, to beg the services of one of Mr.