Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 6.djvu/102

96 96 JOURNAL OF DAVID DOUGLAS. est trifle of European manufacture. They have the same garments and dwellings as the people here. As Mr. McLeod tells me that two of his men are going to Fort Vancouver with a despatch on Monday, I mean to accom- pany them, the weather being such as to prevent my botanizing to any advantage ; besides, it is doubtful whether there will be any other opportunity of my re- turning thither before the beginning of March, when I mean to start for the opposite side of the Continent. Thus I have made up my mind to return, and can only express the gratitude I feel toward Mr. McLeod for all the kind- ness and assistance received from this gentleman. 1 Tuesday, 5th to the 7th. All my goods have been packed for- two days, but the heavy rain detains me. As, however, the weather at this season may probably become worse instead of better, I am determined to wait no longer. Started at ten A. M., with John Kennedy, an Irishman, and Fannaux, a Canadian. Mr. McLeod kindly expressed much regret at seeing me depart with a very slender stock of provisions, and that none of the best : a few dried salmon-trout, purchased of the Indians, and a small quan- tity of Indian corn and rice mixed together, which we had brought from Fort Vancouver ; in all, a week's food for three persons. But at this season, I trust there is little to be feared, as we may hope to shoot deer or wild fowl. The late rains rendering the river impassable for loaded horses, we sent our luggage in three small canoes, and camped up the river near the lodges of some Indians, from whom we obtained a small quantity of trout. Wednesday, the 8th. Made little progress, the road be- ing dreadfully bad, and the horses much exhausted with fatigue and poor fare, as there was hardly any grass. i A memorandum in poor Douglas' handwriting in the margin of his journal at this place is, "Remember, on arriving in London, to get him a good rifle-gun as a present."