Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 6.djvu/94

 ten o'clock I started, still shivering with cold, though I had rubbed myself so hard with a handkerchief before the fire that I could no longer endure the pain. Shortly after, I was siezed with intense headache, pain in the stomach, giddiness, and dimness of sight. All my medicine being reduced to a few grains of calomel, I felt unwilling, without absolute necessity, to take to this last resource, and therefore threw myself into a violent perspiration by strong exercise, and felt somewhat relieved towards evening, before which time I arrived at three lodges of Indians, who gave me some fish. The food was such as I could hardly have eaten, if my destitution were less; still I was thankful for it, especially as the poor people had nothing else to offer me. The night being dry, I camped early, in order to dry the remaining part of my clothing.

Thursday, the 26th.—Weather dull, cold, and cloudy. When my friends in England are made acquainted with my travels, I fear they will think that I have told them nothing but my miseries. This may be very true; but I now know, as they may do also, if they choose to come here on such an expedition, that the objects of which I am in quest can not be obtained without labour, anxiety of mind, and no small risk of personal safety, of which latter statement my this day's adventures are an instance. I quitted my camp early in the morning, to survey the neighboring country, leaving my guide to take charge of the horses until my return in the evening, when I found that he had done as I wished, and in the interval dried some wet paper which I had desired him to put in order. About an hour's walk from my camp, I met an Indian, who on perceiving me, instantly strung his bow, placed on his left arm a sleeve of Raccoon skin, and stood on the defensive. Being quite satisfied that this conduct was prompted by fear and not by hostile intentions, the poor fellow having probably never seen such a being as myself