Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 15.djvu/125



JOURNAL OF DAVID THOMPSON 115

cracked horizontally. N. 85 E. 1-3. At end of Course carried about 10 yds., then Co. N. 67 E. 1 m. to a Village of 15 men, here we smoked with them, then Co. N. 58 E. 1^ S. C. Co. + 1*4 m. always steep rocky banks. N. 56 E. 1-5 m., N. 54 E. lJ/ m. plus "fa m. Water has fallen about 10 feet perpend, since we passed. Co. N. 55 E. 1 m. + /4 m - Note this Co. is almost rubbed out and is perhaps N. 55 E. 45 E. to the camp of the Malada. Stopped ^4 hours, then Co. N. 53 E. 1^2 m., N. 62 E. 2-3 when we crossed S. 15 E. ^ m. and in aft. put up at 6% P. M. A Gale ( ?), the sand drifting, little wood, but very quiet (?) Where we crossed the Current, though moderate on the North side, was very strong in the Middle, with shoal rocks and swift on the shore we are. All the land very sandy, without any mixture of earth, and the woods so scarce that all the bits we could gather was barely sufficient to boil a salmon. Everything is full of sand.

August 2nd, Friday. 79 A fine blowy morning, at 5 :05 A. M. set off after having gummed. Course N. 25 E. 1 1-6 m. S. C. Muscle Rapid. Very many of those shells. At end of Co. a Ho. of six men etc. on an island close below about 50 men in a small village, opposite above about 20 men in a small village. We lined up end of Co., then N. 30 E. l^J m., y 2 m. of Course gone opposite where we camped going to the sea, and a river of 80 yards wide on this side named Forks Pass. 80 Course N. 55 E. y* m., S. R. N. 65 E. 1 m., S. R. lined up, measured a salmon of 4 feet 4 inches long and 2.4 inches circumference. He is a fine large fish, rather above the com- mon size. Still along the steep rocky strata with rocky grassy hills rising above and going off in vast plains, though very unequal the first strata may be 100 feet high of the different rocks, the other about 800 feet. Boiled fish. We then set off, two men crossed among the rocky rapids, which is always been since morning of the middle of channel. They seemed hurt that we did not stop at their villages and give them the

79 Mr. Thompson travels about 25 miles today, passing many rapids and small islands, to a camping place near or opposite to Blalock Station, Oregon. He seems to have crossed to the north side again.

80 John Day rivr.