Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 15.djvu/67



JOURNAL OF DAVID THOMPSON 59

July 10th, Wednesday. 24 A fine morning, wind as usual, a gale ahead. At 5 :33 A. M. set off. Co, S. 62 W. 2-^ m. + 2-y 2 m, S. W. l-y 2 m + y 2 m, S. 32 W. 1 m end of course. Put ashore and observation for longitude and time. (Observa- tions not intelligible.)

July 10th continued. We set off Co. S. 60 W. 2/3 m, Co. S. 70 W. 2 m. At 10 :4 A. M. set off having been with Indians who behaved well. Co. S. 15 W. 2-*4 m. There were 82 men with their families measured a canoe of 36 ft. long and 36 inches wide noticed also their seines with large poles and dipping nets in long hoops for the salmon. Co. S. 40 W. X T 4 m, S. 60 W. l-y 2 m. Put ashore at 11 A. M. and boiled salmon and at 11 :44 A. M. set off. Co. S. 60 W. 2 m, plus 3-^2 m to Indians. Set off at 55 P. M. to 80 men and families. At 3 P. M. set off 3 salmon 2 ft. of tobacco. Co. S 38 W. 2 m, S. 75 W. l-y 2 m, N. 75 W. 2->4 m, W. 1/3 m, S. 75 W. \- T /2 m, Co. S. 35 W. 1-^2 m. Beginning of course put ashore at 2 men with a seine and bought 2 salmon at 5 :26 P. M. At 5 :50 P. M. put up with a very storm of wind. We had a strong head gale all day, but in the evening it increased to a storm, the water was swept away like snow. Course for the morrow about S. 40 W. In the last band of men one of them had his nipple cauterized. I saw no others. They danced in a regular manner and by much the best I have seen, all the young in both sexes in two curved lines, backwards and for- wards, the old formed the ranks behind, they made much use of their arms and hands. The dance, song and step were meas- ured by an old chief, some times they sat down at the end of 3', sometimes at the end of 10', but never reposed more than Y-2 a minute, they gently sank down as it were and rose up as regularly, the whole as usual in a grand style. Obs. Merid. Alt. of Saturn 44 50- *4'. Heard news of the American ship's arrival. Lat. 45 44' 54" N.

24 A short day's run of about 40 miles, but much time spent in smoking with the Indians at their fishing camps, and he learns of the arrival of the Tonquin at Astoria with the Astor or Pacific Ftir Company traders. The camp for the night is below Squally Hook, probably near John Day river.