Page:The Columbia river , or, Scenes and adventures during a residence of six years on the western side of the Rocky Mountains among various tribes of Indians hitherto unknown (Volume 1).djvu/139

 taken it, the piece went off, and the contents lodged in the calf of poor Pillet's leg, who naturally enough exclaimed he was shot. This was, however, in our present circumstances, a disagreeable event, as it rendered Mr. Pillet not only incapable of fighting, but required three or four men to carry him in a litter over the various portages. The wound was dressed with friar's balsam and lint; the ball extracted the next day; and in about a month afterwards he was table to walk.

We commenced proceedings at four o'clock on the morning of the 6th, and finished the portage about two in the afternoon. During our progress the Indians occasionally hovered about the loaded men, and made two or three trifling essays to pilfer them: but the excellent precautions we had adopted completely kept them in check, and deterred them from attempting any thing like forcible robbery. At the upper end of the portage, and while we were reloading the canoes, a number of the natives, several of whom were armed, assembled about us: they conducted themselves peaceably; but our numbers and warlike arrangements enforced respect. The dress of the men does not differ materially from that of the Lower Indians; but they are incon