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/218

 news. A remnant of a newspaper is invaluable; and even an auctioneer's advertisement, or a quack-doctor's puff is read with interest.

We reached Astoria on the 11th of October, having travelled from the 5th of July upwards of two thousand three hundred miles. We remained here till the latter end of the month in the expectation of seeing the "Isaac Tod;" but as that vessel did not arrive, the proprietors determined to send a strong party to the interior with a supply of such goods as the fort could furnish for the winter's trade. The necessary arrangements being completed, we set off on the 29th of October. Our party consisted of Messrs. John Stuart, Donald Mackenzie, Joseph M'Gillivray, La Rocque, M'Donald, Read, and the author, with fifty-five men. On arriving at the first rapids few Indians made their appearance; and from their peaceable demeanour, we did not think it necessary to observe our usual caution in guarding the portages. We passed the first unmolested, and had carried about one-third of the goods over the second, when we were alarmed by a loud cry, and immediately after one of the men appeared, and stated that he and another man had been attacked by a large party of the natives, who had knocked them down, and