Page:Wishram by Henry J. Biddle.djvu/10

120 Now comes a series of travelers, men of the highest intelligence, from whom accurate descriptions of this locality could be expected: David Douglas, Townsend, Nuttall, Wyeth; but they have little or nothing to say that is pertinent to this question.

David Douglas. Journal:

(June 20, 1825.) "Six miles below the Falls the water rushes through several narrow channels,.... It is called by the voyageurs The Dalles."

(Aug. 27, 1826.) "On the Dalles were at least from five hundred to seven hundred persons."

This merely confirms the fact that there was still a large Indian population at this point, but no mention is made of the names of tribes, or villages

Nathaniel J. Wyeth. Journal

(Oct. 24, 1832.) "We are now camped at the Great Dalles......The Indians are thieves but not dangerous......."

The next writer to mention this locality is Farnham, 1839. But as his evidence concerns the linguistic distinctions of the Indians, the writer will pass him by until he discusses that question from the beginning

Sir George Simpson, "An Overland Journey Around the World." (1841, near end of June.) "In the afternoon we reached Les Chutes, where we made a portage ..... As my experience, as well as that of others, had taught me to keep a strict eye on the 'Chivalry of Wishram' always congregated here in considerable numbers, I marshaled our party into three well armed bands,....."

"My own difficulties with these people occurred in 1829 on my upward voyage,...." (He then tells of a threatened attack at Les Chutes.)

"We were hardly ashore (1841), when we were surrounded by about a hundred and fifty savages of several tribes, who were all, however, under the control of one chief; and on this occasion the 'Chivalry of Wishram'