"The Indians Approached Us With Apparent Caution, And Behaved With
More Than Usual Reserve.
Our two chiefs, by whom these circumstances
were not observed, now told us that they wished to return home;
That they could be no longer of any service to us; that they
could not understand the language of the people below the falls;
that those people formed a different nation from their own;
that the two people had been at war with each other;
and that as the Indians had expressed a resolution to attack us,
they would certainly kill them. We endeavored to quiet their fears,
and requested them to stay two nights longer, in which time we would
see the Indians below, and make a peace between the two nations.
They replied that they were anxious to return and see their horses.
We however insisted on their remaining with us, not only in hopes
of bringing about an accommodation between them and their enemies,
but because they might be able to detect any hostile designs
against us, and also assist us in passing the next falls,
which are not far off, and represented as very difficult.
They at length agreed to stay with us two nights longer."
The explorers now arrived at the next fall of the Columbia. Here was
a quiet basin, on the margin of which were three Indian huts.
The journal tells the rest of the story: -
"At the extremity of this basin stood a high black rock, which, rising
perpendicularly from the right shore, seemed to run wholly across the river:
so totally, indeed, did it appear to stop the passage, that we
could not see where the water escaped, except that the current was
seemingly drawn with more than usual velocity to the left of the rock,
where was heard a great roaring. We landed at the huts of the Indians,
who went with us to the top of the rock, from which we had a view
of all the difficulties of the channel. We were now no longer at a loss
to account for the rising of the river at the falls; for this tremendous
rock was seen stretching across the river, to meet the high hills
on the left shore, leaving a channel of only forty-five yards wide,
through which the whole body of the Columbia pressed its way.
The water, thus forced into so narrow a passage, was thrown into whirls,
and swelled and boiled in every part with the wildest agitation.
But the alternative of carrying the boats over this high rock was
almost impossible in our present situation; and as the chief danger
seemed to be, not from any obstructions in the channel, but from
the great waves and whirlpools, we resolved to attempt the passage,
in the hope of being able, by dexterous steering, to descend in safety.
This we undertook, and with great care were able to get through,
to the astonishment of the Indians in the huts we had just passed,
who now collected to see us from the top of the rock.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 113 of 201
Words from 61711 to 62223
of 110166
