The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-07-17

than indictments TO the ingenuity OF provide
resources against them The OF snow is time
of cheerulness in every land OF the north In Denmark
Russia and Canada when the rivers close up business
is laid by for the next six months; and the time OF dan
eng driving. and feasting begins Food is the great
requisite when that is found, everything follows
In addition 10 agriculture or in place OF it, the settlers
particularly those OF mixed origin, devote the sum
mer the autumn, and sometimes the winter also, to the
hunting OF the buffalo, bringing home quantities OF
pemmcan, dried meat, grease tongues, &c. for which
the company and yoyagng business affords the best mar
ket
The party now proceeded still with their faces turned
the west and marched for days over an immense
prairie which seemed 10 them to have been once the
bottom Of huge lake.
Human nature left to itself, is fierce and frghtfu
thing; and the stories of savage life nearly all of the
same cabre, and all exhibit dreadful love of revenge
About twenty years ago, large encampment of Black
feet and others had been formed in those prres for the
purpose of hunting The warriors however, growing
incurson into the lands Of the Assinabons They left
behind them the old men with the women and children
After successful campaign, they turned their steps
homewads loaded with scalps and other spols and on
reaching the top OF the ridge that overlooked their camp
they gave note of their approach by the usual shouts OF
victory But no shou, answered and on descending to
tered The Asslnabons had been there to take their
Yenge. a.,
On behoding the dismal scene, the triumphant
cast away their spos, arms and clothing and then,
putting on robes OF leather, and smeaiing their heads
with mud they betook themselves to the hills for three
days and nights to howl and moan and cut their flesh
1t is observed that this mode OF expressing public grief
bears striking resemblance to the customs of the Jews
The tract towards Fort Vancouver exhibited country
which may yet make great figure IN the American
world--immeise valleys sheltered by mountain ridges,
and containing lakes In one instance their tents
were pitched in valley OF about five hundred
closed by mountains three sides, and lake the
fourth From the edge of the there arose gentle
descent of six eight hundred feet, covered with vines
and composed OF the accumulated fragments oil the heights
above; and the upper border of this slope there stood
perpendicular walls OF granite of three four thousand
feet high, while among those dizzy attitudes the goats
and sheep bounded in playful SECURITY This deile had
they had met few days before had been tracked into
the valley along with his wife and family, by five
him. the gave himself up for lost observing to the
woman that they could die but once they had better
die without resistance The wife, however, said that
to defend it,, and sung the action to the word the
heroic wife brought the foremost of the enemy down to
the ground by bullet, while the husband disposed of
two others by two arrows, The fourth warrior was
rushing the woman with upifteh tomahawk when he
stumbled and fell She dared forward and buried her
knife in his heart The sole surviving assailant now
turned and fled, dlschaging however, a bullet which
wounded the man IN the arm.
, They had now reached that rocky range from which
the eastern and western rivers Of those mighty provinces
take their common departure. Here they estimated the
height Of the pass to be eight thousand feet
above sealevel while the peaks seemed to be nearly half
that height above their heads.
Or COURSE The party often felt the torture of mosuu
Toes, but one valley was preemnenty infested with
those tomentors that man and beast alike preferred be-
uiS nearly win IN which they
for the sake of escaping their stngs But we advert to
this common plague OF all forest travel only for its le
gendary honors.
"The Canadians vented their curses against the q, n
MAID, who had the credit of having brought the scouge
upon EARTH by praying for something to fill up the eis
ure OF her single bessedncss" And if, as the author
observes. the tomentors would conine themselves to
nunnerles and nonaseries, the world might some
thing more of the fitness of things in the matter"
Az me close OF August the party reached Fort Vancou
ver having crossed the continent by route of FIVE thou
| SAND miles, IN twelve weeks travelling
They now made visit to the Russian American Com
panys establishment OF New Archangel This exhibit
I'VE sailing vessels from $50 to $50 tons besides large
bark m the ong in tow of steamer which brought adj
VICES from ST petersbugh down TO The END OF april An
officer came OFT conveying Governor Eholnes compli-
mens and welcome The party landed and were receiv-
ed IN the residence situated on the top of rock The
governors dwelling consisted of suite of apartments COM
municating according to the Russian fashion with
other, All the public rooms being handsomely decorated
and richly furnished 1t commanded view OF the whole
establishment which was in fact, little village About
af way down the rock two batteries frowned respective
over the land and the water Behind the bay arise STU
Pendous piles OF conical mountains with submits of ever
lasting snow. To seaward, Mount Edgecombe, also in
the form OF cone, It's trunk headed peak still re-
membered as the source of smoke and fame lava and
asnes, but now the repository of the SHOWS of age
10 return the visit to Sir George on board his steamer
The party were invited Shore where they were intro
duced TO Madame e. Etholine pretty and ladylike
man. native OF Finland They then visited the schools
IN which there were twenty boys and many girls the
boys intended chiefly for the naval service nor did
religion seem to be neglected any than education
The Greek church had its bishop fifteen priests deacons
and followers and the Lutherans had their clergyman
Inc eccesiastcs were all maintained by the imperial
government Such is Ska, the principal depot of the
RUSSIAN American Company 1t has various subordinate
establishments The operations of the company are be.
coming more extensive and at this period the returns of
the trade amounted to about 25 900 skins of beavers Of
tiers, foxes, &c.
Among the company at the Russian governors, was a
breed native, who had been the leader of an exped
equipped some years ago, for the discovery of what
would here be styled the northeast passage The Rus
slams reached Point Barrow shortly after the cypedon
under Mr. Thomas Simpson had reached the same point
from the opposite direction The climate seems TO be su
ceny trying and during the four days at Ska there
was nearly one continued fall of rain The weather was
cod and s4ualy snow had fallen and the channels were
Taversed by restless masses which had broken off from
the glaciers In Short nothing could exceed the drear
ness of the coast
This shore, of which so much has been said and writ
Ten during the late Oregon negotiations, is described as
the very for the steamboat Here are the straits o
Juan de Fuca and here Admiral Fonte penetrated mn The
more northern inets They the very region made for
e steamboat as IN the case of sailing vessel their dan
gers and delay would have been triple and ouadruped
but Steam has also power almost superso,Is on the
minds OF the natives besides acting on their fears Il has
IN great measure subducd their love of robbery and
violence 1t has given the savage a new sense Of The
superiority of his white brother
striking instance OF this feeling is given After the
arrival oil the emgrants from Red river, their gude an
Indian, took short trip in the Beaver. When asked
what he thought Of her, f" Don't ask me-" was his reply
cannot speak my friends will think that tell lies
fools, and know nothing. can see that the iron ma
chnery makes the ship go, but cannot see what makes
the iron machinery itself 60" This man though INTEL
iigen and partly civilized nevertheless so full OF