Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1847-09-28


letter received by our friend W. Mckin-
my from his son now in Oregon. which we
have been requested to publish.-l Eds. Pal.
OREGON CRY, May Sd, ls47.
DEAR PARExrs:-Once more take my pen
TO inform you that arm yet numbered with the
living and to give you few items concerning
Oregon.
On the Seth OF May, 1876, twelve Of US went
aboard Of large sail boat and set sail to see the
Great Pacific Ocean; the first days sail took US
to Linton, poor half starved town on tho VIII
Iamett, consisting Of half dozen log cabins, "a
few miserable families, two old cows, three dogs
and two Indians; next morning left the msera-
BILE place and soon reached the Columbia river
which was then at its height it does not rise I'M
iii the snow mets the mountains, and then
IN, water flows down in torrents and raises II
sixty feet above the common winter level, and it
remains high until the first of August. Went up
tho river to Fort Vancouver to get supply Of
provisions, where saw two ships, one British
man Of war, and tho other Merchant vessel
from LONDON. Left the Fort late in the evening
and sailed twenty miles down the river and halt
ed for tho night. Next morning had TO row a
~aiu,t head winds, but about the wind lull-
cd, and in the evening we passed Houwick-iiiihe'
which means Deer Island, because of the number
of deer that frequent It; from this Island we
could see the snow capped SUBMITS OF Mount
Hood and Mount Rainier High mountains are
here near to the river on both sides. Late IN the
evening came to & oiin Rock, called, because
hundreds of Indians are deposited hero BY way
Of burial if burial it may be called. Nhen an IN
dian dies he and all his clothes, hunting ana hSh-
ing i,npleme nts, placed in Canoe and placed
on a rock or Island in the river and there lett to
decompose in the air, there being no such WORK
among them burying in the ground- Along
tho Columbia, I have seen hundreds OF these bu-
rial Canoes which have been placed on the rocks
and bluffs and the ground thickly strewed win
ruua, homes Coffin Rock is about four hundred
wards across and rises in the middle OF the river
Near night came to the mouth OF Cowitz RIVER
a large stream which comes IN from inc hor'h-
west, and is large enough for Steam Boat ha'i-
cation many miles up it, we went up IL 10 me
Hudson's Bay Company Warehouse, to deliver
some freight, did SO and returned to the Column
bin and proceeded our way. Here HUNDREDS
of water-fowls were gliding down its waters
and occasionally a hugo seal could be seen ioat-
inp OH its surface Thcnty- ninth, had arrived al
YER widens to four or six miles,) they contain
from one aero to several thousand each ana are
,ve,, timbered, the smallest however, are subject
IN overflow when the tide rises. they are III
h,h;ted bv Indians who fish and dig roots for a
subsistence. At noon arrived at Cataiia'iie'
whore a cape put out into the river, from 'i's
point we steered across Grays Bay TO tongue
point, whore a cape puts one mile into tiie river
81
Opposte Gray's Bay is Swan Bay, here inc river
in fifteen miles wide. From the above point we
steered across another Bay to Astoria, where }
7. Astor once had IA Fort and large farm Inc
farm is grown over with bushes and briars, ahc
no,bing is to be seen of the Fort but few post
p;ckets. Tho Hudson's Bay Company has
Fort there now called Fort George. person
Of the name Of WEIGH holds by claim the gronn'
Astoria is on, has laid out a town, three or 100
American families live in it. The river mere !
six miles wide. Spent night at Astoria and wen
into an Indian lodge to see medicine man tryini
to euro sick woman, or in other words soaring
the evil spirit out of her. He was part oil III
time on his knees, holding sack Of tcfors owe
her which they conceive have power over e'i
spirits at times he would sieze her violently b
the neck, arms and legs, and utter loud lame n''
tions as an exorcsm, again he ana three woHe
would beat and punch her severely, during thes
operations, all the Indians present were beatin
on boards with sticks and singing in gutteral tone
a wild song thus they treat disease, they DO nc
take medicine like white people. On the morn
ing of the thirteth left Astoria TO go
Smiths on Young's Bay. and arrived there aftf
passing round point and crossing Bay thre
miles wide, and stopped to get breakfast WIN
at breakfast the usual inquiries passed bstwee
Smith and myself such as what State are yo
from. &C., and l soon found he was Samuel I
Smith, from Richmond, Ia son OF Isaac Smit
Ikuew his citations and gave him the first INFO
NATION he had Of the m since he left home. sta
with him two days and spent the time very agre
ABLY in talking over the times in the States al
about the cool folks Of Richmond. He came he
In 1913. is a cooper by trade and not yet mari
81. The next day after arriving at Smiths,
and went back 10 Astoria to see an Indian &c;
and thanksgiving which takes place once ye'
When the Salmon begin to run they will not s
one Of them until they give some of them in {
fering to the Great Spirit to proPitiate HIM n
he NAV make them successful in fishing the c
suing wear. Hundreds of Salmon were Toas'
before large fires, some boiled and others brollt
when this was done they were placed on boar
and dishes in a row, and the Indians old a
young gathered around and ate like hung
wolves. Smith and were invited to take Sc
with them, we did so, and l ate hearty as II
the best had found While eating threw
bones on the ground instead Of into the fire.
old Souaw who was near me began to pick tn