, 1853-07-09
Extracts from Wilkes Exploring
Expedition.
I Continued |


At the Cascades, during the fishing sea-
son, there are about three hundred Indians,
only abonl one-tenth of whom are residents
they occupy three lodges bu, there was
formerly large town here Great quaint.
lies Of fish are taken by them and the
manner of doing this resembles that at the
Willamette Falls. They also construct ca
mails, on line parallel with the shore, with
rocks aud stones, for about fifty feet in length,
through which the fish pass in order to avoid
The strong current, and are here taken in
great numbers.
There are two portages here, under the
names Of the new and the old. AT the
first, only half of the load is landed, and
Tho boats arc tracked up for half mile fur
iher, when the load is again shipped. The
boats are then tracked to the old portage.
A strong eddy occurs at this place, which
runs in an opposite direction aud here it is
necessary TO land The whole Of III ecargo ;
after which, the empty boats are again
tracked three quarters Of mile beyond
To a stranger, unacquainted with the
navigation Of this river, the management of
these boatmen becomes a source Of wonder;
for il is surprising how they can succeed in
Surmounting such rapids at all as the Cas-
cAdes. Theirmode of Transporting the goods
and the facilities with which they do it, are
equally novel. The load is secured on the
back Of voyageur by band which pa, ses
round The forehead and under and over the
bale he squalls down, adjusts his load, and
nses with ninety pounds on his back; an
other places ninety pounds more on the Top
and of he trots, half bent, 10 the end Of the
portage. One Of the gentleman of the COM
pany informed me, that he had seen vov-
ageur carry six packages Of ninety pounds
taeh on his back Give hundred and forty
pounds) but it was for a wager, and the
distance was not more than one hundred
yards. The voyageurs in general have not
.ne appearance Of being very strong me<.
ht these portages, the Indians assist for 4
snail present Of tobacco. The boats seldom
escape injury in passing and in cons,
qnence Of that which they received on this
occasion, the party was detained the rest Of
The day repairing damages.
On their starting next morning, they
bund that the boats leaked, and put on
Ihore again to gum them. This operation
Nj. Drayton describes thus. On landing
The goods, the boats arc tracked up and
turned bottom up, when they are suffered to
dFy; two flat-sided pieces Of firewood. about
two ieet long, are then laid together, and
put into the fire, until both are well lighted
and lhe wood burns readily at one end and
10 the space between; they then draw the
lighted end slowly along the gummed seam
Blowing atlhe same time between the sticks
ms melts the gum, and a small spaiula i;
used TO smooth it off and render the sean
quite tight. The common gum Of the pinl
., nemiock is that used and a supply i!
Always carried with them.
A short distance above the Cascades, they
passed the locality of the sunken forest
which was al the time entirely submerged
W. Drsyton, on his return, visited the
p'Sce, and the water had fallen 50 much a!
1e1rose the stumps to view they were o
p.us' and quite rotten, so much 81 that ,hcy
woke when they were taken hold Of. II,