, 1853-08-06
Extracts from Wilkes Exploring
Expedition.

PUGET SOUND AND oKONAGAN.
1911.


1911.
During the day, they crossed the Stchna
IN the evening, after making sixteen miles,
they eneamped at the Junction of the Puyal.
lup with the UpIhascap.
On the 22d, their route lay along the
banks Of the Upthascap,, which is a much
wider stream than the Puyallup A short
distance up, they came to a iish-weir, con-
Strueled as the one heretofore described on
the Gehalis, though much smaller
This part Of the country abounds with
afbor vita trees, some of which were found
10 b, thirty feet in circumference at the
height of four feet from the ground, and up,
wards Of one hundred feet high. Nolwith-
Standing the many difficulties encountered,
lhey this day made about Twelve miles.
On The morning OF the 23d, just as they
were about 10 leave their camp, their men
brought in a deer, which was soon skinned
and packed away on the horses This was
the first large game they had obtained, hav-
ing previously got only few grouse.
They had now reached the Smalocho,
which runs 10 the westward, and is sixty
FIVE feet wide; its depth was found 10 be-
four feet and half, which, as it was also
rapid, was TOO great for the horses to ford
and carry their loads. The Indians now be-
came seryceable to them. Lieut.. johnson
had engaged several that were met on their
way, and they now amounted to. thirteen,
who appeared for time lively and contents
ed This, however, was but forcrunuer
ol discomfort, aud refusc to 60 any far
lher; but with coaxing and threatening they
we're induced 10 proceed.
The road or way, after passing the river,
was over succession Of deep valleys and
hills, so steep that It was difficult for a horse
70 get up and over them with load, and the
illl Of horse became a common occurrence.
They were all, however, recovered without
injury, although ono Of them fell upwards
q one hundred feet yet in consequence Of
hsfall having been repeatedly broken by the
shrubs and tFees, he reached the bottom
without injurylo himself, but with the loss
Of his load, consisting Of their camp uten-
Ills, &c, which were swept of by The rap
ID current Of the river.
The route lay, for several days, through
forests Of spruce, and some Of the trees that
had fallen measured two bundled and sixty
FIVE feet in length. One Of these, at the
height Of ten feet from the roots, measured
ihlry-6ve feet in circnmfnrnce and at
he end which had been broken Off in its
hf, it was found to Ee eightecu inches in
diameter, which would make the tree little
shoh ofthree hundred feet long when il was
growing. The stems Of all these trees w2re
clear Of branches to the height OF ono humid
I'd and fifty feet from the ground, and per-
lsctly straight. In many cases it was I'M
posble to see over the fallen trees, even
when on horseback, and on these, seedlings
were growing luxurianily forcing their roots
lnrough the bark and over the body Of the
Tunk I'LL they reached the ground. Many
spruees were seen which had grown in this
way and these, though Of considerable size,
hlll retained the form Of an arch, showing
where the old tree had lain, and under
winch they occasionally rode AS may he
supposed, they could not ddvancc very rap
idly over H'ch ground, aud IirutcnantJ lhu.
NTrcmarksi that athouchhc va,frcu~rt-