THE SETTLEMENT AT ASTORIA.* THE Columbia, or Oregon, for the distance of thirty or forty miles from its entrance into the sea, is, properly speaking, a mere estuary, indented by deep bays so as to vary from three to seven miles in width; and is rendered extremely intricate and dangerous by shoals reaching nearly from shore to shore, on which, at times, the winds and currents produce foaming and tumultuous breakers. The mouth of the river proper is but about half a mile wide, formed by the contracting shores of the estuary. The entrance from the sea, as we have already observed, is bounded on the south side by a flat sandy spit of land, stretching into the This is commonly called Point Adams. The opposite, or northern side, is Cape Disappointment; a kind of peninsula, terminating in a steep knoll or promontory crowned with a forest of pine trees, and connected with the main-land by a low and narrow neck. Immediately within this cape is a wide, open bay, terminating at Chinook Point, so called from a neighboring tribe of Indians. This was called Baker's Bay, and here the Tonquin ocean. was anchored. The natives inhabiting the lower part of the river, and with whom the company was likely to have the most frequent inter * From Astoria. course, were divided at this time into four tribes, the Chinooks, Clatsops, Wahkiacums, and Cathlamahs. They resembled each other in person, dress, language, and manner; and were probably from the same stock, but broken into tribes, or rather hordes, by those feuds and schisms frequent among Indians. These people generally live by fishing. It is true they occasionally hunt the elk and deer, and ensnare the waterfowl of their ponds and rivers, but these are casual luxuries. Their chief subsistence is derived from the salmon and other fish which abound in the Columbia and its tributary streams, aided by roots and herbs, especially the wappatoo, which is found on the islands of the river. As the Indians of the plains who depend upon the chase are bold and expert riders, and pride themselves upon their horses, so these piscatory tribes of the coast excel in the management of canoes, and are never more at home than when riding upon the waves. Their canoes vary in form and size. Some are upwards of fifty feet long, cut out of a single tree, either fir or white cedar, and capable of carrying thirty persons. They have thwart pieces from side to side about three inches thick, and their gunwales flare outwards, so as to cast off the surges of the waves. The bow and stern are decorated with grotesque figures of men and animals, sometimes five feet in height. In managing their canoes they kneel two and two along the bottom, sitting on their heels, and wielding paddles from four to five feet long, while one sits on the stern and steers with a paddle of the same kind. The women are equally expert with the men in managing the canoe, and generally take the helm. It is surprising to see with what fearless unconcern these savages venture in their light barks upon the roughest and most THE SETTLEMENT AT ASTORIA. tempestuous seas. They seem to ride upon the waves like seafowl. Should a surge throw the canoe upon its side and endanger its overturn, those to windward lean over the upper gunwale, thrust their paddles deep into the wave, apparently catch the water and force it under the canoe, and by this action not merely regain an equilibrium, but give their bark a vigorous impulse forward. The effect of different modes of life upon the human frame and human character is strikingly instanced in the contrast between the hunting Indians of the prairies, and the piscatory Indians of the sea-coast. The former, continually on horseback scouring the plains, gaining their food by hardy exercise, and subsisting chiefly on flesh, are generally tall, sinewy, meagre, but well formed, and of bold and fierce deportment; the latter, lounging about the river banks, or squatting and curved up in their canoes, are generally low in stature, ill-shaped, with crooked legs, thick ankles, and broad flat feet. They are inferior also in muscular power and activity, and in game qualities and appearance, to their hard-riding brethren of the prairies. Having premised these few particulars concerning the neighboring Indians, we will return to the immediate concerns of the Tonquin and her crew. Further search was made for Mr. Fox and his party, but with no better success, and they were at length given up as lost. In the mean time, the captain and some of the partners explored the river for some distance in a large boat, to select a suitable place for the trading post. Their old jealousies and differences continued; they never could coincide in their choice, and the captain objected altogether to any site so high up the river. They all returned, therefore, to Baker's Bay in no very good humor. The partners proposed to examine the opposite shore, but the captain by som to ride on the waves like scr it under a surge throw the canoe rpon its side and endangei ch, they to workward lean over the upper gunwale, their padli »s deep into the ware, apparently catch the witer rator, and by this cation not merely r an eqp” oriun, but give the bark a vigorous impulse forvaza dent of diferent modes of life upon the human fra imaeter is strikingly instanced in the contrast be ing Trans of the prairies, and the precat sta-coast. The former, continually on horseback e plains, gairing their food ; hardy exercise, an subsisting en fly on flesh, generally tall, sinewy, meagre, "de well formed, and of bold and fierce deportiment; the e legit, about the river bks, or squatting and curved in 1 Thor caur es, are generally low in statue, ill-shaped, with cosi d lege thick kles, an 1 broad flufiot. They are inferior also a ma-cubo power and activity, and in gune qualities an! CIM ance, to their bard-riding brethren of the prairies. Having przyůst these few particulars concerning the righ herba fedang, we will return to the immediate concerns of .. 1: I ear was made for Mr. Fox and his party, but with wid they were at length given up as lot. captain and vorne of the partners explored tur Distance in a le boat, to select a suitable C ole, post. Their old jealousies and differences cout dr ey never could coincide in their choice, and the ill ed altogether to any site so high up the river. They all med. therefore, to Baker's Bay in no very good humor proposed to examine the opposite shore, but the captain TH |