CHAPTER XIV.

CONTENTS.

RETURN FROM THE SURVEYS-NEW LAND EXPEDITION FITTED OUT-LEAVE-TAKING DEPARTURE FROM NISQUALLY ANXIETY RESPECTING THE PEACOCK PRAISEWORTHY SPIRIT OF THE OFFICERS AND CREW-VASHON'S ISLAND-NEW DUNGENESS -THE PORPOISE JOINS THE VINCENNES-OPERATIONS OF THE PORPOISE-COMMENCEMENT BAY-PORT ORCHARD-PORT MADISON-CATHOLIC MISSION-METEOR-PENN'S COVE - GOOD EFFECTS OF THE MISSIONARY EFFORTS - FORTIFICATIONS OF THE INDIANS-MINERAL SPRING-PORT GARDNER-SACHET INDIANS THEIR DRESS-THEIR DISEASES-DECEPTION PASSAGE-PASSAGE INTO BELLINGHAM BAY-INDIAN TRIBESFRASER'S RIVER-PLANS OF FURTHER OPERATIONS-BOAT EXPEDITION ACROSS THE STRAITS NEWS OF THE LOSS OF THE PEACOCK-CHANGE OF PLANS-MESSAGE SENT TO ASTORIA-VINCENNES AND PORPOISE SAIL FROM NEW DUNGENESS-PORT SCAR. BOROUGH - CLASSET INDIANS-THEIR MODE OF TAKING WHALES-DEPARTURE FROM THE STRAITS OF DE FUCA-DE FUCA'S PILLAR-PORPOISE PARTS COMPANY-SOUNDINGS ON THE COAST-CAPE DISAPPOINTMENT · SHIP OROZIMBO - MEETING WITH CAPTAIN HUDSON-SAILING DIRECTIONS FOR THE COLUMBIA RIVER-DETAILS OF THE PEACOCK'S DISASTER - WANT OF GOOD PILOTS— PERILOUS POSITION OF THE PEACOCK'S BOATS-ALL THE OFFICERS AND CREW SAFELY LANDED-THEIR KIND RECEPTION BY THE OFFICERS OF THE HUDSON BAY COMPANY AND THE MISSIONARIES— NEW DISPOSITION OF THE SQUADRON - PORPOISE ENTERS THE COLUMBIA RIVER – VINCENNES SAILS FOR SAN FRANCISCO.

CHAPTER XIV.

DE FUCA'S STRAITS AND LOSS OF THE PEACOCK.

1841.

WHEN Lieutenant Johnson returned with his party, I was still engaged with the boats in completing the surveys of the remaining arms of Puget Sound. Orders had been left with Lieutenant Carr, to have the ships prepared for sea against the return of the surveying party; and on the evening of the 16th June, when we reached the Vincennes, we found every thing ready for our departure.

Lieutenant Johnson was again ordered to fit out a party to proceed across the country to Chickeeles river, descend that river to its mouth, and make a survey of Gray's Harbour. The party, besides Lieutenant Johnson, was to consist of Passed Midshipman Eld, Mr. Brackenridge, Sergeant Stearns, three sailors, and two Indian guides. I had understood that the proposed route was practicable, although difficult and somewhat dangerous.

On the 17th, in the morning, we were prepared to sail; but the party of which Lieutenant Johnson was to take charge was not ready, that officer at the last moment declining to obey the orders, (on account of my directing the officer associated with him, Passed Midshipman Eld, to be consulted as to the propriety of abandoning public property, should it become necessary,) caused his arrest. These orders have been inserted in Appendix XIV., that all may be able to judge of their tenor. Passed Midshipman Eld was then ordered to take charge of the party, and Passed Midshipman Colvocoressis to accompany him. We had already taken leave of Mr. Anderson and Captain M'Niel, and I have here to acknowledge the obligations we were under to them for many attentions, and particularly for the facilities they afforded us in the equipment of the land-parties, and the hospitalities they extended to both officers and crew.

The breeze sprung up at two o'clock, when the anchor was hove up and sail made. The change in the organization of the land party delayed us for a short time, but the gentlemen whom I had appointed to it were ready in a few minutes, and left the ship, upon which we immediately bore away to the Narrows.

It is no more than justice to Messrs. Eld and Colvocoressis, to acknowledge the promptness and good spirit with which they undertook the duty thus unexpectedly assigned them, and I take the same occasion to state that the manner in which they performed their task, and overcame the many difficulties which impeded its execution, merit my warmest thanks.

It would be difficult to give the reader an idea of the anxieties that beset me at this juncture. Day after day had passed in the anxious expectation of receiving news of the Peacock and Flying-Fish, until a conviction became general, with both officers and crew, that some serious accident had occurred to one or both of them, among the dangerous coral reefs and islands they had been sent to explore. They were now three months later than the time appointed for their arrival at the Columbia river.

For my own part, after reviewing the whole of the duties assigned. to Captain Hudson in my instructions, and again estimating the time necessary to fulfil them, I could not but apprehend, from the length to which his voyage was protracted, that disaster had occurred. In this state of feeling, the officers of the Vincennes showed a highly commendable spirit, and aware that additional labours were thus to be thrown upon them, strained every nerve to avoid any further loss of time. The officers of the Porpoise, as I was informed by LieutenantCommandant Ringgold, manifested an equally praiseworthy spirit.

With the aid of both wind and tide, we succeeded in getting through the pass at the Narrows before dark, and when this was effected, I anchored under Vashon's Island for the night.

The next day we made but little progress, owing to light winds, and a strong tide against us.

On the 19th, we anchored off Port Lawrence and near the entrance to Hood's Canal, and on the 20th came to anchor in New Dungeness Roads, which I had assigned for a rendezvous with the Porpoise, which vessel joined us on the same day.

I shall now revert for a short time to the surveying operations, performed under instructions embraced in my orders of the 11th of May, which will be found in Appendix XI.

On the 15th of May, the Porpoise left Nisqually, and anchored the

first night near the point where the surveys were to begin, but outside of the Narrows.

The first bay at the bottom of Admiralty Sound was termed Commencement Bay. Into this, the Puyallup, a small river, which, it will be recollected, was passed by Lieutenant Johnson, ten or twelve miles from Nisqually, falls. Commencement Bay affords anchorage, and a supply of wood and water may be obtained. The Puyallup forms a delta, and none of the branches into which it is divided are large enough for the entrance of a boat. The Indians were at this season of the year to be found on almost all the points, and were the same filthy creatures that have been before described.

The Porpoise was engaged until the 20th in surveying Admiralty Sound to the end of Vashon's Island, and on the afternoon of that day anchored in the Port Orchard of Vancouver.

Port Orchard is one of the most beautiful of the many fine harbours on these inland waters, and is perfectly protected from the winds. The only danger is a reef of rocks, which is nearly in the middle of the entrance. The sheet of water is very extensive, and is surrounded by a large growth of trees, with here and there a small prairie covered by a verdant greensward, and with its honeysuckles and roses just in bloom, resembling a well-kept lawn. The soil is superior to that of most places around the sound, and is capable of yielding almost any kind of production. The woods seemed alive with squirrels, while tracks on the shore and through the forest showed that the larger class of animals also were in the habit of frequenting them.

The next nine days were employed in surveying Port Orchard, which consists of two inner and an outer harbours. The former, although the entrance is by a strait not more than two hundred yards wide, is from two to six miles in width, and extends for a distance of fifteen miles. The water was found deep enough for the largest class of vessels, with a bold shore and good anchorage. LieutenantCommandant Ringgold made a set of magnetic observations here. Near the anchorage were seen three canoes propped on trees, containing the bodies of Indians. These were visited by Dr. Holmes, who procured a Flathead skull. The bodies were found wrapped firmly in matting, beneath which was a white blanket, closely fastened round the body, and under this a covering of blue cotton. Near by, on stages, were boxes about three feet square, supposed to