Part 12 (1/2)

[6] See Townsend's Narrative, pages 137, 138 Both Lewis and Clark and Ross cox substantiate his description; indeed, verycan be seen at the Tumwater Fishery to-day

[7] See Bancroft's _Native Races_, article ”Columbians” A bunch of arrows so poisoned is in the Museu's ”Astoria,” chap xli

CHAPTER III

THE GREAT CAMP ON THE ISLAND

Of different language, form and face, A various race of e of the Gods to-day?” asked Cecil of the young Willah?”

The young Willaht hand above his eyes, looked skyith a strained expression as if gazing up at an ied ”ah-h-h!”

That was all, but it was enough to bring the light to Cecil's eyes and a sudden triuladness to his heart At last he approached the land of his vision, at last he should find the bridge whose wraith had faded before hiht years before!

The Cayuse band had started early thatThe chief Snoqualmie was impatient of delay, and wished to be one of the earliest at the council; he wanted to signalize hile by his loyalty to Multnohter he was to marry and whom he was to succeed as war-chief

The wo the pack-horses; Cecil rode behind the Willa sharply after stragglers,--for soer at the rendezvous and indulge in a little ga with the other bands, ere not to start till later in the day

The young Willamette still rode the pretty little pony whose ears and tail he had so barbarouslywas it and so worn by the journey of the day before In vain did Cecil expostulate With true Indian obtuseness and brutality, the Willamette refused to see why he should be merciful to a horse

”Suppose he rode me, ould _he_ care? Now I ride hiua_ shells, plenty ical answer he plied the whip harder than ever, er and abler horses of the other riders The long train of squaws and warriors wound on down the trail by the river-side In a little while Wishraan to blow; the ever drifting sand of the Colu in their faces They passed the Dalles of the Colu before, wound like a silver thread a the rocks, was found to be a coe,--literally, as it has been described, ”a river turned on edge”

There too they passed the ca to start, but suspended their preparations at the approach of the cavalcade and stood along the path eager to see the white uage of the local tribes beca the head prevailed more and more[9]

Below, the scenery was less barren; the river entered the Cascade Range, and the steep banks, along which wound the trail, grew dark with pines, relieved here and there with brighter verdure They saw bands of Indians on the opposite shore, descending the trail along that side on the way to the council Many were on foot, though so them They were Indians of the nine tribes of the Klickitat, and as yet had but few horses A century later they owned thousands Indian women never accompanied war-parties; and Cecil noticed that soave the to war It had an ominous and doubtful look

At the Wau-coma (place of cottonwoods), the modern Hood River, they found the tribe that inhabited that beautiful valley already on the ether The Wau-comas seemed to be peaceably inclined, for their women ith the Willao no farther, fell beneath hiushed from its nostrils; in a few moments it was dead The Willaood]!” he said, beating it with his whip After venting his anger on it in that way, he strode forward on foot

And now Cecil was all expectation, on the alert for the first sight of the bridge

”Shall we see it soon?” he asked the young Willamette

”When the sun is there, we shall see it,” replied the Indian, pointing to the zenith The sun still lacked several hours of noon, and Cecil had to restrain his impatience as best he could

Just then an incident occurred that for the tie, and made him a powerful enemy where he least desired one

At a narrow place in the trail, the loose horses that were being driven at the head of the coluhtened and ran back upon their drivers In a ether The squaws tried in vain to restore order; it seeeneral stampede Thethem Cecil's old nurse happened to be in Snoqualmie's way The horse she rode was slow and obstinate; and when she attempted to turn aside to let Snoqualmie pass he would not obey the rein, and the chief's as blocked To Snoqual, and he raised his whip and struck her across the face

Like a flash, Cecil caught the chief's rein and lifted his ohip