More About Astorians 355 traders. He was about forty years of age, six feet two inches high, straight as an Indian, with an elastic step as if he trod on springs, and a handsome, open, manly countenance. It was his boast that in his younger days, nothing could hurt or daunt him, but he had 'lived too fast,' and injured his constitution by his excesses. Still he was strong of hand, bold of heart, a prime woodsman, and an almost unerring shot. He had the frank spirit of a Virginian and the thorough heroism of a pioneer of the West." In November, 1810, John Day met the Hunt overland party in winter quarters at the Nodaway, and was in- duced to join them in the enterprise. In the following December, while on the way to Astoria, he became so ill that Mr. Hunt was compelled to leave him behind, near Weiser, Idaho, on the banks of the Snake river. Ramsay Crooks remained with him, and to this kindness John Day owed his life. The following Spring the two men made their way across the Blue Mountains to the Co- lumbia river. They suffered many hardships, were rob- bed by the Indians of everything and left naked near the mouth of a river which has ever since been called the John Day river. They were finally rescued by Robert Stuart and his party and taken to Astoria, arriving there in May, 1812. Day started with the Stuart party returning to St. Louis, but before proceeding very far he became violently insane, and was left with some Indians who promised to take him back to Astoria. Irving said he died within a year, but in this was, of course, mistaken. For, after the sale of the Pacific Fur Company, Day entered the service of the North West Company and remained with that com- pany in the Upper Snake Country until his death in 1820. For a time there seemed to be some question about the identity of the John Day of the North West Company, but the finding of the will, which was probated in Chau- tauqua County, New York, October 29, 1836, settled the
