Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 6.djvu/170

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164
F. G. Young.
164

164 DR. JOHN SCOULER. tifull supply of daggers of different shapes. We feasted these people on bread & molasses, & they appeared well pleased with their repast, after it was concluded they left us, after behaving in the most peac[e]able manner. They were all of a very moderate stature, none of them exceeding 5-J- feet. Their hair is long, straight & black, their colour olive, inclining to coppery ; none of them had any beards. Their limbs are straight ; but the gastrocne- mius wants the roundness which is admired in Europeans. The eyes are of a dark colour, & the iris very black, cheek bones rather prominent, face round ; mouth large ; nose rather flat. These characters approximate them in some respects to the Mongolian race, with the ^Etheopii they have manner of affinity. In the afternoon in company with Mr. Douglass I made a short visit to the shore. The first we collected on North American continent was the charming Gaultheria Shallon, in an excellent condition. We then penetrated into those primeval forests never before explored by the curiosity of the botanist. Here the lover of musci & lichens enjoys ample opportunity of studying his favorite plants. The moisture of the climate is very favourable to the growth & variety of these plants & the trees & rocks are covered by them. During this excursion we saw none of our new friends, the Indians. 10th. We landed again in Bakers bay, with the inten- tion of going across Cape Dissapointment to the ocean. In this journey we met with many difficulties, not only from the steapness of the rocks, but from the deap pools of fresh water which were to[o] deap to pass. Our excur- sion was also obstructed by the immense profusion of G. Shallon. The coast to the north of Cape Dissapointment is very precipitous & it is dangerous to climb among them. From their soft nature they are rapidly broken down by the breakers, which wash against them with