166 T. C. ELLIOTT
railroads in the country, landed us on still another large and luxurious steamboat, "and still the wonder grew," built way up here beyond the mountains, but with every appointment of comfort and luxury that are found in the best of eastern river craft, large state-rooms, long and wide cabins, various and well-served meals. From this point (Celilo), there is unin- terrupted navigation, and daily or tri-weekly steamers running, to Umatilla, eighty-five miles, Wallula, one hundred and ten miles, and to White Bluffs, one hundred and sixty miles, farther up the stream. For six months in the year, boats can and do run way on to Lewiston, on the Snake River branch of the Columbia, which is two hundred and seventy miles beyond Celilo, or five hundred miles from the mouth of the Columbia, as White Bluffs, the head of navigation on the main river, is four hundred miles from the mouth.
"We spent the night on the boat at Celilo, and during the evening the most of the party went back by rail to The Dalles for speeches to the people from Speaker Colfax and Governor Bross. One of the best bits of fun on our journey was im- provised on their return late in the night. Those who had remained on the boat suddenly emerged from their state-rooms, wrapped in the drapery in which they had laid themselves down to sleep, and proceeded to give formal welcome to the entering party. Mr. Richardson addressed the Speaker in an amusing travestie of some familiar points in his own speeches. Mr. Colfax seized the joke, and replied a la Richardson with equal effectiveness. The whole scene and performance was picturesque, and amusing in the highest degree ; and the cabin resounded with boisterous laughter from all sides.
"The next morning, we proceeded thirty or forty miles still farther up the river, till we had got beyond all traces of the collision of the stream with the mountain, and the scenery grew tame and common. Then we turned back, having reached a point two hundred and sixty miles above the mouth of the river, and retraced our passage through the mountains renew- ing our worship and our wonder before the strange and beauti-
