heir promise, they had
quitted _Chinook_ point, in spite of the remonstrances of the chief,
_Comcomly_, who sought to detain them by pointing out the danger to
which they would expose themselves in crossing the bay in such a heavy
sea as it was; that they had scarcely made more than a mile and a half
before a huge wave broke over their boat and capsized it; that the
Indians, aware of the danger to which they were exposed, had followed
them, and that, but for their assistance, Mr. M'Dougal, who could not
swim, would inevitably have been drowned; that, after the Chinooks had
kindled a large fire and dried their clothes, they had been conducted by
them back to their village, where the principal chief had received them
with all imaginable hospitality, regaling them with every delicacy his
wigwam afforded; that, in fine, if they had got back safe and sound to
the vessel, it was to the timely succor and humane cares of the Indians
whom we saw before us that they owed it. We liberally rewarded these
generous children of the forest, and they returned home well satisfied.

This last survey was also fruitless, as Messrs. M'Dougal and Stuart did
not find an advantageous site to build upon. But, as the captain wished
to take advantage of the fine season to pursue his traffic with the
natives along the N.W. coast, it was resolved to establish ourselves on
Point _George_, situated on the south bank, about fourteen or fifteen
miles from our present anchorage. Accordingly, we embarked on the 12th,
in the long-boat, to the number of twelve, furnished with tools, and
with provisions for a week. We landed at the bottom of a small bay,
where we formed a sort of encampment. The spring, usually so tardy in
this latitude, was already far advanced; the foliage was budding, and
the earth was clothing itself with verdure; the weather was superb, and
all nature smiled. We imagined ourselves in the garden of Eden; the wild
forests seemed to us delightful groves, and the leaves transformed to
brilliant flowers. No doubt, the pleasure of finding ourselves at the
end of our voyage, and liberated from the ship, made things appear to us
a great deal more beautiful than they really were. Be that as it may, we
set ourselves to work with enthusiasm, and cleared, in a few days, a
point of land of its under-brush, and of the huge trunks of pine-trees
that covered it, which we rolled, half-burnt, down the bank. The vessel
came to moor near our encampment, and