hat his name was _Soto_. We learned from the mouth of the old man
himself, that he was the son of a Spaniard who had been wrecked at the
mouth of the river; that a part of the crew on this occasion got safe
ashore, but were all massacred by the Clatsops, with the exception of
four, who were spared and who married native women; that these four
Spaniards, of whom his father was one, disgusted with the savage life,
attempted to reach a settlement of their own nation toward the south,
but had never been heard of since; and that when his father, with his
companions, left the country, he himself was yet quite young.[H] These
good people having regaled us with fresh salmon, we left them, and
arrived very soon at a rapid, opposite an island, named _Strawberry
Island_ by Captains Lewis and Clarke, in 1806. We left our men at a
large village, to take care of the canoe and baggage; and following our
guide, after walking about two hours, in a beaten path, we came to the
foot of the fall, where we amused ourselves for some time with shooting
the seals, which were here in abundance, and in watching the Indians
taking salmon below the cataract, in their scoop-nets, from stages
erected for that purpose over the eddies. A chief, a young man of fine
person and a good mien, came to us, followed by some twenty others, and
invited us to his wigwam: we accompanied him, had roasted salmon for
supper, and some mats were spread for our night's repose.

[Footnote H: These facts, if they were authenticated, would prove that
the Spaniards were the first who discovered the mouth of the Columbia.
It is certain that long before the voyages of Captains Gray and
Vancouver, they knew at least a part of the course of that river, which
was designated in their maps under the name of _Oregon_.]

The next morning, having ascertained that there was no trading post near
the Falls, and Coalpo absolutely refusing to proceed further, alleging
that the natives of the villages beyond were his enemies, and would not
fail to kill him if they had him in their power, we decided to return to
the encampment. Having, therefore, distributed some presents to our host
(I mean the young chief with whom we had supped and lodged) and to some
of his followers, and procured a supply of fresh salmon for the return
voyage, we re-embarked and reached the camp on the 14th, without
accidents or incidents worth relating.

CHAPTER IX.

Departure of the Tonquin.--Indian Mes