stuff, much of which had been spoiled by the rain which had prevailed for the past ten days.  Their fish also was no longer fit to eat, and they were indeed in poor case.  Captain Lewis was out on a prospecting trip, and the party set out and found a beach through which a pleasant brook flowed to the river, making a very good camping-place.  At the mouth of this stream was an ancient Chinook village, which, says the journal, “has at present no inhabitants but fleas.”  The adventurers were compelled to steer wide of all old Indian villages, they were so infested with fleas.  At times, so great was the pest, the men were forced to take off all their clothing and soak themselves and their garments in the river before they could be rid of the insects.  The site of their new camp was at the southeast end of Baker’s Bay, sometimes called Haley’s Bay, a mile above a very high point of rocks.  On arriving at this place, the voyagers met with an unpleasant experience of which the journal gives this account:—­

“Here we met Shannon, who had been sent back to meet us by Captain Lewis.  The day Shannon left us in the canoe, he and Willard proceeded till they met a party of twenty Indians, who, having never heard of us, did not know where they (our men) came from; they, however, behaved with so much civility, and seemed so anxious that the men should go with them toward the sea, that their suspicions were excited, and they declined going on.  The Indians, however, would not leave them; the men being confirmed in their suspicions, and fearful that if they went into the woods to sleep they would be cut to pieces in the night, thought it best to pass the night in the midst of the Indians.  They therefore made a fire, and after talking with them to a late hour, laid down with their rifles under their heads.  As they awoke that morning they found that the Indians had stolen and concealed their guns.  Having demanded them in vain, Shannon seized a club, and was about assaulting one of the Indians, whom he suspected as a thief, when another Indian began to load a fowling-piece with the intention of shooting him.  He therefore stopped, and explained by signs that if they did not give up the guns a large party would come down the river before the sun rose to such a height, and put every one of them to death.  Fortunately, Captain Lewis and his party appeared at this time.  The terrified Indians immediately brought the guns, and five of them came on with Shannon.  To these men we declared that if ever any one of their nation stole anything from us, he should be instantly shot.  They reside to the north of this place, and speak a language different from that of the people higher up the river.

“It was now apparent that the sea was at all times too rough for us to proceed further down the bay by water.  We therefore landed, and having chosen the best spot we could select, made our camp of boards from the old (Chinook) village.  We were now situated comfortably, and being visited by four Wahkiacums with wappatoo-roots, were enabled to make an agreeable addition to our food.”