The “mighty hunter” of the Lewis and Clark expedition was Drewyer, whose name has frequently been mentioned in these pages.  Under date of January 12, the journal has this just tribute to the man:—­

“Our meat is now becoming scarce; we therefore determined to jerk it, and issue it in small quantities, instead of dividing it among the four messes, and leaving to each the care of its own provisions; a plan by which much is lost, in consequence of the improvidence of the men.  Two hunters had been despatched in the morning, and one of them, Drewyer, had before evening killed seven elk.  We should scarcely be able to subsist, were it not for the exertions of this most excellent hunter.  The game is scarce, and nothing is now to be seen except elk, which for almost all the men are very difficult to be procured; but Drewyer, who is the offspring of a Canadian Frenchman and an Indian woman, has passed his life in the woods, and unites, in a wonderful degree, the dexterous aim of the frontier huntsman with the intuitive sagacity of the Indian, in pursuing the faintest tracks through the forest.  All our men, however, have indeed become so expert with the rifle that we are never under apprehensions as to food; since, whenever there is game of any kind, we are almost certain of procuring it.”

The narrative of the explorers gives this account of the Chinooks:—­

“The men are low in stature, rather ugly, and ill made; their legs being small and crooked, their feet large, and their heads, like those of the women, flattened in a most disgusting manner.  These deformities are in part concealed by robes made of sea-otter, deer, elk, beaver or fox skins.  They also employ in their dress robes of the skin of a cat peculiar to this country, and of another animal of the same size, which is light and durable, and sold at a high price by the Indians who bring it from above.  In addition to these are worn blankets, wrappers of red, blue, or spotted cloth, and some old sailors’ clothes, which are very highly prized.  The greater part of the men have guns, with powder and ball.

“The women have in general handsome faces, but are low and disproportioned, with small feet and large legs, occasioned, probably, by strands of beads, or various strings, drawn so tight above the ankles as to prevent the circulation of the blood.  Their dress, like that of the Wahkiacums, consists of a short robe and a tissue of cedar bark.  Their hair hangs loosely down the shoulders and back; and their ears, neck, and wrists are ornamented with blue beads.  Another decoration, which is very highly prized, consists of figures made by puncturing the arms or legs; and on the arms of one of the squaws we observed the name of J. Bowman, executed in the same way.  In language, habits, and in almost every other particular, they resemble the Clatsops, Cathlamahs, and, indeed, all the people near the mouth of the Columbia, though they appeared to be inferior