CHAPTER VIII.
Mouth of the Columbia.- The Native Tribes.- Their Fishing.- Their Canoes.- Bold
Navigators- Equestrian Indians and Piscatory Indians, Difference in Their Physical
Organization.- Search for a Trading Site. - Expedition of M'Dougal and David Stuart-
Comcomly, the OneEyed Chieftain.- Influence of Wealth in Savage Life.- Slavery
Among the Natives.-An Aristocracy of Flatheads.- Hospitality Among the Chinooks-
Comcomly's Daughter.- Her Conquest.
THE Columbia, or Oregon, for the distance of thirty or forty miles from its entrance into
the sea, is, properly speaking, a mere estuary, indented by deep bays so as to vary
from three to seven miles in width; and is rendered extremely intricate and dangerous
by shoals reaching nearly from shore to shore, on which, at times, the winds and
currents produce foaming and tumultuous breakers. The mouth of the river proper is
but about half a mile wide, formed by the contracting shores of the estuary. The
entrance from the sea, as we have already observed, is bounded on the south side by
a flat sandy spit of land, stretching in to the ocean. This is commonly called Point
Adams. The opposite, or northern side, is Cape Disappointment; a kind of peninsula,
terminating in a steep knoll or promontory crowned with a forest of pine-trees, and
connected with the mainland by a low and narrow neck. Immediately within this cape is
a wide, open bay, terminating at Chinook Point, so called from a neighboring tribe of
Indians. This was called Baker's Bay, and here the Tonquin was anchored.
The natives inhabiting the lower part of the river, and with whom the company was
likely to have the most frequent intercourse, were divided at this time into four tribes,
the Chinooks, Clatsops, Wahkiacums, and Cathlamahs. They resembled each other in
person, dress, language, and manner; and were probably from the same stock, but
broken into tribes, or rather hordes, by those feuds and schisms frequent among
Indians.
These people generally live by fishing. It is true they occasionally hunt the elk and
deer, and ensnare the water-fowl of their ponds and rivers, but these are casual
luxuries. Their chief subsistence is derived from the salmon and other fish which
abound in the Columbia and its tributary streams, aided by roots and herbs, especially
the wappatoo, which is found on the islands of the river.
As the Indians of the plains who depend upon the chase are bold and expert riders,
and pride themselves upon their horses, so these piscatory tribes of the coast excel in
the management of canoes, and are never more at home than when riding upon the
waves. Their canoes vary in form and size. Some are upwards of fifty feet long, cut out
of a single tree, either fir or white cedar, and capable of carrying thirty persons. They
have thwart pieces from side to side about three inches thick, and their gunwales flare
outwards, so as to cast off the surges of the waves. The bow and stern are decorated
with grotesque figures of men and animals, sometimes five feet in height.
In managing their canoes they kneel two and two along the bottom, sitting on their
heels, and wielding paddles from four to five feet long, while one sits on the stern and
steers with a paddle of the same kind. The women are equally expert with the men in
managing the canoe, and generally take the helm.
It is surprising to see with what fearless unconcern these savages venture in their light
barks upon the roughest and most tempestuous seas. They seem to ride upon the
waves like sea-fowl. Should a surge throw the canoe upon its side and endanger its
overturn, those to windward lean over the upper gunwale, thrust their paddles deep into
the wave, apparently catch the water and force it under the canoe, and by this action
not merely regain III an equilibrium, but give their bark a vigorous impulse forward.
The effect of different modes of life upon the human frame and human character is
strikingly instanced in the contrast between the hunting Indians of the prairies, and the
piscatory Indians of the sea-coast. The former, continually on horseback scouring the
plains, gaining their food by hardy exercise, and subsisting chiefly on flesh, are
generally tall, sinewy, meagre, but well formed, and of bold and fierce deportment: the
latter, lounging about the river banks, or squatting and curved up in their canoes, are
generally low in stature, ill-shaped, with crooked legs, thick ankles, and broad flat feet.
They are inferior also in muscular power and activity, and in game qualities and
appearance, to their hard-riding brethren of the prairies.
Having premised these few particulars concerning the neighboring Indians, we will
return to the immediate concerns of the Tonquin and her crew.
Further search was made for Mr. Fox and his party, but with no better success, and
they were at length given up as lost. In the meantime, the captain and some of the
partners explored the river for some distance in a large boat, to select a suitable place
for the trading post. Their old jealousies and differences continued; they never could
coincide in their choice, and the captain objected altogether to any site so high up the
river. They all returned, therefore, to Baker's Bay in no very good humor. The partners
proposed to examine the opposite shore, but the captain was impatient of any further
delay. His eagerness to "get on" had increased upon him. He thought all these
excursions a sheer loss of time, and was resolved to land at once, build a shelter for
the reception of that part of his cargo destined for the use of the settlement, and,
having cleared his ship of it and of his irksome shipmates, to depart upon the
prosecution of his coasting voyage, according to orders.
On the following day, therefore, without troubling himself to consult the partners, he
landed in Baker's Bay, and proceeded to erect a shed for the reception of the rigging,
equipments, and stores of the schooner that was to be built for the use of the
settlement.
This dogged determination on the part of the sturdy captain gave high offense to Mr.
M'Dougal, who now considered himself at the head of the concern, as Mr. Astor's
representative and proxy. He set off the same day, (April 5th) accompanied by David
Stuart, for the southern shore, intending to be back by the seventh. Not having the
captain to contend with, they soon pitched upon a spot which appeared to them
favorable for the intended establishment. It was on a point of land called Point George,
having a very good harbor, where vessels, not exceeding two hundred tons burden,
might anchor within fifty yards of the shore.
After a day thus profitably spent, they recrossed the river, but landed on the northern
shore several miles above the anchoring ground of the Tonquin, in the neighborhood of
Chinooks, and visited the village of that tribe. Here they were received with great
hospitality by the chief, who was named Comcomly, a shrewd old savage, with but one
eye, who will occasionally figure in this narrative. Each village forms a petty
sovereignty, governed by its own chief, who, however, possesses but little authority,
unless he be a man of wealth and substance; that is to say, possessed of canoe,
slaves, and wives. The greater the number of these, the greater is the chief. How many
wives this one-eyed potentate maintained we are not told, but he certainly possessed
great sway, not merely over his own tribe, but over the neighborhood.
Having mentioned slaves, we would observe that slavery exists among several of the
tribes beyond the Rocky Mountains. The slaves are well treated while in good health,
but occupied in all kinds of drudgery. Should they become useless, however, by
sickness or old age, they are totally neglected, and left to perish; nor is any respect
paid to their bodies after death.
A singular custom prevails, not merely among the Chinooks, but among most of the
tribes about this part of the coast, which is the flattening of the forehead. The process
by which this deformity is effected commences immediately after birth. The infant is laid
in a wooden trough, by way of cradle. The end on which the head reposes is higher
than the rest. A padding is placed on the forehead of the infant, with a piece of bark
above it, and is pressed down by cords, which pass through holes on each side of the
trough. As the tightening of the padding and the pressing of the head to the board is
gradual, the process is said not to be attended with much pain. The appearance of the
infant, however, while in this state of compression, is whimsically hideous, and "its little
black eyes," we are told, "being forced out by the tightness of the bandages, resemble
those of a mouse choked in a trap."
About a year's pressure is sufficient to produce the desired effect, at the end of which
time the child emerges from its bandages a complete flathead, and continues so
through life. It must be noted that this flattening of the head has something in it of
aristocratical significancy, like the crippling of the feet among the Chinese ladies of
quality. At any rate, it is a sign of freedom. No slave is permitted to bestow this enviable
deformity upon his child; all the slaves, therefore, are roundheads.
With this worthy tribe of Chinooks the two partners passed a part of the day very
agreeably. M'Dougal, who was somewhat vain of his official rank, had given it to be
understood that they were two chiefs of a great trading company, about to be
established here, and the quick-sighted, though one-eyed chief, who was somewhat
practiced in traffic with white men, immediately perceived the policy of cultivating the
friendship of two such important visitors. He regaled them, therefore, to the best of his
ability, with abundance of salmon and wappatoo. The next morning, April 7th, they
prepared to return to the vessel, according to promise. They had eleven miles of open
bay to traverse; the wind was fresh, the waves ran high. Comcomly remonstrated with
them on the hazard to which they would be exposed. They were resolute, however, and
launched their boat, while the wary chieftain followed at some short distance in his
canoe. Scarce had they rowed a mile, when a wave broke over their boat and upset it.
They were in imminent peril of drowning, especially Mr. M'Dougal, who could not swim.
Comcomly, however, came bounding over the waves in his light canoe, and snatched
them from a watery grave.
They were taken on shore and a fire made, at which they dried their clothes, after which
Comcomly conducted them back to his village. Here everything was done that could be
devised for their entertainment during three days that they were detained by bad
weather. Comcomly made his people perform antics before them; and his wives and
daughters endeavored, by all the soothing and endearing arts of women, to find favor in
their eyes. Some even painted their bodies with red clay, and anointed themselves with
fish oil, to give additional lustre to their charms. Mr. M'Dougal seems to have had a
heart susceptible to the influence of the gentler sex. Whether or no it was first touched
on this occasion we do not learn; but it will be found, in the course of this work, that one
of the daughters of the hospitable Comcomly eventually made a conquest of the great
eri of the American Fur Company.
When the weather had moderated and the sea became tranquil, the one-eyed chief of
the Chinooks manned his state canoe, and conducted his guests in safety to the ship,
where they were welcomed with joy, for apprehensions had been felt for their safety.
Comcomly and his people were then entertained on board of the Tonquin, and liberally
rewarded for their hospitality and services. They returned home highly satisfied,
promising to remain faithful friends and allies of the white men.