In his hurry he fired too high, and
the balls passed over his head. He was instantly secured and placed
under a guard in one of the boats. How to dispose of him was now
the question, as it was impossible to keep him with the expedition.
Fortunately Mr. Stuart met with some Indians accustomed to trade with
Astoria. These undertook to conduct John Day back to the factory, and
deliver him there in safety. It was with the utmost concern that his
comrades saw the poor fellow depart; for, independent of his invaluable
services as a first-rate hunter, his frank and loyal qualities had made
him a universal favorite. It may be as well to add that the Indians
executed their task faithfully, and landed John Day among his friends at
Astoria; but his constitution was completely broken by the hardships he
had undergone, and he died within a year.

On the evening of the 6th of July the party arrived at the piratical
pass of the river, and encamped at the foot of the first rapid. The next
day, before the commencement of the portage, the greatest precautions
were taken to guard against lurking treachery, or open attack.
The weapons of every man were put in order, and his cartridge-box
replenished. Each one wore a kind of surcoat made of the skin of the
elk, reaching from his neck to his knees, and answering the purpose of
a shirt of mail, for it was arrow proof, and could even resist a musket
ball at the distance of ninety yards. Thus armed and equipped, they
posted their forces in military style. Five of the officers took their
stations at each end of the portage, which was between three and four
miles in length; a number of men mounted guard at short distances along
the heights immediately overlooking the river, while the residue, thus
protected from surprise, employed themselves below in dragging up the
barges and canoes, and carrying up the goods along the narrow margin of
the rapids. With these precautions they all passed unmolested. The only
accident that happened was the upsetting of one of the canoes, by
which some of the goods sunk, and others floated down the stream. The
alertness and rapacity of the hordes which infest these rapids, were
immediately apparent. They pounced upon the floating merchandise with
the keenness of regular wreckers. A bale of goods which landed upon one
of the islands was immediately ripped open, one half of its contents
divided among the captors, and the other half secreted in a lonely hut
in a deep r