y. Mr. Bruguier
had been a trader among the Indians on the Saskatchawine river, where he
had lost his outfit: he had since turned trapper, and had come into this
region to hunt beaver, being provided with traps and other needful
implements. The report which these gentlemen gave of the interior was
highly satisfactory: they had found the climate salubrious, and had
been well received by the natives. The latter possessed a great number
of horses, and Mr. Stuart had purchased several of these animals at a
low price. Ascending the river they had come to a pretty stream, which
the natives called _Okenakan_. Mr. Stuart had resolved to establish his
post on the bank of this river, and having erected a log-house, he
thought best to send back the above named persons, retaining with him,
for the winter, only Messrs. Ross and de Montigny, and two men.[K]

[Footnote K: One of these men bad been left with him by Mr. Thompson, in
exchange for a Sandwich-islander whom that gentleman proposed to take to
Canada, and thence to England.]

Meanwhile, the season being come when the Indians quit the seashore and
the banks of the Columbia, to retire into the woods and establish their
winter quarters along the small streams and rivers, we began to find
ourselves short of provisions, having received no supplies from them for
some time. It was therefore determined that Mr. R. Stuart should set out
in the schooner with Mr. Mumford, for the threefold purpose, of
obtaining all the provisions they could, cutting oaken staves for the
use of the cooper, and trading with the Indians up the river. They left
with this design on the 12th. At the end of five days Mr. Mumford
returned in a canoe of Indians. This man having wished to assume the
command, and to order (in the style of Captain Thorn) the person who had
engaged him to obey, had been sent back in consequence to _Astoria_.

On the 10th of November we discovered that three of our people had
absconded, viz., P.D. Jeremie, and the two Belleaux. They had leave to
go out shooting for two days, and carried off with them firearms and
ammunition, and a handsome light Indian canoe. As soon as their flight
was known, having procured a large canoe of the Chinooks, we embarked,
Mr. Matthews and I, with five natives, to pursue them, with orders to
proceed as far as the Falls, if necessary. On the 11th, having ascended
the river to a place called _Oak Point_, we overtook the schooner lying
at anchor, while Mr