. Stuart was taking in a load of staves and
hoop-poles. Mr. Farnham joined our party, as well as one of the hands,
and thus reinforced, we pursued our way, journeying day and night, and
stopping at every Indian village, to make inquiries and offer a reward
for the apprehension of our runaways. Having reached the Falls without
finding any trace of them, and our provisions giving out, we retraced
our steps, and arrived on the 16th at Oak Point, which we found Mr.
Stuart ready to quit.

Meanwhile, the natives of the vicinity informed us that they had seen
the marks of shoes imprinted on the sand, at the confluence of a small
stream in the neighborhood. We got three small canoes, carrying two
persons each, and having ascertained that the information was correct,
after searching the environs during a part of the 17th, we ascended the
small stream as far as some high lands which are seen from Oak Point,
and which lie about eight or nine miles south of it. The space between
these high lands and the ridge crowned with oaks on the bank of the
Columbia, is a low and swampy land, cut up by an infinity of little
channels. Toward evening we returned on our path, to regain the
schooner; but instead of taking the circuitous way of the river, by
which we had come, we made for Oak Point by the most direct route,
through these channels; but night coming on, we lost ourselves. Our
situation became the most disagreeable that can be imagined. Being
unable to find a place where we could land, on account of the morass, we
were obliged to continue rowing, or rather turning round, in this
species of labyrinth, constantly kneeling in our little canoes, which
any unlucky movement would infallibly have caused to upset. It rained in
torrents and was dark as pitch. At last, after having wandered about
during a considerable part of the night, we succeeded in gaining the
edge of the mainland. Leaving there our canoes, because we could not
drag them (as we attempted) through the forest, we crossed the woods in
the darkness, tearing ourselves with the brush, and reached the
schooner, at about two in the morning, benumbed with cold and exhausted
with fatigue.

The 18th was spent in getting in the remainder of the lading of the
little vessel, and on the morning of the 19th we raised anchor, and
dropped down abreast of the Kreluit village, where some of the Indians
offering to aid us in the search after our deserters, Mr. Stuart put Mr.
Farnham and me on