hunters, to make an excursion up the Willamet river.

[Footnote M: These _caches_ are famous in all the narratives of overland
travel, whether for trade or discovery. The manner of making them is
described by Captains Lewis and Clarke, as follows: they choose a dry
situation, then describing a circle of some twenty inches diameter,
remove the sod as gently and carefully as possible. The hole is then
sunk a foot deep or more, perpendicularly; it is then worked gradually
wider as it descends, till it becomes six or seven feet deep, and shaped
like a kettle, or the lower part of a large still. As the earth is dug
out, it is handed up in a vessel, and carefully laid upon a skin or
cloth, in which it is carried away, and usually thrown into the river,
if there be one, or concealed so as to leave no trace of it. A floor of
three or four inches thick is then made of dry sticks, on which is
thrown hay or a hide perfectly dry. The goods, after being well aired
and dried, are laid down, and preserved from contact with the wall by a
layer of other dried sticks, till all is stowed away. When the hole is
nearly full, a hide is laid on top, and the earth is thrown upon this,
and beaten down, until, with the addition of the sod first removed, the
whole is on a level with the ground, and there remains not the slightest
appearance of an excavation. The first shower effaces every sign of what
has been done, and such a cache is safe for years.--ED.]

CHAPTER XII

Arrival of the Ship Beaver.--Unexpected Return of Messrs. D.
Stuart, R. Stuart, M'Lelland, &c.--Cause of that Return.--Ship
discharging.--New Expeditions.--Hostile Attitude of the
Natives.--Departure of the Beaver.--Journeys of the Author.--His
Occupations at the Establishment.

From the departure of the last outfit under Mr. M'Kenzie, nothing
remarkable took place at Astoria, till the 9th of May. On that day we
descried, to our great surprise and great joy, a sail in the offing,
opposite the mouth of the river. Forthwith Mr. M'Dougal was despatched
in a boat to the cape, to make the signals. On the morning of the 10th,
the weather being fine and the sea smooth, the boat pushed out and
arrived safely alongside. Soon after, the wind springing up, the vessel
made sail and entered the river, where she dropped anchor, in Baker's
Bay, at about 2 P.M. Toward evening the boat returned to the Fort, with
the following passengers: Messrs. John Clarke o