off his shoes and stockings, and threw them into the river, keeping on his pantaloons, coat and cap. He then deliberately plunged himself into the stream, and was carried violently down the dashing current. Having learned to swim in his youth, he kept his head above the water for some time, and appeared to be nearing the shore. Eiken pursued him down as fast as he could, but could not keep up with him, such was the rapidity of the current. As he was borne downward a large log which extended into the stream, hid him from Eiken's view. Previously to this, his motion in the water became more irregular, and he appeared to have turned himself on his back, and to have thrown up his hands as in the attitude of prayer, or calling for help. He had then doubtless given up all hopes of making the shore, and was committing himself into the hands of his God. Be this as it may, when Eiken succeeded in getting round the log so that he could command a view of the river below, our beloved associate, friend, and father, had passed forever from the view of mortals.

These facts coming to my ears under the circumstances already described, for awhile weighed down my spirits, but a few hours of refreshing slumber after midnight, quieted my nerves, and the next morning found me prepared to resume my toils and exposures.

My visitor in camp, continued with me for a couple of hours, and after refreshing himself from my almost exhausted stores, observed that he was in a great hurry to get down to the mouth of the Columbia river to secure a piece of land which still remained unoccupied, and this explained his running in the night. He had been in the country about two years, and as there had been many reports in circulation concerning him, I resolved to avail myself of the opportunity thus afforded me to obtain from himself some facts in relation to his history.

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"I once, " said he, saw a book which was entitled, The last of the Mohicans;' but I could tell the author a different story from that." In answer to my inquiries, I learned from him the following particulars. He was born in New England, and his father being a white

man, he was therefore a proper yankee. His mother was an Indian woman, a relic of the Mohican tribe, and he was therefore a Mohican. He grew up to manhood in company with a brother of his, received a tolerably good English education, and was known by the name of J. L. M. Cooper. He and his brother, sick of the prejudices existing against them in their own country, resolved upon going to sea. They accordingly shipped on board a trading vessel bound to the Pacific, and after a voyage of several months, found themselves collecting Spanish hides, on the coast of California. Not liking the business very well, and finding themselves in a country where they would like to remain, they resolved, when the vessel was about to leave, to desert her, and take up their residence in California. They succeeded in their designs, but had not been long in the country before J. L. M. Cooper found himself involved in serious difficulties with the Californians. He treated some of them roughly, and they accused him also of using too great liberties with their property, particularly their horses, and finally became so enraged against him as to resolve upon taking his life. There was a Spaniard in particular, who, he believed, would take the first opportunity to carry this threat into execution. He accordingly secreted himself in a jungle, where his wants were supplied by his friends, and where he designed to wait until a company of trappers and hunters belonging to the Hudson's Bay Company, then in California, should start across the country for the Columbia river. By joining this company he hoped to escape the vengeance of the Spaniards. Betrayed by one in whom he had placed confidence, he would have lost his life but for a double betrayal. His place of concealment had been discovered by his determined foe, and the night fixed upon in which he was to die. In his turn Cooper's enemy was betrayed, and Cooper was informed that on a certain night he must prepare for a deadly encounter.

The night arrived; Cooper built a large fire; made up the form of a man; put his cap on his head, and laid it down before the fire as if to sleep. He had loaded

his unerring rifle during the day, and examining it a little by the light of the fire to see that the percussion cap was in perfect order, he retreated a few steps from the fire, and hid himself in a place he had prepared for that purpose, in a dense thicket. At length he heard the stealthy footsteps of the vengeful Spaniard, as he cautiously approached his victim, whom he supposed he saw stretched in sleep before the fire. The Spaniard cast his dark eye along his rifle several times, and then would venture a little nearer, to make a surer aim. At length, click, crack, bang! went the rifle, and the report seemed to linger long amid the darkness of the night, and three balls had pierced the slumbering image before the fire. At this moment Cooper stepped out from his concealment; brought his rifle deliberately to his face, and the report rising upon the midnight air, the Spaniard was in eternity. The ball had pierced his heart.

The company of hunters were already scores of miles on their way to Oregon, and Cooper, securing one of the best horses he could find, perhaps without rendering an equivalent, soon placed himself beyond the reach of his enemies, on the south side of the Snowy mountains. This is Cooper's version of the story. Another is this: that he deliberately murdered a Spaniard in a gambling affray, and then escaped from California with the company above mentioned, upon a stolen horse. Be this as it may, the hour of midnight had arrived when my Mohican guest had finished his story, and then rising from the ground, he buckled his belt, from which dangled a large butcher-knife, a little tighter around him, and thanking me for his supper, said, “I must go. Splash, splash, splash, went the oars, as he glided away from the shore, and was lost amidst the surrounding dark

ness.

On Thursday, the 14th, arrived in safety at "La Butte," and landed our goods. I sent back the Indian boys with the canoe to the falls, to get a load of salmon and molasses, remaining myself with the goods over night, and sleeping between two large roots of a fir

tree.

On Friday, according to arrangement, a team was sent to meet me at the Butte to receive the goods, and a horse to convey me home, where I arrived in safety at nine o'clock in the evening, after an absence of eight days. Found my family in good health, but the neighborhood wore a gloomy aspect. One of its prominent members, had, in a most afflicting manner, been called away, and all appeared to mourn, but not without hope

Sunday, 17th. Preached to a number of the missionaries and settlers, from the words of the Evangelist, "And beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. "

On Monday, the 18th, in company with Rev. Jason Lee, procured a canoe, and a number of persons to assist in rowing it, and about sundown started up the river for the purpose of examining the place where the sad catastrophe, before related, transpired, and of searching for the body of our friend and brother Olley. We proceeded up the river about two miles and encamped for the night. Next morning continued slowly up the strong current, examining every nook, corner, and place where we supposed it to be possible for a body to lodge, and were encouraged to believe that we should succeed from finding one Mackinaw blanket, two coats, one bear-skin, and one paddle, all of which belonged to Mr. Eiken. At one o'clock, P. M., we arrived at the place where the fatal disaster occurred, and found that the current continued exceedingly strong about three-quarters of a mile below the place where the canoe struck the rocks. The river then widens into a kind of basin, broad and deep, and, judging from those places where it can be seen, with a very rough bottom. We examined the place as minutely as possible, but no vestige of the body could be discovered. This was the tenth day after the acci dent. Fatigued with the constant exertions of the day, at dark we drew our canoe ashore; cooked our supper upon the shingle beach, and cast ourselves down upon our blankets, to rest for the night. Repeating our examination the next morning, with as little success as the day previous, we came to the conclusion, however desir

ous we might be to rescue the body of our friend from a watery grave, it would no more be seen until that day should arrive when the seas, and the rivers also, shall give up their dead. As we descended the river towards the place of our embarkation, this passage of holy writ cheered our otherwise drooping spirits: "If we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so also them which sleep in Jesus, will God bring with him. "