Doings at Astoria—Three parties on foot—Their object—M‘Lellan’s resolution—Hostile attack at the Long Narrows—Mr. Reed—Two Indians shot—Heroic conduct of M‘Lellan—Difficulties adjusted—Advance of the party—Remarks—Arrival at Oakinacken—Departure again for Astoria— Scene at Umatallow—Mr. Crooks’s adventures and suffering— Yeck-a-tap-am—Umatallow left—Merit rewarded—Arrival of the party at Astoria—The ship _Beaver_ there also. As the spring advanced, various resolutions were passed, and preparations made in furtherance of the views of the concern for the current year. In the prosecution of these plans, three parties were set on foot for the interior; one, consisting of three men, under Mr. Reed, for New York, overland; another, under Mr. Farnham, for the goods left _en cache_ by Mr. Hunt on his journey; and a third, to be conducted by Mr. Robert Stuart, for Oakinacken, with supplies for that post.[59] On the 22nd of March, all these parties, consisting of seventeen men, left Astoria together, under the {185} direction of Mr. Stuart. On the departure of the party, Mr. M‘Lellan, following the example of his colleague, Mr. Miller, abruptly resigned, and joined the party for New York. This gentleman possessed many excellent qualities, but they were all obscured and thrown into the shade by a fickle and unsteady mind. Everything went on smoothly till the party reached the long narrows; that noted resort of plunderers, where few can pass without paying a heavy tax; but there, while in the act of making the portage, the party being unavoidably divided, they were furiously attacked by a strong party of Indians. Mr. Reed, bearer of the express for New York, was knocked down in the scuffle, and severely wounded; and had not M‘Lellan, with a bravery and presence of mind peculiar to himself, leaped dexterously over a canoe, he would have been felled to the ground; but his agility saved him, and in all probability saved the whole party, for he instantly shot the man who aimed the blow, then drawing a pistol from his belt, shot him who had assailed Reed dead at his feet; then clapping his hand to his mouth, in the true Indian style, he gave the war-whoop, fired his rifle, and the Indians fled. During the critical scuffle, the despatches were carried off by the savages, and a few other articles of but little value. The firing and the war-whoop summoned in a moment all the whites together, and the Indians, being panic-struck at M‘Lellan’s heroic conduct, retired rather disconcerted, {186} giving Mr. Stuart and his party time to collect their property, embark, and depart.