{264} Below the cascades, there is no impediment whatever to the navigation of the river, by night or by day. The brigade, therefore, went sweeping down the current in the dark. In passing the last of the bad places, however, my boat happening to get broken, we had to put ashore to repair, and, by the time we got under weigh again, the brigade had left us far behind. Next morning at daybreak, I met, opposite to the Wallamitte, two North-West canoes and twenty men, under the direction of Messrs. Keith and Alex. Stuart, two partners of the North-West Company, on their way to the interior.[93] We breakfasted together, and I strongly advised them to turn back, since so small a party, and strangers too, could never hope to pass through the hostile tribes in safety. They, however, made light of the matter, giving me to understand that they were North-Westers! so we parted, and they proceeded. While talking on the subject of danger, one of those swelling fellows, such as may be ordinarily seen stuck up in the end of a north-west canoe, with a bonnet of feathers surpassing in size the head of a buffalo bull, turned round to my men and said,—“Do you think we are Americans? we will teach the Indians to respect us.” In the darkness of the night, they had not seen our people on their way down. The moment Mr. M‘Kenzie reached Fort George, he represented to M‘Donald and M‘Tavish the folly and danger of the attempt; consequently, a canoe with twelve men, under the direction of Mr. Franchère, was immediately {265} despatched to bring them back; but it was unfortunately too late.