Henry Eld Journal–
September 9th 1841- (at the Willamette Mission settlement leaving Turner’s house)- Our route has been through what might be called a hilly prairie country. the grass mostly burnt off by recent fires, & the whole country sprinkled with oaks so regularly dispersed as to have the appearance of a continuous orchard of fruit trees. The streams were invariably lined with trees on both sides. About noon we halted a few moments at a little creek called Creole Creek (origin of placename Rickreal- originally La Creole Creek) where a party of Indians were encamped and eventually ? bivouacked, on a little stream named Inquos Creek.
Eld Journal Map, area of Yam hills.
September 11- starting the morning an Indian came running down from the adjoining wood apparently much out of breath calling out “Mackook Mowich” “Buy a Deer” this he had that moment killed … with the Sargent I went to the spot where we found another Indian flaying the poor animal literally alive, for the flesh was still quivering as the knife went into it, for six charges of powder I purchased the hind quarters which was all we wanted… [“Makok Mawich” is the present spelling in Chinuk Wawa]
I think its a mistaken idea generally about Indians being good shots, this is seldom the case, with those I have come across, & I have seen them try their skill often: in shooting game it is generally by stratagem, & slyly sneaking up to their prey, they are often a decoy which is the real head of the deer, with the horns standing, this they either attach to their own head in some way or slip it over the head and crawl on their hands & knees going through sundry antics, bobbing the head up & down etc such as the deer would be supposed to do, in this manner the unsuspecting animal, becomes an easy prey. If they have not a decoy they steal upon him behind the trees until he is within a few yards and is easily killed. In this instance I have spoken of above, the Indian showed us the tree he had stood behind, when he shot the deer, and it could not have exceeded 20 to 25 yards at the most.
…about 3 pm in the afternoon passed what is called Lake La Mali 80 ft in width & 3/4 of a mile in length, continuing along the margin of this to the southward, struck Lumdumbuff or La Mali river and eventually encamped…
Eld Journal Map Wilhamette Valley with hills, prairies. and rivers
Lumtumbuff river or creek apparently deep & turbid stream – in many places much like a lake, in others narrow and favorable bank about 15 ft high with a 2nd rise on the prairie at different distances from then banks, the latter covered with brush & trees- shallow places generally- and the deep places quite muddy.
Eld Journal Map, Lumtumbuff or Male’ river.
Eld Journal Map, Wilhamette Valley, Calapuya Hills County.
Eld, Henry Journal 1841, Henry Eld papers, 1832-1858, Yale University Library.