Returning to Walla Walla, Parker made arrange- ments for a tour up the north branch of the Columbia to Fort Colville, the most northern post of the Hud- son's Bay Company on that river, in the course of which he expected to meet other tribes than those he had seen, and to gain much interesting information.

Parkers Travels.

In this design he was encouraged by Panibrun, who procured for him Indian guides, and chose two French voyageurs to be his assistants, one of whom spoke the English language, though imperfectly. In order to see more of the country and the natives, it was decided to travel with horses, rather than by boat