Constant - "Private Life of Napoleon Bonaparte, V11"

Thomas Malthus - "Importation of Foreign Corn"

Homer - "The Iliad"

Sir Walter Scott - "The Monastery"

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PHILADELPHIA, Pa. -- The Philadelphia literary world will celebrate the launch of two new players today, April 10th: Kay Square Press, a new publishing company focused on Philadelphia-area artists, their stories, and their art; and Kay Square's first release, 'With the Rich and Mighty: Emlen Etting of Philadelphia' (ISBN: 978-0-9815129-0-7), a critical biography by Kenneth C. Kaleta.

FlatSigned Press Alleges Don Imus Remarks Damage Legacy of President Gerald R. Ford
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Books: The Journals of Lewis and Clark

M >> Meriwether Lewis et al >> The Journals of Lewis and Clark




The valley of the west fork through which we passed for four miles boar
a little to N of West and was about 1 mile wide hemned in on either
side by rough mountain and steep Clifts of rock at 41/2 miles this
stream enters a beatifull and extensive plain about ten miles long and
from 5 to six in width. this plain is surrounded on all sides by a
country of roling or high wavy plains through which several little
rivulets extend their wide vallies quite to the Mountains which
surround the whole in an apparent Circular manner; forming one of the
handsomest coves I ever saw, of about 16 or 18 miles in diameter. just
after entering this cove the river bends to the N. W. and runs close
under the Stard. hills. here we killed a deer and encamped on the
Stard.,side and made our fire of dry willow brush, the only fuel which
the country produces. there are not more than three or four cottonwood
trees in this extensive cove and they are but small. the uplands are
covered with prickly pears and twisted or bearded grass and are but
poor; some parts of the bottom lands are covered with grass and
tolerably fertile; but much the greater proportion is covered with
prickly pears sedge twisted grass the pulpy leafed thorn southernwood
wild sage &c and like the uplands is very inferior in point of soil. we
traveled by estimate 30 Ms. today, that is 10 to the Rattle snake
Clift, 15 to the forks of Jefferson's river and 5 to our camp in the
cove. at the apparent extremity of the bottom above us two
perpendicular clifts of considerable hight stand on either side of the
river and appers at this distance like a gate, it is about 10 M. due
West.

Capt Clark set out at sunrise this morning and pursued his rout; found
the river not rapid but shallow also very crooked. they were obliged to
drag the canoes over many riffles in the course of the day. they passed
the point which the natives call the beaver's head. it is a steep rocky
clift of 150 feet high near the Stard. side of the river, opposite to
it at the distance of 300 yards is a low clift of about 50 feet which
is the extremity of a spur of the mountains about 4 miles distant on
Lard. at 4 P.M. they experienced a heavy shower of rain attended with
hail thunder and Lightning which continued about an hour. the men
defended themselves from the hail by means of the willow bushes but all
the party got perfectly wet. after the shower was over they pursued
their march and encamped on the stard side only one deer killed by
their hunters today. tho they took up another by the way which had been
killed three days before by Jos. Fields and hung up near the river.

[Clark, August 10, 1805]
August 10th Satturday 1805
Some rain this morning at Sun rise and Cloudy we proceeded on passed a
remarkable Clift point on the Stard. Side about 150 feet high, this
Clift the Indians Call the Beavers head, opposit at 300 yards is a low
clift of 50 feet which is a Spur from the Mountain on the Lard. about 4
miles, the river verry Crooked, at 4 oClock a hard rain from the S W
accompanied with hail Continued half an hour, all wet, the men
Sheltered themselves from the hail with bushes We Encamped on the Stard
Side near a Bluff, only one Deer killed to day, the one killed Jo
Fields 3 Days past & hung up we made use of river narrow, & Sholey but
not rapid.

[Lewis, August 11, 1805]
Sunday August 11th 1805.
We set out very early this morning; but the track which we had pursued
last evening soon disappeared. I therefore resolved to proceed to the
narrow pass on the creek about 10 miles West in hopes that I should
again find the Indian road at the place, accordingly I passed the river
which was about 12 yards wide and bared in several places entirely
across by beaver dams and proceeded through the level plain directly to
the pass. I now sent Drewyer to keep near the creek to my right and
Shields to my left, with orders to surch for the road which if they
found they were to notify me by placing a hat in the muzzle of their
gun. I kept McNeal with me; after having marched in this order for
about five miles I discovered an Indian on horse back about two miles
distant coming down the plain toward us. with my glass I discovered
from his dress that he was of a different nation from any that we had
yet seen, and was satisfyed of his being a Sosone; his arms were a bow
and quiver of arrows, and was mounted on an eligant horse without a
saddle, and a small string which was attatched to the underjaw of the
horse which answered as a bridle. I was overjoyed at the sight of this
stranger and had no doubt of obtaining a friendly introduction to his
nation provided I could get near enough to him to convince him of our
being whitemen. I therefore proceeded towards him at my usual pace.
when I had arrived within about a mile he mad a halt which I did also
and unloosing my blanket from my pack, I mad him the signal of
friendship known to the Indians of the Rocky mountains and those of the
Missouri, which is by holding the mantle or robe in your hands at two
corners and then throwing up in the air higher than the head bringing
it to the earth as if in the act of spreading it, thus repeating three
times. this signal of the robe has arrisen from a custom among all
those nations of spreading a robe or skin for ther gests to set on when
they are visited. this signal had not the desired effect, he still kept
his position and seemed to view Drewyer an Shields who were now
comiming in sight on either hand with an air of suspicion, I wold
willingly have made them halt but they were too far distant to hear me
and I feared to make any signal to them least it should increase the
suspicion in the mind of the Indian of our having some unfriendly
design upon him. I therefore haistened to take out of my sack some
beads a looking glas and a few trinkets which I had brought with me for
this purpose and leaving my gun and pouch with McNeal advanced unarmed
towards him. he remained in the same stedfast poisture untill I arrived
in about 200 paces of him when he turn his hose about and began to move
off slowly from me; I now called to him in as loud a voice as I could
command repeating the word tab-ba-bone, which in their language
signifyes white man. but loking over his sholder he still kept his eye
on Drewyer and Sheilds who wer still advancing neither of them haveing
segacity enough to recollect the impropriety of advancing when they saw
me thus in parley with the Indian. I now made a signal to these men to
halt, Drewyer obeyed but Shields who afterwards told me that he did not
obseve the signal still kept on the Indian halted again and turned his
horse about as if to wait for me, and I beleive he would have remained
untill I came up whith him had it not been for Shields who still
pressed forward. whe I arrived within about 150 paces I again
repepeated the word tab-ba-bone and held up the trinkits in my hands
and striped up my shirt sieve to give him an opportunity of seeing the
colour of my skin and advanced leasure towards him but he did not
remain untill I got nearer than about 100 paces when he suddonly turned
his hose about, gave him the whip leaped the creek and disapeared in
the willow brush in an instant and with him vanished all my hopes of
obtaining horses for the preasent. I now felt quite as much
mortification and disappointment as I had pleasure and expectation at
the first sight of this indian. I fet soarly chargrined at the conduct
of the men particularly Sheilds to whom I principally attributed this
failure in obtaining an introduction to the natives. I now called the
men to me and could not forbare abraiding them a little for their want
of attention and imprudence on this occasion. they had neglected to
bring my spye-glass which in haist I had droped in the plain with the
blanket where I made the signal before mentioned. I sent Drewyer and
Shields back to surche it, they soon found it and rejoined me. we now
set out on the track of the horse hoping by that means to be lead to an
indian camp, the trail of inhabitants of which should they abscond we
should probably be enabled to pursue to the body of the nation to which
they would most probably fly for safety. this rout led us across a
large Island framed by nearly an equal division of the creek in this
bottom; after passing to the open ground on the N. side of the creek we
observed that the track made out toward the high hills about 3 m.
distant in that direction. I thought it probable that their camp might
probably be among those hills & that they would reconnoiter us from the
tops of them, and that if we advanced haistily towards them that they
would become allarmed and probably run off; I therefore halted in an
elivated situation near the creek had a fire kindled of willow brush
cooked and took breakfast. during this leasure I prepared a small
assortment of trinkits consisting of some mockkerson awls a few strans
of several kinds of beads some paint a looking glass &c which I
attatched to the end of a pole and planted it near our fire in order
that should the Indians return in surch of us they might from this
token discover that we were friendly and white persons. before we had
finised our meal a heavy shower of rain came on with some hail wich
continued abot 20 minutes and wet us to the skin, after this shower we
pursued the track of the horse but as the rain had raised the grass
which he had trodden down it was with difficulty that we could follow
it. we pursued it however about 4 miles it turning up the valley to the
left under the foot of the hills. we pas several places where the
Indians appeared to have been diging roots today and saw the fresh
tracks of 8 or ten horses but they had been wandering about in such a
confused manner that we not only lost the track of the hose which we
had been pursuing but could make nothing of them. in the head of this
valley we passed a large bog covered with tall grass and moss in which
were a great number of springs of cold pure water, we now turned a
little to the left along the foot of the high hills and arrived at a
small branch on which we encamped for the night, having traveled in
different directions about 20 Miles and about 10 from the camp of last
evening on a direct line. after meeting with the Indian today I fixed a
small flag of the U'S. to a pole which I made McNeal carry. and planted
in the ground where we halted or encamped.

This morning Capt Clark dispatched several hunters a head; the morning
being rainy and wet did not set out untill after an early breakfast. he
passed a large Island which he called the 3000 mile Island from the
circumstance of it's being that distance from the entrance of the
Missouri by water. a considerable proportion of the bottom on Lard.
side is a bog covered with tall grass and many parts would afford fine
turf; the bottom is about 8 Ms. wide and the plains which succeed it on
either side extend about the same distance to the base of the
mountains. they passed a number of small Islands and bayous on both
sides which cut and intersect the bottoms in various directions. found
the river shallow and rapid, insomuch that the men wer compelled to be
in the water a considerable proportion of the day in drageing the
canoes over the shoals and riffles. they saw a number of geese ducks
beaver & otter, also some deer and antelopes. the men killed a beaver
with a seting pole and tommahawked several Otter. the hunters killed 3
deer and an Antelope. Capt. C. observed some bunches of privy near the
river. there are but few trees in this botom and those small narrow
leafed Cottonwood. the principal growth is willow with the narrow leaf
and Currant bushes. they encamped this evening on the upper point of a
large Island near the Stard. shore.-

[Clark, August 11, 1805]
August 11th Sunday 1805.
a Shower of rain this morning at Sun rise, Cloudy all the morning wind
from the S W passed a large Island which I call the 3000 mile Island as
it is Situated that distance from the mouth of the Missouri by water, a
number of Small Bayoes running in different directions thro the Bottom,
which is about 5 miles wide, then rises to an ellivated plain on each
Side which extends as far. passed Several Small Islands and a number of
Bayoes on each Side and Encamped on the upper point of a large Island,
our hunters killed three Deer, one antilope, and Tomahawked Several
Orter to day killed one Beaver with a Setting pole. I observed Some
bunches of Privey on the banks

[Lewis, August 12, 1805]
Monday August 12th 1805
This morning I sent Drewyer out as soon as it was light, to try and
discover what rout the Indians had taken. he followed the track of the
horse we had pursued yesterday to the mountain wher it had ascended,
and returned to me in about an hour and a half. I now determined to
pursue the base of the mountains which form this cove to the S. W. in
the expectation of finding some Indian road which lead over the
Mountains, accordingly I sent Drewyer to my right and Shields to my
left with orders to look out for a road or the fresh tracks of horses
either of which we should first meet with I had determined to pursue.
at the distance of about 4 miles we passed 4 small rivulets near each
other on which we saw som resent bowers or small conic lodges formed
with willow brush. near them the indians had geathered a number of
roots from the manner in which they had toarn up the ground; but I
could not discover the root which they seemed to be in surch of. I saw
several large hawks that were nearly black near this place we fell in
with a large and plain Indian road which came into the cove from the N.
E. and led along the foot of the mountains to the S. W. oliquely
approaching the main stream which we had left yesterday. this road we
now pursued to the S. W. at 5 miles it passed a stout stream which is a
principal fork of the man stream and falls into it just above the
narrow pass between the two clifts before mentioned and which we now
saw below us. here we halted and breakfasted on the last of our
venison, having yet a small peice of pork in reseve. after eating we
continued our rout through the low bottom of the main stream along the
foot of the mountains on our right the valley for 5 mes. further in a
S. W. direction was from 2 to 3 miles wide the main stream now after
discarding two stream on the left in this valley turns abruptly to the
West through a narrow bottom betwen the mountains. the road was still
plain, I therefore did not dispair of shortly finding a passage over
the mountains and of taisting the waters of the great Columbia this
evening. we saw an animal which we took to be of the fox kind as large
or reather larger than the small wolf of the plains. it's colours were
a curious mixture of black, redis-brown and yellow. Drewyer shot at him
about 130 yards and knocked him dow bet he recovered and got out of our
reach. it is certainly a different animal from any that we have yet
seen. we also saw several of the heath cock with a long pointed tail
and an uniform dark brown colour but could not kill one of them. they
are much larger than the common dunghill fowls, and in their habits and
manner of flying resemble the growse or prarie hen. at the distance of
4 miles further the road took us to the most distant fountain of the
waters of the mighty Missouri in surch of which we have spent so many
toilsome days and wristless nights. thus far I had accomplished one of
those great objects on which my mind has been unalterably fixed for
many years, judge then of the pleasure I felt in allying my thirst with
this pure and ice cold water which issues from the base of a low
mountain or hill of a gentle ascent for 1/2 a mile. the mountains are
high on either hand leave this gap at the head of this rivulet through
which the road passes. here I halted a few minutes and rested myself.
two miles below McNeal had exultingly stood with a foot on each side of
this little rivulet and thanked his god that he had lived to bestride
the mighty & heretofore deemed endless Missouri. after refreshing
ourselves we proceeded on to the top of the dividing ridge from which I
discovered immence ranges of high mountains still to the West of us
with their tops partially covered with snow. I now decended the
mountain about 3/4 of a mile which I found much steeper than on the
opposite side, to a handsome bold running Creek of cold Clear water.
here I first tasted the water of the great Columbia river. after a
short halt of a few minutes we continued our march along the Indian
road which lead us over steep hills and deep hollows to a spring on the
side of a mountain where we found a sufficient quantity of dry willow
brush for fuel, here we encamped for the night having traveled about 20
Miles. as we had killed nothing during the day we now boiled and eat
the remainder of our pork, having yet a little flour and parched meal.
at the creek on this side of the mountain I observed a species of deep
perple currant lower in its growth, the stem more branched and leaf
doubly as large as that of the Missouri. the leaf is covered on it's
under disk with a hairy pubersence. the fruit is of the ordinary size
and shape of the currant and is supported in the usual manner, but is
ascid & very inferior in point of flavor.

this morning Capt. Clark set out early. found the river shoally, rapid
shallow, and extreemly difficult. the men in the water almost all day.
they are geting weak soar and much fortiegued; they complained of the
fortiegue to which the navigation subjected them and wished to go by
land Capt. C. engouraged them and passifyed them. one of the canoes was
very near overseting in a rapid today. they proceeded but slowly. at
noon they had a thunderstorm which continued about half an hour. their
hunters killed 3 deer and a fawn. they encamped in a smoth plain near a
few cottonwood trees on the Lard. side.-

[Clark, August 12, 1805]
August 12th Monday 1805
We Set out early (Wind N E) proceeded on passed Several large Islands
and three Small ones, the river much more Sholey than below which
obliges us to haul the Canoes over those Sholes which Suckceed each
other at Short intervales emencely laborious men much fatigued and
weakened by being continualy in the water drawing the Canoes over the
Sholes encamped on the Lard Side men complain verry much of the emence
labour they are obliged to undergo & wish much to leave the river. I
passify them. the weather Cool, and nothing to eate but venison, the
hunters killed three Deer to day

[Lewis, August 13, 1805]
Tuesday August 13th 1805.
We set out very early on the Indian road which still led us through an
open broken country in a westerly direction. a deep valley appeared to
our left at the base of a high range of mountains which extended from
S. E. to N. W. having their sides better clad with pine timber than we
had been accustomed to see the mountains and their tops were also
partially covered with snow. at the distance of five miles the road
after leading us down a long decending valley for 2 Ms. brought us to a
large creek about 10 yds. wide; this we passed and on rising the hill
beyond it had a view of a handsome little valley to our left of about a
mile in width through which from the appearance of the timber I
conjectured that a river passed. I saw near the creek some bushes of
the white maple, the shumate of the small species with the winged rib,
and a species of honeysuckle much in it's growth and leaf like the
small honeysuckle of the Missouri only reather larger and bears a
globular berry as large as a garden pea and as white as wax. this berry
is formed of a thin smooth pellicle which envellopes a soft white
musilagenous substance in which there are several small brown seed
irregularly scattered or intermixed without any sell or perceptable
membranous covering.- we had proceeded about four miles through a wavy
plain parallel to the valley or river bottom when at the distance of
about a mile we saw two women, a man and some dogs on an eminence
immediately before us. they appeared to vew us with attention and two
of them after a few minutes set down as if to wait our arrival we
continued our usual pace towards them. when we had arrived within half
a mile of them I directed the party to halt and leaving my pack and
rifle I took the flag which I unfurled and avanced singly towards them
the women soon disappeared behind the hill, the man continued untill I
arrived within a hundred yards of him and then likewise absconded. tho
I frequently repeated the word tab-ba-bone sufficiently loud for him to
have heard it. I now haistened to the top of the hill where they had
stood but could see nothing of them. the dogs were less shye than their
masters they came about me pretty close I therefore thought of tying a
handkerchief about one of their necks with some beads and other
trinkets and then let them loose to surch their fugitive owners
thinking by this means to convince them of our pacific disposition
towards them but the dogs would not suffer me to take hold of them;
they also soon disappeared. I now made a signal fror the men to come
on, they joined me and we pursued the back tarck of these Indians which
lead us along the same road which we had been traveling. the road was
dusty and appeared to have been much traveled lately both by men and
horses. these praries are very poor the soil is of a light yellow clay,
intermixed with small smooth gravel, and produces little else but
prickly pears, and bearded grass about 3 inches high. the prickley pear
are of three species that with a broad leaf common to the missouri;
that of a globular form also common to the upper part of the Missouri
and more especially after it enters the Rocky Mountains, also a 3rd
peculiar to this country. it consists of small circular thick leaves
with a much greater number of thorns. these thorns are stronger and
appear to be barbed. the leaves grow from the margins of each other as
in the broad leafed pear of the missouri, but are so slightly attatched
that when the thorn touches your mockerson it adhears and brings with
it the leaf covered in every direction with many others. this is much
the most troublesome plant of the three. we had not continued our rout
more than a mile when we were so fortunate as to meet with three female
savages. the short and steep ravines which we passed concealed us from
each other untill we arrived within 30 paces. a young woman immediately
took to flight, an Elderly woman and a girl of about 12 years old
remained. I instantly laid by my gun and advanced towards them. they
appeared much allarmed but saw that we were to near for them to escape
by flight they therefore seated themselves on the ground, holding down
their heads as if reconciled to die which the expected no doubt would
be their fate; I took the elderly woman by the hand and raised her up
repeated the word tab-babone and strip up my shirt sieve to sew her my
skin; to prove to her the truth of the ascertion that I was a white man
for my face and hads which have been constantly exposed to the sun were
quite as dark as their own. they appeared instantly reconciled, and the
men coming up I gave these women some beads a few mockerson awls some
pewter looking-glasses and a little paint. I directed Drewyer to
request the old woman to recall the young woman who had run off to some
distance by this time fearing she might allarm the camp before we
approached and might so exasperate the natives that they would perhaps
attack us without enquiring who we were. the old woman did as she was
requested and the fugitive soon returned almost out of breath. I
bestoed an equvolent portion of trinket on her with the others. I now
painted their tawny cheeks with some vermillion which with this nation
is emblematic of peace. after they had become composed I informed them
by signs that I wished them to conduct us to their camp that we wer
anxious to become acquainted with the chiefs and warriors of their
nation. they readily obeyed and we set out, still pursuing the road
down the river. we had marched about 2 miles when we met a party of
about 60 warriors mounted on excellent horses who came in nearly full
speed, when they arrived I advanced towards them with the flag leaving
my gun with the party about 50 paces behid me. the chief and two others
who were a little in advance of the main body spoke to the women, and
they informed them who we were and exultingly shewed the presents which
had been given them these men then advanced and embraced me very
affectionately in their way which is by puting their left arm over you
wright sholder clasping your back, while they apply their left cheek to
yours and frequently vociforate the word ah-hi'-e, &h-hi'-e that is, I
am much pleased, I am much rejoiced. bothe parties now advanced and we
wer all carresed and besmeared with their grease and paint till I was
heartily tired of the national hug. I now had the pipe lit and gave
them smoke; they seated themselves in a circle around us and pulled of
their mockersons before they would receive or smoke the pipe. this is a
custom among them as I afterwards learned indicative of a sacred
obligation of sincerity in their profession of friendship given by the
act of receiving and smoking the pipe of a stranger. or which is as
much as to say that they wish they may always go bearfoot if they are
not sincere; a pretty heavy penalty if they are to march through the
plains of their country. after smoking a few pipes with them I
distributed some trifles among them, with which they seemed much
pleased particularly with the blue beads and vermillion. I now informed
the chief that the object of our visit was a friendly one, that after
we should reach his camp I would undertake to explain to him fully
those objects, who we wer, from whence we had come and wither we were
going; that in the mean time I did not care how soon we were in motion,
as the sun was very warm and no water at hand. they now put on their
mockersons, and the principal chief Ca-me-ah-wait made a short speach
to the warriors. I gave him the flag which I informed him was an emblem
of peace among whitemen and now that it had been received by him it was
to be respected as the bond of union between us. I desired him to march
on, which did and we followed him; the dragoons moved on in squadron in
our rear. after we had marched about a mile in this order he halted
them ang gave a second harang; after which six or eight of the young
men road forward to their encampment and no further regularity was
observed in the order of march. I afterwards understood that the
Indians we had first seen this morning had returned and allarmed the
camp; these men had come out armed cap a pe for action expecting to
meet with their enemies the Minnetares of Fort de Prarie whome they
Call Rah'-kees. they were armed with bows arrow and Shield except three
whom I observed with small pieces such as the N. W. Company furnish the
natives with which they had obtained from the Rocky Mountain Indians on
the yellow stone river with whom they are at peace. on our arrival at
their encampmen on the river in a handsome level and fertile bottom at
the distance of 4 Ms. from where we had first met them they introduced
us to a londge made of willow brush and an old leather lodge which had
been prepared for our reception by the young men which the chief had
dispatched for that purpose. Here we were seated on green boughs and
the skins of Antelopes. one of the warriors then pulled up the grass in
the center of the lodge forming a smal circle of about 2 feet in
diameter the chief next produced his pipe and native tobacco and began
a long cerimony of the pipe when we were requested to take of our
mockersons, the Chief having previously taken off his as well as all
the warriors present. this we complyed with; the Chief then lit his
pipe at the fire kindled in this little magic circle, and standing on
the oposite side of the circle uttered a speach of several minutes in
length at the conclusion of which he pointed the stem to the four
cardinal points of the heavens first begining at the East and ending
with the North. he now presented the pipe to me as if desirous that I
should smoke, but when I reached my hand to receive it, he drew it back
and repeated the same cremony three times, after which he pointed the
stern first to the heavens then to the center of the magic circle
smoked himself with three whifs and held the pipe untill I took as many
as I thought proper; he then held it to each of the white persons and
then gave it to be consumed by his warriors. this pipe was made of a
dense simitransparent green stone very highly polished about 21/2
inches long and of an oval figure, the bowl being in the same direction
with the stem. a small piece of birned clay is placed in the bottom of
the bowl to seperate the tobacco from the end of the stem and is of an
irregularly rounded figure not fitting the tube purfectly close in
order that the smoke may pass. this is the form of the pipe. their
tobacco is of the same kind of that used by the Minnetares Mandans and
Ricares of the Missouri. the Shoshonees do not cultivate this plant,
but obtain it from the Rocky mountain Indians and some of the bands of
their own nation who live further south. I now explained to them the
objects of our journey &c. all the women and children of the camp were
shortly collected about the lodge to indulge themselves with looking at
us, we being the first white persons they had ever seen. after the
cerimony of the pipe was over I distributed the remainder of the small
articles I had brought with me among the women and children. by this
time it was late in the evening and we had not taisted any food since
the evening before. the Chief informed us that they had nothing but
berries to eat and gave us some cakes of serviceberries and Choke
cherries which had been dryed in the sun; of these I made a hearty
meal, and then walked to the river, which I found about 40 yards wide
very rapid clear and about 3 feet deep. the banks low and abrupt as
those of the upper part of the Missouri, and the bed formed of loose
stones and gravel. Cameahwait informed me that this stream discharged
itself into another doubly as large at the distance of half a days
march which came from the S. W. but he added on further enquiry that
there was but little more timber below the junction of those rivers
than I saw here, and that the river was confined between inacessable
mountains, was very rapid and rocky insomuch that it was impossible for
us to pass either by land or water down this river to the great lake
where the white men lived as he had been informed. this was unwelcome
information but I still hoped that this account had been exagerated
with a view to detain us among them. as to timber I could discover not
any that would answer the purpose of constructing canoes or in short
more than was bearly necessary for fuel consisting of the narrow leafed
cottonwood and willow, also the red willow Choke Cherry service berry
and a few currant bushes such as were common on the Missouri. these
people had been attacked by the Minetares of Fort de prarie this spring
and about 20 of them killed and taken prisoners. on this occasion they
lost a great part of their horses and all their lodges except that
which they had erected for our accomodation; they were now living in
lodges of a conic figure made of willow brush. I still observe a great
number of horses feeding in every direction around their camp and
therefore entertain but little doubt but we shall be enable to furnish
ourselves with an adiquate number to transport our stores even if we
are compelled to travel by land over these mountains. on my return to
my lodge an indian called me in to his bower and gave me a small morsel
of the flesh of an antelope boiled, and a peice of a fresh salmon
roasted; both which I eat with a very good relish. this was the first
salmon I had seen and perfectly convinced me that we were on the waters
of the Pacific Ocean. the course of this river is a little to the North
of west as far as I can discover it; and is bounded on each side by a
range of high Mountains. tho those on the E. side are lowest and more
distant from the river.