History of the expedition under the command of Captains Lewis and Clark, to the sources of the Missouri, thence across the Rocky mountains and down the River Columbia to the Pacific Ocean : performed during the years 1804-5-6 by order of the government of the United States; Volume 1

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but fortunately had not seen the note which enabled ftjru to induce the Indians to stay with him. Fl'om the top of this eminence he could discm'cr only three trees through the whole country, nor was there along the sides of' the cliffs they had passed in the cout·se of the day, any timber ex­cept a few small pines: the low grounds were supplied with willow, curt~ant bushes, aml serviceberries. After ad­vancing half a mile further we came to the lower point of an island ncar the middle of the river, and about the centre of the valley: here we halted for the night, only four miles by land, though ten by water, below the point where captain Lewis lay. Although we had made only fourteen miles, the labours of the men had fatigued and exhausted them very much: we therefore collected some small willow brush fol' a fire, ancllay down to sleep. ' t CHAPTER XV. Affeetinginten>iew between the wife of Chauoneau and the chief of the Shoabo. nees-Council held with that nalion, and favourable result-The extreme navigable point of the Missout-i mentioned-General character of the river an<l of the countr·y through which it passes-Captain Clarke in exploring the source of the Columbia falla in company with !lnothe1· l>arty of Shoshonees­Thc geographical information acquired from one of that party-Their man­ner of catching fish-The party reach Lewis river-The difficulties which captain Cla1·ke bad to encounter in his route-Friendship and hospitality of the Sh0shonees-The party with captain Lewis employed in making saddles, and p1·eparing for the journey. Saturday, August 17. CAPTAIN LEWIS rose very early, "'nd despatched Drewyer and the Indian down the river in quest of the boats. Shields was sent out at the same time to hunt, while M'Ncal prepared a breakfast out of the re­mainder of the meat. Drewycr had been gone about two hours, and the Indians were all anxiously waiting for some news, when au Indian who had straggled a short distance down the river, returned with a report that he had seen the white men, wl1o were only a short distance below, and were <lOming on. rrhc Indians were all transported with joy' and the chief in the warmth of his satisfaction renewed his embrace to captain Lewis, who was quite as much delighted as the Indians themselves; the report proved most agreeably true. On setting out at seven o'clock, captain Clarke with Chaboneau ancl his wife walked on shore, bot they had not gone more than a mile before captain Clarke saw Sacajawea, who was with he1• husband one hundred yards ahead, began to «lance, and sl1ow every mark of the most extravagant joy, turn· ing round him and pointing to several Indians, whom he now saw advancing on horseback, sucking her fin~ers at the same tiJI\e to indioat6 that they were of l1el• native tribe. As they