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Show 206 JOuRNAL. whole of this plain is of a sandy surf·arc at d df!'ol'ch but thin PTass, with some Lranc hes of shrubs \\ hirh n~semble 0 sagc or hyssop. On the south sidf' of t'1i~ branch the soil is of earth and lich, coverul wnh gr~ss, and Yery hand!->ome. 'Ve are still accompanied by several of the natives. Tlm.rsdal/ 1st .fiJay, 1806. f:lomc r ain feU durin ~ the night, ~mel tl1e morning contim:ttS clou~1y .. \\"r· .~e-t out early and tran:llcd up the bnmch, \\ lllch 1.., a hnc stream ~bout t\"1 cnty yarc!s '' i<~e, with some cottoowoocl, bitch and wiliO\\S on Its lJ;,nk~. One of four lmnters, who ,n.nt forward very <:arly this moming, returned at noon \\ ith a becn·er he had killed ; other game is scarce. 'Ve then halted to dine, where the road forks, one g·oing up the branch an ~'ast ct.urse, and the other not·th to,\ards the brgc nv<:r. Here our Indians 0iifLt ed in op.i.nion "ith respect to the best road to be taken. The man with the famity <tnd gang of hort:es saitl he would go across t? ~he Grcnt tiver to-n'loJ row; but \ve !ollowt:d the opmwn of the young man our g uidc, and pl'occeclecl on. up the cret:k. \V c trarelled about twenty-five nnk~, and encamped \vithout any of the natin:s, except our guide, who generally keeps with the hm.Jttrs, one of whom killed a deer this evening. The l11gher we go up the cretk tbe cctton-wood is more large and plenty ; and the plains beautiful. .Friday 2nd. A fine morning. Last night about 9 o'clock, three of the " 7 al-1~:~-wal-las came up '-''ith us, ancl brought a <>tee! trap that had been lc..::ft at our camp on the north side oftbe Columbia, oppo~ite the mouth of \•Val-h1-wal -la river; perhaps one of the gn:~test instances of honesty ever known ~monl" 1 mhans. Some hunters went on ahead, and ha' ing' collected our hol'ses, we found one missing; some of the men wu1t to look for him, and btought him back. \Vc the1• co1 titnH .. d our journey up this branch; ~1nd ~,,,,. to vur light a range of hi~h hills con·red \Hth tnn· J OliR~AL. b .;r ,t:h1 ~ 10\\ ' not tnnre than t n mil~: ') distan t- . v\w...: nt fi[teen mile::; and Cltcumpcd on the north fork. the creek h ~n'ing- forked about l wo miles below our encampment. The south fork is t llC largest, nnd from its course is sllppo-.;~d to i!:>')Uc> from th.vse snowtopped hills on our right. In the evening· our hun krs joined us, and had killed-only one beaver and aL otter. The..: three Incti,u1s remained with u~ all d..ty; ;md at night we set three steel lt\ ps, thL:re bcm;_; a gl'eat bllany be::rrer sig·ns on this bratJch. Saturday 3rd. \Ve had a wet UIJcomfoi·Lt!>le m0rn·· inn!J-) and when the horses \Vcre collected one w· ·-> .found rnicsin;s, and one of our hunters \\: e nl b;lc!: "-fter him, while _the re&t of ns continued out· jou rney. This mm·ning our l?;uid(! a.nd the three other ludiaJ:Iif went on ahead. vVe continued om· rout about teu n1iles, when we struck a creek, having left tl e o ther entirely to our right; ancl halted. Our lnmtPr came np with the horse. The wi!l(.l was vezy hi:-)h thi~; forenoon~ and l'[lther cold fot· tbe season ; wilh som_ r,tin. \Ve continued about two hours at cl eat the 1a:,t of Olll' dried meat ; and are altogc- her witho\: other provi~ions, as our stock of du~:;s is e '{ hausted, and we can kill no f~ame in th ese !Jiaius. In the evening- we met a chief al'ld nine of hi~. m...:n, vbo appeared g·ttc1 to see us. 'y e encamped on a s1nall branch or sprbg, as it was too far to go oYer th·: hills. The Indians say we can get over to·1n.onow by noon . The wind continued to blow hard and 50m'-~ snow showe1·s fell in the afternoon. Sunday 4th. VIe had a severe frost J~st night ; ar.ll the morning was cold and cleat'. \Ve -.vcre eatly oa out· mat·ch over a hnndsome plain; and came toanother ct·eek, w ~1icb we kept dmvn until we c lme to I.ewis's rirer, some distance below the f01 ks of Koos koos-ke ; where we halted CJ t an Indian lodge, and could g-et nothing to (.at, except some bread mad' of a kiP of roots I \\'ijS unacquainted with. 'V e had, |