BOTANICAL INFORMATION. 293 



responding with the former, but more wet and traversed by 



got broke against the ice by this operation. I now had to take my saddle 

 and saddle-bags on my back, and travel five to six miles in rain and 

 storm along the banks of the river, while my horse was trotting and 

 neighing triumphantly on the other side, with head and tail upright. 

 Patiently I marched on through meadows and morass, and arrived just 

 at about dark, at the village. Rushing to the fire in one of the Indian 

 lodges, I was laughed at heartily, for every one could easily guess what 

 had befallen me. At last, an Indian woman having amused herself a 

 long time, by my vain efforts, to free myself of my buckskin shirt, gave 

 me a helping hand. The sensation of wet buckskin on the skin, can only 

 be compared with that of taking a frog in the hand." 



The foregoing account I could have omitted, was it not connected with 

 the one following. To give it so that the reader may get at least some 

 idea, I have thought proper to give every detail of the winter-excursion. 

 Perhaps he may get impatient, on account of the length ; but I am sure 

 he will not envy me. 



' One would think that this would have been sufficient to make me 

 stay where I was, and at my return I thought so myself ; but, after three 

 days had elapsed I heard that some Indians were going to drive a number 

 of horses to a certain good pasture, the road they had to go was partly 

 the same as to Fort Colville. I concluded to join them, as they promised 

 to bring me on the right track. Not in the least did I dream that 

 this adventure would outdo the former ; but, prepared for a journey of 

 four days, crossed the river where I found the Indian who had caught my 

 horse, where I saddled him, to join my party. They, however, had lost some 

 horses in the woods, for which they were searching ; towards evening they 

 came, but as it was too late now, we had to camp at the crossing for the 

 night ; hobbling our horses we lit a fire, and resolved to start as early as 

 possible next day. A stormy night set in again, accompanied by pelting 

 rain, which lasted for three days. On the third day towards noon, our 

 roads parted. I got my information from the Indians how to travel on, 

 but I found that these Indians have not that aptness-to describe a route, 

 so as to understand it at once, which I so often admired with the Indians 

 of the Plains. I understood what he marked on the ground ; to follow it 

 strictly, I copied it on a piece of paper. Accordingly, I bad to take the 

 second trail on the right, after following the path I was in for a short 

 distance. This I did. Soon I found that I was ascending again a wooded 

 plateau ; this made me distrustful of my road, so I instantly returned, 

 examining the way again; finding however that I was perfectly right, I 

 resolved to travel on as fast as possible. The fifth day I was again on a 

 crested high plateau, snowy stormy weather again set in, but this time 



