Io8 SYNIAKWATEEN. 



was situated. The scenery is picturesque beyond 

 description; densely wooded on each side, the 

 river winds its way through a series of grassy 

 banks, flat and verdant as English meadows. 

 In June these grass-flats are flooded by the melt- 

 ing snows, and for a short time the river assumes 

 the appearance of a lovely lake. The Indians en 

 route to the Buffalo plains, east of the Rocky 

 Mountains, cross the Pend Oreille at this its 

 narrowest neck hence the name, Syniakwateen. 

 The place is a perfect paradise for the lesser 

 migrants: sunny, sheltered, and abounding in 

 insects and flowers, the birds live sumptuously, 

 and find in the forest-trees and shrubby under- 

 brush every variety of site for building purposes. 

 Few more wonderful displays of brilliant colour- 

 ing can be imagined than an assemblage of but- 

 terflies. ' Knights ' and ' chevaliers' have a habit, 

 in North and North-western America, of pitching 

 together on the ground, choosing damp bare 

 places for their gatherings; many hundreds of 

 these brilliantly-coloured insects might be seen 

 every day on these meadow-like river-banks, out- 

 vying in variety of tints any grouping of flowers 

 the most skilful gardener could produce. For 

 what purpose they thus congregate I am at a loss 

 to imagine. 



