Ch. XI. FRANKLIN & RICHARDSON'S SECOND JOURNEY. 457 



this time, his hunter sent him word that he had 

 changed his mind, and would not accompany him 

 into the mountains. His plans were thus deranged, 

 yet he had no alternative but to remain with the 

 man, who had charge of the horses used on the 

 Columbia portage, " and to botanize in that neigh- 

 bourhood." He resolved, however, to proceed. 



" On the 10th of August I set out with another hunter, 

 upon whom I had prevailed to conduct me to the Smoking 

 River, although, being disappointed in a supply of ammuni- 

 tion, we were badly provided. We travelled for several 

 days without meeting with any animals, and I shared the 

 little dried provision which I had with the hunter's family. 

 On the 15th we killed a mountain sheep, which was quickly 

 devoured, there not being the smallest apprehension at the 

 time that famine would overtake us. Day after day how- 

 ever passed away without a single head of game of any 

 description being seen, and the children began to complain 

 loudly ; but the hunter's wife, a young half-bred woman, 

 bore the abstinence with indifference, although she had two 

 infant twins at the breast. On the 21st we found two young 

 porcupines, which were shared amongst the party ; and two 

 or three days afterwards, a few fine trout were caught. We 

 arrived in the Smoking River on the 5th of September, 

 where the hunter killed two sheep, and a period was put to 

 our abstinence, for before the sheep were eaten he shot 

 several buffaloes." — p. 311. 



He next proceeded along the mountains, and had 

 reached the head waters of the Peace River, when 

 a heavy fall of snow stopped his collecting plants 

 for that season. Desirous, however, of crossing the 

 mountains to the Columbia River, he determined 



