1826, MAY. BARRIERE RIVER 173 



sometimes weighing 18 to 24 Ib. The horns of the female are bent back- 

 wards and curved outwards at the point, about 10 inches or a foot long. 

 The flesh is fine. I offered a small compensation to the sons to procure me 

 skins of male and female, at the same time showing them what way they 

 should be prepared. He assured me that in all probability he would be 

 able to find them about August, as he was going on a hunting trip to the 

 higher grounds contiguous to the Rocky Mountains. Close to the old 

 establishment an Indian burying-ground is to be seen, certainly one of 

 the most curious spectacles I have seen in the country. All the property of 

 the dead, consisting of war implements, garments, gambling articles, in 

 fact everything. Even the favourite horse of the departed is shot with his 

 bow and arrow, and his skin with the hoofs and skull hung over the remains 

 of deceased owner. On trees around the ground small bundles are to be 

 seen tied up in the same manner as they tie provisions when travelling. I 

 could not learn if this was as food or as a sacrifice to some of their deities. 

 The body is placed in the grave in a sitting position, with the knees touching 

 the chin and the arms folded across the chest. It is very difficult to get 

 any information on this point, for nothing seems to hurt their feelings 

 more than even mentioning the name of a departed friend. Left Spokane 

 at 8 A.M. with one guide ; went on the same track that I came. As I saw 

 nothing different on my way from what I had previously observed, my 

 stoppages were fewer ; gained Barriere River a little before dusk, which I 

 crossed in the same way as I did a few days before ; heavy rain all the 

 afternoon. Camped a few yards from the banks of the river, in the shade 

 of some pines. 



Sunday, \kih. Very rainy during the whole night ; although tolerably 

 well sheltered and had a large fire to sit at, yet I felt cold, my blanket and 



frequent instances have been known of the horns so overgrown that they prevented 

 the animal from feeding', the skulls being found with the horns grown in the jaws, which 

 may naturally lead one to suppose the animal died of starvation. Horns of a dirty 

 yellowish-white colour ; tail short, hairy like a goat. The horns of the female are small 

 in comparison to the male, 5 to 10 inches long, slightly bent backwards and inclining 

 outwards at the points ; differs in no way from the male in colour ; said to have one, 

 sometimes two, kids at a time. The flesh said to be fine and equal to the domesticated 

 sheep, the lean of a more brown colour, beautifully marbled with fat of a delicate white 

 colour. Inhabits the highest mountains, and seldom seen abundantly except on those 

 whose summits are covered with eternal snow. On the portage between the waters of 

 the Athabasca and Columbia Rivers, in the Rocky Mountains, and in the country between 

 Peace and Smoky Rivers, they are seen in large herds ; on the Columbia, near the 

 Lakes, and on the mountains of McGillivray's and Flathead Rivers, and that tract of 

 country between the Columbia and the higher parts of Eraser's River to the north, in 

 fewer number, and in the south towards the waters of Rio del Norte near the Spanish 

 possessions. Their voice is precisely the same as the sheep, Ma-aa-aa. They are shy, 

 and when discovered immediately ascend the mountains and endeavour to place 

 themselves on the most inaccessible places of the rocks, and will, on gaining such 

 situations, composedly stand and steadfastly look down on you, where by an expert 

 rifleman they are oftentimes brought from the height of several hundred feet. Lewis 

 and Clarke's sheep is (if I recollect aright) of a dirty-white with hair and wool of 

 coarse texture, and stands under the name of Ovis communis beside the antelope or 

 Mouton blanche of the voyageurs, which is seen on the highest peaks of the mountains. 



To Mr. Sabine, May 20th. 



August 21th : Purchased a pair of male horns of the above from an Indian, for 

 which I gave him three charges of ammunition and a few crumbs of tobacco. They 

 are small, and in my opinion the animal could not be more than two and a half or 

 three years old as some of the larger and older ones weigh 18 to 24 Ib. On the Great 

 Falls of the Columbia. D. D. 



