84 NARRATIVE OF A JOURNEY 



though at a loss for employment. We soon ascertained it to be 

 Captain Bonneville's company resting after the fatigues of a long 

 march. Mr. Wyeth and Captain Stewart visited the lodge of the 

 " bald chief," and our party proceeded on its march. The 

 difficulties of the route seemed to increase as we progressed, 

 until at length we found ourselves wedged in among huge blocks 

 of lava and columns of basalt, and were forced, most reluctantly, 

 to retrace our steps for several miles, over the impediments which 

 we had hoped we were leaving for ever behind us. We had 

 nearly reached Bonneville's camp again, when Captains Wyeth 

 and Stewart joined us, and we struck into another path which 

 proved more tolerable. Wyeth gave us a rather amusing 

 account of his visit to the worthy captain. He and Captain 

 Stewart were received very kindly by the veteran, and every 

 delicacy that the lodge affijrded was brought forth to do them 

 honor. Among the rest, was some methiglen or diluted alcohol 

 sweetened with honey, which the good host had concocted ; this 

 dainty beverage was set before them, and the thirsty guests 

 were not slow in taking advantage of the invitation so obligingly 

 given. Draught after draught of the precious liquor disappeared 

 down the throats of the visiters, until the anxious, but still com- 

 plaisant captain, began to grow uneasy. 



" I beg you will help yourselves, gentlemen," said the host, 

 with a smile wliich he intended to express the utmost urbanity, 

 but which, in spite of himself, had a certain ghastliness about it. 



" Thank you, sir, we will do so freely," replied the two 

 worthies, and away went the methiglen as before. 



Cup after cup was drained, until the hollow sound of the keg 

 indicated that its contents were nearly exhausted, when the 

 company rose, and thanking the kind host for his noble enter- 

 tainment, were bowed out of the tent with all the polite formality 

 which the accomplished captain knows so well how to assume. 



Towards evening, we struck Blackfoot river, a small, sluggish, 



