126 NARRATIVE OF A JOURNEY 



skins or blankets, to exclude the rays of the sun. Of these lodges 

 there are about forty in the valley, so that the party must have 

 been a large one. 



In the afternoon we arrived at " Kaunas prairie,'''' so called 

 from a vast abundance of this esculent root which it produces, 

 (the Kamassa esculenta, of Nutlall.) The plain is a beautiful 

 level one of about a mile over, hemmed in by low, rocky hills, 

 and in spring, the pretty blue flowers of the Kamas are said to 

 give it a peculiar, and very pleasing appearance. At this season, 

 the flowers do not appear, the vegetable being indicated only by 

 little dry stems which protrude all over the ground among the 



grass. 



We encamped here, near a small branch of Mallade river ; and 

 soon after, all hands took their kettles and scattered over the 

 prairie to dig a mess of kamas. We were, of course, eminently 

 successful, and were furnished thereby with an excellent and 

 wholesome meal. When boiled, this little root is palatable, and 

 somewhat resembles the taste of the common potato ; the Indian 

 mode of preparing it, is, however, the best— that of fermenting it 

 in pits under ground, into which hot stones have been placed. 

 It is suffered to remain in these pits for several days ; and when 

 removed, is of a dark brown color, about the consistence of soft- 

 ened glue, and sweet, like molasses. It is then often made into 

 large cakes, by being mashed, and pressed together, and slightly 

 baked in the sun. There are several other kinds of bulbous and 

 tuburous roots, growing in these plains, which are eaten by 

 the Indians, after undergoing a certain process of fermentation 

 or baking. Among these, that which is most esteemed, is the 

 white or biscuit root, the Racine blanc of the Canadians, — 

 {Eidophvs ambiguus, of Nuttall.) This is dried, pulverized with 

 stones, and after being moistened with water, is made into cakes 

 and baked in the sun. The taste is not unlike that of a stale 



