THE MISSOURI RIVER JOURNALS 



125 



We have returned from my search after Rabbits ; Harris and 

 I each shot one. We saw five Wild Geese. Harris lost 

 his snuff-box, which he valued, and which I fear will never 

 be found. Squires to-day proposed to me to let him 

 remain here this winter to procure birds and quadrupeds, 

 and I would have said " yes " at once, did he understand 

 either or both these subjects, or could draw ; but as he does 

 not, it would be useless. 



August i, Tuesday. The weather fine, and warmer than 

 yesterday. We sent off four Indians after Rabbits, but as 

 we foolishly gave them powder and shot, they returned 

 without any very soon, having, of course, hidden the 

 ammunition. After breakfast Mr. C. had a horse put 

 in the cart, and three squaws went off after " pommes 

 blanches," and Sprague and I followed in the wagon, 

 driven by Owen. These women carried sticks pointed at 

 one end, and blunt at the other, and I was perfectly aston- 

 ished at the dexterity and rapidity with which they worked. 

 They place the pointed end within six inches of the plant, 

 where the stem enters the earth, and bear down upon the 

 other end with all their weight and move about to the 

 right and left of the plant until the point of the stick is 

 thrust in the ground to the depth of about seven inches, 

 when acting upon it in the manner of a lever, the plant is 

 fairly thrown out, and the root procured. Sprague and I, 

 who had taken with us an instrument resembling a very 

 narrow hoe, and a spade, having rather despised the simple 

 instruments of the squaws, soon found out that these 

 damsels could dig six or seven, and in some cases a dozen, 

 to our one. We collected some seeds of these plants as 

 well as those of some others, and walked fully six miles, 

 which has rendered my feet quite tender again. Owen told 

 me that he had seen, on his late journey up the Yellow- 

 stone, Grouse, both old and young, with a black breast 

 and with a broad tail ; they were usually near the margin 

 of a wood. What they are I cannot tell, but he and Bell 



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