[174] 12 
On all sides was heard the strange language of his own people, wild, 
‘and harmonizing well with their appearance. [ listened to him for some 
time with feelings of strange curiosity and interest. He was now a 
‘rently thirty-five years of age; and, og Gary. Tlearned that he had heen 
at St. Louis. when a boy, ‘and there had learned the French language. 
from. one of the Indian women I obtdined a fine cow and calf in exchange 
for a yoke of oxen. Several of them brought us vegetables, pumpkins, 
-onions, beans, and lettuce. One of them brought butter, and from a half- 
interfered with astronomical observations, and our wet and damaged 
stores eurer exposure to the sun. Accordingly, the tents were struck 
-early the next morning, and, leaving camp at six o’clock, we moved about 
‘seven miles up the river, to a handsome, open prairie, some twenty feet 
“above the water, where the fine grass afforded a inxurions repast to our 
orses. 
During the day we occupied ourselves in making astronomical observa- 
tions, in order to lay down the country to this place; it being our custom 
‘to keep up our map regularly in the field, which we found attended with 
many advantages. The men were kept busy in drying the provisions, 
painting the cart covers, and otherwise completing our equipage, until the 
afternoon, when boy ae was distributed to them, and they spent some 
pati in firing ata mark. We were now fairly in the Indian country, and 
a be time ‘6 prepare for the chances of the wilderness. 
Friday, June 17.—The weather yesterday had not permitted us to make 
anseens Adib was desirous to obtain here, and I therefore did not 
‘move to-day. The people continued their target firing. In the steep bank 
of the river here, were nests of innumerable swallows, into one of which 
a large prairie snake had got about half his body, and was occupied in 
eating the young birds. The old ones were flying about in great distress, 
darting at him, and vainly endeavoring to drive him off. A shot wound- 
ed him, and, being killed, he was cut open, and eighteen young swallows 
were found in his body. A sudden storm, that burst upon us in the after 
noon, cleared away in a brilliant sunset, followed by a clear night, which 
a oF sr determine our position in longitude 95° 38’ 05", and in lati- 
emigrants to the Columbia river, under the charge 
‘Whitpan aert of the Government in Oregon Territory, were | about th 
_ weeks in advance of us. They consisted of men, women, and children. 
“There were sixty-four men, and sixteen or seventeen fainilies. They had 
‘considerable number of cattle, a were transporting their household 
in large heavy wagons. I understood that there had been oe 
among them, and that they had lost several children. One of the 
© had lost his child, and whose wife was very ill, had left them 
undred miles hence on th prairies; and asa nt er, who had 
hem, visited our camp this evening, we availed ourselves: of 
e States to write fo our friends. 
e Isth was very unpleasant. ‘x a rain was ling, 
er hills ors 
rth, and mists denen se 
