147 [1%] 
ly visible ; and we were disappointed when at every little rise we did not 
see the lake. Towards evening, our way was somewhat obstructed by 
fields of artemisia, which began to make their appearance here, and we 
‘eneamped on the Roseaux, the water of which had acquired a decidedly 
salt taste, nearly opposite to a canon Sap in the mountains, through which 
‘the Bear river enters this valley. As we encamped, the night set in dark 
and cold, with heavy rain; and the artemisia, which was here our only 
Wood, was so wet that it would not burn. A poor, nearly starved dog, 
with a wound in his side from a ball, came to the camp, and remained 
valley below, of which the elevation here was about 4,500 feet above the 
sea. The country before us plainly indicated that we were approaching 
the lake, though, as the ground where we were travelling afforded no ele- 
vated point, nothing of it as yet could be seen ; and at a great distance ahead 
were several isolated mountains, resembling islands, which they were after- 
werds found to be. On this upper plain the grass was every where dead; 
and among the shrubs with which it was alinost exclusively occupied, (arte- 
misia being the most abundant,) ©. equently occurred handsome clusters of 
several species of dieteria in bloom. Purshia tridentata was among the 
frequent shrubs. Descending to the bottoms of Bear river, we found good 
grass for the animals, and encamped about 300 yards above the mouth of 
Roseaux, which here makes its junction, without communicating any 
of its salty taste to the main stream, of which the water remains perfeetly 
a,) 
bottoms the abundant plants are canes, solidago, and helianthi, and along 
al 
paddled down Bear river, intending at night to rejoin the party, which in 
the mean time proceeded on its way. The river was from sixty to one 
