{Au J 148 
hundred yards broad, and the water so deep, that even on the comparatively 
shallow points we could not reach the bottom with 15 feet. On either side 
-were alternately low bottoms and willow points, with an occasional high 
prairie ; and for five or six hours we followed slowly the winding course of 
the river, which crept along with a sluggish current among frequent détours 
several miles around 
2 
nning fora rable distance directly 
up the valley. As we were stealing quietly down the stream, trying in vain 
‘to geta shot at a strange large bird that was numerous among the willows, 
but very shy, we came unexpectedly upon several families of Root Diggers, 
who were encamped among the rushes on the shore, and appeared very 
busy about several weirs or nets which had been rudely made of canes and 
rushes for the purpose of catching fish. They were very much startled at 
our appearance, but we soon established an acquaintance ; and finding that 
they had some roots, ] promised to send some iaen with goods to trade 
with them. They had the usual very large heads, remarkable among the 
‘Digger tribe, with matted hair, and were almost entirely naked; looking 
very poor and miserable, as if their lives had been spent in the rushes where 
“they were, beyond which they seemed to have very little knowledge of any 
thing. From the few words we could comprehend, their language was 
that of the Snake Indians, 
Our boat moved so heavily, that we had made very little progress ; and, 
finding that it would be impossible to overtake the camp, as soon as we were 
sufficiently far below the Indians, we put to the shore near a high prairie 
‘bank, hauled up the boat, and cached our effects in the willows. Ascendin 
the bank, we found that our desultory labor had brought us only a few miles 
in a direct line ; and, going out into the prairie, after asearch we found the 
trail of the camp, which was now nowhere in sight, but had followed the 
general course of the river ina large circular sweep which it makes at this 
ce. The sun was about thiee hours high when we found the trail ; and 
-as our people had passed early in the day, we had the prospect of a vigorous 
walk before us. Immediately where we landed, the high arable plain on 
which we had been travelling for several days past terminated in extensive 
low flats, very generally occupied by salt marshes, or beds of shallow lakes, 
whence the water had in most places evaporated, leaving their hard surface 
*nerusted with a shining white residuum, and absolutely covered with very 
small wnivalve shells. As we advanced, the whole country around us as- 
imed this »ppearance ; and there was no other vegetation than the shrubby 
diaceous and other’ apparently saline plants, which were confined 
‘to the rising grounds. Here and there on the river bank, which w raised 
like a levee above the flats through which it ran, was a narrow border of 
Grass and short black-burnt willows; the stream being very deep and 
gish, and sometimes 600 to 800 feet wide. After a rapid walk of about 
Wwe caught sight of the camp fires among elumps of willows just 
sun had sunk behind the mountains on the west side of the val- 
ig the clear sky with a golden yellow. These last rays, to us so 
muld not have revealed a more welcome sight. To the traveller 
a oR 
3 : 
acamp fire in the lonely wilderness is always cheering ; 
ee 
urselves, in our present situation, after a hard march in a region 
ing the debouches of a river,in a lake of almost fabulous 
ioubly so. A plentiful supper of aquatic birds, and the 
1 dissipated fatigue; and I obtained during the 
~ 
Sais 
