ab {Mey 
we were delighted this afternoon to make a pleasant camp under fine old 
trees again. _ There were several Indian encampments scattered along the 
river; and a number of their inhabitants, in the course of the evening, 
came to the camp on horseback with dried and fresh fish to trade. The 
evening was clear, and the temperature at sunset 57°. n PO ie ag 
_At the time of the first occupation of this region by parties engaged ip 
tRe fur trade, a small party of men under the command of ——— Reid, 
constituting all the garrison of a little fort on this river, were surprised an 
massacred by the Indians; and to this event the stream owes its occasional 
name of Reid’s river. 
On the 8th we travelled about 26 miles, the ridge on the right ey 
scattered pines on the upper parts; and, continuing the next day our roa 
along the river bottom, after a day’s travel of 24 miles we encamped in 
the ‘evening on the right bank of the river, a mile above the mouth, and 
early the next morning arrived at Fort Boisé. This is a simple dwelling- 
house on the right bank of Snake river, about a mile below the mouth of 
Riviere Boissée ; and on our arrival we were received with an agreeable 
hospitality by Mr. Payette, an officer of the Hudson Bay Company, in 
charge of the fort; all of whose garrison consisted in a Canadian engage. 
Here the road recrosses the river, which is broad and deep; but, with 
our good boat, aided by two canoes, which were found at the place, the 
camp was very soon transferred to the left bank. Here we found ourselves 
again surrounded by the sage ; artemisia tridentata, and the different shrubs 
which during our voyage had always made their appearance abundantly 
on saline soils, being here the prevailing and almost the only plants. 
Among them the surface was covered with the usual saline efflorescences, 
* which here consist almost entirely of carbonate of soda, with a small por- 
tion of chloride of sodium. Mr. Payette had made but slight attempts at 
well; and we ha a present of fresh butter, whic 
was, however, by no means equal to that of Fort Hall—probably from 
some accidental cause. Duri he day we remained here, there were 
this great feature among the characteristics of the country will gradually 
be forced upon your mind. Ee - 3 ¢ 
Pointing to a group of Indians. who had just arrived from the mountains 
on the leit side of the valley, and who were regarding our usual appliances 
of civilization with an air of bewildered curiosity, Mr, Payette informed | 
4 
