[174] 174 
that, every year since his arrival at this post, he had unsuccessfully en- 
deavored to induce these people to lay up a store of salmon for their winter 
provision. While the summer weather and the salmon lasted, they lived 
contentedly and happily, scattered along the different streams where the 
fish were to be found ; and as soon as the winter snows began to fall, little 
smokes would be seen rising among the mountains, where they would be 
found in miserable groups, starving out the winter; and sometimes, accord- 
ing to the general belief, reduced to the horror of cannibalism—the strong, 
of course, preying on the weak. Certain it is, they are driven to any ex- 
tremity for food, and eat every insect, and every creeping thing, however 
loathsome and repulsive. Snails, lizards, ants—all are devoured with the 
readiness and greediness of mere animals. : 
n common with all the other Indians we had encountered since reach- 
ing the Pacific waters, these people use the Shoshonee or Snake language, 
which you will have occasion to remark, in the course of the narrative, is 
the universal language over a very extensive region. 
On the evening of the 10th, I obtained, with the usual observations, a 
very excellent emersion of the first satellite, agreeing very nearly with the 
chronometer. rom these observations, the longitude of the fort is 116° 
47’ 00” ; latitude 43° 49’ 22", and elevation above the sea 2,100 feet. 
Sitting by the fire on the river bank, and waiting for the immersion of 
the satellite, which did not take place until after midnight, we heard the 
monotonous song of the Indians, with which they accompany a certain 
game of which they are very fond. Of the poetry we could not judge, 
but the music was miserable. 
_ October 11.—The morning was clear, with a light breeze from the east, 
and a temperature at sunrise of 33°. A part of a bullock purchased at the 
fort, together with the boat to assist him in crossing, was left here for Mr. 
Fitzpatrick, and at 11 o’clock we resumed our journey ; and directly leav- 
ing the river, and crossing the artemisia plain, in several ascents we reached 
the foot of a ridge, where the road entered a dry sandy hollow, up which 
it continued to the head ; and, crossing a dividing ridge, entered a similar 
one. We met here two poor emigrants, (rishmen, )who had lost their horses 
two days since—probably stolen by the Indians; and were returning to the 
fort, in hopes to hear something of them there. They had recently had noth- 
ing to eat ; and [ halted to unpack an animal, and gave them meat for their 
dinner. In this hollow, the artemisia is partially displaced on the hill sides 
by grass; and descending it— miles, about sunset we reached the Riviére 
aux Matheurs, (the unfortunate or unlucky river,) a considerable stream, 
with an average breadth of 50 feet, and, at thistime, 18 inches depth of water. 
_ The bottom lands were generally one and a half mile broad, covered 
‘Principally with long dry grass; and we had difficulty to find sufficient 
Ood grass for the camp. With the exception of a bad place’of a few hun- 
red yards long, which occurred in rounding a point of hill to reach the 
ford of the river, the road during the day had been very good. 
clober 12.—The morning was clear and calm, and the thermometer at 
sunrise 23°, My attention was attracted by a smoke on the right side of 
the river, a little below the ford, where J found on the low bank, near the 
water, a considerable number of hot springs, in which the temperature of 
the water was 193°. The ground, which was too hot for the naked foot, 
_ Balt, very white and good, and fine grained. 
covered above and below the springs with an incrustation of common 
ae 
Rote. ne 
