' 
al 
_ ence of these people, 
[ 174] 218 
lake make it an object of geographical interest. It is the nearest lake to 
the western rim, as the Great Salt lake is to the eastern rim, of the Great 
Basin which lies between the base of the Rocky mountains and the Sierra 
Nevada ; and the extent and character of which, its whole circumference 
and contents, it is so desirable,to know. 
The last of the cattle which had been driven from the Dalles was killed 
here for food, and was still in good condition. 
January 
river at the end of the lake, but that he lived in the rocks near by. From 
the few words our people could understand, he spoke a dialect of the Snake 
language ; but we were not able to understand enough to know whether » 
the river ran in or out, or what was its, course é consequently, there still 
river, indicated that it was a stream of considerable size ; and, at all events, 
we had the pleasure to know that now we were ina country where human 
beings could live. . Accompanied by the Indian, we resumed our road, pass- 
ing on the way several caves in the rock where there were baskets and 
seeds ;-but the people had disappeared. We saw also horse tracks along 
the shore, a 
Eeey in the afternoon, when we were approaching the groves at the 
mout’ il 
Reaching the groves, we found the inlet of a large fresh-water stream, 
and all at once were satisfied that it was neither Mary’s river nor the 
waters of the Sacramento, but that we haddiscovered a large interior lake, 
which the Indians informed us had no outlet. It is about 35 miles long ; 
and, bythe mark of the water line along the shores, the spring level is about — 
issued from the thickets. We selected a strong place for our ereamp- 
grassy bottom, nearly enclosed by the river, and furnished with 
dant fire ox. village, a collection of straw huts, was a few 
hundred yards higher up. An Indian brought in a large fish to trade, 
which we had the inexpressible satisfaction to find was a salmon trout; we 
gathered round him eagerly. The Indians were amused with our deli it 
‘immediately brought in numbers ; so that the camp was soon stocked. © 
Their fi. vor was excellent—superior, in fact, to that of any fish I have ever 
They were of extraordinary size—about as large as the Columbia 
i—generally from two to four feetinlength. From the infor- 
re 
when cleaned and the head taken off ; which corresponds very well with 
the size of those obtained at this place. They doubtless formed the subsist- 
2 ople, who hold the fishery in exclusive possession. — ‘ 
Tremarked that one of them gave a fish to the Indian we had first seen, 
lich he carried off to his family. To them it was probably a feast ; being 
: of the Digger tribe, and having no share in the fishery, living generally on 
* 
