od 
243 pas} 
. > 4 = 
The absence of Mr..Preuss gave me great concern ; and, for a large re- 
ward, Derosier volunteered to go back on the trail. I directed him to 
search along the river, travelling upward for the space of aday and ahalf, 
_ at which time I expected he would meet Mr. Fitzpattiek, om I requested 
to aid in the search; at all events, he was to go no farther, but return to 
this camp, where a cache of provisions was made for him. be 
Continuing the next day down the river, we discovered three squaws in 
a little bottom, and surrounded them before they could make their eseape. 
They had large conical baskets, which they were engaged in filling with a 
small leafy plant (erodium cicularium) just now beginning to bloom, and 
covering the ground like a sward of grass. These did not make any 
lamentations, but appeared very much impressed with our appearance, 
‘speaking to us only in a whisper, and offering us smaller baskets of the 
plant, which they signified to us was good to eat, making signs also that it 
was to be cooked by the fire. We drew out a little cold horse meat, and - 
the squaws made signs to us that the men had gone out after deer, and that 
we could have some by waiting till they came in. We observed that the 
horses ate with great avidity-the herb which they had been gathering ; and 
here also,.for the first time, we saw Indians eat the common grass—one of 
€ ~ 
the squaws pulling several tufts, and eating it with apparent relish. See- 
ing our surprise, she.pointed to the horses ; but we could not well under- 
stand what she meant, except, perhaps, that what was good for the one was 
good for the other. 
; ‘e encamped in the evening on the shore of the river, at a place where 
lying among the trees. We had seen several of the acorn caches uring the & 
nothing of Derosier. pp 3 
mined to keep the river as muc 
was his only hope, always in expectation of reaching it soon. His prin- © 
cipal means of subsistence were a few roots, which the hunters call, 
onions, having very little taste, but a good deal of nutriment, rowing gen- 
erally in rocky ground, and fequiring a good deal of labor to —- as he had 
only a pocket knife. Searching for these, he found a nest . f big ants, 
had an agreeable acid taste. One of his greatest privations 1 ast 
_Whieh he let ran on his hand, and stripped them off in his 
a= . 
ae “id ae 
