ON THE COLUMBIA RIVER. 
after midnight I sat poring over these 
letters, as if repeated readings could ex- 
tract an additional, or a different, sense 
from them; and when I did lie down, little 
as I had slept lately, I never closed my 
weary eyes. The next day found me 
considerably indisposed, and the intense 
heat confining me to the tent, I employed 
myself in repairing my shoes, and shifting 
the papers of my plants. 
Up to Wednesday, the 14th, I remained 
here, chiefly employed in making short 
trips along the banks of the river, which 
was rendered so rough by a stormy West- 
erly wind, that no canoe could go upon it, 
even to fish. Thus, no salmon having 
been caught for three or four days, I had 
nothing but a little boiled horse-flesh to 
it burrows in the sand under 
bushes, and lives on the fruit of Purshia 
tridentata, and the leaves of several spe- 
cies of Artemisia. I found the flesh 
somewhat rancid, or rather of a musky 
favour, probably from the bitter strong- 
Scented plants on which it feeds. The 
Indians of the Walla-wallah and Kyemüse 
tribes call this animal Limia. 
Thursday, June 15th.—At four A. M. set 
off for a walk on some rocky grounds, near 
the river, having breakfasted on the same 
food as I had had for some previous days, 
but long before noon felt greatly exhausted, 
being unable to get so much as a drink of 
Water. My eyes began also to distress me 
exceedingly; the sand which blows into 
nem, with the reflection of the sun from 
the ground, which in many places is quite 
bare, have made them so sore and inflamed 
that I can hardly distinguish clearly any 
t at twelve yards distance. 
Friday, 16th.— The weather being plea- 
TM, I began preparing for my great ex- 
cursion to the mountains, and sent accord- 
ingly to the Indian camp, to bid my 
guide be ready at sun-rise. During the 
| I was annoyed by the visit of a herd 
^ R$, which devoured every particle of 
i ! A trachyurus, T 
115 
seed I had collected, eat clean through a 
bundle of dried plants, and carried off my 
soap-brush and razor! As one was taking 
away my ink-stand, which I had been using 
shortly before, and which lay close to my 
pilow, I raised my gun, which, with my 
faithful dog, always is placed under my 
blanket by my side, with the muzzle to my 
feet, and hastily gave him the contents. 
When I saw how. large and strong a crea- 
ture this rat was, I ceased to wonder at the 
exploits of the herd in depriving me of 
my property. The body and tail together 
measured a foot and a-half; the back is 
brown, the belly white; while the tail and 
enormous ears are each three-quarters of an 
inch long, with whiskers three inches in 
length, and jet black. Unfortunately the 
specimen was spoiled by the size ofthe shot, 
which, in my haste to secure the animal, and 
recover my ink-stand, I did not take time 
to change; but a female of the same sort 
venturing to return some hours after, I 
handed it a smaller shot, which did not 
destroy the skin. It was in all respects 
like the other, except being a little smaller. 
I am informed that these rats abound in 
the Rocky Mountains, particularly to the 
north, nearthe Mackenzie and Peace Rivers, 
where, during the winter, they destroy 
almost every thing that comes in their 
way. 
On Saturday, the 17th, my guide did 
not arrive from the camp until eight A. M., 
and I was uncertain whether he would 
come at all. The horses were not brought 
from the meadow, nor the provisions put 
up. Considerable time was lost in explain- 
ing to the man the nature of my journey, 
which was thus effected. I told it to Mr. 
Black, in English, and he translated it in 
French to his Canadian interpreter, who 
in communicated it to the Indian in the 
language of the Kyemüse tribe, to which 
the latter belongs. As a proof of the 
fickle disposition and keenness at making 
a bargain of these people, he no sooner 
had ascertained the proposed route, and his 
future remuneration, than he began start- 
ing difficulties, in preface to a list of pre- 
sents wants, among which were food for 
