, Rocky Mountains. 73 



now in full bloom, has a roundish tuberous root, of a warm 

 somewhat balsamic taste, and is used by the Indians and 

 others, for the cure of Gonnorhsea. 



The Indian interpreter Mr. Dougherty also showed us 

 some branches of a shrub, which he said was much used 

 among the natives, in the cure of Lues venerea. They make 

 a decoction of the root, which they continue to drink for 

 some time. It is called ** blue wood" by the French, and is 

 the Symphoria racemosa of Pursh, common to the maritime 

 states, the bank of the St. Lawrence, and the Missouri. It 

 is here rather taller, and the branches less flexuous than in 

 the eastern states.* 



Without meeting any remarkable occurrences, we moved 

 on, from day to day, encountering numerous obstacles in the 

 navigation of the river, and being occasionally delayed, by 

 the failure of some part of the steam engine, till on the 2d 

 of July, we arrived at Loutre Island, where we found Mr. 

 Say and his companions. 



After leaving the steam boat at St. Charles, on the 25th 

 of June, this party had travelled over a somewhat hilly coun- 

 try, covered with open oak woods, for about ten miles, to a 

 small creek, called the Darden, entering the Mississippi a 

 few miles above the Illinois. This stream they crossed three 

 miles from the Missouri, having in their walk suffered great- 

 ly from thirst. At evening they tied their pack-horse to a 

 bush, and as they returned after being absent a few minutes 

 for water, the animal took fright, and breaking loose, disen- 

 cumbered himself of his pack, and set off on a gallop to re- 

 turn to St. Charles, and it was not without great exertion 

 that he was overtaken, and brought back. They then pitch- 

 ed their tent, and were so fortunate as to find a house at the 

 distance of half a mile. This belonged to a family from 

 Carolina, and exhibited great appearance of neatness and 



"' Baldwin. 

 vol.. i. 10 



