THE INTERIOR OF OREGON. 437 



be called hillj, with lakes and open glades intervening : the soil was 

 poor, with sand and stones ; a few scattered pines were seen on the 

 hills, and around the lakes were cotton-wood and willow bushes. 



On the 23d, after travelling five miles, thej reached a camp of 

 Spokane Indians, in number about three hundred, at the entrance 

 of a fine meadow, where they had a number of horses feeding, while 

 they were procuring the cammass-roots. The number of lodges was 

 twenty, some of which were conical, and of buffalo-skins. With this 

 party were an Indian and a Canadian Frenchman, both of whom 

 spoke English intelligibly. As the party entered the camp, a stout 

 savage seized one of the horses, which he claimed as having belonged 

 to him, and which he said had been stolen. Evidence was subse- 

 quently produced that the fellow had lost the horse by gambhng, of 

 which all these Indians are notoriously fond. 



The horse had been purchased near Colville, for a musket. The 

 party remonstrated against this violent seizure, through the Canadian, 

 upon which the Indian relinquished the bridle, walked directly up to 

 his lodge, loaded his rifle, and was about to shoot either horse or rider. 

 Two of the gentlemen instantly stepped up to him, with their guns 

 ready, telling him if he pointed his gun at any one, they would blow 

 his brains out. On this he explained that his intention was to shoot 

 the horse, but he was now afraid to do this ; and the affair was settled 

 by a few presents. The party at once passed quietly through the 

 camp, and were glad to be rid of such troublesome neighbours. 



In the afternoon, they passed through a rich and fertile valley, 

 running in a southwest and northeast direction, in which the horses 

 sank in clover up to their knees ; and this day they made twenty- 

 eight miles. 



Among the beasts belonging to our party, was a spotted horse, 

 which the Indians were extremely desirous of procuring, as it was a 

 favourite kind with them ; but their offers did not prove equivalent 

 to his value. On the other hand, the party succeeded in purchasing 

 a horse from the Indians, which they much required, but which 

 afterwards turned out to belong to the Hudson Bay Company, having 

 been stolen from them. Horses with the Indians are considered the 

 sign of wealth, and are prized accordingly. One of their great 

 amusements is horse-racing, in which their gambhng propensities 

 have full sway. Notwithstanding that horses are the great source of 

 contention and difficulty between the whites and Indians, it is said 

 that little or none occurs between themselves, and that they are not 



