PUGET SOUND AND OKONAGAN. 435 



The Company's servants at the northern posts suffer almost as much 

 at times, although they are provided and attended to by the officers : 

 they live mostly upon salmon. The difficulty of getting provisions to 

 the posts in the interior is very great ; all that is consumed at the 

 north is carried twenty-four days' journey on pack-horses, and eighteen 

 in barges, before it arrives at its destination ; and the amount trans- 

 ported is not more than enough to supply the officers, whose allow- 

 ance is very limited. The servants of the Company receive an 

 increased pay as some recompense for their privations. 



The chief amusement of the Okonagan tribes of Indians in the winter, 

 and during the heat of the day in summer, when they are prevented 

 from taking salmon, is a game called by the voyageurs "jeu de main," 

 equivalent to our odd-and-even. 



The latitude, as given by Lieutenant Johnson's observations, place 

 Fort Okonagan in 48° 12' N. 



In the vicinity are found many wild fruits, consisting of gooseberries, 

 June-berries, and currants, w r hich, at this time, 9th of June, were 

 beginning to be ripe. 



On the 10th, at noon, they crossed the Columbia to rejoin their 

 horses, where they had been left to graze, during the two days they 

 had remained at the fort. 



Lieutenant Johnson rode on some distance before the party, who 

 lost sight of him in rounding a hill. His horse some time afterwards 

 came galloping towards them, without any saddle ; but thinking that he 

 had found a good camping-place, they continued on until sunset, w T hen 

 they encamped at a small stream. Supper was prepared and eaten, 

 but Mr. Johnson did not appear. Becoming uneasy, the sergeant and 

 Pierre Charles were sent in search of him, and signal-guns were fired 

 at short intervals till lip. m., when they returned without any news 

 of him. Early the next morning, a party again left the camp in search 

 of him, and at nine o'clock he was discovered fast asleep, where he had 

 been since the previous afternoon. 



The Columbia, in the neighbourhood of Okonagan is very winding 

 in its course, and is interrupted by dalles about five miles above. 



On the 11th, their route layover the grassy prairie before spoken 

 of, in which they saw a few pools of water. In a salt marsh were 

 found some singular plants, and the crusted salt on the surface had 

 very much the appearance of hoar-frost. In other respects, the route 

 was uninteresting. Mount St. Pierre, before noticed, was seen, with its 

 dome-like summit, and its height was estimated at. eighteen hundred 

 feet. The distance made this day was fourteen miles, and they 

 encamped in an open plain, within three miles of the Grande Coulee. 



