THE INTERIOR OF OREGON. 469 



the others had not; leading to the conclusion that the practice had 

 been discontinued for some years in the nation, who still, however, 

 retain the name. 



The country exhibited little appearance of vegetation ; the herbage 

 was quite dried up, and from appearances was likely to continue so 

 throughout the season. The prevailing vegetation consisted of bushes 

 of wormwood, stinted in growth, and unyielding. 



After making thirty-three miles, they encamped among loose sand, 

 one hundred feet above the water of the river. Many rattlesnakes 

 w 7 ere found in this vicinity. 



Owing to the quantities of musquitoes, combined with the fear of 

 snakes, the party obtained little or no rest, and were all glad to mount 

 their horses and proceed on their way. 



In the early part of the day, they arrived at the junction of the 

 Spipen with the Yakima: previous to this they crossed another branch, 

 coming in from the southwest ; the waters of the latter were very 

 turbid, of a dark-brown colour, and it was conjectured that it had its 

 source at or near Mount Rainier. Along its banks was seen a range 

 of basaltic columns. The Yakima was crossed during the day in 

 canoes, the river not being yet fordable. 



The country, which had for some days exhibited the appearance of 

 the Tillandsia districts of Peru, had now begun to acquire a tinge of 

 green, and some scattered pine trees had become visible. Some small 

 oaks were passed, which appeared of a local character. This night 

 they again had a number of rattlesnakes in their camp. 



On the 8th, the valley had narrowed, and the banks becoming more 

 perpendicular, they had a great many difficulties to encounter. They 

 stopped at the camp of old Tidias, whom, it will be recollected, they 

 had encountered after crossing the mountains, and from whom they 

 obtained some horses. They soon afterwards arrived at the path 

 where they had turned off to the north. The river had fallen very 

 much during their absence, and there was a marked difference in the 

 season, the vegetation being much more backward than in the parts 

 they had recently visited. The berries were just beginning to ripen, 

 while in the plains, not twenty miles distant, they were already over. 

 Old Tidias determined to accompany them to Nisqually, taking with 

 him his son, and lending them several horses. The Spipen, up which 

 they passed, was now hemmed in by mountain ridges, occasionally 

 leaving small portions of level ground. They encamped at the place 

 they had occupied on the 30th of May. 



The vegetation, since they bad passed this place, had so much 

 advanced that they had difficulty in recognising it again. The wet 



2P 



