JOURNAL. 
feet, and was not killed, nor much hurt : the reason 
was, that there is no bottom below, and the precipice^ 
the only bank, which the creek has ; therefore the 
horse pitched into the water, without meeting with 
any intervening object, which could materially injure 
him* We made 17 miles this day and encamped oa 
a small branch of the creek. Havinc; heard nothing 
from our hunters, we again supped upon some of 
our portable soup. The men are becoming lean and 
debilitated, on account of the scarcity and poor qua- 
lity of the provisions on which we subsist: our 
horses' feet are also becoming very sore. We have, 
however, some hopes of getting soon out of this hor- 
rible mountainous desert, as we have discovered the 
appearance of a valley or level part of th© country 
about 40 miles ahead. When tliis discovery was 
made there was as much joy and rejoicing amonj^ 
the corps, as happens jwnong passengers at sea, who 
have experienced a dangerous and protracted voyage>.^ 
when they first discover land on the long looked for 
coast. 
Friday 20///. It was late before our horses were 
collected, but the day was fine ; and at 9 o'clock we 
continued our march. Having proceeded about a 
mile, we came to a small glade, where our hunters, 
had found a horse, and had killed, dressed and hun^: 
him up. Ca[>t. Clarke, who had gone forward with 
the hunters, left a note informing us that he and 
they intended to go on to the valley or level coun- 
try ahead, as there was no chance of killing any 
game in these desert mountains. We loaded the 
meat and proceeded along the mountains. At noon 
we stopped an^l dined, on our horse flesh : here we 
discovered that a horse, having Capt. Lewis's clothes 
and baggage on him, hud got into the bushes vvhile 
we were loading the meat,, and was left behind. One 
of the men therefiire was sent buck, but returned 
without finding him. Two other men with a hor8'> 
