2©6 
JOURNAL. 
whole of this plain is of a sandy surface and afTords 
but thin grass, with some branches of shrubs which 
resemble sage or hyssop. On the south side of this 
branch the soil is of earth and rich, covered with 
grass, and very handsome. We are still accompanied 
hy several of the natives. 
Thursday 1st May, 1806. Some rain fell'during 
the night, and the morning continues cloudy. We set 
out early and travelled up the branch, which is a fine 
stream about twenty yards wide, with some cotton- 
wood, birch and willows on its banks. One of four 
hunters, who w^ent forward very early this morning, 
returned at noon with a beaver he had killed ; other 
game is scarce. We then halted to dine, where the 
road forks, one going up the branch an east course, 
and the other north towards the large river. Here 
our Indians differed in opinion with respect to the 
best road to be taken. The man with the family 
and gang of horses said he would go across to -the 
Great river to-morrow ; but we followed the opinion 
of the young man our guide, and proceeded on up 
the creek. We travelled about twenty-five miles, 
and encamped without any of the natives, except 
our guide? who gejierally keej)s with the hunters, 
one of whom killed ^ deer this evening. The higher 
we go up the creek the cotton- wood is more large an4 
plenty ; and the plains beautiful. 
Friday 2nd, A fine morning. Last night about 9 
o'clock, three of the Wal-la-wal-las came up with us, 
and brought a steel trap that had been left at our camp 
on the north side of the Columbia, opposite the mouth 
of Wal-la^wal-la river ; perhaps one of the greatest 
instances of honesty ever known aitiong Indians. 
Borne hunters went on ahead, and having collected 
our horses, we found one missing ; some of the men 
went to look for him, and brought him back. We 
then continued our journey up this branch ; and saw 
to our right a range of high hills covered with tim- 
