reased in depth as we
advanced. The track left by Mr. B----'s party was of great service to
us.

We encamped at the extremity of Okanagan Lake, where we found a small
camp of natives nearly starved to death; the unfortunate creatures
passed the night in our encampment, and we distributed as much of our
provisions amongst them as we could possibly spare. This encampment
afforded me as miserable a night's lodging as I had ever met with; a
snow-storm raged without intermission till daylight, when we set out
so completely benumbed that we could not mount our horses till we had
put the blood in circulation by walking.

We overtook Mr. B---- on the 25th, his horses completely jaded and
worn out by the fatigues of the journey; the great depth of the snow
indeed would have utterly precluded travelling had he not adopted
the precaution of driving a number of young horses before the loaded
horses to make a track.

The country through which we have travelled for the last few days
is exceedingly rugged, and possesses few features to interest the
traveller.

We arrived at the post of Okanagan on the 28th, situated on the left
bank of the Columbia River. The ground was still covered with snow to
the depth of two feet, and had been five feet deep in the course of
the winter--an extraordinary circumstance, as there generally falls so
little snow in this quarter, that the cattle graze in the plain nearly
all winter. The Indians are designated Okanagans, and speak a dialect
of the Atnah. Their lands are very poor, yielding only cats, foxes,
&c.; they subsist on salmon and roots.

Messrs. F---- and D---- arrived from Fort Vancouver on the 7th of
April, and we embarked on the 8th in three boats manned by retiring
servants. Mr. B---- accompanied us, having obtained permission to
cross the Rocky Mountains.

We arrived at Colville on the 12th, where we met with a most friendly
reception from a warmhearted Gael, (Mr. McD.) The gentlemen proceeding
to the depot in charge of the accounts of the Columbia department
generally remain here a few days to put a finishing hand to these
accounts--an operation which occupied us till the 22d, when we
re-embarked, leaving Messrs. D---- and B---- behind; the former being
remanded to Fort Vancouver; and the latter, having changed his mind,
in an evil hour for himself, returned to his old quarters; where he
was murdered sometime afterwards by an Indian who had lost his father,
and thought that the co