ding the river in search of food. It adds:--

"They told us, that they lived at the Great Rapids; but that the
scarcity of provisions there had induced them to come down, in the hopes
of finding subsistence in the more fertile valley. All the people living
at the Rapids, as well as the nations above them, were in much distress
for want of food, having consumed their winter store of dried fish, and
not expecting the return of the salmon before the next full moon,
which would be on the second of May: this information was not a little
embarrassing. From the Falls to the Chopunnish nation, the plains
afforded neither deer, elk, nor antelope for our subsistence. The
horses were very poor at this season, and the dogs must be in the same
condition, if their food, the dried fish, had failed. Still, it was
obviously inexpedient for us to wait for the return of the salmon,
since in that case we might not reach the Missouri before the ice would
prevent our navigating it. We might, besides, hazard the loss of our
horses, as the Chopunnish, with whom we had left them, would cross the
mountains as early as possible, or about the beginning of May, and take
our horses with them, or suffer them to disperse, in either of which
cases the passage of the mountains will be almost impracticable. We
therefore, after much deliberation, decided to remain where we were
till we could collect meat enough to last us till we should reach the
Chopunnish nation, and to obtain canoes from the natives as we ascended,
either in exchange for our pirogues, or by purchasing them with skins
and merchandise. These canoes, again, we might exchange for horses
with the natives of the plains, till we should obtain enough to travel
altogether by land. On reaching the southeast branch of the Columbia,
four or five men could be sent on to the Chopunnish to have our horses
in readiness; and thus we should have a stock of horses sufficient both
to transport our baggage and supply us with food, as we now perceived
that they would form our only certain dependance for subsistence."

On the third of April this entry is made:--

"A considerable number of Indians crowded about us to-day, many of whom
came from the upper part of the river. These poor wretches confirm
the reports of scarcity among the nations above; which, indeed, their
appearance sufficiently proved, for they seemed almost starved, and
greedily picked the bones and refuse meat thrown away by us.

"In the e