a number of Indians came out from
the camp, and with great ceremony several pipes were smoked. This being
over captain Clarke was conducted to a large leathern lodge prepared for
his party in the middle of the encampment, the Indians having only
shelters of willow bushes. A few dried berries, and one salmon, the only
food the whole village could contribute, were then presented to him;
after which he proceeded to repeat in council, what had been already
told them, the purposes of his visit; urged them to take their horses
over and assist in transporting our baggage, and expressed a wish to
obtain a guide to examine the river. This was explained and enforced to
the whole village by Cameahwait, and an old man was pointed out who was
said to know more of their geography to the north than any other person,
and whom captain Clarke engaged to accompany him. After explaining his
views he distributed a few presents, the council was ended, and nearly
half the village set out to hunt the antelope, but returned without
success.

Captain Clarke in the meantime made particular inquiries as to the
situation of the country, and the possibility of soon reaching a
navigable water. The chief began by drawing on the ground a delineation
of the rivers, from which it appeared that his information was very
limited. The river on which the camp is he divided into two branches
just above us, which, as he indicated by the opening of the mountains,
were in view: he next made it discharge itself into a larger river ten
miles below, coming from the southwest: the joint stream continued one
day's march to the northwest, and then inclined to the westward for two
day's march farther. At that place he placed several heaps of sand on
each side, which, as he explained them, represented, vast mountains of
rock always covered with snow, in passing through which the river was so
completely hemmed in by the high rocks, that there was no possibility of
travelling along the shore; that the bed of the river was obstructed by
sharp-pointed rocks, and such its rapidity, that as far as the eye could
reach it presented a perfect column of foam. The mountains he said were
equally inaccessible, as neither man nor horse could cross them; that
such being the state of the country neither he nor any of his nation had
ever attempted to go beyond the mountains. Cameahwait said also that he
had been informed by the Chopunnish, or pierced-nose Indians, who reside
on this rive