corn and beans. The poor wretches, who had no animal food
and scarcely any thing but a few fish, had been almost starved, and
received this new luxury with great thankfulness. Out of compliment to
the chief we gave him a few dried squashes which we had brought from the
Mandans, and he declared it was the best food he had ever tasted except
sugar, a small lump of which he had received from his sister: he now
declared how happy they should all be to live in a country which
produced so many good things, and we told him that it would not be long
before the white men would put it in their power to live below the
mountains, where they might themselves cultivate all these kinds of food
instead of wandering in the mountains. He appeared to be much pleased
with this information, and the whole party being now in excellent temper
after their repast, we began our purchase of horses. We soon obtained
five very good ones on very reasonable terms; that is, by giving for
each merchandise which cost us originally about six dollars. We have
again to admire the perfect decency and propriety of their conduct; for
although so numerous, they do not attempt to crowd round our camp or
take any thing which they see lying about, and whenever they borrow
knives or kettles or any other article from the men, they return them
with great fidelity.

Towards evening we formed a drag of bushes, and in about two hours
caught five hundred and twenty-eight very good fish most of them large
trout. Among them we observed for the first time ten or twelve trout of
a white or silvery colour, except on the back and head where they are of
a bluish cast: in appearance and shape they resemble exactly the
speckled trout, except that they are not quite so large, though the
scales are much larger, and the flavour equally good. The greater part
of the fish was distributed among the Indians.

Friday 28. Our visitors seem to depend wholly on us for food, and as the
state of our provisions obliges us to be careful of our remaining stock
of corn and flour, this was an additional reason for urging our
departure; but Cameahwait requested us to wait till the arrival of
another party of his nation who were expected to-day. Knowing that it
would be in vain to oppose his wish, we consented, and two hunters were
sent out with orders to go further up the southeast fork than they had
hitherto been. At the same time the chief was informed of the low state
of our provisions, and adv