lled in the course of the
day, we laid down to sleep, and next morning,

Wednesday 4, found every thing frozen, and the ground covered with snow.
We were obliged to wait some time in order to thaw the covers of the
baggage, after which we began our journey at eight o'clock. We crossed a
high mountain which joins the dividing ridge between the waters of the
creek we had been ascending, and those running to the north and west. We
had not gone more than six miles over the snow, when we reached the head
of a stream from the right, which directed its course more to the
westward. We descended the steep sides of the hills along its border,
and at the distance of three miles found a small branch coming in from
the eastward. We saw several of the argalia, but they were too shy to be
killed, and we therefore made a dinner from a deer shot by one of the
hunters. Then we pursued the course of the stream for three miles, till
it emptied itself into a river from the east. In the wide valley at
their junction, we discovered a large encampment of Indians: when we had
reached them and alighted from our horses, we were received with great
cordiality. A council was immediately assembled, white robes were thrown
over our soldiers, and the pipe of peace introduced. After this
ceremony, as it was too late to go any further, we encamped, and
continued smoking and conversing with the chiefs till a late hour. The
next morning,

Thursday 5, we assembled the chiefs and warriors, and informed them who
we were, and the purpose for which we visited their country. All this
was however conveyed to them through so many different languages, that
it was not comprehended without difficulty. We therefore proceeded to
the more intelligible language of presents, and made four chiefs by
giving a medal and a small quantity of tobacco to each. We received in
turn from the principal chief, a present consisting of the skins of a
braro, an otter, and two antelopes, and were treated by the women to
some dried roots and berries. We then began to traffic for horses, and
succeeded in exchanging seven, purchasing eleven, for which we gave a
few articles of merchandise.

This encampment consists of thirty-three tents, in which were about four
hundred souls, among whom eighty were men. They are called Ootlashoots,
and represent themselves as one band of a nation called Tushepaws, a
numerous people of four hundred and fifty tents, residing on the heads
of the Missouri