his abstinence, joined with fatigue, has a visible effect on our
health. The men are growing weak and losing their flesh very fast:
several are afflicted with the dysentery, and eruptions of the skin are
very common.

Friday 20. Captain Clarke went on through a country as rugged as usual,
till on passing a low mountain he came at the distance of four miles to
the forks of a large creek. Down this he kept on a course south 60
degrees west for two miles, then turning to the right, continued over a
dividing ridge where were the heads of several little streams, and at
twelve miles distance descended the last of the rocky mountains and
reached the level country. A beautiful open plain partially supplied
with pine now presented itself. He continued for five miles when he
discovered three Indian boys, who, on observing the party, ran off and
hid themselves in the grass. Captain Clarke immediately alighted, and
giving his horse and gun to one of the men went after the boys. He soon
relieved their apprehensions and sent them forward to the village about
a mile off with presents of small pieces of riband. Soon after the boys
had reached home, a man came out to meet the party, with great caution,
but he conducted them to a large tent in the village, and all the
inhabitants gathered round to view with a mixture of fear and pleasure
these wonderful strangers. The conductor now informed captain Clarke by
signs, that the spacious tent was the residence of the great chief, who
had set out three days ago with all the warriors to attack some of their
enemies towards the southwest; that he would not return before fifteen
or eighteen days, and that in the meantime there were only a few men
left to guard the women and children. They now set before them a small
piece of buffaloe meat, some dried salmon, berries, and several kinds of
roots. Among these last is one which is round and much like an onion in
appearance and sweet to the taste: it is called quamash, and is eaten
either in its natural state, or boiled into a kind of soup or made into
a cake, which is then called pasheco. After the long abstinence this was
a sumptuous treat; we returned the kindness of the people by a few small
presents, and then went on in company with one of the chiefs to a second
village in the same plain, at the distance of two miles. Here the party
was treated with great kindness and passed the night. The hunters were
sent out, but though they saw some tracks of