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The mountains to the S. S. E on the East side of the river is rocky rugid and on them are great quantities of Snow. a bold Snow mountain which bears East & is imediately at & N W of the 3 forks of the East fork of Gallitins river may be Seen, there is also a high rugid Mtn. on which is Snow bearing North 15 or 20 miles . but fiew flowers to be Seen in those plains. low grass in the high plains, and the Common corse grass, rushes and a species of rye is the growth of the low bottoms. the mountains have Some scattering pine on them, and on the Spurs and hill Sides there is some scrubby pine.
Side about 2/3 of the way across and those of the Stard Side about the Same distance, the Countrey rises here about 200 feet above The water and is bordered with black rugid rocks, at the Commencement of this high Countrey on Lard Side a Small riverlet falls in which appears to passed under the high County in its whole cose Saw a mountain bearing S. W. Conocal form Covered with Snow. passed 4 Islands, at the upper point of the 3rd is a rapid, on this Island is two Lodges of Indians, drying fish, on the fourth Island Close under the Stard.
Saw a large gangue of about 200 Elk and nearly as many Antilope also two white or Grey Bear in the plains, one of them I Chased on horse back about 2 miles to the rugid part of the plain where I was compelled to give up the Chase two of the horses was So lame owing to their feet being worn quit Smooth and to the quick, the hind feet was much the worst I had Mockersons made of green Buffalow Skin and put on their feet which Seams to releve them very much in passing over the Stoney plains. after dinner I proceeded on Soon after I had set Out Labeech joined us with part of a fat Elk which he had killed.
Those people greatly pleased our hunters killed three Deer & an antilope which was eaten in a Short time the Indians being so harrassed & compelled to move about in those rugid mountains that they are half Starved liveing at this time on berries & roots which they geather in the plains. Those people are not begerley but generous, only one has asked me for anything and he for powder.
This tree Seldom rises to a greater hight than 35 or 40 feet and is from 2 to 4 feet in Diamieter; the Bark the Same with that of No. 1. only reather more rugid. the leaf is acerose, 2/10 of an inch in width and 3/4 in length, they are firm Stiff and Somewhat accuminated, ending in a Short pointed hard tendril, gibbous thickly scattered on all Sides of the bough as respects the 3 upper Sides only; those which have their insertion on the underside incline side- wise with their points upwards giveing the leaf the Shape of a Sythe. the others are perpindicular or pointing upwards, growing as in No. 1 from Small triangular pedestals of a Soft Spungy elastic bark. the under disk of these leaves or that which grows nearest to the Base of the bough is of a dark glossy green, while the upper or opposit side is of a whiteish pale green; in this respect differing from almost all leaves.
The country on either side is high broken and rockey a dark brown hard rugid Stone intermixed with a Soft white Sand Stone. the hills contain Coal or cabonated wood as below and Some Scattering pumistone. the Sides of the river is bordered with coars gravel, which in maney places have washed either together or down Small brooks and forms bars at Some distance in the water, around which the current passes with great valocity. the bottoms between hills and river are narrow and Contain Scercely any timber.
The Roche passes out of a high rugid mountain covered with Snow. the bottoms are narrow within the mountains but widen from 1/2 a m. to 2 ms. in the Vally below, those bottoms are Subject to over flow, they contain Some tall Cotton wood, and willow rose bushes & rushes Honey suckle &c. a Second bottom on the N E. Side which rises to about 20 feet higher the first & is 1 m. wide this bottom is coars gravel pebils & Sand with Some earth on which the grass grow very Short and at this time is quit dry this 2d bottom over flows in high floods on the opposit Side of the river the plain is much higher and extendes quite to the foot of the mountain.
Side below the long narrow Island below which the Stard Hills are verry from the river bank and Continues high and rugid on that Side all day, we over took two Canoes of Indians going down to trade one of the Indians Spoke a fiew words of english and Said that the principal man who traded with them was Mr. Haley, and that he had a woman in his Canoe who Mr.
I now take my leave of this butifull extensive vally which I call the hot spring Vally, and behold one less extensive and much more rugid on Willards Creek for near 12 miles in length. remarkable Cold night I found every article Safe, except a little damp.
Of 3 m. decended a Steep mountain and passed two Small branches of the Chopunnish river just above their fok, and again assend the ridge on which we passed. at the distance of 7 m. arived at our Encampment of 16th Septr. last passed 3 Small branches passed on a dividing ridge rugid and we arived at a Situation very Similar to our Situation of last night tho the ridge was Somewhat higher and the Snow had not been So long disolved of course there was but little grass. here we Encamped for the night haveing traveled 28 Ms. over these mountains without releiveing the horses from their packs or their haveing any food. the Indians inform us that there is an abundance of the Mountain Sheep, or what they Call white Buffalow on those Mountains. we Saw 3 black tail or mule deer this evening but were unable to get a Shoot at them. we also Saw Several tracks of those animals in the snow. our Meat being exhosted we issued a point of Bears Oil to a mess which with their boiled roots made an agreeable dish.
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