In
some places the banks are formed of dark or black granite rising
perpendicularly to a great height, through which the river seems, in the
progress of time, to have worn its channel. On these mountains we see
more pine than usual, but it is still in small quantities. Along the
bottoms, which have a covering of high grass, we observed the sunflower
blooming in great abundance. The Indians of the Missouri, more
especially those who do not cultivate maize, make great use of the seed
of this plant for bread, or in thickening their soup. They first parch
and then pound it between two stones, until it is reduced to a fine
meal. Sometimes they add a portion of water, and drink it thus diluted;
at other times they add a sufficient proportion of marrow-grease to
reduce it to the consistency of common dough, and eat it in that manner.
This last composition we preferred to all the rest, and thought it at
that time a very palatable dish."
They also feasted on a great variety of wild berries, purple, yellow,
and black currants, which were delicious and more pleasant to the palate
than those grown in their Virginia home-gardens; also service-berries,
popularly known to later emigrants as "sarvice-berries." These grow on
small bushes, two or three feet high; and the fruit is purple-skinned,
with a white pulp, resembling a ripe gooseberry.
The journal, next day, has the following entry:--
"This morning early, before our departure, we saw a large herd of the
big-horned animals, which were bounding among the rocks on the opposite
cliff with great agility.
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