The common conversation that we overheard consisted of low,
guttural sounds, occasionally broken by a low word or two, after which
it would relapse, and could scarcely be distinguished. They seemed kind
and friendly, and willingly shared with us berries and roots, which
formed their sole stock of provisions. Their only wealth is their
horses, which are very fine, and so numerous that this party had with
them at least five hundred."
These Indians were on their way to join the other bands who were hunting
buffalo on the Jefferson River, across the Great Divide. They set out
the next morning, and the explorers resumed their toilsome journey,
travelling generally in a northwesterly direction and looking for a pass
across the Bitter Root Mountains. Very soon, all indications of game
disappeared, and, September 14, they were forced to kill a colt, their
stock of animal food being exhausted. They pressed on, however, through
a savage wilderness, having frequent need to recur to horse-flesh. Here
is an entry under date of September 18, in the journal: "We melted some
snow, and supped on a little portable soup, a few canisters of which,
with about twenty pounds' weight of bear's oil, are our only remaining
means of subsistence. Our guns are scarcely of any service, for there is
no living creature in these mountains, except a few small pheasants,
a small species of gray squirrel, and a blue bird of the vulture kind,
about the size of a turtle-dove, or jay. Even these are difficult to
shoot.
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