Page:Route Across the Rocky Mountains with a Description of Oregon and California.djvu/114



about two hours, when we saw an Indian coming towards us. He came within about two hundred and fifty yards of the point of brush, in which we were concealed; but thinking this rather a long shot, we let him pass, supposing that he would return to the horse, after having examined the company's trail, which he seemed to be doing; he was, however, in all probability, suspicious, and went away, and we saw nothing more of him, or any other Indians. Having waited half an hour longer, and finding that he did not return, we left our place of concealment, and followed the company, three of whom we met, after having gone about five miles, returning with our horses, to meet us. Overtaking our companions, we continued to travel up the river, finding now an abundance of grass in its bottoms and on its tributaries; which were still very rare. Fifty miles above our unfortunate encampment, we left the river, and the last of our wounded animals. About the head of Marie's River, there is a large extent of country covered with a superior quality of grass; the stalks, branching out into numerous heads, are loaded with seeds, which are highly nutritious. Leaving the valley, we crossed the spur of a mountain, which was also covered with grass, and came to waters running North, towards the Snake River; and for fifty miles, the country over which we traveled, afforded excellent grazine. At the termination of this distance, we came to a spot, containing several acres, full of small pools of hot water. From these hot pools, we traveled over a mountainous country, leaving the main range, which was broken in several places, by deep gaps, several miles to the left, and between us and the Valley of Snake River. The grass became less abundant, and as we advanced, a great portion of the country became quite barren. At one hundred miles from the Hot Pools, we came to and crossed the Raft River, which empties into Snake River, twenty three miles below the American Falls. Thence we crossed the main range of mountains, South of the Valley of Snake River, through a large, deep gap, and at thirty miles came to the river, five miles below the junction of the Portneiff; thence we proceeded to Fort Hall, a distance of twenty three miles, where we arrived on the 20th day of June, forty days having elapsed since we left Capt. Sutter's, in California. In the whole country between the Eastern base of the California Mountains, and Fort Hall, we saw no game, of any description, excepting