Page:The Columbia river , or, Scenes and adventures during a residence of six years on the western side of the Rocky Mountains among various tribes of Indians hitherto unknown (Volume 1).djvu/197

 north-east, and lay through a handsome open country well watered, and bounded by hills rather thickly wooded. On the evening of the 20th we encamped on the banks of a fine river, which rises in the Rocky Mauntains, flows through the lands of the Flat-heads, Pointed Heart, Spokan, and Chaudiere Indians, and falls into the Columbia about nine hundred miles from the sea. Its general course is westerly, and it is commonly called the Flathead River. The part at which we had arrived was about four hundred yards wide, with an easy current. As this was the spot for crossing to proceed to the Flat-*head country, we had to construct rafts for that purpose; which being prepared on the 21st, we crossed over, and passed all our goods and horses in safety, with the exception of one of the latter, which was drowned by the awkwardness of the man who held the reins. The day after, the weather set in very cold, accompanied by snow, which continued almost incessantly for fourteen days. During this period our route lay nearly due east through thick woods of lofty pine and cedar. The horses suffered dreadfully from the want of grass, the deep snow having completely covered the ground, and their only nourishment was obtained by plucking and chew