very insecure.  The N.W. wind rose so high at eleven o’clock, that we were obliged to stop till about four in the afternoon, when we proceeded till dusk.  On the south a beautiful plain separates the two rivers, till at about six miles there is a timbered piece of low ground, and a little above it bluffs, where the country rises gradually from the river; the situations on the north more high and open.  We encamped on that side, the wind, the sand which it raised, and the rapidity of the current having prevented our advancing more than eight miles; during the latter part of the day the river becomes wider and crowded with sandbars:  although the game is in such plenty we kill only what is necessary for our subsistence.  For several days past we have seen great numbers of buffaloe lying dead along the shore, and some of them partly devoured by the wolves; they have either sunk through the ice during the winter, or been drowned in attempting to cross, or else, after crossing to some high bluff, found themselves too much exhausted either to ascend or swim back again, and perished for want of food; in this situation we found several small parties of them.  There are geese too in abundance, and more bald-eagles than we have hitherto observed; the nests of these last being always accompanied by those of two or three magpies, who are their inseparable attendants.

CHAPTER VIII.

Unusual appearance of salt—­The formidable character of the white bear—­Porcupine river described—­Beautiful appearance of the surrounding country—­Immense quantities of game—­Milk river described—­Extraordinary character of Bigdry river—­An instance of uncommon tenacity of life in a white bear—­Narrow escape of one of the party from that animal—­A still more remarkable instance—­Muscleshell river described.

Sunday 28.  The day was clear and pleasant, and the wind having shifted to southeast, we could employ our sails, and went twenty-four miles to a low ground on the north opposite to steep bluffs:  the country on both sides is much broken, the hills approaching nearer to the river, and forming bluffs, some of a white and others of a red colour, and exhibiting the usual appearances of minerals, and some burnt hills though without any pumicestone; the salts are in greater quantities than usual, and the banks and sandbars are covered with a white incrustation like frost.  The low grounds are level, fertile and partially timbered, but are not so wide as for a few days past.  The woods are now green, but the plains and meadows seem to have less verdure than those below:  the only streams which we met to-day are two small runs on the north and one on the south, which rise in the neighbouring hills, and have very little water.  At the distance of eighteen miles the Missouri makes a considerable bend to the southeast:  the game is very abundant, the common, and mule or blacktailed deer, elk, buffaloe, antelope, brown bear, beaver, and geese.  The beaver have committed great devastation among the trees, one of which, nearly three feet in diameter, has been gnawed through by them.