towards the east, as far as they could discern the opening of the mountains, formed by the valley which bordered it.  The low grounds were still wide but not so extensive as near its mouth, and though the stream is rapid and much divided by islands, it is still sufficiently deep for navigation with canoes.  The low grounds, although not more than eight or nine feet above the water, seem never to be overflowed, except a part on the west side of the middle fork, which is stony and seems occasionally inundated, are furnished with great quantities of small fruit, such as currants and gooseberries:  among the last of which is a black species, which we observe not only in the meadows but along the mountain rivulets.  From the same root rise a number of stems to the height of five or six feet, some of them particularly branched and all reclining.  The berry is attached by a long peduncle to the stem, from which they hang of a smooth ovate form, as large as the common garden gooseberry, and as black as jet, though the pulp is of a bright crimson colour.  It is extremely acid:  the form of the leaf resembles that of the common gooseberry, though larger.  The stem is covered with very sharp thorns or briars:  the grass too is very luxuriant and would yield fine hay in parcels of several acres.  The sand-rushes will grow in many places as high as a man’s breast, and as thick as stalks of wheat; it would supply the best food during the winter to cattle of any trading or military post.

Sacajawea, our Indian woman, informs us that we are encamped on the precise spot where her countrymen, the Snake Indians, had their huts five years ago, when the Minnetarees of Knife river first came in sight of them, and from which they hastily retreated three miles up the Jefferson, and concealed themselves in the woods.  The Minnetarees, however, pursued and attacked them, killed four men, as many women, and a number of boys; and made prisoners of four other boys, and all the females, of whom Sacajawea was one:  she does not, however, show any distress at these recollections, nor any joy at the prospect of being restored to her country; for she seems to possess the folly or the philosophy of not suffering her feelings to extend beyond the anxiety of having plenty to eat and a few trinkets to wear.

Monday 29.  This morning the hunters brought in some fat deer of the long-tailed red kind, which are quite as large as those of the United States, and are, indeed, the only kind we have found at this place:  there are numbers of the sandhill cranes feeding in the meadows; we caught a young one of the same colour as the red deer, which, though it had nearly attained its full growth could not fly; it is very fierce and strikes a severe blow with its beak.  The kingfisher has become quite common on this side of the falls:  but we have seen none of the summer duck since leaving that place.  The mallard duck, which we saw for the first time on the 20th instant, with their young,