e two parties separated and set
forth on their several courses. Mr. Hunt and his companions followed
along the right bank of the river, which made its way far below them,
brawling at the foot of perpendicular precipices of solid rock, two and
three hundred feet high. For twenty-eight miles that they travelled this
day, they found it impossible to get down to the margin of the stream.
At the end of this distance they encamped for the night at a place which
admitted a scrambling descent. It was with the greatest difficulty,
however, that they succeeded in getting up a kettle of water from the
river for the use of the camp. As some rain had fallen in the afternoon,
they passed the night under the shelter of the rocks.

The next day they continued thirty-two miles to the northwest, keeping
along the river, which still ran in its deep-cut channel. Here and there
a shady beach or a narrow strip of soil, fringed with dwarf willows,
would extend for a little distance along the foot of the cliffs, and
sometimes a reach of still water would intervene like a smooth mirror
between the foaming rapids.

As through the preceding day, they journeyed on without finding, except
in one instance, any place where they could get down to the river's
edge, and they were fain to allay the thirst caused by hard travelling,
with the water collected in the hollow of the rocks.

In the course of their march on the following morning, they fell into a
beaten horse path leading along the river, which showed that they were
in the neighborhood of some Indian village or encampment. They had not
proceeded far along it, when they met with two Shoshonies, or Snakes.
They approached with some appearance of uneasiness, and accosting
Mr. Hunt, held up a knife, which by signs they let him know they had
received from some of the white men of the advance parties. It was with
some difficulties that Mr. Hunt prevailed upon one of the savages to
conduct him to the lodges of his people. Striking into a trail or path
which led up from the river, he guided them for some distance in the
prairie, until they came in sight of a number of lodges made of straw,
and shaped like hay-stacks. Their approach, as on former occasions,
caused the wildest affright among the inhabitants. The women hid such
of their children as were too large to be carried, and too small to take
care of themselves, under straw, and, clasping their infants to their
breasts, fled across the prairie. Th