them that in the course of the next day they would see the Sciatogas.

On the following morning, therefore, they pushed forward with eagerness,
and soon fell upon a stream which led them through a deep narrow defile,
between stupendous ridges. Here among the rocks and precipices they saw
gangs of that mountain-loving animal, the black-tailed deer, and came to
where great tracks of horses were to be seen in all directions, made by
the Indian hunters.

The snow had entirely disappeared, and the hopes of soon coming upon
some Indian encampment induced Mr. Hunt to press on. Many of the men,
however, were so enfeebled that they could not keep up with the main
body, but lagged at intervals behind; and some of them did not arrive
at the night encampment. In the course of this day's march the
recently-born child of Pierre Dorion died.

The march was resumed early the next morning, without waiting for the
stragglers. The stream which they had followed throughout the preceding
day was now swollen by the influx of another river; the declivities of
the hills were green and the valleys were clothed with grass. At
length the jovial cry was given of "an Indian camp!" It was yet in the
distance, In the bosom of the green valley, but they could perceive
that it consisted of numerous lodges, and that hundreds of horses were
grazing the grassy meadows around it. The prospect of abundance of
horse flesh diffused universal joy, for by this time the whole stock
of travelling provisions was reduced to the skeleton steed of Pierre
Dorion, and another wretched animal, equally emaciated, that had been
repeatedly reprieved during the journey.

A forced march soon brought the weary and hungry travellers to the camp.
It proved to be a strong party of Sciatogas and Tusche-pas. There were
thirty-four lodges, comfortably constructed of mats; the Indians, too,
were better clothed than any of the wandering bands they had hitherto
met on this side of the Rocky Mountains. Indeed, they were as well clad
as the generality of the wild hunter tribes. Each had a good buffalo or
deer skin robe; and a deer skin hunting shirt and leggins. Upwards of
two thousand horses were ranging the pastures around their encampment;
but what delighted Mr. Hunt was, on entering the lodges, to behold
brass kettles, axes, copper tea-kettles, and various other articles of
civilized manufacture, which showed that these Indians had an indirect
communication with the people of t