ne
were in blossom. The pale blue flowers of the quamash gave to the level
country the appearance of a blue lake. Striking Hungry Creek, which
Captain Clark had very appropriately named when he passed that way, the
previous September, they followed it up to a mountain for about three
miles, when they found themselves enveloped in snow; their limbs were
benumbed, and the snow, from twelve to fifteen feet deep, so paralyzed
their feet that further progress was impossible. Here the journal should
be quoted:--

"We halted at the sight of this new difficulty. We already knew that to
wait till the snows of the mountains had dissolved, so as to enable us
to distinguish the road, would defeat our design of returning to the
United States this season. We now found also that as the snow bore our
horses very well, travelling was infinitely easier than it was last
fall, when the rocks and fallen timber had so much obstructed our march.
But it would require five days to reach the fish-weirs at the mouth of
Colt (-killed) Creek, even if we were able to follow the proper ridges
of the mountains; and the danger of missing our direction is exceedingly
great while every track is covered with snow. During these five days,
too, we have no chance of finding either grass or underwood for our
horses, the snow being so deep. To proceed, therefore, under such
circumstances, would be to hazard our being bewildered in the mountains,
and to insure the loss of our horses; even should we be so fortunate as
to escape with our lives, we might be obliged to abandon all our papers
and collections. It was therefore decided not to venture any further;
to deposit here all the baggage and provisions for which we had no
immediate use; and, reserving only subsistence for a few days, to return
while our horses were yet strong to some spot where we might live
by hunting, till a guide could be procured to conduct us across the
mountains. Our baggage was placed on scaffolds and carefully covered, as
were also the instruments and papers, which we thought it safer to leave
than to risk over the roads and creeks by which we came."

There was nothing left to do but to return to Hungry Creek. Finding a
scanty supply of grass, they camped under most depressing circumstances;
their outlook now was the passing of four or five days in the midst
of snows from ten to fifteen feet deep, with no guide, no road, and
no forage. In this emergency, two men were sent back to the C