While camped at Quicksand, or Sandy River, the party learned that food supplies up the Columbia were scarce.  The journal says that the Indians met here were descending the river in search of food.  It adds:—­

“They told us, that they lived at the Great Rapids; but that the scarcity of provisions there had induced them to come down, in the hopes of finding subsistence in the more fertile valley.  All the people living at the Rapids, as well as the nations above them, were in much distress for want of food, having consumed their winter store of dried fish, and not expecting the return of the salmon before the next full moon, which would be on the second of May:  this information was not a little embarrassing.  From the Falls to the Chopunnish nation, the plains afforded neither deer, elk, nor antelope for our subsistence.  The horses were very poor at this season, and the dogs must be in the same condition, if their food, the dried fish, had failed.  Still, it was obviously inexpedient for us to wait for the return of the salmon, since in that case we might not reach the Missouri before the ice would prevent our navigating it.  We might, besides, hazard the loss of our horses, as the Chopunnish, with whom we had left them, would cross the mountains as early as possible, or about the beginning of May, and take our horses with them, or suffer them to disperse, in either of which cases the passage of the mountains will be almost impracticable.  We therefore, after much deliberation, decided to remain where we were till we could collect meat enough to last us till we should reach the Chopunnish nation, and to obtain canoes from the natives as we ascended, either in exchange for our pirogues, or by purchasing them with skins and merchandise.  These canoes, again, we might exchange for horses with the natives of the plains, till we should obtain enough to travel altogether by land.  On reaching the southeast branch of the Columbia, four or five men could be sent on to the Chopunnish to have our horses in readiness; and thus we should have a stock of horses sufficient both to transport our baggage and supply us with food, as we now perceived that they would form our only certain dependance for subsistence.”

On the third of April this entry is made:—­

“A considerable number of Indians crowded about us to-day, many of whom came from the upper part of the river.  These poor wretches confirm the reports of scarcity among the nations above; which, indeed, their appearance sufficiently proved, for they seemed almost starved, and greedily picked the bones and refuse meat thrown away by us.