fork than they had hitherto been.  At the same time the chief was informed of the low state of our provisions, and advised to send out his young men to hunt.  This he recommended them to do, and most of them set out:  we then sunk our canoes by means of stones to the bottom of the river, a situation which better than any other secured them against the effects of the high waters, and the frequent fires of the plains; the Indians having promised not to disturb them during our absence, a promise we believe the more readily, as they are almost too lazy to take the trouble of raising them for fire-wood.  We were desirous of purchasing some more horses, but they declined selling any until we reached their camp in the mountains.  Soon after starting the Indian hunters discovered a mule buck, and twelve of their horsemen pursued it, for four miles.  We saw the chase, which was very entertaining, and at length they rode it down and killed it.  This mule buck was the largest deer of any kind we have seen, being nearly as large as a doe elk.  Besides this they brought in another deer and three goats; but instead of a general distribution of the meat, and such as we have hitherto seen among all tribes of Indians, we observed that some families had a large share, while others received none.  On inquiring of Cameahwait the reason of this custom, he said that meat among them was scarce; that each hunter reserved what he killed for the use of himself and his own family, none of the rest having any claim on what he chose to keep.  Our hunters returned soon after with two mule deer and three common deer, three of which we distributed among the families who had received none of the game of their own hunters.  About three o’clock the expected party consisting of fifty men, women and children arrived.  We now learnt that most of the Indians were on their way down the valley towards the buffaloe country, and some anxiety to accompany them appeared to prevail among those who had promised to assist us in crossing the mountains.  We ourselves were not without some apprehension that they might leave us, but as they continued to say that they would return with us nothing was said upon the subject.  We were, however, resolved to move early in the morning; and therefore despatched two men to hunt in the cove and leave the game on the route we should pass to-morrow.

Saturday 24.  As the Indians who arrived yesterday had a number of spare horses, we thought it probable they might be willing to dispose of them, and desired the chief to speak to them for that purpose.  They declined giving any positive answer, but requested to see the goods which we proposed to exchange.  We then produced some battle-axes which we had made at fort Mandan, and a quantity of knives; with both of which they appeared very much pleased; and we were soon able to purchase three horses by giving for each an axe, a knife, a hankerchief and a little paint.  To this we were obliged to add a second knife, a shirt,