We had killed a few pheasants, but these being insufficient for our subsistence, we killed another of the colts.  This want of provisions, and the extreme fatigue to which we were subjected, and the dreary prospects before us, began to dispirit the men.  It was therefore agreed that captain Clarke should go on ahead with six hunters, and endeavour to kill something for the support of the party.  He therefore set out,

Wednesday 18, early in the morning in hopes of finding a level country from which he might send back some game.  His route lay S. 85 degrees W., along the same high dividing ridge, and the road was still very bad; but he moved on rapidly, and at the distance of twenty miles was rejoiced on discovering far off an extensive plain towards the west and southwest, bounded by a high mountain.  He halted an hour to let the horses eat a little grass on the hill sides, and then went on twelve and a half miles till he reached a bold creek, running to the left, on which he encamped.  To this stream he gave the very appropriate name of Hungry creek; for having procured no game, they had nothing to eat.

In the meantime we were detained till after eight o’clock by the loss of one of our horses which had strayed away and could not be found.  We then proceeded, but having soon finished the remainder of the colt killed yesterday, felt the want of provisions, which was more sensible from our meeting with no water, till towards nightfall we found some in a ravine among the hills.  By pushing on our horses almost to their utmost strength, we made eighteen miles.

We then melted some snow, and supped on a little portable soup, a few canisters of which, with about twenty weight of bears oil, are our only remaining means of subsistence.  Our guns are scarcely of any service, for there is no living creature in these mountains, except a few small pheasants, a small species of gray squirrel, and a blue bird of the vulture kind about the size of a turtle dove or jay, and even these are difficult to shoot.

Thursday 19.  Captain Clarke proceeded up the creek, along which the road was more steep and stony than any he had yet passed, At six miles distance he reached a small plain, in which he fortunately found a horse, on which he breakfasted, and hung the rest on a tree for the party in the rear.  Two miles beyond this he left the creek, and crossed three high mountains, rendered almost impassable from the steepness of the ascent and the quantity of fallen timber.  After clambering over these ridges and mountains, and passing the heads of some branches of Hungry creek, he came to a large creek running westward.  This he followed for four miles, then turned to the right down the mountain, till he came to a small creek to the left.  Here he halted, having made twenty-two miles on his course, south eighty degrees west, though the winding route over the mountains almost doubled the distance.  On descending the last mountain, the heat became much more sensible after the extreme cold he had experienced for several days past.  Besides the breakfast in the morning, two pheasants were their only food during the day, and the only kinds of birds they saw were the blue jay, a small white-headed hawk, a larger hawk, crows, and ravens.