Chapter VII

Departure of McKay's party, Captain Stewart, and the
missionaries--Debauch at the fort--Departure of the
company--Poor provision--Blackfeet hunting ground--
Sufferings from thirst--Goddin's creek--Antoine Goddin,
the trapper--Scarcity of game--A buffalo--Rugged
mountains--More game--Unusual economy--Habits of the
white wolf--"Thornburg's pass"--Difficult travelling--
The captain in jeopardy among the snow--A countermarch--
Deserted Banneck camp--Toilsome and dangerous passage of
the mountain--Mallade river--Beaver dams, and beaver--A
party of Snake Indians--Another Banneck camp--"Kamas
prairie"--Indian mode of preparing the kamas--Racine
blanc, or biscuit root--Loss of horses by fatigue--Boisée
or Big-wood river--Salmon--Choke-cherries, &c. 230