Wisconsin herald, and Grant County advertiser. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1844-1845, 1845-10-18

until, when the foremost reached us,
all the intervening plain was occupied
by mass Of horsemen, which came
charging down upon us, with guns and
naked swords. lanccs. and bows and arr
rows--Indians entirely naked, and
warriors fully dressed for war, with
the long red streamers of their war
honnets reaching nearly to the ground;
all mingled together in the bravery Of
savage warftrc. They had been thrown
into sudden tumult BY the appearance
Of our flag, which, among these peo-l
pie, is regarded as an emblem of hos
tility; it being usually bore by the
Sioux and the neighboring mountain
Indians when they come here to war;
and we had accordingly been mistaken
for body of their enemies. A few
words from their chief quietcd the ex-
element; and the whole band, increas-
ing every moment in number, escorted
US TO their encampment, where the
chief pointed out place for us to
cncamp. near his own lodge, and make
known our purpose in visiting their
village. In very short time we pur-
chased eight horses, giving in ex-
change blankets. red and blue cloth,
beads, knives and tobacco, and the usu.
al other articles Of Indian traffic. We
obtained from them also considerable
quantity of berries, of different kinds,
among which service berries were the
most abundant: and sevcra. kinds Of
roots and seeds, which we could eat
with pleasure, as any kind ofvegetable
food was gratifying to us. | ate here,
for the first time, the koyah, or fobac-
co root, (caleriana eduiis. the prin-
cipal edible root among the Indians
who inhabit the upper waters of the
streams on the western side oi the
mountains. II has very strong and
remarkably peculiar taste and odor,
which can compare to no other veg
etable that am acquainted with, and
which to some persons is extremely Of
fensivc. II was characterized by Mr.
Preuss as the most horrid food he had
ever put into his mouth; and when in
the evening, one of the chiefs sent bis
wife to me with a portion which she
had prepared as adelicacy to regale US.
the odor Immediately drove him out OF
the lodge; and frequently afterwards
he used to beg that when those who
liked il had taken what they desired,
it might be sent away. To others,
however, the taste was rather an agree
able one, and was afterwards always
glad when it formed an addition to our
scanty meals. 1t is full Of nutriment;
and in its unprepared state is said by
the Indians to have very strong pois
onous qualities, Of which il is deprived
by peculiar process, being baked in
the ground for about two days.
On the north fork Of the Platte;
| "In the precipitous bluffs were dis
played a succession Of strata contain
ing fossil vegetable remains, and sever
al beds Of coal. In some Of the beds
the coal did not appear to he perfectly
mineraized; and in some Of the seams
il was compact and remarkably lus-
trous. In these latter places there was
also thin layers Of a very white salts
in powder.
''On the 18th OF August the expcdi-
ton took its way along the upland, to-
wards the dividing ridge which sepa.
rates the Atlantic from the Pacific wa
tiers, and crossed it by road some
miles farther south than the one we
had followed on our return in 1912 -,
We crossed very near the table noun
tain, nj the southern extremity or the
South Pass, which is near twenty miles
in width, and already traversed by sew
eral different roads. Selecting ms well
as could, in the scarcely distinguish
able ascent, what might be considered
the dividing ridge in this remarkable
depression in the mountain, took a
barometrical observation, which gave
1890 feet for the elevation above the
/ Gulf Of Mexico. You will remember
that in my report Of 1912 | esteemed
the elevation Of this pass at about 1000
feet; correct observation with good
barometer, enables me now to give it
with more precision. Its importance
as the great gate through which COM
mer:e and travelling may hereafter
pass between the valley of the Missis-
sippi and the North Pacific, justitieS a
precise notice OF its locality and dis
taco from leading points, in addition to