Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1845-08-23

food he had put his mouth and when, IA the
ing, of the chiefs his wife with portion which
she had prepared as decacy regae US, the odor
daey drove him Of the lodges and frequently afterwards
he used beg that when those who liked had taken what
they desired il might be sent away TO others, however,
the rather agreeable one and afterwards al
ways glad when formed addition to scany meals 1t
full of and in its unprepared state Is said by the
Indians to have strong poisonous qualities, OF which Is
deprived by peculiar being baked In the ground for
about two days" tfaFH
.August 25-We made our encampment in o grove Of
cedar Immediately the Beer Springs which, Of
the eevesng gas and acid tsse have received their
from the yoyageurs and rappers Of the country, who the
midst Of their rude and hard lives fond Of finding
nced resemblance to the Injuries they rarely have the for
tune TO enjoy. II Wsq NaN
although somewhat disappointed in the expectations
which descriptions had led to form Of unusual beau
Of situation and scenery found altogether place Of very
great interest and traveller for the first time volcanic
region remains constant excitement and every step
arrested by something remarkable and There is
fusion Of interesting objects gathered together in small space
Around the place OF encampmen the Beer Springs
bat, far could ascertain, entirely
fined to that locality in the bottom In the bed Of the
in 'front.' for space OF several hundred yards they very
abundant the eeryescng gas rising up and agating the
water in countless bubbng columns In the vicinity round
about were numerous springs Of entirely different and equal
y marked mineral character In rather picturesque spot
about 800 yards below encampmen and Immediately
the river bank the remarkable spring Of the place
In opening the rock white column Of scattered
is thrown up, m form like variable height Of
about three feet and, though il is maintained in
supply, IFS greatest height attained only regular intervals
according the action of the force below. II accompanied
by subtenanean noise, which, together with the motion of
the water makes very much the impression of steamboat in
motion and without knowing that il had been already pre-
yousy called, gave il the of the Steamboat
Spring The rock through which forced is slightly rails
ed in convex Manner and gathered the opening into
urmouthed FORM and is evidently formed by continued de-
position from the water and coored bright red by oxide Of
iron. lis hot spring, and the water has pungent and
dsageeable metallic taste, leaving burning effect the
tongue. Within perhaps two yards of the -eau small
hole Of about inch in diameter through which, regular
Intervals escapes blast Of hot air with light wreath Of
smoke accompanied by regular noise This hole had been
noticed by Doctor Wiszcnus gentleman who several years
since passed by this place. and who remarked with very
observation, that smelling the gas which issued from the orce
produced sensation OF gddness and Mr. Preuss
and myself repeated the observation, and well salts
fed with its correctness that did find pleasant
continue the experiment. the sensation Of gddness which
it produced certainly strong and decided huge emf
grant wagon, with large and diversified family, had
taken and halted to encampmen; and, while
sitting at the spring, band of boys and GIRLS with
two or three young men, ups Of whom asked to
soop down and smell the gas DESTROYS 70 satisfy myself fur
her of its effects But his natural caution had been awaken
cd by the singular and suspicious features Of the place. he
declined my proposal decidedly, and with few ndstinct
marks about the DEVIL whom he seemed to consider the genius
O The ceaseess motion and the play Of the fountain, the
red rosk and the green trees near, make this picturesque
spot"
.4ugtsf 29.-We find the following first men,
ton Of the most degraded tribe OF Indians yet dis
covered on our contnent-the rootdiggers
"We had entered country inhabited by these PEG:
pie; and in the course of voyage shall frequently
meet with them stages of existence, will be well
inform you that scattered the great region Of
Rocky Mountains and south of the Great Snake river
Indians whose subsistence almost solely derived from
and Seeds such small animals chance and great good
fortune sometimes bring within their reach They mseaby
poor armed only with bows and arrows clubs and the
country they nhabit almost destitute Of game they have
Of obtaining better In the northern part Of the
region just mentioned they live generally solitary families
and farther the SOUTH they gathered together villages
Those who live together in villages strengthened by assoca
on in exclusive possession Of the genial and richer
parts of the country while the others driven the ruder
mountains and to the nhosptabe parts of the country
But by simply observing in accompanying along road
you will become better acquainted with these people than
could make you any other than very long description and
you will find them worthy of your interest.
Roots Seeds and grass every vegetable that affords any
noushment and every living animal thing, insect wom
they eat Nearly approaching to the lower animal creation
their sole 10 to obtain food and they are con-
stantly occupied in struggle to support existence
The rapid and wasteful destruction of the buffalo
in these western wildernesses has been often alluded
to and lamented by travellers yet the subject is of
so much importance that we cannot omit Captain |
FREMoNT's very sensible observations upon it. Onl
August 80, in latitude AZ deg. IA min. % sec. and
longitude (abouD 1l2-
"a number of Indians visit us and several men
were sent to the village with goods tobacco knives CLOTH
vermion, and the usual tnke exchange for provisions
But they had game of any kind and it difficult to
obtain any roots from them, they miseraby poor and
had but little to spare from their winter stock Of provisions
Several of the Indians drew aside their blankets showing
their lean and bony figures and would any longer tempt
them with display of merchandise part with their
wetched subsistence when they gave that would
expose them to temporary starvation great portion of the
region inhabited by this nation formerly abounded game
the buffalo ranging about in herds had found them on
the eastern waters and the plains dotted with scattered bands
Of antelope but rapidly have they disappeared within
few years, that now, ourneyed along, occasional
buffalo skull and few wild antelope all that remained OF
the abundance which had covered country with animal life
The extraordinary rapidy with which the buffalo is dis
appearing from territories will appear surprising when
remember the great scale which their destruction is
yearly carried With nconsdcrable exceptions the bus
of the American trading posts carried in their skins
year the Indian villages make lodges for which the
skin of the buffalo furnishes the material and in that portion
of the country where they still found the Indians derive
their entire support from them, and slaughter them with
thoughess and abomnabe extravaganza Like the Indians
and like them, they visiby diminishing, will be in
erestng to throw glance backward through the last twenty
years. and give of their former distribution
through the country and the limit Of their range
Thcnfomation is derived principally from Mr. Fitzpatrick
supported by my personal knowledge and acquaintance
with the country Our knowledge does go farther back
than the spring of 1924 which the buffalo were spread
in immense numbers the Green river and Bear river val
leys and through all the country lying between the Colorado
Green river OF the gulf Of California and Lewiss fork Of
the Columbia river the meridian of Fort Hall then forming
the western limit Of their range The buffalo then remained
for in that country, and frequently moved down
the valley Of the Columbia on both sides Of the river as far as
the Fishing falls Below this point they descended in
any numbers About the year 1894 1895 they began
diminish nplly and continued TO decrease until 1888