The atmosphere became dry and
surcharged with murky vapor, parching to the skin, and irritating
to the eyes. When travelling among the hills, they could
scarcely discern objects at the distance of a few paces; indeed,
the least exertion of the vision was painful. There was evidently
some vast conflagration in the direction toward which they were
proceeding; it was as yet at a great distance, and during the day
they could only see the smoke rising in larger and denser
volumes, and rolling forth in an immense canopy. At night the
skies were all glowing with the reflection of unseen fires,
hanging in an immense body of lurid light high above the horizon.
Having reached Gun Creek, an important stream coming from the
left, Captain Bonneville turned up its course, to traverse the
mountain and avoid the great bend of Snake River. Being now out
of the range of the Bannecks, he sent out his people in all
directions to hunt the antelope for present supplies; keeping the
dried meats for places where game might be scarce.
During four days that the party were ascending Gun Creek, the
smoke continued to increase so rapidly that it was impossible to
distinguish the face of the country and ascertain landmarks.
Fortunately, the travellers fell upon an Indian trail. which led
them to the head-waters of the Fourche de Glace or Ice River,
sometimes called the Grand Rond. Here they found all the plains
and valleys wrapped in one vast conflagration; which swept over
the long grass in billows of flame, shot up every bush and tree,
rose in great columns from the groves, and set up clouds of smoke
that darkened the atmosphere. To avoid this sea of fire, the
travellers had to pursue their course close along the foot of the
mountains; but the irritation from the smoke continued to be
tormenting.
The country about the head-waters of the Grand Rond spreads out
into broad and level prairies, extremely fertile, and watered by
mountain springs and rivulets. These prairies are resorted to by
small bands of the Skynses, to pasture their horses, as well as
to banquets upon the salmon which abound in the neighboring
waters. They take these fish in great quantities and without the
least difficulty; simply taking them out of the water with their
hands, as they flounder and struggle in the numerous long shoals
of the principal streams. At the time the travellers passed over
these prairies, some of the narrow, deep streams by which they
were intersected were completely choked with salmon, which they
took in great numbers. The wolves and bears frequent these
streams at this season, to avail themselves of these great
fisheries.
The travellers continued, for many days, to experience great
difficulties and discomforts from this wide conflagration, which
seemed to embrace the whole wilderness.
