USA > Oregon > Sources of the history of Oregon > Part 26
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rain but cloudy this day wind west and Ther. about 40 deg. now at 8 ock at night the full moon is looking down calmly up- on usap[p]arently thinking that the cares of us humble individuals concern her little.
5th We left camp at 7 ock and made 4 miles to breakfast and in 7 mils more the foot of the Cascades our breakfast was made on a small island abreast of a rock rising perpendicular from the bed of the river as I should think 400 feet high Lewis & Clark call it I think 700 feet this rock is nearly surrounded by the waters of the river
The Cascades occasion a portage of 100 rods our goods were carried across this day the river is here compressed into a very small place and the bed is full of rocks I should think the fall to be about 8 feet in the space of the 60 rods There are here two fishing villages both now deserted as the people here say from the inmates being all dead of the fever but I suspect some are dead and the rest and much larger part fright[en]ed away we made the portage by the North side on which is one of the above villages it is near the river on a little clear spot with a little lake in the rear here the Inds were once hostile and great caution was once used in passing now but little is requisite it rained all the latter part of the day and night and morning of the 6th finished the portage but our boats were so bruised that the rest of the day was taken to gum them took a look about me the rest of the day found that the tripe de roche grew on the rocks here but small here there are many petrifactions of wood in a bank of gravell some of which are perfectly petrified and will not burn in the fire but others appear only half so and burn and cut freely they are found bedded in stone composed of rubble of some former world the gravel is cemented together by finer gravell the whole being volcanic and water worn.
7th At 1 1/2 mile above the Cascade is a small river from the N. and 4 12 above this a creek from the N. rained all the 6th and rains a little today came in all 27 miles passed many Indian habitations on the river and canoes 15 mils above the Cascades is a Torrent that precipitates itself into the river from about 60 feet 17 mils from same on same side viz south is a creek both small one between them on the N. side tim- ber growing gradually thinner.
8th We found that a Capeau and 2 blanketts had been stolen by some Inds. from one of our men and went to the village just below our camp to recover them they acknowledged the theft but the thieves had run off we took two canoes to our camp and breakfasted immediately after breakfast the man who had lost the articles took an ax and broke the worst canoe for which he was reprimanded by Mr Ermatinger the other he left and a little after we left I saw the Ind. come and take it we made 29 mils to the Dalles which are one mile or thereabouts long and en-
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camped having passed two of the boats the other owing to some mistake had she[e]red out and forced the line from those who were towing and forced one Indian into the stream and was drowned he was on a bank about 15 feet high he swam until he got into a whirl pool and went down. Just below the Dalles the timber ceases there are here many Indians Tilky & Casineau are here the chiefs and very clever ones all this day we saw Indians on the banks the water passes even now at a furious rate and at high water it is impassible and boats are carried as much as two mils and all the goods for assisting through this place a little tobacco is given the Inds. we gave the usual quantity and saw a personal struggle for the division of it.
9th Left the Great Dall[e]s and in three miles came to the lit- tle dalles which we passed by towing in which we were delayed by reason of having only two lines one having been lost at the time the Indian was drowned in three miles more I arrived at the Shutes or falls of the Columbia which are not in this stage of the water more than ten feet perpendicular but much more than that including the rapids above and below in the immediate vi- cinity these falls once during the times the whites have been here have been sailed up owing as I suppose to the Dalles at such times affording a slow outlet to the accumulated waters and their being raised by this circumstance to above the level of the falls this day got our baggage and goods over at the G. Dalles I tra- ded one horse which I sent on by Abbot at the Shutes we found about 150 to 200 Indians who were very troublesome [having] to pay for very trifling services however they stole nothing.
roth Passed over and gummed the boats and at 12 past 12 started up the river having traded another horse and sent it on by Woodman one mile above the river Aux Rapide comes from the south the size of the stream I cannot tell as I only saw the mouth of it here on the N. side of the river Abbot came to me having lost the horse entrusted to him I took Mr. Woodmans and gave [left?] Abbot with orders to wait until to ock tomorrow and then to come on whether he got the horse or not we came today 9 miles and 6 yesterday here we have to give a piece of tobacco for every stick of wood we get last night was the first frost I have seen since the river broke the grass is somewhat green this part of the river affords trout in small quantity.
Irth Started at an early hour and made the mouth of a con- siderable stream coming from the S. called John Days River from a hunter of that name formerly in this country distant from our last camp 7% milles we camped 2212 miles from this on the North side of the river having had a strong and fair wind all day one thing I observed in this part of the River is that the savages are civil and as much as one in ten has lost an eye as I suppose from the effects of the fine sand of the river being blown about or the violent wind for which this part of the river is noted
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we found some few roots and little game with the natives the night was windy and uncomfortable] but no frost but a little rain
12th At 12 past 6 we started and made 2 miles to breakfast on the N. side tair wind and clear one boat stove and must stop to repair and gum found two small logs of drift wood at Io ock. recommenced our journey with a fair light wind and made in all this day 17 miles during the day had the satisfac- tion of seeing Abbot come up but without finding the lost horse.
13th Calm in mng. but after breakfast had a fair and mid[d]ling strong wind at I ock passed the upper end of Grand Island an Indian to day brought me a pouch and horn stolen from one of my men going down but the balls and powder used up which I redeemed for a little tobacco last night a frost not severe made this day 25 miles found wood enough for use on the banks but it is a custom of the Indians to run along the beach and take possession of the wood there may be and sell it [to] you for tobacco which appears to be their greatest luxury a quid is pay for almost anything.
14th We started at 6 ock and in one mile passed the River Ottillah one mile above which rapids commence the[se] we passed one mile long making 3 to breakfast and started at In past ro with a fair and strong wind and reached Wallah Walla at 5 p. m. just befor[e] reaching this place the cut rocks close into the river in such a manner that there appears but a small per- pendicular sided gap to look through past these and at W. W. both bank[s] fall down to a nearly levell plain we were again hospitably received by Mr. P. C. Pambrun we remained at this post until the 19th. of Feb. the weather mild and clear but high S. W. winds W. W. is a place noted for high winds a little frost during the nights only gras[s]just getting green My horses in tolerable good order and all found eat horse meat all the time at this post On Sunday took a ride up the river W. W. found its bottoms good but not extensive and no wood the corn for this post 150 bushells last year was raised at least 3 miles from the fort none was stolen by the Indians a good test of their honesty as they are all most always starving. This place is kept by about 5 men Inds. are freely admitted inside of it about 1200 skins traded here it is kept up mostly for trading horses and the saf[e]ty of the communication the course of the Wallah [Wallah] river is E. by N. near the fort when I saw it.
19th Just as we were leaving the fort an Indian brought in the horse which Abbot lost at the Dalles and a short time after leaving the fort an Indian sent by Mr. P. brought one other which had strayed from Abbot at this place we made thisday 17 miles to a branch of the Wallah [Wallah] river here coming from the N. the space nearly a plain and barren and sandy but good grass this branch appears to be about half the Wallah [Wallah] river encamped a little after sundown and for 12 yards blue clths. [ Blkt.
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2 1/2 pt 50 balls & powder 2 knives 1 1b. Tobacco bunch beads, Io fish Hooks traded a good horse this appears a fair price here.
20th We made a late start and after travelling 9 hours without water arrived at the Snake river here running W. our course was this day N. by E. 22 12 miles over a country which would be considered light sandy land with little sage grass good and in tufts very level except some trifling roundly swelling hills these make one think of gently swelling breasts of the ladies. Day warm and clear We in the first of the day followed the branch of the W. W. mentioned yesterday say four miles on which I saw blackbirds which Mr. Pambrun says stay at W. W. all winter.
2Ist No frost in morning. Crossed the river to the mouth of a creek coming into the river from the N.for 10 miles which was the length of our march this day this creek is through cut rocks of moderate height for this country. We followed the stream on the east bank. These banks were about 300 feet high to the levell of the plain if that can be called a plain where the hills rise to an almost equal height and the gullies are abrupt and narrow. The soil was what would be called in N. E. a poor sandy soil producing good grass but still no wood Traded two horses this day at the usual rates The people who are most used to this country are so little afraid of the Indians that they either travel without guns or with them unloaded.
22nd A pretty hard frost in the morning followed the river one mile on the North side then crossed it and made North 3 miles and crossed a branch of it coming from the N. W. Our course this day N. by E. and encamped at a little run of water running S. E. This is inconsiderable Saw about 20 antelope this day in one herd at our camp this nigh[t] observed about 2 inches of frost in the ground this days ride over very rocky country the val- leys of which are very good but small otherwise more sandy than common grass good Made 22 12 miles
23d N. 17 miles over a rough and Rocky country with a few small bottoms which are good land at 9 miles from last camp passed some of the best specimens of Basaltic colum[n]s which I have seen They were 5 sided and about 50 feet high some standing independent others tumbled down to the foot of the wall like demolished Towers This days march [passed] many small lakes whether formed by the snow or not I can not say but I think some of them are permanent none larger than a few acres Camped at a stream coming from the N. and were visited by three Indians who report the road to Colville impassable for snow a hard frost last night and frost in the ground beside the lakes mostly frozen over but not thick these made me think of the old buisness of my life.
24th 20 miles N. through timber in the first of which we en- camped last night the stream which we camped on here forks
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no game except two small prairie hens passed many little lakes one of which is as large Fresh Pond and one nearly so the rest smaller Patches of snow and one third of the trees prostrated last year by southerly gale their trunks much obstructed the path before us on the right are snow covered and moderately high Mts. found good wood at our camp by the light of which I now write the scene reminds me of my Ice men at work by torch light not frost enough in the ground to prevent driving tent stakes the little [rain] and snow made streams [which are] run[ning] Southerly
25th in a N. direction 15 miles to Spokan River a stream now about half as large as the Snake River it is now high from the melting of the snow its sources are not distant and in a range of Mts. in sight this Range runs about N. W. which is here the general course of the stream but how far I cannot say as it is visible but a short distance at this place are the remains of the old Spokan House one Bastion of which only is now standing which is left by the Indians from respect to the dead one clerk of the Co. being buried in it the banks of this river are here rocky and precipitous I observed among the rocks of its bed Granite Green Stone Quartz sandstone Lava or Basalt the country on approaching this river from the South resembles the pine plains of N. Hampshire near Concord we passed the divide between the waters of this and the last river about 5 mils from our last nights Camp striking then after passing the isolated wood in which we had camped and a large plain devoid of wood a deep valley running N. Crossed the most of our baggage today 26th Arrived[?] After perusing the enclosed loose papers I proceed*
27th Marcht due N. E. by N 24 miles we made this day This line cuts the Spokan river This point we turned but I call the course direct for convenience this course is through a tolerable fertile prairie the grass good and flowers plenty on the W. side are low range of rocky hills which are granite and a better development of the broken rock named yesterday I find it to be volcanic by its being [a word omitted] blending with porous rock on our left and about half way of the days march passed a mile distant a little
*The loose papers referred to were probably pinned to the preceding leaf of the journal, but have been lost. They no doubt were the journal notes made by Mr. Wyeth while taking a trip from the "Spokan House" to Fort Colville and back.
That Mr. Wyeth took such a trip is evident from the fact that one of the letters bearing the date of March 12th 1833 was written from Fort Colville. The journal of March 28th refers to such a trip and the return to the "Spo- kan house".
tThe word "March" is to be read as part of the date. The trip referred to above seems to have consumed exactly a calendar month.
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lake 12 mile across to the E. by N. of this is a lake 3 miles across from which the Spokan flows neither of these I have seen but take this from hearsay arrived at our camp and all well and in better order I have forgot to mention that the stream that comes into the Spokane near the House brings down peb[b]les of volcanic rock also that the streams near our present camp come from the hills enter the prairie of the Spokan River and disappear in the ground.
28 Made 18 miles N. through a level and wooded country and camped with only snow water and poor grass the rocks seen to day are bolders of granite and observed that the compass in one place would not Traverse this happened while going to Colville from Spokan and coming from there back also observed Today and yesterday the effects of some former gale in prostrated trees direction here S. W.
29 horses missing in mng. and not found till noon went N. 9 miles and struck Flat Head River compass again refused to traverse through deep snow today and yesterday and thick young trees and fallen timber observed here the white pine and Hemlock snow and rain all yesterday found our people at the river with the boats.
30th Remained at the same place crossed the river I here saw an Indian who was entirely blind he seemed to be taken good care of by his relatives made him a small present for which he thanked me parted company with Mr Ermatinger he to go on with the goods by water myself with horses by land last night the coldest for some time today warm and pleasant
3Ist Moved early N. 7 miles passing a point and two little streams Excessively bad going in crossing the point from snow and brush E. two mils along the river N. N. E. 5 miles to the Lake then a line to our camp cutting the lake 5 mils more N. N. E. This lake is about three miles broad and indeed the river so far resembles a long lake little or no current and 34 miles wide plenty of pa[r]t ridges, ge[e]se, and Duck and some deer meat of the Indians all clay country mountainous one Horse gave out and left him a good lo[d]ge made of Branches of Pine had almost made me forget that it had snowed and rained all day ourselves and goods were wet through we had no human com- fort except meat enough to eat and good.
Ist April E. 2, N 3, E by S. 3, and found that from this spot the place where I entered on the lake [it?] bore S. W. N. by E. 2, E. by S. 5 N. 3 and made the traverse of a large peninsularat one mil[e] E. by N. struck the head of a creek which after 3 miles more led us back to the Lake at the entrance into it of the River Fete Plate. This Lake is a large and fine sheet of water it appears of a good depth There looks as if a large river entered on the S. side at the east end it is widest and there are two Islands it is surrounded by lofty and now snowy Mts. but their summitsare
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timbered yesterday saw nothingbut Granite today saw Slate and Sandstone not the least volcanic appearance in this part of the Country.
2nd Made E. S. E. 6 mils through a difficult swamp over a hill and to the main river again during which time we passed two small streams this swamp had the largest cedars apparently the same as those of the N. E. that I have ever seen I measured one at my height from the ground of 31 feet circumferance and I presume some were larger no rocks to day but sandstone and slate camped on acc. of my horses having had no feed lately
the slate is tortuitous and I think mica slate here my Indian brought me in some onions and two kinds of trout some of the trout I have bought of the Indians as large as 10 lbs. they are plenty and taken with the hook there are plenty of ducks and ge[e]se the Ducks are the [same] as the tame ducks of N. E.
3d 10 mils almost due E. cutting a mountain and through almost impenetrable wo[o]d and deep snow much trouble and delay to keep the trail from the mountain 4 mils from last nights camp saw our last camp on this Lake which bore W. by N. to night we camped without grass but could not go further some of the horses strayed in the trail behind
4th Started our Indian early to find the strayed horses and started camp ahead 9 mils E. following the river the whole way altho the trail cuts off the point and encamped where the trail again strikes the river at this place there is a considerable [creek] coming from the E. by N. into the river here for the first time since reaching Walla Walla I saw fresh Beaver sign the Indian has not yet come up with the horses and little feed for those we have with us to day saw a small sized Bear but he was off too soon for a shot
5th 12 mils E. S. E. through deep snow and thick wood most of the way sometimes miry sometimes slippery with ice and always obstructed by the great quantity of fallen wood Last night late the Indian brought up all the lost horses
6th 9 mils E. S. E. trail better slate rock only Camped on the river last night in the mountains. Yesterday two horses gave out left a man to keep them and bring them up if possible to day one gave out which I will leave at this camp for same man
7th Arrived at the Flathead post kept by Mr. Rivi and one man after a ride of 17 mils E. S. E. through thick wood not very good trail and a snow storm which loaded the pines in such a manner as to bend them down to the ground frequently load- ing me with the snow as passing I disturbed the branches trees loaded down in this way and frozen so as to be firm constitute much of the difficulty of the route from Flathead or Ponderay Lake to this place want of grass at this time of the year the residue with
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some mire rock mica slate this place is scituated on a fine prairie 2 mils long I wide and seems pleasant after coming through thick woods and mountains counting my horses found 32 of 47 with which I started but think I shall recover all but one left on the Lake having sent men and Indians in search of them Mr E. came in the boats in 5 days I have now news by four Indians who came in on the 6th on foot the Nez Perces have lost all but 4 horses of their band of about 500 stolen by the Blackfeet The Flatheads expected in about 15 days on the rith start- ed out to see if there were many beaver in the country with intention of staying 12 days but was recalled by the arrival of the buffaloe Indians found few beaver and the country can only be trapped on foot plenty of pa[r]tridges to be found in this country arrived again at the post on tho 17th of April my route was back on the Flathead River.
18th to 20th remained at the post having now found all my horses started camp 2 miles East up the river and to the upper end of the prairie on which the house is built at this place is a large creek coming from the N.
21th rained hard last night and from the 17th to this day have had one or more slight showers each day the plain is now good grass we are much an[nloyed by the dogs of the Indian village which are numerous they eat all our cords and fur flesh they can get at in the night this is always a great trouble while travel- ling with Indians until you get to Buffaloe where they find bet- ter food for three nights no frost This valley is the most romantic place imaginable a level plain of two miles long by I wide on the N a range of rocky and snow clad Mts. on the S. the Flathead river a rapid current and plenty of good fish- ing running at the immediate base of another lofty Snowy and Rocky range of Mts. Above and below the vall[e]y the mountains of each range close upon the river so as apparently to afford no outlet either way about 200 horses feeding on the green plain and perhaps 15 Indian Lodges and numerous barking dogs with now and then a half breed on horseback galloping gracefully with plenty of gingling bells attached to all parts of himself and horse
it is really a scene for a poet nought but man is wanting to com- plete it
22nd Moved 8 mils F. N. E. along the river at 6 miles passed a very bad rock called le Roche Mauvais the mountains as yet closely follow the river on both sides but seem declining in height as we stopped early we spent the rest of the day in pre- paring to prevent the bla[c]k Foot from stealing our horses they have have never but once passed the bad rock and then the Flat- heads gave them such a beating as keeps [them] since in better order the[y] infest much the country we are now about entering .
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23d Moved 8 mils E. N. E. to Horse plain thence N. E. 5 mils cutting a hill and leaving the River which we had her[e]- tofore followed decending the Mts E. N. E. 6 mils to a large open vall[e]y in the hills with little timber and much grass op- posite to our Camp is a mountain where 200 Flatheads Conterays, Ponderays and other Inds. were killed by the Blackfoot Inds. During the first part of the last division of the days march passed a small lake with many waterfowl and one sand hill crane. We are now fairly in the dangerous Country through Horse plain and into the R Flathead is a small brook to day 2 Indians ar- r[i]ved from the main Flathead Camp at Porte D'enfer with news that the Blackfoot have made 2 h[a]uls of horses from them the Flathead Camp consists of men of various tribes
24 mooved E. by S. down the valley to Flathead river then 4 miles E. following the river then Forded it and made 3 mils E. by N. and encamped on it at a place where last year a man by the name of La Couse was [killed] by the Blackfoot Inds. the river is not now high when so it is not fordable and is here a good sized stream the salts here whiten in the ground and the animals are almost crazy after it which makes them bad to drive
the morning was sult[r]y and I travelled without my coat but in the afternoon we had a fine [s]hower with some thunder of good quality the valllely we left today abounds with the finest Kamas I have yet seen as provisions are scarce in camp the women dug much of it
25th Mooved Camp up the main river 12 mils E 1/2 N. then up a large but fordable branch 3 mils E. by S. trail fine grass good weather beautiful no frost for three nights the Climate ap- pears much as at Baltimore at this season
26th made E. along the creek last named 5 miles then crossed and followed it 4 mils S. E. then recrossed it and followed it E. S. E. 3 mils crossing a small branch then 2 mils recrossing the main creek again then followed I mile E S. E. and recross- ed it and followed a small branch of it S. E. I mile crossed the branch and followed it 2 mils S. E. to Camp clear except I shower but only comfortably warm Count[rly hilly but open
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