USA > Washington > Spokane County > Spokane > History of the city of Spokane and Spokane County, Washington : from its earliest settlement to the present time, Volume I > Part 21
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3. The Indian country will be reached in ten days. There is no danger to be apprehended, except from the want of vigilance of guards, and the carelessness of single men. The chief of a party or detachment will inspect the guard from time to time in the night, and report every case of inattention to duty.
1. It will be the habitnal rule of each member of the scientific corps to take charge of his own horse, and to take from and place in the wagon his own personal baggage. As private servants are not allowed, the necessity of this rule will be apparent. There are exceptional cases, however, as the chief of a party, or where great labor has to be performed.
5. There will be no firing of any description, either in camp or on the march,
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except by the hunters and guides, and certain members of the scientific corps, without permission of the chief of the expedition, or, in case of detachments, of the officer in charge of the detachment.
Leaving the Coeur d'Alene mission on the morning of October 15, the expedition encamped "in a beautiful prairie, called the Wolf's Lodge, with good grass." Here the governor met a party of 100 Spokanes, with 300 horses on their way to hunt buffalo on the plains beyond the Rocky mountains.
"Towards sundown this evening." wrote Stevens, "I was greatly interested in observing our friends, the Spokanes, at their devotions. A bell rang, and the whole band gathered in and around a large lodge for evening prayers. There was some- thing solemn and pathetic in the evening psalm resounding through the forests around us. This shows what good results can flow from the labor of devoted mis- sionaries ; for the Spokanes had had no religious instruction for the last five years. As I went down the river, and met band after band of the Spokanes, I invariably found the same regard for religious services. Afterwards they came around my camp-fire and we had a talk. They tell me that six days since Governor Ogden (of the Hudson's Bay company) and three gentlemen, with some soldiers, left Walla Walla for Colville to meet me. Garry. they say. is at his farm, four miles from the Spokane House. I spoke to them also with reference to being on friendly terms with the Coeur d'Alenes."
With quick and prophetic eye Governor Stevens took notice of the opportuni- ties for future settlement: "The country through which we have passed today. though obstructed with fallen timber, and rolling, and at times broken in surface. was arable, and reminded me of a great deal of country that I have seen in New England. where there are now productive farms."
He was of Massachusetts birth, seventh in descent from the first settler at Andover, and having been brought up from infancy amid New England sur- roundings, where hard-willed men had struggled with adverse nature and come off victorious from the combat, had developed a peculiar faculty for comprehending, almost within a glance, the future productive possibilities of a broad region which then lay wild and savagely beautiful. He had developed, too, a system of gath- ering information by questioning occasional settlers, trappers and missionaries, as chance gave him the desired opportunity. He was ever ready for a "talk" with chief or head man, and often, after a day of the severest travel, would eagerly sit up half the night or more to draw out the conversational powers of his frontier host. From the good fathers and brothers at the Coeur d'Alene mission he learned that "the country intermediate between this and Clark's fork on the Pend d'Oreille lake is arable, well-watered, and not much intersected by spurs or ridges."
Soon after leaving camp on the morning of the sixteenth the party came in view of lake Coeur d'Alene, shimmering below them in the mellow October sunlight, and eleven miles from camp "struck it near its western extremity." Stevens described the lake as "a beautiful sheet of water surrounded by picturesque hills mostly covered with wood. Its shape is irregular, unlike that given it upon the maps. Its waters are received from the Coeur d'alene river, which runs through it. Below the lake the river is not easily navigable, there being many rapids, and in numerous instances it widens greatly and runs sluggishty through a shallow channel. Above the lake I am informed by the missionaries that it is navigable nearly to the mis-
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sion. Upon the eastern side appears a range of hills, along the eastern base of which I think the road from the mission to Walla Walla passes."
Leaving the lake, at the site of the present eity of Coeur d'Alene, the expedition followed down the Spokane river on its northern bank, passing a eamp of Coeur d'Alenes occupied with their trout fisheries.
When Governor Stevens entered the country, the Spokane river, from the lake to the mouth of the Little Spokane, still bore the fur traders' designation, the Coeur d'Alene, and the Spokane valley was called the Coeur d'Alene prairie. The broad region sweeping westward from the falls to the Columbia, bearing the present day designation of the Big Bend country, was then termed the Spokane plains.
Passing on down the valley, the party "witnessed a tonehing sight, a daughter administering to her dying father;" and still keeping through open woods, "on a most excellent road, in two miles further came to the Coeur d'Alene prairie, a beautiful tract of land containing several hundred square miles. Trap roek, pro- jeeting above the surface of the ground. borders the river as we enter the prairie."
Continuing on, they met a half breed, Franeis Finlay, on his way from his home at Colville to the Bitter Root valley with his family, "among whom we saw his pretty half-breed daughter." They impressed the governor as being well dressed and presenting "a very respetable appearance."
Three miles before reaching the night's eneampment, they met a party of Spo- kanes who informed them that Chief Garry was at his farm and was holding there some of the horses that had been left with him by Lieutenant Saxton, who had eome in from the Columbia river to join the main expedition in the interior.
Leaving eamp, the governor, aecompanied by Antoine the guide, Osgood and the artist Stanley, "turned from the trail to visit the falls of the Coeur d'Alene river (the Spokane), while Lavette took the train ahead on the trail to the Spokane Honse. There are two principal falls," reported Stevens, "one of twenty feet and the other of from ten to twelve feet; in the latter there being a perpendicular fall of seven or eight feet ; for a quarter of a mile the deseent is rapid, over a rough bed of roeks. and in this distanee we estimate a fall of 90 to 100 feet," rather an under-estimate, both of the main falls and of the total descent of the river.
One mile below the falls, at the mouth of Hangman ereek, the governor found a small Indian village whose inhabitants were catching salmon. He "noticed one large woman, who seemed to pride herself upon her person, which she took pains to set off in the most becoming manner, by means of a blanket wrapped around her."
'The road from Hangman ereek to Spokane House, at the month of the Little Spokane, was deseribed as passing over "a sandy prairie interspersed with groves of pine. Crossing a dividing ridge with high and steep banks, we came into the prairie in which the Spokane House is situated, in which were two Spokane villages. We inquired for Garry, and I sent him a request that he would visit me at my eamp. The train we found a mile below the junction. across the Spokane. The Indians indicating a good camp some distance beyond, we moved on cight and a half miles to it, which we reached half an hour before sundown. Here there was good grass and plenty of water, and we soon made up a large eampfire."
After arranging matters in eamp, the governor observed, after nightfall, a fire down the river, "and strolling down to the place came upon a camp of Spokane Indians, and found them engaged in religious services, which I was glad of the
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opportunity to witness. There were three or four meu, as many women, and half a dozen children. Their exercises were: 1. address: 2. Lord's prayer: 3. psalms : 4, benediction : and were conducted with great solemnity."
In its work of exploring routes for a transcontinental railroad. the United States government had adopted the plan applied more than forty years before by John Jacob Astor in his bold enterprise of founding on the northwest coast of America his Pacific Fur company, namely, of sending one expedition overland and a second by sea, around Cape Horn and into the Columbia river. On Governor Stevens' request. command of the water expedition had been entrusted to Captain George B. MeClellan. "As the route was new and comparatively unexplored," says Stevens. "it was determined to organize the whole command into two divisions-the eastern division being under my immediate direction, and the western division under Captain George B. MeClellan, of the corps of engineers, who was ordered to report to me. and whose field of duty is best shown by the following extract from the general instructions: 'A second party will proceed at once to Puget Sound and explore the passes of the Cascade range, meeting the eastern party between that range and the Rocky mountains, as may be arranged by Governor Stevens.'"
Stevens had reason to believe that MeClellan's party was somewhere in the interior, and his object now was to consolidate the two parties and plan out the fur- ther work of exploration. Garry and a number of other Spokanes came in that even- ing and "gave rumors of a large party having arrived opposite Colville: also of a small party having gone from Walla Walla to Colville." There was also a report of the arrival of a party, at Walla Walla from the mountains, The governor was further informed that an old man had just come from the Yakima valley in four days, bring- ing news of a party operating in that vicinity. towards Colville. "I can not learn." wrote Stevens, "whether the party is under Captain MeClellan or one of his officers. The Indians confirm the intelligence given by the Cayuse Indians at the Coeur d'Alene mission, that thirty wagons have crossed the Caseades by the military road, but rumors vary as to their success in getting through."
The governor was puzzled by Chief Garry's apparent lack of candor. "Garry." he wrote from the field, "was educated by the Hudson's Bay company at Red river. where he lived four years, with six other Indians from this vicinity. all of whom are now dead. He speaks English and French well, and we have had a long con- versation this evening; but he is not frank. and I do not understand him." Stevens' first measure of the Spokane chief squares with the judgment of James N. Glover. who considered him "an old skulker." In justice, however, to the memory of the aged chieftain, who lies buried in Greenwood cemetery, we add that Stevens later readjusted his first estimate and learned to place much confidence in Garry's sin- cerity and ability. The chief was then cultivating an extensive field : he had learned farming from Elkanah Walker, the protestant missionary who labored among the Spokanes for nearly ten years, and had a good crop of wheat when Governor Ster- ens came into his country, and was going to Colville the next day to have some of it ground at the old Hudson's Bay mill.
Stevens resolved to push on to Colville, and at half past eight the next morn- ing broke camp and started north. On the way there they were joined by an old Indian from the Yakima country, who had been directed by Garry to meet the gor- ernor and impart further information concerning the party of white men he had
FRYGOODS GROCERIES BOOTS SHOES LIQUORS &:
BREOKROCOEN
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FIRST PHOTO TAKEN OF FRONT STREET, PORTLAND, IN 1852, JUST PRIOR TO THE ARRIVAL OF GOVERNOR STEVENS
AJ UR LENVA
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seen beyond the Columbia river. The old man stated that a large party had reached the bank of the river opposite Colville the day before. "I was satisfied from his accounts," says Stevens, "that the party was MeClellan's, and accordingly deter- mined on going to Colville tonight. Antoine has horses half way. We rested until 2 o'clock and then set out, Antoine and myself pushing ahead of the train. We met Antoine's family encamped in a fine prairie, with whom Antoine remained, send- ing his brother-in-law on with us as a guide."
At a point twenty-eight miles from Colville the governor was told that he eould not complete the journey that day, as it was growing late and parts of the road were bad, "but being determined to do so we pushed on and reached Brown's at 5:45, who informed us that the distance to Colville was eighteen miles. After par- taking of some bread and milk, we resumed the road with the same animals. dash- ing off at full speed, going eight or nine miles an hour most of the way, and reached Colville at nine o'clock. Mr. MeDonald, the trader in charge, gave me a most hospitable reception and addressed a note to MeClellan, who had just gone to his camp near by, informing him of my arrival. McClellan came up immediately, and though I was fairly worn out with the severity of the ride, we sat up till one o'clock. At It we sat down to a nice supper prepared by Mrs. McDonald and regaled ourselves with steaks cooked in buffalo fat, giving them the flavor of buf- falo meat. I retired exhausted with the fatignes of the day."
"During our stay at Colville." wrote Stevens. "we visited MeDonald's camp. Near it there is a mission, under Pere Lewis, whom we visited. The Indians about the mission are well disposed and religious. In the evening we listened to the thrilling stories and exciting legends of MeDonald, with which his memory seems to be well stored. He says intelligence had reached him through the Blackfeet of the coming of my party; that the Blackfeet gave most singular accounts of every- thing connected with us. For instance. they said that our horses had claws like the grizzly bear; they climbed up the 'steep rocks and held on by their claws; that their neeks were like the new moon; and that their neighing was like the sound of distant thunder. McDonald has, of course. given a free translation of the reports made by Indians.
"We listened to his accounts of his own thrilling adventures of his mountain life. and a description of an encounter with a party of Blackfeet is well worth relating. At the head of a party of three or four men he was met by a band of these Indians, who showed evidences of hostility. By signs he requested the chief of the Black- feet to advance and meet him, both being unarmed. When the chief assented and met him half way between the two parties, MeDonald caught him by the hair of the head. and. holding him firmly, exacted from the remaining Indians promises to give up their arms, which they accordingly did, and passed on peacably. He has lived here many years, and is an upright. intelligent, manly and energetic man."
CHAPTER XVII
FROM SPOKANE TO WALLA WALLA AND VANCOUVER
M'CLELLAN PROCRASTINATES ON THE COLUMBIA AND IN THE CASCADES- HAD LITTLE FAITH IN THE COUNTRY- STEVENS ASSEMBLES IIIS PARTY IN CAMP WASHINGTON- CHEERED BY A KEG OF COGNAC- VISITS OLD MISSION ON WALKER'S PRAIRIE-COL- VILLE VALLEY SETTLERS SEEK NATURALIZATION-FIELD CAPITAL NEAR SPOKANE- FEASTING IN CAMP WASHINGTON- BEEF HEAD, TEXAS FASIHON-ARMY OFFICERS SHRINK FROM WINTER SERVICE-GARRY TELLS STEVENS OF INDIAN MYTHS-ACROSS THE PALOUSE COUNTRY-FINE POTATOES IN WALLA WALLA VALLEY-TRIBUTE TO MARCUS WHITMAN-DOWN THE COLUMBIA IN A CANOE-GUEST AT VANCOUVER OF CAPTAIN BONNEVILLE.
M cCLELLAN had been only measurably successful with his end of the work. He had arrived at Vancouver, on the Columbia on the 27th of June, but with characteristic disinclination to move until every detail of equipment and preparation was worked out, he did not put his party in motion till July 18, and then to find, before he had penetrated the Cascade mountains a great distance. that his thoroughiness of preparation was but a handicap, as he had organized a larger expedition than he eould expeditiously move through a tangled and broken mountain region. Unable to penetrate the western slopes of the Cascades with his unwieldly expedition, he directed his efforts cast of the Cascades, where the country was more open, and by means of detachments had gleaned a pretty fair knowledge of the passes as far north as the Methow. MeClellan's report on the character of the prairie country between the Columbia river and Spokane was based on long range observation. From the summit of a high ridge separating the waters of the Yakima and the Wenatchee he obtained a view which he described most drearily :
"That portion of the Cascade range which crosses the Columbia sinks into an elevated plateau, which extends as far as the limit of vision to the eastward; this is the Spokane Plain. On it we could see no indication of water, not a single tree : and except on the mountain spur. not one spot of verdure. It was of a dead, yel- lowish hne, with large clouds of black blending into the yellowish tinge, and appeared to be a sage desert. with a seanty growth of dry bunch-grass. and fre- quent ontcroppings of basalt."
"MeClellan, as appears from his report," says Hazard Stevens in the biography of his father, "took a decidedly unfavorable opinion of the country, and of a rail- road route across the Cascades. He declared in substance that the Columbia river pass was the only one worth considering, that there was no pass whatever north of
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it except the Snoqualmie pass, and gave it as his firm and settled opinion that the snow in winter was from twenty to twenty-five feet deep in that pass.
"His examination of the pass was a very hasty and cursory one, with no other instruments than a compass and a barometer, and extended only three miles across the summit. His only information as to the depth of winter snow was the reports of Indians, and the marks of snow on the trees, or what he took to be such. Thus the most important point, the real problem of the field of exploration entrusted to him, namely, the existence and character of the Cascade passes. he failed to deter- mine. He failed utterly to respond to Governor Stevens' earnest and manly exhor- tation, 'We must not be frightened with long tunnels, or enormous snows. but set ourselves to work to overcome them.' He manifested the same dilatoriness in prep- aration and moving, the same timidity in action, the same magnifying of difficulties. that later marked and ruined his career as an army commander.
"Two railroads now cross the range which he examined-the Northern Pacific, by a pass just south of the Snoqualmie and north of the Nahchess, the very place of which MeClellan reported that 'there certainly is none between this (the Snoqual- mie ) and the Nahchess pass;' and the Great Northern, by a pass at the head of the Wenatchee or Pisquouse river. of which stream he declared. 'It appears certain that there can be no pass at its head for a road.' The snows he so much exaggerated have proved no obstacle, and in fact have actually caused less trouble and obstruc- tion in these passes than in the Columbia pass itself."
Since the foregoing was written, Snoqualmie pass has been appropriated by the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul, and R. E. Strahorn's North Coast system has found an excellent pass farther to the south. and following closely, in fact. the line of march followed by MeClellan between Vancouver and the valley of the Yakima.
Hazard Stevens adds that one of the lines of the Northern Pacific (the Mullan branch from Missoula) now crosses the Coeur d'Alene pass on Governor Stevens' route, to the vicinity of the mission, running thenee south of Coeur d'Alene lake to Spokane.
Describing the valley of the Columbia, MeClellan wrote:
"Through a valley of about a mile in breadth, in which not a tree is to be seen and seldom even a bush, and which is bordered by steep walls of trap. lava and sandstone, often arranged in a succession of high plateaux or steps, the deep blue water of the Columbia Rows with a rapid, powerful current. It is the only lifelike object in the desert." "The character of the valley is much the same as far as Fort Okinakane. It occasionally widens out slightly, again it is narrowed by the moun- tains pressing in. Sometimes the trail passes over the lower bottom, at others ele- vated and extensive terraces, and in a few places over dangerous points in the mountains."
MeClellan measured the stream just above the month of the Wenatchee. (then called the Pisquouse) and found it 371 yards wide in September. Fifteen miles further up it was 329 yards wide.
"It will be seen," reported Stevens, "that though a very fine examination had been made of the eastern slope of the Casendes, no line had been run by Captain MeClellan to Puget Sound, and I deemed it of the greatest consequence to carry through such a line, so that we could speak with positiveness and certainty of the
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grades on the western sides, and the other facts bearing upon the question of rail- road practicability. Captain Mcclellan was of opinion that it was possible to carry such a line through at this season of the year, although he apprehended that some difficulty might be found from the presence of snow."
Governor Stevens resolved to assemble the whole party in a camp south of the Spokane river, and "then to arrange parties so as to move to the Sound and the lower Columbia river in such a way as would give the best additional knowledge of the country." Chief Garry, having come in with his wheat, was dispatched with a letter to Lieutenant Donelson relative to the place of rendezvous. Stevens decided to remain at Colville another day, and to leave October 20 for the concentration camp, "a valley south of the Spokane river, some ten or twelve miles south of the Spokane House. This spot," explained Stevens, "is only a short distance off the trail leading from Walker and Eells' mission to Walla Walla."
When the party moved off the following morning, Trader McDonald presented the governor with "a keg of cognac to cheer the hearts of the members of all par- ties. and obliged us also to take a supply of port wine." On the way to the evening camp they passed MeDonald's grist mill "on Mill river, the only one in the neigh- borhood." McDonald kept them company, and that night they enjoyed a "glorions supper of smoking steaks and hot cakes, and the stories added to the relish with which it was eaten." McDonald was a born raconteur, and as they sat around the flaring campfire eharmed them "with a recital of his thrilling adventures, and expressed much regret that the expected arrival of the Hudson's Bay express from Canada obliged him to return the next morning."
From Stevens' journal: October 22 .- We got off early, and at Brown's stopped to purchase horses, and succeeded in obtaining two. one for MeClellan and the other for myself. McDonald accompanied me some distance further, when, bid- ding each other adieu, I pushed ahead, and reaching a small stream I found that MeClellan's party had taken the left bank. and that the captain. who came up afterwards with Mr. Stanley, had gone on to join them. We took the right, and thus avoided a had crossing in which MeClellan's party became involved. We encamped upon the borders of the stream. Our train is now larger and more heavily laden than before, in consequence of the increased supplies. Today we have thirteen packs. At night we killed a cow. purchased of Brown, and we still have an ox in reserve, to be killed when we meet Donelson. 1 may say here that two pounds of beef and half pound of flour per man is not too much for a day's allowance.
October 23 .- Snow is falling this morning, and it has cleaned our beef ad- mirably. I received a note from MeClellan, just after starting out. saying that in consequence of yesterday's difficulty with the train he thought that he had better remain with his own train. He afterwards. at my request, joined me. leaving the train under the charge of Duncan. We journeyed but ten miles, encamping near where we had seen Antoine's family in going to Colville. The snow ecased falling abont noon, with five inches upon the ground. It is light, and we think it will disappear in a few days. The Indians inform me that we shall not probably find it south of the Coeur d'Alene river; and from their statements it would seem that this river is a dividing line as regards elimate.
October 24 .- We started this morning with the intention of reaching the
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appointed place of meeting tonight. MeClellan, Minter, Osgood. Stanley and my- self pushed ahead, and at noon we reached the old Chemakane mission, so called from a spring of that name near by. The mission was occupied by Messrs. Walker and Eells, but in 1849, in consequence of the Cayuse difficulties, it was abandoned. These gentlemen labored ardently for the good of the Indians. Walker was a good farmer and taught them agriculture, and by them his name is now mentioned with great respect. The house occupied by Walker is still standing, but that of Eells has been burned down. The site of the mission is five miles from the Spokane river, in an extensive open valley. well watered and very rich. Here we met Garry and some 200 Spokanes. Garry has forwarded the letter to Donelson. but had received no intelligence of his arrival in the Coeur d'Alene plain. We therefore concluded to encamp here, and tomorrow Mcclellan and myself are to accompany Garry to the Spokane House. The route by Walker and Eells' mission to Colville united with that taken by us twelve or fourteen miles from the mission. It is a better route, affording good grazing during the whole distance. The Colville or Slawntehus and Chemakane valleys have productive soil. and are from one to three miles wide, and bordered by low hills, covered with larch, pine and spruce, having also a productive soil, which gradually become broken and lower towards the south. In the evening the Indians clustered around our fire, and manifested much pleasure in our treatment of them. Gibbs was indefatigable in collecting information in regard to these Indians. I have now seen a great deal of Garry and am much ยท pleased with him. Beneath a quiet exterior he shows himself to be a man of judg- ment, forecast and great reliability, and I could see in my interview with his band the ascendeney he possesses over them. Near the mission lives Solomon Pelter, a settler, who, by Garry's permission, has taken up his abode in this valley. I told Pelter, in reply to his request to be permitted to remain here, that though I had no power to authorize him, yet I could see no objection to his so doing: that I looked with favor upon it, and requested him to have an eye to the interests of the Indians.
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