14 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 97 



13, 1852, was published Ijy Schoolcraft the following year.'' It is 

 a valuable account of a journey through a i)art of the country never 

 before carefully studied, and describes briefly the native inhabitants 

 of the rough, mountainous region who f)ccupied secluded valleys in 

 the vicinity of the rivers, often difficult to discover. 



Pencil sketches made by Gibbs of scenes along the route reveal 

 much of interest and beauty encountered in the wilderness and are 

 now reproduced for the first time. Statements in the journal which 

 tend to describe or explain the drawings will be quoted, although 

 much of equal value, but not referring to the sketches, must neces- 

 sarily be omitted. 



This will be followed by excerpts from McKee's account of the 

 expedition. 



Journal ok the Expedition of Colonel Redick M'Kee, United States 



Indian Agent, through North-Western California. Performed 



During the Summer and Fall of 1851. By George Gibbs. 



j\Io)iday, Ai((/. 11. — Colonel M'Kce and party, escorted by Major Wessells, 

 and a detachment of thirty-five nionnted riflemen, left Sonoma this morning, 

 and moved over to .Santa Rosa, encamping a Httle beyond Carillo's ranch . . . 

 The general route proposed to be followed by the expedition, was up Russian 

 river to its sources, down Eel river to Humboldt bay, and thence over to the 

 Klamath, ascending that to the neighborhood of Shaste Valley, should the season 

 permit. [PI. 12.] 



Continuing northward, the party soon reached Clear Lake where 

 they remained several days. Large groups of Indians assembled, 

 and a treaty was entered into. "In personal appearance, many of 

 the Clear Lake Indians are of a very degraded caste ; their fore- 

 heads naturally being often as low as the compressed skulls of the 

 Chinooks ... A vocabulary of this language was obtained from 

 the Indian who accompanied us, and who spoke Spanish sufBciently 

 to be enabled to interpret with his ])eople." On the next day, 

 August 19, the proposed treaty was explained to the assembled 

 Indians. A region of great natural l)eaut}' (p. 109): 



Surrounded on every side by mountains, this valley is completely isolated 

 from the adjoining country, there being no access except by difficult trails . . . 

 The principal valley upon the lake is that upon which we encamped, lying on 

 the western side, and extending from mount Af'Kce towards the head. The 

 extent of this may be stated at ten miles in length, by an average width of 

 four. A more beautiful one can hardly be pictured. Covered with abundant 



^' Schoolcraft, Henry R., Information respecting the history, condition and 

 prospects of the Indian tribes of the United States, pt. 3, pp. 99-177- Phila- 

 delphia, 1853. 



