192 GENERAL REPORT ON WESTERN DIVISION. 
trail over more level ground. In other words, he has more consideration for himself than for his 
horse. 
The largest fork of the stream joins that up which the trail passes about 25 miles from the 
summit, and heads directly in Mt. Rainier; its valley is even more difficult than that of the 
trail. The elevation of the lowest point of the divide, above Vancouver, is 4,890 feet. In the 
last seven miles of the valley the ascent is 229 feet per mile. From the summit of the mount- 
ains, bordering the pass, there is a fine view of Mt Rainier. Exceedingly massive, it presents, 
from near the pass, the appearance of a long ridge with two peaks; the eastern one being 
rather the higher, and more rounded of the two. At a short distance above the snow-line there 
is a belt of jagged cones, extending the whole breadth of the mountain. Between the pass 
and Rainier, as well as to the west, the mountains are generally covered with timber; to the 
south and southeast, they are frequently bare of trees, quite rough, and with more or less 
snow upon them in August; but to the northward there is a vast sea of bare, jagged, snow- 
crowned ranges extending as far as the eye can reach. 
Proceeding westward, the trail soon descends by a very precipitous route into the valley of 
Green river; follows that as far as its juncture with the White river, (they form the S’kamish, 
or south fork of the D’Wamish,) and keeps to the S’kamish valley, about ten miles farther. To 
the point where the trail leaves this valley the country passed over is all of the same nature. 
The descent for the first twenty miles from the summit is very abrupt; the valley very narrow, 
much like that of the Nahchess, except that it is much more heavily timbered. The mount- 
ains approach the stream so often that frequent crossings are necessary. 
Portions of the S’kamish valley are very boggy; grass is almost entirely wanting for a dis- 
tance of at least fifty miles from the summit. From the S’kamish to the Puyallup, the country 
is a high plateau, much broken up by ridges and mountains. It is densely timbered with fir, but 
interspersed with prairies, the soil of some of which is good. 
The descent into and the ascent from the valley of the Puyallup are long and steep. From 
Puyallup, towards the Nisqually, the country is elevated, and although somewhat rolling, is by 
no means so rough as the section last described. This also is densely timbered and interspersed 
with prairies, which assume a more grave and sterile character as the sound is approached. 
The crossings of the streams on this trail are bad; the current being rapid, and the bottom 
covered with loose and rounded stones. 
Having satisfied myself of the impracticability of the Nahchess Pass for a railway communica- 
tion, I returned and reached the depot camp at Wenass late on the 29th. 
On the 31st I received a note from Lieutenant Hodges, in which he informed me that he had 
arrived when it was written, on the 27th, within twenty-five miles of Steilacoom; that he had 
been three days without grass, and was out of provisions; that sixteen horses had already 
broken down; that there were no mules to be had at Steilacoom; and that it would be perfectly 
impossible for him to bring out the number of rations I required. He desired instructions. 
{ at once determined to send in the escort and reduce the party to the minimum, and wrote to 
him by an Indian express to that effect; also, directing him to discharge a certain number of his 
packers. 
Lieutenant Duncan returned about noon of this day, 31st, from the upper Yakima; Mr. Gibbs 
late in the afternoon, from the lower Yakima. Early on the 2d September, Lieutenant Mowry 
started for the Dalles with seventeen men, of whom but two were to return with him; he took in 
all collections made up to this time, and everything that could be dispensed with. 
On the 3d of September the depot camp was moved from the Wenass to Ketetas, on the main 
Yakima. On the morning of the 4th I left camp to examine the pass at the head of the main 
Yakima, with Mr. Gibbs, Mr. Minter, and six men. The camp was left under the care of Lieu- 
tenant Duncan, with directions 1o employ his available time in examining the country in the 
vicinity. Ireached and encamped upon the divide late on the 6th. Although a somewhat 
