FROM FORT HALL TO HEAD OF HELL GATE RIVER. 341 
were packed in camp, and at night were to be seen the most choice pieces of this richly-flavored 
venison roasting upon sticks around the fire. The weather to-day has been exceedingly mild and 
summer-like—the night being clear, mild and bright. The Wisdom river, on which we encamped, 
is the one first taken by Messrs. Lewis and Clark, and travelled up for a short distance, but 
left from a supposed impracticability to travel up the Jefferson fork of the Missouri; which former, 
if followed as first intended, would have led them by a direct and practicable route to the Pacific, 
and saved them from the great suffering and privation met with in taking the Jefferson fork, and 
which led them by a rough and rugged route to the Salmon river, which really proved an imprac- 
ticable route to the Pacific. By following this stream for a distance of eighty miles, you reach 
the junction of its principal forks ; the one to the south leads to the headwaters of the Salmon 
river, by a very excellent road, while the one to the west-northwest leads to the headwaters of 
the Bitter Root river, whose waters flow into Clark’s fork of the Columbia. They are each 
of equal size and of the same length, but can be travelled in the winter only when the seasons 
are mild. 
December 30, 1853.—Commences clear but cold. The ice made very thick during the night, and 
even this morning, water standing within a few inches of the fire froze hard in a few minutes. 
Our camp last night was surrounded by a large band of wolves, who were anxiously waiting 
till we should take our departure, expecting a rich repast from the great abundance of fresh meat 
killed yesterday. We resumed our march at 9 a m., continuing up the valley of the Wisdom 
river for a distance of four and a half miles along its right bank, when, reaching a point where 
the rocky bluffs formed vertical walls along its brink, it became necessary to cross the river, 
which we did by a ford, with water two feet deep in the channel. On each side near the banks, 
however, the river was frozen sufficiently hard to bear our animals. At the bluffs referred to 
the rock is of a grayish green color, and at a short distance looks not unlike a slate formation, 
which is traceable for a distance of ten miles up its right bank. It is four hundred feet above the 
general level of the valley, and dips to the west at an angle of 60°. Two miles from our camp of 
last night we crossed a small creek, coming from the west, now frozen, lined with the cotton- 
wood in such abundance that it has gained the name of “Cottonwood creek.” Our trail, up to 
the crossing of the Wisdom river, lay through large patches of sage; in many places, however, 
burnt over by the Indians. After the crossing, it lay principally over a level and beautiful prairie 
valley, the general width of which was three miles. The Wisdom river we found to-day to be 
continuously wooded with the cotton-wood, though much drift pine wood was seen along its 
bank, coming from the mountain bounding the Big Hole prairie on the north. The grass of the 
valley we found very good. The soil, however, is poor, being principally a yellowish clay, 
that bakes in the sun. Along its left bank large areas of rounded water-worn stone were seen 
high above the level of the bed of the river. We crossed a small creek coming from the east 
called White Clay Bank creek, a name given it from the great abundance of white clay found on 
its banks. This formation of white clay occurs also in very great abundance along the main 
stream of the Wisdom river, in the ‘Big Hole prairie.’ Our guide states that he has used it 
for whitewashing. It is a very excellent substitute for lime. Travelling a distance of thirteen 
miles, we encamped on the left bank of the Wisdom river, finding excellent grass and an abund- 
ance of fuel, consisting of the cotton-wood and drift pine. We passed during the day two old 
camps of the Nez Perces Indians, where were left their corrals, which they had made in fear of 
the Blackfeet. This is a noted rendezvous for the Blackfeet Indians, being a general thoroughfare 
for the Pend d’Oreilles, Flatheads, Nez Perces, and Banax Indians, during the spring and summer 
seasons. The Blackfeet are sure to meet with some straggling band of these tribes, all of whom 
they consider their enemies. We passed to-day a spot noted as being the place where, some 
years ago, forty Flatheads, being on their way to the hunt, espied the whole Blackfeet camp on 
their way to the Flathead country for the purpose of murder and plunder, when the vanguard of 
eleven men of the Blackfeet, being some miles ahead, were shot down to a man by the Flatheads, 
