ITINERARY OF ROUTE FROM FORT BENTON TO CADOTTE’S PASS. 361 
The next eighteen miles would be along the steep sides of hills. Near the end of the eighteen 
miles is a very severe hill-side, composed mostly of sand and clay, and along which leads a narrow 
trail. It would be judicious to cross the river before reaching this hill, in order that it might 
be avoided. 
16th and 17th days.—The wagons would not travel, and the laborers would go ahead to work 
on the road. 
18th day—The wagons would proceed, while the workmen would finish the latter part of 
this sub-section of the road. Crossing the Blackfoot just prior to arriving at the severe side-hill, 
of which mention has been made, the wagons halt, after travelling eighteen miles. 
19th and 20th days.—The workmen would open the road to Hell Gate prairie, and prepare 
to recross to the right bank of the stream. 
21st day.—The wagons, crossing the Blackfoot and passing through Hell Gate, would go twelve 
miles to the crossing of Hell Gate river. Here the road should fork—the main branch leading 
directly on to Wallah-Wallah. A southern branch would make one crossing of Hell Gate river 
and two of the Bitter Root, and would lead to the Flathead village. 
22d day.—Should the latter route be taken, the wagons would cross the Hell Gate and the 
Bitter Root, and, after making sixteen miles, would encamp on the left of the latter river. 
23d day.—They would recross the Bitter Root, and, after travelling fifteen miles, would arrive 
at the Flathead village. Thus, in twenty-three days, lightly-loaded wagons, drawn by good 
teams, and accompanied by a working party of ten men, could travel two hundred and thirty- 
five miles of the route, that being the distance from Fort Benton to the Flathead village. It is 
assumed that the hours of travelling are from seven to twelve, and from ove to five. The road 
opened would not be a good one, but it would be practicable, and be improved by use and by 
the work which future travellers might apply to it. 
To make a good road—that is, one, the upper line of whose cross-section should be horizontal, 
and which should have no obstructions except steep grades—would require 200 per cent. more of 
work. And to make a road which should be good in every particular, would require at least 
a period of six months. 
Wagons leaving the Flathead village for Wallah-Wallah, would return by the same road for 
23.25 miles; they would then proceed to the mouth of Hell Gate river, cross it, and go toa 
point 31.25 miles from the Flathead village, where they would enter the main road from Fort 
Benton. Two days would be required to come from the Flathead village to this point. We will 
now resume the main road from Fort Benton, at the first crossing of Hell Gate river, where we 
left it. 
22d day from Fort Benton—The wagons would go eleven miles to the entrance of the road 
from the Flathead village, and would encamp; this being a point on the right bank of the Bitter 
Root, where it would be necessary to leave this river in order to reach the Jocko. The workmen 
would go ahead and work for ten hours on the road leading to the Jocko. 
23d day.—The wagons would not travel, and the workmen would finish that part of the road. 
24th day.—The wagons would go seventeen and a half miles and encamp on a fork of the 
Jocko. The workmen would open the road as far as the crossing of the Flathead river. 
25th day.—The wagons go twelve and a quarter miles, and encamp in a valley on the Jocko. 
The workmen prepare the crossing of the Flathead. The ford of this river is above the mouth 
of the Jocko; the ferry would be below that point, and wagons would pursue one or the other 
route, according to the practicability of the ford. 
26th day.—The wagons go twelve and a half miles, and encamp on the right bank of the Flat- 
head. ‘The workmen labor for ten hours on the road down that river. 
27th day.—The wagons go five miles, and encamp. The workmen continue laboring on the 
road. 
28th day.—The wagons do not travel. The workmen open the road as far as Horse Plain. 
46f 
