506 FROM HEADWATERS OF THE MISSOURI TO DALLES OF THE COLUMBIA. 
After travelling about ten miles we camped. The weather is very moderate, and the little 
snow still in the valley is fast disappearing. 
The morning of the 31st was quite warm and cloudy, with a breeze from the southwest. About 
noon it commenced drizzling, and continued rainy for the rest of the day. 'The snow is nearly 
all gone, and has left the ground covered in many places, especially on the side-hills, with glare- 
ice—a great inconvenience to unshod animals. In course of the day we crossed the river three 
times, twice by fording and once on the ice. At our first crossing, soon afier leaving camp, the 
ice extended from the banks into the stream some distance on both sides, leaving the deepest 
portion of the channel unfrozen. The horse of my guide, Paul, who rode in advance, plunged in 
without hesitation, and I observed that the water only came to the knees of his rider as he sat in 
the saddle. Not supposing that there would be much difference in depth anywhere in the 
immediate vicinity, I allowed my pony, who was very much disinclined to trust himself to the 
current, to pass too much to the right before plunging in; by which piece of indiscretion, due 
partly to the horse and partly to myself, we got off soundings, and both went completely under. 
The occurrence, which in itself was sufficiently disgusting, was rendered more so by seeing Paul 
on the other side, with his hand over his mouth in token of amazement. 
At about sunset we camped at the foot of Hell Gate, near the mouth of the Hell Gate river. 
February 1.—The rain, which commenced falling yesterday, continued till about 2 o’clock this 
morning, when, with a change of wind to the northwest, it changed to snow, and about half an 
inch covered the ground this morning at daylight. 
Early in the day we left the Bitter Root river, and passing through a narrow gorge in the 
mountains, called the “Defile of Coracah,” struck the river Jocko, upon which at night we 
camped. In this defile there was about eight inches of snow, but none in the small prairies. 
February 2d was clear and beautiful. Our way to-day has led through a succession of defiles 
and small mountain-locked prairies, covered with good grass. Upon some of these, bands of 
Indian horses were grazing at large. They were all well-conditioned, and many of them fine- 
looking animals. 
About noon we passed two solitary lodges of Nez Perces Indians. As the sun descended be- 
hind the hills we again camped on the Flathead river, having travelled about twenty miles. 
February 3.—To-day we followed down the river till about 11 o’clock, and crossed. It was 
frozen over so smoothly that it was found necessary to make a pathway for the animals, to keep 
them from slipping. This was done by strewing sand from one side to the other; it answered 
the same purpose as ashes. But this was not the only detention met with here. While we were 
engaged in making our path-way, one of the pack-mules stole off from the band unobserved, and 
cached himself behind a knoll, in an out-of-the-way place, where it took a full hour to find him. 
Late in the evening we camped on “ Camash Prairie,” a high round prairie, enclosed in mount- 
ains, about eight miles from the river. 'To-night is stormy. 
February 4.—The feed was rather short last night, and in consequence the animals strayed a 
good deal. For two or three of the first nights some of the horses were hobbled, and it was 
found sufficient to keep the band together and near camp. In a mixed band mules will not often 
separate from the horses; but afier getting completely out of their range, they have been allowed 
to roam at large. About noon we passed “ Horse Plain,” a broad interval mcluded between the. 
river and the mountainous country back of it. There were upwards of forty horses grazing upon 
it. These small prairies generally furnish thick nutritious grass, and afford to the Indians very 
convenient natural enclosures in which to winter their horses; for the broken country immediately 
about them is generally almost destitute of feed, and other natural obstructions render it very 
difficult for them. to stray, were they inclined to do so. Though they are not looked up from the 
commencement to the end of winter, there is no danger of their being stolen, for the Indians fre- 
quenting this part of the country have very just notions of property rights. 
Upon leaving “ Horse Plain” the trail followed down the river for the rest of the day. At one 
