312 FROM THE FLATIIEAD CAMP TO ST. MARY^S VALLEY. 



the morning to hunt, they gave full details as to water, grass, wood, halts, meeting each other, 

 &c., so fully did they appreciate their position. The night of this day was exceedingly mild and 

 pleasant; the frost, however, being very heavy, which before morning coated the ground as with 

 snow. 



Scptrjnber 21, 1S53. Commences clear and cool, the thermometer at sunrise being 26. We 

 resumed our march, continuing down the valley of Smith s river for a distance of two miles, 

 when, turning more to the south, we left the river far to our right ; and when ascending a 

 prairie hill, near two hundred and fifty feet high, we could trace its windings though the valley of 

 the hills for a distance of many miles, still continuing to flow through a beautiful and charming 

 valley, receiving tributaries from the mountain slopes on each side. Our course lay till near 

 noon over a series of undulating prairie hills, having to our left, about three miles distant, a large 

 tributary of Smith s river, well wooded, and to the south of it a high range of well timbered 

 mountains, some of the summits of which are covered with snow. The mountains to our right 

 continue to be very high and well wooded. Near the summit the prairie hills over which we 

 passed this morning are covered with rock, stones, and pebbles in every direction, which made 

 travelling difficult for our animals. Game in the valley of these hills we found very abundant, 

 being principally antelope, but so exceedingly shy as to prevent all possibility of approach. 

 About 11 a. m. we entered the valley of a small stream turning towards the east, upon which we 

 nooned, finding here good wood and water, but very poor grass. This valley was one hundred 

 yards wide, the hills or mountains on each side being about five hundred feet high, and clad with 

 the pine, growing to a height of sixty feet and perfectly straight. At our noon halt, two of our 

 Indians who had left us early in the morning returned with seven large mountain trout which they 

 had caught in Smith s river; these were similar to those of the night previous, but of much larger 

 size. Our course during the afternoon lay to the south, up a steep mountain five hundred feet 

 high, which we were compelled to ascend to gain a ridge which we could follow, as the valley 

 was so obstructed by rocks and brushwood, and so very narrow, that it was perfectly impos 

 sible to follow it to its head. When gaining the top of this mountain, nothing was to be 

 seen save an immense bed of rugged mountains. From the summit of this mountain our course 

 lay more to the west, over a very excellent road, leading through a thicket for a distance of two 

 miles, the timber being the pine, hemlock, cedar, and spruce. After passing the thicket referred 

 to, we came in sight, for the first time, of the main chain of the Rocky mountains, the object of all 

 our hopes and ambition. These mountains we supposed to be at a distance of near fifty miles, 

 and reared their lofty heads far into the blue sky in the distance. Our only regret on seeing them 

 was, that we were not on the west side of them. We had now gained the divide or highest 

 ridge of the mountain, and now commenced a descent, dangerous both for our animals and our 

 selves. The mountains which we had to descend in order to reach a valley conducting us to a 

 valley of the Missouri, was one thousand feet high, with a slope of 65. This was formed of 

 dark- blue slate, which in most places was exposed, presenting its rough edges to our horses 

 feet, making the travelling very bad and dangerous. We were compelled to dismount; and 

 wearing nothing but moccasins, it was exceedingly trying to our feet. This slate formation 

 dipped towards the west at an angle of 45, the largest strata being from an eighth to half an 

 inch in thickness. Gaining the base of the mountain, we entered a narrow valley or ravine, 

 through which flowed a brook or mountain stream, the waters of which ran to the west and 

 emptied into the Missouri. This valley or ravine was about seventy-five yards wide, which we 

 followed down for several miles, camping about six miles from the base of the mountain. Here 

 we found the mountains on each side to be composed of a red slate formation. The mountains on 

 each side of the gorge have been heavily timbered with the pine, but a fire has lately passed over 

 . them, destroying nearly every tree. Game we still continued to fine very scarce; one of our 

 Indians, however, succeeded in killing an antelope, which added very materially to our comfort. 

 The night of this day was exceedingly pleasant. 



