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 lor 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 often miles up its right bank. It is four hundred feet above the 

 general level of the valley, and dips to the \vest 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 &quot; Cottonwood creek.&quot; 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 &quot;Big Hole prairie.&quot; 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 Blackfeat 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 ihe 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, 



