FROM CANTONMENT STEVENS TO FORT BENTON. 349 



the Jefferson river from those of the Hell Gate river, the same general remarks will apply as 

 those describing the country from the head of the Bitter Root river to Fort. Hall; a series of 

 mountain ranges, giving beautiful prairie valleys, through which wind streams from the mountain- 

 slopes, that pour their tributaries into the Missouri and its forks. Leaving the ridges referred to, 

 you again enter a different and milder region, through which flow tributaries to Clark s fork of 

 the Columbia. Here the soil is a rich loam ; timber is abundant; climate exceedingly mild, 

 even during the severest winter. We entered it on the 1st of January, and snow scarcely cover 

 ing the ground was to be found in the valley. This section connects with the Bitter Root valley. 

 We thence followed down the Hell Gate river from its head to where it debouches from the 

 mountains, five miles above its mouth, which we found to be one hundred and twenty-five miles 

 long, flowing through a fertile, well-timbered valley, from two to five miles wide, bounded on each 

 side by high pine-clad mountains. Game is found in great abundance in these mountains, being 

 principally elk and bear. Additional description of each portion of the route having already 

 been given, I only deem it necessary to say that both routes travelled are perfectly practicable 

 for wagons, though the return route is by far the better of the two, though from sixty to eighty 

 miles longer. I regretted that I could not have made a barometrical profile of the two routes, 

 but this resulted from the fact that a barometer could not be dispensed with in the Bitter Root 

 valley, where was being kept a regular series of meteorological observations, to ascertain the 

 character of the winter in this region. Such points of the route that were of sufficient interest and 

 importance to be noted particularly were faithfully sketched by Mr. Adams, the artist of the party, 

 to whom I am indebted for the accompanying sketches. 



Truly and respectfully, your obedient servant, 

 JOHN MULLAN, 



Lieutenant U. S. Army. 

 Governor I. I. STEVENS, 



In Command of Northern Pacific Railroad Exploration and Survey, 



26. REPORT OF ROUTE FROM CANTONMENT STEVENS TO FORT BENTON AND BACK, BY LIEUT. 



JOHN MULLAN, U. S. A. 



CANTONMENT STEVENS, BITTER ROOT VALLEY, 



April 2, 1854. 



SIR: I have the honor to report, that in conformity to your letter of instructions to continue the 

 exploration of the country between the Rocky and Bitter Root ranges of mountains, and the 

 examination of the mountain passes between the -43d and 49th parallels of latitude, I left the 

 Bitter Root valley on the 1st of March to examine a new route thence to Fort Benton, on the 

 Missouri, and to ascertain its practicability for a railroad route, as also the passage of wagon- 

 trains ; and at the same time to obtain a knowledge, from actual observation, of the depth of the 

 snow arid the character of the mountains generally at that season. 



Lieutenant Grover, in crossing the mountains in the month of January, had an opportunity -of 

 ascertaining the depth of snow up to that period ; and I thought it adding another link to the chain 

 of knowledge of the mountains to ascertain their character at a period two months later. I was 

 led to believe, by information gained from the mountaineers and trappers in this region, that 

 there existed a road from the Falls of the Missouri to this valley over which wagons could pass with 

 out difficulty ; and having passed over and examined one hundred and twenty miles of the route 

 in September, 1S53, and found it practicable for a wagon-road, I placed full confidence in the inform 

 ation, and started with the intention that, should the route upon examination prove practicable, 

 to bring with me a wagon from Fort Benton to this valley. And I have the honor now to report 

 that I have been perfectly successful, and have found in the mountains a wagon-road, the advan 

 tages of which are equal, if not far superior, to any existing across the mountains. I had also 



