ITINERARY OF THE ROUTE FROM FORT BENTON TO FORT OWEN. 369 



some bread and milk, he resumed the road with the same animals, dashing off at full speed, eight 

 or nine miles an hour most of the way, and reached Colville at nine o clock. Mr. McDonald 

 received him and his-party with great hospitality. Captain McClellan, soon over from his camp, 

 supped with him, and chatted until a late hour over the various incidents and success of the 

 enterprise. 



The rest of the party followed Governor Stevens on the morning of the 19th, ferried their packs 

 across the stream in a canoe, and descended a broad valley, in which they found settlements of 

 half-breeds and Indians living in comfortable log houses. They cultivate farms and gardens, 

 have herds of cattle and horses grazing in the bottom, indicating much prosperity. This valley 

 extends twenty miles, and will support a large population. 



Distance from camp on the Spokane to Colville, sixty miles. 



31. ITINERARY OF THE ROUTE FROM FORT BENTON, BY THE NORTHERN BLACKFOOT TRAIL, TO 



FORT OWEN. 



. WASHINGTON, D. C., July 31, 1854. 



DEAR SIR: I give herewith an itinerary of the route which I travelled from Fort Benton west 

 ward to Wallah-Wallah, crossing the Rocky mountains by a pass at the source of Little Blackfoot 

 river, and the Bitter Root mountains by the southern Nez Perces trail : 



October 31, 1853. Ford the Missouri a short distance below Fort Benton, and encamp 

 soon after, hid from the sight of the sun only by the high bluffs bordering the river. At 

 the ford the Missouri is not far from six hundred feet wide, and has a least depth of three 

 feet. Some of the animals, missing the ford, got into deep water, wetting their packs 

 somewhat. Camp on a small stream making into the Missouri, with sufficient grass and 

 water, and a scanty supply of w ood 2 J 



November 1. Run a nearly parallel course to the Missouri, but kept at some distance 

 from it, to avoid, as far as possible, the deep coulees which cut its banks; road somewhat 

 broken with coulees; but there is little doubt that a practicable wagon-road, with care, 

 could be selected ; cold and snowy ; neither the river nor the adjacent country could 

 be seen during the day; camp on the Missouri; wood and water good, and grass also, 

 save that it is somewhat snowy 18f 



November 2. During the first half of to-day s journey three brooks are crossed, which 

 cut the country in deep trenches and coulees, and the road is much broken. The latter 

 half of the day s journey is easy, and the country is much less broken. Camp, at night, 

 on the Missouri at some point above the falls. Our route during the day was too distant 

 from the river to obtain a view of the falls, but their roar was distinguished about 

 midday ; a cold day, with a morning temperature near zero ; soil good during the day ; 

 game very plenty ; several small droves of elk, a few buffalo, some black-tailed deer and 

 antelope, and at night, near our camp, large numbers of geese, swan, and ducks 20 \ 



November 3. Above the falls the country bordering the Missouri improves in appearance, 

 is less broken with coulees, and the river is not bordered with the steep bluffs as below. 

 The soil and grass are better, and the banks lose their former barren and bare look. A 

 river, the first tributary above Fort Benton on the south side, which will bear the name 

 of river, was crossed about ten miles from the morning camp. It was, at the cross 

 ing, some eighty feet wide, and a ford was found with difficulty. In times of high water 

 it would be a troublesome stream to cross, and, as it was, caused us a delay of an hour 

 or two. Camp, at night, on the Missouri, with good wood, water, and grass, save that 

 the latter is partially buried with the snow; cold and snowy during the day; game plenty 16f 



November 4. Day s travel wholly on the river border, or near it, and the road is good 

 until, at the end of about fourteen miles, rocky bluffs, almost impassable, crowd upon the 



