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 bv fording and once on the ice. At our first crossing, soon after 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 &quot;Defile of Coracah,&quot; 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 &quot; Camash Prairie,&quot; 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 after getting completely out of their range, they have been allowed 

 to roam at large. About noon we passed &quot; Horse Plain,&quot; a broad interval included 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 Jjeing stolen, for the Indians fre 

 quenting this part of the country have very just notions of property rights. 



Upon leaving &quot; Horse Plain&quot; the trail followed down the river for the rest of the day. At one 



