520 FROM BITTER ROOT VALLEY TO FLATHEAD LAKE AND KOOTENAY RIVER. 



d Oreille Indian. Some } r ears ago the father of this man had horses stolen from him by the 

 Blackfeet. In retaliation he stole a number from the Blackfeet, and put them on this island, all 

 of which he intended for the benefit of his children. There is now a band of sixty or seventy 

 horses, and only a few days ago they took off a band of forty-five. The lake makes many bends ; 

 at its greatest width I estimated it to be eight miles. Travelling a distance of fifteen miles, we 

 reached a small creek emptying into the lake, and called the &quot; Eclehu.&quot; Here we found en 

 camped four lodges of Pend d Oreilles ; and as the grass was excellent, I concluded to camp, and 

 give our animals a hearty repast, as it was possible that we should have a rugged and difficult 

 country to the north, which would require our animals to be in good condition to withstand the 

 fati&amp;lt;nies of the journey. The Indians here camped, as those we met on yesterday, were engaged 

 in fishing for the salmon-trout. They had traps set, and had been very successful. The weather 

 to-day has been exceedingly gloomy and disagreeable, raining during the greater portion of 

 the day, and at times exceedingly heavy. I found the soil of the country passed over to-day 

 exceedingly fertile, and it is well adapted to grazing. The lake, as on yesterday, we found 

 skirted with small pine and cedar; all the hills and mountains, however, bordering the lake, are 

 well timbered with the pine. We were told by the guide that one mile from the &quot;Eclehu&quot; is a 

 small but beautiful lake ; it was only a short distance from our trail, but was hid from view by a 

 low ridge of hills. 



April 22. We were visited last night by a cold snow-storm, which continued unabated until 

 nearly 11 a. m., when it cleared off, and became bright sunshine for a short time. 1 had con 

 cluded to remain in camp during the day ; but thinking it to result in greater advantage to the 

 party to progress on our journey, we started at 11.30 a. m., along the western border of the Flat- 

 head lake. At 12 m. it commenced snowing again, and continued throughout the day, with great 

 force ; but the ground being warm, it melted as fast as it fell. Our trail to-day lay through an 

 immense pine forest, in the greater part of which the light of day is ever excluded. We found 

 the travelling more difficult than on any day out; the great numbers of fallen logs and large trees 

 impeded our progress, compelling us many times to go around them for many yards from the 

 trail. This pine forest extends to within a few feet of the lake. The pine is very excellent, 

 growing high and straight, and very thick. 



When the day shall arrive when civilization and the enterprise of the whites shall have fre 

 quented this region, this immense forest, bordering the lake, will prove of immense value to 

 Washington Territory, and yield an abundant revenue to the industrious hand. The lake, along 

 our whole course to-day, has a width of nearly five miles, being still bordered on the east by a 

 high range of snow capped-mountains. We crossed three small brooks emptj ing into the lake, 

 in one of which we found a fish weir, set by the Indians, for catching the salmon-trout. Towards 

 evening, gaining a high point of view on the western border of the lake, we had an excellent 

 prospect of the country to the east ; we could trace the windings of a large stream flowing through 

 two high snow-covered ranges of mountains, and emptying into the lake about three miles from 

 the point where the Clark s fork enters it. This stream was represented by the Indians to be 

 nearly as large as the Clark s fork. This latter stream enters the lake at the northeast end ; I 

 could, with my glass, trace its windings for some miles above the mouth of the inlet. About two 

 miles above this mouth is the mouth of a small stream, called the Swan river, that flows from the 

 east. We saw many geese and ducks, to-day, in the lake ; but, besides a single grouse, our fare 

 consisted of dried buffalo-meat. Travelling a distance of eighteen miles, we encamped at the 

 north end of the lake. It was at the edge of a pine thicket; but as this was the last place that we 

 would find grass for our animals for many miles, we encamped here, though at the risk of losing 

 them in woods. I have remarked, that on this lake we have found the weather much more cool 

 than before reaching it. We made three camps, and on each night we found the weather very 

 cold. Our camping-ground of this night was represented to me by the Indians as a great resort 

 for their tribe and the half-breeds of the country some years ago, as in the mountains bordering 



