FROM BITTER ROOT VALLEY TO FLATHEAD LAKE AND KOOTENAY RIVER. 521 



the lake immense numbers of deer and elk were found, while the lake afforded its usual abund 

 ance of excellent fish, but now little if any game is found throughout this whole region; yet this 

 beautiful lake has lost none of its pristine character in yielding to the fisherman a rich and abund 

 ant harvest at all seasons. May it not be, in years to come, when this hitherto neglected region 

 shall become a thickly settled district, that the lumber and the fisheries of this beautiful lake of 

 the mountains shall constitute one of the chief articles of trade from this region, and return to the 

 coffers of the future State of Washington a handsome and valuable revenue? 



Cannot navigation be extended from the Pacific to the very base of the Rocky mountains? 

 What is there to prevent it? Are there insuperable obstacles in the way? No; in my humble 

 judgment, I think not. Let but the enterprise and the ingenuity of the Yankee nation once be 

 extended to this now secluded and neglected region, and soon will be seen steamers ploughing 

 the beautiful waters of the Columbia from its mouth to the base of the mountains. The river 

 always affords, except during three months of the year, an abundance of water for navigation ; 

 the borders of the stream and its lakes afford a sufficiency of fuel; and all it now needs is, to 

 have the Cascades, the Dalles, and the few falls above the mouth of the Lewis s fork, removed, 

 to complete the water communication from the Pacific to the Rocky mountains. 



April 23. Continuing for a short distance this morning through the pine forest passed through 

 yesterday, we emerged into a broad, open, level, and beautiful prairie, that extends from the 

 north end of Flathead lake for a distance of thirty or forty miles to the north and twenty miles to 

 the west. The soil here is very excellent, and the great number of sloughs, small lakes, and 

 ponds, afford an abundance of small game. There are two beautiful streams flowing through this 

 prairie bottom, both of which we crossed during the morning. The first is called the Cotton- 

 wood creek, from the great abundance of that timber found on its borders ; and the second the 

 Maple river, from the reported abundance of this timber found on its banks, although I saw none 

 on the river the whole distance travelled. Gaining this prairie, we could trace the mountains for 

 many miles. We observed that the range referred to several times as running along the eastern 

 border of the Flathead lake, continues its general direction of northwest and southeast; but at a 

 distance of forty or fifty miles from the north end of.the lake, a spur of this range, similar in all 

 respects to the main range, bends more to the west. This spur, as the main range, was cov 

 ered with snow to midway of its height. The mountains here are all well wooded with pine ; 

 their summits are a combination of jagged and serrated peaks, with many dome-shaped peaks, 

 all covered with snow. 



The Cotton-wood creek we found to be ten yards wide, with a gentle current; water in the 

 ford two feet deep, and good banks on either side. The Maple river I found to be the swiftest 

 stream that I have ever crossed in the mountains. It flows, at the ford, over a rocky bed. The 

 water we found near three feet deep, and, with its impetuous current, we could with difficulty 

 ford it. Most of our packs were submerged, and everything wet in the crossing. Before cross 

 ing this stream, we struck again the Clark s fork, along which we travelled for a mile. Here the 

 stream is one hundred and fifty yards wide, flowing with a sluggish current through high clay 

 banks, and is well wooded on the left bank with the cotton-wood and pine, principally the former. 

 The water is not clear, but is colored yellow by the waters of the Maple river, which are very 

 turbid at this season. We followed up the Maple river on its left bank for a distance of ten 

 miles, our trail lying partially over the level prairie before described, and partially through a 

 dense pine forest. The timber here is very high and straight, with much underbrush. The grass 

 we found here to be very sparse and poor. Gaining a small prairie, along the southern edge of 

 which the Maple river flowed, we encamped, having travelled a distance of twenty-two miles. 

 We found here poor grass ; but as the guide told us it was the best we should find for many 

 miles, our animals had to fare upon very indifferent repast. The day has been bright, warm, 

 and pleasant. 



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