FROM BITTER ROOT VALLEY TO FLATHEAD LAKE AND KOOTENAY RIVER. 523 



referred to, for fifteen or twenty miles in length, and the same in width ; the grass here is exceed 

 ingly rich and luxuriant. I determined to halt and rest a day, to recruit the animals, which had 

 now become very much jaded by their long and fatiguing march; and on the morning of the next 

 day (April 26th) leaving my camp, I went with my guide and interpreter to the Kootenay river. 

 At the point where we struck the river we found it to be four hundred yards wide, and flowing 

 through low banks, with a gentle current. 



The country on its left bank forms an immense, low prairie bottom, in which the grass grows 

 luxuriantly; this extends to the base of the mountains on the east. The country on the right 

 bank, at the same place, is formed of a series of pine-clad hills that extend to the mountains of 

 the north, which latter are very high, their snow-capped summits seeming lost in the clouds. 

 The river runs for many miles from the northeast, through two high ranges of snow-covered 

 mountains, many of whose peaks are covered with snow through every season. 



The soil along the Kootenay river is very fertile, and at the point where we struck it was car 

 peted by a beautiful green sward, upon which was growing an exceedingly great number of beauti 

 fully-colored and varied plants. Here I made a rich botanical collection, a description of which , 

 from my limited knowledge of that science, does not here find a place, but is left for more able 

 hands. This place is a great resort for the Kootenay Indians when not hunting in the mount 

 ains, as here is found at every season an abundance of excellent and nutritious grass ; the winters 

 are represented as being mild, and the waters of the Kootenaie river afford them, at all seasons, 

 a bountiful supply of the salmon-trout. So they have but to enjoy the many blessings and favors 

 fortune has placed at their disposal, and live in their sluggish and miserable independence from 

 year to year. 



The region of country bordering the Kootenay river for many miles on the south is totally 

 unlike that bordering the Clark s fork ; but few prairies are found, and there is but little else 

 than one immense pine thicket, from the greater portion of which the light of day is ever ex 

 cluded, and in which the sound of the axe of the white man has never yet been heard. Lead 

 and coal are both said to be found on the banks of the Kootenay, although I saw no traces of 

 either where we struck the stream. 



Having now accomplished one of the objects for which we started, I determined to strike the 

 Clark s fork to the south, but by a different route from that followed to the Kootenay river, which 

 should lie more to the west, turning the immense bed of mountains bordering the Flathead lake 

 on the west, and thus solve the problem of the character of the large belt of country between 

 the Kootenaie river and Clark s fork, from which flows no large tributary to either of these two 

 streams; so, resuming our march on the morning of the 27th of April, we continued for a distance 

 often miles on the same trail which we had followed going to the Kootenay river. This brought 

 us to the crossing of the &quot;Tobacco creek;&quot; at this point our homeward trail bent more to the 

 south of east. At the distance of a mile from the Tobacco creek we struck a fork of the main 

 branch, which we found swimming deep, very rapid, and about twenty yards wide. Having 

 unpacked everything, one of our Indians, stripping himself, packed everything on his back, swim 

 ming the river on horseback. By felling trees we made a bridge, and crossed over in safety. 

 Two miles distant, our trail leading through an open pine forest, we reached a prairie bottom, 

 where we encamped for the night, having travelled a distance of only thirteen miles; but we were 

 compelled to camp here, as it was the only grazing ground we should find for many miles. 



The weather to-day has been mild and pleasant, although during last night we had a heavy 

 rain. On leaving camp this morning we were visited by a large number of Kootenay Indians, 

 who brought with them roots and skins to trade. They represented that they were in a misera 

 ble condition; no meat, or ammunition to procure any. We gave them a little powder and ball, 

 at which they appeared exceedingly glad. 



April 28. We continued this morning our march for the Bitter Root valley, travelling all day 

 through an immense and dense pine forest. At a distance of a mile from the camp of last night 



