534 FROM CANTONMENT STEVENS TO FORT DALLES. 



bed. The valley of this stream is about nine miles wide, and bounded on each side by high, 

 steep clay banks, destitute of timber. While descending the steep hill to gain the river we met 

 with large quantities of volcanic rock lying scattered over the ground, presenting a vesicular honey 

 combed surface. We crossed the Clearwater after dark, and at a mile distant reached a lew 

 lodges of Nez Forces Indians encamped on the Komyer creek. Here is the country of the Nez 

 Perces Indians, where they have large fields enclosed, large herds of cattle, and an abundance of 

 the fruits of nature. The soil here is very fertile, and the winters are represented as being very 

 mild. They raise large quantities of wheat, potatoes, beans, peas, and onions. The Salmon 

 river, which is only two days distant, affords them an abundance of fish. Large quantities of 

 berries are found on the streams flowing into the Clearwater. Their Camash prairie is only 

 twelve miles distant; nature thus affording them every advantage and every means of sustaining 

 life, and causing them to live happily and contented. At present they are provided with no mill, 

 the want of which they feel very much ; at present they make use of the wheat by either boiling 

 or pounding it. 



The journey across the mountains having proved very fatiguing to our animals, I concluded to 

 rest a day in camp with the Indians, and did not resume our journey until 4 p. m. on the next 

 day, having been delayed in searching for some of our horses that had strayed from camp. We 

 lost them yesterday, and though the men were in search of them all day, they were unable to 

 discover them. I was disposed to believe my Indian friends had cached them; for it was only 

 after offering them a large reward that they started in search of them, when in a few minutes 

 they brought them in. I was at this place forcibly reminded of the national characteristic 

 meanness arid avarice of these Indians. I have met them many times in the mountains, and 

 they have to me always displayed those same traits of character. I desired one of them to 

 accompany me on my journey, but he demanded such an enormous reward for his services that 

 I told him I preferred travelling alone to being imposed upon by them. 



Resuming our march, our course tended over the high bluffs bounding the Clearwater on the 

 south for a distance of three miles, our course being 5 north of west magnetic. At the end of 

 this distance we reached the high, broad, rolling prairie, over which we travelled five miles, to a 

 fork of the river now dry, but when supplied with water, flows through a deep, narrow, rocky 

 gorge or ravine. At six miles farther we reached a second creek, containing water also, flowing 

 through a narrow ravine, the creek being fringed with willow and a few broad-leafed cotton-wood 

 trees ; a few scattering pines were also to be seen growing along the slopes of the hills. Having 

 travelled a distance of fourteen miles, we encamped on the right bank of the creek, having trav 

 elled until after sunset, in order to reach good grass and water. We found the old grass of the 

 prairie burnt, but the young grass was now springing up. We had an excellent view of the 

 Rocky mountains from the west, as also of the mountains bordering the Snake river, all being 

 clad with the pine. The day was bright and pleasant, and the night clear and mild. 



October 3. Commences clear and bright, though cool. Ice made this morning about daybreak. 

 Resuming our journey at an early hour, our trail lay over the rolling prairie for a distance of six 

 miles, when we reached a creek emptying into the Clearwater, and flowing through a deep, nar 

 row gorge of volcanic rock about one hundred feet deep. From this point, for eight miles, our 

 trail lay over the rolling prairie, when we entered an open pine forest, through which we trav 

 elled for a distance of eight miles, when we reached a small creek running towards the west, and 

 called by the Nez Perces Lappahwat, which we followed for a distance of six miles, when we 

 reached the trading establishment of William Craig, where we encamped, having travelled a dis 

 tance of twenty-eight miles. The Lappahwat valley is five hundred yards wide, bounded on each 

 side by high, bare hills or bluffs, and the soil is quite fertile. Here we found several fields en 

 closed, and at night the Indians brought us onions, cantaloups, pumpkins, and tomaioes, being 

 the first we had seen for twenty-one months ; they proved truly refreshing. The climate here is 

 mild, and all garden vegetables are found to grow well, and in the greatest abundance. The 



