TRIP THROUGH NACHES PASS, 1841 



of snow. I regret to record another accident to the 

 instruments. The sergeant, to whom the barometer 

 was intrusted by Lieutenant Johnson, in putting up 

 the instrument this morning, carelessly broke it ; and 

 thus ended the barometrical experiments in the most 

 interesting portion of the route. 



It is difficult to account for the scarcity of snow on a 

 much higher elevation than they had before reached, 

 and under circumstances which would appear to have 

 warranted a contrary expectation. Dr. Pickering was 

 induced to believe that this change in the climate is 

 owing to the open nature of the surrounding country ; 

 its being devoid of dense forests, with but a few scat- 

 tered trees and no under-brush ; and the vicinity to 

 elevated plains, and the ridge being of a less broken 

 character. 



The early part of the day was cold, with showers of 

 sleet. On the crest of the mountain they passed over 

 swampy ground, with but a few patches of spruces : 

 after passing which, they began to descend very regu- 

 larly towards the Columbia, which they reached early 

 in the afternoon, about three miles below the Pischous 

 River. 1 The Columbia at this place is a rapid stream, 

 but the scenery differs entirely from that of other rivers : 

 its banks are altogether devoid of any fertile alluvial 

 flats ; destitute even of scattered trees ; there is no 

 freshness in the little vegetation on its borders ; the 

 sterile sands in fact reach to its very brink, and it is 

 scarcely to be believed until its banks are reached that 

 a mighty river is rolling its waters past these arid 

 wastes. 



[The record of the journey to Fort Colville is omitted, 

 to be resumed when the party returning draws near the 

 environs of Mount Rainier. The portion omitted 

 extends from page 430 to 468 in the original publica- 

 tion.] 



1 Wenatchee River. 

 29 



