NARRATIVE OF 1853. 33 
the adjacent country, whilst I went in person from St. Paul. Before resolving upon this course, 
the question was carefully considered as to whether a steamer should not be chartered to take 
the main party up the Missouri to Fort Benton and throw it upon the mountains at once, 
leaving to a small party the duty of moving from St. Paul overland.. A steamer which was 
thought suitable was found at Pittsburg, and I had the refusal of it at a very low charter. 
This plan was rejected, because it ONY an element of uncertainty into ће operations. 
I could not be sure that it was suitable for the navigation of the Missouri, nor was I certain 
that I could take her to Fort Benton. There being no doubt whatever of the practicability of 
the overland route from St. Paul for the main party, it was adopted, and with the more readi- 
ness, as the animals required for the examination of the passes would move my party from the 
Mississippi to the mountains. 
The eastern division was provided with the following corps of officers and civilians for the 
scientific objects of the exploration, and for quartermaster and commissary duties: Captain J. 
W. T. Gardiner, 1st dragoons ; Lieutenant A. J. Donelson, Corps of Engineers, with ten sap- 
pers and miners; Lieutenant Beekman Du Barry, 3d artillery ; Lieutenant Cuvier Grover, 4th 
artillery; Lieutenant John Mullan, 2d artillery; Isaac F. Osgood, disbursing agent; J. M. 
Stanley, esq., artist; Dr. George Suckley, surgeon and naturalist; F. W. Lander and A. W. 
Tinkham, assistant engineers; John Lambert, topographer; George W. Stevens; William M. 
Graham, and A. Remenyi, in charge of astronomical and magnetic observations; Joseph 
F. Moffett, meteorologist; Thomas Adams, Max Strobel, Elwood Evans, Е. Н. Burr, and A. 
Jekelfaluzy, aids; and T. S. Everett, quartermaster and commissary's clerk. Of whom Lieu- 
tenant Donelson, with six sappers, Lieutenant Mullan, and Mr. Graham were assigned to the 
duty of surveying the Missouri and establishing the depot at Fort Union, while the remainder 
constituted the main party to rendezvous near St. Paul. 
Dr. John Evans was appointed the geologist of the exploration. Since 1851 he had been in 
the service of the Department of the Interior, making a geological survey of Oregon and Wash- 
ington Territories, and it was believed that the public service would be best promoted by 
securing his co-operation with the geological portion of the exploration. He had passed over 
portions of the route, and, whilst preparing for the expedition, he furnished me with informa. 
tion in regard to the general course of Milk river, of passes from the Missouri to the Bitter 
Root valley, of the valley itself, and of the route thence, of Lewis and Clark, by the Lou- 
Lou Fork, or Traveller's Rest creek, to Fort Walla-Walla. He drew up instructions to 
guide in making the collections of the exploration, and was himself provided with the funds 
deemed, in his judgment, necessary to make the trip across the continent in connexion with the 
work of all the parties of the exploration. It seemed that thus the most ample and effective 
means were taken, both to make the geological results of the exploration complete, and to advance | 
the general service on which Dr. Evans was employed by the Interior Department. For, whilst 
the expenses and collections of his trip were on account of the exploration, he was empowered, 
after submitting his exploration report, to embody Anyen de thus gained in his final geological 
report to the Department of the Interior. 
A. W. Tinkham and F. W. Lander, engineers, were despatched, in ХЫ to St. Paul, to 
examine the several crossings of the Mississippi, and to collect information generally in that 
region until my arrival; and Lieutenant Grover, with his clerk, Т. 8. Everett, was sent to St. 
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